In The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society I was upset about the way it made the reader feel about the German occupancy and WWII.At the...

There are so many difficult topics when the subject of the holocaust is brought up; there was so much devastation and tragedy that occurred in the concentration camps, and with WWII in general, that it is hard to ever adequately cover the topic.  The facts stand stark and horrific against the fabric of history, and no amount of writing or discussion of the topic will ever do it justice.

That being said, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society does cover a time period of German occupation on an island, and does share a few of the difficulties and trials that the people there had to face.  For example, having to say goodbye to all of your children, and hope and pray that they made it to safety.  Also, the occupation of forces on the island, and the terrible occurrences of people there that they knew and loved who were taken to the camps.  So, while the book does address these issues, it isn't the main focus of the book.  The book isn't one of depression and heartache; instead, it focuses on the inspiring example of one strong woman.  The point of the book is not to try to address in a comprehensive and serious way, the wrongs done during WWII.  The point of the book, I felt, was to tell the story of a woman who was strong, charistmatic, and positively influenced the lives of many people around her.  The fact that it occurred during WWII was more of a back-story to showcase the wonderful characters.

So, your feelings are probably accurate--the story did not focus super seriously on the war, or the many, many other atrocities that occurred during it.  But, I didn't feel that was the point of the tale.  We have to keep the puropose of the books in mind when reading them; it can help us to enjoy them for what they are.  I hope that those thoughts helped a bit!

From the play "The Crucible" what are some examples that express the themes below and what are some examples out the book that supports it ? 1....

1. Superstition and fear can lead to injustice.

Throughout the drama, people who refuse to confess to dealing with the Devil after they've been accused will hang. Thus, in fear of death, people who have been accused but haven't actually dealt with the Devil confess of something they haven't done in order to escape death.

Hale: I myself have examined Tituba, Sarah Good, and numerous others who have confessed to dealing with the Devil. They have confessed it.

Proctor: And why not, if they must hang for denying it?   (Act II)

2.Religious extremism or fanaticism can be used for evil purposes.

Abigail preyed upon Elizabeth Proctor through the fanaticism of the town and tried to frame Elizabeth so Abigail could get what she wanted, John Proctor. Abigail knew if a poppet was found in the Proctor home she could frame Elizabeth and accuse her of witchcraft, thereby making John a single man when Elizabeth got hanged.

3. One person's wrongdoing can release evil into the entire community.

Abigail drew the other tweenage girls into her efforts to mingle with the Devil. Although this started as a small group, she lied to cover it up. Then her uncle Rev. Parris is accused of having witchcraft in his home and wants to cover it up... before you know it the whole town is ablaze with question of who is and who isn't a witch.

4. People will tell any lie to save themselves, no matter how much they hurt others.

Abigail is just the star of your questions. Once again, she lied and tried to pull in all her friends and tells them she will hurt them:

Abigail: Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring you a pointy reckoning that will shudder you.

Abigail says this as the girls want to tell the truth about what happened out in the woods, but Abigail won't let them and coerced them to keep in line with her lie.

5. Some people are willing to die to protect their honor and good name.

John Proctor takes the cake here. John was proud that he wasn't a witch, and so didn't lie and confess to being a witch, and was okay with ultimately being hung for telling the truth. This is quite a paradox. We don't expect to see people punished for their moral behavior, but that's exactly what happened and John therefore died honorably.

In Macbeth, what do Lady Macbeth's two soliloquies in Act I:5 reveal about her personality, plans, and belief-system?

In Shakespeare's Macbeth, Lady Macbeth's two soliloquies in scene five of Act I partly demonstrate why Lady Macbeth is a highly prized role among female actors.  These speeches reveal a complex person, to say the least. 

Lady Macbeth shows she is worried about her husband's scruples:  he may not be willing to kill a king in order to inherit the thrown!   His nature may be too "full o'th'milk of human kindness."  She knows he wants the throne, but may not be willing to do what's necessary to get the job done.  This, of course, shows not only her own ambition, but her ruthlessness (her personality).  She is willing.  She is anxious for her husband to "Hie thee hither," get here quickly, so she can impose her will on him and get him to do what she wants done: assassinate the king (her plans).

In the second soliloquy (36-52), she cannot believe her luck:  Duncan is coming to the Macbeth castle to visit and spend the night!  His entrance will be a "fatal" entrance.  Even the raven is "hoarse" at the news.  She begins to fortify her own willingness to go ahead with her plans:

...Come, you spirits

That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,

And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full

Of direst cruelty!  Make thick my blood;

Stop up th'access and passage to remorse,... (38-42)

Lady Macbeth pleads to have any female characteristics removed that might stop her from killing Duncan, pleads to be filled with the worst cruelty, and pleads to have her blood made thick, to block emotions such as pity and fear from operating within her (according to notes in my Norton critical edition on the play).  She also pleads for the darkest smoke to cover her coming deeds so she cannot see the the wound her knife will make, and heaven cannot see and stop her.   

Concerning Lady Macbeth's belief-system, she repeatedly refers to "spirits" in both soliloquies.  These spirits are evoked to aid her in her quest.  Whether she really believes in these spirits or is being metaphorical is ambiguous, and I'll leave that up to your interpretation.

What is the theme of "Johnathan Livingston Seagull"?

Sometimes sticking to your beliefs comes with a great price. Resisitng the current of ideas held to be true or acceptable can make you very unpopular or even bring ridicule and alienation. Going against the crowd can be a lonely road, but if you believe in yourself and your convictions, you are still a 'winner' at heart: "To thine own self be true."

Another theme is that isolation is often necessary for the transmission of knowledge. A leader must often distinguish himself from the crowd before he has any followers or before he can offer a different path from that which is already known.

What is the function of the ball & socket joint?

The e notes link given below defines a ball and socket joint as follows:

Ball and socket joints are multiaxial, synovial joints. They are lubricated by a clear, sticky fluid called synovia.

Multiaxial means "Having more than one axis. The ball and socket joint has at least three axes on which it rotates."

Axis means, "A central or principal structure about which something turns or is arranged. The cup-like structure of the ball and socket joint is the axis where the distal bone rotates."

And, the synovial fluid is A transparent, viscous fluid found in the synovial joints. It lubricates the ball and socket joint for easier movement."

It describes a ball and socket joint as follows:

Also called spheroidal joints, the ball and socket joints are formed by the rounded or "ball-shaped" head of one bone fitting into the cup-like cavity of another bone. The articulating bone fits into the cavity and allows the distal bone to move around. The hip and shoulder joints are examples of the ball and socket joint.

The e notes web link describes the functions of the ball and socket joint as follows:

The ball and socket joint provides swinging and rotating movements. The articulating bone is received into the cavity of another bone, allowing the distal bone to move around three main axes with a common center. The joint has stabilizing ligaments that limit the directions and extent to which the bones can be moved. However, the ball and socket joint is the most mobile in the body.

Chapter1: Notice how many times Fitzgerald uses the words hope, or dream. Why does he do this?

Concerning Fitzgerald's use of the words hope and dream in The Great Gatsby, one should be careful about trying to speak for the writer.  No one can say why Fitzgerald does anything in his novel.  We can only speak about the functions and results of what he does.  Communication is far too complex for you or me or anyone else to speak for the writer. 

That said, the words hope and dream do reveal the idea of the American Dream.  In addition to that, they reveal one of the aspects that make the novel beautiful:  Gatsby's love for Daisy.  His foolishness and naivete do not cancel out his dedication to Daisy and his capacity for hope.  This, after all, is what Nick likes so much about Gatsby:

...[Gatsby's] extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again.

There's an early usage of one of your key words for you.

What have you learned about the characteristics of George, Lennie and Candy in chapter 4, especially about race?To jog your memory, In the book Of...

As was common in that time period, many Americans were not openly or overtly racist even though they had racist stereotypes and predispositions, but the idea of blacks and whites intermingling socially was a foreign concept.  Jim Crow laws in the South were the order of the day, and while California was not the south, segregation was the general social understanding in the country at that time.

We see Candy and George using the N-word, again, not because they are overtly racist per se, but because it was so commonly used at that time, the term African-American or even negro just did not come up in conversation that often.

Lennie seems to understand there are differences between blacks and whites, both physically and in how they are treated, but he doesn't understand why or allow it to affect his actions much.  He doesn't have the mental ability to.

Even though Huck is regularly beaten, he prefers to stay at the shanty. Why? How does this reflect on one of the major themes?

At first (up until Chapter 6) Huck is willing to put up with the beatings because he enjoys the lifestyle of living at the shanty with his father.

In that chapter, he talks about how free it feels to be away from the Widow Douglas's home and away from school and all the rules of society.

It was kind of lazy and jolly, laying off comfortable all day, smoking and fishing, and no books nor study. Two months or more run along, and my clothes got to be all rags and dirt, and I didn't see how I'd ever got to like it so well at the widow's, where you had to wash, and eat on a plate, and comb up, and go to bed and get up regular, and be forever bothering over a book, and have old Miss Watson pecking at you all the time. I didn't want to go back no more. I had stopped cussing, because the widow didn't like it; but now I took to it again because pap hadn't no objections. It was pretty good times up in the woods there, take it all around.

This reflects on the theme of Huck's attitude towards society and its values.  Society would say that Huck is getting what he needs at the Widow's.  Being there and going to school is good for him.  But he doesn't like that and so he is willing to endure abuse to be able to do his own thing.  This shows how dedicated he is to the idea of being his own person.

What is the climax of The Miracle Worker in the movie?

The climax in a drama is the decisive moment.  In the play The Miracle Worker it occurs in Act Three when Helen realizes that the word is the thing and the thing is the word.  When Helen realizes that the strange gestures Annie is making in her hand are the word for water and she remembers her baby word "wa-wa" as she is being forced to pump water, language is unlocked for her enabling her to learn.

From the e-notes plot summary: "In the yard, Annie is forcing Helen to pump water, meanwhile spelling w-a-t-e-r into Helen's hand, and "Now," as Gibson says, "the miracle happens." Helen has the breakthrough Annie has prayed for, and runs around the yard touching, and learning from Annie the names of the pump, the stoop, the trellis, and more."

Spanish help por favor! When saying 'our' in Spanish, can you say 'nuestroS' or 'nuestraS'?Or is the proper way of using 'our' just saying...

