I need to know direct quotes from Dante's Divine Comedy about the way "up is down" and then analysis. I need a minimum of 6 quotes with lines of...

In Canto I, Dante, lost in the woods, wants to get to heaven, but his way is blocked by a wolf, a leopard and a lion, which represent his sin.  The only way up to heaven is down through hell, the place where we confront our own demons. Suffering through the downward journey is the way up to heaven. In the poem, the geography of hell is literally downward through different, progressively worse circles, but that downward journey is also a metaphor or symbol of the necessary, if painful, journey into the depths of our souls. We have probably all heard the phrase hitting rock bottom, as in an alcoholic having to lose everything, becoming the first step on the route back up to a better life.

In the ninth circle of hell, Dante and Virgil have to climb down Satan's fur to his bellybutton or naval, where they find the earth's center and can begin the upward climb to heaven. After they pass through Purgatory, Dante and Virgil begin the upward journey. 

Some passages that might help get you to six lines of poetry, and you should look for more as this is only a pointer, are as follows. Also, I am probably not using the same translation as you, so you will have to find the corresponding passages: 

In the introduction, Dante first tries the direct approach to heaven and finds that "not far from where the ascent began" a leopard blocks his path. This symbolizes that from the beginning he will have to go down to go up. 

The leopard, wolf and lion "pushed me, step by step, back ... ." This symbolizes that the journey up to heaven is hard, not easy, for you must first go down to go up. Sin, represented by animals, forces us down. 

Virgil emerges and tells Dante he must go through "an eternal place, where thou shalt hear the shrieks of hopelessness ...." This represents that Virgil in his wisdom knows that you must encounter pain to understand the blessings of heaven. 

When Beatrice in the beginning urges Dante on his journey, he writes:

"as little flowers by the chill of night/ bowed down, when brightened by the sun, stand all erect on their stems; so likewise with wearied strength did I ... "

This metaphor of the flower bowed down, then rising up to the sun is very important as representing Dante and his journey: like the flower, he goes from down to up. He has to be down to ask the questions that will lead him up. He is as fragile as a flower and as dependent on the light (God) for nourishment as a flower is on the sun. 

After hitting rock bottom, Dante and Virgil at the very end of the Inferno head up: he writes that he and Virgil "in order to regain the world of light," enter a "dark and hidden path, and ... Went up... And saw again the stars." This once again represents that the path to heaven is not straightfoward or easy to find, but that you must first go down, encounter Satan's ugliness, and then you can head up toward the stars, which symbolize heaven. 

In the Paradiso, canto 3, lines 61-96, Beatrice teaches Dante more about down being up. People in heaven achieve heavenly joy by not aspiring to keep moving upward. Dante asks "do you wish for a higher place, to see further" and she replies, "the power of love quiets our will, and makes us long only for what we have." If appetite leads those wanting to move "up" down to hell, love leads those who are humble up to heaven. 

What role did nationalism play in the politics of India and the Middle East before and after independence? What was the nature of the relationship...

Nationalism fueled the Indian independence movement, led by Gandhi and the Indian National Congress. Nationalist leaders had to first create the concept of a unified India, as many people saw themselves as only connected with their own region and religion. Many Muslims in India believed that they constituted a distinct people (qaum). The idea was that the Muslims in India were a minority and needed autonomy and protection. Therefore, in India, there were two layers of nationalism before independence--a breed of nationalism that supported independence from Great Britain and that was supported by most Hindus and some Muslims--and another breed of nationalism that supported Muslim autonomy (which at first was not calling for a separate country). In 1947, when the British finally quit India, two countries were founded--Pakistan, led by the Muslim League leader Jinnah--and India, led by the Indian National Congress. Many Muslims went to Pakistan, while others stayed in India and have continued to be a part of India.

In the Middle East, before and after independence, Islam and nationalism went together. Before World War I, the Middle East was mainly under the political domination of the Ottoman Empire, which was Muslim and led by the sultan, who was considered to be the caliph of Islam. However, the Arabs and other non-Turks, such as Armenians, throughout the empire were already demanding more autonomy from the Turks. Nationalism was not primarily religious at this point. After World War I and the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, Arab lands fell under the rule of France and England. As the rulers were not Muslim, nationalism became strongly associated with Islam. After independence (which came after World War II), Islam played a very strong role in defining national identity in some countries. Other countries were more defined by socialism. 

What impact do benefit offerings have on marketplace competitiveness and the ability to attract and keep quality employees? Do you think pay is the...

The costs of benefits in a large organization are substantial.  The U.S. Department of Labor estimates the average worker costs an employer $33.94 per hour. Benefits averaged $10.70 of that total, representing almost one-third of the employee expense. These numbers suggest organizations make a large investment in employee benefits. Fortunately for the companies, this investment in people appears to pay off.

The leading benefit is health insurance. One survey reveals healthcare reigns supreme over other benefits such as vacation days, bonuses, and retirement plans. Another survey found nearly as many people ranked it as important as the actual salary. Finally, only 19 percent of employees would give up health benefits for wages, and many people in that 19 percent are likely supported on another healthcare plan, such as their spouse's.

The impact on business is simple. Failure to offer at the very minimum health benefits will drastically decrease a company's ability to remain competitive in the marketplace.  The vast amount of information suggests the most qualified employees will seek employment with offered benefits.  Although economic downturns might force employees to accept less-than-desirable positions, it can be assumed these employees will continue to seek better employment.  It is estimated 73 percent of employees would or have actively sought other employment while employed.

Wages remain a highly regarded aspect of employment.  Base pay is near the top of the list of what job seekers consider when evaluating a position. Other attractions include job security, vacation days, and the organization's reputation. Various studies show benefits rank about fourth in a list of other important factors. Whether pay remains the primary motivation is tied closely with the nation's economic security. Employees will devalue pay during economic upswings, but will prioritize it more during periods of recession.

How is Frankenstein's monster depicted as an anti-hero?

