How do the people of the lake protect themselves against Smaug's attack in The Hobbit?

Of course, their protection is somewhat futile as they can hardly come out from a fight with a dragon unscathed, and yet what they can do they do to protect themselves:

Still they had a little time. Every vessel in the town was filled with water, every warrior was armed, every arrow and dart was ready, and the bridge to the land was thrown down and destroyed, before the roar of Smaug's terrible approach grew loud, and the lake rippled red as fire beneath the awful beating of his wings.

Of course, by cutting the bridge loose we are told that this makes the situation worse for Smaug. The lake is "too deep and too cool" for Smaug's liking, and he recognises that the like is "mightier" than him. However, he is still able to set fire to the wooden island until Bard successfully shoots him in his unprotected part of his belly and he dies.

How does the writer of "Shooting an Elephant" use irony?

A good question. The primary irony used in "Shooting an Elephant" is situational, though this is supported by tone. The narrator sounds calm and almost detached throughout the piece, even when he's discussing very upsetting events. The essay opens with a discussion of him being hated, yet he seems quite a civilized person, and one of the least likely people to be hated. He wants to help people, but must do so by killing. The essay ends with him saying he was glad the coolie had been killed, because it gave him a legal reason to kill the elephant: he has to be glad someone has been killed, so he can protect people. That's ironic.

What issue of national policy and public debate during the 1920s led to the resurgence of the KKK?an assignment in us history

The issue that led to the KKK coming back into power was immigration.  The KKK got back into national prominence because people were upset about how much immigration there was.

We think of the KKK as an anti-black organization, but in these days, it was mainly anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic and anti-Jew.

The US had had a pretty liberal policy on immigration in those days, letting just about anyone in as long as they were not Chinese.  By the 1920s, this meant that there were a lot of immigrants in American cities.  Many of them were Italian Catholics and Russian and Polish Jews.

They seemed too foreign and their coming happened around the same time as things like the flappers. Traditionalists in rural areas put the two together and supported the KKK in its attempt to bring back a more traditional, rural, protestant Americanism.

In the book Ethan Frome, what was significant about the pickle dish from the store?

The pickle dish is significant for several reasons.  The first is that it is a fancy dish that was very special to Zeena.  She treasured it, because it was a wedding gift, and she only brought it out on special occasions.  That is why she kept it high up on the shelf--so that it couldn't get ruined or broken.

The second reason that it is significant is because it is a symbol of Mattie and Ethan's rather forbidden and socially unacceptable romance.  Getting the dish down for a special dinner for Ethan was a bold statement by Mattie--it revealed that she truly cared about him.  It was her stepping into Zeena's role as his wife and provider, wanting to take care of him and provide a nice dinner table for him.  It was not her place to do so; it was not proper.  And in doing so, it became broken.

The dish being broken would reveal what Mattie had done, and that might clue Zeena in on the relationship between her and Ethan.  Why would Mattie get out the dish just for Ethan's dinner?  It is a very revealing clue, and one that leads to Zeena wanting to get Mattie out of the house.  The broken dish also could symbolize Mattie and Ethan's broken relationship at the end, their broken bodies, and even the broken marriage vows between Zeena and Ethan.

So, the dish is significant on many levels, both symbolic and literal.  I hope that helped a bit; good luck!

What role does hope play in the life of human beings? Elaborate your answer in context to the story ‘The Last Leaf’no

I think that human beings pretty much are unable to live without hope.  We certainly see that in O. Henry's portrayal of Johnsy in this story.

I believe that we human beings have to have hope to live.  We need to be able to feel that tomorrow will be as good as or better than today.  We need to feel that our lives can always improve.  Otherwise, what is the point in being alive?

You can see the need for hope in the case of Johnsy.  When she did not have hope, she was pretty much convincing herself to die.  But once the old man painted the leaf, she had hope and convinced herself to live.

In "The Crucible," what entertainments are denied to Salem's Puritans?

Anything pleasurable could be associated with sin. Dancing is out of the question. Courting, or dating, would likely be set up between families. Of course, since these things are forbidden, the Salem girls sneak out to dance and make a potion to charm the boys the secretly covet.

In the play, Reverend Parris seems to relish the dangers of sin and the torments of hell more than any other minister before him. Notice how Proctor laments to Hale that he might attend services more often if Parris didn't preach about hell so much.

What was the number of slaves freed when the Emancipation Proclamation officially went into effect?why were they freed

Most of the slaves in the South were not freed by the Emancipation Proclamation.  Instead, they had to wait until the Union Army got to where they were.

It is often said that no slaves were actually freed by the Proclamation because it only freed slaves that were in areas rebelling against the United States.  Because of that, it only freed slaves in areas where the US had no control.  This meant that the slaves were supposedly free, but there was no one to force the Southerners to free them.

Some sources (Wikipedia, for example) claim that 20,000 slaves were freed.  But one college textbook I've used when teaching says "the Emancipation Proclamation did not free a single slave."

What do you think Waverly is struggling for when she challenges her mother? What does her mother want? In what ways are Waverly and her mother...

Waverly wants what all kids want: some independence from Lindo. Waverly believes that her skill in chess is all her own, not her mother's coaching. Lindo, doesn't see it this way. She is passing down what she has learned; that you must intuitively learn your life lessons like she did. Both of them are stubborn and devious. They carefully plan out their next move to ensure they have the best outcome.

I agree with Proctor's decision, but am unsure how to close my essay. Advice?Ah. Sorry about the sloppiness aof the question. I had to characters...

Nicole, your final paragraph is going to depend largely on what your main points are and whether you have agreed or disagreed with John's decision.  If you agree, you should focus on his reputation of a man of honor and of his word.  He chose not to confess because that would negate all he ever stood for--the truth and logic of any matter.  By confessing, he LIES.  John Proctor doesn't do this.  Confessing would save his life, however, he would have to live with the fact that he lied to stay alive.  This, in essence, would make his entire life worthless.

On the other hand, if you disagree with his decision, you could focus on the fact that life is precious.  Without it, he can never clear his name and the accusations of a few silly girls who want to do away with the wives of good men so they can move in and perform wifely duties.  By staying alive, he saves Goody Proctor, his wife, from a life without him.  Furthermore, once everyone learns of the wickedness of Abigail and the other girls, people would eventually forget what he did in order to save his own neck.

Whatever you've argued, you should restate your main points without being repetitive.  The conclusion is important as it is the last thing your audience will read, and therefore must include what you most want them to remember.