The four choices for "our" are:   nuestro, nuestra, nuestros, nuestras

They all mean the same thing.
The ending only depends on the noun that follows.
Female or male, one or more than one.

Our grandma:  nuestra abuela
Our grandpa:   nuestro abuelo
Our grandmas:  nuestras abuelas
Our grandpas:   nuestros abuelos

Notice that it is basically a matching game with the ending of the noun!

If you want "my" grandma/grandpa/grandmas/grandpas, you will switch over to the words that mean "my":   mi,mis 

my:   mis/mis
your:  tu/tus
his/her/their:  su/sus
our:  nuestro/nuestra/nuestros/nuestras
you all's:  vuestro/vuestra/vuestros/vuestras

Just remember to match the word with the noun that follows, ok?

Would you say Romeo is nonchalant?William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

As the antithesis of nonchalance is perhaps how Romeo could better be described.  For, rather than being coolly unconcerned, indifferent, or unexcited, Romeo is involved in every scene in which he appears. Even in his depression over Rosalind in the first scene, Romeo reacts strongly to the news of the fray after which the Prince has pronounced penalties on future conflict.  Speaking in oxymorons, Romeo declares,

Oh, then, brawling love! O loving hate!/O anything, of nothing first create!/O heavy lightness!  serious vanity!/Misshapen chaos of well seeming forms!....This love feel I, that feel no love in this. (I,i, 149-154)

When Benvolio tells Romeo to "Be ruled by me, forget to think of her [Rosalind]," Romeo replies, "Oh, teach me how I should forget to think" (I,i,191-192)   Clearly, these lines show anything but indifference.

As he scales the wall surrounding Juliet's orchard, a most involved and passionate Romeo declares, "He jest at scars that never felt a wound" (II,i,1).  To the child of his mortal enemies, Romeo declares his love after Juliet warns him about the guards,

Alack, there lies more peril I think eye/Than twenty of their swords.  Look thou but sweet,/And I am proof against their enmity. (II,ii,71-73)

As Juliet turns back to her room, Romeo excitedly asks, " Oh, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?" (II, ii,125)  He perceives occurrences with a magnitude that is cosmic:  "Oh, I am fortune's fool," and "I defy you, fate!"   He forces open the tomb of Juliet in excited terms,

Thou detestable maw, thou womb of death,/Gorged with the dearest morsel of the earth,/Thus I enfore thy rotten jaws to open,/And, in despite, I'll cram thee with more food! (V,ii,45-48)

As he ponders death, Romeo remarks passionately,

How oft when men are at the point of death/Have they been merry!  which their keepers call/A lightning before death. (V,iii,88-90)

In Shakespeare's tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, Romeo's soul reaches the zenith of desire and delight, it falls to the nadir of despair.  Indeed, Romeo's nature is the antithesis of nonchalance.

Does knowing if "Young Goodman Brown" was a dream make a difference in your interpretation of the story?

In terms of allegory, the ambiguity of the dream is what is really important, so yes I guess it is vital to your interpretation of the story. Hawthorne obviously left the dream up in the air for a reason.

When I teach "Young Goodman Brown," though, it really doesn't make much difference to me whether it was a dream or not. The importance is the change that occurs in Brown. He is never able to really know for sure if the black mass in the woods was real or not. But it does cast a shadow over his life and cause him to die as miserable old man.

As long as my students can understand that it was Hawthorne's intention to leave the reader wondering if it all really happened or not, I am pleased. Of course, they take sides and argue them.

So if you're thinking Brown dreamed everything, what does that say about his guilt and his subconscious desires and fears? If it was real, what does that say about his fellow residents and his own history?

The important thing to learn the story is how Young Goodman Brown changes throughout the story. He leaves a naive, pure young man. However, in the woods he has his eyes opened to the hypocrisy around him. He even learns (or at least the reader does) about the true nature of his supposedly pious family (there is a reason the devil is so familiar to him). Instead of recognizing that humans have a capacity for evil and then doing something about it. Brown refuses to accept it and dies miserable.

what is the cghs approved rate for torch panel test?

I have emailed the CGHS and asked them for the approved rate.  I have also found the list of approved rates for the CGHS, but I can't find the torch panel test on the list.  Is there any other name this test might be known by?

I've included a link to the CGHS' list of approved rates for cities throughout India.  I hope this is helpful.  I'll get back to you when I hear from the CGHS.

What is the central conflict of Winston's behavior at the end of the story 1984?

The central conflict at the end of the story is Winston's love for Julia.  Even when the brain washing begins to take hold over Winston's mind, he remembers Julia and his love for her.  This love is what forces O'Brien to send Winston to Room 101.  In that room, under the threat of rats, Winston finally betrays his feelings for Julia and mentally sacrifices her to the rats.

Sulphur cannot conduct electricity but copper can.Somebody please explain the above statement.

Some elements can conduct electricity, and some can't. To understand what this means, first look at what the flow of electricity really is. Electricity is a flow of electrons, the negatively charged particles in the outer shells of an atom. The electrons can most easily flow when they are in the outermost shells. When a source of electric current is applied, the loosely held electrons "flow", pushing/repelling other electrons; negative charges repel each other. Some elements are good conductors due to the "looseness" with which the outer electrons are held. Others are very poor conductors--their electrons are held tightly, and do not "flow" Copper is a good conductor, sulphur is not, due to how tightly their outer electrons are held in place.

How can I identify the traces of Symbolism in " A Carcass" by Charles Baudelaire?

This poem is one of Baudelaire's "corpse poems" from a larger work THE FLOWERS OF EVIL. In the poem, the speaker is taking a stroll with his lover when he comes upon the carcass. In order to explore the symbolism of this poem, ask yourself what the carcass might stand for. Also note the use of contrasts in the poem (a hint to the symbolism) - it is a beautiful spring morning, and yet the speaker comes upon a decaying carcass. See the link below for a helpful discussion of this poem if you get stuck, but I hope you will think it through yourself first! If you speak French, I highly recommend you read the poem in the original French - so beautiful in its use of language.

What effects did the Crusades have on the Islamic world and Byzantium?

The Crusades began in answer to an urgent request from  Byzantine Emperor Alexius Comneus to Pope Urban II to rid the area of Muslim Turks.  Most scholars agree that the Crusades slowed the advance of Islam, with the presence of Crusader states in the Near East forming a barrier between the Arabs and Turks, preventing the formation of a unified Islamic power.  Because effort had to be diverted to defense, it slowed the pace of conquest.

A side effect of the Crusades was new knowledge of the East, with possibilities for trade.  However, this also encouraged additional violence, conquest, and bloodshed as religious interests combined with secular and military enterprises.  This includes the belief that the military conquest of Constantinople actually hastened the fall of the Byzantine Empire, as it was never able to regain its former strength.  Also, with new knowledge of trade, economic trends shifted as well.  Commercial trading shifted from Muslims to Italians in the Mediterranean, with a gradual shift to the Atlantic, and Spain and Portugal seeking new trade routes and opening the world up to additional exploration.

What is the theme of "Hills Like White Elephants" and a point that supports that theme?

The shadow of a cloud moved across the field of grain and she saw the river through the trees.
‘And we could have all this,’ she said. ‘And we could have everything and every day we make it more impossible.’
‘What did you say?’
‘I said we could have everything.’
‘We can have everything.’
‘No, we can’t.’
‘We can have the whole world.’
‘No, we can’t.’
‘We can go everywhere.’
‘No, we can’t. It isn’t ours any more.’
‘It’s ours.’
‘No, it isn’t. And once they take it away, you never get it back.’
‘But they haven’t taken it away.’
‘We’ll wait and see.’
‘Come on back in the shade,’ he said. ‘You mustn’t feel that way.’
‘I don’t feel any way,’ the girl said. ‘I just know things.’

Several important themes are choices and consequences; doubt and ambiguity; and men's perspective versus women's perspective. To my mind, however, the most important theme is honesty versus dishonesty.

The foremost instance of this theme is that the American man persists in saying that he only wants Jig to undergo the operation if she wants to yet, at the same time, he persists in claiming that it is a simple and perfectly natural procedure and that he is sure she wouldn't even mind, since it really is nothing. One of these sets of expressions of sentiment and opinion is dishonest. Either he is putting her wishes first or he is putting his wishes for what her feelings and experience will be first. Both can't be true at one and the same time.

'I don’t want you to do anything that you don’t want to do -’
‘Nor that isn’t good for me,’ she said. ...
‘You’ve got to realize,’ he said, ‘that I don’t want you to do it if you don’t want to. I’m perfectly willing to go through with it if it means anything to you.’

Another example is that he presumes to fathom what a woman's feelings and experience will be in a realm of life that is exclusively female. This too is dishonest. Honesty would require an admission of limited perspective and empathy. Honesty would require the courage to refrain from trying to shape Jig's sentiments and feelings. Honesty would require an unveiled, unambiguous expression of his wishes, which--by all evidence in the text--is that he wishes to not be the father of a living child.

'I’m perfectly willing to go through with it if it means anything to you.’
‘Doesn’t it mean anything to you? We could get along.’
‘Of course it does. But I don’t want anybody but you. I don’t want anyone else. ....'

Finally, the conversation excerpted above further expresses the man's dishonesty. Jig is expressing her perspective of the finality of the circumstance. On one hand, if she has the abortion, her world will be changed forever since an abortion is not an insignificant thing, either physically or spiritually. On the other hand, if she does not have an abortion, her world will be changed forever but in a very different direction: she will lose the frivolous and fun relationship she has with the man--as they travel and collect luggage labels and taste new drinks--and she will have his child to mother. Dishonesty is represented because the man won't admit to the change in dynamics the pregnancy brings into their relationship as a result of the change in dynamics it brings to Jig's life.

Why does Orwell devote so much time to Winston's dreams, how are they significant?

Winston's dreams reveal several aspects about Winston himself and about pre-Revolution life.

1. Revelations about Winston: Winston's dreams about his childhood portray him as a selfish child who seems to recognize that his mother made sacrifices for him but doesn't necessarily feel any gratitude toward her. This "selfish child" aspect of Winston demonstrates that right before and right after the Revolution, children were already being stripped of their natural affection for their family members. Later, when Winston is with Julia in the room above Mr. Charrington's store, he realizes that his dreams/memories make him unhappy and that he doesn't want to keep going back to them. This is a dangerous thought because if Winston does not even want to think about unpleasant events, the reader wonders how he will respond if the Party catches him and treats him "unpleasantly."