There are certainly ways in which one might argue that Frankenstein's monster lacks conventional heroic attributes.  In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Frankenstein's monster is willing to kill innocent people to exact revenge on his nemesis and creator, Victor Frankenstein. Killing William, a child (though kind of a poorly behaved one), and Justine, Henry, and Elizabeth, all innocent people, makes the monster seem more like an anti-hero.  Heroes are supposed to uphold the innocent and good and defend them from harm; the monster kills them to prove a point and isolate his creator because Frankenstein's monster believes he, the monster, has been forced to live in isolation due to his creator's decisions. Although the monster begins his life as a benevolent and good creature, and though he remains kind for a long time despite the terrible treatment he receives from everyone he encounters, the monster eventually chooses to live for revenge. Revenge that compels one to murder innocent people is never appropriate hero behavior. 

How many liters of O2 gas at STP is equivalent to 14g of O2?

To answer this question, you must use the ideal gas equation:

P V = n R T

"P" stands for pressure, "V" stands for volume, "n" stands for number of moles, "R" stands for gas constant, and "T" stands for temperature.

The problem mentions that this scenario occurs at STP, which stands for standard temperature and pressure. This automatically gives us two important pieces of information: (1) the temperature in the scenario is 273 K & (2) the pressure in the scenario is 1 atm.

It's also given to us that there are 14 g of O2 present in the scenario, which can help us to calculate the number of moles!  By looking at the periodic table, we can see that 1 mole of oxygen has a mass of 15.999 g.  Since 1 mole of O2 is composed of 2 moles of oxygen, we can find that 1 mole of O2 has a mass of 31.998 g.

`2 xx (15.999 g) = 31.998 g`  

We then use the molar mass of O2 to find the number of moles:

`(14 g)/(1) xx (1 mol)/(31.998 g) = 0.44 mol`

The gas constant -- "R" -- is a constant, and we choose which ones to use based on the other units in our scenario.  Since this scenario deals with atm, K, and mol, we will use the following for "R":

Now we can put everything we know into the ideal gas equation & solve for volume:

`(1 atm) xx V = (0.44 mol) xx (0.08206(L atm)/(mol K)) xx (273 K)`

`V = 9.9 L`

Can you give me a brief summary of this article? I'm having trouble understanding the article

The article gives an overview of WWII from an American point of view.  Your third image is the beginning of the war, and it refers to Germany and Japan's early conquests.  The second image describes how America was the "arsenal" for democracy and at the bottom of the page, you see how America joined the war with the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.  Finally, the last page refers to the end of the war in both the European and Pacific Theaters of the war, and America's role in shaping the postwar world.  The article does not go into great detail on strategies or even major battles, but it is a quick read as to the progress and outcome of the war.  In terms of possible test questions, I would make sure that I was aware of the items in the bold blue print and how they relate to each other.  

How would you compare and contrast the message about science and integrity in Frankenstein and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?

I find Dr. Jekyll's use of science to have at least a bit more integrity than Victor Frankenstein's.  Frankenstein dreams of being "blessed" by a race of men which he will have created and "hailed" as something of a hero by them.  He puts science to use in order to achieve personal glory and fame, and because he acts without integrity, behaving selfishly and unethically, he ruins many more lives than just his own.

Dr. Jekyll, on the other hand, doesn't exploit science in order to achieve fame.  In essence, he succumbs to Victorian societal pressure to conform to an incredibly repressive moral code.  His intention is to better himself by making it easier for him to always do the right thing, as defined by his society.  Despite the problems we might find with his rationale (if we take issue with his attempt to rid himself of a fundamental part of being human), his intentions, I would argue, are less self-serving than Frankenstein's.  Jekyll is actually attempting to change himself in order to better fit the (unreasonable) demands of his society, and so his use of science smacks more clearly of integrity than does Frankenstein's.  He shows that it is possible to put science to use in a more ethical way than Shelley's "hero."

In Macbeth, is the theme of the play psychoanalysis or feminism or something else, and why? Would you use a reproduction, realism, or a...

First, both psychoanalysis and feminism arose in the nineteenth century, some two centuries after the death of Shakespeare. Thus there is no way that either could inhere in the text of the play itself, and applying either of these two the play would be highly anachronistic. The closest concept to psychoanalysis that might have been current in Shakespeare's period was the theory of humors. It might have some interesting potential as the underpinning of a concept production.

The four humors are: black bile, yellow bile, phlegm (green), and blood (red). An excess or dominance of each of these humors produces the corresponding traditional temperament, melancholic, choleric, phlegmatic, and sanguine. One could associate characters in the play with temperaments, and give them each a dominant color, perhaps red for Lady Macbeth (gradually turning to black), yellow for Macbeth, green for Macduff and Duncan, and perhaps a combination of black and red for the weird sisters. This sort of high concept staging could be done with a minimal set but quite creative abstract lighting and costuming.

The reason why I would choose this is that while it avoids anachronism, this sort of minimalistic production focuses the attention of the audience on the words of the drama, which are well worth emphasizing as they are so beautifully crafted.  

How do we know the narrator's name is Jane in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper"?

The revelation of the narrator's name in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" is very subtle.  Her name does not appear until the very end of the story, but there is a gradual process by which the character breaks free enough to reveal her name, and the true tragedy of the tale is revealed.  

As the tale progresses, the narrator moves from believing that she sees a woman behind the wallpaper to embodying the imagined psyche of the woman behind the wallpaper.  At first she loathes the wallpaper and wishes to keep the woman trapped behind it.  As her condition worsens, she begins to want to "free" the woman, but she can never get enough time alone to do so.  By the end of the story, she has managed to lock the door and throw the key out the window to buy herself some more time.  When John, her husband, finally gets in the door and sees what she has become, he cries "What is the matter? [...] For God's' sake, what are you doing!" (656) to which the narrator replies "I've got out at last [...] in spite of you and Jane?  And I've pulled off most of the paper, so you can't put me back!" (656).  Here the narrator believes she is the manifestation of the imaginary woman behind the wallpaper, and thinks that John and his wife, Jane, have been trying to keep her behind it.  In reality, John's callous treatment of Jane's condition has caused Jane to lose her mind.  She now believes herself to be the now-free woman that once lurked behind the wallpaper.  

