What does young Fortinbras want to do?

We hear about young Fortinbras, a prince of Norway, in the very first scene of the play.  In that scene, Horation, Marcellus and Bernardo have just seen the ghost and they are discussing what it might mean.  They talk about some of the problems Denmark has been having and that makes them mention Fortinbras.

Hamlet (the dad) killed Fortinbras's dad.  And now young Fortinbras wants revenge.  He is invading Denmark.  He wants to take back for Norway the lands that his father lost to Hamlet senior.

Fortinbras will be allowed to pass through Denmark to go fight in Poland.  On his way back, at the end of the play, Hamlet will name him as the next king of Denmark.

Do marriage laws seem outdated and too traditional for today's society? Discuss.''The need for a marriage license from the gov't is unneccesary....

There are two factors to consider when asking if marriage laws seem outdated  and too traditional for today's society.  First, one needs to determine if we are talking about American society or all societies.  Then we would need to look at marriage laws as constitutionally or statutorily.

So, let's disect this a little bit.  "Too traditional" would entail that we are looking at marriage in the "ole' fashion" sense or in the way that our grand mothers and grand fathers viewed and practiced matrimony.  All marriages were male and female and monogomous by those standards.  That brings us to the American constitutional right to practice your religion. Is it acceptable for certain individuals of particular faiths or religions to practice polygamy?  In America, monogamy is the only acceptable means to wed through the state.  However, polygamy is an option in some religions like Islam and Moormans. This allows them to practice their constitutional right to have more than one wife.

Current times and some modern day thinkers or persons with "alternative lifestyles" may lean toward same sex marriages.  The politial and religious controversies stem around finance and security, dignity and respect, and religious freedom.  The debate over same sex marriage (SSM) in California as Proposition 8 was terminated whereas, New Jersey now allows for same sex marriages.

The basic issue is that the government can not legislate morality.  The federal government has established some basic constitutional rights to all citizens.  States are empowered to legislate on a more local level.  But the fact still remains that government does not legislate the moral attitudes of individuals even though they can influence them.  Government should not be the determining factor unless there are matters of finance and real estate.  Then it becomes a money issue.  Now, can you rightfully see religion handling that matter fairly?  So why not let government determine what's monetarily fair?  If you do that, then it is quite fair for government to determine who can get married.

Why is "Dover Beach" a dramatic monologue?

A dramatic monologue is spoken by a solo speaker, and it is addressed to a silent listener whose presence is felt. The speaker is usually in a state of some intense emotional crisis which initiates the speech that combines suspense and intensity of drama with the passion and melody of the lyric.

Arnold's poem Dover Beach is an elegy on the crumbling of faith in the industrialized and commercialized world of man. It is a solo speech that ventilates a deep sense of doubt and anguish, comparing the calmness of the Dover sea which is full to the brim and the receding 'sea of faith' from the shores of human habitation. The speaker addresses someone, presumably his beloved, as is evident in ' Come to the window'. The presence of the silent listener is also suggested at the beginning of the concluding verse--' Ah love, let us be true to one another'. A tormented individual speaking in the first person, a passive listener present throughout, a deep sense of crisis, and the blend of the dramatic and the lyrical make Arnold's poem a dramatic monologue.

what are atticus's main points in his address to the jury (using as many quotes as possible)

Atticus explains that the case is not difficult, there is no medical evidence and little testimony to prove Tom's guilt. Atticus points out that Mayella has, "broken a rigid and time-honored code of our society" by attempting to seduce a black man. He acknowledges her poverty and the ignorance, but says, "I cannot pity her: she is white." He explains that Mayella proceeded to do this even though she knew it was not going to be acceptable.Having broken one of society's unspoken codes, she chose to, "put the evidence of her offense," specifically Tom, away from her by testifying against him. Atticus accuses Mayella of trying to get rid of her own guilt by getting rid of Tom.

Atticus claims that Mr. Ewell beat his daughter, proven by Mayella's bruising on her right side. Mr. Ewell is left-handed, while Tom can't punch with his left hand at all. Atticus points out that the case comes down to the word of a black man against the word of the white people, and that the Ewells' case depends upon the jury's assumption that "all black men lie." In conclusion, Atticus speaks directly to the jury, reminding them that there are honest and dishonest black people just as there are honest and dishonest white people. He tells the jury that in a court of law, "all men are created equal."

How do the Greasers learn more about the Socs?

The Greasers in the book are the poor kids from the "wrong side of the tracks" so they don't really know much about their rich enemies, the Socs.

The Greasers (specifically Ponyboy and Johnny and Two-bit) find out more about the Socs when they go to the movies and meet Cherry Valance and her friend Marcia.  They hang out with the two girls for a while and find out that they are not really all that different than the Greasers -- just that the Socs like the Beatles more than Elvis.

They do find, however, that the Socs are less emotional than the Greasers and that they (at least Cherry) feel like their lives are less meaningful.

The other way Ponyboy, at least, finds out more about the Socs is when Randy, the friend of Bob (who Johnny killed) talks to him a couple times -- once before the rumble, and once at Ponyboy's house.  When he does that, he finds out that Randy has some of the same feelings he does about fighting and that Randy feels like he's let his dad down.

i need to many answers ....... please? what is the different point of views of elizabeth and charlotte about love and marriage?...

Reply to the first part of your question:

Elizabeth Bennet owns a very dissimilar view to marriage from her friend Charlotte Lucas. Charlotte thinks that waiting for the perfect man in order to marry is not an easy task for a girl of the nineteenth century English society, especially when the property of her father is entailed. She finds it impractical that a girl like her or Elizabeth in the society would wait unless she finds her love and reject proposals from other man with good fortune, since in that context, securing a girl's fortune is much more important than waiting for the perfect love and getting involved in a love-affair if thought practically. On the contrary, Elizabeth prefers love-affair to a arranged marriage. She thinks, through an arranged marriage, Charlotte or any girl would have to sacrifice much, she would lose freedom, and there would remain a very little self-respect left for the girl if she chooses an unsuitable man solely for the sake of financial security. She is a bit impractical in term of her view to love and marriage under the context of her society. Still, she would be appreciated because she stands upright on her individuality. That is why she rejected Mr. Collins.

Reply to the second part:

Elizabeth is seen constantly misinterpreting Darcy, because she is prejudiced against him. This is why the novel is called Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth stands for prejudice. She, especially being influenced and distracted by Ms. Bingley and Wickham, holds a negative notion about Darcy. But, more importantly, it is Darcy's pride which makes her consider him as a snob and arrogant person at the first impression when Darcy says that she is not good enough to tempt him, and comments against her family. And, as it is said that, first impression lasts long, so, Darcy's proud image impels Elizabeth to think his intentions always negative.

In what ways are Jimmy Valentine and Ralph Spence from "A Retrieved Reformation" alike? In what ways are they different?

In the short story by O. Henry "A Retrieved Reformation," Jimmy Valentine and Ralph Spencer are one in the same. 

Jimmy went to the Planters' Hotel, registered as Ralph D. Spencer, and engaged a room.

Jimmy Valentine is the side of the main character when he first gets out of jail.  He is a safe cracker and has a penchant for robbing from banks.  The warden liked him and so do most people he meets.  He is a charming person.  He is well groomed.

Ralph Spence is also charming and a nicely groomed man.  He is able to talk with people and verbally manipulate them.  However, he falls in love with a banker's daughter and begins to become transformed.  He ends up opening a legit business and his shoe store prospers.

The problem that arises is that Jimmy has been found out by someone who blackmails him so he will rob his beloved's father's bank.  Jimmy and Ralph have the skills to crack open the safe.

Jimmy Valentine used to wear a rose.  After a child gets caught in the safe he gets his wife's rose and puts it on and says good-bye to Ralph Spencer.  He has to become Jimmy in order to crack open the safe and expose himself.  However, the past closes for him and he gets to stay as Ralph who is a legitimate shore store owner.

In Peter Abraham's work Mine Boy, who said he would help Xuma get a job in the mines?

In Johannesburg, where Xuma has come with big hopes of earning money, he meets Leah, who makes a living by selling alcohol and staying away from being captured by the law. What Xuma finds in the city is destructiveness and disillusionment. The men and women of Johannesburg look all beaten down and hopeless to Xuma and he sees from Leah that it is harder to make money and make a success of yourself than he believed ti would be. The Leah introduces Xuma to a friend of hers named Johannes, who is a boos boy at the mines. Johannes tells Xuma he will help him get work at the mines. Even though Xuma gets work he begins to feel a deep inferiority because of the superior attitude of the white men running the mine.

What is the probability that your 10-toss sequence is either all heads or all tails?You toss a balanced coin 10 times and write down the resulting...

Interpreting  a balanced coin to be an unbiased one , the probability of showing head or tail in a single toss is (1/2) each.Or P(H)=P(T) =(1/2).

If A and B are two independent events, then P(AB) = P(A)P(B).

Therefore, probability of getting 10 heads in 10 tosses (tosses being independent) = P(HHHHHHHHHH) = (1/2)(1/2)... 10 factors=(1/2)^10.

Similarly Probability of getting 10 tails= P(TTTTTTTTTT)=(1/2)^10.

Since both events are exclusive, the probability of getting 10 heads or 10 tails is equal to the sum of the the individual probabilities = P(HHHHHHHHHH)+P(TTTTTTTTTT) = (1/2)^10+(1/2)^10 = 2(1/2)^10 = 2^(-9) =1/512 = 1.953125*10^(-3)

Compare and contrast the use of the word "albatross" in "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Coleridge and "Snake" by D. H. Lawrence.

In "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," the albatross is a large sea bird known to follow ships. Most sailors considered them to be good luck. The Ancient Mariner shot and killed the bird. Another meaning of "albatross" is a public burden one must carry as a sign of guilt and responsibility. As a punishment for shooting the albatross, the Ancient Mariner was forced to wear it around his neck as a penance for its killing and the resulting bad luck that plagued the ship.

I want an analysis for "Description of Spring" by Henry Howard.

If you look at the title, you see that the poem is about spring and the rebirth of nature. This is an Elizabethan sonnet whose rhymes are abab abab abab aa. The speaker exposes the beauty of nature´s revival in springtime; however, his last couplet shows his sadness for not being part of this renewal.