2. Winston's dreams also reveal what might have caused the Revolution and the people's complete obesiance to the Party. When Winston dreams of his days with his mother, times were obviously very diffcult--food is rationed; Winston's father is nowhere to be found, and living conditions are squalid. Orwell most likely creates this pre-Revolution setting to show why the Germans who were suffering through their own Great Depression and the Russians were quite easily swept into  "revolutions" which left them with totalitarian leaders who controlled elite henchmen to do their bidding. Like the Germans and Russians, the people of Winston's childhood London most likely thought that anything would be better than their lives at the time.

Winston's "dreams" about O'Brien illustrate how thoroughly the Party monitors its citizens, and in the end, those dreams make it impossible for Winston to distinguish between his dream version of O'Brien and reality.

Explain this quotation. Be sure to address the “wealth” Thoreau claims, his use of that wealth, and his views of the workshop or school:...

I agree with pohnpei397 and would add that much of our self-worth today comes either from the almighty dollar or performing honorably in a profession. We are a people who have come to value hard work which indeed has it's place in a society.

Thoreau's view of relection is something our society has adopted in bite-sized pieces. In many ways, Americans have come to spend time developing their character (by working in soup kitchens, doing things for others, reading a book, participating in relaxing days at the spa) and trying to de-stress. If we don't do these things and are just burdened by our work, many people believe we do not improve at our work but become stagnant when we don't feed our souls or take time to relax. We in essence become ineffective.

I think this is part of what he was getting at. We go to our jobs to make money because that's how our society operates. But day after day of that sometimes does nothing to nourish the soul.

He was proud to show that he didn't conform to the ideas of the world paying bills and being confined by work and debt. His wealth came from having a rich soul and a well-fed spirit which could only be done by hours of introspection and reflection.

1) Why is the boys' home considered worse than jail? 2) Do power/prestige/wealth define class in this situation? Please explain.

Boys home's during the era when the boys were adolescents during the story in the book The Outsiderswere not very good places.  They were not much more than jails.  The boys were incarcerated but still had to attend public school so there was the humiliation of being in the home, being without one's family, and for the Greasers it meant being away from their community and close group of friends.

This is not explained in the book, but having a brother was placed in such a home during the era gave me some insight into the lifestyle of the boys.  I agree with the previous editor about the reason that it would be bad.  It would be lonely and humiliating and would not have the coolness having been in jail would have had.

What do the doctor and the gentlewwoman see Lady Macbeth doing? What do they decide to do about it?

They see her sleepwalking, and acting out her guilt. Lady Macbeth gets up, goes to the closet, reads a note, writes, and goes back to bed.  She also "washes" her hands- trying to remove the blood that has stained them.

The doctor tells the woman that he cannot help her, that she needs help from God. He realizes she has a guilty conscience. The doctor goes to tell Macbeth.

Why does SiC have a high melting point?Why is its melting point higher than LiF?LiF has an ionic bond; SiC has a covalent bond, so shouldn't LiF...

Silicon Carbide (industrially known as Carborundum) is extremely rare in nature, but has been produced in quantity since the 1890's.  Its hardness has found many uses in industry;  diamond jewelry has been produced by this compound that have nearly fooled experts.  The basic structure is a tetrahedron, similar to a molecule of methane, which contains a carbon surrounded by 4 hydrogen atoms.  Substitute 4 silicon atoms for the hydrogen and you have a molecule of silicon carbide.  Although the silicon is held in the tetrahedral structure by covalent bonds with the carbon, their interaction is such that a slight ionic bond is created as well; the carbon becoming slightly negative and the silicons slightly positive.  The polar qualities, or intermolecular forces, similar to what is found in water molecules, cause the various layers of tetrahedrons to adhere strongly to each other.  Overcoming these forces takes a substantial quantity of heat, thus the high melting point of SiC.

Lithium Fluoride, although strongly ionically bonded, has no polar qualities, so its melting point is far less.

See link for structure diagrams:

Who is/are the main character(s) in Jack London's Call of the Wild?

As the two previous posts have mentioned, the main character of Jack London's classic novel is Buck--a dog. Buck's narration is one of the most unusual aspects of the novel: an adventure tale told through the eyes of a canine. According to London's story, Buck becomes the most famous dog in Alaska. His part-St. Bernard, part-Scottish Shepherd pedigree makes him larger (at about 150 pounds), more powerful, and more intelligent than all of the other dogs he encounters in the Klondike. His everlasting fame is earned late in the story when he wins his then-master, John Thornton, a large sum of money by pulling a 1,000 pound load and breaking it from the ice for 100 yards--an unheard-of achievement for any sled dog.

As for the main human characters:

JOHN THORNTON.  Buck's final master, Thornton saves Buck from the thoughtless master and newcomer to Alaska, Charles, by cutting him from his traces shortly before the rest of the group and dog team plunge to their deaths through the ice. Thornton is a loving master who treats Buck more as a pet than a worker. Buck comes to love Thornton more than any other man, worshipping him for the humanity that he shows at all times. When Thornton is murdered by Indians, he avenges his master's death by killing many of the group. 

FRANCOIS and PERRAULT.  The mail couriers are among Buck's first masters, for whom he becomes a great dog team leader. They are fair men who recognize Buck's greatness, but they also beat him when necessary. Buck learns to honor "the club" that they use, realizing that a human with a club is all-powerful. Reluctantly, they are eventually forced to sell Buck, knowing that there was "Nevaire such a dog as dat Buck!" 

What is significant about how the animals arrange themselves as they gather to hear Old Major?

Other points of significance include:

Moses is markedly absent. Moses (as the name suggests and as you discover later in hearing about a place called SugarCandy Mountain) represents religion. Faith has been removed from this set of ideas about to be shared.

Benjamin the donkey is introduced as old and cynical and enters as one of the last. This is important because of what he represents. He has likely seen ideas come and go and get repeated in life, they are just pitched differently. So we find him in the back of the audience with the other horses, or the working class.

Those closer to the front of a class usually get more information than those in the back and easily become believers in the teacher's words. Those in the back just take it and survive... keep that in mind throughout the book as you watch these guys.

What are the quotes from "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" that explain how everybody didn't like Nag?

Nag and Nagaina are the deadly black cobras who live near the home where Rikki-Tikki-Tavi lives in Rudyard Kipling's children's classic of the same name. Both of the cobras hunt and kill just about anything they can, and the new English family who inhabit the big bungalow in Segowlee cantonment is high on their list. Nag, the male, is fully five feet long, and all the small animals in the area fear the two cobras. That is, except Rikki.

Rikki learns from Chuchundra the muskrat that

    "Those who kill snakes get killed by snakes," said Chuchundra, more sorrowfully than ever. "And how am I to be sure that Nag won't mistake me for you some dark night?"
    "My cousin Chua, the rat, told me -- " said Chuchundra, and then he stopped. 
    "Told you what?" 
    "H'sh! Nag is everywhere, Rikki-tikki. You should have talked to Chua in the garden."

Chuchundra tells Rikki that he is afraid to run out into the middle of the room for fear of being killed by the cobras. Darzee, the tailor-bird, lost one of her babies to Nag when it fell from the nest. Later, Rikki overhears the cobras planning their next move.

    "When the house is emptied of people," said Nagaina to her husband, "he will have to go away, and then the garden will be our own again.
    ... (Said Nag) "I will kill the big man and his wife, and the child if I can, and come away quietly Then the bungalow will be empty, and Rikki-tikki will go."

But Rikki catches Nag by surprise and hangs on for dear life until the Englishman kills the cobra with his shotgun. After a night of nursing his wounds, Rikki was ready to take on Nagaina as well.

Why is Malvolio punished while Maria is not in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night?

In the final scene of Twelfth Night, Malvolio is actually not punished. On the contrary, Olivia actually shows a great deal of remorse for the trick played on Malvolio without her knowledge and offers him the opportunity to be both the accuser and the judge over those who wronged him, as we see in her lines:

But, when we know the grounds and authors of it [the prank],
Thou shalt be both the plaintiff and the judge
Of thine own cause. (V.i.365-67)

However, Malvolio decides not to remain in the household long enough to see justice done and instead leaves, declaring, "I'll be revenged on the whole pack of you" (391). Duke Orsino sends a servant to pursue him, hoping to persuade him to make peace with the household, especially because they need Malvolio to release the captain he has jailed for some offense so that Viola can get her maiden's clothing back and be married.

As for Maria, since Olivia was going to allow Malvolio to be both the accuser and the judge, we know perfectly well that Olivia meant for Maria to be punished in some way. The only reason why she goes unpunished is because she marries Sir Toby. As the wife of Olivia's uncle, it would be improper for her to remain in Olivia's employment since Maria's marriage crosses social boundaries. Hence, we can also assume that after her marriage, Maria and Sir Toby left Olivia's household. We learn of Maria's marriage and, hence, departure in Fabian's lines as he explains to Olivia what had happened and who was involved, as we see in his lines:

... Maria writ
The letter at Sir Toby's great importance;
In recompense whereof he hath married her. (Vi.375-77)

Therefore we see that Malvolio certainly never was punished by Olivia, and the only reason why Maria went unpunished is because she left the household.

In Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind, I need help with the following essay question.The perfumer Baldini initially regards...

The quoted passage above is directly contradicted by the fact that Grenoille makes very powerful and amazing perfumes with little or no experience whatsoever.  This seems to indicate that it is true genius that brings products and creativity to heights that are astounding.  Sure, if you have experience and "hard work" as Baldini says, you can be successful, and do well.  But, in order to be fantastic and extraordinary, there does need to be an element of talent involved.  Talent combined with hard work and experience yield the best results, and we see this as Grenoille gets better and better the more he learns about technique and the "how to's" of perfume making, and works hard to meld the perfect smells.

As in a lot of talents, it can overtake us.  Genius, without the proper bounds, can become destructive.  Grenoille became addicted to the power that his genius gave him, and, his obsession with his art became destructive and evil.  He lacked the proper restraints, channels, and moral background to prevent his talent from becoming a destructive force in his life.  His rough upbringing and ostracized social status played a role in his inability to keep his desires within proper social bounds.  Often, incredibl talented people become consumed with their gift, to the cost of other aspects of their lives.  Sometimes the talent destroys them--consider musicians who overdose, or artists who lose themselves along the way.  It's an interesting thing that happens.

