What is the main theme of Ernest J. Gaines' A Lesson Before Dying?

"A Lesson Before Dying" has several main themes (most novels do).

One theme deals with the idea of justice. What is fair in the world? Is the world fair at all? Are justice and fairness even the same things?

The book also concerns itself with the Civil Rights Movement and racism. The book deals with racism not only between white and black people, but between people of mixed race.

The third major theme of the novel deals with God and religion, and its place in society. Jefferson is trying to understand his faith and his relationship with God throughout the novel.

Explain how Harper Lee develops the theme of prejudice in the novel "To Kill A Mockingbird."

In addition to the black/white prejudice, you've got the theme intertwined with the prejudice against Boo Radley who for some unknown and mysterious reason chooses to stay indoors.  There's also the prejudice of the town against the Ewells who are repeatedly described as "white trash" in the novel and who live near the black community.  There is also Mr. Raymond who appears to be drunk all the time and has a black mistress who is the mother of his little mixed children.  The reader isn't certain if the drunkenness or the black mistress and children are more prevelant in their treatment of Mr. Raymond, but nonetheless he is shunned by the townspeople.  Of course, you mustn't forget how Calpurnia is treated by Alexandria when she comes to live with the children during the trial for Tom Robinson which is expected to keep Atticus away from home much more than usual. 

Obviously, black and white issues are the focal point, but this is not the only prejudice that is present in the novel.  Harper Lee is a master at weaving all kinds of prejudice throughout the pages of his novel from beginning to end.  Debunking these prejudices is part of the kids' coming of age...especially Jem's.  It is an artful piece of literature.

"A Poison Tree" describes a series of events - it tells a story. Explain your understanding of the story’s significance.

This "story" is about the narrator getting angry with an enemy.  He keeps the anger to himself, allowing it to get more and more intense.  He lets is "grow" inside his body.  Symbolically, he plants a tree of his anger in his garden, and it grows to bear an apple.  In the story, the enemy eats the apple and it kills him.  The connection is that the narrator's anger has born a deadly fruit that will have negative - even murderous - consequences on his enemy.

Blake is trying to show how dangerous wrath can be.  The wrath the narrator has towards his friend is spoken of and quickly disappears.  This is what is supposed to happen.  However, the wrath towards the enemy does not get released, and it brings with it much negativity.  The idea that the wrath brings forth a poison apple is symbolic of the Garden of Eden.  It was human sin in the garden that caused Eve to eat the apple and get her and Adam kicked out of the Garden.  Blake uses the apple to suggest that wrath/anger is a sin and needs to be put aside, not let to grow.

The narrator isn't the only guilty party, however.  The enemy also sins:

And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine,
And into my garden stole

Here, it is the sin of "coveting" that causes the enemy to want what is the neighbor's.  By taking it, he is just as guilty in his own death, and proves again that humans share original sin.

Why does Framton Nuttel leave in such a hurry and how does Vera explain it?

Mr. Nuttle leaves in a hurry because he is frightened. Vera has told him a story about why Mrs. Sappleton leaves the window open, saying that Mrs. Sappleton believes her missing husband and brother will return thought it, just as they left through it, seemingly long ago. Although the story is not true (the men only left that morning), Mr. Nuttle, a very nervous guy, believes it. Therefore when the men do return through the window, Mr. Nuttle suffers a "nervous breakdown" and must flee.

What is the setting of "The Sniper"?

Literary setting describes both time and place of a story. For the short story "The Sniper," the setting includes the historical events occurring at the time and in the place of the story. O’Flaherty wrote the story (published in 1923) after having been a soldier in the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in 1922 during the Battle of Dublin in which he fought against the English Provisional forces while they attacked the IRA-held Four Courts building, which is the group of buildings comprising Ireland's four principle courts of law. After a horrible period of violent fighting and bombardment, the anti-English IRA forces were defeated and the Four Courts destroyed to be rebuilt in 1932. After this raging battle, O'Flaherty fled, ironically, to London where he commenced to write down in "The Sniper" the essence of the insight he learned about civil war. This is the historic background that is part of the time and place--the setting--of "The Sniper."

If we narrow our focus from the historical setting to the particular situational setting of the protagonist--though not necessarily the hero--of the story, we see that it is 1922 in central Dublin and that we are near the O’Connell Bridge. Snipers line the rooftops while at least a few people walk now and then on the streets, such as the old lady who appears and points. The protagonist is lying on a rooftop behind the modest cover offered by the parapet (i.e., a low wall surround a rooftop). Hungry, thirsty and wanting a cigarette, he rapidly eats, drinks whiskey and takes a risk by lighting a cigarette in the evening light--he has been there since morning and it is now the evening of the day. The flicker from his cigarette does alert an enemy sniper to his position and draws fire his way. He looks out over the parapet, drawing more fire, then hugs himself to the roof. In the street below him, an armored tank stops and an old woman who has emerged from a side street points to the location of the protagonist whereupon he shoots first the man in the armored tank and then the fleeing woman who is an informant. This then comprises the opening setting of "The Sniper."

The elements of the setting that lend particular significance to the story are the parapet, the bridge, the side street, the rooftops that hide enemy snipers, and the darkening light of evening. These elements of setting each has significance to the development of the plot and/or to the development of character. For example, it is in the evening light that the protagonist complicates the plot by revealing his location to the enemy sniper (sniper: someone who is an excellent shot and shoots at someone from a place of concealment). Part of the very definition of "sniper" is "concealment": the sniper operates from a secret place, a place in which he is concealed from view. Thus, the evening light also serves to develop the protagonist's character: he exposes his concealment indicating that he is less disciplined than he needs to be and more rash (rash: acting without due consideration of or attention to consequences) than it is good for him to be. Similarly, the bridge introduces a major part of the early conflict in the plot, which the sniper resolves by shooting the enemy and the informant (in war, it is correct for a soldier to act as he has done) while also revealing that, though rash and somewhat undisciplined, his character is in earnest (i.e., having sincere and intense conviction) about his role in opposing the enemy.

How to stop cast filled acrylic sheet from warping and bowing after it has been polymerized?The acrylic sheet is filled with inert mineral fillers...

To reducing warping, you can add a moisture-resisting material which has an acrylic substrate and from a group of PVDF homopolymers and copolymers etc, to form a low moisture absorbing multi-layer object, and thus preventing warping from happening.

All these acrylic sheets have an disadvantage, which is it tends to absorb water in humid conditions, thus causing the exposed side to expand significantly, causing bowing to happen. To prevent that from destroying the object, acrylic capstocks was used to improve the weatherability of the acrylic sheets.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, how does Atticus's dealings with different characters bring out different aspects of his own character?

In his treatment of others, Atticus reveals his own
personal integrity. His actions confirm the values he professes, and how he interacts
with the other characters in the novel reveals his decency, strength, and
wisdom.

Atticus values truth and justice; he reveres the
law. In taking Tom Robinson’s case and fighting so hard to free Tom from a gross
injustice, Atticus lives his principles. After losing in court, Atticus plans to appeal
Tom’s conviction; he will not abandon an innocent man. His gentle treatment of Tom and
Tom’s family shows the compassion, empathy, and decency in Atticus’s character. These
same personal traits are shown in his treatment of Mrs. Dubose. Despite her difficult
behavior, Atticus understands her situation and her feelings and treats her with respect
and consideration.

How Atticus interacts with his children
demonstrates his great love for them and his wisdom in guiding them through difficult
times. He listens to them, answers their questions as honestly as he can, and instills
in them, through word and deed, core values of honesty, courage, fairness, respect, and
compassion.

Finally, the manner in which Atticus deals with
Bob Ewell also shows Atticus’s character. He abhors Ewell’s behavior, but he does not
attack him personally or denigrate him while questioning him during Tom’s trial.  He
examines Ewell as a witness, asking the hard questions, but even Ewell is treated with
respect while on the stand. Later, when Ewell confronts Atticus and spits in his face,
Atticus does not react to the insult. His self-respect and dignity demand that he ignore
Ewell’s ignorant and spiteful display.

In "Through the Tunnel," what is the symbolism of these settings: the wild beach, the safe beach, and the tunnel?

A coming-of-age story, Doris Lessing's "Through the Tunnel" employs three major symbols to connote Jerry's state of being and his rite of passage. In the exposition of the narrative, as Jerry is with his mother at the "usual beach" which they frequent when they come on vacation, he looks over his shoulder at the wild bay, an action representing his growing desire to expand horizons. Jerry's mother asks him, "Are you tired of the usual beach, Jerry?" Thus, it is apparent to Jerry's mother that her son wishes to "stretch his wings" and exert some independence by going to the wild-looking beach.

Then, when Jerry does swim out to the rocks and the wild bay, he leaves the protection of his mother--a "speck of yellow under an umbrella." When he sees the native boys, free in their nakedness, diving and swimming, Jerry envies them, and he craves their company. But, they are "big boys" and they reject his childish antics in the water to get their attention:

"Look at me! Look! and he began splashing and kicking in the water like a foolish dog.

After this rejection, Jerry desires to do what the older boys have done; that is, swim under the water and pass through some type of gap or hole, re-emerging far on the other side. This act, then, becomes the rite of passage to maturity; it is an act with which Jerry becomes consumed. He tells his mother that he needs swim goggles; then, he practices to develop his lung capacity. Finally, he makes his attempt at passing through the tunnel, struggles, feeling that he is dying as he loses oxygen. But, at last, Jerry succeeds. "He did not want them. He wanted nothing but to get back home and lie down." Jerry has proven that he, too, is an adult.

"safe beach" - the beach of Jerry's boyhood, safe with his mother nearby.

"wild beach" - the unknown, the future that awaits the boy Jerry

"tunnel" - the passage from boyhood to adolescence and young adulthood

What is a plot summary for "Lamb to the Slaughter"?