The poem is rich in visual imagery. Thus, “With green hath clad the hill and eke the vale” (line 2), makes the reader to see the rebirth of the flowers, and the greenness in the hills and valleys. Moreover, the poet uses consonance, which is the repetition of a consonant in the beginning of the word. For example you have “Summer is come, for every spray now springs” (line 5), in which the consonant s is repeated in the words “summer”, “spray” and “springs”.  Or in:” The hart hath hung his old head on the pale ;”( line 6), in which H is repeated. The speaker also uses metaphors, when he refers to the hart hanging his old head, or the buck flinging in his winter coat.  Those devices help the reader to perceive the changes in nature. The first twelve lines connote exaltation and euphoria, whereas the two last couplets imply sorrow and unhappiness.

 If you look again to the title you see that “Wherein each thing renews, save only the Lover”. The word “save” comes from the Latin word “salvus” which means except. Thus, the theme of the poem is alterations and changes in nature, in which the speaker is not included. The poet Henry Howard lived in the early fifteenth century, which explains the complex and intrinsic language and the use of old English words.

What does Ralph tell Jack to do at the meeting when Jack tries to talk out of turn?

Ralph reminds Jack that he who holds the conch speaks, and should not speak without that symbol.  Ralph tells Jack he must wait for the conch to speak. Throughout the story the conch operates a way to give order, yet at the same time it is always coveted by Jack because he who speaks has power. Eventually Jack refuses "to play" this game with the conch and other "games" reflective of civilization.

In the story "A Perfect Day for Banana Fish" what is the significance or connection between the "bananafish" and the story?

Seymour Glass is characterized by his peers as someone who is completely out of control; he was released from the military hospital, and no one seems to understand why he was released because of his ludicrous behavior. He does, however, seem to relate particularly well to a very young girl, Sybil.

Sybil's mother mistakes Sybil's comments of "Seymour Glass" with that of "see more glass," thus implying that Sybil is the only one who can see through Seymour as if he was glass. This becomes apparent in his story of the bananafish.

According to Seymour's story, the bananafish appear "perfectly normal" until they swim into a hole and overly consume large amounts of bananas in which they obtain "banana fever." This fever prevents the fish from being able to leave the hole, and thus they die from their excess. As Sybil is the only one who is able to "see more glass," she also has the ability to see a bananafish with "six bananas" in its mouth. The fish dies from excess of its own world; it entraps itself by overindulging, as Seymour does as well. Because Seymour relates perfectly well only with a child, his psychosexual development is nothing less than hairy, and his desire to kiss Sybil's feet, and hide his own body and feet, are much like the fish. The fish need to secretly swim into the hole to indulge in their fantasies, as Seymour seems to express his true feelings and desires away from acceptable society -- such as his awkward relationship with the young Sybil and the younger Sharon Lipschutz. Sybil leaves Seymour after denouncing him for kissing her feet, in a very child-like mild manner; he then proceeds to return to the materialistic world of room 507 where his wife Muriel, surrounded by the smell of her nailpolish, is asleep, and he kills himself.

Once the bananafish realize that they cannot escape the destruction they have brought upon themselves, or that they cannot return to "reality" or "society," they simply have no choice but to perish from existence.

Please Read Below: Symbols are appealing because they often carry powerful associations and emotional overtones. Write a brief essay analyzing the...

In the short story "Through the Tunnel" Jerry is with his mother at the beach when he sees the other boys disappear.  He later learns they have gone through an underground tunnel someplace else.  He is curious where they have gone and wants to go.  However, getting through the tunnel had proven difficult, so he prepares himself.

The safe beach is his childhood where his mother is present to nurture and protect him.

The wild beach is stepping out into the world.  It is the risk that all adolescents take.  He challenges himself just as boys do to become men.

The tunnel is the journey from childhood towards manhood.

The tunnel trip is the accomplishment that shows that he can over come adversity in order to win his role as a man.  His mother will never be able to understand the significance of the trip.

From the information provided in the story, describe the character of Minnie Wright in "A Jury of Her Peers."

           A woman can tolerate just so much; when she is locked away from her dreams and the delightful life she was used to, morbid hatred begins to accumulate. Minnie Foster, in “A Jury of Her Peers” by Susan Glaspell, had been forced to change her delightful self into an austere and obedient housewife, a tragic change that eventually leads her to murder her husband, John Wright. Minnie Foster, or Minnie Wright is therefore, a morbidly dynamic character whose dreams represented by the singing canary, was crushed by John Wright.

           The death of the singing canary, an alter ego of Minnie Foster, reveals the inanimate marriage she underwent and the motivation behind the murder of her husband, John Wright. There was a time when Minnie Foster was “…like the bird”; she was “…sweet and pretty…” and loved to sing. It was only after she married when she really “… [changed]”. Living a life full of “nothing”, the canary was her only companion, an alter ego that was still free enough to sing. Yet, when John Wright “…wrung its neck”, it not only led to the bird’s death but also Minnie Foster’s death due to “…lack of life”; he ultimately destroyed the last innocence and youth that was left inside her. It also explains why John Wright was “chocked” to death leaving the gun in the house untouched. It had only seemed fair to Minnie Wright that her husband should suffer the same way since he had wrung the dreams and therefore life out of her. 

In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, do you believe that the river acts as an extended metaphor for journey and growing up?Or do you think that...

Absolutely!  When Huck begins his journey, he is naive and unseasoned as most 13-year-old boys are.  He hasn't really thought of the consequences of his actions, or even how others will react or be effected.

He first meets Jim, who thinks Huck is a ghost.  Huck plays tricks on Jim (especially the one where they are separated by the fog and Huck pretends he hadn't left the raft the whole time) Jim shows through his reactions to these tricks that he is a living, breathing, feeling human being who just happens to be a black man.  Huck learns to respect Jim as a person and promises not to play Jim for a fool any more.

Jim protects Huck from the knowledge that the dead man on the floating house was Huck's dad.  Much later, toward the end of the book, when Huck is much more mature and had gained some life experience, Jim shares with Huck that the dead man was his father.  Huck has a hard time dealing with this, but having lived through the adventures with him, we know he wouldn't have been able to hear this information earlier in the book and dealt with it as well as he does when Jim tells him.

When Huck and Jim begin their journey, Huck is a white boy who has known nothing but whites are in control and blacks are their slaves.  No questions asked, that's how it is and always has been.  By the time he and Jim are at the Phelps' house, Jim is more than a slave to Huck.  He is a friend for whom Huck would do anything.

What does James suggest be done with Helen and why?

In the book "The Miracle Worker" James' life has changed for the worse because of his sister's disabilities.  His parents have let Helen dominate their environment for so long that it is like living with an animal.  James resents that Helen gets anything she wants from her father when he can not.  James loves his little sister, but he has accepted the fact that there is nothing more in Helen than what they see.

In the beginning of the story James tell his father that he needs to have Helen put away.  She is aggressive, untamable, and disruptive.

Which nations were conquered by Hitler's Nazis before the Cold War?

Adolph Hitler led Nazi Germany into War with many countries.  He started locally in Europe and then spread out as far as he could before spreading his armies too thin.  Hitler controlled Europe to include Yugoslavia, France, Serbia, Estonia, Luxembourg, Crete, Romania, Channel Islands, Poland, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Rumania, Holland, Switzerland, Austria, and Greece. 

 Hitler wanted to control Russia and Africa as well.  When troops went into Africa, they were able to conquer Northern Africa, but lost it away later to the Russians.  Sweden and Portugal managed to remain neutral during the war.

What are some rhetorical devices used in "The Education of Women" by Daniel Defoe?

There are, of course, many rhetorical devices in this short essay.  I will list a few of them:

• Defoe says that the soul is placed in the body "like a rough diamond" and that, like the diamond, it needs to be polished.  The soul, he says, needs to be polished by education.  This is a simile.


• He asks "But why then should women be denied the benefit of instruction?"  This is, of course, a rhetorical question.  There are quite a few of these in the same paragraph.


• For one more, here is an example of hyperbole

And, without partiality, a woman of sense and manners is the finest and most delicate part of God's Creation, the glory of Her Maker, and the great instance of His singular regard to man, His darling creature: to whom He gave the best gift either God could bestow or man receive. And 'tis the sordidest piece of folly and ingratitude in the world, to withhold from the sex the due lustre which the advantages of education gives to the natural beauty of their minds.

This passage seems to be going to excess in praise of a woman of sense and manners.

For the Puritans, what was the Devil's last preserve, his home base?Arthur Miller's "The Crucible"

For the Puritans, the Devil was behind every evil deed because good works were a sign of one's commitment to God.  Fire and brimstone ministers, such as Jonathan Edwards warned of the perdition that the person would suffer if he/she committed even the tiniest infraction against Puritan law.  In exerting great pains to warn their children of the workings of the devil, parents told them about "the Black Man" who held black sabbaths in the forest primeval, warnings that run throughout the narratives of such works by Nathaniel Hawthorne as "Young Goodman Brown" and "The Scarlet Letter."  In this primitive and dark forest where secret sins could be hidden from the judges of the community, the Puritans felt that the Devil could do his work and influence those who came to the forest to commit evil deeds.

Since many Puritan leaders took upon themselves the right to determine what was in another man's soul, the constant subjection of an unseen danger led to the scandal of epidemic proportions, the Salem Witchcraft Trials, the subject of "The Crucible." This Puritan hysteria that developed after Ann Putman claimed to have witnessed young women engaged in the Black Mass with the devil is a metaphor for the hysteria of "McCarthyism," the movement in the 1950s which involved the hunting down and exposing of people having communist sympathies.  While those exposed were not executed, many screenwriters, actors, etc. suffered irreparable damage to their reputations and careers in Hollywood as they lost lucrative positions.

How old is the narrarator in The Scarlet Ibis?

The narrator in the story is actually Doodle's big brother as and adult telling the story. The story begins using adult language and syntax, but as he slips into telling us about his childhood memories of Doodle he begins to take on a childlike persona and the mood and tone of the story change. The begins to sound very much like a child is telling it about his younger brother at the time things are happening. This is actually a very clever way of writing the story because we get some insights from the adult narrator that we might not have gotten had the story actually been told by the child himself. For example, at several different places in the story Doodle's brother expresses his remorse for the way he treats Doodle, like leaving him in the loft knowing Doodle couldn't climb down the ladder without help. The narrator recalls how he felt at the time and how he felt after having heard Doodle's screams.