What are the critical thinkings of the poem "The Ballad of the Landlord" by Langston Hughes?

Langston Hughes's poem "The Ballad of the Landlord" is a poem told in song form about a tenant (or tenants) complaining about the unfair housing practices suffered at the hands of the tenant's landlord.

This poem is interesting for many reasons, but particularly in its use of irony to demonstrate the injustices African Americans faced even in the Northern cities, where this poem seems to take place. First of all, the title "The Ballad of the Landlord" ironically paints this landlord as a victim (a ballad is a sad song and this is the landlord's ballad), even though the first five stanzas recount the tenant's struggle living in a unit where "the roof has sprung a leak" and the "steps is broken down." 

Despite the clear injustices the tenant faces, the landlord comes off as victim in the public's eye when the frustrated black tenant threatens to "land his fist" on the landlord. The poem ends with three newspaper headlines that clearly paint the tenant as villain: 

MAN THREATENS LANDLORD

TENANT HELD NO BAIL

JUDGE GIVES NEGRO 90 DAYS IN COUNTY JAIL!

There are many ways to look at this poem critically; perhaps the best way is from a social justice perspective. What is the best way for a black man without power to react? What responsibilities do those with power have? What about the media? What about the police?

What are some alliterative lines in Beowulf?

Beowulf is written in alliterative verse. The poetic unit of the poem is a single line that is divided by a strong pause (known as a caesura) and that employs alliteration in some of the line's stressed words. As such, basically any line in Beowulf uses some kind of alliteration (the same sound used at the beginning of words). A prime example of alliteration can be seen in the fourth line of the poem: "There was Shield Sheafson, scourge of many tribes" (4). To make the alliteration easier to see, I'll paste the line below with the alliterative elements marked in bold:

The was Shield Sheafson, scourge of many tribes...

The "s" sound repeated throughout the line is a clear example of alliteration. The use of alliteration was important for the structure of Old English poetry, and so the poet of Beowulf was following a common trend when structuring the verse of the poem. Once you get the hang of it, alliteration is easy to identify, so I'd encourage you to check out the rest of the poem and see what kind of alliteration you can find.

In what ways does the idea of progress shape Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe? If Unoka, Okonkwo, and Nwoye are symbolic of three successive...

Unoka and Okonkwo represent reactions to the traditional ways of life. Unoka did not meet the village's expectations of what a man should be, as he was considered weak. He disliked fighting and lost money. Okonkwo, his son, makes progress with regard to the esteem of the village of Umofia, as he is a prized wrestler and succeeds at making his own money. Ikemefuna, Okonkwo's adopted son, embodies many of the qualities that Okonkwo and the society prize, as he is diligent and loves his adopted father. However, Okonkwo must kill him when his death is decreed by the oracle in the village. When Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna, there is a real and symbolic disruption in the progress that Okonkwo has made. This progress has come at the expense of his humanity, as he has to kill the boy he loves.

Okonkwo's biological son, Nwoye, represents a kind of adaptation to the white Christian society that has taken over the village by the time Okonkwo is older. Nwoye rejects Okonkwo's brand of traditional masculinity, as he embraces Christianity and its message of love. Okonkwo detests this new order, but there is no doubt that in some ways, Nwoye is better suited to the changes that have come to the village than Okonkwo is. In this way, Nwoye represents progress with regard to adapting to the changes that have come to the village. 

Determine the area "S" which the triangle "R" Project vertically upon the hemisphere. Check the attachment

Hello!

If a surface is given as an image of a scalar function `y=f(x,z),` defined on some region `D` on `(x,z)` plane, then the corresponding surface area is

`int int_D sqrt(1+((del f)/(del x))^2+((del f)/(del z))^2) dx dz.`

We have `f(x,z) = sqrt(4-x^2-z^2),` so `(del f)/(del x) = -x/(sqrt(4-x^2-z^2))` and `(del f)/(del z) = -z/(sqrt(4-x^2-z^2)).` The expression under integral therefore is

`sqrt(1+x^2/(4-x^2-z^2)+z^2/(4-x^2-z^2)) = 2/sqrt(4-x^2-z^2).`

The problem is to express the double integral `int int_D (2 dx dz)/sqrt(4-x^2-z^2)` as a sequential one-dimensional integral. Because of the symmetry we can integrate only by a half of the triangle and then multiply by `2.` The integration region is from `-1/2` to `1` by `z` and from `0` to `(1-z)/sqrt(3)` by `x.`

`A = 2 int_(-1/2)^1 (int_0^((1-z)/sqrt(3)) 2/sqrt(4-x^2-z^2)dx) dz.`

This integral isn't so simple (inner integral is relatively simple), but at least we can compute it approximately. The answer is about 1.343.

What are some examples of foreshadowing in the story "Charles"?

Shirley Jackson's classic short story "Charles" first appeared in Mademoiselle in 1948 and contains many examples of foreshadowing. 

The story is told in the first person point of view of the mother of a boy named Laurie, who is just beginning kindergarten. Laurie comes home from kindergarten every day with stories of the awful things his classmate, Charles, has done. His parents are appalled by the influence of Charles and worry that it will affect Laurie negatively. The irony is that at the end of the story, Laurie's parents discover there is no boy named Charles in Laurie's kindergarten class. A close look at the foreshadowing in this story reveals that Charles was invented by Laurie as a scapegoat for his own heinous actions.

The first example of foreshadowing is the manner in which Laurie returns from his first day of kindergarten. Jackson describes the scene when Laurie comes home from his first day of kindergarten, slams the door, throws his cap on the floor, and shouts "Isn't anybody here?" Laurie proceeds to speak rudely to his father and spill his sister's milk. This suggests that Laurie has changed from the sweet preschooler his mother describes in the first paragraph.

The next example of foreshadowing is when Laurie, after telling the story of Charles' spanking, slides off his chair, takes a cookie and walks off when his father is still talking to him.  

Another example of foreshadowing occurs when Laurie comes home with another story about Charles and tell his father: "Look up....look down, look at my thumb, gee you're dumb." He then laughs "insanely." 