The best way to answer this question is to read the story.  If you haven't already, I encourage you to do so.  It isn't very long, and it's one of the most entertaining short stories out there.  I have provided a link to the text of the story, and to some more detailed analyses and summaries of it.  To read a summary of it without reading the story is to by seriously missing out.  If you are having problems with summarizing and HAVE read the story, keep in mind that a summary is a brief overview of the main events that occur in the story itself.

In a nutshell, Mary Maloney is a cop's wife, and 6 months pregnant.  She is happy in her marriage, and waiting for her husband to come home after work.  He does, and informs her that he is leaving her.  In a daze, she goes downstairs to get a leg of lamb out of the freezer to cook for dinner, goes upstairs, and without even thinking, bashes her hubby over the head with it, killing him instantly.  Shocked, she realizes what she has done, and forms a plan.  She puts the lamb in the oven, goes to the corner store to buy some food, making sure to talk to the clerk about how her husband is due home any time and she is making him dinner.  When she gets home she calls the cops in a "panic" saying she came home from the store to find her husband dead.  They come over, are confused, can't find a murder weapon.  She feeds them the lamb for dinner, and they leave.

I hope that helps!  Please, please go back and read the story also, it's a pretty cool one.  Good luck!

What is the main plot of Seventeen Syllables, especially concerning the secrets between Rosie and her daughter?

"Seventeen Syllables" by Hisaye Yamamoto tells the story of the mental agony of Rosie's mother, Tome Hayashi who was trapped in a loveless marriage.Tome Hayashi was a gifted poetess who specialised in writing the japanese verse form, the haiku. A haiku was made up of seventeen syllables- five each in the first and third lines and seven in the second line. Rosie's father was not appreciative of his wife's poetic talent and was always angry and irritated when she spent time writing haikus. Rosie's mother would publish her hahaikus regularly in the Japanese neswpaper "Mainichi Shimbu" under the pen name of Ume Hanazono. On one occasion she won a poetry contest and the haiku  editor of the newspaper Mr.Kuroda came home and personally presented her the prize-a framed painting  of a beautiful sea side scene. It was the time for harvestingthe ripe  tomatoes and Rosie's father was very angry that his wife instead of helping out in the farm was wasting her time talking to the editor. Rosie's father in a fit of jealous rage smashed the picture to bits and burnt it and walked out of the house. Rosie's mother then narrates to her how she got  married  and settled down in America. When in Japan she had been in love with a rich man's son and had become pregnant and gave birth to a still born child and since she could not marry him she wanted to commit suicide.But her aunt Taka in America got her married. 

In North Carolina, what are the sentencing guidelines for a misdemeanor simple assault (first offense; mother against 17-year-old daughter)?

In North Carolina, a simple assault is a Class 2 misdemeanor [NC General Statutes 14.33(c)]. Like most other Class 2 misdemeanors, simple assault has a maximum sentence of 60 days [NCGS 15A-1340.23(c)], depending on the defendant's criminal past:

• No prior convictions: 1-30 days
• One to four prior convictions: 1-45 days
• Five or more prior convictions: 1-60 days

A judge can also impose a maximum fine of $1,000 [NCGS 15A-1340.23(b)].

A 2004 study showed that less than 25% of defendants convicted of Class 2 misdemeanors in North Carolina served jail time.

The assault charge would have been elevated to a Class 1A misdemeanor if a male had assaulted the 17-year-old female [NCGS 14.33(c)(2)] or if the mother had inflicted serious injury or used a deadly weapon on her daughter in the presence of a minor [NCGS 14.33(d)].

Disclaimer: This post contains general legal information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation. Each reader should consult a lawyer if you want a qualified professional’s assurance that this information, and your interpretation of it, is appropriate to your particular situation.

In Act V, scene 8, why is the death of Macbeth not presented on stage?

Shakespeare chooses to have the death of Macbeth take place off stage, because it is a battle scene, full of chaos.  Therefore, the audience must imagine the events in their minds.  By having the action not dominate the stage, the audience remains transfixed on the dialogue and engaged in the play.

Violent murder scenes are best left to the imagination, especially when they are not the most important part of the play.  The relationships between the characters and the message or lesson that is revealed through the interactions is more important that the actual murder scenes.

Once an audience sees a grisly murder scene, they would become distracted and focused on the murder, the blood, and so on. Not really the focus of the play, so by keeping it off the stage, Shakespeare keeps the audience enthralled in the spoken word to find out what actually happens at the end.

Advantages and disadvantages of wiring electric circuits in series? Advantages and disadvantages of wiring electric circuits parallel?please help..!

The nature of series and parallel electric circuits, with
their advantages and disadvantage are discussed
below.

Series circuits have a single path that connects the
electric source or sources to the output device or devices. These circuits have limited
uses because any change in one circuit part affects all the circuit parts.  If one light
bulb in a series circuit burns out, a discontinuity in the entire circuit is produced.
In this way all the other bulbs or components in the circuit will also stop
working.

The voltage provided by a group of electric
sources connected in series is the sum of their individual voltages.  But the same
amount of current flows through each source and output device.  For example, when each
battery in a two-battery torch supplies 2 volts, and the two together will supply 4
volts.  The same amount of current will flow through each battery and the bulb. 
Electric sources are connected in series to provide more voltage than can be produced by
a single source.

Parallel circuits provide more than one
path for current.  After current leaves a source, it follows two or more paths before
returning to the source. When several bulbs or components are connected in parallel,
fault in any one, or removal of any one does not affect flow of current to
others.

Parallel circuits provide the same voltage for
every source and output device in the circuit.  For example, combined voltage of
multiple 2 volt batteries connected in parallel will also be 2 volts.  Electrical
sources are connected in parallel to provide more current than one source can produce. 
Unless all in parallel have the same voltage, current would flow from one source into
the other. This will result in loss of power

All household
lights and appliances are connected in parallel because a parallel circuit allows all
devices to operate on the same voltage.

For literature, how do you write a critical analysis?

A literary critical analysis includes a discussion of
structure, thesis, language particulars and diction, plot and conflict, characters, and
other literary devices of the literary element and literary technique categories,
including mood and tone, tropes and conventions. In order to amass this information, you
need to pay close attention to the elements and techniques, points and objectives in the
writing as you come across them, paying special attention to subtle (or bold) changes in
tone and mood as well as to words, phrases, or sentences that make, prove, or emphasize
the author's thesis (major point).

To write your critical
analysis, after your Introduction, you'll have a brief description or perhaps summary of
the work you're analyzing followed a discussion of structural points. If you're
analyzing a poem, this would include things like rhyme scheme, stanza construction,
genre, and meter. If a book, this would include things like narrator, point of view,
chronological orientation, overall mood (mood can change), and overall tone (tone can
change). You then discuss literary elements and techniques, authorial style, the
treatment of the work's thesis, and the work's effectiveness as these are
relevant to your particular thesis statement--the point you wish to make
about the literary work.

This may seem like a lot--and it
can be--but it can also be abbreviated to suit the needs of your essay. For example, if
my thesis is that a work is not effective because of faulty language, I may address
structural elements as briefly as follows if I wish--if it serves my purpose to do so:
The first person narrator establishes a despondent tone that matches the gloomy mood
(same as atmosphere) as s/he paces back and forth in time between flashbacks, present
day events, and anticipated future events while telling of the tragedy s/he witnessed on
the slow boat to China two decades earlier.

Who is Orlick and what does Pip think he did?

Pip is given clues about how Mrs. Joe became injured. We
do find it was Orlick, but Pip thinks it was him for about 30 chapters before it is
verified.

One day while Biddy and Pip are talking, Biddy
remembers some of the things that Mrs. Joe has tried to communicate. Mrs. Joe kept
writing this character on her board that looked like a t or a J. Thinking that the J had
something to do with Joe, the idea of Orlick was regularly dismissed. But when Biddy and
Pip put together that the t or J might have been a hammer, everything begins to make
sense. The hammer represents Orlick because that's what he does as a
blacksmith.

What are some of the economic aspects projected in "Pride and Prejudice"? Provide an example to support your answer.

In 19th Century England, it was not only important that a family have a good reputation.  Money was then, as it is now, of vital importance.  For example, the Bennet family is a respectable family.  Elizabeth declares to Lady Catherine that she [Elizabeth] is "a gentlemen's daughter".  This is very important in making her eligible for a good marriage.  The daughter of a gardener could not expect to marry anyone from a gentlemen's family, but a gentlemen's daughter has a good chance to marry financially well.

However, Mr. Bennet did not put aside dowries for his daughter's.  He had a good estate, and should not need to.  But because the estate would not be kept in the family, there was fortune for the girls:

"When first Mr. Bennet had married, economy was held to be perfectly useless, for, of course, they were to have a son. The son was to join in cutting off the entail, as soon as he should be of age, and the widow and younger children would by that means be provided for."

The early relationship between Wickham and Elizabeth shows the result of this lack of economical management.  Her Aunt Gardiner warns Elizabeth against the match:

"I have nothing to say against him; he is a most interesting young man; and if he had the fortune he ought to have, I should think you could not do better."

Clearly, all the characters, even of equal social class, must be concerned with fortune and economy.

What does this story suggest about Goodman Brown's state of mind?

An interesting question. It actually suggest very little, largely because it tells the reader many things about his mind very directly. (There's not much left to suggest.) The story tells readers that Goodman Brown is confident (when he feels justified), but then that he is quickly frightened. This blurs his thoughts. When he resumes his walk, we seem acting on habit. We seem him easily amazed, and easily led. All of these are qualities of mind.  The story suggests that in heading into the woods at night, he is abandoning faith as he is leaving Faith (his wife) behind. The story suggests that he was overconfident, and that he is vulnerable as a result. 

