In what ways does Hawthorne move the story forward in Chapters 9-15, and how effective is his technique?

This section begins as Hester re-enters her world as the new person that she has become.  There is a great deal that we need to learn about this life.  Can Hester support herself?  What is Pearl "really" like?  Will Hester, the convicted adultress, be allowed to keep her daughter?  Will Hester have any continuing relationship with Dimmesdale?  Will Pearl have a realtionship with Dimmesdale?  What will the consequences of his hidden sin have on Dimmesdale's physical and mental health?  What is Roger Chillingworth going to do now that he has sworn that he will uncover the adulterer?  How will Dimmesdale react to Chillingworth when he accepts him as his physician?  You get the point.  There is a lot of information we need if we are to understand Chapter 17, the one that I feel is central to the entire novel.  

I think Hawthorne does a great job with these chapters.  We get the "information" we need, he builds some drama (second scaffold scene), and we are ready for the "resolution" --- which we find out, sadly, is going nowhere.

Chapter 6: Ralph and Piggy prayed for a "sign" from the grown-ups and have been given one. Explain its significance.

At a meeting, the boys speculate on the eventual presence of a wild and savage creature lurking in the jungle. While Jack in a kind of heroic boast promises to track down and kill "the beast" if it exists, the other boys cower at the thought of its presence:

Ralph, discouraged, talks with Piggy and Simon about their need for adults. "If only they could get a message to us. . . . If only they could send us something grownup . . . a sign or something."

The sign that appears, however, comes when all the boys are asleep. High overhead rages an air battle and a dead parachutist falls to the island. When the boys hear the sound of the parachute, they are sure it is the beast. Jack, Ralph, and Simon go in search. Climbing to the top of the mountain, they see "a creature that bulged." They do not recognize the figure as a dead parachutist, tangled in his ropes, and swaying in the wind....

but rather 'allow' this corpse to personify their deepest dread of the presence of evil among them.

Was pouring poison in the ear a common method used during Hamlet's time of existence?

No, but there was the discovery by Bartolommeo Eustachio at the time of a connection between the ear and throat which Shakespeare was probably aware of. The ancient Greeks also knew of the eustachian tube.

The use of the ear to poison Hamlet's father seems to be more metaphorical and connects to the idea of deception and betrayal. Poison is a sly, sneaky way to murder someone and by having it poured in the ear, Shakespeare seems to be alluding to the regicide of King Hamlet by Claudius as the act of an obsessively power hungry and deceptive man.

Also through there being no trace of the poisoning due to the method, Hamlet questions whether the ghost is really his father and whether he was in fact murdered. This sparks the traps that Hamlet lays throughout the play to "catch the conscience o' the king".

What purpose is served by the production figures Squealer reads to the animals in "Animal Farm"?

"There were times when it seemed to the animals that they worked longer hours and were fed no better than they had in Jones’s day.  On Sunday mornings Squealer, holding a long strip of paper with his trotter, would read out to them lists of figures proving that the production of every class of foodstuff had increased by two hundred per cent, three hundred per cent, or five hundred per cent as the case might be.”

Squealer is Mr. Propaganda.  It is his job to keep the animals on the farm - the workers - happy so that they will continue to produce.  However, because the pigs (Napoleon specifically) have become selfish tyrants who want to keep all good things for themselves, Squealer can't keep the animals happy by actually giving them the things that they desire.  Instead, Squealer tricks them to make them believe that they are treated well and should be happy.  The production figures are done for that purpose.  Squealer is giving the animals factual data that things are actually better for them than when Jones was in charge.  Because the animals have no way to challenge that data, they are persuaded to believe that their perception is incorrect and that Squealer is right.

What happened to Odysseus and his men in the land of the Cyclops?

Odysseus's curiosity about the Cyclops causes real problems for him and his men. They become trapped in Polyphemus' cave; the Cyclops eats 6 of Odysseus's men. Cleverly, however, Odysseus tells the giant his name is "Nobody" so that when he gets Polyphemus drunk and stabs his single eye, thus blinding him, the Cyclops's call to the other Cyclopses for help is disregarded because "Nobody" has harmed him. To escape the cave, Odysseus and his men hide under the Cyclops's wooly sheep; looking for the intruders, the giant feels only the top of each animal when he rolls back the huge stone blocking the entrance and releases his sheep.

Once back at his ship, Odysseus could have easily sailed away unscathed, but his pride interferes, and he tells Polyphemus his real name and even where he lives so the giant will know who has blinded him. Then the Cyclops calls on his father Poseidon to punish Odysseus, and the god of the sea makes Odysseus's home very difficult. The hero's unrestrained curiosity, lack of prudence, and overweening pride cause many problems on this island. Slowly Odysseus will learn from his mistakes.

How is the last scene in Of Mice and Men dramatic?John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men

Interestingly, Steinbeck's novella Of Mice and
Men, with a single setting for each section--a secluded grove, a bunkhouse, a
barn--was conceived by the author as a potential play.  After the tragic occurrence in
the barn in which Lennie, in his anxiety about keeping Curley's wife quiet,
inadvertently breaks her neck, the scene concludes as the book as begun, in the secluded
grove. 

However, this time the grove's role as refuge
becomes a much more dramatic one. Whereas it was the little field mouse which is dead
and cast into the "darkening brush," in the final action of George, it is, instead,
his friend, whose well-meaning intentions have gone awry as in Robert Burn's poem, "To a
Mouse," that he sends into the "darkening brush" of death.  And, in contrast to
his uncaring toss of the mouse, a loving George tells Lennie to look out at the river,
as though he can envision the haven about which they have so long
dreamt.

With dramatic irony, Lennie begs George, "Le' do it
now.  Le's get that place now."  And, George replies, "Sure, right now.  I gotta.  We
gotta." 

Then, the pathos of George's hand shaking
violently as he prepares to shoot his friend
is powerful:

readability="17">

The crash of the shot rolled up the hills and
rolled down again.  Lennie jarred, and then settled slowly forward to the sand, and he
lay without quivering.

George shivered and looked at the
gun, and then he threw it from him, back up on the bank, near the pile of old ashes.
[Where they made a fire in chapter one.]  The brush seemed filled with cries and with
the sound of running feet.

George sat stiffly on the bank
and looked at his right hand that had thrown the gun
away.

The rounding out of the
narrative with its allsion to the first chapter whose action is in marked contrast to
the action of the conclusion is dramatically effective as the significance of
Steinbeck's title becomes apparent.  The death of the dream with the death of Lennie is
poignant, indeed, as Steinbeck employs sound imagery that effectively illustrates the
jarring emotions within
George. 

Why does the price level increase when aggregate demand increases?

This is the basic principle of supply and demand and is at
the heart of any market-based economy. Essentially, you must look at supply as the
quantity that is available of a given product. Demand refers to the relative number of
people who want that product. The greater the demand, the harder it is for the supply to
meet that demand. Producers can only create a certain amount of any one product in a
given amount of time and with a sometimes limited set of resources needed to create that
product. As a result, quantities (supplies) are limited, making them more valuable and,
consequently, making people who can afford to pay more willing to pay more. Sometimes,
even people who cannot afford to pay are willing to pay the price if the demand is great
enough. Conversely, when the supply ourweighs the demand, you end uo with a surplus. The
suppliers have created a product that consumers are not purchasing rapidly enough. In
this case, proces will be dropped in order to encourage people to buy the product and
reduce the supply.

For a look at some relevant graphs
explaining the process, see the following resource:

The Portrait of a Lady by Khushwant SinghThe grandmother's actions more than her appearance reveal her true beauty. Explain how??

Here,author wants to say that her grandma had an inherent
beauty.

As far as looks are concerned,his granny was not
pretty but BEAUTIFUL....because of the nature she
possessed.

As we can infer from the context that she was
his constant companion and epitome of courage, peace, truth and contentment.It is  clear
that her actions are worth and priceless and revealed her true inner
beauty...

Please can you explain and tell me what Malcolm's positive and negative qualities are in "Macbeth"?

Malcolm is considered to be honest and noble, like his father.  He is described as "worthy" in the Act V scenes before and during battle.

In Act IV scene III, Macduff meets Malcolm in England where Macduff interrogates Malcolm to see what kind of King he would become and if he were worth backing in order to save Scotland.  Malcolm tests Macduff by telling him all sorts of stories--he is dishonest, greedy, full of lust for women, etc.  With each story, Macduff counters with suggestions to appease the future king's vices and tells Malcolm that he is the rightful heir to the throne and that Macbeth must be stopped at all costs since he is killing their beloved country.  Malcolm then admits that none of these vices are true, is convinced that Macduff is sincere and has not been sent by Macbeth to kill him, and the two plan their rescue of Scotland by attacking Macbeth.

In the end of the play, Malcolm is generous, thankful, and full of praise of those who have served him well in the dethroning of Macbeth and the saving of Scotland.  We are reminded of the opening of the play where Malcolm's beloved father, Duncan, is performing the same acts.  Malcolm appears to be the spitting image of his father and the future of Scotland appears to be in the hands of loving King who will be every bit as loved as Duncan was.

Can someone please help me to write introduction for my essay about the depression in "Hamlet"?

Before you can write your introduction, you need to formulate a thesis about depression. What point are you setting out to prove about this topic in the play? Is your focus on Hamlet? You could, for instance, examine the role that depression plays in his delay in seeking revenge against Claudius, or you could tie depression to the disease and decay imagery in the play. You may have another idea altogether. 

I teach my students that your introduction should lead directly to this thesis, usually the final sentence in the opening paragraph. You can begin with an opening generalization about depression and then offer narrowing examples with explanations before presenting your thesis. Another approach is to begin with an opening quotation from the play relevant to depression. The first sentence should identify the speaker and context. Another couple of sentences would explain the significance of the passage, and then you present the thesis.