Good Luck!

Why did John Wyndham write The Chysalids?I found it a very dull book. I do not recommend reading it.

John Wyndham (John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris, in full) fought in World War II, an experience shared by many and which made many give prolonged contemplation to the destruction of the world. Wyndham used The Chysalids, as well as his other novels, especially The Day of the Triffids (you might like that one...) and The Kraken Wakes to explore the role of human logic in surviving worldwide catastrophe. His conclusion, illustrated in The Chrysalids, is that in the face of disaster, humankind's dependence on the logic of the present order--the "how things are and have always been and will continue to be"--is a hindrance that works to humanity's detriment.

However, a glimmer of hope comes when humanity steps outside the logic of the established order and sees things anew, thus giving humanity another chance fo reaching its potential. In The Chrysalids, this glimmer comes in the kids who can communicate telepathically and in the large group of telepaths in Sealand, who all dared to think outside the logic of the established order and create a new order of thought that was responsive to the altered state of the planet, altered due to some cataclysmic event. In summary, Wyndham wrote to inspire readers to think beyond the accepted logic and find new ways of perceiving and reacting (What is some of your accepted logic?).

What does Duncan call Macbeth when he hears Macbeth has defeated MacDonwald

Immediately upon hearing the news Duncan simply proclaims, "O valient cousin, worthy gentleman!"  But I'm guessing that you're more interested in King Duncan naming Macbeth as the new Thane of Cawdor because the old Thane had sided with the Norweigians.

Use 'GM (genetically modified) babies' as an example of a scientific development and indicate briefly what the moral and ethical issues raised are?

Genetically modified (GM) babies is a matter that is full of implications for all aspects of human existence. Some of these issues are discussed in following paragraphs.

The basic physiological qualities and capabilities of humans: While the declared objective of technological development will be to improve this, it not so simple agree on what qualities are best for the human race. Also there is no guarantee that GM will not result in many unintended highly undesirable aberrations.

Acceptance of individual variations and limitations: An important moral and ethical principle is to accept the individuals as they are, with their difference including their serious physical and mental handicaps. Ability to choose characteristics in babies that are born is likely to foster intolerance rather tan acceptance of characteristic in others that are not to our liking.

The nature and extent of diversity among people. Diversity is important for people. The least important benefit of diversity is that it makes life interesting. But has many greater advantages. For example, it provides a huge pool of diverse capabilities to handle unexpected problems. Diversity also fosters innovation.

Family relationships:It might tend to change the feeling of parents towards their children as something designed and selected by them rather than a gift of nature. This may have serious impact on the emotional relationship between parents and children. I cannot imagine what these changes will be. Bur I am afraid these can have massive impact on the way we live and think. It is a big risk, and we need to move very cautiously.

Social classes: GM may lead to breeding to people of different traits to perform different kinds of jobs in the society. This might lead to the worst kind of social stratification. Horrors of this stratification system may far exceed that we have seen in the past or that has been described in science fictions like 1984.

In Macbeth, how does Macduff respond when asked to take the news about his family like a man?

Specifically, in Shakespeare's, Macbeth, Malcolm tells Macduff to "Dispute it [the murder of his family] like a man" in Act 4:3.223.  Macduff responds the very next line with:

I shall do so.

But I must also feel it as a man.

Macduff's initial response is a response that one normally associates with females.  As is repeatedly done throughout the play, gender roles are reversed here.  Macduff says that he must first feel the loss before he handles the situation in the macho, masculine way Malcolm suggests.  Macduff will take care of Macbeth, to be sure, but first he must mourn.

His second response concerns memory and a questioning of his faith, or his God.  He says:

I cannot but remember such things were

That were most precious to me.  Did heaven look on

And would not take their part?

He must first take a moment and remember those who were so precious to him.  Then he wonders why heaven did not intervene.  How could heaven let something like this happen and not stop it? 

Macduff does blame himself for his family's murders, and he does dedicate himself to revenge, but he will not "play the woman with mine eyes/And braggart with my tongue."  He will just do the deed.  But first, he must mourn and remember.

Discuss the Macbeths' relationship.Act 2

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were very much in love with one another and completely devoted and loyal to one another.  In Act 1, sc. 5, the scene opens with Lady Macbeth reading a letter from her husband.  He thought enough of his wife to take the time to write to her and have the letter sent, by messenger, ahead of his arrival.  Lady Macbeth then vows that her husband "shalt be / What thou art promised."  She wants the crown for her husband.  She never talks of honor or glory for herself or what her position would be as the wife of a king; she only talks about what being king would mean for Macbeth.  Then, when Macbeth wavers and says he does not want to kill Duncan in Act 1, sc. 7, Lady Macbeth, in her drive to get the throne for her husband, attacks her husband where she knows it will hurt him the most - his masculine standing in her eyes.  She tells him that if he does not carry through with this deed, then he is not a man in her opinion.  That convinces Macbeth to go through with the plan to kill Duncan.  Those are all signs that the two Macbeths had a very deep connection with one another.  Later, in Act 3, sc. 2, after Macbeth has hired murderers to get rid of Banquo because of his suspicions about Duncan's death and to get rid of Fleance to stop the line of kings that the witches predicted for Banquo's heirs, he tells his wife to "Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, / Til thou applaud the deed."  Apparently Macbeth is either trying to impress his wife with the fact that he can plan a murder without her or he is trying to provide her with plausible deniability.  Either way, this also shows he cares for his wife very much.  Two scenes later in Act 3, sc. 4, when Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost at the banquet and reacts in front of his guests, Lady Macbeth is quick to cover for him. Finally, in Act 5, sc. 3, Macbeth orders the doctor to cure his wife of her sickness.  That Macbeth called for the doctor and is demanding that the doctor tend to Lady Macbeth indicates that despite all that is going on, with Malcolm and the English forces advancing on Dunsinane, Macbeth is still very concerned for his wife.  When he is told that Lady Macbeth died in scene 5 of the final act, Macbeth shows his sadness and his current mental state of depression in his "tomorrow and tomorrow..." speech.  It's clear that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth had a very strong relationship with one another.

Impact of business policy of an organization in the present scenario with one example.detailed explanation with examples

A systematic attention to fashioning appropriate business policies and ensuring that these are adhered to in all aspects of business activities improves the ability of the company to identifying the policies that are most suited for long term business growth and performance., And improves the ability of the business to stick to these policies.