Can Philip Larkin be called a Humanist?Give reasons for your answer with specific references to his poems. Explain Humainsm clearly. Is there...

Humanism has grown over the past several decades to include an immense number of varieties. For example, someone can be a "Secular Humanist" or a "Christian Humanist" of develop a completely different "strain" of Humanism.  That being said, in general, Humanism promotes the belief in mankind, science and logic. Most Humanists see no need for any type of god because man possesses the power to change, evolve, and discover.  Many Humanists believe that if humans simply work together, then problems will be solved without any type of supernatural help or faith. The philosophy stresses concepts such as relative truth and relative morality.

In regards to Larkin, his poetry overall does not represent Humanism.  He is far too cynical and matter of fact to promote such a positive worldview.  Moreover, when Larkin began studying Thomas Hardy's poetry, he developed a kinship with Hardy's style and themes.  Hardy's works generally focus on Existentialism and Naturalism, both rather bleak views of the world; so Larkin's agreement with Hardy also implies that his perspective was much more in line with the negative views of life rather than with the positive philosophies of Humanism or Idealism.  Below are two excerpts from his poems "This Be the Verse" and "Church Going" which demonstrate his rather fatalistic worldview.

From "This Be the Verse": "Man hands on misery to man. / It deepens like a coastal shelf. / You get you out as early as you can / And don't have any kids yourself."

The above excerpt demonstrates the Naturalist belief that man is fated to suffer and that there is no escape from that suffering.  According to Larkin, humans choose not to have more chidren because they know that their children would face the same doomed life that they are "forced" to live.

From "Church Going": "Yet stop I did: in fact I often do, / And always end much at a loss like this, / Wondering what to look for; wondering, too, / When churches fall completely out of use
What we shall turn them into . . ."

This quote from the second stanza of "Church Going" does not represent Humanism because while many Humanists would agree with Larkin that church or religion is unnecessary for mankind, they would not share his bleaker view that his propensity for visiting churches even when he does not know what to do when he goes inside is natural to him.  Larkin demonstrates in this poem that for some reason he keeps going to churches to look around but is at a loss when he goes inside.  For that reason, he believes that churches will eventually be unused.  This idea that God might be out there (Afterall, what makes the poet want to keep going into churches?) but that He is not involved in churches or in humans' lives is very similar to Hardy's Existentialist perspective that a spectator god looks down on the human race but does nothing to help or hinder it.

What does "An Essay on Criticism", by Alexander Pope really mean?I don't understand what it's talking about...could someone please translate this...

The poem commences with a discussion of the rules of taste which ought to govern poetry, and which allow a critic to make sound critical judgements on a piece of writing. In it Pope comments on how very brilliant the Classical authors were and and concludes (in an apparent attempt to reconcile the opinions of those who are for and against the idea of rules in literature) that the rules of the ancients are in fact identical with the rules of Nature That is to say that poetry and painting, like religion and morality, actually reflect natural law.

The "Essay on Criticism," then, is deliberately ambiguous and difficult to decode.: Pope seems, on the one hand, to admit that rules are necessary for the production of and criticism of poetry, but he also notes the existence of mysterious, apparently irrational qualities — "Nameless Graces," identified by terms such as "Happiness" and "Lucky Licence" — with which Nature is endowed, and which permit the true poetic genius, possessed of adequate "taste," to appear to transcend those same rules

In short some people are gifted and others not.. The critic, of course, if he is to appreciate that genius, must possess similar gifts. Only God, the infinite intellect, the purely rational being, can appreciate the harmony of the universe, but the intelligent and educated critic can appreciate poetic harmonies which echo those in nature. His (critic) intellect and his reason are limited because he is human. Because his opinions are inevitably subjective, he finds it helpful or necessary to employ rules which are interpretations of the ancient principles of nature to guide him — though he should never be totally dependent upon them. We should note, in passing that in "The Essay on Criticism" Pope is frequently concerned with "wit" — the word occurs once, on average, in every sixteen lines of the poem. Wit could literally mean funny – witty- but could also mean intelligent.

Pope discusses the laws by which a critic should be guided — insisting, as any good poet would, that critics exist to serve poets, not to attack them. He then provides, by way of example, instances of critics who had been mistaken in one way or another. t All of his erring, mistaken and plain wrong critics, each in their own way, betray the same fatal flaw.

The final section of the poem discusses the moral qualities and virtues ofthe ideal critic, who is also the ideal man — and who, Pope laments, no longer exists in the degenerate world of the early eighteenth century.

What do the characters in "The Pearl" symbolize, and what is a lesson that is revealed in the action of the plot?These are the instructions. In an...

The characters in the short book "The Pearl" by Steinbeck  are the two who represent the innocent ones and the doctor who is the manipulator and the trackers who are the greedy ones who all envision something different in the pearl.

Kino sees the pearl as hope for a better future for his family.  His wife sees the pearl as something that could be evil.  The doctor sees the pearl as a thing too great for a meager Indian to own.  The trackers see their fortune in it.

The pearl that seems like such a good thing initially brings nothing but evil to the life of the couple and their infant. There are several lessons such as be careful what you wish for and greed is the root of evil.

What is 'predicting' and 'foreshadowing' and what is the difference between them?How can I define "flashback'?Thanks for helping!

To my mind, predicting is done primarily by the reader, whereas foreshadowing is done primarily by the author.

Readers make predictions all the time, even where the author has not really dropped any hints regarding the outcome of the story's plot.  For example, as soon as you pick up a book about a mountain-climbing expedition, you probably begin making predictions about whether the climbers will reach the top of the mountain safely.  You tend to make these predictions  even if the author is doing nothing more than telling the story in a simple, chronological order.

By contrast, foreshadowing is an element that is purposefully and skillfully inserted into a story by its author.  For example, our mountain-climbing author might begin his story by mentioning that the region in which the climb is taking place is often plagued by hurricanes.  When you first read this, you might think that this is just a bit of background information about the setting.  Really, the author is hinting to you that the expedition is going to be troubled by rain and high winds.

Of course, when the author foreshadows, the savvy reader predicts.  But savvy readers predict even when the author has not foreshadowed.

Define genre and describe that of Pride and Prejudice.

Pride and Prejudice , similarly to the works of Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, and to a point Charles Dickens, is categorized as a "comedy of manners".

The "comedy of manners" is what we could consider in the 21st century as the equivalent of the romantic comedy, but it has specific qualities that makes the novel stand out from other types of social novels in that:

a. It uses witticism and sarcastic undertones to bring out the mannerisms and specific behaviors of the current societal memes. For example, the preocupations with social standing, marriage, the fashionable society, and being considered into the upper classes.

b. It questions the credibility of the most pompous character through exaggerating and basically satirizing them. Hence we have a Mrs Bennett and her rushing through getting her daughters married, and we often wonder how does this describe her as a good, christian woman.

c. In a comedy of manners there will be some form of love affair or ilicit affair going on which everyone might know about yet nobody mentions, or nobody knows but it is openly obvious.

d. The character in a comedy of manners do not challenge the characters that they openly satirize. The characters that are snobby, flippant, or arrogant remain the same, because (as manners require) you are to tolerate who is who in society, and your job (if you are below in echelon) is to be a mere observer--a witty and funny one at that.

In "The Tell-Tale Heart" what does the narrator say about his state of mind? Do you believe him? Why or why not?

In Poe's short story "The Tell Tale Heart" the narrator begins by tying to convince the readers that he is not crazy.  He reiterates this message many times throughout his story.  The presentation of the lines indicate a sense of distress.

"TRUE! - nervous - very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am;"

The man tries to convince the reader that he loved the old man, but in the same breath he shares that the man's eye was at fault for his need to kill the man.

"He had the eye of a vulture - a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold."

The man goes on to tell about his insomnia and the sounds he hears in the night.

"He was still sitting up in the bed listening; - just as I have done, night after night, hearkening to the death watches in the wall."

The man has murdered the old man, but now he keeps hearing his heart beating.  he even thinks that it is so loud that the neighbors may have heard it.

"And now a new anxiety seized me - the sound would be heard by a neighbor!"

The sound of the heart intensifies but the policemen in the house do not seem to hear it.  They continue talking and laughing having heard nothing, but the man is sure they are mocking him.

As the sounds increase the words repeat and also increase in size.  This indicates to the writer that the man is experiencing more stress.

"I felt that I must scream or die! and now - again! - hark! louder! louder! louder! louder!"

The narrator is definitely mad!

What are the characteristics of the comedy of manners implied in The Second Mrs. Tanqueray by Arthur Wing Pinero? Please give me some hints.

This is a difficult question for two reasons. The first is that Arthur Wing Pinero's play The Second Mrs Tanqueray is a tragic drama, it is not a comedy of manners. The second is that if it has characteristics of a comedy of manners, they resemble the comedy of manners as first innovated by Jane Austen in the earlier Regency era. Pinero wrote in the latter part of the Victorian era. The Second Mrs Tanqueray was published in 1893; Queen Victoria was crowned in 1837.

By this period in the Victorian era, comedy of manners had changed considerably from Jane Austen's innovation of the genre with Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and her other four novels. By the 1890s the comedy of manners was best epitomized by Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest and The Ideal Husband. The comedy of manners, a then popular form of play, according to Maureen Moran in Victorian Literature and Culture, shared the characteristics of witticism, craftsmanship; bourgeois characters, loyal servants, obstacles; unexpected, clever resolution; frivolity, a formulaic treatment of love and marriage, rapier wit; idioms; contemporary settings and costumes.

To step back to the Regency era and Jane Austen's original comedies of manners, the characteristics of those are a concentration on the character's personality; conflicts between the heroine and society; witty, elegant, intellectual dialogue; a witty, ironic narrator (often omniscient third person but sometimes limited third person) who is amused and sympathetic; complications in the pursuit of love, usually brought about by a character flaw in either one or both the hero and heroine; subplots of love pursuits of realistic but in some way ridiculous characters; realistic adverse social situations (e.g., elopements with officers, raiding Gypsies); well constructed and skillfully told stories; and manners, that is details of the way of life and social customs of that era.  