Share your thesis, and I can offer more specific suggestions. 

How do Scout and Jem treat Boo Radley at the beginning of the novel?Describe two incidents which support your generalization.

Scout and Jem do not really meet Boo Radley at the beginning of the novel. However, he is a central figure in their imaginations and as such, he is treated like a ghost or, as they sometimes call him, "a monster". During the first summer in the novel, they make plans to lure "the monster" out. They even compete with each other to see who can get the closest to him. Then Dill, their friend, makes up a new game, the Boo Radley game. They make up stories about his life and dramatize them like a play. None of the children think about the fact that their game may be hurting the humans inside the Radley house who can hear the children's games through their windows.

Where does Grendel's mother live?

Grendel's mother lives in a cave beneath what is called a mere.  A mere is a 12th Century term for a standing body of water.  The Old English term can mean a lake, but given the amount of time it takes Beowulf to swim to the cave at the bottom, the usage meaning sea-like lake might be closer to the original intent.  This means that the lake may have been an arm of the sea coming inland.  The fact that the lake was within a "fen" would also mean that the mere would have to be an arm of the sea.  A fen is an Old English term for a marshy, frequently flooded area of land.  Unlike a swamp, a fen does not have woody trees. It is full of grasses and reeds that are fairly low to the ground. Fens tend to be foggy and dark, matching the description of it as being forbidding.  

The mere was quite a distance from Heorot. It says that they must cross a moor, over steep stony slopes, narrow ways, choked paths, gullies, cliff ledges, and haunted lakes to get there.

The area surrounding the mere is referred to as a mountain grove. Above the mere is gray stone with a hanging wood. The water of the mere is dark and dour - meaning rocky and infertile.  The water seethes with blood. The use of the word seethe is interesting because the word requires movement such as a boiling action or an agitation. The water is also referred to as blood red, as the soldiers are waiting for Beowulf's return.  

The surroundings add to the gloom. They find Aeschere's head next to the cliff.  And, as they watch the water, they see serpents, sea-dragons, water daemons, worms and slithering wild things going in and out of the lake.  

Once Beowulf swims to the bottom (remember it took him almost a full day to get to the bottom) he is attacked and dragged into Grendel's Mother's cave. It is full of horrible tusked creatures that attack him.  The cave has an area that keeps the water out and it is lit by firelight. Beowulf likens the space to a hall, so it is quite large. There is pile of weapons forged by giants at the edge of the cave and Grendel's corpse near the wall.  (It is somewhat hidden because Beowulf has to search for it.)  

What are some essential family values and family history that have shaped the people of Maycomb in "To Kill a Mockingbird"?

Scout tells the reader of the Finch family history in Maycomb County, going way back to the Civil War. The Finch family has a long-standing name in the area, and this can be seen when Aunt Alexandra is so insistent that the children "keep up" the family name. Atticus is more open minded, allowing people to be accepted for what or who they are. He is a single father, doing his best to raise his children--he believes in fairness and wants to help those around him. He doesn't allow his children or himself to give in to the town's gossip.

The Radley family has allowed itself to be shaped by its religious values and the actions of their son, Arthur (Boo). Because of Boo's rebellious activities when he was younger, the Radleys have become reclusive, allowing the town to make up a lot of their history. They have become "ghosts" in the town, and while some may see this as shameful, it could be a sign of strength--they are doing what they believe in despite the ramifications of the gossip from town and the effects on their son, Boo.

Lastly, Miss Maudie is also from The Landing and a long-time friend of the Finches. She has never been married, and spends a lot of time in her yard with her gardens and flowers. Many of the more religious-types in town feel she is committing a sin by being outside rather than inside, reading her Bible. She also refuses to give in to the gossip, saying she wants to enjoy the outdoors God has created for her.

What are the differences between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists?I need to compare and contrast the differences between the leaders and...

During the state conventions that considered whether to
adopt the Constitution that had been written in the Philadelphia Convention, Federalists
were for the adoption of the Constitution while Anti-federalists were some of them
against adopting it and other for adopting it only if it was first
amended.

Federalists wanted a strong central government
that would rule the people of the United States directly and not through the state
governments.  Anti-federalists wanted a weak central government that would serve the
governments of the states by performing those functions of government that could be
better preformed by one authority than by 13 different authorities, such as defense and
diplomacy.  Other functions of government would be performed by the states, not by the
federal government.

Federalist were for a system of strong
federal courts while Anti-federalists were for limits on the federal courts.  For
example, Anti-federalists were opposed to the U.S. Supreme Court having original
jurisdiction to hear suits between a state and a citizen of another state.  The suit
would be about the laws of the state involved, so it should be heard by the courts of
that state.  This power and other powers given to the U.S. courts would result in the
destruction of both the judicial function and the legislative function of the state
governments.  Federalists were for this original jurisdiction and for the U.S. courts
having the power of review and veto over the enactments of the state legislatures and
the decisions of the state courts.

The Federalists were for
the federal government having the power to raise taxes directly from the people.  They
said that without this power, the U.S. could not have an effective defense nor an
effective diplomacy, nor could it repay foreign debts contracted by the government.  The
Anti-federalists opposed this and were for the federal government getting its money from
the state governments.  They said that without this check on the federal government, it
would become tyrannical over the people and the states.

The
Anti-federalists were against the federal government having the power to federalize the
state militias.  The Federalists were for this power.

The
Federalists wanted one commercial policy for the whole country; the Anti-federalists
wanted more flexibility in commercial policies to fit the needs of people in different
parts of the country.  The Anti-federalists thought that powerful commercial interests
would use the government to subject some regions of the country to the commercial
servitude of other regions, if the government were given this power.  George Mason, a
plantation master and Anti-federalist thought that any commercial laws passed by the
U.S. Congress should have the approval of 3/4 of those present and voting.  He had
helped draft the U.S. Constitution in the Philadelphia Convention, but he refused to
sign it because it did not make this provision.

There were
other differences.

href="http://www.libertyfund.org/details.aspx?id=2125">http://www.libertyfund.org/details.aspx?id=2125

I don't have a clue how to answer this, any suggestions?These hormonal imbalances (shown in many different species, including rats & humans;...

Both genetics and life experience play an important role
in how an individual develops. I think this question may be asking if homosexuality is
something a person is born with, or something that is learned as the individual grows.
Researchers have argued for and against both sides but I think it is safer to say that
it is both nature and nurture. I believe they both work together in the formation of an
individual.

It is true that hormonal imbalances (and many
other factors) play a role in a developing fetus. These factors determine everything
from physical characteristics to personality. There is no doubt about that. I think that
factors such as hormonal imbalances in relation to "syndromes" is more related to
nature. I think the reason for homosexuality is more debated. Many people will argue
that homosexuality is due to hormonal imbalances, etc. while others will say is to due
to environmental factors, such as abuse or having gay
parents.

More and more people believe now days that
homosexuality is not an issue really related to anything, rather it is just how that
person is.

In Chapter 7 of "Call of the Wild", what was the wolf's reaction to Buck?

The wolf's first reaction was to flee when he saw Buck.  He was "suspicious and afraid; for Buck made three of him in weight, while his head barely reached Buck's shoulder".  Buck, wanting only companionship, chased the wolf until he cornered the wild creature, who "whirled about...snarling and bristling, clipping his teeth together in a continuous and rapid succession of snaps".  Buck did not attack, but instead "circled him about and hedged him in with friendly advances". 

This sequence was repeated several times, with the wolf alternately running away, being cornered, and running again.  The wolf was "in poor condition, or Buck could not so easily have overtaken him" each time.  Finally, seeing that Buck did not intend to harm him, the wolf sniffed noses with him, and the two played together for awhile.  The wolf then took off, encouraging Buck to follow, and Buck, "wildly glad...(ran) by the side of his wood brother toward the place from where the call (of the wild) surely came".  Even as he felt the call growing within him, however, Buck remembered John Thornton, and, torn, turned around and walked slowly back to the camp, leaving his brother behind (Chapter 7).

Describe how Miller's choice of language positions the audience to sympathise with John Proctor against Abigail?this is in act 1 pg34-pg35

From the beginning, Miller shows Abigail to be a lusty homewrecker.  Her language is flirtatious and dangerously lusty for Puritan society.  He adds in the narration that she speaks with a "confidential, wicked air" when she tells him of the dancing in the woods and continues with, "Give me a word. I am waitin' for you every night.  I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near! I saw your face when she put me out, and you loved me then and you do now!"

She plays on John's weakness as a man who wants to be needed and enjoys being appreciated.  We learn later on in a conversation that Elizabeth has with John that Elizabeth never considered herself beautiful like Abigail, and that Elizabeth was afraid to entirely give herself over to John since she didn't feel worthy of a man like him.  She has withheld affection, although she has not been unloving.  Her fault is not being passionately free with John as Abigail was...this, and Abigail's youth and beauty were her weapons against John's desire to be wholly loved by his wife--thwarted by Elizabeth's own insecurities.

John and Elizabeth are sympathetic characters because this little "witch"--pardon the pun--has destroyed their home, their relationship, their town, and has caused the deaths of many respectable friends and family members.  Abigail Williams is the epitome of evil in this story.  Everyone else is her victim.

In Lord of the Flies, what decision is made about the conch? Why?

The boys decide to use the conch as a physical representation of order. The conch serves as a governing devise. In order to speak the person must hold the conch, at which time the individual has "the floor" so to speak. The boys decide to use the conch in this manner in order to maintain their perception of civilization. Democratic societies create governments to maintain order.The premise is that free societies choose to place restrictions on themselves to perserve the greater good of the group. Ironically, when the boys begin to ignore their own rules regarding the conch, it becomes clear that their attempt to maintain order using this governing technique begins to disintegrate.

What is the first problem the villagers have to worry about after their first winter without Kimki in "Island of the Blue Dolphins"?