In absence of clearly laid down policies to which the company is sincerely committed, as determined to pursue these policies in face of short term problems and apparent losses, a company is likely face a situation of frequently changing top management directives in response to random variations in environment and organizational performance, that sap the energy of the company in moving from one extreme approach to another. When there is a complain about product quality from a major customer, the top management will stress quality to the exclusion of all other issues, but when subsequently quarterly results show low profits, the stress will shift to cost cutting, which may involve neglecting quality.

A well formulated business policy enable a business to keep sight of its priorities in face of the pressure of changing conditions and adopt a stable balanced approach.

Why are some animals colorful?

The most vulnerable species from nature use successfully the camouflage, through their colors of the skin, to avoid the predators. Researchers believe that they have found out why animals which have natural means of self defense against predators, such as venom, however, tend to be colorful.

Defenseless creatures sometimes tend to imitate the poisonous or dangerous predators. Therefore throughout evolution, animals that possess effective defenses have changed their appearance, to be as difficult to be imitated by followers of camouflage and mimicry. The development of these poisonous species toward a flamboyant appearance has the inverse meaning of camouflage: the animal wants to be known as exactly who it is, the colorful aspect being it's "trademark".

" the future becomes the present, the present becomes the past, and the past turns into everlasting regret is you don't plan for it!"Amanda tells...

The statement is ironic in that she (herself a person without a clue of what role she plays in her own life) is sermoning Tom for not having a clear plan in mind for what he wants to do with his life. He, being the man of the family at this point, was expected to take care of both his mother and his sister. Although he is in fact a wanderer and has not yet set his feet on the ground, at least he does have an idea that he wants to get out of the rut in which he is stuck listening to his mother summoning her own past which now is long gone.

What makes it even more ironic is that here she is at the mercy of life. She is a woman who continuously denies her situation as a plain old dreamer still stuck in her Glorious Southern past and unable to let go of it. She, herself, has made of her daughter a tool of no importance for the overprotective and overbearing way she raises her. She has even gotten Tom out of his wits because of her meddling ways. So, if I were her, I would not be telling anyone but myself a sermon like that. And, eventually, Tom does leave them all behind, probably to his own credit.

What kind of evidence exists for the 'catastrophe' theory about the extinction of dinosaurs?

The most important thing to remember is that there are many theories that are present that attempt to explain the extinction of dinosaurs but there are no absolutes on what actually caused them to disappear. All we know is that there was some major catastrophe that caused their extinction.

One of the theories is the asteroid theory. This theory is very popular and states that a very large asteroid plummeted to Earth. When the asteroid hit, there was so much dust and debris that it blocked out the sun. Because of this, many living things died.

Another theory is that there was a massive volcanic eruption. When volcanoes erupt there is a great deal of ash thrown into the air. This would make living conditions impossible because of suffocation.

There are several other theories regarding the mass extinction of dinosaurs but these are two of the most popular.

Where does Rainsford spend his first night of the hunt in "The Most Dangerous Game"?

On the first night that he's being hunted, Rainsford spends the whole night on the run from Zaroff. He rests in a tree at one point, and Zaroff tracks him but never looks up in the tree. This is when Rainsford realizes Zaroff is playing with him, so Rainsford then decides to set some traps. The first trap hurts Zaroff's shoulder, so he goes back to the chalet to get it seen to. At the Death Swamp, Rainsford builds the pit with the stakes and kills a dog. The next trap kills Ivan. At that point, Rainsford has to make the decision to jump off the cliff, and Zaroff goes back home.

explain how "proximity to death brings with it a corresponding proximity to life" chapter 7

This irony exists for the soldiers because when they see how quickly death can come for anyone of them, they also see just how precious life is for them.  Note how earlier when Ted Lavender is killed how it changes the men.  Lt. Cross, in particular, has a greater appreciation for life, mainly the lives of his men. 

Remember too the soldiers are under incredible amounts of stress.  This stress, a long with the fact that each man is responsible, directly and indirectly, for the lives of his platoon members, helps bond the men together like never before. 

This is but one of the many ironic statements O'Brien uses in this work. 

For "Animal Farm", please list at least 10 events in time order (chronologically).

Starting in Chapter 1 and going to Chapter 6:

The animals gather in the barn to discuss revolution and Old Major teaches them the song "Beasts of England".

Old Major dies.

The animals rebel and succeed.

Snowball and Napoleon create the seven commandments of animals.

Snowball shortens the commandments to one: "four legs good, two legs bad".

Battle of Cowshed occurs when the neighboring farmers try to retake the farm.  The animals win.

Snowball is chased off the farm when he tries to push through his windmill idea.

Squealer convinces the other animals that Snowball was a criminal.

Napoleon announces the building of the windmill, presenting it as his own idea.

The animals workload continues to increase over the course of the next year.

How do freedom and justice work in Huckleberry Finn? I'm trying to evaulate some points, but am a little unsure. I know the river is the means by...

Excellent job in addressing this question! The only point I would like to add is that with the increasing freedom that the river gives to Huck and Jim, we also see an increase in justice toward Jim on the part of Huck. Despite Huck's upbringing - being told his entire life that blacks are inferior beings - he is beginning to see Jim as a human being with feelings, just like himself. He struggles with this, but ultimately determines that even if it is a sin, he still needs to defend and protect Jim and treat him the same way he would want to be treated himself.

Check out the link below for some more great information on the themes of Huckleberry Finn!  Good luck!

How does Nick change throughout the novel The Great Gatsby?

At the beginning of Nick's reminiscence of the summer he met Gastby, he has "small-town syndrome."   He had just returned to Middle America (America's heartland and the center of conservative living) from WWI, where he had glimpsed everything from freedom to death.  His horizons had been broadened significantly, so when he returned after the war, he felt stifled in the Midwest; thus his longing for the decadent and fantastic lifestyle of New York, but the problem with the fantastic is that it rarely has anything to offer beneath the surface. 

When he first arrives in New York, Nick is fascinated by the lives of the wealthy and the freedom they embody (including freedom from responsibility, evidently).  However, as the novel progresses, he sees the impact of this behavior on the lives of others; he recognizes the atrocities that the elite of society commit toward those they consider beneath them (i.e. Tom's abuse of Myrtle Wilson; Tom's treatment of George Wilson; Tom and Daisy's method of dealing with Daisy killing Myrtle; Tom ultimately setting Gatsby up to be killed and not feeling any remorse).

