In Walker Percy's The Moviegoer, how does Percy describe the character Binx and the world he lives in?

Binx Bolling is a mutual funds broker who lives a quiet life in a suburb of New Orleans called Gentilly. He lives in a kind of decayed south, where the vestiges of southern tradition are "the curlicues of iron on the Walgreen drugstore" (page 6). Going to the Garden District of New Orleans, where his aunt and uncle live and where he witnesses "genteel charm," angers him greatly, as he prefers anonymity and blandness. After he visits the Garden District, he falls into a depression. He exists in a post-Korean-War world, where he still has nightmares about the war. His world seems stuck in the past, as the African-American women he sees in New Orleans still sit in the back of the bus, a mark of segregation in the south, and where krewes still gather for Mardi Gras. However, there are signs that things are changing. For example, Mercer, the servant of Binx's aunt, does not call him "Mister Jack," as an African-American servant might have been expected to do in the 1950s or early 1960s. Instead, Mercer is "threading his way between servility and presumption" (page 22). The idea is that the old south is changing and that African-American servants are not as servile as they used to be.

Binx prefers the anonymity of his life in a bland suburb, living in the basement of a bungalow house. Binx is undecided about who he is and lives in a state of existential confusion that he remedies by getting cards, including library cards and identity cards. He says:

"It is a pleasure to carry out the duties of a citizen and to receive in return a receipt or a neat styrene card with one's name on it certifying, so to speak, one's right to exist" (page 7).

Binx's one enthusiasm is to go to out-of-the-way movie theaters. He writes of his former girlfriend, Linda, "She was unhappy for the same reason I was happy--because here we were at a neighborhood theatre out in the sticks without a car" (page 5). Every night, he finds a movie in a remote theatre, and attending these movies seems more real to him than anything he experiences in real life. He is on what he calls "a search" (page 12), but it is difficult for him to define what exactly he is searching for. While he is searching, he attends movies because "movies are on to the search, though they screw it up" (page 12). Movies at least have some element of the existential search that occupies him, even if they haven't yet presented him with the answer. 

Who did Bryon's mother ask him to visit? What did Bryon learn about this person?

In Chapter 2, Bryon and Mark visit their mother in the hospital, and she tells them to go over and visit the boy in the next room because nobody has come to see him. Initially, Bryon refuses to visit with the boy, but Mark decides to go into the room to talk with him. After Bryon gets something to eat at the snack bar, he peeks into the boy's room to look for Mark. Although he doesn't see Mark, the boy introduces himself to Bryon. The boy's name is Mike Chambers, and he tells Bryon the story of how he got beat up by a group of black guys who hospitalized him. Mike says that his friends were picking on a harmless black girl in a convenience store, and he stood up for her in front of them. He then offered the girl a ride home, and she reluctantly agreed to let him drive her home. When Mike dropped her off in a black neighborhood, a group of black guys surrounded his car and saw that the girl had been crying. They dragged Mike out of the car and asked Mike if he hurt her, to which Mike replied that he did not. One of the men then asked the girl what she wanted them to do with Mike, and she said, "Kill the white bastard" (Hinton 17). Mike Chambers tells Bryon that they almost beat him to death, and the story profoundly impacts Bryon.

Why is it important to know the factors affecting an individual's health?

It is important to know the factors affecting an individual's health because we cannot help an individual to be healthy unless we understand and can address those factors.  A person's physical and mental health does not exist in a vacuum.  There are countless examples of this. 

Let's take a person who has type 2 diabetes.  If we seek to help this person manage that disease, we must have a fairly comprehensive knowledge of this person's environment. An extreme example would be a homeless diabetic person who has no means of keeping insulin refrigerated, no means of eating the regularly scheduled healthy meals that a diabetic should maintain, and no way of keeping any cut or sore clean and free from infection.  This person, given a home, some education, and some financial resources, can remain in relatively good health for many years.  If this person remains homeless, he or she will most likely lose a limb through amputation, destroy kidneys and other organs, and die far earlier than he or she should have.  Homelessness is a factor that affects a person's health horribly.

A person who is bipolar should maintain as regular a schedule as possible for optimum mental health.  This person may have varying shifts at work or live in a household in which meals are not served regularly, and people stay up all night making noise.  The person may live alone and have no reminders to take medications or to take note of incipient mania or depression.  All of these may seriously aggravate bipolar illness, or for that matter, any number of other mental illnesses. 