Since The Second Mrs Tanqueray isn't really a comedy of manners, it seems more likely that you will succeed in finding Austenian-style characteristics of the comedy of manners genre than Victorian-style characteristics seeing as how it doesn't approach the level of one of Wilde's plays.

However, be that as it may, some hints at what to look for come in "The First Act," during the conversation between the Aubrey and the dinner guest once Cayley Drummle walks in. The dialogue shows wit and repartee as they talk about "fish and cutlet" and "pancake" and bandy him for his explanation for missing dinner. Some situational irony develops in Drummel's speech about the newly wed Miss Hervey, now the new Lady Orreyed, plus it is the beginning of the set-up of the realistic social situation that the play addresses with the intention of disquieting Victorian prejudices and convictions.

[For more information on Victorian tragedy and comedy of manners, see Maureen Moran's Victorian Literature and Culture.]

How does the scene at the carousel at the end of the novel bring The Catcher in the Rye to an end?Discuss Pheobe's reaching for the brass ring,...

In the carousel scene, Holden returns home, which was his original objective in leaving Pencey in Chapter 1.  Like Phoebe reaching for the brass ring, he has tried to make the transition into adulthood and failed - "fallen off" the carousel, so to speak, and has returned to the security of childhood to regroup, hopefully to try again another day.  In describing his fear in watching Phoebe, he says, "the thing with kids is, if they want to grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it...if they fall off, they fall off, but it's bad if you say anything to them" (Chapter 25). Holden is aware that growing up involves necessary risk.

The fact that Holden sits by the carousel but does not ride is significant because it shows that he can go back and enjoy the peace and security childhood offers for awhile, but that he is in reality no longer a child and can no longer participate in its rites.  His tears may be tears of joy and relief at the respite his return offers, or they may be symbolic of renewal.

What are some of Buck's characteristics in The Call of the Wild?

Buck is the strongest, most powerful and most fearless sled dog in all of the Klondike in Jack London's novel, Call of the Wild. A part-St. Bernard and part-Scottish shepherd, Buck weighs about 150 pounds. Stolen from his home in California, Buck is shipped to Alaska, where he is trained as a sled dog. He is whipped into shape by his masters and comes to fear and honor the club they use to beat him. Far larger than any of the other sled dogs, he quickly becomes the leader of the team. He learns his trade quickly, and he learns to fight and feed himself however possible. He is fair with the rest of the dogs, and they, in return, respect Buck far more than the previous leader, Spitz. After surviving several attacks from Spitz, he eventually kills him and becomes the lead dog. His team makes one run in record time, and his owners proclaim him the finest dog they have ever seen. When he later becomes the property of John Thornton, he earns even greater renown when he pulls a 1000 pound sled for 100 yards--even breaking the sled from the ice. He comes to love Thornton, the only master to treat him as a pet, and Buck idolizes his final master. When Thornton is killed by Indians, Buck furiously attacks and kills several of them. The call of the wild eventually lures him to join a wild wolf pack, which he quickly leads after fighting off their own attacks. He becomes a legend to the Indians, who fear the ghost dog that vengefully kill those who murdered his master. Surely, Buck is the greatest dog in all literature.

Give me three examples of personification in Romeo and Juliet (including the act and scene number).

Personification is the humanizing of an inanimate object. In other words, it is the act of giving human traits to non-human things. Shakespeare was a master of this type of figurative language, and as such, his plays are absolutely riddled with personification.

It's difficult to choose just 3 examples of personification from "Romeo and Juliet;" however, there are a few extraordinary uses of it.

During the fight scene in the opening act, Prince Escalus admonishes the families for their constant fighting in the streets:

Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word

By thee, Old Capulet, and Montague,

Have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets, (Act 1, scene I, lines 80-82).

In the same speech, Prince continues to speak figuratively, yet convincingly, when he warns (and foreshadows):

If ever you disturb our streets again,

Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace, (lines 87-88).

Later in Act I, scene I., Romeo laments to his cousin, Benvolio, about his unrequited love sickness. Love itself is personified in many different ways. Benvolio begins with:

Alas that love, so gentle in his view,

Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof! (lines 160-161).

To which Romeo responds:

Alas that love, whose view is muffled still,

Should without eyes see pathways to his will (lines 162-163).

His personified discussion continues through a string of juxtapositions:

Why then, O brawling love, O loving hate,

O anything, of nothing first create!

O heavy lightness, serious vanity,

Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms,

Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health,

Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is! (lines 167-172).

Still later in Act I, scene II, Capulet and Paris have a discussion during which Capulet tries to convince Paris that his daughter is too young for marriage, and she is his only daughter, "Earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she," (line 14). He goes on to explain that he is hosting a party that evening and invites Paris to attend and take stock of the other beautiful girls who will be in attendance.

At my poor house look to behold this night

Earth-treading stars that make dark heaven light.

Such comfort as do lusty young men feel

When well-appareled April on the heel

Of limping Winter treads, even such delight

Among fresh fennel buds shall you this night

Inherit at my house, (lines 24-30).

Though these examples are early in the play, they illustrate Shakespeare's use of personification to bring the language to life.

The works you are analyzing and comparing, a body including the analyses of the works, and a conclusion.

sweet107,

Miller’s American masterpiece illustrates the evolution of modern tragedy.  The play  introduces the concept of the common man as tragic hero, and the critique of the American Dream that parallels the fall of Willy Loman. Death of a Salesman, like Oedipus the King and A Dollhouse, embodies the end of a much longer story. Here, however, this longer story is brought into the present through dramatized fragments of memory.

These scenes of past action come out of Willy’s head; they are consequently subjective and distorted visions of the past rather than accurate recreations. Psychologically, they suggest that the past is always a part of the present, shaping our thoughts, actions, fears, and dreams. We are made up from everything we have lived through.

There are two crises in the play. Both occur on stage and within Willy’s mind. The first is the discovery of Willy’s adultery (Act 2). This single incident shapes the future of both Willy and Biff (i.e., the present action of the play). It also accounts for the ongoing alienation between father and son, Biff’s self-destructiveness, and Willy’s guilt. The second crisis is Willy’s decision, while in conversation with Ben, to commit suicide; it shapes the catastrophe, which follows closely when Willy drives off to his death (Act 2), and the resolution of the play (the “Requiem”).

Willy and Biff each experience a partial recognition. Willy realizes that he has run out of lies, dreams, and illusions (Act 2) but that Biff loves him (Act 2). Biff clearly realizes that he does not want Willy’s version of the American Dream (Act 2).

Where does Simon go after he leaves "the lord of the flies" and why do Ralph and Piggy decide to attend Jack's feast?

After Simon leaves his secret place where the hunters have put the pig's head, he staggers down to the beach.  Unfortunately for him, the boys are in a complete frenzy, doing their hunting dance.  Even Ralph has joined them.  This is because he is a bit afraid of the storm that is blowing up.  Jack says that they need to dance to prevent the storm from hurting them.

When Simon gets down to the beach, the boys end up treating him as the pig.  They beat him to death.  They do this because they think he is the beast.

What is the role of women in the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns?

Hosseini seems to have chosen women as his main characters in the novel to demonstrate how much they have suffered in his native Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. His first novel, The Kite Runner, is male driven and occurs mainly during a different time setting (the Golden Age of Afghanistan) and the time period right before 9/11 when the Talibs were most powerful.

Specifically, in A Thousand Splendid Suns, Hosseini portrays women being forced to ban together in order to survive.  While Mariam and Laila most likely would not have been friends or helped each other under normal circumstances, under the oppression of their husband and the Taliban, they (like many real Afghani women) eventually recognize that they must work together to protect the innocent (themselves and the children).

This novel, like Hosseini's first, sheds light on the victims of totalitarian regimes, whether it be a certain ethnic group like the Hazaras in Kite Runner or women in this novel, Hosseini demonstrates that even in the most difficult setting, humans can persevere and eventually find their dignity.  Mariam does so in this novel by sacrificing herself for Laila and the children and by being able to be at peace with herself, and Laila does so by continuing on and establishing a family with Tariq in spite of all that she endured.

what is a perfect introduction than name two subjects and say that they are simlar , very diffrent or have many important ( or interesting )...

The perfect introduction?  I don't know that there is such a thing, but there are several ways to begin papers which are effective.  All of these include a "hook"--a way to interest your reader and make him/her want to keep reading.  You can do this with a quote, an anecdote (short story lead in), statistics, some shocking fact or statement.

The typical formula is to hook the reader, state your purpose for the paper, then spend the next few paragraphs giving reasons for your stance on a subject or factors/steps in your explanation or how-to approach.  The conclusion should reiterate without completely restating your main points, since the last few paragraphs are what your reader will most likely remember.  Be sure to emphasize the main points in a clever and interesting way.

With comparison and contrast papers, you can organize it one of two ways:  first, you could list 3-4 ways the two items resemble and/or differ from each other and then take each of these ways and discuss all the similarities/differences at once before moving on to the next factor, OR you can talk about one of the items and discuss all of the factors you've decided to use and then move to the other subject and do the same thing.Good luck!

How does the alchemist contributed to Santiago's journey? And what are his character traits and physical description in Coelho's The Alchemist?

In the book "The Alchemist,” Santiago, a young male shepard, has a dream about a treasure.  He sells his sheep and goes in search of the treasure.  On his journey he meets an Alchemist.  The boy is somewhat afraid of him.  He needs him to teach him how to survive in the desert.

"The Alchemist is two hundred years old," the English man had told him."

Santiago is considering stopping his quest and marrying Fatima.  The Alchemist tells the boy that if he stops he will always be plagued by bad dreams and Omens.  They will call him to find the treasure because had not completed his quest.

The Alchemist explains to Santiago that the journey was his gold.  He explains to him that before one finds one's dream, one must be tested. It sit the Alchemist who helps Santiago realizes the importance of the journey and what true treasure is instead of gold.

"The Alchemist dresses all in black and rides a horse, "with a falcon perched on his left shoulder."(108)

He is wearing a turban and his face is almost covered except for his eyes. His face is covered by a black kerchief. He looks like a desert messenger.

Is it true that Boo Radley was an intelligent child who was emotionally damaged by his cruel father?Some say that Boo Radley became "mentally...