I hope that those thoughts helped a bit; good luck!

In Nectar in a Sieve, how does Rukmani break from the conventions of her culture?

Rukmani possesses are very special skill---she knows how to write. Her father felt this was a very important tool for all his children. This skill has a "double-edge" throughout the novel.  Rukmani teaches her own children this skill. For some characters, writing provides a path to knowledge and a recognition of self-worth.  For others, writing exposes the caste system inequities, anger, and discontent. At one point in the novel, Rukmani  uses her skill to help feed she and Nathan. Men look at her in disbelief. They have never seen a woman who could write anything.

In Macbeth, what does Macbeth imagine he hears someone say about him after the murder. What does this say about his emotional state?Shakespeare,...

In Shakespeare's Macbeth, Macbeth hears a voice

...cry "Sleep no more!

Macbeth does murder sleep,..."  (Act 2.2.38-39)

And

Still it cried "Sleep no more!" to all the house;

"Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor

Shall sleep no more!  Macbeth shall sleep no more!"  (Act 2.2.44-45)

Glamis and Cawdor both refer to Macbeth, of course.

Macbeth's hearing voices demonstrates the depth of the guilt he feels for assassinating a just, humble king like Duncan. 

Before Macbeth murders Duncan, his guilt at the thought of doing so is demonstrated by his vision of the bloody dagger.  Here, after the act, his guilt is demonstrated by the voice he hears, as well as, by the way, his inability to choke out an "Amen" when he tries to join in with a prayer he overhears after he stabs Duncan to death. 

Discuss the language features of The Picture of Dorian Gray Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray

Composed much more of dialogue than lengthy descriptive sentences, Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray is more a drama than it is a novel. The brevity of description is often covered in the witty and warm conversations of the characters such as the dissolute Lord Henry who constantly emits sparks with his gentle satire on different elements of society.  For instance, in his conversation with the artist, Basil Hallward, who tells Lord Henry about his sensations that his soul and art were "absorbed" upon his first encounter with the beautiful Dorian Gray, Lord Henry reacts,

Conscience and cowardice are really the same things, Basil.  Conscience is the trade name of the firm.  That is all.

Marriage, women, faithfulness, romance, humanity, stupidity, and even weather are all topics for the "sharp and sweet tongue" of Lord Henry's epigrams.  His ease of expression creats vivid images in the mind of the reader, who gains a greater insight into Wilde's intent.

As critic Richard Ellman writes in an introduction to The Picture of Dorian Gray,

The book is his parable of the impossibility of leading a life on aesthetic terms. 

Through the actions and speech of Dorian Gray, Wilde shows that a life supposedly free of conscience and duty never is.  Gray self-indulgence exceeds conscience and he vandalizes his own portrait to cover his sins, thus sacrificing his own life.

The most salient language features, then, are epigrams.  With the parable of Dorian Gray, there are the underlying myths of the fall of man, the legend of Faust with Lord Wotton playing the role of Satan, and, of course the tale of Narcissus as Dorian Gray, indeed, falls in love with himself.  All of these tales underscore Wilde's "disclaimer" in the preface of his novel that "no artist has ethical sympathies...All art is at once surface and symbol."

What is an example of verbal irony in Fahrenheit 451?

There are quite a few examples of verbal irony in this book. Fahrenheit 451 is a wonderful book about just how out of control some people really are. The symbolism and ironies in the book are scary to think about.

At the very beginning of the book, we meet Guy Montag, and he is a fireman. What is such a verbal irony here, is that in the past fireman were always there to put out fires and keep us safe, now in this future, they are the ones starting the fires and destroying everything. They are not there to keep us safe anymore. They are there to make sure the people don't have any books and think for themselves. 

The next verbal irony is after Montag starts a fire and he sees Clarise on the street and she asks him if he is happy. He thinks to himself, as he walks off, that of course he is happy. Why wouldn't he be happy?

"He felt his smile slide away, melt, fold over and down on itself like a tallow skin, lie the stuff of a fantastic candle burning too long and now collapsing and now blown out. Darkness. He was not happy. He was not happy. He said the words to himself. He recognized this as the true state of affairs. He wore his happiness like a mask."

This is where we see the change begin to happen. Montag is now ready to think for himself and find out what true happiness really is.

In A Separate Peace describe the awards Finny won. What do they and his refusal to make his accomplishments public suggest about him?

Finny's main talents were in the area of athletics, and throughout his lifetime he had won a lot of different awards relating to those achievements.  Oddly though, most of them weren't related to athletic performance, but to his sportsmanship and personality.  Near the end of chapter three, after Finny breaks the school swimming record, Gene lists off some of the awards that Finny has won:

"the Winslow Galbraith Memorial Football Trophy...the Margaret Duke Bonaventura ribbon...the Devon School Contact Sport Award."

All of those awards were given on the basis of Finny being the best example of being a good sport and example for other players.  So, he was a good guy to play with, and wasn't super competitive or brutal in his ego.  This is reflected in the fact that he didn't want Gene telling anyone that he had defeated the school's swimming record.  Finny liked challenging himself, and pushing himself to see what he could achieve, but not at the behest of making someone else feel bad.  This suggests that he is not egotistical at all, not competitive against other people, and cared more about friendship and making people feel good than about winning.  He also wasn't lazy though--he like to challenge himself, and pushed himself often to greater heights.  He demonstrates a rare and unusual combination of athletic excellence and drive, and humility.  It is one more thing that makes Finny a likeable guy.  I hope that those thoughts helped; good luck!

What "generally accepted truths" does Atticus challenge in is final appeal in To Kill a Mockingbird?

I believe that you are talking about Atticus's speech in Chapter 20.  In that speech, he challenges a few generally accepted truths.  The first of these truths is that black people lie all the time.  The second is that any incident between a white woman and a black man is the fault of the black man.  (This second assumption was behind many of the lynchings of black people that actually happened in the South in our history.)

Atticus says that the testimony against Robinson was based on the idea that no one would believe Tom because everyone knows that "Negroes" lie.  He also says it is based on the idea that black men are constantly lusting after white women and cannot be trusted around them.  Atticus argues that neither of these is true in this case.

In The Crucible, Rev. Hale offers four signs that the town is being ruined. What are they?

I believe the signs you are looking for are stated in the final act, when Hale tells Danforth, "...there are orphans wandering from house to house; abandoned cattle bellow on the highroads, the stink of rotting crops hangs everywhere, and no man knows when the harlots' cry will end his life...and you wonder yet if rebellion's spoke?

the midevil sensation of which craft

Who are the main characters and minor characters of the novel Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane?

Mark/Johannes Mathabane Author and narrator who breaks social barriers and beats apartheid and poverty. With help from his family, he becomes educated, pursues the sport of tennis, and becomes a successful business man.

Arthur Ashe The first black male to win at Wimbledon. Ashe proves that blacks can succeed in sports and in breaking racial barriers.

Granny Mathabane's maternal grandmother. With her, Johannes makes his first trip into the city and is introduced both to tennis and literature.

Wilfred Horn Runs a tennis ranch for whites.

Mama Mathabane Mathabane's mother. She provides him with education and moral values.

Papa Mathabane Mathabane's father. An uneducated laborer, he is often abusive.

Mpandhlani A homeless, thirteen-year-old gang member who represents victimization in apartheid.

Peri-Urban Alexandra police squad that terrorizes, abuses, and arrests residents.

Uncle Piet Granny's teenage son who buys Johannes school clothing.

Sacaramouche Johannes' first tennis coach and mentor.

Clyde Smith The Smiths' son whose racist taunting challenges Mark.

Stan Smith Tennis champion whose financial support make it possible for Mathabane to pursue his dreams.

Mr. Wilde Gives Johannes a scholarship.

Follow the link below for a more detailed description of the characters. 

How is Rufus' life different in Arkansas than it is in Flint, in the book The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963?

Rufus and his family apparently live in poverty both in Arkansas and in Flint. This is evidenced by the "raggedy" clothing that he must share with his little brother, and the indication that there is probably not enough food in the house for him and his brother to bring a lunch to school. Beyond this fact, however, life in Flint for Rufus is likely far different from what he was used to in Arkansas. In Arkansas, Rufus lived in a rural area. Wild squirrels were seen as food, in contrast to in Flint, where they are accepted as part of the city environment and left alone. When Rufus sees a squirrel across the street from the school, he is amazed at how fat it is, and how "dumb" it is to "sit out in the open...with folks all round him." Rufus notes that the squirrel "wouldn't last two seconds in Arkansas;" he himself, or any other Arkansas boy for that matter, would have "picked him off easy as nothing." Rufus is used to using a gun, a small twenty-two, for hunting, something which amazes Kenny, with his city mentality. To shoot a squirrel is a common thing in Arkansas, and it means there will be squirrel stew for supper.

Another thing that is different in Flint from the life Rufus is used to in Arkansas is the openness with which people interact with each other. Rufus speaks his mind directly; when he asks a question, it is because he honestly wants to know the answer, not because he is teasing or trying to be mean. Early on in their "friendship," Rufus asks Kenny about his "lazy eye." When the city kids bring up the subject, it is most often with unkind intent, but with Rufus, it is simply because "he really want(s) to know." Having grown up in rural Arkansas, Rufus' motivations are pure and uncomplicated, unlike those of his more street-wise counterparts in Flint. When Kenny joins in with the others who tease him, Rufus is not angry or vengeful; he is "just...real, real sad" (Chapter 3).

In the book The Odyssey, why must Odysseus disguise himself as a beggar because he still looks the same for Penelope to recognize him?

Odysseus must describe himself as a beggar because he wants the element of surprise on his side when he confronts the suitors. Remember that Odysseus has already been told that the suitors must die. His disguise is not something that he has just thrown together himself, Athena, the goddess of wisdom, is helping Odysseus. She is the one who told him that it would be wisest to go to Ithaca wearing a disguise. Athena is actually the one who cloaks Odysseus in his beggar disguise. She has not simply dressed him in rags, but she has made him look old and ragged. His face is covered in a graying beard and he has the appearance of an old man. In fact, in Book 16 Athena can hardly contain herself when father and son are so close to one another in Eumaeus' home that she beckons Odysseus outside where she proceeds to lift his disguise, changing him from young to old. When Telemachus lays eyes on the once old and tired beggar he is certain that it is a god because the transformation is so great. Athena replaces his disguise and Odysseus goes into his palace as the beggar and Penelope doesn't even recognize him, allowing him to hold fast to his element of surprise. 