By his thirtieth birthday, Nick realizes that this crazy, superficial lifestyle is not what he desires at all, and that he misses the wholesomeness of the Middlewest.  In this sense, Nick becomes rather representative of the 1920s: the turmoil and free living of the early part of the decade leading into the conservative 1930s. 

What does Hamlet mean to say "yeah, from the table....yes, by heaven!" in act 1 scene 5?please mention literery terms used in these lines thanx!

The lines you are interested in read in full,

    Yea, from the table of my memory
    I'll wipe away all trivial fond records,
    All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past,
    That youth and observation copied there;
    And thy commandment all alone shall live
    Within the book and volume of my brain,
    Unmix'd with baser matter: yes, by heaven!

Hamlet is speaking to himself (a soliloquy) after the Ghost of his father has told him of the treachery of both his uncle and mother.  He vows to forget his intellectual pursuits, and everything that he previously held dear in his life (like his mother's love) and instead will replace all of those things with a singleminded pursuit of revenge and justice for his father.

Hamlet uses metaphor, ie, "the table of my brain" to help him envision everything in his life that has transpired previously, thinking of his books and experiences as being laid out for him to see, and all is meaningless clutter compared to that which now dominates his life:  betrayal, murder, and revenge. 

 

In Chapter 5 of Frankenstein, what does Victor's dream comment on?Is that means Taboo??? I think when he kisses elizabeth then it changes to be his...

I agree with your interpretation to some extent, but I think of this dream a little differently too.

I think the dream is telling us two things.  First, as you say, it shows his guilt over creating the monster.  I think that this is why he dreams such horrible things.

But I think the dream is also serving another purpose.  It is foreshadowing for us what the impact of Victor's actions will be.  The monster that he has just created will kill so many things that Victor loves.  I think these are represented by Elizabeth (and this actually foreshadows her real death) and his mother.  They are both people who Victor loves or has loved.  They represent the people the monster will kill.

ASSUME THE MARKET BASKET CONTAINS 10X,20Y AND 45Z.THE CURRENT YEAR PRICES FOR GOODS X,Y AND Z ARE $1,$4, AND $6, .THE BASE-YEAR PRICES...

Consumer price index (CPI) is a measure in general price levels in an economy based on a the prices in a given reference year called base year. The CPI in any given year may be defined as the actual value of the goods and services sold and purchased in the year at the applicable pries in the year as compared with the value of the same basket of goods and services valued at prices in the base year.

To explain this concept mathematically:

let us say that the economy produces only three products X, Y, and Z.

Further their prices in the the base year was Xo, Yo, and Zo respectively.

And their prices in the the current year ia Xc, Yc, and Zc respectively.

And Their quantities in the market basket for the current year is Xq, Yq and Zq respectively.

Then The consumer price index is given by the formula:

CPI = 100*(Xc*Xq + Yc*Yq + Zc*Zq)/(Xo*Xq + Yo*Yq + Zo*Zq)

The values of these variables given in the question are:

Xo =1 , Yo =3 , and Zo =5

Xc = 1, Yc = 4, and Zc =6

Xq = 10, Yq = 20, and Zq = 45

Therefor

CPI in current Year

= 100*(Xc*Xq + Yc*Yq + Zc*Zq)/(Xo*Xq + Yo*Yq + Zo*Zq)

= (1*10 + 4*20 + 6*45)/(1*10 + 3*20 + 5*45)

= 100*(10 + 80 +270)/(10 + 60 + 225) = 100*360/295 = 122

Thus the CPI in the current year is 122.

'OUT, OUT--'What personification is in the poem? What word indicates onomatopoeia ? What distracts the boy? What happens to the boy? What do...

First, the title is derived from a speech given by Macbeth after he learns of Lady Macbeth's death.  You may want to look that up for further information on Frost's poem.  In this poem, the saw is personified: lines 7 and 8 read,

"And the saw snarled and rattled, snarled and rattled, As it ran light, or had to bear a load."

Later, it is also described as "leaping out of the boy's hands".  Both of these are examples of personification, since a saw can't actually snarl, nor can it leap.

The words indicating onomatopoeia also deal with the saw when it is described as snarling and rattling.

When the boy's sister tells the men that supper is ready, the boy is distracted, which is when the saw "leaps" up and cuts him.  After the boy is cut, the doctor comes to completely remove his hand.  The boy ends up dying.  The others are said to have "turned to their affairs", which is a bit callous and harsh on their part.  There is no mention of grief or mourning at the loss of the young boy.  I think the theme could definitely be the fragility of life, but I think it could also be the harshness of it, as well. 

Summarize what happened in the poem "My Last Duchess".

It is hard to say that the Duchess was flirtatious.  Perhaps she was only friendly and in love with life.  Either way, the Duke wanted her to only show affection to HIM.  Take a look at the lines below and make your own judgment:

She had a heart--how shall I say?--too soon made glad, too easily impressed; she liked whate'er she looked on, and her lookes went everywhere.  Sir, 'twas all one! My favor at her breast, the dropping of the daylight in the West, the bough of cherries some officious fool broke in the orchard for her, the white mule she rode with round the terrace--all and each would draw from her alike the approving speech, or blush, at least.

She seems very likely in love with nature, life, and small kindesses.  What made him mad was the fact that she ranked his approval for her with everything else--sunsets, cherries that someone brought her, riding her mule.  How dare she!  (Smile)

What is one example of tone used in the novel?

Lee's tone towards the educational system is negative and critical.  Consider this quote:

"The Dewey Decimal System consisted, in part, of Miss Caroline waving cards at us on which were printed "the," "cat," "rat," "man," and "you." No commend seemed to be expected of us, and the class received these impressionistic revelations in silence. I was bored, so I began a letter to Dill. Miss Caroline caught me writing and told me to tell my father to stop teaching no."

That Scout, the narrator, has misunderstood the Dewey Decimal System and that she presents Miss Caroline as naive and incompetent demonstrates Lee's criticism.

In Chapter 30 of To Kill a Mockingbird, what insight is gained into Sheriff Heck Tate's character?

Sheriff Heck Tate is a simple man who shows himself to be determined, pragmatic, and compassionate.

His determination is evident in the fact that he stands up unyieldingly to Atticus, who is an exceptionally strong personality himself.  He tells Atticus in no uncertain terms, "I am sheriff of Maycomb County...it's my decision and my responsibility...for once, if you don't see it my way, there's not much you can do about it".