In "Kite Runner", Amir and Hassan have a favourite story. Does the story have the same meaning for both men? Why does Hassan name his son after one...

The favorite story of Amir and Hassan when they are young is "Rostam and Sohrab", from the Shahnamah, an epic of ancient Persia.  It is the tale of the great warrior Rostam, who mortally wounds his nemesis Sohrab, only to discover that Sohrab is his long-lost son.  Hassan loves the story because its tragedy touches his heart, and he ofter cries when Amir reads it.  Amir, on the other hand, likes the story for a selfish reason.  He plays a trick on the unsuspecting Hassan one day by making up his own version of the tale, and Hassan likes it so much that Amir is encouraged to write a story of his own.  Amir discovers his lifelong talent and passion for writing because of Hassan's genuine appreciation for the story he so treacherously fabricates.

On a conscious level, Hassan names his son after the story's hero Sohrab because he loves the story so much and remembers it many years later when his child is born, but on a metaphorical level the tragedy of Rostam and Sohrab mirrors his own life.  Hassan never knows that Baba is his true father, and is never able to experience the love that they might have shared, just like Sohrab does not discover his own father until it is too late (Chapters 3 and 16).

What is the main theme of "The Dead"? Is there any similarity to "Araby"?

The main themes of "The Dead" are emotional paralysis and self-realization.  Gabriel is a spiritually and emotionally "dead" man who does not realize it in the story until the end.  

Gabriel is a disaffected man who is more concerned about impressing others and daydreaming about things he wants to do, but does not have the skills to do (emotionally).  After attending a party, his wife breaks down and confesses that a song she heard there reminded her of a young man who desired to be with her that she rejected.  The young man, after being rejected, said he had nothing to live for now.  He apparently committed suicide afterwards.  This moment is when Gabriel has his epiphany.  He realizes that he could never love anyone like the young man, Michael, loved his wife Gretta.  He realizes how totally disconnected he has been emotionally not only to his wife, but to all others in his life as well.  He has been paralyzed by his own inability to empathize and feel for others.  Through this epiphany, he experiences his enlightenment and self-realization.

This is similar to "Araby" in that the main character also has his own epiphany about his reactions to events in his life.  The character comes to the realization that he has wasted lots of valuable time obsessing over an unattainable sister of a friend and that he has much to learn about real love and what that entails.

In Flannery O'Connor's short story "A Good Man is Hard to Find," who is the deepest thinker among the characters?

In O'Connor's short stories, including "A Good Man is Hard
to Find," no one is a deep thinker: all are flat, static "wingless chickens" who care
only for the material world, not the spiritual one.  Remember, O'Connor is a comic
writer: a spiritual satirist.  She believes in the opposite of what her characters
do.

In her stories all have fallen from grace; all are
blind to their spiritual doom.  When reading O'Connor's prose one can feel the laws of
attraction at work: good begets good; evil begets evil. Syntheses and concessions are
pitfalls. Either one is Christ-centered or hell-bent toward the fumes of the gas
chamber. Her poles are distinct and opposing, the slippery slope a descent to
hell.

Her comic religious vision holds that a morally and
socially degenerate (like the Misfit) is nonetheless spiritually a cut above the
wingless chickens of privileged Christianity (the grandmother and her family). She
shocks her readers by beginning with divine evil (the Misfit's murders) as a backdoor to
what is divine good so that they may rediscover what is holy (to not take salvation for
granted). Her goal, I think, is to prevent her readers from taking sides among her
religious forms; instead, she calls for action--from them to be
seekers instead of being found.

In the
story it's the Misfit vs. the grandmother.  While the latter characterizes the former as
"a good boy," the Misfit acknowledges the modern man's spiritual predicament, an echo of
Dostoevsky's "If there is no God, then anything is permissible," when he
says:

Jesus
was the only One that ever raised the dead and He shouldn't have done it. He shown
everything off balance. If He did what He said, then it's nothing for you to do but thow
away everything and follow Him, and if He didn't, then it's nothing for you to do but
enjoy the few minutes you got left the best way you can--by killing somebody or burning
down his house or doing some other meanness to him. No pleasure but
meanness.

Instead of having
her characters "follow Him," she has them all "enjoy the few minutes [they] got left" by
"killing," "burning down" houses, and "other meanness."  Not exactly deep
thinking...

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 27, explain how Mr. Ewell lost his job and whom he blames.

Incredibly, Bob Ewell actually got a job in Chapter 27 of
To Kill a Mockingbird. However, it didn't last long. In fact, Scout
notes that Bob

readability="6">

probably made himself unique in the annals of the
nineteen thirties: he was the only man I ever heard of who was fired from the WPA for
laziness.

The WPA (Works
Progress Administration) was one of President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal job programs
that created public works jobs for the unemployed. Bob immediately began collecting his
welfare check again, but not before slurring Atticus in the process. According to Ruth
Jones, the welfare lady, Bob blamed Atticus for "getting" his job, though there is no
clear reasoning behind the accusation. and Scout provided no clues. It may well have had
something to do with Bob's innate lack of desire to do any kind of hard
work.

In "The Alchemist," how was Santiago led back to the treasure he was looking for?

Santiago began his treasure hunt after dreaming that he would find one if he went to the Great Pyramids.  It took several years for him to get there, but he did make it to Egypt.  When digging a hole thinking that his tresaure was buried in the sand, Santiago was attacked by renegades from the desert.  When the gang finally left him bleeding on the ground, the leader of the renegades told the boy that he, too, had once had a dream that he'd found a great treasure buried under a tree in a deserted church in Spain, but he wasn't stupid enough to go across a desert because of a dream.  Santiago recognized the place the renegade described because it is the precise spot where he'd had his dream about the Pyramids.  Santiago returned to Spain and found his treasure at last.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird" how does indignity, prejudice and hate create a system of social injustice?

One character who exemplifies being indignant quite well is Bob Ewell.  In the courtroom, Atticus pretty much revealed what a louse he was, and brought to light the fact that he probably beat his daughter, and who knows what else, and then blamed it on an innocent black man.  It is shaming, and he doesn't like it.  So, he indignantly starts making threats, spits on Atticus, spreads nasty comments about the Finch family, and in the end, is driven to his sordid attack on the two children.  Mayella displays similar indignation in the courtroom; if it wasn't for that self-righteous anger, she might not have followed through with the accusation of Tom.  These two characters and their indignation feed a social system that unfairly puts a man in jail.

Prejudice is a major theme throughout the novel, with many examples:  the jury finding Tom guilty even though it was pretty clear he was innocent, the angry mob gathering outside the jail to hurt Tom, Mrs. Dubose's acrid comments against Atticus for defending a black man, and all of the derision Scout and Jem get at school and from family because of what Atticus is doing.  Hatred is easily tied to any of these examples of indignity and prejudice.  All of this is the wheel that keeps the social injustice in the novel going; without it, there wouldn't be much conflict, drama, or even thought-provoking profundity to it.

Why was Chris McCandless guilty of hubris when he walked into the wild unprepared for adventure?

Hubris means to be overly confident or arrogant.  Chris
McCandless demonstrated this when he entered the wild with few supplies and a sense that
he could survive in the wild.  He chose to leave his map on the dashboard of the man who
had driven him to the entrance point of the Alaskan park.  If he had the map he would
have known that there was a bridge that would allow him to cross the river so he could
make it back to civilization.

In the past he had almost
died in the desert.  He had taken off relatively unprepared and been lost.  It was
another example of his feeling hubris-tic nature.  Had he not been that way he would
probably still be alive.

Explain the spiritual world in "Things Fall Apart."

The novel first focuses on the native spiritual beliefs of the Igbo people. It is a religion based on a male creator god named Chukwu who taught the Igbo's how to survive on yams. The masculine god was balanced by the Earth goddess Ani, or Mother Nature. Because she functioned as a goddess of fertility and morality, she was closer to men that Chukwu. Often these gods or other minor gods would communicate with men through a priest or priestess. As the novel continues, Achebe contrasts these beliefs with those of Christian missionaries who move into the area to spread their faith. The conflict between the two faiths becomes the focus of the rift between Okwonkwo and his son, Nwoye. At first the missionaries seem interested in the Igbo people but after Mr. Brown leaves, the missionaries become more zealous after Enoch arrives. Enoch starts a battle between the two religions by unmasking a egwugwu, during a public ceremony. This is seen as a great crime. Okwonkwo, who is very traditional in his tribal beliefs, cannot understand why his people seem so passive and is one of the problems that leads to his demise.

What word invades Jack's memory in Chapter 8 of Lord Of The Flies?Lord of the Flies byWilliam Golding

In Chapter 8 of Lord of the Flies, as
Jack challenges Ralph's leadership, he asks the boys to vote against Ralph.  But "the
silence continued, breathless and heavy and full of
shame."

In answer to this uncomfortable silence, Jack says,
"all right then."  He lays the conch down as "humiliating tears run down his
cheek":

'I'm
not going to play any longer.  Not with you....I'm not going to be a part of Ralph's
lot--....I'm  going off by
myself.

As he blunders out of
the triangle, Jack turns and glances back at Ralph:

readability="7">

For a moment he paused and then cried out,
high-pitched, enraged. 
"--No!"

Jack
recalls the first time he contended for leadership.  In Chapter 1 as he and the choir
marched up to where Piggy and Ralph were standing with the conch, Jack challenged Ralph
then for the position of leader:

readability="7">

'Who wants Jack for
chief?'

With dreary obedience the choir raised their
hands.

'Who want me?"
[Ralph]

Every hand outside
the choir except Piggy's was raised immediately.  Then, Piggy, too, raised his hand
grudgingly into the air.

readability="5">

....Jack's face disappeared uder a blush of
mortification.