The villagers did not actually spend another winter on their island after the departure of Kimki.  Kimki left in early spring, after pondering about his decision throughout the previous winter.  After he left, the first concern of the villagers was a lack of water, since there had been "few storms that winter and rain was light and ended early...many were afraid that (they) would die of thirst".  There was another fear that soon overshadowed that concern, however.  The villagers were worried that the Aleuts would return in their ships as they did the year before.

As it turned out, the Aleuts did not return, but a schooner carrying white men with a message from Kimki did arrive on the island instead.  According to the men, Kimki had asked them to bring the islanders to a place he had found and prepared for them.  The trusting villagers went with the men in the large vessel, but Karana's brother was late getting to the boat, and jumped overboard so he would not be left alone.  Both children were left behind.

What are the major points in "The Cask of Amontillado?"

Major points as in major plot points?  That's really best discussed in the notes on the first link below, although the highlights would include Montressor tricking Fortunato by claiming to have purchased a cask of Amontillado and needing to have it authenticated, Montressor's drunk acceptance and his willingness to follow Montressor into the catacombs beneath Montressor's home, and finally Montressor chaining Fortunato and bricking him into the wall.

Honestly, though, I don't think the plot points are nearly as interesting as the analysis.  Is Montressor trying to brick away some psychosis or defect in his own personality that he has come to associate with Fortunato?  Is he sexually excited by the murder?  What is up with all the religious imagery, and is this a story about man's relationship with god?  This is the interesting part of the story... seriously.  You may want to read a couple of the essays I've linked to below to get an idea of the deeper levels on this story.

The Crucible was written in response to a particular conflict from the 1950s and drew on an even earlier conflict from the 17th century.

The earlier conflict to which you refer is the Salem Witch Trials. Miller's play takes its plot from these historical trials. Reverend Parris was an actual person who led his community to mass hysteria, causing the death of twenty people. Many of these people died because they refused to take part in the trials and were condemned to death for their refusal. This period of time is one of the most shameful in American history.

After World War II, fear of Communism was rampant in American society. Some of our leaders and other Americans linked the American Communist Party with Communist Russia. Senator Joseph McCarthy set up the House Un-American Activities Committee which held hearings to question any Americans who had, or might have had, any connection to the American Communist Party. McCarthy developed a list of those people he felt were a threat to national security. Especially hit hard was the artistic community that developed films and music in Hollywood. Each person called before the Committee had to tell their involvement with Communism, but more importantly, they had to name others who might also be involved. When people refused to participate in the hearings, they were "blacklisted", which meant they wouldn't be hired by anyone for fear of being accused themselves. Miller saw this hysteria as the same kind that gripped Salem, Massachusetts in the 1600s.

Please comment on the poetic devices used in "Africa my Africa" by David Diop.I am a desperate parent who never did literature trying to make my...

Diop's strongest poetic device in this poem is that of personification.  He infuses Africa with human qualities, and talks directly to her.  He reinforces her humanity with the images of "beautiful black blood... The blood of your sweat.... The sweat of your work ...your back that is unbent ."  The purpose of using personification is to make readers empthasize more with the plight of Africa.  To be just a continent is too abstract - to be a human is more personal.

Diop also uses imagery to allude to the injustice Africa has suffered from.  "This back trembling with red scars
And saying no to the whip under the midday sun" is an allusion to the slave trade and to colonization from European colonies.  He also uses imagery, however, to prove that Africa is stronger than what she has suffered, for her "back is unbent....[and] never breaks under the weight of humiliation."

Diop finally uses symbolism to describe post-colonial Africa.  He points out a young and strong tree, "Splendidly alone amidst white and faded flowers."  This is Africa after the colonizing European countries have left.  Africa will go strong and her "fruit" - her children - will acquire "the bitter tasts of liberty."  The liberty is bitter because of the injustice that caused it to once be absent from the continent.

What figure of speech is used in Sonnet 18, line 11: "Nor shall Death brag thou wanderest in his shade"?

Although the line is often cited as an example of personification, that is actually an impossibility. The reference to "death" is noting an action of the living, and since "death" is the ceasing of living action, the appropriate figure of speech is antithesis. It is the opposing contrast that makes it such a powerful statement.

Allusion and allegory can also be cited as figures of speech within this sonnet.

There are arguments that Shakespeare was a Catholic, so many people cite this line as an allusion to the biblical passage regarding "the valley of death". This is not, however, very likely since Shakespeare was a Master Freemason and because the moods of this sonnet and the biblical passage differ - the first being about love and the second about not fearing death because a 'greater' power will care for you.

If one interprets this sonnet as being about the 'beauty' inherent in real love, then it can also be cited as using allegorical reference. Www.m-w.com defines this figure of speech, in part, as "actions of truths or generalizations about human existence". The wearing away of youthful beauty does not cause real love to fade.

How does the story's title, "The Most Dangerous Game" have two meanings?

In one instance, the word "game" can mean a competition.  As it relates to the story, General Zaroff is playing a "dangerous game" in hunting humans.  Actually, hunting in itself is a dangerous "game" or sport.

In another use of the word, "game" can refer to an animal that is being hunted.  Small game hunters go after animals like rabbits or fox, while big game hunters seek elk, deer, or lions.  Rainsford could be "the most dangerous game" that General Zaroff has ever hunted.  Rainsford is himself a hunter, so he knows various traps he could set to keep Zaroff away from him.  Also, humans in general could be the most dangerous game because, unlike jaguars, humans can think and strategize.

In That Was Then, This Is Now, where did Bryon and Mark go look for M&M? Did they find him?

M&M was not happy living at home and one night while he was cruising The Ribbon with Bryon, Mark and Cathy, M&M got out of the car at a hot dog stand and announced that "Not ever. I'm not going home." They did not see him for several weeks.

The day after Mark got Angela Shepard drunk and cut off her hair, he told Bryon that he knew where M&M was: He was at the hippie house that Randy, the VW van owner who had given the boys a ride, had earlier told them about. But when Mark and Bryon stopped by, M&M was not there. It was later, after Bryon had been beaten by the Shepards, that he told Cathy about the house, and the two of them stopped by again and found M&M, reeling from the effects of a very bad acid trip.

In "Night", why is there joy when the signal finally comes for them to leave Sighet and the ghettos?

Elie makes a point to tell the reader how the Jews of Sighet lived until 1942 thinking that the war would never reach them. They saw the war as something abstract and they refused to believe the atrocious stories they heard about what the war had done to its neighbors. The Jews of Sighet didn't want to believe that evil at that level existed. When Moishe the Beadel escaped to return and save the Jews of Sighet by telling his story they ignored him. When the soldiers finally showed up one day they acted much like Germany did under the Nazi regime, they were kind, they "weren't that bad", they were well mannered, and once they had gained the trust from the Jews of Sighet they were already virtually powerless to stop it.

Since the Jews of Sighet had not heeded the warnings of others when the suffering began they believed that it would only be for a short while and then things would get better, they would be moved to be kept safe from the war, the soldiers wouldn't hurt them all. When they were standing on the streets in the hot sun to be moved out of the ghettos and "away from the war" to the camps where so many died, they thought that standing in the sun without water was the worst torture they would have to endure. When they finally left they were just relieved to get out of the sun and onto a train and again they thought, wrongly, that they would be safe from any further torture.

What is the setting of The Skin I'm In by Sharon Flake?

In any work of literature, the setting is an important
element of the story which helps to set the scene and establish the mood and atmosphere
around which characters develop and the plot progresses. The setting includes not only
the physical location or place but the time period and the social context in which it
takes place. Understanding the impact of these factors on the characters makes the story
believable and improves the flow. 

In The Skin
I'm In by Sharon Flake, Maleeka Madison is a seventh-grade student who is
coming to terms with her own identity and with how others see her. She struggles to
separate herself from certain opinions which then dominate her belief in herself and
confound her attempts to have a positive self-image. The book was published in 2000 but
the difficulties Maleeka has with establishing her identity are relevant to any time
period and give the book its universal appeal. 

McClenton
Middle School is the name of Maleeka's school, and, in terms of the social context, it
becomes clear from various interactions throughout the story that most of the students
are African-American, living in an urban area, a bus trip away from Washington D.C.
which the reader knows because it was on a trip to Washington D.C. when Caleb did not
step in to stop the other children teasing Maleeka. Maleeka's mother makes Maleeka's
clothes and Maleeka dislikes this because she stands out as being
poor.

Caleb is different from the other boys and sees
something special in Maleeka. The reader also knows that Caleb and his father volunteer
at a local homeless shelter at weekends and that there is an old-age home. This reveals
a community atmosphere in terms of the setting.

Who was the first African-American Episcopalian priest? Since Alexander Crummell was ordained in 1844, isn't Absalom Jones, ordained priest in...

According to the official web site of the Episcopal Church (episcopalchurch.org), Absalom Jones was the first African American priest. The church sets aside February 13 to "commemorate blessed Absalom, the first black priest and founder of the first black congregation in the Episcopal Church."

Absalom Jones helped to found another historically black denomination. In 1787, Jones, Richard Allen, and other black leaders founded the Free African Society when they were forced out of the white Methodist Episcopal Church. While Jones found his spiritual home within the Episcopal Church proper, Allen created a new Wesleyan denomination for African American worshipers, calling it the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

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Who or what was Charybdis from The Odyssey?

Charybdis is a whirlpool that sucks down water three times a day and then spews it back up three times a day. It is situated near Scylla, a six-headed monster that lives in a gray rock. Odysseus and his men must sail between these two dangers. Since the entire crew would perish if the ship were sucked down by Charybdis, Circe advises Odysseus to steer closer to Scylla because he will lose only six men to this monster. Although Odysseus doesn't like either choice (metaphorically, he is "between a rock and a hard place"), he chooses Scylla.