Even in less extreme situations, there are so many factors that people in healthcare should have knowledge of.  A person who has asthma is going to suffer in environmental pollution.  The person who has had knee surgery and lives in a two-story house needs some help in arranging a way to heal.  The person who is trying to lose weight, yet lives in a household of cookies, cake, and candy, cannot accomplish this without some help from a dietician who is aware of the problem.  The elderly person who is living alone and who does not eat properly or drink properly is at high risk, but knowing of these factors, healthcare professionals can address these problems, to avoid dehydration, malnutrition, and even falls. 

All individuals are to at least some degree a product of their environments.  As such, their environments must be taken into account in order to help them be healthy in body and mind.

What are some examples of solutions without liquid?

Solution is another name for a homogeneous mixture. A homogeneous mixture is one whose components are evenly distributed throughout the mixture. 

A solution is composed of a solute and a solvent. The solute is the substance that is dissolved in the solution. The solvent is the substance that dissolves the solute. 

A solution can be composed of solutes and solvents that are solids, liquids, and gases. 

Examples of solutions that don't include liquids:

• Air: Air is a solution composed of a gas solute and a gas solvent.


• Hydrogen and platinum: Hydrogen is a gas solute and platinum is a solid solvent.


• Water in air: Water is a liquid solute and air is a gas solvent.


• Smog: Smog is composed of solid solute particles in a gas solvent.


• Alloys: In an alloy, the solute is a solid metal and the solvent is a solid metal.

What is a summary of the poem "A Child's Thought" by Robert Louis Stevenson?

Stevenson's poem is about the imaginative power of children. When the child, who is seven, goes to bed, we read "I find such pictures in my head." The child dreams of imaginative scenes, such as castles with dragons, gardens with magic fruit, and towers with imprisoned ladies. The child imagines streams surrounding the magic land, as if it were a real place with a distinct topography. 

The second stanza of this poem is about how the magic land disappears when the child wakes up. Then, "The magic land I seek in vain." Though the child wants to return to the magic land, he or she only sees commonplace objects, such as a chair where the castle was located and a carpet instead of the garden. Instead of horsemen galloping on the edges of the magic land, there are boots by the door. Instead of rivers, the child sees a bath and a watering can. It is clear that the child transformed the objects in his or her room at night into magical objects. 

How can manual lymph drainage help before and after total knee replacement surgery?

The Danish doctors Emil Vodder and Estrid Vodder noticed in the 1930s that people with chronic sinus problems and similar disorders have swollen lymph nodes. They originally developed manual lymphatic drainage to address those issues, although there is no evidence that it is effective in treating them. Their technique involved using light, rhythmic pressure on lymph nodes. 

Manual lymphatic drainage is now used to treat lymphedema, swelling due to problems with the lymphatic system, especially in cancer patients. It is an accepted therapy only for lymphedema and more research still needs to be done to show its effectiveness.

Currently, there are no definitive studies proving the efficacy of manual lymphatic drainage in sports medicine and thus no evidence that it will be helpful either before or after total knee replacement. Although there is some anecdotal evidence that it may reduce edema, Vairo et al. conclude a survey of existing studies by stating:

However, based on CEBM standards for ranking the levels of evidence, there is currently an insufficient and inconsistent ensemble of evidence to support a grade of recommendation on which to establish clinical practice guidelines for the use of MLDTs in rehabilitating athletic injuries.

What is the frequency of the light emitted by atomic hydrogen with m = 8 and n = 12? (The Rydberg constant is R =1.097 x 107 m-1, c = 3.00 x 108...

The Rydberg equation is

1/λ = RZ2(1/n12 - 1/n22)

where λ is the wavelength of the photon emitted

R is the Rydberg constant

Z is the atomic number which in this case is 1 since we are dealing with the hydrogen atom

n1 is the same as m which is 8

n2 is  12

So we work out the wavelength of the emitted photon as follows:

 1/λ  = 1.097 x 10^7 (1/8^2 - 1/12^2)

1/λ  = 1.097 x 10^7 x 0.00868

1/λ  =9.522 x 10^4 m^-1

λ= 1.050 x 10^-5m

We then use  f= c/λ to calculate the frequency

              f  = 3.00 x 10^8/1.050 x 10^-5

              f =  2.86 x 10^13 Hz

The wavelength and frequency that we just found tell us that the transition emits energy in the infra-red region of the electromagnetic spectrum. So one would not expect to see a spectral line for a transition from m =8 to m = 12

Explain how currency depreciation can impact domestic output in the short and long term.