Jack's scream
of "--No!" is denial that he will be humiliated again.  Instead Jack runs, returning to
the hunters over whom he becomes chief of the hunters.

What purpose does Act 4 scene 1 serve in the play "Macbeth"? And what does it say about Macbeth's character and the themes of the play?

In Act IV, Scene I, Macbeth seeks out the  witches, unlike the first encounter, which was initiated by the witches.  This time he is determined to get answers from them regarding his reign as king. 

Macbeth is obsessed with keeping his crown.  His personality has been dramatically altered since the first prophecy was given to him, so now, crowned king, as the witches predicted, Macbeth struggles with questions and threats that he perceives.

The main theme of the play, unchecked ambition and its consequences is fully expressed in this scene, as Macbeth demands information about the future. 

He is given information that makes him feel very over confident about his reign as king.  This is of course the intention of the witches, to fill Macbeth with such arrogance and confidence that he will not see his doom coming.

After this scene, Macbeth is even more determined to protect his crown, even though he feels disgusted when the witches show him the parade of eight kings followed by the ghost of Banquo, which indicates that his heirs will command the throne for generations. It only serves to heighten Macbeth's determination to murder anyone who appears to be a threat to his crown.

After he receives the second prophecy, Macbeth's murderous behavior becomes irrational, he sends killers to slaughter MacDuff's family, to strike at the absent Macduff.

What does Beatty mean when he says, "We're the happiness boys, the Dixie Duo"? What kind of happiness does he espouse?

The kind of happiness that Beatty is espousing (in Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”), when he says that "We're the happiness boys, the Dixie Duo" is an unfruitful pseudo-happiness that seeks to limit a person’s thinking. In essence, Beatty is saying that the firemen have a responsibility to keep books out of citizens’ hands so they cannot learn about alternative views and ways and therefore go against the dictates of the totalitarian state. Totalitarianism and its suppressive policies are the environment of this classic novel.

The type of happiness espoused here is a “don’t rock the boat” happiness. It seeks to keep the citizenry at bay so they do not engage in anti-government thinking and actions – revolt. The government and its agencies, which include the fire departments, want to tell people how to think. They want the citizenry to believe that all is well. They know that if they allow people to explore books and the imaginative thinking of others that it could spell their (the government’s) doom. They know people will realize that they’ve been duped all along; that the society in which they live is not a Utopian society as promoted by the government.

This false happiness is accepted by the majority of the populace because they know no better. They have not investigated books because they have made the conscious decision not to do so; but a very small minority have made the decision to track down and investigate books.

The majority of the citizenry is somewhat happy in their complacency because they know that if they tow the ‘party line’ they will not be punished in any way. They can continue to live their mundane lives – without engaging in dissenting thought – and their decision to avoid creative thinking (that challenges government policies) will permit them to live a peaceful life free of any punishment from the government.

As a result, it is a perverted kind of happiness that they ‘enjoy’ and it’s a happiness that does not bear good fruit in their lives. They, if they follow the government’s dictates, cannot promote policies and laws that they believe are better than what the government is promoting and making law. Fundamentally, they are held hostage by this false happiness as they are not allowed to deviate from what the government wants them to think.

Is entering a closed but unlocked door without force considered trespass or break and enter?the incident was at a shopping complex when the shop...

As stated above, it does depend on the state, but let me
pose the situation in another way.  Suppose it was a private home, an the owner left the
door unlocked at night when he went to bed.  Can I walk into the house and only be
considered trespassing?  The homeowner's failure to lock the door is not legal
justification for entry, as we have a right to privacy the courts have consistently
upheld.

When we talk in a legal sense about private
property, and especially in the case of a business where property is maintained and a
target for thieves, "breaking" the plane of the doorway outside of business hours would
most likely be considered breaking and entering as well, and/or burglary.  If someone is
inside, then most likely robbery would be the charge.

What are the names of all the characters in "The Alchemist"?

Only three characters in The Alchemist are given names.   The boy's name is Santiago.  The old man's name is Melchizedek, and he is the King of Salem.  Santiago's love interest is Fatima, the woman of the desert.

The remaining characters are not given specific names: the gypsy woman, the crystal merchant, the candy seller, the Englishman, the alchemist.   Although not named, each character plays an important role in Santaigo's progress.  In not giving them names, the focus remains on the protagonist and his quest to fulfill his Personal Legend.  Also, by not naming them, they fill the role of Universal Jungian archetypes such as the teacher, the mentor, the father figure, etc. that Santiago would meet along a journey toward fulfillment.

In Fahrenheit 451 Faber says to Montag: "The salamander devours his tail." What does this mean? page 79

In Ray Bradbury’s depiction of a futuristic dystopian society in which possession of books is a serious crime, Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag is a fireman.  Part of the uniform of the firemen is a badge on which is a symbol, a salamander.  In some ancient mythology, the salamander possesses special powers that enable it to be resistant or immune to fire.  Its significance, then, to the firemen in Bradbury’s novel is that the paradoxical relationship of the firemen in Fahrenheit 451 to fire itself is the converse of what would be expected.  Rather than extinguishing fires, these firemen start them for the purpose of burning books and punishing transgressors.  Bradbury’s narrative includes many references to the salamander to ensure that the reader draws the proper connection, as in the following quotes. The first is a reference to Montag’s initial encounter with Clarisse:

“. . .he knew his mouth had only moved to say hello, and then when she seemed hypnotized by the salamander on his arm and the phoenix-disc on his chest, he spoke again.”

. . .

“He still did not want outside light. He pulled out his igniter, felt the salamander etched on its silver disc, gave it a flick. . .”

“. . .his badge with the orange salamander burning across it.”

In Bradbury’s story, Montag, once a devoted servant of the government, is now transformed into a dedicated opponent who must, at least for now, retain the outward appearance of continued loyalty to that regime.  In his mind, however, he has broken with that regime and contemplates its destruction.  In his conversation with Professor Faber, he reveals the details of his plan to bring down the regime from within.  Faber initially reacts skeptically and cautiously to this suggestion of highly treasonous activity.  Faber greets Montag by stating “[t]he only way I could possibly listen to you would be if somehow the fireman structure itself could be burnt. . .”  As Montag describes his plan, which involves planting books in the homes of other firefighters, and in the firehouse itself, the professor responds,

"'[p]lant the books, turn in an alarm, and see the firemen's houses burn, is that what you mean?. . . It's an insidious plan, if I do say so myself.’ Faber glanced nervously at his bedroom door. ‘To see the firehouses burn across the land, destroyed as hotbeds of treason. The salamander devours his tail! Ho, God!’"

Faber is expressing his approval of Montag’s plan to frame his fellow firemen and bring about the collapse of the regime from within.  The “salamander,” the firefighters, represent that regime, and Montag hopes to facilitate its demise by playing it against itself.

How does Ruku change throughout the novel?

In classic literary fashion, the changes that Rukmani (Ruku) go through throughout the novel are presented in broad sweeping images in the first few chapters, foreshadowing what will come. Ruku begins narrating the story as an old woman with a son who is not her own and eyes that are growing too dim to see the world clearly, although this dimness does not apply to her life-visions that appear before her with such vividness that she reaches out to touch them as though they were present with her and tangible.

Ruku goes through many changes throughout the story, which begins in her girlhood when she has the trusting confidence of a well loved young girl (under twelve years of age) and which ends in her agedness when she has the worldly wisdom of an old woman who has managed to remain without bitterness and who, living seemingly countless times in the face of hopelessness, pursued an object to give her reason to reclaim hope. 

Work without hope draws nectar in a sieve,
And hope without an object cannot live. (Coleridge, "Work without Hope")

As a momentary aside, Coleridge's couplet, borrowed from his 1825 sonnet "Work without Hope" and used by Markandaya as the story's epigraph, is representative of Ruku's life experience and explanatory of her motivation for claiming Puli as her own, and it can be paraphrased (restated in prose language) like this: He has work but has no hope, so his reward is the minuscule bit of nectar trapped in a sieve, for hope without work (an object) cannot live. Another way to paraphrase this difficult couplet is this: Work is hope; without hope, work is lost sweetness. Hope is purpose; without purpose, hope cannot live. Understanding this couplet correctly leads to understanding Ruku and her story correctly (misinterpret this couplet and you will misinterpret Ruku).

To return to Ruku, in a subtly incorporated flashback we are shown that as a young girl, Ruku loved, believed in and respected her father and mother, even though as the fourth daughter, she might have an inadequate dowry at her marriage. When she was then married without any dowry at age twelve to a tenant farmer and taken to live at a great distance from them in a mud hut built with his own hands, she fully understood that her father, even though he was headman of their village, had lost his wealth and its equal weight in power to the "Collector" who now governed the village and now held the power and wealth.

At her marriage, Ruku changes from a happy, well-beloved girl to a young bride ill equipped for her new life without servants and plenty and who was filled with fear at the stark barrenness and poverty of her new surroundings, even though Nathan, her new husband, was filled with hope and joy because of the ample harvest that filled one room of their mud hut. As time passes and she learns the depth and tenderness of her husband's caring heart and loving, patient ways, Ruku changes again. This time she discovers the joy of a newfound womanly love toward her husband, toward her work (especially tending her garden, which grows with the same strength she herself grows with) and toward the new life stirring within her:

"You are not a child any more," [Nathan] said at last. "You have grown fast since the day we were married...." While the sun shines on you and the fields are green ... and you have ... a sweet stirring in your body, what more can a woman ask for? My heart sang and my feet were light....

Another change overtakes Ruku when their firstborn is a girl instead of the hoped for boy who would work side by side with his father and complete his work, work begun in Nathan's youth and continued in his son's youth. Her sorrow and shame over this cultural failure was deepened as for seven years she and Nathan produced no further heir. Her encounter with Dr. Kennington, the "foreigner" to whom Ruku went in secret for she "had not wished [her] husband to know that [she] was putting [herself] in the hands of a foreigner," provided her with help that ushered in the birth of not one son but many, giving Nathan the object of his hope in an ample, virile family.