Later after his men break the rules and eat some of the Sun-god's sacred cattle, Zeus creates a storm that drives the ship into Charybdis. The whole crew is sucked down into the whirlpool and drowns. Only Odysseus, who manages to grab the fig tree and save himself from the whirlpool, survives.

What effect do the multiple deaths in act five have on you?Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

A Shakepearean tragedy conveys the sense that human beings
are doomed by their own errors or natures, or even an ironic twist of their virtues, or
through the nature of fate or the human condition to  suffer, fail, and die.  In
Shakespearean tragedy, the hero usually dies as a result of his tragic flaw, moral
weakness, or inability to cope with unfavorable
circumstances.

One common weakness that many characters
share in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is impetuousness.  And, as
a result of their impulsive personalities, accompanied by the unfortunate circumstances
of fate, Mercutio, Romeo, and Juliet all die. 

For these
tragic deaths in Romeo and Juliet the reader is well prepared. 
First of all, the Prologue to Act One mentions that fate has a hand in the tragedy--"the
star-crossed lovers"--and the enmity between the Capulets and Montagues breaks "to new
mutiny."  The first scene opens with strife and renewed hatred.  When Romeo falls in
love with the child of his family's mortal enemy, there is certain foreboding of a
tragic end for the lovers.  Certain speeches foreshadow the tragic ending as well.  For
instance, when Friar Laurence cautions Romeo, saying,"These violent delights have
violent ends"(II,vi,10), and Juliet declares, "My only love sprung from my only hate"
(I,v,133), there is foreshadowing of Romeo and Juliet's doom since they are too quick in
their love  too swift in their actions, and circumstances work against their
marriage.

Then, when Friar Laurence and Juliet plan her
feigned death so the parents will be so relieved to have her alive that they will not be
too upset with Romeo, whom she has already married, and the message that Juliet
lives does not reach Romeo in time, fate's hand enters the play.  The tragic delay to
Romeo's knowing Juliet is really alive, coupled with his cries of "O, I am fortune's
fool!"  prepares the reader for the unfortunate results, results that still bring a
poignancy to the audience.  For, the beauty of such young, romantic lovers is what
dreams are made of, not tragedies.

In "A Rose for Emily", why did Miss Emily say she needed arsenic?

Miss Emily indicates to the pharmacist that she needs arsenic to kill the rats and pole cats at her home.  Otherwise, she would not have been allowed to purchase this poison.  Of course, in this time period, no self-respecting gentleman would have questioned a Southern lady's intentions.  The reader knows she does have a rat...Homer Baron...who is threatening to ruin her reputation by leaving her after being alone with her in her home.  Even as old as Miss Emily was at the time of Homer, a chaperone would have been expected to preserve her "ladylike" status.

What social event was added to Maycomb's social calendar, and why was it created?

I think that you are talking about what happens in Chapter
27.  This is when the ladies of the town decide to have an organized Halloween event at
the high school auditorium.

There was going to be a pageant
and there would be various games and there was going to be a contest for the best
costume, as long as it was made by the person wearing
it.

This was done because there were worries about crime. 
This was especially true after the Barber sisters had their home burgled.  Because of
this, the ladies seem to have thought it would be better not to have the kids out
running around.

In "The Most Dangerous Game", why was Zaroff glad that it was Rainsford who had come to the island?

Coincidentally, General Zaroff had heard of Rainsford before and was quite familiar with his reputation as a successful hunter.  Upon arriving at his mansion, Rainsford's first meeting with Zaroff shows evidence of this in the way that Zaroff compliments him, saying, "It is a very great pleasure and honor to welcome Mr. Sanger Rainsford, the celebrated hunter, to my home."  He continues this by explaining how he knows who Rainsford is: "I've read your book about hunting snow leopards in Tibet, you see."  He later deems Rainsford a worthy opponent when he informs him that he (Rainsford) will act as his prey in that evening's hunt, saying, "I drink to a foe worthy of me at last."  Zaroff's passion for the sport of hunting is so great that he actually longs for prey that may actually beat him and escape.  He has gotten so good that it has become too easy, and so he is happy to meet Rainsford, knowing that his knowledge of the "great" game of hunting will ensure an exciting and complex hunt that evening.

What does the speaker in the dream tell Winston in 1984?

Although you do not specify which dream of Winston's you
are talking about, I think you are most likely talking about the dream that Winston
mentions in Chapter 2.  He thinks about this dream after he has been helping his
neighbor with her plumbing.

In the dream, he is walking
through a dark room.  There is someone in the room.  As he passes by the person, the
person says to him "We shall meet in the place where there is no
darkness."

Winston does not know in the dream who that is,
but he comes to believe that it was O'Brien who spoke to him.

What problems did Germany face after World War I?

Germany faced numerous problems after World War I.  The most pressing involved the political climate.  After the defeat of Germany, the Wilhelm II was forced to abdicate and the Weimar Republic was declared.  This was only after a revolution that took place in 1918-19.  The Republic, however, was on shaky ground to begin with.  There were over thirty political parties, though only six had any real power.  This situation meant that parties had to form coalitions with one another to get anything done.  Since the parties were more interested in their survival than that of the makeshift Republic, these coalitions often proved weak.

There were also at least three major money problems.  First, the reparation payments of the Versailles Treaty, though still quite exorbitant, were manageable.  Second, the shift to a peace time economy was rather smooth because Germany continued to print money, which led to the astronomical inflation of 1923-4.  Third, because of the weakening by inflation and the dependence on foreign loans, the Great Depression hit Germany especially hard. 

What was most pressing, however, was the psychological shock of losing the war.  Many people, especially due to fabricated military reports, were surprised to learn of Germany's defeat.  (Hitler was one of these people.)  There was also the stab-in-the-back theory, insisting the military lost because of poor political support.

Why at the end of Hamlet, Shakespeare refers at least four times to theater.Using words such as "stage" and "put on". At the end, Fortinbras orders...

The use of stage terms in the closing scene of
Shakespeare's Hamlet very directly reflects a line from another
Shakespeare play, but it's not Romeo and Juliet, it's As
You Like It:

readability="5">

All the world's a
stage...

Existence in
Hamlet is like being on a stage--everybody's
acting:

• Hamlet pretends to be
  mad.


• Claudius pretends to be honest and just, and
  pretends to care about Hamlet.  He toasts him in the closing scene, when he is really
  trying to get him to drink the poison in the
  cup.


• Polonius, Ophelia, Ros. and Guil. all spy on Hamlet,
  pretending to be his friend, or more, while actually trying to get information out of
  him. 


• The 1 Player pretends to care about
  Hecuba.


• Laertes pretends to forgive Hamlet, and treats
  him with respect, while he is in the process of trying to kill
  him.

All the world, existence, is a stage in
the play. 

Specifically, though, the theatrical terms you
mention all have literal meanings in the lines you cite.  For instance, "put on," when
used by Fortinbras, simply means that if Hamlet would have been "put on" the throne, he
would have proved most royal.

Figuratively, I suggest the
terms suggest the idea that life is a stage, and everyone acts like this or that;
everyone wears masks, plays roles.  This is much stronger in Hamlet
than is any suggestion of drawing attention to the fact that those putting on the play
are actors.  That is not central to this play, as it might be in Romeo and
Juliet.  Why?  Because there's no chorus in Hamlet. 
Shakespeare had matured and was past the use of a chorus by the time he wrote
Hamlet.  He does not go out of his way to draw attention to the
actors themselves, instead of the characters, in
Hamlet.

Compare the kind of courage revealed in "To Kill a Mockingbird". Comment on the incidents with Tim Johnson and with Mrs. Henry LaFayette Dubose.

In the incident with Tim Johnson, Atticus shows courage by stepping out into the street in front of a rabid dog that could attack him at any moment.  However, the more courageous thing is that Atticus has not boasted of his ability to shoot.  It would win him points with both members of the town and with his own children, who view him as "feeble", but he is not willing to do so.  Atticus does not believe that having the ability to shoot makes him a better man - in fact, he doesn't like having the skill - and so he is brave enough to show discretion instead of try to "get something" ouf of the skill.

In the case of Mrs. Dubose, the courage comes in her ability to challenge an addiction.  Not only does she challenge the addiction to morphine, but she does so knowing that she will soon die - so, in essence, it doesn't matter if she is addicted or not.  However, Mrs. Dubose does not want to die an addict; it is more important to her that she beat the addiction and die a free woman. 

How does Rip Van Winkle contrast with "self-made man" Benjamin Franklin and where are these types found today?

Benjamin Franklin - the self-made man - was ambitious, arrogant and successful.  He pursued life relentlessly and constantly challenged himself and the world around him.

Rip Van Winkle is the easy-going guy next door.  He does not achieve fame, nor does he seek materialistic wealth.  He wants to help others, but has little personal ambition.  He is just "one of the guys" and is well-liked.

The self-made man can be seen in the figures of such men and women as Donald Trump, Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.  The easy-going guy is harder to pinpoint, as he or she is not out to achieve fame and so is less known.  However, if you examine the demeanor of such actors as Jennifer Garner and Morgan Freeman, and political candidates such as Dennis Kucinich, you see some of the same personality that is found in Rip Van Winkle.

What are the rights of beneficiaries to an estate once a letter from a lawyer names a sibbling the successor truste? What should the sibbings do to...

It appears that the deceased parent created a trust that, upon his or her death, named one of the children as the successor trustee. It’s likely that there is no will, but you should ask the attorney.

The rights of the beneficiaries depend on state laws and the terms of the trust. A trustee has a very high fiduciary duty, which means he or she must act with good faith in managing the assets of the trust.