Boo Radley is a powerful symbol of goodness although he is originally blanketed in a shroud of creepiness, leaving little presents for Scout and Jem and emerging at just the right moments to save them from harm. He was originally an intelligent child emotionally, but he was emotionally damaged by his cruel father, and essentially put under "house arrest" for most of his life. To specifically answer your question, yes Boo is one of the novel's “mockingbirds,” a good person injured by the evil of mankind. He provides a perfect example of the threat that evil poses to innocence and goodness. Check the link below for more information. Hope this helps you.

What do you think about Eveline's father?

Eveline's father is not a good father in any sense of the word. Eveline's memories and anecdotes about him all surround his drunken and abusive behavior. The first incident the reader learns about is the time he went hunting for his children in the field with a stick.

Eveline admits that he is violent when he drinks, and tries to rationalize it away by saying he usually left her be. The abuse usually focused on her now deceased mother and older brothers.

Eveline is forced to try to care for him, and yet he does heap abuse on her and makes her life difficult. He berates her for wasting his money, which is for food, while he blows it on booze. Eveline is stuck to contend with his drinking and violent temper.

Explain one simile or personification in the poem "If."

An instance of personification occurs in these lines:

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same

This set of lines personifies Triumph and Disaster. It treats them as if they were people in 3 ways. First, they are given proper names. Second, the assumption is presented that they can be "met with" as if you were going to meet them for coffee. Lastly, and most clearly, they are renamed as impostors, a human ability to disguise one's self.

Here's another personification, a minute doesn't have the capability to forgive, people do:

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

As for simile, I can't find one that specifically fits the rule of a comparison using like or as. Maybe another editor will know something I don't. I think you could argue that there are instances of metaphor, and I think many similes include the word 'if', so there may be instances that are close, but not quite.

In the Canterbury Tales, what was the prize for telling the best tale? A. a horse B. a dinner or C a book?

The Canterbury Tales were written in 1386 by Geoffrey Chaucer. 

In the original language, the portion about the prize for the best tale reads: 

Tales of best sentence and most solas,

Shal have a soper at our aller cost

Here in this place, sitting by this post,

Whan that we come agayn fro Caunterbury.

Therefore, in the second line above, Chaucer writes that the inn keeper promises the person telling the best tale will have a dinner at no cost there in the Inn. The tales are told by a diverse group as they travel together. The inn keeper suggested that they tell the tales to pass the time, then suggested the prize for the best tale. As they travel together to Canterbury, each is to tell two tales and on the return trip, two more tales. Once back at the inn, the inn keeper will decide the winner.

Discuss Absalom and Achitophel by John Dryden as a plitical Allegory.

The definition of allegory has two senses. The first relates to when an author writes an allegory by design as did Edmund Spenser and John Bunyon. In this sense of allegory the characters are usually given titles rather than names: e.g., the Red Crosse Knight and Mr. Worldy Wiseman. The second sense of allegory depends on the reading given a particular work, passage, sentence, line. In other words, a particular reader may find allegory through his/her reading whereas another reader may not recognize allegory in the same work.

Having said this, John Dryden wrote Absalom and Achitophel as a satire to instigate political reform. The era was that during which a faction in England was trying to seat the illegitimate son of Charles II (after the Restoration) on the throne through a rebellion against Charles II. Dryden used a Biblical tale, that of the rebellion of Absalom against King David, in the humor of satire stated with the sweetening leaven of verse to point out the wrongfulness of a rebellion and the disastrous impending outcome of such a rebellion.

As you can see from the excerpted quote below, Dryden did not style Absalom and Achitophel as an allegory, as did Spenser and Bunyon, but he was certainly casting then contemporary figures in the role of Biblical heroes and villains. Therefore, an understanding of Absalom and Achitophel as an allegory revolves around the second sense of the definition of allegory, which is that a reading of allegory rests with the reader, literary analyst, literary critic.

Michal, of royal blood, the crown did wear,
A soil ungrateful to the tiller's care:
Not so the rest; for several mothers bore
To godlike David several sons before.
But since like slaves his bed they did ascend, [15]
No true succession could their seed attend.
Of all the numerous progeny was none

So beautiful, so brave, as Absalon;
Whether inspired by some diviner lust,...

In Chapter 13 of Brave New World, what makes John change his mind about Lenina?

Ever since he has met her, John the Savage has been totally in love with Lenina Crowne.  But his love for her is the sort that puts her "on a pedestal."  He thinks of her as perfect.

Because of his values, he thinks a perfect woman must be a virgin and must not have sexual desires (or at least not show them).  He is very old-fashioned.

Meanwhile, Lenina isn't in love, but she thinks John is really attractive and wants to sleep with him.  In her apartment in this chapter, Lenina takes off her clothes to have sex with John.

When John sees this, he starts to think she is a whore because that's what his values say she is if she acts like that.

Was the Vietnam War a true civil war between North and South Vietnam, or was it more than that?

North Vietnam was communist and South Vietnam was non-communist. Communist countries supported North Vietnam while non-communist countries supported South Vietnam.

The war was more than a civil war between this divided country. There were factors involving other nations that started the war. Between 1945 and 1954, Vietnam had waged an anti-colonialism war against France, and in turn the United States gave Vietnam over two and a half billion dollars in support. It was the intention of France to restore its colonial dominion after WWII. In 1954, Vietnam gained its independence from France and consequently was temporarily divided into North Vietnam and South Vietnam. South Vietnam refused to attend unification elections and the United States supported them.

So all of these events led to the conflict.

What is the naturalist symbolism in "To Build a Fire"?

The movement of Naturalism came about in conjunction with Darwin's theory concerning evolution and natural selection.  Naturalism asserts that humans,  instead of being above other animals in the heirarchy of the world, are just another ring the chain of life.  We are controlled not as much by our intellect, but by our genetics and by natural laws which have governed our development, just like other animals.  This is symbolized in the story with the ultimate failure of the narrator.  He tries to use his intellect in the story to "keep his head", but everytime  he does, he ignores his instinct.  He does not do enough to keep warm, etc.  As a result, he fails.  If he listened to his natural instincts, he could have survived.

Although not based on formal research, to me, the symbolism in "To Build a Fire" exists in the form of the man as  symbolic of humans in general in their attitudes of superiority in respect to most, if not all things.  For example, the man thinks or believes that he has nothing to fear from the weather and that his intelligence makes him far superior to it, when in reality nature is the one thing on earth that man can never and will never be able to change, control, or manipulate.

How was Elizabethan era fashion different from ours now days ? How has fashion Changed Over the Years? Do you like it ? Is this good ? why or why...

All body parts were covered. This is the biggest different. The ruffs, doublets, and huge dresses that were put together in pieces meant there was no room for imagination when it came to looking at the opposite sex.

We value the thin in our culture. Men in Elizabethan England would actually wear a belly with some stuffing as to look fatter than they were. This was to prove that they ate well and it made them appear rich if they could feed themselves.

We also value a tan. The tan made the English of that era feel working class. So they valued a very white skin to prove they didn't work outdoors.

Colors and textures defined working class. The drab color and more course fabrics were for the lower class, whereas silks and vivacious colors were for the rich... particularly purple.

I like how we operate today. Jeans and a t-shirt can be work by any member of society and say absolutely nothing about social class, or they can say everything... it just depends on the person.

What are consonants?The question is asking for the consonant in the middle and in the end of words?

Our speech or spoken words are composed of two different types of sounds called consonants ans vowels. Vowels are sounds or letters representing these sounds that can be  made during human speech only by restricting free passage of breath by the tongue, teeth or lip. A vowel is a sound made with free passage of breath. In English language vowel sounds are represented by letters a, e, i, o and u, and sometimes w and y. A vowel may be a syllable in itself or may be joined with one or more consonants to produce a syllable. Also two vowels may be combined to form a single syllable called diphthong.

s.Consonants are further classified in four groups - stopped, open, spirant and aspirant.Stopped consonant sounds are made by complete stoppage of breath. They include b, d, g, k, p, and t. Open consonant sounds are made with partial stoppage of breathe, They are l, m, n, r, w, and y. Spirant are open consonants requiring friction in oral passage, They include f, j, s, v and z. The only aspirant or breathed consonant.

A syllable, which is a word or a part of word pronounced as a unit, cannot consist of only a consonant. A syllable containing a consonant or group of consonants must be either preceded or followed by a vowel.

In A Modest Proposal, what problem does the speaker describe in the first two paragraphs?

The speaker in this satirical essay describes a number of problems in the first two paragraphs.  All of them are related to poverty and excess of population.  Here is what they are:

• Too many female beggars, most of whom have at least a few children following them along.  He mentions that it is a problem that they are able to find work.


• Their children grow up so poor that they either A) steal for a living, B) go fight as mercenaries for Spain or C) sell themselves as indentured servants in the Caribbean.

All of this is in the first paragraph.  In the second, he just says that if anyone could solve these problems, it would be a good thing -- so good that such a person should get their statue put up.

Why did Eliezer pray and cry when he did so?

At the beginning of Night, author Elie Wiesel is passionate about his Judaism. He is fascinated with Cabala (Jewish mysticism) and has a strong desire to learn everything he can about it by finding a teacher. In Judaism, normally a man does not even begin the study of Cabala until he is at least forty years old because it takes a certain amount of wisdom just to attempt to decipher it. Orthodox Jewish boys spend much of their time praying and studying, and Elie is no exception. When he finally finds a Cabala teacher in Moshe the Beadle, Moshe asks Elie why he cries when he prays. Elie responds, "I don't know why." He continues:

"The question had never entered my head. I wept because--because of something inside me that felt the need for tears. That was all I knew.

'Why do you pray?' he asked me, after a moment. Why do I pray? A strange question. Why did I live? Why did I breathe?

'I don't know why,' I said, even more disturbed and ill at ease" (Wiesel 2).

Weeping and praying are like breathing to Elie. They are an inherent part of him--like the blood running through his veins and his heart beating. Elie's belief in God is that strong, which is one of the reasons his story is so tragic. The Nazis take everything away from Elie Wiesel. They take his possessions, his parents, his little sister, and perhaps worse of all, they take his faith that had meant so much to him. 