The later changes in Ruku came as a result of the departure of children, family tragedy and "all the clamor which invaded [their] lives later." As work lost hope because their land was lost and as hope lost purpose as the object of hope was withdrawn, Ruku--always faithful to her early way of seeing and doing things she had never seen or done before as after Nathan praised her for her first beautifully grown pumpkin--exerted her resolve and found in Puli, the unwanted leper, her work, her object and her hope reclaimed.

The last of the changes that occur throughout the novel in Ruku as she continues on to the end of her life--warm with visions of past goodness and love from those surrounding her--is that she rejects all bitterness bred of despair and sorrow and embraces the object of love and hope as she works to keep her promise to Puli while holding to her memories of good and love.

[N]ot all the clamor which invaded our lives later could subdue the memory or still the longing for it. Rather, [the later clamor] has strengthened [the memory] ....

Who was the government in the 1960s? i am doing a group project and i need the answers because this counts as a big grade so i really need the...

In the United States in the 1960s, there were four
presidents.

Dwight D. Eisenhower, a Republican was
president until January of 1961.

After that John F.
Kennedy, a Democrat was president until he was assassinated in November of 1963.  He was
succeeded by his vice president, Lyndon Johnson.  Johnson won his own term in 1964.  He
chose not to run again in 1968 because of how badly the Vietnam War was
going.

The president for the rest of the decade was Richard
Nixon, another Republican.

During most of this time,
Congress was controlled by the Democrats.

I hope that is
helpful... your question is not very clear as to what you
want...

Meg says that "Like and equal are not the same." What does she mean by this?

These are such great books! 

I'll go further by clarifying the semantics of Meg's comment and expounding on the answer you first received.  The words "like" and "equal" do not have the same meanings.  For instance, in the 1960's in America, black students went to school "like" white students, the had public water fountains "like" everyone else, and they could ride public transportation "like" everyone else.  However, these were not "equal" circumstances. Black schools lacked needed supplies and resources like books and qualified teachers, water fountains for blacks in public were only for blacks--they may not always be serviced or working properly or kept clean, and blacks were expected to ride in the back of public buses and even give up their seats when the bus was overcrowded to white passengers.  "Like", yes, but "equal"?--absolutely not.

Now, go back and read the section where Meg makes her comment and see if you follow better.

Good Luck!

What might Faulkner's opinion be of his character Abner Snopes in the story "Barn Burning"? How does he convey his attitude?

Faulkner meant to create an unlikable, irredeemable character in Abner Snopes.  Snopes is cruel and remorseless.  Despite a life of poverty and hard-knocks, it is impossible to have empathy or sympathy for this character.  Snopes has no love for anything or anyone.  For example, consider the nuances of cruelty taking place in this passage, as the narrator describes the content of the families heaped-up belongings in the wagon: "a  clock inlaid with mother-of-pearl, which would not run...which had been his mother's dowry. She was crying, though when she saw him she drew her sleeve across her face and began to descend from the wagon. "Get back," the father said.

He's hurt. I got to get some water and wash his. . .

"Get back in the wagon," his father said.

Later, near the end of the story, the reader learns what Sarty did not know.  While he desperately wanted to think of his father as once being honorable and brave, the truth of the matter was that his father was a mercenary, his "service" done for nothing more than "booty--it meant nothing and less than nothing to him if it were enemy booty or his own." 

Sarty takes a inexorable turn to maturity at the end, trying to warn of his father's intentional crime of barn burning.  He realizes too, what in his heart he'd known for years:  that his father was a coward and cared for no one, not even himself, much less for Sarty. 

In Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle," how did the meat packing industry treat meat that smelled bad?

In Chapter 14, the author describes some of the swindles the industry used on spoiled meat in graphic detail.  Generally speaking, it was the "custom" that "whenever meat was so spoiled that it could not be used for anything else, either to can it or else to chop it up into sausage".  Meat that smelled bad would be "rubbed up with soda to take away the smell" and sold "to be eaten on free-lunch counters".  Also, for meat "with an odor so bad that a man could hardly bear to be in the same room with (it)", a procedure was devised whereby the meat was injected with a hollow needle and pumped full of a strong pickle that would eradicate the smell.  Another method of salvaging bad meat was to extract the bone, around which the bad part was largely centered, and burn the area with a white-hot iron.  If the meat was too far gone to be camoflaged by any of these devices, it was sent to be cut up into tiny bits and mixed with other meat, to be sold as quality products to an unsuspecting public.

How is the the theme of hope portrayed in The Grapes of Wrath?

In chapter 1, we are told that the women searched the men's faces after the dust storms because "the corn could go as long as something else remained".  Hope is what the women searched for because with hope, they could endure hardships.  In chapter 28, in Tom's famous "I'll be everywhere..." speech, he expresses his hope and the hope that Jim Casy had for a brighter tomorrow, a better condition for all people. Ma expresses hope many times in the story when she talks about how if they all work together then change can be accomplished. It especially comes through in her "We are the people" speech in chapter 20. One of the most poignant displays of hope is in the closing scene of the book.  Rose of Sharon, having recently given birth to her stillborn child, along with her family comes across a starving man and his son in a barn.  The man can no longer keep food down because he's denied himself food in order to give food to his son.  Rose of Sharon nurses the man.  The small smile on her face shows hope as she gives life back to the man.

Who is Malthace in Elizabeth Speare's "The Bronze Bow"?

Malthace, the most prominent female character in The Bronze Bow, is the daughter of a Rabbi and the twin sister of Joel, one of the two main male protagonists.  Her full name is Malthace bar Hezron, and she is sometimes affectionately called Thacia or Thace.  Malthace is eighteen when the story begins, independent, intelligent, and hardy, and as such represents the power of women during her time and in the Kingdom of God.  Like her brother she awaits the Messiah, although she does not chafe as restlessly as her brother as she anticipates His coming.  Malthace shows her strength in ministry to those in need, and her intelligence in her determined actions as well as her knowledge of the scriptures.  It is she who correctly interprets the meaning of the verse from the Song of David which gives the book its name, the "bronze bow", explaining to Joel and Daniel that to be able to bend a bow of bronze would be to be able to do the impossible, which is exactly what God in his power will enable His warriors to do.  Malthace makes mistakes, but repents and learns from her errors, showing the depth of her character, and her capacity to change and grow.

In Pride and Prejudice, what is Elizabeth's interpretation of Caroline's real intention in writing to Jane?I would like to know what the letter...

The following is the excerpt from Caroline's letter:

"I do not pretend to regret anything I shall leave in Hertfordshire, except your society, my dearest friend; but we will hope, at some future period, to enjoy many returns of that delightful intercourse we have known, and in the meanwhile may lessen the pain of separation by a very frequent and most unreserved correspondence. I depend on you for that."

Jane feels that Caroline is kindly trying to put her on her guard.  She believes Mr. Bingley must have an interest in Miss Darcy, and wants Jane to be warned so that Jane does not get hurt.

Lizzy believes that Caroline is manipulating Jane.  She feels that the information regarding Miss Darcy is false and meant to make Jane give up hope on Mr. Bingley.  She also feels that Caroline will want to get Mr. Bingley and Miss Darcy together so that there is a better chance Caroline might win Mr. Darcy.  As we learn, Lizzy is the more accurate reader of this letter.

Describe the character of Portia in Julius Caesar.

As the daughter of Cato, a noble-born, Portia is an intelligent woman who demands to be an equal partner with her husband Brutus.  Her argument, that she is not an ordinary woman, since Brutus chose her, in conjunction with who are family is, gives her the right to know what is going on in Brutus's life outside the home. She wants to share his life completely, as a wife.  She sets out to prove to Brutus that she can handle the burden of knowing all of his secrets. 

She makes it clear to her husband, that she is physically strong, to express this concept, she stabs herself in the thigh, to prove to Brutus that she is capable of bearing pain. 

"Her anxiety over Brutus's mission, she also considers a weakness, as though love were a weakness."

"Her final proof of strength comes when she horribly kills herself because of Anthony's growing power which is a threat to her husband."

But once Brutus unburdens himself and tells her about the secret plan to overthrow Caesar, she cannot talk to anyone about it because she is a woman.  She must keep silent.  Once Brutus leaves, she is frustrated by the need to keep silent.  Her horrible death, swallowing burning coals until she suffocated, is both symbolic and courageous. 

Symbolically, she silences herself for good, with a method of death that obviously was excruciatingly painful. 

In The Outsiders, what do we learn about Johnny in Chapter 12?P. 178

Johnny had a sensitivity and vulnerability that made him different from the other greasers.  Although his home life was arguably worse than any of theirs, he had not become callous and hardened.  Although he wasn't the youngest, he was the smallest, and the others, appreciating his unspoiled nature, were protective of him.  Johnny was perceptive, and a good friend.  Ponyboy says of him, "Johnny was something more than a buddy to all of us.  I guess he had listened to more beefs and more problems from more people than any of us.  A guy that'll really listen to you, listen and care about what you're saying, is something rare".

(Chapter 12, page 178, Penguin Books "Speak" Edition, 1997)

Why did Thornton camp alone, what drives Buck to the wild, and what does Buck find after killing the moose?

Thornton was camping alone because he had frozen his feet and his partners had left him behind to recuperate.  They themselves had gone on ahead, and Thornton, who was much better by the time he met Buck, was just waiting for his partners to return for him with a raft that was to carry them on to Dawson.

Thornton was the ideal master because while "other men saw to the welfare of their dogs from a sense of duty and business expediency, he saw to the welfare of his as if they were his own chldren".  Thornton truly loved his dogs, and cared about their well-being (Chapter 6).