Depending on state laws and the specific terms of the trust, beneficiaries’ rights may include:

• an equitable title to the property held in trust

• an accounting of the trust property and income from the trustee

• timely distribution of income

• clarification of terms of the trust

• removal of the trustee and appointment of an independent trustee (for cause, e.g. the trustee not acting in good faith)

You should ask the successor beneficiary about the terms of the trust and the predicted timing of the distribution of assets. If you are not satisfied with the answers or if the distribution takes too long (patience is required; it could take a year or so), seek legal advice from an attorney experienced in representing trust beneficiaries.

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 "The Scarlet Letter," why does Hester speak to Roger Chillingworth after so many years? What does she hope to accomplish?

In one sense she didn't have a choice.  It was her and Pearl's emotional turmoil that led them to seek help for her.  As Chapter 4 describes it when Chillingworth is brought in: 

"I shall own you [Chillingworth] for a man of skill indeed! Verily, the woman hath been like a possessed one; and there lacks little, that I should take in hand to drive Satan out of her with stripes."  

Although Hester is fearful and suspects that Chillingworth might try to poison her or Pearl, she meets a man quite different from what she had expected.  "Foolish woman!" responded the physician, half coldly, half soothingly. "What should ail me to harm this misbegotten and miserable babe?"

Thus begins their long discussion about Chillingworth's desire (soon to be come obsession) to find out who the father is.   But before that, there is the somewhat touching conversation where they both confess to contributing to the failure of their marriage.  This is also the point at which Hester, much to her later regret, promises to keep his identity secret.

 It is interesting how Hawthorne brought them both together and allowed us to understand all there is to know about their past relationship while setting the stage for what is to come.

Who are the proles and what are their importance to the story?

The proles are the working people -- the ones who provide
all the more physical and manual labor that needs to be done in the society.  For
example, they serve the food at the cafeteria at Winston's workplace.  They make up
about 85% of the society.

To me, the main importance of the
proles to the story is that Winston thinks that they are the society's hope for the
future.  He seems to think that they are more closely connected to what people used to
be like -- they have more "human" lives than they people in the Party who are constantly
monitored.  He thinks that they are much more likely also to be able to get together to
start a rebellion because they are not monitored.

Why does Gary Paulsen write books about his real life experiences?

In an interview with The New York Times, Paulsen was asked about the semiautobiographical nature of his books. At the time of the interview, he had just published the novel "The Legend of Bass Reeves," which is the story of a former slave who becomes "the most successful federal marshall in American history." Although the book is based on the real life of Bass Reeves, Paulsen admits in the interview that he injected some of his own characteristics into Reeves and included some of his own experiences in the story. To justify having done that, Paulsen says, "The best writing is like carving pieces off your self." Later in the interview, he comments on his style:

“I’m a teller of stories,” he says. “I put bloody skins on my back and dance around the fire, and I say what the hunt was like. It’s not erudite; it’s not intellectual. I sail, run dogs, ride horses, play professional poker and tell stories about the stuff I’ve been through. And I’m still a romantic; I still want Bambi to make it out of the fire.”

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In book 9 of The Odyssey, how heavy is the door of the Cyclops's cave?

In Robert Fitzgerald's translation of The Odyssey, the door to Polyphêmos' cave is described as a "great boulder." While a specific weight is not given for the boulder, this translation does claim that, "Two dozen four-wheeled wagons, with heaving wagon teams, could not have stirred the tonnage of that rock from where he wedged it over the doorsill." Though 'tonnage' may not be a literal translation of how much the boulder weighs, the details Homer provides confirm that this is an incredibly heavy boulder--we can assume that the combination of 'tonnage' and the example of wagons and wagon teams means this boulder weighs more than a ton.

Homer discusses the weight of the boulder further, calling it "his great door slab" and saying that Polyphêmos has no trouble moving it. Odysseus knows that he and his men cannot move the slab on their own, and while Homer doesn't give us exact figures for how many accompany Odysseus to the island, Homer writes, "As luck would have it, the men I would have chosen won the toss--four strong men, and I made five as captain." That means that the boulder is heavy enough that Odysseus' men, who number over five, can't move it even if they try all together.

This is why Odysseus has to trick Polyphêmos into letting him and his men out. The cyclops is so strong that he can move this boulder on his own, making him a formidable enemy, and as long as the slab is in place they cannot escape. This is a problem of brains, not brawn, which is where Odysseus excels--they escape the cavern by tricking the cyclops rather than through brute strength.

What gains did black people achieve during Reconstruction even though it was an overall failure?

Usually, historians point to the fact that blacks managed
to set up stable communities of their own outside of the context of slavery.  This is
not a big deal in terms of politics or of rights, but it is seen as evidence that black
ex-slaves were not helpless.

For example, one of the books
I have used to teach from talks about how the free blacks managed to set up their own
churches and fraternal societies.  It also emphasizes that blacks were able to
"reestablish and reaffirm" the families that had been broken up by
slavery.

In "Brave New World," why does Linda suffer dislike and rejection on the reservation? Why do the woman especially dislike her?

You have to remember that Linda was part of this brave new world.  Upon visiting the savage reservation with the now director, she was stranded there after having suffered an accident.  Because she was part of the new world, Linda was programmed to think that everyone belonged to everybody else.  However, her promiscuous ways are rejected, to say the least, on the reservation.  Linda has had sexual relations with the women's husbands (or she has tried) and therefore her unorthodox ways are seen as abhorrent in this new lifestyle.

What symbols are in Lolita? Are they archetypal images?

Lolita is filled with symbols, although few
are archetypal. First, let's consider what an archetypal image/symbol is. According , an
archetype "is an original model of a person, ideal example, or a prototype upon which
others are copied, patterned, or emulated; a symbol universally recognized by all. In
psychology, an archetype is a model of a person, personality, or behavior." Archetypes
connects the reader to the text because they make a storyline more familiar. For
example,  Thus most authors will use them.

However, Nabokov
uses more straightforward symbols throughout the text. Rain/water is a recurring symbol
in Lolita. This could be archetypal because it prompts some of our most ancestral
memories. Rain can both cleanse and dirty. It can also restore or destroy. For example,
when Humbert first goes swimming with Charlotte in Part One of the novel, it is a
refreshing experience for her. However, all Humbert can think of is how easily he could
drown her and not be caught, thus leaving him in sole custody of their shared daughter,
Lolita.

Fog and the color gray are used to convey
confusion. In Part Two of the novel, Humbert is driving with Lolita when he believes
that they are being followed by a detective. However, Humbert is unsure if it is really
or happening or if he is losing his mind. He refers to gray colors throughout the
experience. In addition, when Humbert is prepared to meet Lolita again towards the end
of the novel, he finds himself traveling through fog, conveying his his lack of mental
lucidity.

In short, the symbols used in Lolita help convey
the mood and atmosphere of the story.

In this story, what did you like and dislike? also, what did the author do well? and give proofs that mrs wright killed mr wright.

This is something you will have to answer for yourself.
Did you like the one act play? Could you figure out what happened? It is a simple story-
folks from the town arrive at Mrs. Wright's house to investigate the death of Mr.
Wright. He was found with a rope around his neck, in bed, dead. His wife was sitting in
a rocking chair when a neighbor arrived, claiming she did not know how it happened or
who did it. Mrs. Wright has been arrested. Two women acquaintances accompany the men to
the house (one is the sheriff's wife). While the men are tending to their "important"
investigation, the women are, in the minds of the men, messing around with "trifles" -
silly things like noticing the fruit jars are broken, noticing that Mrs. Wright was in
the midst of making a quilt. They notice that one of the squares is sewn in a very
erratic way and then they notice that there is an empty bird cage in the home. Finally,
they find the dead bird wrapped up in a piece of silk material. They notice that the
bird's neck has been broken. All of these things are really "trifles" - and yet......
are they not more important than what the men have discovered, which is nothing? So
there is great irony in this play. The men are supposed to be solving the crime, the
women are occupying themselves with trifles, and yet these trifles offer proof of what
happened.

What happened? Do you think Mrs.Wright killed her
husband? Well, he WAS strangled, just like the bird. And the women point out that he was
a hard man to live with. There are hints - they say that Mrs. Wright used to "sing like
a bird" when she was young, and then her husband "killed" this in her. Do you think that
Mrs. Wright finally could take no more and while her miserable husband was sleeping,
that same miserable husband that probably strangled her bird, she put a rope around his
neck and did to him what he did to the bird?

The county
attorney says in the end:

readability="9">

No, Peters, it's all perfectly clear except a
reason for doing it. But you know juries when it comes to women. If there was some
definite thing. Something to show--something to make a story about--a thing that would
connect up with this strange way of doing
it.

The
"important" men have missed the bigger picture because they failed to pay attention to
the trifles.

In The Crucible, how does Tituba react to Betty's illness?

Tituba has a lot of common sense and much knowledge of the medicinal benefits of herbs, etc.  She is not overly concerned with Betty's inability to wake until the word "witchcraft" comes up.  Like Abigail, Tituba believes that Betty has just been stressed and scared at being caught in the woods by her father when they were participating in the dancing, etc. which all the girls knew was considered wrong in the eyes of their society.  This is especially true since Betty's father is the minister in the community, and she knew getting caught would definitely mean severe punishment.

From The Grapes of Wrath, what is a "25-cent man", a "20-cent man", and a "15- cent man"?

These names are references to wages. In chapter 24, Pa uses the term "twenty cent men" when he talks about how a man came to the Weedpatch camp looking for workers.  Pa tells us that the man said he had already hired some "two-bit men" (meaning men who would work for twenty-five cents an hour) and were looking for men who would work for twenty cents an hour.  The man identified in the story as "Black Hat" said that is how the wage keeps dropping - the employers offer lower wages than currently being paid because the people need the jobs so desperately, they will work for any wage.  If an employer says he has work for twenty people and he'll pay twenty-five cents, he'll get just as many workers if he offers to pay twenty or fifteen cents because any wage is better than no wage. So, a "twenty-five cent man" is one who will work for twenty-five cents an hour, a "twenty cent man" will work for twenty cents an hour and a "fifteen cent man" will work for fifteen cents an hour.