Explain how exactly Bob Ewell died. Be sure to give an account of both knives and all relevant parties.In The Gray Ghost, Stoner's Boy symbolically...

Since Sheriff Heck Tate basically covered up the true events of what happened when Bob Ewell was killed, the exact facts are unknown. However, we can assume that Boo Radley killed Ewell with the kitchen knife; the other knife found was a switchblade, which Ewell is known to have carried.

During Scout's narration and later explanation to Sheriff Tate, she recalls that "Something crushed the chicken wire around me. Metal ripped on metal..." The metallic sound was no doubt Ewell's knife trying to get at Scout. She believes that Jem tried to pull her up and lead her to safety, but it may have been Boo. She then felt Jem "jerk backwards," followed by a "dull crunching sound" and then Jem's scream. When Scout attempted to aid Jem, she ran into "a flabby male stomach," no doubt that of Bob Ewell. Ewell was then "jerked backwards and flung on the ground" by Boo. Next, Scout heard heavy breathing, sobbing and violent coughing--Ewell dying from Boo's kitchen knife.

Sheriff Tate announces to Atticus that Ewell is dead "with a kitchen knife under his ribs." Although Atticus believes Jem may have been involved, Sheriff Tate makes it clear that a boy with a broken arm would not have had the strength to plunge the knife as strongly as it was; this signifies that only Boo could have killed Ewell. They discover metallic scrapes on Scout's costume--the marks left by Ewell's switchblade.

Sheriff Tate's coverup begins when he decides to claim the kitchen knife belongs to Ewell (instead of Boo), and that he fell on this knife by accident. Tate explains the switchblade (belonging to Ewell) as one he took

"off a drunk man downtown tonight. Ewell probably found that kitchen knife in the dump somewhere. Honed it down and bided his time..."

Atticus now understands Tate's intentions, who explains his actions by imploring, "Let the dead bury the dead this time." Sheriff Tate's dual purpose is to keep both Boo and young Jem from having to go through a lengthy investigative process. Ewell's death was a "great service" to Maycomb," and Tate (and Atticus) considered Boo a hero.

In the book, The Grey Ghost, which Atticus reads to Scout later that night, Stoner's Boy represents Boo Radley. Stoner's Boy has been accused of misdeeds, and is chased but never caught. Like Boo, Stoner's Boy was not guilty of the accusations, and he--like Boo--turns out to be "real nice."

What poems by Seamus Heaney deal with and document the passing of a way of life? Or deal with nature? Cheers guys!any help would be great......

To add to the answer already given, what is very interesting about Heaney is his use of agricultural trope and the landscapes of nature.  He seems relate all of that to the vocation of the poet. In Death of a Naturalist, there is a poem 'Digging' where he makes this association very very clear. He calls the poet a digger who digs with his 'squat pen' much like the farmer. He has a collection of poems called 'Field Work' where all the poems, as the title suggests, makes the same comparison between the poet and the farmer. The excavational imagery in Heaney connects with his evocation of the Irish history, Ulster's violent past as in the bog-lands of The Tollund Man.

In a poem like The Father, once again, the poet finds himself face to face with the passing way of agricultural life, associated with the spectral image of paternity, native tradition. Rather than creating a radical break, he will appropriate it.

What is the setting of The Chrysanthemums with respect to Salinas Valley?

Gbeatty's answer is correct, and terrific, as always, but I wonder if you might be looking for some physical description of the Valley itself.  The Salinas Valley was very important to Steinbeck.  He was spent about two-thirds of his life there, and was always enchanted with the fertility and beauty of the land.

In the opening sentences, Steinbeck describes the the valley this way:   "On every side it sat like a lid on the mountains and made of the great valley a closed pot."  The bottom of the valley is "broad"; the rising foothills are covered by "yellow stubble fields."  The river is flanked by "thick willow scrub" and "flamed with sharp and positive yellow leaves."  The soil is rich and black, the weather often sunny but sometimes foggy. 

Eliza is like the Valley in that she has the potential for fertility and beauty, but like the tender flowers she cultivates, it will take nurturing to bring out her to bloom, care she is unlikely to get from her husband or random passers-by.

How can I relate the story of Mrs. Van Daan to the dentist, Albert Dussel?What do they have in common?

I would say that they are both very vocal, dramatic, and full of themselves. They both like to be the center of attention and receive presents. Both are temperamental. On the obvious side, they are both Jews, or they wouldn't be in hiding together. Although Albert Dussel moved in later than the Franks and the van Daans, both quickly made themselves at home. Mrs. van Daan is very demanding, especially when it comes to fairly dividing up the best of the food. Mr. Dussel also has a secret stash of food he shares with no one. So, both are greedy, especially when it comes to food. Until Anne played up to Mrs. van Daan as a way to get to know Peter better, both of these adults liked to criticize Anne.

What would you say to Elena about her experience with Eugene?WHAT D THEY MEAN BY THIS

In the short story "American History" by Judith Ortiz Cofer, the character of Elena is very shy, withdrawn, and innocent just as her new friend Eugene seems to be.  By the end of the story, you should realize that Eugene's mother will not allow her son to study with Elena, even though they are neighbors and classmates, because Elena is Hispanic and Eugene is not.  Therefore, I would tell Elena that there are some people in this world who are selfish and ignorant and because of these disgraceful qualities they will lead sad, meaningless lives in isolation.  Elena needs to realise that she should learn from a situation like this and involve herself with people who make her feel good about herself instead of people who cannot see past her skin color or nationality.

Which was a result of tariffs in the United States after the war of 1812?

In 1801, when Thomas Jefferson became president, he opposed to the existence of banking institution, considering it against the Constitution, but at the first renewal of the law's,his decision was overturned. Nathan Rothschild, president of Bank of England,  understood the potential of America and  lend money to some countries, becoming the official banker of the United States Government.

For that he was the one who supported the American Bank, Rothschild warned them: "If not accepting passes toward central banking system, the U.S. will wake up in a disastrous war." He then ordered to British troops to "giveto the   shameless Americans a lesson and to restore the status of the colony". It added to the war from 1812, a second war with England, which has increased the external debt of U.S.A. to  127 million U.S. dollars.

In May 1816, President James Madison signed a law allowing the creation of a U.S. Bank. Inflation, debt burden and lack of institutions for collection of taxes were just some of the reasons to support this decision making.

In 1819, the banking institution was declared constitutional by John Marshall of the Supreme Court of Justice , who said that Congress has the secret power to create banks .

 After the wrong administration of the Bank, by its first president, who was Prime Minister of the Navy, Captain William Jones, the Bank had to make loans and mortgage   properties, which led it to bankruptcy, thus leading to increased prices and the emergence of unemployment.

In 8 January 1835, Jackson paid the last installment of the national debt and it was the only time in history that U.S. debts were fully paid.

Is slavery equally destructive (spiritually, physically, emotionally) for slaves and slave owners in Uncle Tom's Cabin?

This is an interesting question, and to answer it fully I think that you need to consider the fact that the novel was written by a white woman who was addressing the issue of slavery from the perspective of an outside observer. Stowe knew a great deal about slavery, and she wrote this piece as a serialized novel that was published in an anti-slavery newspaper. Her goal was to make the general public more aware of slavery and, while her writing style is uneven and she tends to over-romanticize her characters and storylines she does a good job of pointing out the immorality of slavery as an institution by making the public aware of just how bad conditions were for slaves.

Spiritually, the idea of imprisoning another human being (unless that individual was judged guilty of a crime) was not something that would be considered morally or spiritually acceptable. However, the popularized conception was that Negros were nothing more than animals; therefore, this mitigated any responsibility to treat them as "human beings" from a moral perspective. This stereotype was perpetuated in literary works as well as in general society to the point that many people agreed with it. In her journal, for example, Sarah Kemble Knight(1704) expressed surprise to see black people in New York eating at tables with their white masters noting that "into the dish goes the black hoof as freely as the white hand" and this sentiment was not uncommon. However, it can be viewed as morally and therefore spiritually damaging, from a religious perspective, to those who believe it. By crafting black characters who were human in all of their feelings, desires, needs and expressions of self, Stowe gave her readers black people with whom they could emphasize thereby seeing the error of society's ways. This empathy, as well, points to the fact that slavery can be viewed as emotionally damaging especially to those who knew that their actions were wrong.

As to physical damage, there are certainly instances in which slaves did harm to their masters, but this is less of a theme in the novel as the focus is more on the generating support for the abolitionist movement.

In chapter 3, Why does Ralph reproach Jack?

Ralph reproaches Jack because all Jack wants to do is kill a pig, but he hasn't been able to do it. Jack has become obsessed with the idea, but he has nothing to show for it. Ralph on the other hand has been trying to build shelters and needs help, but can't get anyone except Simon to help him.

What is a good summary of the book Don't Look Behind You?

April thought she had a normal family. She thought her father worked for an airline, but in reality, he worked for the FBI. Their lives are turned upside down when a hit is placed on him, and the family is forced to go into hiding. There are many actions that cause them to be exposed. Her brother's two toned eyes, a nosy passenger, and a letter are just a few. This story is about a family's fight to stay alive.

What shocked Jonas when he viewed his father “releasing” one of the newborn twins?The Giver

There are a few things that shocked Jonas about this.

First of all, he couldn't believe that his father was just killing a baby.  It seemed terrible to him since he had experienced memories of death.

Second, he could not believe that his dad was being so casual about it.

Third, he is shocked that his father lied to him and he wonders how many other people are lying as well.

All of these things shocked Jonas so much that he could not handle it anymore and decided that something had to be done to change the community.

What is the summary of "to the Indian who died in Africa" by T.S.eliot?I dont want the line by line summary but just a little idea about That poem...

This poem deals with the idea enshrined in the Bhagwad Gita that it is sufficient to do one's action regardless of reward. Action in itself is significant whether we know its usefulness or not, it is possible we may know it only after death when God will deliver judgement on our actions, whether right or wrong.

Addressing the dead Indian, the poet says a man's destination is his own country, village, home, family. He is sisitting at his door in the evening & watching his grsndson playing with his friend in the dust. In other words, his destination lies in enjoying the charms of life connected with his own homeland.