After their long search, Thornton and his partners found gold.   They set up camp and worked everyday panning for the precious metal, and there was little for the dogs to do.  With little activity and long hours just to wander and think, Buck became restless and the call of the wild was awakened within him anew.

When he returned to camp from killing the moose, Buck found Thornton, his last tie to civilization, dead, and the camp overrun with Yeehats.  With "overpowering rage...he lost his head...hurling himself upon (the Yeehats) in a frenzy to destroy".  Hie attacked with such effective fury that the Yeehats were terrified and ran away, "proclaiming...the advent of the Evil Spirit...and truly Buck was the Fiend incarnate, raging at their heels and dragging them down like deer as they raced through the trees" (Chapter 7).

Who is described as the hardest worker in chapter 3?

In this chapter, which describes how the Animals take over
the farm and begin the process of doling out the work load, Boxer, the plough horse, is
described as the hardest working of them all even though all animals did their part to
the best of their abilities. Orwell describes Boxer as
follows:

Boxer
was the admiration of everybody. He had been a hard worker
even in Jones's
time, but now he seemed more like three horses than one;
there were days when
the entire work of the farm seemed to rest on his
mighty
shoulders.

Boxer often does
the work of several animals. He volunteers to do extra work, he makes arrangements to
get woken up earlier than anyone else so that he can work a longer day. In short, he is
the picture of dedication doing his part and then some so that those who are more
limited in their abilities might have their needs met as well. He is altruistic and in
it for the good of the group, not for personal glory. His motto was always

I will work
harder

and he lived this
motto
daily.

How is Fatima portrayed in "The Alchemist"?

In "The Alchemist", Fatima is a woman of the desert.  According to the definition of that term in the novel, a woman of the desert accepts life as it comes, and she waits for her man who has gone out into the desert to return.  She represents the love between a man and a woman to Santiago.  On his journey, he has learned about the love of the Universe and the love of friendship, but it is through Fatima that he will learn the love between a husband and a wife.  She tells him that he must complete his destined dream or else he will come to resent her for staying (no matter how much he loves her now).  Once he completes his sacred purpose, she trusts that he will return to her and she will wait for him no matter how long it takes.  She is a symbol of fidelity and trust.

Why does Napoleon order that the hens' eggs be sold, and what happens when the hens rebel?

It is important to note why Napoleon
says the hens' eggs should be sold. He claims that the hens general make-up almost makes
it impossible for them to contribute to the labor and construction of the windmill. But,
they do have a commodity others value, and that could be their contribution: their
eggs.

The hens stage a rebellion of their own which
includes laying their eggs from the rafters so they break on the ground and are of no
use. Napoleon responds by withholding their food. After five days, a few die. The rest
decide its not worth it and give in to Napoleon's demands.

In "Great Expectations," Joe visits Pip. How is he received? How has Pip changed? How does Joe treat Pip?

In Chapter 27, Joe visits Pip and is made to feel uncomfortable and inferior to Pip.  Joe stands awkwardly, holds his hat as if it were a nest with eggs in it (even funnier since the hat keeps falling off the mantle and Joe has to snatch it from the air before it hits the ground).  Joe's eating habits make dinner uncomfortable, and Joe keeps calling Pip "Sir" as if they barely know one another.

Pip is snooty, condescending, and unloving toward Joe.  He has forgotten his roots and how Joe loved and protected him from Mrs. Joe during his younger years. 

Joe is not treated kindly by Pip and does not stay long.  Before leaving, he tells Pip that he will not return to London to visit Pip, but asks Pip to come to the forge to visit Joe and Biddy where they are most at home and most comfortable.

What non-literal purpose does the storm in Act II play in Othello?

The storm serves as an element of foreshadowing for the main characters involved in this play, including Othello, Cassio, Roderigo, Emilia, and Desdemona.  The storm, as foreshadowing, leads the reader to believe that perhaps a storm of other sorts is coming (mainly Iago's plot to ruin Othello through his jealousy).  Also, the storm is symbolic of the turmoil to come in the play.  The storm is also symbolic of Othello's temper, which is short and fierce.

what kind of system of government is Nigeria operating with, cause the presidential system i think they are operating is not really working.system...

Nigeria operates under a federal republican model, based
on that of the United States, with influences from the British Westminster system. Like
in the USA, the president is both head of state and head of
government.

Nigeria's preidential system does work well,
however within the context of Nigerian politics, this is highly subjective. The Nigerian
President fulfils the requirements of the Constitution, but like so much in Nigerian
politics is conducted against a backdrop of of high levels of corruption and
prebendalism.

Nigeria is still regarded as 'democratic',
though the above problems are persistent. Even so, election irregularities are not seen
to be a major problem and do not compromise the overall presidential
system.

Nigeria certainly hasn't reached the point of
despotism or dictatorship.

What is the overall meaning of the poem "Saint Judas" by James Wright?

"Saint Judas" is a Petrarchan sonnet, with variations to
form, meter and rhythm, that recasts the story of Judas Iscariot, the betrayer for
thirty pieces of silver of Jesus of Nazareth. Written in first person, Judas tells his
inner feelings and thoughts. Critical opinion is that, as is the case with Robert
Browning's "Porphyria's Lover," the character of the poem can only be perceived
sympathetically from within his own perceptions--from his inner
being.

The meaning is that Judas Iscariot regrets his
action of selling out Jesus for silver and of giving him a kiss of betrayal in the
Garden of Gethsemane. He has a rope in hand and is caught in the poem while on his way
to the field in which he intends to hang himself in inconsolable remorse. On the way, he
encounters a man who desperately needs help and Judas unflinchingly, unselfishly rushes
in to his aid. After rescuing the stranger, Judas drops his rope and ignores the
soldiers who are around as he rushes to comfort the beaten
man.

The poem ends with the overall meaning stamped in
images as Judas, who believes he is cast from heaven and has no hope to cling to,
holding the beaten man; he "held the man for nothing" close in his arms. The actions and
images convey the picture of Judas' humanity and selflessness and spiritual
generosity.

What does Caissius mean by the quote "This tongue had not offended so today, if Cassius might have ruled"?

Cassius wanted to add Antony to the killing in the Senate the day the senators targeted Caesar.  Brutus disagreed saying that they did not want to seem blood-thirsty, but acting on principles of love for Rome and the nobility of the country.

Cassius' quote, then, simply translated would be:  Antony's speech would not have effected the crowd and offended us so much if you had listened to me and Antony was silenced/killed at the same time Caesar was."

Describe the elements that make Emily mysterious.

Additionally, Emily's description as a "vision of the
past", and her house as a "monument" of the Old South give the reader a sensation of
nostalgia and loss which added up to her persona of mystery. We only get tidbits of
information about her family, such as the fact that her father was authoritarian and
controlled her life, and that her boyfriend, Homer, was disliked. We also wonder about
that. How come she ended up with Homer? What inner fascination did Emily have with a man
of that class? It is what we know that gives her that air of mystery, but what we do not
know is left to a lot of scary thoughts.

What evidence is there to show that Caesar and Brutus can be influenced by flattery?William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, in Act I, Cassius tells
Brutus that when Caesar returned to Rome after defeating Pompey, he is given a crown to
wear, but he refuses it.  Nonetheless, Marc Antony replaces it upon his head for Caesar
to refuse it again to the laudatory shouts of the crowd.  Again, Antony attempts to
place the laurel on Caesar's head, and again Caesar dramatically refuses it.  His
actions here indicate that he makes a show of his refusal and loves the adulation that
accompanies his demonstration of humility.  Later, in Act II when Calpurnia tells her
husband of her dream and begs him to not "go forth today" to the Senate, he concedes,
saying,

Marc
Antony shall say I am not
well,

readability="9">

And, for thy humor, I will stay at home.
(II,ii,58-59)

However, after
one of the conspirators, Decius arrives, he tells Caesar that the Senate has decided to
give him a crown; however, if he decides to not go today, they may change their minds,
Decius cautions Caesar.  Also, Decius suggests, they they think Caesar is weak and
listens to his wife's directions and is afraid.  Then, he
adds,

Pardon
me, Caesar, for my dear dear love

To your proceeding bids
me tell you this,

And reason to my love is liable.
(II,ii,106-109)

Thus, Decius
flatters and cajoles Caesar into attending the Senate.

That
Brutus is also swayed by flattery is evidenced in the famous "seduction scene" of Act I
in which Cassius convinces Brutus to join with the conspirators in the assassination
plot of Caesar.  For instance, when Brutus tell Cassius that he loves "the name of honor
more than [he] fear[s] death (95), Cassius flatters
Brutus:

I
know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,

As well as I do know
your outward favor.

Well, honor is the subject of my
story...(I,ii,96-98)

And,
when the crowd shouts for Caesar, Cassius tells Brutus that his name is as important as
Caesar's, his name is just as good, and that there was a Brutus once who would have
fought the devil to keep his status in Rome as easily as he would find a
king:

O, you
and I have heard our father say

There was a Brutus once
that would have brook'd

The eternal devil to keep his state
in Rome

As easily as a king
(I,ii,164-167)

With this
statement coming after the remark of Cassius that the fault of their destinies is not in
the stars, but in themselves, the suggestion that Brutus is as worthy of leading Rome as
is Caesar is apparent. When Brutus replies that he will tell Cassius later what he
thinks about the assassination plan, Cassius continues his
flattery:

I am
glad that my weak words

Have struck but thus much show of
fire from Brutus.
(II,i,182-183)

In still
another instance, Marc Antony flatters Brutus in Act III when he asks Brutus, who
he acknowledges as a "master spirit of this age," to kill him beside
Caesar:

No
place will please me so, no mean of death,

As here by
Caesar, and by you cut off,

The choice and master spirits
of this age. (III, i,
175-178)

In fact, after
Brutus tells him that he will provide the reason why Caesar has been assassinated, Marc
Antony flatters Brutus--"I doubt not of your wisdom"--as well as all the conspirators as
he asks to shake their bloody hands.  He even tells the
conspirators,

readability="7">

...you must conceit
me,

Either a coward or a flatterer.
(III,ii,208)

It is because of
this flattery from Marc Antony that Brutus makes the fateful error of allowing Antony to
give his funeral
oration.