After this, Laurie once again comes home with a story about Charles and says to his father "Hi, Pop, y'old dust mop." By this time, Laurie's parents are so involved in the stories about Charles they appear not to notice the insolent behavior of their son. 

When the mother describes a confusing positive change in Charles' behavior, the father tells her to wait and see if there is really a change, saying "When you've got a Charles to deal with, this may mean he's only plotting." This foreshadows the pinnacle of Charles' deviant behavior, who tells a girl to say a naughty word, and a few days later, says the naughty word in class himself.  

How would you story map Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl?

Exposition: Willy Wonka, a candy factory owner, had closed his factory's doors to the public for a long time. One day, it is revealed that he plans to open the doors once again, but only to a select few people who find Golden Tickets hidden in chocolate bar wrappers.

While this is going on, we are introduced to Charlie, a kind young boy who lives with his parents and both sets of grandparents. His family lives in poverty, but is very close and optimistic.

Rising Action: Charlie finds a Golden Ticket and visits the factory with the other winners (all spoiled, bratty children and their parents). Willy Wonka takes the children through the factory, and each child is picked off one by one due to their greed.  

Climax: Charlie is the last child remaining, and Willy Wonka reveals he plans to give Charlie the factory.

Falling Action: Willy Wonka explains his plan to Charlie and we see the other children leave the factory.

Resolution: Willy Wonka takes Charlie on a ride in his glass elevator, and they go to Charlie's house to tell the rest of his family the news.

Where are the lipids and proteins constituting the cell membrane synthesized?

Lipids and proteins are synthesized on the endoplasmic reticulum. Ribosomes are the site for protein synthesis. The ribosomes attached to the rough endoplasmic reticulum (rough ER) synthesize proteins. Those proteins are then used to form the mosaic in the phospholipid bilayer of the plasma membrane. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum (smooth ER) helps in the manufacture of lipids, which are important for cell functioning. Modifications take place in the golgi apparatus before they are sent to their destination. The golgi apparatus serves as an assembly line in which membrane proteins undergo post-translational modification. The synthesized membrane lipids and proteins must be transported by membrane-bound vesicles. The proteins and lipids made will then fuse with the cell membrane and orient themselves through hydrophobic and hydrophilic interaction within the cell.

What are two quotes that have to do with the setting of Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella?

As the book starts, the narrator, Ray, is sitting in a field that he describes in the following way: "In reality, all anyone else could see out there in front of me was a tattered lawn of mostly dandelions and quack grass that petered out at the edge of a cornfield perhaps fifty yards from the house" (pages 3-4). The setting of the story is a field of crabgrass near a cornfield in Iowa. It seems like a rather unremarkable place, unlikely to be where "Shoeless" Joe Jackson shows up reincarnated to play baseball. 

Later, Ray describes the field he builds:

"Home plate was made from pieces of cracked two-by-four embedded in the earth. The pitcher's rubber looked like a cradle when I stood on it. The bases were stray blocks of wood, unanchored. There was no backstop or grandstand, only one shaky bleacher beyond the left-field wall" (page 8). 

The description that the author creates of the field shows that it is not only unremarkable, but downright shabby. There is nothing magical about the setting of the story or the field that Ray constructs. The setting helps the reader understand that the magic of the story comes from the appearance of the reincarnated baseball players on a humdrum field in Iowa. 

Does Shakespeare's Macbeth suggest that history repeats itself?

I don't think it would be accurate to say that the repetition of history is the main concern or most important theme in Shakespeare's Macbeth. Instead, other themes, such as psychological torment, the effects of guilt, the dangers of ambition, and the compelling gender dynamics inherent in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship take center stage. That said, there are elements of historical repetition within Macbeth. For instance, Macbeth, like the Thane of Cawdor before him, betrays King Duncan, and Macbeth is then betrayed in the same fashion by Macduff. As such, even if the central argument of the play is not necessarily that history repeats itself, we can see that much of Macbeth does focus on the cyclical nature of conquest and power struggles. This theme is represented by Banquo's ghost, whose presence suggests that the violent acts of the past (murder, in this case), never fully stay in the past and continuously leak into the present. As such, even if the repetition of history is not the central concern of the play, it is apparent that the cyclical representation of history is one of many important themes in Macbeth.

How can Hawthorne's "The Minister's Black Veil" be compared to the characteristics of the transcendentalists' time period?

This particular story can be more effectively contrasted than compared to the transcendentalist ways of thinking.  The transcendentalists believed in humanity's fundamental goodness, that each of us has a spark of the divine within us, and that each of us can grow our relationship with God ourselves, without a mediating figure such as a minister or priest.  Such optimism is decidedly absent from "The Minister's Black Veil."  Hawthorne was not a transcendentalist, and he typically seemed much more interested in exploring the darker aspects of human nature than the lighter ones, more interested in the effects of our sin than the possibility of our inherent divinity.  This story, like most of Hawthorne's works, focuses on our sinfulness and the rather pessimistic idea that our highest priority is actually hiding the truth of our sinfulness from the world.  And, when we hide in this way, we make ourselves essentially unknowable to those around us, even deluding ourselves about the way God views us and our sins, driving a wedge between the individual and God.

What is the valency of vanadium?

Vanadium is a group 5 transition metal with d orbitals, but there's a simple answer and a better answer.

The simple answer is "+2, because it has the same +2 p orbital as the type 2 metals."

The better answer is "It depends, because d orbitals are strange. -1, +1, +2, +3, +4, and +5 are all possible oxidation states."

This is a general property of all transition metals; because the d orbitals have very close energy levels, they can allow different numbers of electrons to participate in a bond under different circumstances, and therefore different valences for the atom depending on what sort of bond it is in. This is part of what gives transition metals their unusual properties, such as their high electrical conductivity and their ability to alloy with one another.

In Blade Runner, how does Deckard show pessimism?

The lack of hope in the world and his place in it represents Deckard's pessimism in Blade Runner.

Deckard's lack of optimism is seen in his life and the world around him. His pessimism is evident his job:  "They don't advertise for killers in the newspaper. That was my profession. Ex-cop. Ex-blade runner. Ex-killer." Deckard does not use any rationalization to justify what he does. He understands his function in the world is one of negation: "The report read 'Routine retirement of a replicant.'  That didn't make me feel any better about shooting a woman in the back."  