When a country's currency depreciates, it loses value relative to the currency of other nations.  According to today's valuation, one Euro can purchase $1.09 in United States Dollars (USD).  If the USD were to further depreciate, the exchange rate would give a further advantage to the Euro because it could be used to purchase a larger amount of dollars.  Why is this relevant to trade?  There is a relationship between the value of currency and the value of a nation's product for exportation.

When a entities in foreign countries seek to purchase goods, they seek the best value.  If their currency has a higher exchange rate compared to a second country, they will exchange currencies in order to make a purchase.  This higher exchange rate creates an incentive for the stronger nation to import goods, while the economy with the weaker currency has an incentive to export goods.

When an economy has a greater exportation rate, they will be producing more products to meet this demand.  Although this marks a short term increase in domestic output, the effects may not be the same in the long term.  If an item requires a commodity of foreign origin to complete the manufacturing process, the higher exchange rate required to purchase this commodity will eventually cause an increase in the price of the product.  The increase in price may decrease the demand for the product, leading to decreased production.

What does "nurture" mean?

To nurture something is to care for it, usually by offering food or protection in the way a parent nurtures a child. One can also nurture animals, plants, or even certain qualities in a person or thing. Nurturing has connotations of going beyond meeting a being's basic needs. For example, a person might meet their dog's basic needs by offering it food, water, and protection. To truly nurture the dog, though, they should also make sure it is in good health with trips to the veterinarian, walks, and mentally-engaging playtime. 

One phrase where the meaning of nurture is sometimes confusing is when one says, "nature versus nurture." We often use this phrase when talking about habits or behaviors—is a being born with the behavior, making it a part of "nature," or is it learned during life, as "nurture?" In this sense, nurture implies that something is learned and cultivated in a person (or possibly animal).

In Crooks’ opinion, why does George travel with Lennie?

In chapter four of Steinbeck's novella Of Mice and Men, Crooks pours his heart out to Lennie about his loneliness. Like Curley's wife in the next chapter, Crooks seems to feel comfortable telling Lennie the most intimate details of his life. He senses that Lennie, who is mentally challenged, is a safe person to share secrets with because, he says, "A guy can talk to you and be sure you won't go blabbin'." He suggests that this is why George travels with Lennie. Crooks believes it is important for two people to be together, sharing the same experiences and, most of all, having another person to talk to. It doesn't really matter if Lennie understands what is being said (he usually doesn't). Rather it is the experience of two men talking that is important. Crooks says,

"I seen it over and over—a guy talkin' to another guy and it don't make no difference if he don't hear or understand. The thing is, they're talkin', or they're settin' still not talkin'. It don't make no difference, no difference...George can tell you screwy things and it don't matter. It's just the talking. It's just bein' with another guy. That's all."

Indeed, the idea of simple companionship is one of the important themes in the book. George travels with Lennie because it is far better than traveling alone and having no one to talk to. Crooks and Curley's wife are two of the characters in the novella who do not have that companionship but yearn for it, and that is why Lennie is a sounding board for their hopes and fears. Similarly, George carries on and on about his dream farm to Lennie, who doesn't understand much of it other than the idea of tending rabbits.

Are there any examples of the Olympics appearing in literature?

Robert Browning wrote a poem called "Pheidippides" about the man in ancient Greece who ran from Marathon to Athens to tell Athenians that they had defeated the Persians. The poem reads in part, "So, when Persia was dust, all cried, 'To Acropolis! Run, Pheidippides, one race more! the meed is thy due!'" Browning's poem inspired the founders of the modern Olympic games in 1896 to include the marathon as one of the events. Further back in time, during the ancient Olympics, the Greek poet Pindar wrote fourteen Olympic Odes to celebrate victors in the games. 

A more modern account of the Olympics is included in Jilly Cooper's Riders, published in 1985. In this book, rivalrous horsemen compete at the Los Angeles Olympics, which were held in the summer of 1984. Finally, in James Patterson's Final Games, published in 2012, a killer is on the loose at the London Olympics of 2012. 

In Monster by Walter Dean Myers, how does Bolden's assault charge get dropped?