Trees had to be planted in 9 straight rows with each row having 5 trees. Only had 19 seeds for trees. How to plant 9 rows with 5 trees?

The key for this problem is to intersect as often as you can, and to keep in mind that the seeds do not necessarily have to have the same distance between them.

Draw a 5 pointed star.

                                  A

                                 /  X   

B ---------------------------------------------C

      X             /                          X            /

           X       /                             X         / 

               X                                        X                 

            /     X                                 /       X   

        /            X                           /              X

D------------------------------------------------E

                                X    /    

                                  F

Then connect A-F, B-E, and D-C. Each edge(point): point of intersection is where a seed should be planted.  It's much easier to draw this on paper and then circle the intersected points. Obviously, you should have 19 points.

In 1984, what are the four ministries and their purpose?

All of the ministries have very ironic names.

The Ministry of Truth is where Winston Smith works.  Their role is to change the past and to spread lies.  They are putting out what the Party says is true, but not what really is true.

The Ministry of Truth conducts wars.

The Ministry of Love is in charge of the police.  This includes things like the Thought Police.  As we see in the book, the police are brutal.

The Ministry of Plenty takes care of economic affairs.  This is an ironic name because pretty much everyone is poor.

Here is a video summarizing the novel:

What are some symbols in "The Most Dangerous Game" and why are they important to the story?

I don't know that "The Most Dangerous Game" has that many symbols in it.  It has a few themes, but it's more of an adventure story than a story filled with symbolism.  But if I had to take a shot - I'd look at Zaroff's mansion.  I think this could represent his love of hunting and killing.  Zaroff obviously is very wealthy and quite intelligent; however, instead of using his money and talents to benefit humanity, he uses them to destroy it.  To his credit, when Rainsford learns what Zaroff deems is the best type of game to hunt, he is revolted.  For Rainsford it is murder, not sport.  He sees a clear distinction between animals and human life.  Zaroff, in his greed and blood lust, has lost that distinction.  Now the interesting thing to examine is since Rainsford defeats Zaroff in the climax and now has sole possession of the mansion and island, has his attitude toward hunting and the value of human life changed?  Or will he become as corrupted as Zaroff after getting a taste of the most dangerous game?

What's the point of view in "The Story of an Hour?"

The point of view in this short story is probably best described as that of a limited third person narrator.

The story is not told from the point of view of any of the characters.  We are not seeing the story through Mrs. Mallard's eyes or those of her sister or any one else's eyes.  Instead, we are outside of the action looking in.

We can say the narrator is limited because he or she can know what the people are thinking, but not all the time.  The narrator is not just telling us what happened, he or she is also telling us what Louise is thinking.  But we don't really know what anyone else is thinking.

Why did William Makepeace Thackeray write "Vanity Fair" Was there something in his life that urged him to write this novel?

While certainly Thackeray had moral and aesthetic reasons for writing the novel, he also had financial ones.  He wrote it as a serial (installments in magazines) to make money.  Although born into the class of a gentleman, he had lost money through investments.  He saw himself as competing against Charles Dickens, who also wrote for serial publications.  However, Thackeray never reached the popularity gained by Dickens, but he certainly was sufficiently successful to be called a genius by his contemporaries and thereby winning back his status as a “gentleman.”

Why did Montressor decide to kill Fortunato in his own basement instead of somewhere else?

The murder of Fortunato took place, not in Montressor's basement, but in the catacombs, family crypts, of Montressor's family.  This site was perfect for his crime for several reasons; the first of these is that it was his family crypt.  I don't know about you, but to be perfectly honest, I can't think of anyone who just decides to take a walk in their family crypt!  Therefore, it is not likely that anyone would stumble upon the murder scene; another benefit is that Montresor himself has access and can keep an eye on the scene whenever needed.  Finally, there is the point to be made that no one could hear Fortunato when he screams, which I suspect he did for as long as he had the strength.  These are the basic reasons that Montressor chose to kill his enemy in his family crypt.

What is the conflict in the Slave Dancer by Paula Fox?

In the book The Slave Dancer the conflict evolves around a boy named Jessie Bollier who is kidnapped and forced to play his fife on the ship Moonlight.  Moon light is a slave ship that goes to collect slaves and brings them back to America to be sold.

While on the ship Jessie witnesses the horrible treatment of the slaves.  He sees them beaten and placed in cargo holds that had barely any room, no ventilation, and inhuman conditions.  The slaves were forced to go up on the deck and dance in order to keep their muscles healthy.  Jessie had to play for them so they would move to the music.

The conflict comes to a head when the ship's captain and crew see a ship that will arrest them for having the slaves so the men take all the slaves and throw them overboard.  Jessie has to help to save Ras, a young black boy.

The primary conflict is the internal struggle as Jessie tries to cope through the voyage while watching the horrible treatment of the slaves and being unable to do anything to help them.

In chapter 5, why does Piggy dissuade Ralph from giving up his position as chief?

Piggy dissuades Ralph for two main reasons.  First of all, Piggy and Ralph need each other - they are, along with Simon, are the only ones who look at their situation from a mature perspective.  The other boys are only interested in playing and hunting whereas Ralph and Piggy want to do everything they can to be rescued. 

Also, Ralph is the only one who accepts Piggy.  If Ralph stepped down from his position, Piggy would be at the mercy of all the other boys and would have no protection whatsoever.   

How does alcohol affect the teenage mind, and what are the differences between the teen and adult mind effects?

In an article entitled "Getting Stupid" by Bernice Wuethrich which appeared in a 2001 edition of Discovery Magazine, the author discusses this very topic.  She cites a study by Michael de Bellis from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center which involved MRI comparisons of the hippocampi portion of the brain of young people 14 to 21 years old who abused alcohol to those who did not. De Bellis found that the hippocampi (the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning) was roughly 10 percent smaller in the brains of alcohol abusers than it was in the brains of non-drinking young people.

Wuethrich discusses that alcohol's effect on young people who abuse alcohol is much more drastic than it would be on mature adults because the brain is still growing in teens, and alcohol has the potential to cease some brain growth. In an adult, the brain is fully grown (although it might not seem that way sometimes!), and so while he or she might drink and lose brain cells, at least the adult's brain presumably had the opportunity to reach maturity.

What is the dispute between John Proctor and Thomas Putnam in Act II?

I do not really think that there is a dispute between the two men in Act II.  However, there is a dispute in Act I.

In Act I, Scene 2, there is a dispute between the two men.  It is over a couple of things.  First, Proctor does not like Putnam because the two of them have some disputes over some property.  Proctor has taken wood of the property, but Putnam thinks it is his.

Second, Putnam is trying to control Parris.  He has been behind calling Rev. Hale to come to Salem.  Proctor thinks that Putnam should not be able to control things just because he is rich.  This annoys Putnam because he feels that the town does not give him as much power as he deserves.

In Of Mice and Men, what is Crooks somtimes afraid of late at night in his little room?

I would disagree with that.  I think Crooks is very concerned that when his life is over he will not have made any real connections with anybody.  These are his lines:

 "I didn't mean to scare you.  He'll come back.  I was talkin' about myself.  A guy sets alone out here at night, maybe readin' books or thinkin' or stuff like that.  Sometimes he gets thinkin', an' he got nothing to tell him what's so an' what ain't so.  Maybe if he sees somethin', he don't know whether it's right or not.  He can't turn to some other guy and ast him if he sees it too.  He can't tell.  He got nothing to measure by.  I seen things out here.  I wasn't drunk.  I don't know if I was asleep.  If some guy was with me, he could tell me I was asleep, an' then it would be all right.  But I jus' don't know."

Identify four ways in which Brecht's notion of epic theatre separates the audience from The Good Person of Szechwan.

Crucial to Brecht's conception of epic theatre was his idea that the audience had to be alienated from the main action within the play so that they could focus more easily on the social messages and themes of the play. It is much easier to focus on issues such as injustice and poverty when you are not overwhelmed with emotion which cloud your judgement and make it difficult to think clearly. Brecht therefore sought to alienate the audience from the main action of the play through the following strategies.

This play contains a number of monologues where the characters, sometimes in the middle of conversations with other characters, suddenly turn and engage the audience. Note, for example, the way in which Shu Fu talks to the audience about his courting of Shen Teh and how he plans to do it, asking their opinion:

What do you think of me, ladies and gentlemen? Could one do more? Could one be more unselfish? More delicate? More far-sighted?

The content of such moments tell the audience what is going to happen and reveal the character's feelings about these events, that help the audience focus on the messages behind those events. In the first and final monologues, the most important in the play, the audience is directly addressed again, with the final monologue featuring a metafictional apology as an actor apologises for the lack of a neat ending, focusing the fiction on itself. In the same way, the various songs in the play are used by Brecht to add a touch of the unreal to the play and to present his ideas and messages. All of these elements combine to form Brecht's notion of epic theatre as the audience is distanced from the action within the play and encouraged to focus on the message and themes.

The character Penelope in the the Odyssey. I have read the story but am having trouble understanding her role. Can you help describe her?I want to...

Penelope is a fairly strong and round character in Homer's work.  I think that the most overwhelming characteristic she possesses is fidelity.  Simply put, she remains loyal to her husband.  While it has been an absence of over 20 years, she does not take another husband in recognition of her original and true partner.  She is a strong woman, as Homer depicts her as not excessively maudlin about the past relationship and her husband's absence.  Rather, she is focused on ensuring that Telemachus is strong enough to be his own adult, and very aware of how others might perceive her.  In the scene with all of the suitors, she knows that this "visitor" is unique and distinctive and mentions the bed in order to reveal the truth.  The elements of truth, loyalty, and care are the attributes that emerge the most from Penelope through Homer's description.

What is Gawain's response after Launcelot spares his life?

In what is listed as Chapters 21 and 22 of Volume 2 (in the edition available on the Gutenberg Project) Gawain fights Launcelot twice.  Both times, he loses but Launcelot refuses to kill him.

In both cases, Gawain is very angry.  He calls Launcelot a "traitor knight" and dares him to come back and fight to the death.  However, Launcelot will not kill him.  This is because, as Launcelot says, he is not willing to kill someone who is defenseless.  Since Launcelot made Gawain helpless both times, he (Launcelot) does not want to finish him off when he cannot defend himself.