What does Frost mean by "the darkest evening of the year" and "miles to go before I sleep"?

In response to the answer posted above, a different construction could be put upon the phrase 'miles to go before I sleep'. Instead of referring literally to the speaker's journey home, it could also be symbolic of death.

To look more closely at the final stanza, where this phrase occurs, we can see that this particular line is repeated, which gives it a certain emphasis. The first line of the stanza paints a picture of the woods as being tempting, seductive, as though luring the speaker to remain: 'The woods are lovely, dark and deep'. It is as though the speaker wants to surrender to the sheer deep peace and quiet which surrounds him - in effect to yield to a kind of death, an everlasting stillness.

But then, in the next line, as though with a mental sigh the speaker rouses himself as he recollects the duties of life: 'But I have promises to keep'. He still has responsibilities to discharge, the whole business of life to get through, the 'many miles' of life's journey to travel before he can give in to the profound stillness of death and eternal rest, a sweet sleep in which he can bury all the cares of life.

Why does Mark live with Byron and his mom in "That Was Then, This Is Now"? It's from "That Was Then, This Is Now" by S.E. Hinton.

Mark lives with Byron and his mom because his own parents are dead. Byron "had been friends with Mark long before he came to live with (them)...(Mark) had lived down the street and it seemed to (Byron) that (they) had always been together...(Mark) was his best friend...(they) were like brothers" (Chapter 1).

When Mark's mother and father kill each other in a drunken brawl, Mark witnesses the violent confrontation. Significantly, the argument that instigated the fateful fight concerned the revelation that Mark is illegitimate; he is the product of his mother's affair with another man. In ominous foreshadowing of a basic defect in his character, Mark reacts to his parents' deaths with chilling indifference, even thinking, "this'll save me the trouble of shooting them myself".  Then, thinking practically, he decides, "I can go live with Byron and his old lady".  Since Byron and Mark have always been close, Byron's mom takes Mark in as a foster child (Chapter 8).  The two boys are inseparable, running with a gang and getting into a continuous series of minor scrapes, until at age sixteen, Byron develops a sense of moral maturity while Mark does not.

What is the main theme of The Threepenny Opera?

Generally, the main themes are corruption, vice (or sin),
and redemption. These are themes that can be linked to human behavior generally and to
specific characters' behavior. But overall, Brecht is also exploring ideas of love and
loyalty, as well as the gullibility of men and women in love. Also, anti-heroism is a
string theme: Macheath is a sort of anti-hero; he treats women badly but is charming and
charismatic.

Is it fair to say that the whole town is complicit in Homer's murder in "A Rose for Emily"?

The druggist should not have sold Emily the poison, just as a bartender should not sell more liquor to a drunk man who intends to drive home.  In doing that, the druggist does bear some responsibility. But responsibility differs from complicity, in that the latter involves “aiding and abetting” a criminal act with intentionality.  The fact is, the druggist was too weak to say no to the woman, which brings us to the issue of the culture of the town. Your question raises the issue of to what extent any community is responsible for the evil acts of its members. Certainly kindness, understanding, and compassion, as well as a good father and a society that did not disparage single women might have resulted in Emily not seeking out Homer, not needing him to the extent that she did, and the town not being afraid of confronting her when it needed to. Yet, in the long run Emily is responsible for her own actions:  she planned this murder very carefully, after all, and showed herself a rather strong although deeply wrong woman in doing so.

What has Scout learned in Chapter 6 of To Kill a Mockingbird?

Scout learns that there are things in life that motivate people  beyond what she can understand.

Scout, Jem, and Dill trespass on the Radley property in hopes of catching a glimpse of the mysterious Boo.  They are seen, a shotgun is fired, and Jem loses his pants in the children's precipitous escape.  Afterwards, Jem returns in the dead of night to try to retrieve his pants.  He goes, even though he is afraid, and even though there is real danger of getting hurt should he be caught, because he knows that what the children did in trespassing was wrong, and he does not want to lose Atticus' respect.  In his developing value system, his father's opinion of him is more important than getting hurt. Scout is desperately afraid of Jem going back, and, because she is not as mature as her brother, cannot understand why he feels he has to go.  She says, "It was then, I suppose, that Jem and I first began to part company...this was beyond me" (Chapter 6).

I'm doing a research paper on women in Islam ...! Any topic suggestions idea on how I can make my presentation interesting?What topics should i...

I used to an assisstant for a Combodian doing this kind of
research. Thier beliefs are admirable! "daily prayers", They pray everyday in a certain
of time when everyone's home. If anyone cannot come home on time, they can stop anywhere
to pray. In Vietnam, they live in a solidary community. Especially, women when getting
married have right to stay at their home, they dont have to go to husband's house for
living after marriage! In other words, if men want to get married with these women, thay
have to leave their home, parents, coming to this
community.

Moreover, one of their culture is washing hands
carefully before eating and they usaully eat by hand!

What are three of the problems homesteaders faced while settling the American West?

The homesteaders faced a myriad of problems when trying to settle the American West.  First, they faced the thread of ambush by various American Indian tribes, obviously.  The Indians did not appreciate the settlers invading their land, and who wouldn't?  I would certainly defend my land if strangers came on it.  Secondly, they faced an uncertain future. When settlers went out West, they did not have any guarantees concerning their futures.  They didn't know what they would find and if they would get there alive or once there, if they'd survive or be able to support themselves.  Finally, they faced the threat of possible starvation.  Once there, settlers had to find a way to grow food or obtain it, so there was always the threat of families starving to death (not to mention finding a water source!).

How did Catholic Church change during the Middle Ages?like how did corruption lead to middle ages

During the middle ages, the Catholic Church began to become more and more involved in secular government. They began to play a large role, especially in organizing government participation in the Crusades and trying to enforce to "Peace of the Church", the goal of which was to limit the ways and means secular governments could wage war against each other. The church also became the center for education because there were so few secular schools. However, as the power of the Church grew, so did corruption and greed. The church began to tax secular leaders at higher and higher rates. One of the most egregious practices was that of issuing "Indulgences", a document sold by the Catholic Church which, they said, paid for sins committed by the buyer or others. The indulgences were issued to pay for large building projects and an increasing number of bureaucrats in Rome. Tired of paying for rich living in Rome, many secular leaders were ready for a change. Thus, when Martin Luther posted his arguments against indulgences on the door of Wittenburg University, he launched the reformation, designed originally to reform the Catholic Church but in the end it split the church and ushered in the Protestant Reformation.

What happened in chapter 33 of John Grisham's novel "A Time to Kill"?Please I didn't understand any part of this chapter - what happened?

Jake awakens before dawn on the morning of the trial.  He is sick to his stomach with nervousness, but remembers that his mentor Lucien taught him that "it was okay to be afraid - just don't show it".  Jake spends time reviewing notes skillfully prepared by Ellen Roarke, a law student and clerk at his office.  His friend Harry Rex brings breakfast, and the two wait for dawn.

At daybreak the army arrives at the courthouse to keep peace among the onlookers interested in the trial.  Church buses bring crowds led by their ministers, demonstrating in support of the black defendant, Carl Lee Hailey, and the Ku Klux Klan also makes an appearance in their intimidating white robes and hoods.  There is a circus atmosphere outside the courthouse,carefully controlled by rows of troops.

Inside, Jake greets his client's family, including the young daughter who was raped.  When the trial begins, Jake asks for a change of venue, which is denied.  He then asks that the panel of prospective jurors be dismissed, on the grounds that the Klan has conducted cross-burnings at twenty of their homes.  This motion is also denied, although the twenty who have been terrorized are excused.  As the jury is seated, Jake is not happy with the draw; a large majority are white females, who typically would not be sympathetic to his client.  The chapter ends with the attorney for the prosecution addressing and interrogating the panel at length.

What does the scent of apples mean in the story "Scent of Apples"?

The scent of apples is possibly symbolic of the deep longing of the narrator for his homeland, the Philippines. When apples and their scents are mentioned in the story, a general feeling of sadness and homesickness is apparent.

In one instance, the narrator asks if the trees standing far away are apple trees. Although he is often talking about apples, it seems that apples are a metaphor for home and the past. 

Compare and contrast the two stories "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant and "Ambush" by Tim O' Brien.

These two are very different stories. Probably the biggest similarity of the two is that both stories are centered around a lie. Mme. Loisel lies to her friend Mme. Forestier when she doesn't tell her she lost the necklace, then puts herself into debt for ten years in order to give her back a real replacement only to find out the original was a fake. In Ambushthe narrator's daughter knows her father writes war stories and asks him if he's ever killed anyone. He lies to her and resolves to one day tell her the truth, but for now allows her to believe that he has not killed anyone. The truth is he did kill a man he wanted to scare away with a grenade in Vietnam and he has vivid memories of the corpse with a hole where an eye should be. Both Mme. Loisel and the narrator in Ambush live with regret. One lives with the regret over lying out of shame about a necklace the other lives with regret over killing someone, possibly needlessly, and then lying to his daughter out of shame.

The stories plots are radically different, The Necklace is about a spoiled ungrateful young woman who learns her lesson the hard way. She attends a ball and must have an expensive dress and jewelry as well which she loses and her pride keeps her from telling the truth and puts her into debt. Ambush is about a man who writes war stories and is conflicted over having killed someone in the war, even if it might have been an enemy, he struggles with his past.

In Chapter 1 of "The Outsiders", why was Ponyboy walking alone and what happened to him?

Here is the opening paragraph of the book:

When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home.