If his destiny leads him away from his homeland then its memories continue to haunt him & crop up when he sits in convesation with foreigners, alien to each other. All these foreigners, haunted by memories of homeland, forge strange kinship.

Wherever man's destiny may lead him, the adopted land cannot be his destination, i.e. where he yearns to be. The land where a man dies bravely, struggling with his destiny, is his homeland. This fact needs to be remembered by his village, his family.

The poet, in emphatic terms, tells the dead Indian that Africa was neither his homeland nor was it theirs(Whitemen's--The colonisers who went to Africa for a "cause"). He died & was buried in the same graveyard as others'. Those who return home should carry with them the story of his "action" which was useful, even though its usefulness was not known, and its reward would be known only on the "Judgement Day".

If I were to write an essay about The Giver what are the most important things I would put?

Well, part of this would be your reasoning: what do you think are the most important things?

 In most people's list, though, would be the core elements of the book:

This is a book about an ideal society.

It is a critique of our society--and a praise of our society.

It emphasizes equality through conformity.

In the book, special gifts produce special responsibilities and opportunities.

In the end, individual freedom and experience is crucial.

I'd start there.

In Act 3 Scene 1, where Macbeth does a soliloquy, "To be thus is nothing, but be safely thus.." What does this soliloquy mean?This is right before...

Macbeth fears Banquo because of his integrity and fortitude - allusion to the witches' prophesies that "Banquo will be less than Macbeth, but greater."

He also realizes that because he has no heirs, Banquo's prophesy can come true. He now believes the crown is in jeopardy and Banquo is his greatest threat. He quickly decides to kill off Banquo because of 3 reasons (archetypal threes):

1. Banquo knows the prophesies and Macbeth believes Banguo knows he obtained the crown "most foully."

2. Banquo's reaction to Duncan's murder - he vowed to go after and slay the murderer. Macbeth knows that Banquo would come after him because Banquo is secure enough to stick to his virtues, unlike himself.

3. Banquo's prophesy can still come true and then all of Macbeth's effects for obtaining the crown are worthless since he would then have, "Put rancours in the vessel of [his] peace/ only for them; and mine eternal jewel/ given to the common enemy of man,/ to make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings!"

We also can observe a great change in character because if we compare this soliloquy to his "If it were done when 'tis done.." soliloquy, we see that he no longer needs Lady Macbeth manipulating powers, he begins to act on his own accord. This is almost a foreshadow for the rest of the play where Macbeth becomes more and more violent and without morals. No more contemplation between ambition and virtue. He only thinks of his plans as necessary, and this makes him increasingly dangerous.

This soliloquy paired with the flee of Fleance in the murder scene bring forth a very important theme: there is no way around fate.

Hope this helps!

What's a good thesis statement for comparing and contrasting "Cathedral" and "A Small Good Thing"?

Both stories address themes of communication (or the difficulties of it) and isolation, and what results when communication breaks down and isolation results.  What can overcome such isolation? In constructing a thesis sentence, try to consider what barriers of communication the characters in each story confront and what sort of isolation results from that.  For example, the narrator in “Cathedral” has difficulty expressing his feelings—even more, he doesn’t even admit he has feelings, and as a result he does not have a close relationship with his wife and feels awkward meeting a friend of her. What enables him to communicate with the blind man? How does drawing the cathedral with his eyes closed enable him to “feel’? Answering that question would be part of your thesis.  Ask the same questions about the other story. What problems do the parents face in their desire to communicate about their child? How do they feel isolated?  Are they, like the narrator in Cathedral, able to overcome the problems or not? What does this story say about human relationships and caring about each other? Answer each of these questions, and then shape this into a sentence that goes something like:  In “Cathedral” and “A Good Small Thing” Raymond Carver suggests that a lack of communication results from…..and can be overcome by….., warning that the inability to do this causes…….  Filling in the blanks will provide a template, a beginning, for a thesis.

WHAT IS THE CLASSICAL THEORY?

I am not sure if there is a theory of economics called "classical theory". However there are a set of economics theories which are collectively referred to classical economics.

Classical economics represents the predominant thinking in economics prior to appearance of economic theories advanced by Keynes. The origin of classical economics can be considered to be the the Ideas of Adam Smith, presented in his book Wealth of Nations published in 1776. Other major economist that have contributed to the ideas of classical economics are David Ricardo, Thomas Malthus, and James Stuart Mill.

The predominant premise of classical economics is that economic laws relating to individual self interest and competition determine economic variables such as prices, production, allocation of resources, and distribution of economic rewards.

What details in the book make the readers believe this book is during the Civil War?Are there any town or battle names? Are the words north, south,...

The words that you mention, north, south, union, confederacy -- none of these is ever used in the text.  Neither are the names of Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant or Abraham Lincoln.

The first really good clue that this book is about the Civil War is that its subtitle is "An Episode of the American Civil War."

Other than that, there are clues.  In the first chapter, we learn that the protagonist sees enemy sentries.  The book says the enemy sometimes shot at the "blue pickets" and blue was a color associated with Union uniforms.  Some of the pickets also talk to him and call him "Yank."  They speak with a southern drawl:

"Yank," the other had informed him, "yer a right dum good feller."

A little later, we are told that the cavalry was all out of camp and that

They're going to Richmond, or some place, while we fight all the Johnnies.

Richmond is the Confederate capital and southerners were sometimes called "Johnny Reb."

Those are pretty good clues that the story takes place during the Civil War.

Create a character analysis for Blanche using three physical/three non-physical traits and quotes from scenes 1-3.

In Tennesse Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche DuBois is a character of weakness, confusion, and deception in direct opposition to Stanley Kowalski, the strong,well-built, crude and direct husband of Blanche's sister, Stella.

When Blanche arrives to live with Stella, her first words are those of ambivalence and confusion:  "They told me to take a streetcar named Desire"; in addition, the double entendre on the word Desire is presented as Blanche rides a metaphorical streetcar of desire/lust in her life.  As she talks to her sister, she is reluctant to divulge why she has left New Orleans and her job as a teacher (it is because of her lust); however, in her weakness she tells Stella in Scene I, "I want to be near you, got to be with somebody, I can't be alone."

In her confusion of what is real and what is not, Blanche tells her sister of having lost Belle Reve ["beautiful dream"], but tries to blame Stella, contending, "But you are the one that abandoned Belle Reve, not I!"  When Stanley questions her later about the estate, Stella tells him,

I know I fib a good bit.  After all, a woman's charm is fifty per cent illusion, but when a thing is important I tell the truth, and this is the truth:  I haven't cheated my sister or you or anyone else as long as I have lived. (Scene 2)

Furthering this character trait of uncertainly and confusion, the author, Williams writes, "There is something about her uncertain manner...that suggests a moth."  Yet, while she flits from one idea to another, Blanche is not drawn to the light, but rather shuns it, just as she shuns the truth, but when confronted, Blanche is truthful as she finally divulges why she has left New Orleans,  Unfortunately, the light of the truth is too much for Blanche, and she, like the moth, expires in its light.

"How do i love thee? Let me count the ways." What is the language usage, including figurative language and metaphorical references?

This is, of course, a part of a famous sonnet by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. In this short excerpt, we can see a few literary devices. First, there is a rhetorical question. This is effective in making people think, even if the author is speaking to herself. It draws in the reader when done well. Second, there is a answer given in the second part of the excerpt. So, there responsive pattern to this poem, which can be seen a musical.

Why is there a rose in the title "A Rose for Emily" and does it appear in the story?

I don't believe an actual rose is ever mentioned specifically in William Faulkner's classic short story, "A Rose for Emily." The color of a rose is referred to twice in the final paragraphs, however.

A thin, acrid pall as of the tomb seemed to lie everywhere upon this room decked and furnished as for a bridal: upon the valance curtains of faded rose color. upon the rose-shaded lights, upon the dressing table...

I believe the use of the word "rose"--universally a symbol of love--is used to symbolically illustrate the lost love that Miss Emily lived with for so long. She was a woman so desirous of love and so unable to show it. The title also seems to be a kind of final salute to Emily, a symbol of flowers for a funeral, perhaps; a need for the sweet smell of the flower in a house filled with the stench of death; or possibly even a suggestion of the various stages of blooming that the flower goes through. In the end, we find that Emily has preserved Homer's body even as it turns to dust, not unlike the manner in which a person who has received a rose preserves it for posterity.

What does Thoreau think about violence and privilege in "Civil Disobedience"?

Thoreau's practice of non-violent non-cooperation is a fundamental example of the power of those who, apparently, are powerless according to societal structures.  As Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King demonstrated, those who are oppressed are as necessary to the smooth working of an unjust social system as are those who rule such a system. When the victims of such a system refuse to cooperate, they cease being victims and actually are in control--those with political power or privilege must react or respond to those who refuse to cooperate with the system.

So, those who refuse to pay a tax, those who boycott businesses, those who peacefully disobey put those who are the source of the injustice being protested into a defensive or reactive stance.  There is no basis for a violent reaction or response from those who have the political positions of power since the protesters have the practical power at that point.

Violence on the part of protesters justifies the use of violence from those in political positions of power. Political privilege abused constitutes a loss of that privilege as Jefferson noted in the "Declaration of Independence."  True, non-violent power rests in the hands of those who refuse to cooperate with an unjust system or to obey an unjust law.

Which organism is better suited for total genetic transformation-one composed of many cells, or one composed of a single cell?To genetically...

If by better suited you mean faster speed and higher success rate of genetic transformation, then it's the organism composed of a single cell that is better suited. New gene only needs to be inserted into one cell in the organism, and when the organism reproduces the DNA gets copied (because single-celled organisms usually use asexual reproduction) the new genetic material is reproduced. It takes longer for the multicellular organisms to have a total genetic transformation.

I don't know how to properly explain it but it's pretty much self-explanatory...

What is a specific, good thesis/theme for "The Rocking-Horse Winner"?

The story has an easily identifiable theme: Greed destroys love, affection, and, in some cases, life.

The two modes of realism mixed with the supernatural in “The Rocking-Horse Winner,” is a fantastic story that takes great pains to create a generally realistic atmosphere and to have its characters respond to external stimuli in the ways that “normal” people would. To win the attention and love of his nother, Paul is able to pick winning horses through a frenzied and debilitating ride on a rockinghorse.