What are the four factors that determine the effective 'span of control'?

Spans of control refer to the number of subordinates a manager or supervisor can directly supervise in an organization. Some of the major factors that affect the span of control in an organization are describe below.

Nature of work performed bu subordinates. As the complexity and variety of work performed by the subordinates increases, each subordinates requires more attention from the manager, leading to reducing span of control.

Capability of Subordinates. When the subordinates are knowledgeable and skilled in their work, they require less supervision and guidance from their manager, and therefore the span of control tens to increase.

Physical location. It is easier to control and supervise when all the subordinates and manager are working at the same location as may happen with a production supervisor and his team working in a factory. In this case span of control tends to be bigger. In comparison, when manager and the subordinates work in a widely dispersed location, for example a sales manager and the salesmen working in different geographical territories, the span of control is smaller.

Capability of the Manager. All other things being equal, a more experienced and capable manager will be able to supervise and control more subordinates as compared to less capable and skilled manager.

Can you give me the full story of Scent of Apples by Benvenido Santos?

Scent of Apples
Bienvenido N. Santos

When I arrived in Kalamazoo it was October and the war was still on. Gold and silver stars hung on pennants above silent windows of white and brick-red cottages. In a backyard an old man burned leaves and twigs while a gray-haired woman sat on the porch, her red hands quiet on her lap, watching the smoke rising above the elms, both of them thinking the same thought perhaps, about a tall, grinning boy with his blue eyes and flying hair, who went out to war: where could he be now this month when leaves were turning into gold and the fragrance of gathered apples was in the wind?
        It was a cold night when I left my room at the hotel for a usual speaking engagement. I walked but a little way. A heavy wind coming up from Lake Michigan was icy on the face. If felt like winter straying early in the northern woodlands. Under the lampposts the leaves shone like bronze. And they rolled on the pavements like the ghost feet of a thousand autumns long dead, long before the boys left for faraway lands without great icy winds and promise of winter early in the air, lands without apple trees, the singing and the gold!...

http://www.bensantos.net/

In the epic Beowulf, what large event happens fifty years into Beowulf's reign?

Concerning Beowulf, I believe your
question refers to Beowulf's battle with the dragon and his resulting
death. 

Beowulf performs his last great feat by killing the
dragon that has been plaguing his people.  In the process of doing so he himself is
killed.  Of course, being an epic poem, the hero, Beowulf, has time to give a speech
before he dies. 

He asks his loyal subject--the only one to
stick by him during the battle with the dragon--to build a tower to serve as a beacon
for sailors and a remembrance of Beowulf. 

Beowulf's
killing of the dragon and his resulting death are the major events that occur at the end
of Beowulf's reign. 

In "Macbeth," what is the effect of the old man's remarks in Act II, Scene 4?

The Old Man and Ross discuss events that have been happening since King Duncan was killed. The Old Man says that he has not seen anything like recent events in his 70 years. For instance, the day is very dark, as if it is night. Also, he recounts how the king's horses ate each other while in a frenzy. Ross tells of an owl that ate a falcon. All of these events of symbolic representations of Duncan's murder. The owl, for example, typically eats mice. The fact that it attacked a falcon is extraordinary because the falcon is a much more powerful animal. Macbeth acted in the same way by attacking a more powerful person.

Also, when the men discuss the weather, Ross says, "Is't night's predominance, or the day's shame, /That darkness does the face of earth entomb, /When living light should kiss it?" Ross is asking if the day is dark because the light is ashamed to show itself or if it is because darkness is too powerful that the light cannot show itself. This also refers back to Macbeth's actions, since they certainly could be considered evil and dark.

Whose singing caused the rude sea to grow civil in "A Midsummer Night's Dream"?I can not find this reference within the play?!

The line is from Act 2, sc. 1 and it is spoken by Oberon to Puck.  He is asking Puck if he remembers the time he heard a mermaid who was riding on a dolphin and singing with such sweetness that her song calmed a rough sea and caused stars to fall from the sky just to hear her.  He goes on to tell Puck that it was this same night that he saw Cupid shoot his arrows at a young virgin, but the arrows missed.  The arrows, Oberon continues, hit a white flower which caused the flower to turn purple as it was now filled with love.  It is this flower which Oberon sends Puck to find so that the nectar can be applied to Titania's eyes to make her fall in love with whatever she sees first upon awakening.  It is also this flower and its nectar which creates the humor and confusion among the four lovers: Helena, Hermia, Lysander, and Demetrius.  This occurs when Puck accidentally annoints the wrong young man.

In "The Old Man and the Sea," how does Hemingway reveal the old man's attitude toward Joe Dimaggio and what does his attitude tell us? please...

Joe Dimaggio represents excellence in performance, with the longest hitting streak in baseball history.  He does not need for his team, the Yankees, to win, because winning is, in some ways, incidental to the individual's performance.  Even if you may lose (the fisherman does lose the fish, and the fish loses its life) but each of them performs with courage, which Hemingway defines as "grace under pressure."  You may win, you may lose, but you can ALWAYS define yourself by courage.  Hemingway was much more interested in knowing how to live with honor than in trying to figure out what it all meant.

In Chapter 6 of "The Great Gatsby," how does Tom feel about women who "run around too much"? Why is that ironic?

In Chapter 6, Tom says, "By God, I may be old-fashioned in my ideas but women run around too much these days to suit me".  He is suspicious about how Gatsby met Daisy, and, "perturbed at Daisy's running around alone", is sure to accompany her to his next party.

Tom's comment is ironic because it exposes so blatantly the double standard he holds.  In Chapter 1, he made a similar comment about Jordan Baker.  At the time, Tom had a mistress who had been calling the house repeatedly during Nick and Jordan's visit with Tom and Daisy.  Everyone knew about her, and just minutes before his observation about Jordan, Tom was upstairs arguing with Daisy about his mistress, and Jordan was eagerly trying to eavesdrop, salaciously hoping to get the sordid details of his latest infidelity. 

Apparently Tom had always considered it acceptable for him to "run around" as much as he wants.  In Chapter 2, he showed that he saw nothing wrong about making arrangements to see his mistress right under her husband's nose, and in Chapter 4, Nick revealed that immediately after his South Seas honeymoon with Daisy, Tom was involved in a scandal with "one of the chambermaids in the Santa Barbara Hotel".

In this quote from Arms and the Man, what is the weapon and why does the speaker object to it? "It is not the weapon of a gentleman."

The weapon is a cloak, and the speaker objects because it does not conform to her romantic ideas about warfare.

Raina Petkoff, a young Bulgarian, makes this statement to a Serbian soldier who has entered her bedchamber.  The soldier is fleeing from a Russian officer, and wants Raina to hide him in her room.  Unsure of Raina's loyalties, the soldier wryly notes that she probably wouldn't want the Russians in her bedroom because she is dressed scantily in a nightdress.  When Raina reaches for a cloak with which to cover herself, he snatches it away, saying,

"No, I'll keep the cloak, and you will take care that nobody comes in and sees you without it.  This is a better weapon than (a) pistol" (Act I).

The soldier reasons that if Raina is not properly dressed, she will be motivated to make sure the Russians do not gain access to her room and thereby find him.  By denying her the cloak, the soldier has found a better weapon by which to gain her cooperation than if he held her at gunpoint.

Raina, who has very romantic and glorified ideas about what a soldier and warfare should be like, is "revolted" by the man's lack of delicacy and chivalry.  She admonishes him that the cloak "is not the weapon of a gentleman", but his keeping it from her is indeed effective in getting her to do what he wants.  He replies, "it's good enough for a man with only you to stand between him and death" (Act 1). 

Who defeated Arjuna in an archery contest in the "Mahabharata"?

EKLAVYA, the son of a tribal chief defeated Arjuna in an archery contest.

 Drona, the guru of the Pandava princes refused to teach archery to Eklavya  because Eklavya a was tribal. Eklavya, however was very resourceful. After he returned to the jungle he made a statue of Drona and with single minded concentration and determination practised archery daily in the presence of this statue.  Soon he became a very skilful archer.  Once, Drona and Arjuna alongwith the other Pandava princes went hunting and they chanced upon Eklavya honing his archery skills. Drona was very impressed with Eklavya especially when he learnt how Eklavya had taught himself archery. However, the Pandava princes especially Arjuna became very jealous. An archery contest in which Eklavya had to compete with the Pandava princes was held. Eklavya emerged the victor, even defeating Arjuna the expert archer and Drona's best student.

Drona, was naturally upset because Eklavya had defeated his favourite student Arjuna. So, Drona in the guise of demanding "guru dakshin" ( a student's free will offering to his master after completion of his training by the guru)  demanded the thumb of Eklavya's right hand.  Eklavya, the humble and obedient student immediately chopped off the thumb of his right hand and offered it to Drona. Consequently, Eklavya could never again shoot an arrow and Arjuna continued to be the best archer.

I don't get this part from "A Rose for Emily": "apron-remitted her taxes."

The part of this sentence set apart by em dashes, "he who fathered the edict that no negro woman should appear on the streets without an apron," is a parenthetical comment that is not integral to the sentence. Take out this part between the dashes and read the sentence without it:

"Alive, Miss Emily had been a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town, dating from that day in 1894 when Colonel Sartoris, the mayor, remitted her taxes . . ."