This lets us know that Ponyboy was walking home from a movie.  The reason that he was at the movie alone was because he is the only one of his crowd that really enjoys movies.  Ponyboy is the dreamer, the book reader, the sunset watcher of his group - his brothers and friends are not concerned with these things.  In addition, Ponyboy didn't want company because he didn't want a distraction - he likes to sink into the movie and live the life of the characters:

When I see a movie with someone, its kind of uncomfortable, like having someone read your book over your shoulder.

On his way home, Ponyboy notices a Red Corvair trailing him.  Because he is alone, the Socs have identified him as an easy mark.  Five Socs get out of the car and confront him, and the situation looks very dangerous for Ponyboy, but the others of his gang show up and run off the Socs.

This scene lets us know that Ponyboy is a bit of a dreamer and likely to get into trouble because he doesn't always think about his situation.  This scene also foreshadows Ponyboy's and Johnny's confrontation with the Socs in the park.

What does Bottom's reaction to Titania's protestations of love say about his character in "A Midsummer Night's Dream"?

He is a real piece of work, this guy.  First, his name is BOTTOM.  Puck changes his head into that of an ASS.  See where this is going?  Shakespeare had great fun with this one.

Bottom's behavior both in the rehearsal and with Titania suggest that he is a control freak with a very elevated opinion of himself.  He wants to play all the parts, he can be both hero and herione and can also play the part of the lion and the moon and the wall.  He wants all the attention.

With Titania, he enjoys the attention and being waited on hand and foot, but he dislikes it when she is kissing his long, hairy ears and stroking his face.  Perhaps he feels too manly for this, which is also a huge joke since he still does not realize the truth about his metamorphosis.

Who are the characters of Jaws?Inculde brief descriptions of characters.

Jaws's character's are-

Martin Brody-Police Chief.

Quint-A proffessional Shark hunter and a sea captain.

Matt Hooper-An oceanographist.

Ellen Brody-Martin's wife.

Bruce-The Great White Shark

Alexander Kinter-A small boy who is the shark's victim.

Chrissie Watkins-The first victim.

Larry Vaughan-The Amity's mayor.

Ben Gardener-A fisherman and a victim.

In the movie Quint was the shark's last victim who was played by Robert Shaw. Hooper barely escaped with his life.

But in the book Quint was killed by the shark but differently-He(Quint) stuck a big knife on the shark with a rope and by accident he was pulled into the water and drowned to death.

In the book Hooper was the shark's victim and he was quite a villain but in the movie he was quite heroic.

Select three paradoxical statements from "Philosophy and Spiritual Discipline", and explain the contradiction in ea. & the lesson each teaches.

In all sincerity, one can select any idea from the Gita
and find a great deal of paradoxical quality to it.  Throughout the discussion between
Krishna and Arjuna, the philosophical and spiritual convergence creates a feeling of
paradox present.  Part of this lies in the large scopes of both Arjuna's dilemma and
Krishna's solution.  One quote that reflects this is,  “He who thinks this self a killer
and he who thinks it is killed, both fail to understand; it does not kill, nor is
killed.”  The contradiction present is the idea that "killing" is not really "killing."
 If one sees life as finite, then human death does end the life of the being.  Yet,
Krishna teaches Arjuna that the atman, or universal soul, never dies and while the body
might perish, the soul does not.  This helps to bring light to the idea that one has to
act in the understanding that they, as an individual being, are an extension of this
atman, an infinitesimally part of something larger and must act as a part of this
configuration which is the true essence of consciousness and being.  In the end, most of
the statements in this section end up discussing the same seemingly paradoxical
relationship between life and death, one that has convergence when seen in the correct
light.

In The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, what logical explanation is there for what Ichabod sees or hears when he is near the old tree?

A logical explanation sans real ghosts is probably that Ichabod spent the better part of an entire evening gathered with men who told fantastic ghost stories and legends about the area of Sleepy Hollow. His imagination just gets the better of him as it has so many times before when he's reading until late in the afternoon and walks home alone. When the party finally breaks up and Ichabod leaves the estate for home it is the "very witching time of night". As Ichabod is known to do, he begins to allow his imagination to run wild on his ride home as he reflects on the tales that were told that night. As he approached, "the very place where many of the scenes of the ghost stories had been laid. . ." he sees a gnarled scary looking tulip tree, the tree actually played character to a local legend and many people has spoken of seeing odd things take place near this very tree. He thought is he whistled at approaching the tree that it might calm his nerves, but as he approached he saw a white apparition and heard a terrible moan. It could have been real, but if you don't believe in ghosts, then logically his mind just got away from him.

Describe the Aged Parent and Miss Skiffins in chapter 37 of Great Expectations.

John Wemmick's Aged Parent is a humorous, stereotypical character, a garrulous, good-natured old man who enjoys operating the drawbridge and reading the news aloud to an appreciative audience.  The Aged, as he is affectionately called, is very hard of hearing, and the frequently nonsensical comments and replies he makes to statements he has misheard contribute a light-hearted sense of comic relief to the story.

Miss Skiffins is described as having "a wooden appearance", and is perhaps "two or three years younger" than Wemmick.  The cut of her dress from the waist upward reminds Pip of "a boy's kite"; she is interestingly attired, in a dress "a little too decidedly orange, and her gloves a little too intensely green".  Despite her odd appearance, she seems to be "a good sort of fellow", working busily around the house where she is a frequent visitor, and showing herself to be quite fond of the Aged Parent.  Wemmick is obviously quite taken with Miss Skiffins, and through the length of the Aged's ritual reading of the news, repeatedly tries, to no avail, to hold her in his embrace (Chapter 37).

Why did Curley recommend that they shoot Lennie in the stomach in "Of Mice and Men"?

Curley, who is an especially cruel man, seeks revenge not only for the death of his wife but more importantly for his shattered hand. Shooting Lennie "in the guts" would cause a very painful, prolonged death full of the suffering that Curley wants Lennie to experience because Curley himself suffered not only pain but also humiliation when his hand was crushed.

George must choose to kill his friend himself to spare Lennie that kind of awful, agonizing death. A bullet in the back of the head guarantees quick death; shooting him in the stomach would not.

In "The Japanese Quince," what do you think the tree mentioned in the story symbolizes?

The Japanese Quince most probably symbolizes nature and nature's beauty which Mr. Nilson and Mr. Tandram have both been ignoring for years. Both men are businessmen, accustomed to routine. The author notes that Mr. Nilson is "well known in the City" but he has never met his own neighbor. Their awkward moment together indicates how comfortable Nilson has become with his safe, ordered, and familiar life. Both men are so awkward when meeting each other that, instead of commenting on the rare beauty of the flowering tree, they instead try to name it and thus, categorize it into a nice, neat box. Thus, in a very short time, the author has shown two men, Nilson especially, who is out of touch with those close to him and probably, out of touch with his own emotions.

During the Middle Ages how did Western Christianty preserve elements of classical society and establish a foundation for cultural unity?In what...

This is a big question for a small space.  When the Roman Empire fell prey to barbarian invasion in the fifth century, the only institution strong enough to fill the void was the Roman Catholic church.  The church united present day Europe into an area referred to by its inhabitants as Christendom.  The church preserved not only the writings of the Romans, early Christian fathers and the Bible, but also, in its very structure of bishoprics and synods, the concepts of republican government and democracy.  When Edward III of England developed Parliament, he was modelling the synods of the church; he had no knowledge of the Roman Senate.

Unlike present day Christianity, the Roman Church was the only game in town for Medieval Christians.  In every town, in every village, masses were sung, sermons were preached, and lessons were taught; all in Latin.  There was no concept of nationhood during much of the medieval period.  Society was ordered not by nationality or state lines, but by a network of confusing relationships based on duties and obligations.  One did not live in France or England or Germany; one lived in Christendom.  The era was an Age of Faith in which faith in Christ was the unifying factor of society.  The church gave validity to the order of society by asserting that order was set by God.  Thus if you broke your obligation to your Lord, you also broke your obligation to God.  This went a long way to preserving stability in an unstable time.

What happens in chapter 12 of Lyddie?

In chapter twelve, the book describes how Lyddie is now tending the same number of looms, yet they run much faster, increasing the workload significantly.  She doesn't mind, though, since she is paid well, at least in her opinion.  She reads Oliver Twist when she has time, to improve her reading skills.

She receives a letter from her mother saying that her little sister Agnes has died and asking her to send money to help support the other two children.  She struggles a bit with hearing that Agnes died, and resolves to work harder so she can pay off the family's debts.

She also gets into an argument with her roommates.  Amelia feels that they should all be more religious and criticizes Lyddie for reading Oliver Twist on the Sabbath.  Betsy feels that the girls are being treated like slaves at the factory and is determined to stage a walk-out and then leave to go West.  She also toys with the idea of signing the petition that has been circulating.  Lyddie, of course, feels desperately that either of these is the wrong course of action because it would leave them without a job.  They argue for some time about it without coming to any conclusion.  The chapter ends as the curfew bell clangs and they settle in to sleep for the night.

In act one scene 4 explain Romeo's speech lines 113-120 and in this scene when and where does it take place?

The lines in question occur at the very end of scene iv,
following Mercutio's famous Queen Mab speech and just before the beginning of scene v
which is the Capulet's feast.

Following the discussion of
dreams, Benvolio reminds Romeo and his friends that time is slipping away from them and,
if they do not hurry, they will be late for the party. Romeo contradicts Benvolio and
says that he fears they will be too early and he shares his premonition that their
attendance at the Capulet's party will set into motion a chain of events that will lead
ultimately to his own death. The audience is aware of the accuracy of this foreshadowing
from the information we received in the Prologue. However, Romeo--in true Romeo
form--ignores his own fears and better judgement and heads to the party
anyway.

How does the relationship between John and Elizabeth help us understand the themes in the play, "The Crucible"?