Does the play fit the definition of the tragedy? What supportive evidences can you present?

Synge's Riders to the Sea is definitely a tragedy.  

Fate is the governing force in Riders, as it often is in Greek tragedy.  Maurya and her family have only one means of survival--the sea.  The men are doomed because the same sea they must travel to earn a living will sooner or later destroy them.  Maurya is trapped by forces she cannot control and cannot even understand. 

Maurya suffers through the loss of nine males, including her husband and all of her sons, and she only reaches any kind of resolution or peace when she finally has nothing left to lose. 

The family is, in effect, wiped out by a force beyond its control.  Notice the weaving occurring when the play opens--this is in imitation of and an allusion to the Greek fates who weave human destiny.  Notice how Michael's fate is determined by how a sock was stitched. 

Synge mixes Irish myth with Greek myth to form his tragedy, but for your purposes, the above should establish that the play is a tragedy in the Greek tradition.

Why does Brutus tell everyone to "fly not, stand still"?

The quote is from Act III, scene i, and occurs immediately after Brutus and the conspirators have finished killing Caesar.  Cinna and Cassius are saying they should run through the streets, proclaiming liberty and freedom, and the senators are all beginning to panic, but Brutus advises them:

"People and senators, be not affrighted,
Fly not, stand stiff: ambition's debt is paid."

Brutus is trying to get them to calm down and act like the patriots they are (or that he has convinced himself they are), rather than run around looking guilty.

Check the link below for more information.  Good luck!

Explain Doublethink in "1984". Why is it essential to the success of the party? part 1

Doublethink is a way for you to think one way but believe another. It is protection for anyone in the Party who does not truly believe the policies.

For instance, when Winston is being tortured by O'Brien, O'Brien tells Winston that two plus two equal five. Winston oberves that O'Brien gives absolutely no indication that he believes any other thing than that 2+2 actually DOES equal 5. Even though Winston knows this is not true, he also eventually begins to think that 2+2 MIGHT equal 5.

It's like thinking one thing and saying something completely opposite to hide your true feelings...doublethink is incredibly wearisome and difficult to keep up for any period of time, especially in a society like Oceania where people are constantly looking for a reason to accuse someone else of thoughtcrime.

What is a clear summary of Roman Fever?

The summary of Roman Fever is tricky, I find, because the women's names tend to swim together in my mind and their identities become blurred and confused. Having said this, the theme of Roman Fever is actually that their identities did become confused. So, I'll approach giving a summary in a slightly unorthodox manner that you, once you absorb it all, can render in a more orthodox form if you wish. First, Mrs. Spade married a corporate lawyer; henceforth for clarity we'll call her Mrs. Corporate. Mrs. Ansely is said to represent old museum aspects of New York society; henceforth we'll call her Mrs. Museum.

While they are talking the afternoon away, each harboring a subtle inclination to linger although they are dissimilar and not altogether comfortable with each other, Mrs. Corporate brings up an afternoon when they were young and visiting Rome together along with Mrs. Corporate's then fiance, whom we will call Mr. Corporate. Mrs. Corporate reminds Mrs. Museum that on that day, Mrs. Museum developed a serous illness that kept her in bed for weeks. Mrs. Museum is hesitant to acknowledge recollection until Mrs. Corporate bursts out with the statement that she knows why Mrs. Museum got ill.

Mrs. Corporate says to Mrs. Museum that her illness was because she received a rendezvous letter from Mr. Corporate (someone else's fiance...!) but that he had not written it--Mrs. Corporate had penned it herself as a wicked lure to ruins of the Forum to cause Mrs. Museum's illness in order to keep her out of the way of the romance between the then soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs. Corporate. Mrs. Museum says, hmmm, you wrote it...well...I answered it, and Mr. Corporate was there at the rendezvous to greet me...so there.

Mrs. corporate says, well, it was long ago and now you have only the memory of one night of chit chat. Mrs. Museum says, oh, contrare, mon chere...I have my daughter...Barbara. The anvil falls and crashes on Mrs. Corporate's head. Mr. Corporate was Mrs. Museum's willing lover and the father of Mrs. Museums daughter. This is a situation of painful, tragic situational irony: The duper turns out to be the self-inflicted victim of the dupe.

What were Chris's views of work and success in society from Into the Wild?

Chris saw his parents as a perfect example of the corruption in society. They were well-off, had status in the community, and were raising their children to follow in their footsteps. Chris wanted something different, and viewed success in society as a chain that restrained him from new experiences. Although he understood the need to work and make money, he never tried to excel at any one task; when he worked in a fast-food restaurant, his co-workers remember that he always worked at the same steady pace, never stressing himself even when the place was busy.

[Chris], the teenage Tolstoyan, believed that wealth was shameful, corrupting, inherently evil -- which is ironic because Chris was a natural-born capitalist with anuncanny knack for making a buck.
(Krakauer, Into the Wild, Amazon.com)

This worldview came to a head when Chris symbolically burned all of his paper money, leaving himself to survive entirely on his own merits. He tried to keep moving, never staying in one place too long, and never making emotional connections that might constrain his movements. However, in an emotional moment with his father, Chris did reveal that he respected a hard work ethic and the drive to succeed for the sake of family. Chris's views were complex and hard to define, but it is clear that he valued personal integrity over most other traits.

What details in "A Worn Path" relate to Phoenix's character?"A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty

The determination of Phoenix Jackson in "A Worn Path" is evident from the very first two sentences:

It was December--a bright frozen day in the early monring. Far out in the country there was an old Negro woman with her head tied in a red rag, coming along a path through the pinewoods.

She carries a thin, small cane made from an unbrella which she uses to tap the frozen earth before her. With eyes "blue from age" she walks straight ahead indicating diminished eyesight.  As she traverses the forest, Phoenix talks to the animals, warning them in a hopeful way to stay out from under her so she will not trip.

In her lifting of her skirt and placing her cane "fiercely" before her, Phoenix is like "a festival figure in some parade" as she marches across a log that bridges a creek.  When she sees a buzzard, she is reminded of her age:  "Who you watching?" she asks it with dignity.

When she falls over after a dog charges her, Phoenix is yet undaunted as a laughing hunter asks what she is doing:

'Lying on my back like a June-bug waiting to be turned over, mister,' she said reaching up her hand.

After chasing off the dog, the white man returns and points the gun at Phoenix, but she is not afraid, and holds "utterly still."  Nor does she say anything about the nickel she has retrieved after it fell from the man's pocket.  Only to herself has she said, "I come to stealing."

Decorously, when Phoenix reaches town, she asks someone to tie her shoelaces before she enters the big building.  Once she is inside, the nurse inquires about her grandson, Aunt Phoenix displays a quiet dignity and does not respond. Finally, she begs what is likened to "a dignified forgiveness for waking up frightened in the night":

'...My little grandson, he is just the same, and I forgot it in the coming....We is the only two left in the world.  He suffer and it don't seem to put him back at all....I remembers so plain now, I not going to forget him again, no, the whole enduring time.  I could tell him from all the others in creation.'

Named for the mythological bird, Phoenix rises from her poverty and misfortune to perform her enduring act of love for her grandson.  She is perseverance and dignity and wisdom personified as she travels her worn path.

What happens to cause the lieutenant's injury?

As often happens in wartime, injuries can be caused at the least expected times. Such is the case in Stephen Crane's short story, "An Episode of War." The lieutenant is busy rationing coffee for his men during a break in the fighting when he suddenly cries out. Thinking a fellow soldier has assaulted him, he looks to the nearest man. But the rest of the nearby soldiers quickly voice their concern, and when the lieutenant looks at his arm, he finds blood trickling down his sleeve. The lieutenant "winced... swayed dangerously, and then straightened." He looks to the woods in hope of seeing from where the shot had come while the men stare "silent, astonished and awed by this catastrophe which happened when catastrophes were not expected--when they had leisure to observe it."

Three days after his liberation, Elie Wiesel becomes very ill with food poisoning, hovering "between life and death." Why is this ironic?

To have survived all that he has survived - the death camps, the malnourishment, the horrible conditions, the death march, only to have his life threatened after he is liberated is certainly ironic.  The idea of hovering between life and death, as quoted, is also an ironic thought in that Elie has been there for years, under the Nazi regime in the concentration camps, and now finds himself near death from a relatively simple medical condition.

Add to this the idea that he went without food so often, and for so long - that malnourishment was one of his biggest threats in captivity - and yet in the end, food itself, consumed after liberation, nearly took his life.  There is a lot of irony in Elie Wiesel's story.

What are the differences between French and English theaters during the 17th century?

In France the theatre was a center of social hovering because, at that time, the Kingdom of Louis XIV had brought so much patronage to the arts, and so many riches to the country (not to mention fame, class, and style) that more artists were able to expand their talents. The main plays came from Moliere, Racine, and Corliere. They contributed to a shift from tragedy/comedy to play drama. The tragedie Burgosie, which dealt with popular issues rather than just the aristocracy, began to grow as well as the popularity of attending these plays.

In England the situation was different due to the Interregnum, or the Puritan rule, which banned and closed theatres. After this ended and they were reinstated, females began to appear on stage (actual women acting). Charles II, as he reinstated the monarchy gave ample license for theatricals to be open-minded, and even sexually racy. He, himself had 7 mistresses and over 15 illegitimate children, so this was not a problem. Restoration theatre then was an outlet for the repression brought in by the Cromwell/antimonarchic rule, and was a way to allow the works of Marlowe, Johnson, Shakespear, and others to come to life again.

Did Billie Jo's mother die in Out of the Dust?

Billy Jo's mother did indeed die. In the section entitled "Devoured," dated August 1934, Billy Jo wrote,

"Ma died that day

giving birth to my brother."

Ma had been burned in a terrible accident, which is described in a previous section written in July 1934. Daddy had put a pail of kerosene near the stove, and Ma, thinking it was water, reached for it, pouring the contents into a pot on the stove where she was making coffee. The kerosene ignited, making "a rope of fire," and as Ma ran outside, the entire pail burst into flames. Thinking to help, Billy Jo grabbed the pail and threw its fiery contents out the door, not realizing that Ma was returning to the house just at that moment. Ma was doused with the flaming kerosene, and Billy Jo tried desperately to put out the flames with her hands.