All the family members have secrets. The mother’s secret is that “at the center of her heart was a hard little place that could not feel love, no, not for anybody” (paragraph 1). Paul’s secret is that, by furiously riding his wooden rocking-horse, he is often able to predict which horses will win races. Bassett’s secret, and Uncle Oscar’s, is that they profit from Paul’s predictions, even while the boy is on his deathbed. Their winnings are kept secret. Paul gives his mother 5,000 pounds, but does it anonymously. The house itself whispers a secret, “There must be more money” (5, 6, 181). The three children hear the whisper, but no one talks about it.

Each family member is also motivated by greed. It is the desire for more money that motivates them all. Perhaps the most blatant evidence of the family’s obsession with riches appears in Uncle Oscar’s attempt to console his sister after her son’s death: “My God, Hester, you’re eighty-odd thousand to the good and a poor devil of a son to the bad” (244)—as if he were enumerating her assets and liabilities on an imaginary balance sheet. Paul’s frenzied pursuit of money differs from the greed of the others in that he wants wealth not for himself but for his mother. Clearly he hopes that, by being “luckier” than his father, he will win his mother’s love and attention.

Irony is also present in the story. Paul, intent upon stopping the whispers in the house, anonymously gives his mother 5,000 pounds as a birthday present. Ironically, his gift has the opposite effect. The whispers grow louder. Given his mother’s insatiable greed for money, this result comes as less of a surprise to the reader than to Paul. There is irony in the story’s title. Paul, the rocking-horse winner, loses his life. Ironic, too, are Paul’s final words: “I am lucky” (241). In his mother’s definition of luck, in paragraph 18 (“It’s what causes you to have money”), Paul is lucky, of course—or was.

What causes the disagreement between Gene and Quackenbush; why is Quack's choice of words unfortunate?

The immediate cause of the fight between Gene and Quackenbush is the fact that Quackenbush questions Gene's reasons for becoming the assistant manager of the crew team.  Usually, only disabled kids or kids who want to be manager the next year are willing to be the assistant manager.  So Quackenbush is giving Gene a hard time about this.

What finally makes Gene hit him is his use of the word "maimed."  I believe that Gene is very sensitive to this word because he feels guilty for having caused Finny to be maimed.

How were the USSR and England very important to the war in Europe?If the soviet Union OR England had fallen to Germany, how would that have made...

Both of these would have made a huge difference.

If Great Britain had fallen, it would have been almost impossible to invade Western Europe.  There would not have been this safe haven where the US could bring all its equipment and from which it could bomb Europe.  So Western Europe would have been solidly held by Germany.

If the USSR had fallen, so much of Germany's army could have moved over to the west to defend that area and D-Day could probably not have succeeded.  The Russians killed more Germans than anyone else -- if they had been out, things would have been way easier for Germany.

I'm writing a book report on "Carry on, Mr. Bowditch," and I was wondering how to properly format the essay?

First and foremost, a book report must tell why a book was interesting (or was not interesting!) and certain substantive information must be included in the report. That being said, there are three basic approaches you can take to a book report. You can tell about the themes of the book, the characters of the cook, or the plot summary of the book. Does your assignment specify one of these approaches? If so, you will, of course, follow that approach. The specifics of each approach are ordered according to correct formatting, if you just follow step by step.

First, if you are going to write a report focus on the theme(s) of the book (theme is the large idea that the author wants to teach the reader), make a clear statement of what theme you will talk about. Use lots of quotations from the text to show that the theme is an important part of what the author wants to say in the book and explain how the quote defines the theme (e.g., Oliver's statement "Please, Sir. I want more" proves that one of Dickens' aims was to expose the basic need in all people for more than subsistence.). Since a book report is about your opinion, say how this theme affected you and whether the theme made the book enjoyable for you (or not!).

Second, if you choose to write about characters, you'll look at physical, personality and psychological descriptions of the one character you choose to write about. Describe the character's physical appearance from hair to vest to shoes and backpack. Then say what personality traits the character has: fun-loving, courageous, quiet, athletic, studious, etc. Next mention psychological qualities of the character. Does the character have a particular flaw, like hypersensitive or rebellious or out of control habits or claustrophobia or a shop lifting habit, etc.? Next, present sections of dialogue to show how s/he talks, whether with slang or vulgarities, with elegance, with business jargon, like a college professor, etc. Then, explain how the character advances the plot by encountering, overcoming, resolving or succumbing to conflicts and tell how s/he added to your enjoyment or otherwise of the book.

For a plot summary book report, give a summary of the story, conflicts, complications, climax, resolution but go further than that and analyze the book. Tell your opinion of what makes the book good or bad, successful or unsuccessful, etc: why is it interesting, breathtaking, heartbreaking, true-to-life, creepy, disgusting, etc. use quotations from the story to exemplify the states you make about your opinions of the book.

The things that must be any book report are: the kind of report you are writing (character, plot, theme); the book title; the book author; the time of the story (World War II, 12th century, 23rd century, yesterday, etc.); the location of the story; the names of characters that you talk about (leave out ones you don't need to bring up in your report) and add a really short (one sentence or two) description of each. Also every book report must have lots of quotations and examples to show what you mean when you state your opinions.

[If you want more help on book reports, TeacherVision.com has a very good article about book reports with helpful suggestions.]

From Into the Wild, where did Chris get his boots?

There is reference in the book to two pairs of boots that Chris wore for a long period. In the beginning of the book, Chris hitches a ride in Alaska with an electrician named Jim Gallien; Gallien notes that Chris's boots are not waterproof or insulated, both of which are vital for preventing frostbite in cold climates. This pair of boots is later mentioned by Krakauer as being:

...Kmart hiking boots... arranged neatly beneath the stove, as though he'd soon be returning to lace them up and hit the trail.

The boots were cheap and useful in Southern climates, but were entirely unsuited for the cold North. Chris probably didn't even think about the necessity of keeping his feet warm and dry, or he would have purchased a better pair before leaving for Alaska. Gallien took pity on Chris, and knowing that he needed something better, gave him a pair of old rubber work boots:

"They were too big for him," Gallien recalls. "But I said, 'Wear two pair of socks, and your feet ought to stay halfway warm and dry.'"
(Krakauer, Into the Wild, Amazon.com)

This pair of boots is later revealed to be Xtratuf brand, and Chris used them to good advantage when crossing various rivers and streams. Without the boots, it is likely that he would have lost toes to frostbite very quickly in the freezing cold of the Alaska wilderness. Both pairs of boots were found in the abandoned bus along with Chris's body.

Jem,Scout,Dill have an desire to see Boo Radley.whats the psychological reason for the childrens interest.how do they try get make contact with...

The children have many methods and ideas to help settle that curiosity of helping Boo come out.

In one instance, they try to get a note up to the window by tying it to the end of a fishing pole. This doesn't exactly work because they get in trouble with Atticus for trying.

One of Dill's ideas is to leave a trail of lemon drops out of the house for him to follow. The kids never try this, but talk about doing it.

THe incident that occured during the middle of the night when Jem lost his pants was an effort to see Boo, but the outcome was that Nathan Radley came out and scared the kids by firing a shot in the air.  

An important note about the knothole, the kids don't necessarily think it's Boo putting things in there. They believe for a time that those items are a bus child's and the child used the knothole as a hiding spot. In fact, we know it is between the children and Boo that these gifts are exchanged, but the text never says that.

I think something else to thin kabout as you craft your essay is the fact that it is human nature to want what you can't have. Boo was off limits. The more they were stifled in their efforts, the more they desired to see him.

In Alexander Pope's "An Essay on Criticism," isolate the major critical points relevant to the analysis of a literary text.

In Alexander Pope's poetic essay "An Essay on Criticism," Pope makes points about the personal qualities needed by a critic and about the rightful points of critical judgment. First, Pope claims that a critic must know her/is limitations and abilities; possess good taste and judgment; know Nature which is loosely defined by Pope as the elemental forces that inspire and bestows poetic gifts and understanding on poet and critic alike; find the rules of poetry from within the success of ancient poets rather than devise arbitrary rules to superimpose on to poet efforts; be intelligent , knowledgeable (:drink deep") and of good character.

The elements for sound critical judgment Pope describes as being: judge by the whole and not the parts, not the "lip, or eye" or “by a love to parts” but by the whole; judge on the writer's intent and purpose not on what he failed to achieve if he never sought to achieve it; confine not judgment to the outer decorations of poetry. such as conceits, metaphor, images; don't praise style and language that has no valuable content (we might add don't praise content that has no style and no mastery of language); meter in poems may be roughly and imperfectly worked or smoothly and uniformly worked for each is fitted to a particular need; don't judge according to fashionable trends or special interest groups; don't judge by personal preferences, envy or personal motives; expose unworthy elements in poetry like obscenity, dullness, immodesty (this criterion is no longer noticed).

the main conflict in the book the perfect storm

The main conflict is defeating the storm--actually a convergence of three storms onto one geographic location. Yikes!

Other conflicts include the shrimpers' need to make more money by taking one last trip out to sea even though it was the dangerous season.

The shrimper's wives obviously don't want them to go out again as they worry and don't like to be alone.

The shrimp boat owner encourages one last trip as he wants more money as well.

The shrimpers risk losing their jobs if they refuse to make the last trip.

Why do Ralph, Piggy, and Samneric lie about their part in Simon's death, or use the darkness as an excuse?

In chapter 9 of the book The Lord of the Flies, Simon finds the dead parachutist's body and decides to let Jack and the rest of the boys know that it is a man not a beast. He tries to make his way back to the campfire, where a huge feast is about to take place. A storm is blowing in and the darkness is falling fast on the island. Simon stumbles his way towards the camp with the parachute with him. Ralph, Piggy and the other boys go and join Jack, to try to keep things under control. Things get wild at the feast and all the boys start dancing and chanting around the fire, even Ralph and Piggy. When Simon comes in, the boys think he is the beast and jump on him and kill him.

Ralph and Piggy have a hard time coming to terms with their part in Simon's death. It means that they are now becoming like Jack and the other boys. Piggy can't handle his part, so he says it was a terrible accident. They say it was dark and didn't realize it was Simon. Ralph knows that with the death of Simon, it is an end to his innocence. All the kids' innocence is lost. 

"Surrounded by a fringe of inquisitive bright creatures, itself a silver shape beneath the steadfast constellations, Simon's dead body moved out toward the open sea."