Deckard's negative tone is a result of the world in which he lives.   It is a setting where human emotions can be simulated emotionally cushioned" and simulated, corporations can do whatever they wish without any form of governmental limitation, and the police have the authority to kill anyone deemed a replicant. The film's cinematography enhances this through its use of dark and shadows, conveying something sinister and unsettling about the world of the future.

Deckard is unable to convey restoration and hope because the world in which he lives lacks these elements.  He cannot be a force of redemption in changing the world for the better.  Rather, he can only escape it.  Deckard's pessimism is rooted in a world that lacks hope. 

In "Marriage Is a Private Affair" by Chinua Achebe, do you find Okeke's complete turn-around at the end of the story believable?

I believe Okeke's change of heart at the end of Chinua Achebe's short story "Marriage is a Private Affair" is perfectly plausible. For eight years, he resisted seeing his son and his son's family because Nnaemeka had refused to marry in a traditional way and chose a girl outside his ethnic group to be his bride. Okeke initially cannot accept Nene, but, when she sends a letter informing him about the existence of his two grandsons, and their request to be taken to their grandfather, he seems to soften his stance.

Achebe comments that Okeke begins to lose the resolve he had built up over the years. The storm that blows through his village at the time he is considering the letter is symbolic of his inner turmoil. While never explicitly detailed, the suggestion at the end of the story is that Okeke will give in and see his son and family. Okeke even worries that he will never be able to make up the lost years to Nnaemeka and Nene. The theme of the story is that familial love is the most important thing in life and can overcome cultural and generational conflicts. Thus, it is not surprising that Okeke would alter his opinion after discovering the existence of his two grandsons.

What is the significance of the conversation between Raina and the man in Act 1?

The conversation between Raina and Captain Bluntschli in the first act of Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw sets up the initial conflict in the play and points towards its resolution. There are really two conflicts in the play, one occurring on the level of ideas and one on a more personal level.

On the level of ideas, we see in this conversation two different views of war, the romantic one presented by Catherine Petkoff and the pragmatic one espoused by Captain Bluntschli. Raina is torn between these two views. Gradually, as Captain Bluntschli educates her concerning the realities of war, Raina becomes convinced of the truth of his more pragmatic understanding of war as a profession.

On a personal level, this is the beginning of the central plot, in which Raina and Captain Bluntschli begin to fall in love. We are introduced to a discussion of Sergius, who is the main rival of Captain Bluntschli for Raina's affections. We also get a sense that although Captain Bluntschli as a soldier with a gun might superficially appear the more powerful person in the relationship, Raina is actually in many ways braver and more decisive, and thus get a sense of Shaw's own somewhat quirky form of feminism.

What is the area under an arch that is 2 m wide at the bottom and is 3 m high.

For this problem, we will need to imagine the arch as a parabola on a graph.  We will then need to find the equation of the parabola, and use an integral to find the area under it.  Although we can place the arch almost anywhere on the graph, the easiest place to put it is in the center of the axes as shown below.  The base of the arch is 2 meters wide (intersecting the x-axis at -1 and +1), and it is 3 meters high (intersecting the y-axis at 3).

We now need an equation for this parabola so that we can integrate.  If you know (at least) 3 points on a parabola you can find the equation for that parabola.  The 3 points we have are:

`(0,3),(-1,0),(1,0)`

And using the standard form of quadratic function `ax^2+bx+c=y` 

we can substitute in our x- and y-values and find the coefficients a, b, and c.

First we have: 

`a(0)^2+b(0)+c=3`

`c=3`

` `

` `

` `

` `Then we have:

`a(-1)^2+b(-1)+c=0`

`a-b+3=0`

`a-b=-3`

And last we have:

`a(1)^2+b(1)+c=0`

`a+b+3=0`

`a+b=-3`

So now we solve this small system of equations for a and b:

`a-b=-3`  

`a+b=-3`

Solving gives you `a=-3 and b=0`

So now we have the following quadratic equation to represent our arch:

`y=-3x^2+3`

To find the area under a curve (here, an arch), we must take the integral of the function between the desired bounds (here, between -1 and 1).  Our integral looks like this:

`A=int_-1^1-3x^2+3 dx`

Integrate each term individually using the power rule:

`A=(-3x^3)/3+3x+C`

`A=-x^3+3x+C`

Evaluate from -1 to 1:

`A=[-(1)^3+3(1)]-[-(-1)^3+3(-1)]`

`A=2-(-2)`

`A=4 m^2`

` `

` `

An open-top box with a square base is to be constructed from two types of materials, one for the bottom and one for the sides. The volume of the...

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There is one bottom with the area `x^2` square feet. Its cost is `4x^2` Pesos. There are also four sides, each of them is a rectangle with one side of the length x and other with the length y. Therefore their combined area is `4xy` and the cost is `3*4xy=12xy` Pesos.

The volume of a box is `x*x*y=x^2 y=9` cubic feet. From this equation we can express `y=9/x^2` feet. This is the answer for the first question.

The total cost of the materials is

`4x^2+12xy=4x^2+12x*9/x^2=4x^2+108/x` (Pesos).

This is the answer for the second question.

Do you believe the poem If by Rudyard Kipling reflects a bitter vision of the world?

The poem If by Rudyard Kipling provides a cynical view of the world as it gives advice on how to overcome the treacherous world.  Although the poem views the world in a bitter light, Kipling offers hope.  By understanding the dangers that lay ahead in the world it is easier to prepare to overcome the obstacles.

Kipling's cynicism is seen throughout each stanza.  In the opening lines he states people will lose their heads and blame it on you.  He is implying people will make mistakes or poor choices and blame their misfortunes on you.  He goes on to claim people will lie, hate, twist your words and try to hurt you.  Further, Kipling refers to the finite nature of time as the "unforgiving minute" which demonstrates his adversarial approach to the world.