The part of the sentence inside the dashes is an aside comment about the character of Colonel Sartoris.

Hope this helps. Faulkner does use some rather complex sentence structures.

In Chapter 7, what is ironic about Tom saying that he has second sight?

Even as Tom says “I have a—almost a second sight, sometimes that tells me what to do. Maybe you don’t believe that, but science---,” Nick, and we with him, smile at (or ridicule) Tom’s ridiculous posturing. Even the long dash in the text has meaning, for it indicates the man is unable to see sufficiently into the future to finish his sentence. The dash represents that absence in knowledge that corresponds to Daisy asking what they will do with themselves for the rest of that day, the next, and the next thirty years (125). As if to emphasize this, when Tom pauses (with the dash), Nick says “the immediate contingency overtook him.” “Contingency” means “possibility,” indicating Tom’s limitations are such that the slightest chance in events will leave him speechless, unable to complete a thought.

What is the difference between inductive and deductive theory?

"Theory" is too broad! Let take an example for you to
understand "inductive and deductive". In grammar, for example, "inductive
grammar" is used when you give your students some various examples
related to one point of grammar, then ask your students to draw the structure and some
notes, some exceptions... In the other hand, "deductive
grammar" is applied when you give them the already made structure, some
notes, exceptions,... and let them give example based on the structure!!! And now you
can yourself answer your questions??? This looks like "inductiveness"!!!
Hihi....

What details of the “witch-meeting” parallel those of a church communion service? Why does the congregation include “grave, reputable, and...

There are a few ways that the with meeting parallels a church communion service.  First of all, the whole congregation is gathered together.  Next, communion is usually considered to be a very serious and solemn time, often accompanied by a mournful hymn, such as what is being sung in the short story.  Also, in many churches congregants come forward to the altar to receive the communion from the priest, similar to how Goodman Brown and Faith meet at the altar in front of the 'priest' in the story.  And the final similarity that I see is that communion is a time to focus on and remember your sin.  In YGB, the dark figure reminds the protagonist and his wife about the sin present in all people.  The difference from that point however, is that communion in a church also focuses on forgiveness for sin whereas the ritual in the witch-meeting never offers forgiveness.

In Chapter 5, why does Gatsby get so many calls? What does this say about him ?

Gatsby is a most improbable person. He is a romantic gangster. Fitzgerald was young when he wrote the novel. He obviously knew very little about big-time bootlegging and other such racketeering. I believe his publisher told him that there ought to be some indication of exactly how the protagonist was making all this money. Since Fitzgerald didn't really know, he invented some telephone calls to create the impression that Gatsby was so high on the ladder that he could control a criminal empire just by receiving information and issuing orders over the telephone. In one of his telephone conversations Gatsby makes an amusing comment: 

"Well, he's of no use to us if Detroit is his idea of a small town."

This suggests all sorts of things. Maybe Gatsby is involved in passing counterfeit money or laundering money. It also suggests that he has "connections" all over the United States. Evidently he doesn't have to worry about his phone being tapped. The technology for doing this may not have existed when the novel was written.

Fitzgerald also introduces Nick Carraway to Meyer Wolfsheim for the purpose of demonstrating that Gatsby's partner knows all about the ways to make large sums of money illegally, how to eliminate competitors, and is willing to share the spoils because Gatsby's polish and charm give them entree to upper-class people who can provide protection and also have big money to spend and to invest. Wolfsheim talks about the real lives of mobsters and sounds like an authentic one himself. He admires Gatsby for being able to pose as a real gentleman.

"He went to Oggsford College. You know Oggsford College?"

"I've heard of it."

"It's one of the most famous colleges in the world.

"Have you known Gatsby for a long time?" I inquired.

"Several years," he answered in a gratified way. "I made the pleasure of his acquaintance just after the war. But I knew I had discovered a man of fine breeding after I talked with him an hour. I said to myself, 'There's the kind of man you'd like to take home and introduce to your mother and sister.'"

(Is it possible that Wolfsheim has a sister he is hoping to marry to his handsome partner? Would this explain why Gatsby can make money so easily?)

Gatsby himself has little to do but ride around in his roadster, fly in his hydroplane, pursue Daisy, and give his wild parties every week. If there is any dirty work to be done--as there surely must be in the big-time bootlegging business with competitors like Al Capone--he can issue orders over the phone or have Meyer Wolfsheim take care of it. Gatsby is a sort of "front man" for the mob, and the fact that he has been to Oggsford College makes him an intellectual who can deal with the more esoteric problems that arise. 

A lot of people wonder about Gatsby, including, no doubt, many of the readers. He is a man of mystery--perhaps even to his creator F. Scott Fitzgerald. There are all sorts of rumors about Gatsby. He does manage to keep a low profile in his Long Island mansion. Gatsby had to get rich quick if he wanted to catch up with Daisy. The only way to do that was illegally. But Fitzgerald obviously knew little about such matters and could only hint at them. This is a weakness in The Great Gatsby which is almost totally covered up by Fitzgerald's brilliant writing.

Does conflict come from fear?

Fear is definitely one cause of conflict. The concept of
the "other" (that which is not the self, that which is different) is something that has
fascinated historians and philosophers throughout the postmodern era. We fear those
things that are different from us because we don't understand them. This can be said of
cultures, religions, races or any group identity of people. We feels safe inside our
comfort zone and we fear the possibility that the other will try to change us in some
way to make us more like themselves. Instead of risking that possibility, it is often
human nature to destroy that which is different before it has a chance to "infect" us in
some way with its otherness. For this reason, one of the best means of mitigating
conflict is through the fostering of understanding, the seeking of consensus or, at the
very least, a common cause. If we can understand that what makes us different also makes
us the same, we have a better chance of getting along with one another. Take religion as
an example. All major religions share a similar tenet - the idea of doing no harm to one
another. This is a starting point for common cause. If we were to focus on that instead
of on the name of the deity or the path to everlasting life, then we would find that
Islam, Christiaity, Judaism, Wicca and other major religions all share a similar set of
moral values. By starting from this point, we can reach a better understanding and
acceptance of the fact that, just because there are different pasths, no oje is better
than the other. This is the first step to resolving religious conflicts. This same
example can be applied to cultures, races, and countries as
well.

What literary devices does Miller use in "Death of a Salesman"?

Miller's use of "time" is a central device in the play.  In many modern works (cf. "In the Lake of the Woods" by Tim O'Brien), there is an awareness that time is not just a succession of things happening; things that happen in the past don't remain "there" (is there really an external past?), but remain as part of our us for the rest of our lives.  Since this time doesn't exist, we cannot refer directly to it, and as such it only exists in memory.  (This reminds me of "1984" and what horrible things can be done by those who "control" the past.)  Willie is haunted by dreams of his brother's success, but who know if these are real?  We don't know much about Willie's past "successes" as a salesman, and the play suggests that these recollections, so real to him, are just the past tweaked to Willie's own needs.  The same is true of Willie's recollections about his sons and his son's recollections of their past.  You can only make believe so long before you admit that the actual reality was that you were a stockboy.

Coming to grips with the prevasive influence of the past is an interesting theme in all literature, but it seemes to be a particular fascination of modern literature and "Death of a Salesman."

In "The Great Gatsby", what about the library at Gatsby's house surprises Nick?

The fact that the books in the library are real surprises Nick.  This is significant because it ties into the theme of appearances verses reallity.  Nick expected the books to be fake because it was customary during that time to have "faux cardboard" books to give the appearance that one was well-read.  However, it should also be noted that the pages have not been cut (which means it is impossible that they have been read).

It interesting to examine what this reveals about Gatsby's character and about Nick's character.

1.  It reveals that Gatsby is really concerned about how he is perceived by people, so much so that he would go through the trouble of buying the real books in order to appear erudite.  However, it also reveals that he sometimes does not pay attention to detail in his attempts to beguile people into thinking that he is something that he is not.

2.  It reveals that Nick pays close attention to detail and henceforth is a reliable narrator.  As readers, we feel that we can trust what he is saying to be true.

Please sketch John's character in Brave New World?

In Brave New World, John is well
education and eloquent, but moody and violent with his mood swings.  As such, he is a
Noble Savage, as he is raised on the Savage Reservation.
 He's got Mommy and daddy issues: he's ashamed of his mother, and on an
Christian/existential quest to know who he is and how is like his real
father.

In Freudian terms, John is all superego
(conscience) or id (desire): there's no middle ground.  He ends up dating someone just
like his mother (Linda), Lenina.  In this way, he suffers from a kind of Oedipal
complex.  His repression and guilt over his physical relations with Lenina drives him to
mania and suicide.

His name comes from the verse
drama The Conquest of Granada by John Dryden.  Huxley bases him on
a combination of Caliban and Alonso from Shakespeare's The Tempest.
 He is part slave/savage like Caliban and part civilized Utopian like Alonso.  After
all, the title is taken from a The Tempest, Act
V:

O wonder!
 How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world!
That has such people
in't!

Christ-like
martyr: John is a son who is split between two worlds, the natural and
the supernatural.  He has two fathers, an earthly one and a mysterious other.  In the
end, he dies for the sins of others: for us, the readers, and for his father, the
Director.  He is meant to show us and the Director the extreme effects of both the
utopia and the dystopia.  In the lighthouse, his body is in the shape similar to that of
Christ on the cross.

Byronic
Hero: John is an extremist, like Lord Byron the Romantic poet.  He is
either madly in love or morbidly depressed.  There's no moderation or middle course with
him.  In this way, he is "mad, bad, and dangerous to know."  He is wounded by love,
exiled for his beliefs, and rebellious against authority.  As a tragic hero, he makes
mistakes that lead to his death, namely participating in orgy-porgy and taking
soma.