There was no sophisticated care for burn victims in those days. Daddy and Doc Rice could do no more than lay Ma in bed with a sheet made into a tent over her so that it would not touch her scorched skin. Due to deliver her baby at any time, Ma lay in agony for days, and her family could do little for her other than try to squeeze a little water between her parched lips to ease her thirst. Unable to handle the situation, Daddy took the little money they had saved and went out and got drunk, leaving Billie Jo to tend to her mother as best she could. When the baby came, Doc Rice was there to deliver him, but Ma died in childbirth, and the baby died soon after.

In Great Expecations, why does Orlick lure Pip to the sluice house, and what does Orlick know about Provis?

Orlick has a longstanding grudge against Pip.  Pip is the reason for Orlick losing his job at Miss Havisham's; Orlick thought that he had a chance with Biddy and that Pip cost him that relationship, and Orlick knows that Pip suspects him of severely beating Mrs. Joe. After years of waiting for an opportunity to get revenge upon Pip, Orlick finds a way to get to Pip--he knows the truth about the convict (Magwitch/Provis).  He sends Pip an anonymous note that mentions his "Uncle Provis," and Pip feels that he must investigate because the note has Magwitch's real name on it, and therefore, could prevent Provis from making his escape (from Compeyson and the authorities).

So, a rather unsuspecting Pip goes to the sluice house and is attacked and tied up by Orlick.  All looks bleak for Pip until in true Dickensian coincidental fashion, Herbert shows up with help and defeats Orlick all while setting Pip free. It seems that Pip had dropped the mysterious note from Orlick, and that is how Herbert knew where to find him.

How does harrison rebel against the laws of 2081? Who is Diana Moon Glampers?

It's been a little while since I've read Vonnegut's "Harisson Bergeron," but since no one has helped you out yet I'll try to give you the information you need.  Harrison rebels against the system that would force everyone to be equal.  He rebels by breaking out of jail, declaring himself emperor, taking off his handicaps, and taking a woman for his own.  If I remember correctly this all takes place on live TV, which of course really angers the leaders of any totalitarian-like society. 

Diana Moon Glampers is one of these leaders, and she is the one who puts an end to Harisson's rebellion--by shooting him and his girl.  I hope this helps.

May I have an example of verbal irony and symbolism in Of Mice and Men, chapter 4

One of the key symbols in this book that comes up again in Chapter 4 is the dream of owning a patch of land and living "on the fatta the lan'." This key image recurrs throughout the story and seduces not only George and Lennie but other characters too, such as Candy and Crooks. It is such an important symbol beause it symbolises dreams, freedom and independence in an otherwise cruel world.

Verbal irony is saying the opposite of what you really mean. We see an example of this when Candy enters Crooks' room and Crooks says:

"Come on in. If ever'body's comin' in, you might just as well."

Clearly this is ironic because Crooks is fiercely possessive of his space and does not like others invading it. On the other hand, inspite of the tone of voice, he is lonely and therefore wants company.

What is Danforth's conflict with Hale in The Crucible? What is his conflict with society? What is his internal conflict?

Danforth brought Hale, an expert on the devil and witchcraft and a minister, to help to determine if there has been the devil's work in the community.  Danforth expects that Reverend Hale will support all his own findings.  However, after the Reverend has had a chance to witness what has been happening in the community, he has come to realize that there is no devil’s work but the superstitions of people.  Danforth refuses to accept Hale’s conclusions.

Hale then begins to visit the prisoners and pray with them.  He wants them to lie so they will be freed instead of hung for crimes they did not commit.  Danforth’s dilemma is to try and combat the concerns that he has convicted too many people.  The citizens have become concerned that it has gotten out of hand.  He is committed to his belief that he is making the right decisions by God, when in fact he has been the assistant to evil and injustice.

What is the major theme of the story? How do the fantastic elements help provide insights into the way human beings actually think and behave?

Doubt versus ambiguity is one of the major themes in this story. The reader is not given any clear cut answers in this story. Many issues do not get resolved, and the reader is left to wonder about the old man with wings. Is he an angel, some unknown species, or merely a mortal with wings? The author does not give the reader the answer, it is up to the reader to draw their own conclusions.

The ambiguity of the tale-the loose ends- are what make the story fantastic. It gives it a real feel. Rarely in life are people given resolution to their own events neatly tied up and concluded. This is true for the story, as well.

The elements of fantasy are what make the story, and the confusion of real versus fantasy is the purpose. The questions and unresolved issues are left for the reader to "make sense" of themselves. We must decide what happened and what is "real".

How to you solve 1-(2/5 + 1/5)N/A

Whenever you are solving an equation, you have to do the part that is inside the parenthesis first.  So in this case, you have to add 2/5 and 1/5.  That, of course, gets you 3/5.  You can just add the top parts of the fraction together as long as the bottom parts are the same.

So now the equation is simply 1-3/5.  Of course, 1 is equal to 5/5.  So you can write this as 5/5-3/5.  Again, you can simply subtract the top parts of the fractions as long as the bottom parts are the same.

That comes out to 2/5, which is the answer to this question as a whole.

What is the summary of "Kubla Khan?"explanation

This poem is not very easy to summarize because it is not really about anything -- it doesn't have a plot.

The great majority of the poem is just a description of the "pleasure dome" that Kubla Khan has supposedly constructed.  Essentially all of it is like this until the line "A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice!"

After that, Coleridge brings in the Abyssinian maid playing the dulcimer.  Her song is supposed to remind him so much of Kubla Khan's pleasure dome that he could "build it in the air."

So the poem is really more about the imagery used than it is about any storyline or plot.

Critics argue about the meaning a lot, but the most common explanation for the poem is that it is about the nature of poetic inspiration.  It is about how hard it is for poets to capture in words the visions they see in their heads.  Coleridge, in the poem, could build this whole fantastic place again, if only

Could I revive within me
Her symphony and song

In Act III, Scene I of Macbeth (and only scene I please), what are the literary devices used?I cannot find that many and I know that they are...

Concerning your question about Shakespeare's Macbeth, I'll just start at the beginning of the scene and list a few devices for you.

• Soliloquy--Banquo's opening speech


• Repetition--"As the Weird Women promised"


• Metaphor--"played'st"


• Metaphor--"stand"


• Metaphor--"root"


• Metaphor--"shine"


• Metaphor--"gap"


• Metaphor--"Forever knit"


• Metaphor--"take"


• Metaphor--"fill up"


• Metaphor--"borrower of the night"

You get the idea, and that's enough of metaphor.  Irony is also involved at the beginning of the scene.  When Macbeth tells Banquo not to miss the feast tonight, that is ironic because Macbeth knows Banquo will not be at the feast tonight, since he's going to have him killed.  The same irony occurs when Macbeth tells Banquo that the two of them will discuss Malcolm and Donaldbain on the next day. 

Finally, I'll "throw in" some personification.  When Macbeth says that Banquo's wisdom does "guide his valor" (Act 3.1.55) he is personifying valor, just as he personifies genius when he says "My genius is rebuked" (Act 3.1.58).

To Kill A Mockingbird MOVIEAccess the acting for Atticus and Scout.

The performance by Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch won him the Best Actor award for both the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes. His performance has been called one of the greatest in film history, with one poll listing it in the Top Five of all time. The American Film Institute called Peck's role as Atticus Finch the #1 greatest hero in American films. Peck's performance elevated the status of Atticus to an almost legendary level, and attorneys all over the country use him as an example of the quintessential courtroom lawyer.

Peck accepted the role almost immediately, and most of those involved with the film thought he merely portrayed Atticus as an extension of his own gentlemanly persona. The movie has never been remade in part because no one could ever be cast as convincingly as Peck in the role of Atticus Finch.

Mary Badham, who portrayed Scout, was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar--the youngesst ever to be nominated-- but she failed to win. (Patty Duke won for The Miracle Worker.) Her performance was also superb, especially considering it was her first film appearance. Her performance was one of natural simplicity, and like Peck's portrayal of Atticus, it would be hard to imagine anyone else in the role.

Eve tempted by satan and adam by eve describe it in detail?what are tha elements which shows the valid temptation of eve by satan and adam by eve?

Satan begins his temptation of Eve by disguising himself as a snake and leading her to the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Here, the disguised archangel tells Eve that he has learned to speak after eating of the forbidden fruit -- to which Eve laments and says that she cannot eat from the tree. Satan then tells the woman that he has become humanlike because of his eating of the fruit and that she will similarly become godlike. The adversary goes on to say that God would not punish her for eating the fruit anyway, and would instead praise her dauntless courage (for defying death in order to attain knowledge). Satan says that God could not punish Eve for such a petty offense and that there is absolutely no wrong in seeking knowledge (an argument that may convince Eve, as she has just recently seen how fervently Adam sought knowledge from Raphael). Finally, Satan convinces Eve that God would not punish her because it would be unjust and that if God is unjust, he is no God at all.

Afterwards, Eve gives her own reasons for eating of the fruit. She says that she would become equal, if not superior, to Adam after eating the fruit-- which would make him love her all the more. The poem climaxes as Eve takes the first bite of the forbidden apple, and Satan slinks away. Paradise laments, and Adam comes to find Eve.

Adam is shocked to see that Eve has eaten from the tree, and is clearly upset. He laments his fate since, if she is damned, then he is too (as his love for her makes them one). Rather than being convinced to betray God as Eve was, Adam simply eats the fruit so as to stay with Eve -- whether it be in life or death.

With that, the fate of Man is sealed and the pair consumate their sin in passionate, lustful embrace.

How does marxist critism apply to Mrs. Dalloway?

Akannan is absolutely right. May I add something more, if you please? thanks: Many Marxist and Leninist works are based on the concept of Imperialism. A parallel can be easily drawn here, if you consider the period of time Mrs. Dalloway lives. After the first World War, many things changed in the commonwealth and colonies gained more power, which weakened the Empire (you might want to check the reasons of this (economic ones for instance)). Also Imperialism means the domination of one nation among others, which was the case with India, where Peter Walsh lived. While Peter is proud of the level of "civilization" UK achieved, Clarissa feels the opposite way. The Empire is also flawed in the eyes of Septimus, who fought for it during the war, but he does not know the reason why he fought. Septimus fought for his country but his country failed him.