Tate is also pragmatic and compassionate.  He knows Maycomb County and sees realistically what will happen if suspicion is directed toward Boo Radley.  He knows that the circus atmosphere that would be created would destroy the gentle, reclusive man. He says, "...taking the one man who's done...this town a great service an' draggin' him with his shy ways into the limelight - to me, that's a sin".  Out of sympathy and understanding, Heck Tate is willing to bend the law to prevent a greater injustice.

It has been said of this story that "Miss Emily has a shadow, and by this shadow we tell the time of her life." What is her shadow?

Your question is from a study guide from Dr. Tina Hanlon, Associate Professor of English at Ferrum College (see below).

She does not cite a source, so we do not know who originated this quote or who the "we" is.  "It has been said..." is rather vague.

The word "shadow" is mentioned 3 times in Faulkner's story, "A Rose for Emily."

Before the murder of Homer:

They called a special meeting of the Board of Aldermen.  A deputation waited upon her, knocked at the door through which no visitor had passed since she ceased giving china-painting lessons eight or ten years earlier.  They were admitted by the old Negro into a dim hall from which a staircase mounted into still more shadow.  It smelled of dust and disuse-a close, dank smell.

Shortly after the murder:

As they recrossed the lawn, a window that had been dark was lighted and Miss Emily sat in it, the light behind her, and her upright torso motionless as that of an idol.  They crept quietly across the lawn and into the shadow of the locusts that lined the street.  After a week or two the smell went away.

And after Emily died:

And so she died.  Fell in the house filled with dust and shadows, with only a doddering Negro man to wait on her.  We did not even know she was sick; we had long since given up trying to get any information from the Negro.  He talked to no one, probably not even to her, for his voice had grown harsh and rusty, as if from disuse.

Emily's "shadow" is her death, her past, her father's death, Homer's death, the decay of the South, the secret of Emily's upstairs bedroom where she committed murder and necrophilia.  It is a kind of Gothic imagery "catch-all."

Who are the characters in the Minister's Black Veil?

Reverend Mr. Clark is a neighboring minister who comes to to take care of Reverend Mr. Hooper, who is dying. He is mystified by the Rev. Mr. Hooper's refusal to remove the black veil. He is unable to convince him to take it off.

Elizabeth is the woman who is engaged to Hooper. At first, she is understanding of his wearing the veil, seeing it as a piece of cloth. Yet, when he refuses to remove it, their engagement is severed. She remains true to him in friendship, staying with him while he is at death's door.

Reverend Mr. Hooper is a minister who wears the black veil. He refuses to take it off, even in death. He wears it as a symbol of mankind's hidden secrets.

What are some of the causes of the panic that lead to the witches trials in act1?

The girls were quick to realize the power they had.  At first Abigail denies everything and then blames everything on Tituba.  Tituba at first denies everything too.  When she realizes her life is threatened, she gives her questioners exactly what they want - names. Mrs Putnam starts asking Tituba if she'd seen specific people with the devil and Tituba says yes.  From there the hysteria snowballs. The girls start shouting out names of women in the village.  As a result, Tituba's life was spared.  Abigail suddenly had a lot of power in the village and the bitter, vindictive characters like the Putnams had a way to start knocking off people they didn't like.

Abigail had a lot of power over the other girls.  It's shown throughout the play that Mary Warren really feared Abigail.  Abigail threatens "a pointy reckoning" for any of the girls who tell.  Proctor finally convinces Mary to tell the truth, but Abigail & the girls turn on her in the "yellow bird" scene.  Mary is so fearful that she turns on Proctor and goes back to Abigail. 

The fear that the other girls had of Abigail, of getting in trouble, etc. kept them going along with Abigail until I think they really believed it.  So this hysteria and panic didn't just happen among the townspeople, it seemed to happen to many of the girls themselves.  Mary is a prime example of this.  This was a big part of what led to the panic. 

What is the setting of "The Lady, or the Tiger"?

For the accused, the setting is at the heart of the arena mentioned below, facing two doors and a choice that decides the outcome of their life. For the audience, the setting is a seat perched in some row of the arena to watch a man either married or torn apart by a tiger. For the lady and tiger behind the doors, the setting are rooms lined in heavy furs so that no sounds escape, waiting expectantly for the man suited to her to open the door and be married or to open the door and become a feast.

How has televison changed since The Andy Griffith Show to now, and do you think this change is good or bad?

It is interesting that reruns of The Andy Griffith Show yet appeals to young people and children if they watch it.  There is, indeed, a wholesomeness to this show as there are moral and ethical lessons that children can learn from watching this program.

Frequently, one hears the comment, "All these stations and nothing to really watch."  This year the Olympics were the number 1 program that was viewed at the times of its broadcasting.  This fact should tell the networks something.

Programs from the era of The Andy Griffith Show were sometimes very unrealistic in their portrayal of people: not every mother wore pearls around her neck and a pretty dress around the perfectly kept house.  So, certainly there should have been programs to which other socio-economic classes could relate,   But, at least, the dramas that were on television such as on The Zane Gray Theatre, etc. were not so inane that one could figure out the plot in 5 minutes as they are today.  And, there were real actors--not people in a reality program.

Even news programs are dramatically different from the early days of TV. For, the news programs were not as slanted liberally or conservatively as they are today. And, real news was presented, not just human interest stories and the latest gossip on celebrities.  Journalists like Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite brought professionalism to television news programs.

Why did no one "care to mention" recalling a commandment about animals killing other animals in the hearing of the pigs or the dogs?

The dogs gather animals that had annoyed Napoleon into the yard for an inquisition. The hens that had formed a mutiny to protest the taking of their eggs, the porkers who dared question Napoleon on the cancelling of Sunday meetings, and even poor Boxer. The purpose of this hearing was to make them confess their traitorous acts. Once they have done this, the dogs leap forward and rip out their throats. All except Boxer, who is too strong to be taken down.

Other animals then step forward and "confess" crimes and are quickly put to death. The confessions have clearly been coerced, and therefore the animals on the farm realize that should they speak up about the commandment against killing, they will be killed themselves.

What is the main conflict facing the main characters?Wallace and Redmond

Wallace's main conflict is having to choose between the rational world and the world of imagination in his life. A successful politician, he is haunted by the recurrent vision of an inviting door in a wall.  He knows if he opens the door he will enter a magical world of happiness and fancy, but because of the demands of life and his career, he never has a chance.  By the end of the story, when he apparently finally decides to allow himself to open the door, he makes a fatal error.  His long denial of the imaginative side of his nature has left him unable to distinguish fantasy from reality. 