John and Elizabeth Proctor show clear examples of the theme of morals and morality throughout the play. John's adultery leads to much of the events that take place in the play. While he feels remorse at having betrayed his wife and his integrity, Elizabeth struggles with forgiveness and dignity. Abigail is the only one not struggling with guilt, she is more intent on ruining the marriage so that she can get John back. Abigail does not care who gets hurt in her desire to attain her goal, and lives will be lost. John and Elizabeth are quietly trying to piece together their marriage, but Abigail shows no shame in stopping them.

John and Elizabeth ultimately stand by their own moral code to the very end. While it would spare his life, Proctor refuses to do the easy thing and confess. But he knows it is more important to regain his integrity and refuses to participate in the madness anymore. Elizabeth will lose her husband, but knows what he is doing is sparing his soul, and for her, that is the most important thing. Others will show weakness of character and fear for their lives, but they will stand firm in their beliefs.

What were Elizabeth's first impressions about Darcy and why did she change her mind later on?

Elizabeth first thought that Mr. Darcy was a proud,
disagreeable man and she could not figure out why he would be friends with Mr. Bingley
who is the exact opposite of that.  She also thought he was a
snob.

While he is always a bit of a proud man, she
eventually comes to see his kindness and his nobility through his actions towards his
sister, towards her sisters (Jane and Lydia) as well as the way he comes to not only
love her, but to respect her and see her as an equal as well.

Does Ralph understand why he must be killed?

Ralph had initially come to Jack's part of the island to work out some kind of peace plan. However, Ralph's realization that, in Jack's mind, he is a rival who must be eliminated becomes clear after the death of Piggy. Ralph realizes how savage Jack and his gang have become. That's why he runs away. Finally, after Samneric tell Ralph about Jack's plan to kill him, if he had any remaining hopes of making peace, he must realize the impossibility of making any sort of truce. That's why he turns and runs so quickly. However, Ralph's realization of Jack's true intentions are so slow in coming, that it takes the arrival of the British navy to save him.

What happens in Chapters 19, 20, and 21 in "Adam of the Road"?

Adam decides in Chapter 19 that the best chance he has of finding Roger is to go back to London, where Roger had planned to spend Christmas with the de Lisles.  though he has no harp, he makes up songs of his own as he travels, and meets a kind peddler with whom he shares stories and food.  When Adam arrives back at Westhumble Lane, the place where Nick had been stolen, he gets news that Roger has been there and has indeed gone on to London.

In Chapter 20 Adam arrives at de Lisle House in London only to find that Roger has gone with Sir Edmund to Wales and will not be back until May.  Disappointed, Adam spends the holidays at the House, which is habited only by a few servants, as the de Lisles have gone to Ludlow.  He wanders the streets of London with Matthew, the bailiff's son, seeking amusment during the long winter, and one day runs into Jankin, who reports that Nick has run away from him, about two weeks ago, at Gornambury, near St. Alban's.

Adam returns to St. Alban's in Chapter 21, and finds that although Nick had been there, it was too difficult to find food for him, so Perkin has taken him along on to Oxford.  Although his shoes are worn, Adam sets off for Oxford, sharing songs and stories along the way.  He meets a steward, who, impressed with Adam's minstrelsy, advises him to see a friend at Oxford who might help him study there.  Barefoot now, Adam approaches Ewelme, near Oxford.

What makes isotopes of the same element differ from each other?There can be many isotopes of the same element. What makes isotopes different?

The atom is made up of three major particles.  Protons and
neutrons which make up the nucleus and electrons which surround the nucleus.  It is the
number of protons, or the atomic number, the one that makes an element what it is.  If
you change the number of protons, you no longer have that element.  The other nuclear
particle is the neutron. The mass number is a sum of the number of protons, or atomic
number, and the number of neutrons.  It is these particles which give an atom its mass,
the electrons do not weigh much and their contribution to the mass is negligible.  If
you change the number of neutrons, the mass number (which is a sum of protons and
neutrons) changes, but the atomic number remains the same. This is how you can determine
if an atom is an isoptope of the same element.  The mass number is different, but the
atomic number is the same.

Example:  Hydrogen has 3
isotopes: Protium: atomic number=1, mass number= 1; Deuterium: atomic number= 1, mass
number= 2; and Tritium: atomic number=1, mass number = 3.

How would you describe the relationships between these characters: Walter, Ruth, Travis, Beneatha, Mama within their family structure?

Each of the members of the Younger family has various
aspects of their personality that make them an essential part of this play.  Walter Lee
seems to feel as if he is forced into a mediocre job as a chauffeur when there are
bigger and better things that he should be doing.  One of the characters that he feels
has forced him to live this life is his sister, Beneatha.  He feels that because she is
going to college and he is forced to provide for the family and help pay for her
education, that she is taking away from his opportunity to go further in life.  Beneatha
does not understand this at all; she is a character that believes that, as a woman, she
should be able to get this opportunity and that Walter should be happy doing what he is
doing.  This is a bit contradictory because she sees Walter as someone who should be
complacent but she will never be happy with being just an “ordinary” person.  Ruth seems
to be content with their life even though she knows that she would someday like to give
her son a better life.  More than anything in the world, Mama wants to show her children
that just because they are African-American, it does not mean that they should be forced
to “settle” with anything.  This is why she takes her money and puts a deposit on a
house in a “white” neighborhood.  She does not care how her new neighbors will look at
her; her main concern is with her own family and making a good life for her children and
grandchildren.

How did the book Silent Spring change history?

I would add to the answers above that because Carson's
work eventually led to an almost complete global banof DDT's use, we are still effected
by it today.  While Silent Spring
obviously brought attention to environmental issues, it also
demonstrates how powerful environmental agencies can become.  For example, because DDT
is banned, the U.S. which sends a tremendous amount of aid to African each year to try
to prevent malaria cannot encourage or provide funding for the use of DDT sprays which
are far more effective at preventing malaria than the flimsy nets that we offer
impoverished Africans instead.  Since Carson's book was first published, several studies
have shown that far more people die of malaria than from DDT-related issues (in fact, it
has been difficult to prove that any die from DDT). 

In the
midst of today's plethora of environmental books and articles, Carson's Spring
is still undeniably pivotal; unfortunately, it seems that many authors get
away with presenting junk science which can actually end up harming more humans than
their habitats.

Comment on Chaucer's use of irony in the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales?

In satire, there is the use of irony, humor, and
exaggeration to criticize the foibles and vices of people. Chaucer cleverly satirizes
many of the pilgrims as he points to their hypocrisy.

In
the Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer creates what is known as
estate satire. In Medieval times, an estate was a division of society; there were three
estates: the Clergy (those who prayed), the Nobility (those who fought) and the
Peasantry (those who labored). The largest target of this satire is the Clergy because
it is rife with hypocrisy.

Besides the Pardoner, who has
previously been mentioned, the Prioress is another member of the estate of the Clergy
whom Chaucer satirizes in his own inimitable way. The
Prioress is a nun who ranks just below the abbess, and she serves as an example to the
other nuns. However, the Prioress in Chaucer's Tales is anything
but an example of humility and poverty. On the contrary, she is
ironically affected as sings

readability="9">

...with a fine
intoning through her
nose,....
And she spoke daintily in French, extremely,
...French in
the Paris style she did not know.....
for courtliness she had a special
zest

" a fine intoning" is
verbal irony as Chaucer writes the opposite of what he
means: she is affected in her manner.

Not only is the nun
affected in her mannerisms, she is vain as Chaucer points to her wearing "a coral
trinket on her arm," and a golden brooch of brightest sheen." These are certainly not
the sort of things that a humble nun would own, so there is more
irony.

The Monk, too, is also
pilgrim whom Chaucer satirizes. Chaucer criticizes the
monk's lack of humility with verbal irony:

readability="6">

...a monk out of his cloister
That was
a text he held not worth an oyster;
And I agreed and said his
views were
sound.

The
monk also ignores his vows of poverty and humility, and Chaucer is again
ironic as he describes what a good hunter the Monk is. He
owns Greyhounds and hunts, "sparing no expense." He also dresses
luxuriously:

readability="10">

...he spared no expense.
I saw his
sleeves were garnished at the hand
With fine gray fur, the finest in the
land,
And on his hood, to fasten it at his chin
He had a
wrought-gold cunningly fashioned pin:
Into a lover's knot it seemed to
pass.

Not only has he ignored
his vows of poverty with his dogs and fine horse and his clothes trimmed in fur, and
humility as he possesses eyes that Chaucer describes
ironically, writing that they "glittered like flame." Apparently, the
Monk has also violated his vow of chastity, as well, as he wears a lover's knot. In
addition, the monk is guilty of the cardinal sin of gluttony as,
ironically, Chaucer writes that he enjoys "a fat swan
best."

Why was the girl dancing in Chapter 14 of "The Things They Carried"?

The chapter does not state why the girl is dancing.  The soldiers do not know, but offer their own theories; Azar says, "probably some weird ritual", and Henry Dobbins says "no, the girl just liked to dance".  It is clear, though, that her dancing is a response to trauma beyond understanding, as she dances in the smoke and ruins of her destroyed hamlet, the bodies of her small family nearby.  The girl's dancing allows her to transcend the devastation around her, at least temporarily - she dances in a world of her own, sometimes "smiling to herself", and with "a dreamy look, quiet and composed".  An element of escapism is evidenced when she covers her ears as the bodies of an infant and an old lady are dragged out of the house.  Although it might have seemed more logical if she covered her eyes instead of her ears at this point, still, her action definitely shows a blocking out from her senses some of the utter horror around her.

I don't think the author meant for the reader to know exactly why the girl was dancing.  What he did appear to want to communicate was the fact grasped by Henry Dobbins, that her dancing was something to be respected.  Everything in her life had been taken from her, and there was nothing she could do to rectify it.  She should have been allowed at least this, her inexplicable dancing, pathetic but beautiful, as a final expression of her dignity and humanity (Chapter 14).