Despite the bitter characteristics Kipling gives the world, the poem is also about hope.  The hope to conquer the world by understanding it is not always a nice place.  He provides a pep talk when he challenges you to hold on when you think you having nothing left "Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'".  In closing Kipling notes that anyone who heeds his advice will conquer the world.

What is Browning's concern in the poem "Meeting at Night"?

Robert Browning's concern in the poem "Meeting at Night" is to see his beloved as quietly and secretly as possible. In the first stanza, the poem describes his arduous journey to his beloved, which involves bringing a boat ashore in a cove, perhaps to hide his means of transportation. In the second stanza, he crosses "a mile of warm sea-scented beach" and three fields. He then raps lightly on the window of his beloved's house, in a "quick sharp scratch" and sees a blue streak, indicating that a match has been lit. When he speaks to his beloved, though it is with "joys," he must use a quiet voice. All of these clues suggest that he is attempting to meet with his beloved quietly, so he won't be noticed by other people in the house. In fact, Browning had to meet with his future wife, Elizabeth Barrett, often clandestinely, and the two began their relationship through letters. The lovers had to elope to be married. 

If coffee tastes bitter, how can it be acidic according to a pH test?

The primary taste in a coffee or tea is tannin. Tannin is an acid found in many parts of trees and other plants, which has a strong, bitter flavor. While it is an acid, many acids have different flavors; while lemons and limes taste 'acidic', hot chili peppers and spices are also acids. Tannin is just another acid along this line. 

In addition, the tannin in coffee also acts as a mild astringent, constricting and shrinking tissue that it comes in contact with. This can change the texture of the tongue while drinking coffee, and contributes further to the taste.

Tannin is mainly found in tree nuts, leaves and bark. Coffee, tea, and wine all contain high concentrations. Tannin is used outside of the food industry in tanning leather, which is why some leathers can taste bitter if you accidentally get them in your mouth.

What is the unstated message in these quotes from the Muriel Spark story "You Should Have Seen the Mess"?1. "...but he went round like a tramp,...

Muriel Spark's short story "You Should Have Seen the Mess" is about a young woman named Lorna who tends to dismiss anything different from her, or anyone who won't accept her, as messy. She says the first quote about Willy Morley, an artist who the Darbys introduce her to. The unstated message in this quote is that Lorna can't quite understand Willy. He says he wants to paint her, but he never does so. He says she is beautiful, but he never really pushes the relationship beyond that. Lorna dismisses him because he gives away his money, which she doesn't understand; underneath what she says is the reality that Willy confuses her, so she rejects him. 

The second quote is about Mr. Marwood, who is a colleague of Lorna's at Low's Chemical Company. Even though Mr. Marwood looks proper, he isn't college educated. Lorna points this out to dismiss him, as she tends to find a reason to dismiss everyone. The reason she likes Lows's is that there is "special lighting over the desks," and she remains distant from her co-workers. She is defensive because she did not get into grammar school, so she points out other people's educational gaps. The unstated message in this quote is that Lorna tends to dismiss everyone she meets so she can remain untouched and unaffected by them. As she insists on cleanliness in the world, she also insists on keeping her soul antiseptically clean and untouched. 

What is the WPA?

The WPA was an acronym for the Works Progress Administration. It was a product of FDR's New Deal. The organization offered employment to the unemployed, who were prominently men with few specialized skills. They built and repaired roads, as well as public buildings. Members of the WPA also constructed bridges, such as those along Connecticut's Merritt Parkway.

The WPA also brought electrical lines to those in rural communities. Some of these residents had electricity in their homes for the first time because of this WPA project. The WPA also engaged in dozens of other projects. As wartime came, some WPA projects shifted to military ones.

The WPA is referred to twice in To Kill a Mockingbird. Scout notes that Mr. Cunningham could take a job with the WPA to help his family financially, but in doing so would be unable to take care of his land. Later, Scout describes Mr. Ewell as being "the only man [she] ever heard of who was fired from the WPA for laziness" (Chapter 27).

A substance changes its state. The mass of the substance can't be changed. Why?

This is due to the “law of conservation of mass.” This law was discovered by Antoine Lavoisier after he observed that, in an isolated system, mass cannot be created or destroyed after chemical or physical changes. The sum of the mass of the product(s) must equal the mass of the reactant. In other words, regardless of changes in appearance, no part of the substance “disappears” and nothing is “created.” When a substance changes its state the molecules simply rearrange themselves.

It can be as simple as melting an ice cube (physical change). The liquid water has the same number of atoms as the ice cube you started with. Another common example is the assembly of glucose by plants (chemical change). When you look at the equation 6CO2+6H2O=C6H12O6+6O2 you created glucose and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water. The substances changed, but if you count the number of each atom in the reactant and product side, you notice that they are equal.

One neat note is that the universe as a whole is considered an isolated system. What this means is that the atoms we have right now are the same ones we will always have; they will just keep rearranging! 

What is a summary of and background on the poem "My Own True Family" by Ted Hughes?

"My Own True Family" was published in a children's book by Ted Hughes called Meet My Family! with illustrations by George Adamson. The first edition of the volume, published on 7 April 1961 by Faber & Faber, did not include "My Own True Family." The poem "My Own True Family" and three other poems were added for a new Puffin Book edition published in August 1977.

The poem is organized into five three-line stanzas rhymed AAA BBB, etc. It is narrated in the first person. As we discover in the final stanza, it is a dream narrative. We receive little information about the narrator other than that the narrator in real life was a "human child."

In the poem, the narrator encounters an old woman who captures the narrator and ties him to a stake. The narrator dreams that his is then surrounded by a staring tribe of oak spirits who make him promise, under the threat of death, that when he sees an oak tree chopped down he will always plant two in its place. When he returns to the waking world, he has a mystical connection to nature, as expressed in the lines:

When I came out of the oakwood, back to human company,

My walk was the walk of a human child, but my heart was a tree.

How has the use of Facebook evolved since its creation?

Normal use of the social networking site Facebook has evolved in two primary ways. The first main transition is one from intimacy to publicity. The second is from direct to broad communication.