The main conflict facing Redmond, who represents the voice of reason, is whether to believe Wallace's fantastic tale or not.  Giving credence to the story would validate the importance of nurturing both sides of the human personality - the rational and the imaginative.

Why did Huxley choose Shakespeare as the medium of John's intellectual awakening in A Brave New World?Talk about the power of language in the book,...

There are three plays that are alluded to in Brave New World:  The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet, and Othello.  These plays are the medium through which John the Savage has learned emotion and recognizes emotion and expresses emotion since his mother is handicapped in this area by her biogenetic engineering and the Indian who lives with her is rather unconcerned with him.

When John arrives in the New World, his first thoughts are comparative with those of Miranda from The Tempest who also has no knowledge of the world.  When she first sees other people, the men brought to the island by the magic of her father, Miranda exclaims,

O wonder!

How many goodly creatures are there here!

How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,

That has such people in't (5.1.207-210)

Since these exclamations are identical to John's feelings, he echoes them.  Likewise, when he initially perceives Linda, John finds her so beautiful and physically perfect that, like Romeo, he is starstruck:

...and his voice suddenly took on a new resonance, he truned with a proud squaring of the shoulders, a proud, defiant lifting of the chin "to show that I can bear pain without crying out"...he gave a gasp and was silent, gaping.  He had seen, for the first time in his life, the face of a girl who cheeks were not the colour of chocolate or dogskin, whose hair was auburn and permanently waved, and whose expression (amazing novelty!) was one of the benevolent interest....The blood rushed up into the young man's face; he dropped his eyes, raised them again for a moment only to find her still smiling at him,...he dropped his eyes, raised them again for a moment only to find her still smiling at him, and was so much overcome that he had to turn away and pretend to be looking very hard at something on the other side of the square.

Like Romeo, he instantly falls in love with the vision of Lenina that he romanticizes. And, like Romeo and Juliet, the relationship between John and Lenina ends tragically as he realizes she is no ideal for him and gives of herself too freely.

When John attends the feelies with Lenina, he is apalled at the violence and animalistic brutality of the show.  This action and later his mistreatment by the New World reminds him of the low envy of Iago and the cruelty against him. All that John has experienced and can relate his new feelings to is of Shakespeare.

What caused the Great Depression?

Since the New Deal, most history texts will agree that the Depression was caused by "wealth inequity" and only by the benign munificence of the federal government was this injustice corrected after the crash.  However, this appears to not account for several factors.  Firstly, at the conclusion of World War I, the US was the only major industrial power not severely weakened by the war.  The unprecedented industrial growth to produce war materiel switched to the domestic market for consumer goods, resulting in an overabundance. This was the era in the US of the "Roaring Twenties," where the economy continued to expand after the war and the standard of living for both rich and poor increased, but it was an "artificial high" due to the war. Secondly, because of restrictive tariffs imposed by government, trade with foreign nations, and especially Europe was disrupted. Thirdly, postwar Europe suffered from the effects of the war, US tariff policy, and Germany especially went through a period of hyperinflation due to the harsh conditions of the Versailles Treaty, which effectively destroyed their economy.  Finally, abusive investment practices, where individuals (such as JP Kennedy, father of the President) would manipulate the stock market, causing huge amounts of money to flow in an out over a short time created market instability. Today we would call that insider trading. Because the Federal government did not stop the stock market manipulations, but did enforce a restrictive tariff policy, the market crashed, Europe could not purchase US goods for lack of capital, and the US had huge stockpiles of consumer goods that didn't sell.  This brought the US, and then the world's economy to a standstill, and then decline.

According to Brutus, why don’t the conspirators need to swear an oath?What can you infer about Cassius, Casca, and Brutus in Scene 1 as these...

Brutus does not want to swear an oath because this would lessen the nobility of their endeavor.  As honorable and honest men—good Romans all, they are pledging themselves to commit an honorable deed by killing Caesar; an oath would suggest that they lack nobility, honest, and courage. He says “Not an oath. / If not the face of men, /The sufferance of or souls, the time’s abuse,/ If these motives weak, break off betimes, And every man hence to his idle bed.” If their cause is not just in itself, then they shouldn’t kill Caesar to begin with. And then he adds, “What other bond / than secret Romans that have spoke the word and will not palter” (2.1.125-137). We can infer that Casca is a bit "dull," because Cassius tells us he is back in Act 1 and we see him only agreeing in Act 2.1 (52-55). We can infer that Cassius is a very clever politician because he realizes the danger Antony presents and wants to kill him too 9169-174). We know Brutus is noble but not a savvy politician because he refuses to kill Antony, and this decision results in great trouble as the play proceeds.

What would be a good thesis statement for a "As I Lay Dying"?

As a thesis statement, you should be addressing Faulkner's main point for this novel. Faulkner is saying there may be no more creative moment for humans than when we rationalize our thoughts, words and actions.

Every character except for Jewel is consumed in a deep, developed personal lie. They are all appearing to heroically fulfill the dying wish of the family matriarch. They are all using this moment of grief as a means to a personal and selfish end. Darl is mentally torturing Jewel. Dewey Dell is desperate to get to town for an abortion. Anse needs to replace his dead wife. Cash is trying to win his dead mother's approval by building a coffin she will enjoy. Even Vardaman is conned into seeing toys in a store front that he will never own.

The horrible beauty of this dark novel is that only after the characters are fully fleshed out, there is no way to convince them that they are wrong. The scene of Dewey Dell fanning her dying mother appears to be like a caring daughter keeping a sweet vigil. She is fanning her so hard she is making it hard for Addie to breathe and she will konw first when Addie expires. It is grotesque, creative and hypnotic.

What is the theme of the poem "Telephone conversation" by Wole Soyinka?

The poem “Telephone Conversation” has been written by Wole Soyinka. Wole Soyinka is Nigerian playwright, novelist, critic and the first African writer to get the Nobel Prize award for Literature in 1986. In this poem, the poet describes a telephone conversation between a black man and a white woman. The black man is searching for an apartment to live in and is inquiring the lady for any availability. At the beginning of the poem, the man “confesses” that he is an African. He confesses the colour of his skin as if he had done a crime. After this, the poet uses irony and sarcasm to describe their conversation. All of these discrepancies between what appears to be and what really has created a sense of verbal irony that helps the poem display the ridiculousness of racism.