The death of Simon is the end of everything the boys knew. Simon was a complete innocent and the boys killed him savagely. The real question is rather the boys will ever be able to be what they once were.

Discuss the nature of slavery in the Americas and how it was linked to the economies of Africa, Europe and the Americas.

It was very closely linked to the economies of these places in that the slave trade lasted for centuries, and in both a barter system and a monetary system of trade, stimulated the demand and movement of goods to and from the New World to Europe, Africa, North and South America and the Caribbean.

The triangular trade involved the shipment of molasses, rum and slaves in a perpetual three way economy that moved tens of thousands of human beings, and millions in commercial goods.  This helped to develop the new world colonies as they increasingly used slavery to plant and harvest cash crops such as sugar and tobacco.

In Africa, as the slave trade grew, local tribes would kidnap members of neighboring and enemy tribes to sell or trade to the Spanish and British, bringing material and finished goods to the shores of Africa for the first time.

How is the girl named Fatima related to Santiago's journey? And what is her physical description in Coelho's The Alchemist?How does Fatima...

In the book "The Alchemist" Santiago, the Shepard, describes Fatima as being that one person in his life that helps him to forget everything else.  For him Fatima represents that an escape from the drudgery of daily work and the beauty of life and conversation.  The two meet and they fall in love.  She is his soul mate.  Through her he has gains the value of eternal love.

Santiago describes Fatima's physical description as looking familiar to the other females of her region.

"The girl was typical of the region of Andalusia, with flowing black hair, and eyes that vaguely recalled the Moorish conquerors."(5)

"The boy went to the well everyday to meet with Fatima. He told her about his life as a shepherd, the king, and the crystal shop. They became friends, and except for the fifteen minutes he spent with her, each day seemed that it would never pass”(p.96)

What is a character trait of Mr. Frampton Nuttel from "The Open Window"?

Mr. Frampton Nuttel is a visitor to the area and to the home.  He suffers from a "nerve condition" and thus could be described as neurotic.  He comes with letters of introduction from his sister and has come to the countryside to relax.  But he proves to be quite gullible when the niece tells him the false tale of her aunt's widowed state.  As the hunters return, Frampton freaks out thinking that he has seen a ghost. Mr. Nuttle is shown as quite naive as he frantically flees the house.

Is the Frankenstein creature more like Adam or Satan?Frankenstein's creature wonders whether he is more like Adam or like Satan ( Vol. 2, chap. 7)....

Like Adam, Frankenstein's monster is the first of his kind created by some other being.  The monster, like Adam, had no choice in who he is, what he's made of, or even his own existence.  Satan, on the other hand, thrust out of heaven in a dispute with God, made a choice to fight his master and thus ends up with what he gets.  This, too, is like Frankenstein's monster.  The monster seems to represent both Adam and Satan--initially, without consciousness, he occupies the earth in search of himself; then, when he has found himself, he rebels against his maker and master.  Of the two, though, it seems that the monster is much more like Adam--on this earth without a say of his own, left to make of the world what he can.

Who is the antagonist of "Eveline"?

The character who represents Eveline's antagonist is her father, Mr. Hill.  Eveline feels trapped, mistreated, and unloved.  It is her drunken and abusive father that makes her feel this way.  He is overbearing and doesn't listen to her wants or needs.  Rather than discussing with Eveline the relationship she has with Frank and trying to reason with her about it, he forbids her to see him.  Part of why Eveline feels so trapped is that she has so many responsibilities.  Her father has squandered money.  He mistreated her mother to the point of driving her insane, and the suggestion is that this was the cause of her death.  It is on Eveline's shoulders "to keep the family together."  But she doesn't want to remain so long in her father's world to end up the same way as her mother.

The more abstract antagonist of this story is society, however.  Eveline is trapped by the traditions of the time period, which require women to be subservient to men and enforce "rules" of proper behavior.  These rules hinder Eveline's decision to leave with Frank, because it could be scandalous.  In a less retrictive environment, her decision would have been easier to make.

Is self reliance as Emerson describes it difficult to obtain?Explain please!

It is definitely difficult to become self-reliant in the way that Emerson is describing in this essay.

To know why, we need to think about how Emerson defines self-reliance.  Basically what he is saying is that you need to be yourself.  You need to rely on what your own conscience tells you rather than doing what society thinks you should do.

Think about the difficulties this would cause.  As a teenager, you are surely aware of how much trouble a person can get in by being different.  Teenagers often treat people very badly when they act in ways that society (other teenagers) does not like.

Among adults, it is not really much better.  At the very least we have to do what society says if we are going to keep our jobs (most jobs at least).  Typically, a person needs to act in certain ways to maintain relationships with other people.

So, unless your conscience conveniently tells you to act in socially acceptable ways, following Emerson's recommendations would be very difficult.

In Stephen Crane's, "War is Kind," what is the symbolic meaning of "eagle with crest of red and gold?"

In my opinion, the symbolic meaning here has to do with the image we have of the eagle.  As the national symbol of the country, the eagle is associated with courage and bravery.  I think that this is the symbolic meaning it has in this poem.

In addition, I think the colors have a symbolic meaning.  I see the red being related to blood and battle, but I see the gold being related to glory.

By having this as the symbol of the regiment, Crane is talking about how the men are conditioned to drill and die and show their courage, all for the sake of glory (which he does not believe they actually get).

In The Outsiders, how does Ponyboy react to what Sodapop tells him about Darry in Chapter 1?

The Outsiders examines the difficult and often tragic lives of the "Greasers" as they contend with issues over territory and girls and so on with rival gang the "Socs," who have different backgrounds and circumstances but the same realities and similar outcomes. Ponyboy, the narrator, is different from other gang members and, "For a while, there, I thought I was the only person in the world," who likes books and movies so passionately. He has the potential to be someone, giving hope to other Greasers. Johnny reminds him to "keep it real."

Darell, or Darry, is Ponyboy's eldest brother who looks after him. Their parents were killed in a car crash. Sodapop, Ponyboy's other brother, is "always happy-go-lucky and grinning," and apparently, in Ponyboy's eyes, knows most things that need knowing. He does not scold and lecture Ponyboy like Darry does, but Ponyboy does understand that Darry does this because he recognizes Ponyboy's potential; Ponyboy is "supposed to be smart...but I don't use my head." 

After Ponyboy gets attacked by a group of Socs, everyone rallies around Ponyboy to make sure he's okay. Later that night, Soda explains that Darry has "more worries than somebody his age ought to," and, Soda contends, he does love Ponyboy. Ponyboy tries to disguise the sarcasm in his voice, as he thinks that Darry only sees him as "another mouth to feed" and someone else to shout at.

For the first time, Ponyboy reflects that Soda is wrong and Darry does not love him. Ponyboy lies to himself that he doesn't care that Darry doesn't love him and that having Soda is enough. But he knows that he is fooling himself. 

How did Tate describe a man like Bob's kind?Who did Scout assume was responsible for yanking Bob down off of her? What blurred Scout's image of...

This description comes when Heck Tate and Atticus are getting the full story from Scout. Atticus remarks that Bob Ewell must be crazy, but the sheriff doesn't agree.

"-Wasn't crazy, mean as hell. Low-down skunk with enough liquor in him to make him brave enough to kill children. He'd never have met you face to face."

But Atticus, in his infinite kindness, doesn't understand this. He thinks that surely someone would have to be mentally unstable to do something like attack children. Heck Tate tries explaining it a different way.

Mr. Finch, there's just some kind of men you have to shoot before you can say hidy to 'em. Even then, they ain't worth the bullet it takes to shoot 'em. Ewell 'as one of them."

Essentially, Mr. Tate is saying some men are just no good, & there's nothing that will change them. Bob Ewell was one of those men. His attack on the children was cowardly to begin with, & staging it in the dark made it even more so. Scout doesn't quite understand this yet, & her ideas about the attack are all mixed up. She thinks it was Jem, not Boo, who pulled Bob off of her. Even though Jem had already been knocked down & had his arm broken, she thinks "Jem must have got up, I guess."

When Scout realizes it was Boo Radley who had helped she & Jem, she finds herself suddenly in tears. These are what blurs her image of him: tears for somone who could kind enough to escape his personal prison and help 2 children.

What symbol does Fitzgerald use as the outward manifestation of Gatsby's wealth and what theme does this reinforce?Chapters three and four of "The...

The theme of the American Dream is inverted in Chapters Three and Four of "The Great Gatsby" as the reader perceives the decadence of the Jazz Age that Gatsby and his wealthy friends live in as well as the corruption that revolves around them. As symbols of wealth, Gatsby's house and car figure into the tableau of decadence, corruption, and power that money brings.

That Gatsby's house is located in West Egg rather than the estblished East Egg where "old money" lives is significant:

East Egg condescending to West Egg, and carefully on guard against it spectoscpic gayety.

West, traditionally, is symbolic of death, the end of the day.  With the cars, too, death passes through West Egg.  In Chapters 3 and 4, for example, automobiles come and go "like gypsies," bringing in people--strangers--to Gatsby's parties.  Even a hearse and a limousine are included:  the physically dead and the morally dying.

On the other hand, Gatsby's car takes on a mythological property as it is described like a god's chariot with its

triumphant hatboxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxes, and terraced with a labyrinth of windshields that mirrored a dozen suns.

One thinks of Apollo, the sun god, or Icarus, who flew too close to the sun as the car has "fenders spread like wings."  With these descriptions, the illusionary quality of the opulence is apparent.  This car, too, represents decadence and corruption.  It is cream-colored--later it is referred to as yellow when it becomes the "death-car"--and it has green seats, both the color of money.  The cars, the bootlegged alcohol, the freedom of the women all contribute to the falseness of the American Dream.  For Nick, Gatsby comes alive as the American Hero, "delivered suddenly from the womb of his purposeless splendor."  There is a fragileness and a falseness to his dreams.

What is the penalty for thoughtcrime?

In general, the penalty for thought crime is death.  That is, after all, what happens to Winston.

We also know that this is the case because Winston knows that he is dead as soon as he starts writing in the diary.

However, the penalty is not just death.  When they catch Winston, they don't just bring him off somewhere and shoot him.  Instead, they torture him first.  They do this so that they can get him to actually stop believing in his "criminal" thoughts.  It is only after that that they kill him.