Intimacy to Publicity

When Facebook was created, its intended use was for college students within the same college to be able to connect and share with each other. From there, it expanded to connect college students from many different colleges. After that, Facebook for high school students was added, and soon after, it opened to anyone over the age of 13. 

At the start, Facebook was a tool to connect with people you knew well. As it developed, criteria for connections became fewer and fewer as users could connect to an increased number of other users that are further removed from one's daily life. This expansion was visible in the increased number of Facebook friends a person might have. While initially, your Facebook friends closely reflected your friends in daily life, friend lists quickly expanded to include acquaintances, co-workers, classmates and others known on a shallow level only.

Direct to Broad Communication

Initially a tool to contact and communicate with others, Facebook has evolved into a space in which one-on-one communication is no longer the primary objective. Instead of sharing messages with friend or posting on a friend's wall, a primary function of Facebook now is to share with a broader audience: your entire friends list. Instead of sending a one-on-one message or wall post, users post items such as links or photos on their own walls. These posts have no single intended recipient, but rather an intended audience.

What does Sergius bet on in Arms and the Man?

This question refers to events in Act III, when Major Petkoff complains that he can't find his old coat. Catherine, his wife, insists that it's in the blue closet; Petkoff protests that he looked there and didn't find it. Catherine sends her servant, Nicola, to get the coat from the blue closet, and Petkoff responds by proposing a bet: He'll buy her "any piece of jewelry" against a "week's housekeeping money that the coat isn't there." She accepts the wager, and Petkoff, excited, asks if anyone else will bet against him.

Sergius eagerly responds, proposing to bet one of his horses -- "my best charger against an Arab mare for Raina that Nicola finds the coat in the blue closet."

We learn later that Sergius owns twenty horses, so this represents a sizeable bet for him. The choice is also characteristic of the image he wants to project. It's aristocratic, because fine horses are a status symbol of the nobility, and it reminds people of his reputation as a heroic cavalry officer. It suggests family intimacy, because he proposes to submit his winnings to Raina, Petkoff's daughter and Sergius's future wife. And it is chivalrous. Not only is he showing courtesy to the ladies (in pledging his winnings for Raina, and betting in favor of Catherine), the very word "chivalry" is derived from the French for "knight," a horseman warrior.

In what ways do you think Rome came to resemble the great Hellenistic cities, and what problems did they share?

Horace famously said that "Captive Greece captured her rude conqueror." By this he meant that although Rome succeeded in its military conquest of Greece, in doing so, it adapted Greek culture to a striking degree. In education, for example, aristocratic parents would hire Greek slaves as paedogogi so that their sons would do better at learning Greek, a practice so widespread that some aristocratic Romans were more fluent in Greek than in Latin. Wealthy young men would head to Greece or Alexandria to learn philosophy and rhetoric. 

In architectural terms, this meant that Roman temples and many other buildings were built in the style of Greek ones and many cults and religious practices were imported from Greece or assimilated to Greek exemplars. Rome became more heavily urbanized during this period and more dependent upon slave labor. 

During this period, Rome evolved from Republic to Empire, emulating the administrative models of the vast Hellenistic empires, growing larger and more complex bureaucracies and relying on conquest and colonization for revenue. In terms of problems, Rome developed vast slums and became dependent not just on its own periphery but also Egypt for its food. The transition from Republic to Empire and the increasingly "oriental" model for the monarchy led to many forms of abuse of power.

The two boys, Amir and Hassan, lead parallel lives but have very different personalities. How do their similarities and differences help define...

At the beginning of the novel, Amir and Hassan are best friends who spend numerous hours playing as children. The two friends, who are actually half-brothers, share some similarities even though they have different personalities and talents. Amir, being a privileged Pashtun, is educated and loves to read. Like Amir, Hassan also enjoys literature, but cannot read because he is an oppressed Hazara who is not given the opportunity to go to school. Since Amir is literate, he reads to Hassan who listens and discusses the stories with him. Their affinity for literature and epic tales brings them closer together. Physically, Hassan is the more athletic of the two characters and excels in all sports. Unlike Hassan, Amir is awkward and is not interested in athletics. However, the two boys both share an interest in kite fighting. Amir steers the kite while Hassan chases after the fallen kites. The two make an excellent pair and they both share in the success of winning the kite fighting tournament. The characters also have different personalities but share similar interests. Amir lacks confidence and wishes to gain his father’s approval. In contrast, Hassan is confident, yet humble. Hassan is willing to give Amir attention and is content at letting Amir be the “leader.” Despite their different personalities, Amir and Hassan get along well because they complement each other.

Compare and contrast ancient Persian civilization to ancient Greece. Did Persia influence Greece or vice versa?

The first problem with this is that "ancient Greece" was not a single entity. Until the Macedonian conquest, Greek-speaking people lived in independent city states which each had their own political systems and were often at war with one another. Perhaps the greatest difference between Persia and Greece at this time was that Persia was an Empire while the geographic area we now call Greece was divided by people who shared a language and certain types of cultural heritage but were not part of a unified state.

Persia was a vast, powerful, and wealthy empire while the Greek city states were relatively small and poor by comparison, existing in an arid mountainous area. The main contact zone between the two were the Ionian city states of Asia Minor on the eastern edge of the Aegean sea. Mesopotamian and Persian science and religion had some influence on Greek thought and art in the archaic period, but the major period of influence was during the Hellenistic period, where Alexander appropriated many of the administrative elements of the Persian Empire. The Greek influence on Persia was probably less significant than the Persian influence on Greece. 

How did the colonists' changing attitudes toward the Native Americans, particularly "Praying Indians," help turn the tide of war? How did Benjamin...

Captain Benjamin Church led the first Ranger force in colonial America; his force eventually became the Army Rangers. During King Philip's War (1675-1678) in colonial New England, Church used Native American tactics against Native Americans. He recruited Native Americans to join his forces, and they became teachers of his troops. These Native Americans were called "Praying Indians" because many had converted to Christianity, and they helped the colonists defeat other Native Americans by following their opponents into swamps and forests and ambushing them. In these places, conventional military tactics were ineffective. These tactics, and the colonists' willingness to fight alongside Native Americans, turned the tide of the war in the colonists' favor. King Philip's War ended when John Alderman, a "Praying Indian," killed King Philip, or Metacomet, a Wampanoag who was the son of Massasoit and who had commanded the opposing Native American forces. 