“Nothing remained but self-confession. ‘Madam,’ I warned, ‘I hate a wasted journey-I am African.’

The African man confesses to the landlady that he is black. This was the first use of irony in the poem. He feels sorry about something that he was born with and had no control over. He says that he hates a “wasted journey” which indicates that he has been rejected before due to racial discrimination. The landlady asks with a sarcastic tone if he was light or very dark. A sense of anger rose inside the man and it has been portrayed by repeating the word red.

“Shamed by ill-mannered silence, surrender pushed dumbfounded to beg simplification. Considerate she was, varying the emphasis-“

He describes the landlady in nothing but positive terms. Her goodness is seemingly confirmed later on when the speaker says that she was "considerate" in rephrasing her question of his skin colour.  These kind descriptions of the landlady were filled with verbal irony. After this the African uses nothing but irony and sarcasm in his speech as he describes himself.

“‘You mean- like plain or milk chocolate?’ Her assent was clinical, crushing in its light impersonality.”

In haste, the man said that he was“west African sepia”. The landlady suddenly realized that he was actually black. Again, she asked hinted a question about the colour of his skin. He told her that he was brunette; facially brunette, but the palm of his hand and soles of his feet was “peroxide blonde”. The African man was being very sarcastic about the colour of his skin but the landlady could not accept the fact that he was black. When his sarcasm reached a peak, he sensed that the landlady was goind to hang up on him. He suddenly stops and says, “’Madam,’ I pleaded,’ wouldn’t you rather see for yourself?”

This poem uses a lot of irony and sarcasm. The poet mainly uses irony in three places. The first tone of irony is sensed when the man confesses that he is an African. When describing the lady, the poet uses a lot of sarcastic language. Irony is lastly used when the man describes himself to the woman. The last line of the poem also leaves a sense of mystery in the reader. Wole Soyinka brings out a great use of irony in this poem.

What are some good symbols for some of the following characters in To Kill A Mockingbird: Scout, Dill, Boo, Atticus, Tom, Jem, Bob...

In To Kill A Mockingbird, Tom Robinson is an innocent man. He has been accused of a crime and now stands trial in a town where the people have their own sense of justice and a warped sense of right and wrong. As much as the people despise Bob Ewell, they accept his testimony against Tom on the grounds that he is white and Tom, as a black man, cannot be trusted or believed. Atticus points out,

"The witnesses for the State... have presented themselves ... in the cynical confidence that their testimony would not be doubted... An assumption that one associates with minds of their caliber, and which is, in itself, gentlemen, a lie..."

He continues with his arguments when he confirms that Tom is a "respectable Negro ...who has had to put his word against TWO white people's!" It is a sad truth and Atticus finishes by adding, "The defendant is not guilty - but somebody in this courtroom is" (chapter 20, page 207, 1988 edition).

Tom could be a punching bag or scapegoat (modern interpretation) as he must take the brunt of everyone else's shortcomings and pay for their obtuse and unacceptable disposition. He is like the Phoenix because, tragically, he will die, but his cause will not and the reader hopes that enough has happened to make Tom's death more meaningful. 

Atticus is a port in a storm and could be described as a Crane because Judge Taylor selects him to defend Tom because he knows he will do everything in his power to defend Tom and obtain a fair outcome, even though it is unlikely. Atticus can hold his head up high. Cranes are endangered as are people like Atticus. 

Bob Ewell could be a Crow because Crows are known to eat other smaller birds, have no allegiance and they find protection from other crows, so they are always in groups. Bob may not be liked by the townsfolk but he is safe in this community.  

Boo could be an Albatross which is sometimes considered a burden and can be a symbol of good and bad luck, depending on how it is treated. In The Rime of The Ancient Mariner, the mariner shoots at the albatross, previously considered to be a good luck indicator, after which the crew blame the mariner for their consistent bad luck. Birds make appropriate symbols for many of the characters in the novel and this reinforces Harper Lee's own use of bird symbols. 

What are some views on the Fugitive Slave Laws of 1793 and 1850?

If you start with the idea that slavery is legal, then fugitive slave laws make sense.  It does not make sense that my property could stop being my property if it went to some other state.

However, even if you look at it like that, there were two big problems with the 1850 law, in my opinion.  First, it said that only one witness (white) was needed to prove the black person was a slave.  That seems to invite lying.  Second, the judges got paid more if they said the black person was a slave and less if they said he was not.  That gives them an incentive to say the black person was a slave.

From what does Hester hope to save Dimmesdale by telling him the truth about Chillingworth?

Hester hopes to save Dimmesdale from continued suffering at the hand of Chillingworth. In Chapter 14, we see Hester and Chillingworth speak of Dimmesdale. Hester knows that Chillingworth has figured out that Dimmesdale is Pearl's father, and Chillingworth has been getting revenge on Dimmesdale by making him suffer psychologically. This psychological suffering (Chillingworth and Dimmesdale spend much time talking of secret sin and guilt) is making Dimmesdale suffer physically as well. When Chillingworth refuses to leave Dimmesdale allow, Hester decides to tell Dimmesdale that Chillingworth is her husband. She hopes that by having this knowledge, Dimmesdale will be able to stand stronger against Chillingworth's attacks. 

What is the climax of the story "The Tell-Tale Heart"?

I agree that the climax to "The Tell-Tale Heart" comes at the very end when the planks are torn up to expose the still "beating heart." It could be argued that the climax occurs earlier, when the narrator finally kills the old man after so many days and nights of patient waiting. Certainly, there is a suspenseful build-up to this action. But because the story continues to build even after the murder, and an even more surprising and terrifying event occurs, I find the true climax at the end when the body is exposed to the police.

What are the settings that describe the time period in Flowers for Algernon?

This is difficult to answer because Keyes was fairly conscientious about avoiding settings that would immediately place the novel in time. For example, there is no instance of hearing a particular pop music hit that might indicate the specific time period.  However, the reader can catch glimpse of the specific setting through the technology and scientific concepts that are bandied about. Additionally, the character of Faye gives some clues but only if the reader is familiar with New York City in the late 50s and 60s.

For example, we know that 'learns' at night with the aide of a tape recorded lessons. This can set the time period as probably before the advent of CDs or MP3s.  