On Tuesday, July 7th, Wendell Bolden takes the witness stand and is questioned by the prosecuting attorney, Sandra Petrocelli. Petrocelli asks Bolden why he was in jail at the time he spoke to Mr. Zinzi. Wendell tells Petrocelli that he was serving time for assault, but the charges were dropped. When Asa Briggs cross-examines Wendell Bolden, he mentions that Bolden's assault charges were dropped. Briggs then comments that Bolden saved himself some heavy time by pointing the finger at James King. Wendell Bolden's assault charges were dropped because he accepted a deal to testify against James King in the robbery and murder of Aguinaldo Nesbitt. While on the witness stand, Bolden says that he is simply trying to be a good citizen by telling the truth. The reality as to why Bolden is testifying is because he wants to lessen his sentence by getting his assault charge dropped. 

A relativistic proton has a momentum of `1.0 * 10^(-17) kg * m/s` and a rest energy of `0.15` nanojoules. What is the kinetic energy of this...

Hello!

As we know, a mass of a body changes for an observer when an observer moves relative to a body. Denote the speed as `v.`

For a body with a rest mass `m_0` its rest energy is `E_r=m_0 c^2.` Its full energy is `E=m c^2,` where `m` is its mass (not a rest mass), and its kinetic energy is the difference between full and rest energies, `E_k=m c^2-m_0 c^2.`

Recall the well-known formula for a relativistic mass, `m=m_0/sqrt(1-v^2/c^2).` Therefore a momentum is `p=mv=(m_0 v)/sqrt(1-v^2/c^2).`

Square this equality and obtain `p^2=(m_0^2 v^2)/(1-v^2/c^2),` or `p^2-p^2v^2/c^2=m_0^2v^2.` Solving this for `v^2` we obtain `v^2=p^2/(m_0^2+p^2/c^2)=(p^2c^2)/(p^2+E_r^2/c^2)` and therefore `1-v^2/c^2=1-p^2/(p^2+E_r^2/c^2)=E_r^2/(c^2p^2+E_r^2).`

Now we can compute a kinetic energy:

`E_k = mc^2-m_0c^2 = (m_0c^2)/sqrt(1-v^2/c^2)-E_r =E_r/(E_r/sqrt(c^2p^2+E_r^2))-E_r=`

`=sqrt(c^2p^2+E_r^2)-E_r.`

`c` , `E_r` and `p` are given and we can find the numeric result:

 `E_k=sqrt(9*10^16*10^(-34)+2.25*10^(-20))-1.5*10^(-10) =`

 `= 10^(-10)*(sqrt(9*100+2.25)-1.5) approx 28.54*10^(-10) (J),`

or 2.854 nanojoules.

What should I focus on when researching sectarian violence in Northern Ireland during "The Troubles?"

"The Troubles" were a thirty-year period from 1968 to the Peace Accords in 1998 that were marked by sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. In researching this time period, you might want to concentrate on the issues involved, which was mainly the constitutional status of Northern Ireland. The Protestants in Northern Ireland were unionists, meaning that they wanted to remain part of the United Kingdom. The Catholics (who were in the minority) were republicans, meaning that they wanted to join the Republic of Ireland. While "The Troubles" had a religious element, it was not a religious war. Instead, the Catholic minority felt that the Protestant government made them have an inferior position with regard to housing, jobs, and other issues. 

You might also want to concentrate on the unfortunate violence between the two sides. In 1969, the British government sent troops to Northern Ireland in response to riots, and in 1972, they revoked the right of the parliament of Northern Ireland to govern and ruled Northern Ireland directly from London. The Irish Republican Army (IRA), a paramilitary group in Northern Ireland (originally the Provisional Irish Republican Army), tried to use military action to force the British to withdraw from Northern Ireland. The Protestants also had paramilitary organizations, including the Ulster Defense Force (UDF) and Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), also committed to using military force.

There were periods of great violence. For example, in 1972 alone, over 500 people died in the conflict. You might examine claims and counterclaims about the source of this violence. The unionists blamed the IRA, while the nationalists blamed the violence perpetrated by the British Army in events such as the Falls Curfew in 1970, when the British Army tried to sweep Belfast in search of weapons and wound up fighting gun battles with the IRA and imposing a curfew in the area. 

In addition, you should focus on the different accords that were created to try to resolve the crisis. The Sunningdale Agreement in 1974 created a government that had different constituents and power sharing, as well as a role for the government of Ireland, but it failed after a strike by the Ulster Workers' Council. The Anglo-Irish Agreement in 1985 allowed the Republic of Ireland to have a role in the government of Northern Ireland, but it was opposed by Sinn Fein, the political organization that was associated with the IRA. Finally, the Good Friday Agreement, the negotiations for which began in 1996, was implemented in 1998 with the return of self-government to Northern Ireland and a situation of power-sharing among different groups. 