How does Dickens use setting to convey the mood at the opening of Great Expectations?

Dickens establishes a dark and foreboding mood for the story from the beginning by the description of the marshes and his hints at trouble to come.  

Dickens uses the marshland setting to establish an ominous mood. The story begins with young Pip describing the marshlands. 

Ours was the marsh country, down by the river, within, as the river wound, twenty miles of the sea. My first most vivid and broad impression of the identity of things, seems to me to have been gained on a memorable raw afternoon towards evening (Chapter 1). 

The mood comes from the use of a marshland, a place of spooky Gothic imagery and young Pip’s coming adventure.  Pip describes the marshland as a “bleak place overgrown with nettles” and the first event of the book takes place in a cemetery, where Pip visits his family members. His mother, father, and siblings are all a row of headstones. We learn later Pip has only one surviving relative, a sister who beats him. 

When the convict arrives, his condition also demonstrates the harsh landscape. 

A man who had been soaked in water, and smothered in mud, and lamed by stones, and cut by flints, and stung by nettles, and torn by briars; who limped, and shivered, and glared and growled; and whose teeth chattered in his head as he seized me by the chin (Chapter 1). 

In addition to creating a mood of fear and confusion, the convict’s condition adds to the feelings of danger of the landscape. It makes Pip seem even more alone. Here is a small boy, in a cemetery, in an unforgiving marshland, with almost no family. 

This event will be important in Pip’s life because the convict he meets later becomes his secret benefactor. Pip's expectations play both a positive and negative role in his future. These events are foreshadowed by the dark nature of the marsh scenes in the early chapters.

What is the purpose of social structure in Emma? Why did Jane Austen choose this for one of her main themes/values?

Social structure in the novel is used to reveal Emma's pride and arrogance, and it is the central theme in her misguided matchmaking attempts.  Emma experiences a change and becomes a more humble person when she realizes that she had focused so much on social structure that she had become blind.  

Emma uses her amateur matchmaking skills to find a husband for Harriet Smith.  In Chapter III of Emma, it is made clear that Mr. Woodhouse is a man who spends most of his time with people from his social class.  As his daughter, Emma frequently socializes with people from the same class.  Among these are Mr. Knightley, Mr. Elton, and the Westons.  People in this group are respectable and usually wealthy.  The next class down of people are called "the second set."  Mrs. and Miss Bates, Mrs. Goddard, and Harriet Smith are in this class.  These people live in modest circumstances, but they still have a certain level of respectability.  Below this group are those who do not usually mingle in polite society, such as laborers.  Mr. Robert Martin, who is a farmer, is in this class.  Emma notes that "the yeomanry are precisely the order of people with whom [she feels that she] can have nothing to do" (Emma, Chapter IV).  People in this group are not poor and needy enough to require her charitable assistance.  Farmers do not need her help, as they are able to support their families and live simple, contented lives.

Harriet Smith is described as "the natural daughter of somebody" (Chapter III), meaning that her parentage is unknown to most people.  She is educated and has been raised with good breeding, which places her at the social level below Emma.

Harriet and Emma become friends, and the latter is determined to find the former a husband.  Emma sets her eyes on Mr. Elton, who is a class above Harriet.  Harriet expresses to her friend that she has an interest in Mr. Martin, the farmer.  Emma steers her friend away from him, desiring her to marry up rather than down.  On many occasions, Emma pressures Harriet to marry a man who is above her in social class.   Emma eventually finds out that Mr. Elton has no interest in Harriet.  She later thinks that Harriet has an interest in Mr. Frank Churchill.  Harriet confesses that it is Mr. Knightley she admires.  Emma realizes she has made it so that Harriet is only interested in men above her social class.

Eventually, the social classes become mixed when it is revealed that Mr. Frank Churchill is engaged to Jane Fairfax.  Mr. Churchill is in a higher class than Jane.  Emma finds out that Harriet had never given up her attraction to Mr. Martin.  They become engaged and get married.

Jane Austen always wrote about social structure in her novels.  In Emma, the title character is full of vanity.  She places a great deal of emphasis on social structure.  She pressures Harriet to marry above her class.  This temporarily prevents Harriet from marrying the man she truly loves.  Emma uses social structures as a key component in her matchmaking.  This element of the story is important to the plot, which is why Jane Austen chose to use it.

Describe the theme of growth in The Secret Garden using examples from the book.

Mary Lennox's physical and emotional growth in The Secret Garden parallels the growth of the secret garden itself. At the beginning of the book, when she lives in India, Mary is described as "the most disagreeable looking child ever seen" (page 3). In addition to looking horrid, she is also described as "sickly" and "fretful." Ignored by her parents and placated by her servants, she has very rude behavior and refers to her servant as a "pig" (page 3). 

After her parents die and she is sent to her uncle's house in Yorkshire, England, Mary begins to become less contrary. Martha, the maid at her uncle's house, treats Mary in a kind but disciplined way that does Mary good. Burnett writes about Martha, "there was something comforting and really friendly in her queer Yorkshire speech and sturdy way that had a good effect on Mary" (page 15). Mary spends all day playing outside, and "when she sat down to her supper at night she felt hungry and drowsy and comfortable" (page 25). She grows less cross and healthier in her body. Over time, she develops sympathy and befriends a robin. She says to the robin, "Would you make friends with me" in a voice that is "soft and eager and coaxing" (page 22). This tone of voice is new to her, and the robin eagerly befriends her.

Mary later befriends Colin, an ill boy she hears crying in her uncle's house. Colin turns out to be her cousin, and he cannot walk well. Instead of being rude to him, as was her tendency in the past, she turns to keeping him company. Eventually the two children wander into the secret garden that their uncle keeps locked. Mary and Marta take Colin there to help him get stronger. Mary also tends to the care of the garden, just as she tends to the care of Colin. As the garden grows, so also do Mary and Colin grow towards emotional and physical health.