The character of Faye living as an artist in New York City and as a fairly liberated woman gives us a clue to the time period of the late Beat Generation to the middle of the Sixties.  Her opposite, Alice is a teacher in a night school working a fairly conventional job for an unmarried woman at the time period. 

These are just some clues as to the setting.   The 1969 film version of the movie gives the viewer very distinct clues as to the time period which set it firmly in the late 1960s. So much so that when I showed it to my students, they laughed at everything from the wacky '60s decor to the clothes the characters had on.  The book does not do this and therefore it is hard to place it specifically in a time period unless you are familiar with the time.  

What is the irony in "The Gift of the Magi"?

Irony is a literary device that occurs when the author uses elements of the story, like plot or character development, setting, or action to show contrast or the opposite of what the characters or the author may be feeling. 

Here's an example--  In "Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner," there is a line that says "Water, water every where, not any drop to drink."  This is an example of irony, because the ship is in the middle of the ocean.  Yes, the crew is surrounded by water, but they can not drink any of it.  Ah, the irony!

What is the difference between revenue under perfect competition and monopoly?there should be four differences atleast

Are you asking difference between the way the revenue of a firm is determined under conditions of perfect competition and monopoly.

Under both these condition a firm sells as much product as it can till its marginal revenue equals marginal costs and and any further increase will result in increasing the marginal cost. However, the point at which this point is determined for a firm operating in a perfectly competitive market and a monopoly firm are different.

Under the condition of perfect competition, a single firm has no control over either the market equilibrium price or the total market demand. The firm can sell as much as it wants to at the market equilibrium price, but cannot sell any thing at prices above this price. Under this condition the marginal revenue of the firm is same as the market price, irrespective of the level of revenue. Under these condition the firm will continue to increase its profit by increasing its sale as long as the sales price, which is same as its marginal revenue, is higher than the marginal cost. Thus the company will continue to increase its revenue till its marginal cost equals market equilibrium price. This also results in the firm operating at a level that results in minimum average cost for the firm in long run.

The situation faced by the Monopoly firm is different. For a monopoly firm its marginal revenue is always less than the sales price at any level of revenue, as any increase in price reduces the total quantity sold. Thus marginal revenue falls as the total revenue increases. For this reason, for a monopoly firm, the marginal revenue equals marginal cost at a level of revenue that is less than the level where marginal cost is lower than average cost, and the firm is not producing at minimum cost.

Some critics view this tale from a feminist viewpoint. What are some examples of this view?

Mental illness and depression was not widely understood during this period of time and treatment for these unfortunate individuals bordered on barbaric. Mary, the main character, suffers from post-partum depression. Prior to her illness, she was an active writer, but this activity is forbidden when Mary is forced to endure the "rest cure". " Her husband, John, who is a doctor, misidentifies her condition and prescribes a “rest cure” made popular by the well-respected physician Weir Mitchell. The rest cure assumes that intellectual stimulation damages a woman physically and psychologically, so John requires the narrator to stop all writing, all reading, and essentially, all higher-level thinking" (e-notes).Mary secretly begins writing her story, documenting the tragic and horrible side effects of the "rest cure". Unfortunately, Mary's post partum depression coupled with her lack of mental stimulation and compassion she begins a downward spiral into madness.The author's (Charlotte Perkins)feminist point-of-view can be seen in her philosophies, "the oppression of women is ultimately based on women’s economic dependence on men. Other institutions—religion, education, ethics, marriage and family—simply reinforce this relationship" (e-notes). Some of her view points (I let you ferret these out.) would be considered inflamatory today.

In Macbeth, how do the witches contribute further to Macbeth's downfall when he revisits them in scene 16?

I assume you are reffering to Act IV, scene i when Macbeth seeks out the witches to get advice and find out more of his fate. The significance here is that Macbeth is seeking the witches out this time. He is taking control of his own terrible fate and the witches acknowledge this, saying "By the pricking of my thumbs, / Something wicked this way comes." Instead of hapless victim, Macbeth is an instrument in his own downfall.

The prophecies of the witches both encourage Macbeth, since he feels that they grant him immortality, but they are paradoxically troubling, too. After all, if cannot be defeated--since every man is born of a woman and forests grow very slowly--why would Banquo's sons be shown as kings? Macbeth chooses to select the information that benefits him and ignore (as much as he can) the rest.

The bottom line here is that it is Macbeth making the decisions. He does not appear to be under the witches' power or spell here and Lady Macbeth is nowhere to be found. This is Macbeth choosing his fate.

What events in "The Most Dangerous Game" constitute the falling action?

The falling action, which comes right after the climax, would be after Rainsford leaps off a cliff and into the ocean, to what Zaroff believes is his death. The hunt had been escalating up to that point. Zaroff, disappointed, heads home, has dinner, and retires to his room for the night. Rainsford, all the while is hiding behind the curtains in his room waiting to surprise him with the fact that Rainsford indeed has beaten Zaroff. The men exchange words and Zaroff leaves the house the loser of his own game for the first time and goes out into the night where he falls victim to his own hounds. 

If I need to write a cover letter for Beowulf, who should I write it to? And what kind of job can apply for today's world? Again, my teacher wants...

It might be interesting to make Beowulf's job something that is unrelated to war and survival.  After all, many of his traits - independence, tenacity, strong sense of duty, compassion, leadership - are traits that would be helpful in any number of jobs.

For example, wouldn't Beowulf make an interesting teacher?  Or perhaps a company president?  Or even a salesman - consider his determination, especially when holding on to Grendel's arm.! 

Once you've picked your job:

1. Start with a salutation (Dear ________,)

2. Have Beowulf introduce himself and his main qualities.

3. He should then announce what he is writing for.

4. Next paragraph, go through why he is good for this position.  List examples from his "previous jobs"

5. Final paragraph, explain why he is interested in the job and thank the reader.

What is the theme of Black Beauty?

The theme is the main topic, idea, or message in a piece of writing.

The theme of Black Beauty is most definitely that horses (as well as all animals and also people) ought to be treated kindly, ethically and humanely.

The book is about the life story and experiences of a horse called Black Beauty who is treated well by his owner in the beginning of his life but is later mistreated by other owners. The story describes how horses were often treated badly in Victorian England and how the animals suffered injury and sometimes even death due to the mistreatment.

The book also underlines issues of social class, inequality and wide differences between the poor and rich in England at that time. The book was so influential after it was published in 1877 that it even contributed to the eradication of the bearing rein. This was a rein used to pull horses' heads back, causing them pain.