What do the terms epiphany, theme, and symbol mean in the context of "Tears, Idle Tears" by Elizabeth Bowen?

Literary critical terms such as theme, symbol, and epiphany are not unique to this story, but give you the tools to describe and understand narratives. A theme is a broad issue, concern, or point addressed by a literary work. In this case, the theme is signaled by its appropriating a line from Tennyson as a title. That Tennyson line refers to Virgil's lacrimae rerum (tears of things), a notion of an overwhelming sense of sadness not connected with personal emotion (i.e. not melancholia or depression nor triggered by a specific event), but with a sense of sorrow at the heart of life. An epiphany is a moment of realization, in this story perhaps applicable to the woman as well as Frederick. In the case of symbols, you might think of how George and Frederick act as symbols of sorrow and the ducks as simple pleasures.

Though there is nothing political or colonial about Squire Trelawney’s expedition, flags appear frequently in this novel. Since Treasure Island...

Flags are important in Treasure Island because they represent the distinction between the men loyal to Captain Smollett and Squire Trelawney and those who are pirates. The distinction in question is not just a matter of loyalty, however; it is at its heart a matter of philosophy and morals. The British flag, the Union Jack, represents law, order and civilization, whereas the Jolly Roger represents lawless freedom, a loose association always bordering on anarchy, and selfishness.

Those who live and fight under the Union Jack are unified not just by a common goal, but by a common belief system. They work together to achieve their goals, and in so doing try to adhere to the laws and tenets of British society. This is exemplified by an incident that occurs prior to the pirates attacking the stockade, when Captain Smollett chastises the rest of his party for succumbing to curiosity rather than keeping to their posts. He reminds them that they all have a responsibility toward each other and that this duty comes before their own desires. This reminder of their principles helps the outnumbered British party successfully defend the stockade. Further, the British follow the laws of their country when dealing with the pirates, even though Treasure Island is not part of Britain.

Conversely, those who rally around the Jolly Roger are only bound together by a loose democracy and selfish desire. Each of the pirates is motivated not by loyalty or duty, but rather by the desire to obtain a portion of the treasure for themselves. Further, by eschewing the Union Jack in favor of the Jolly Roger, the pirates have separated themselves from England and its laws. They embrace this freedom, but with such freedom comes a lawlessness that contributes to their downfall. Finally, while the Jolly Roger is a standard for the pirates, it is a standard that represents a dysfunctional democracy, where the worst, or most feared, among them bullies and cajoles his fellows to support him against others. It is an association that is dependent on the strength of its leader and that is always on the edge of anarchy.

It is this distinction between the British and the pirates, one of values and philosophy, that impels Captain Smollett to bring the Union Jack from the ship and raise it above the stockade on Treasure Island. He is making manifest the difference between his group and the pirates, who raise the Jolly Roger to show their capture of the ship. His group is unified under the laws and civilization of Britain; the pirates are only unified in their lawlessness and greed.

Describe how a major refurbishment of publicly funded hospital facilities might affect the public sector borrowing requirement.

The question asks how a major refurbishment of publicly funded hospital facilities might affect the public sector borrowing requirement. The assumption here is that the term “major” indicates that the project is too large to fund out of excess hospital operating revenues; i.e. it must be financed somehow. Given that this is a refurbishment (i.e. replacement of depreciated assets), the project may have been anticipated and so funded through a sinking fund. This would be the case if the hospital management had set up such a facility in the past and had funded it consistent with the actual physical depreciation of the assets in question (presumably non-structural fixtures, equipment, etc.). Conversely, the government may be in a position to fund the refurbishment out of its general, budgeted tax revenues.

 Assuming neither of these options are available, we are left with the choice of debt versus equity financing. Equity financing would depend on the specific corporate structure of the ownership of the hospital. In general, facilities wholly owned by the government would not have access to equity (stock issuance) financing. Government financing is generally in the form of bonds (debt). Therefore, the expectation is that the project would increase public borrowing. However, if the hospital is privately owned (on either a for or non-profit basis), the owning entity may have access to equity markets.

What are the three categories of resource constraints?

Strictly speaking, the resource constraints faced by a firm producing a product will vary according to the production technology. Making cars is very different from making sandwiches, and the two types of production will be subject to quite different resource constraints.

But usually when thinking in terms of an individual firm, the three resources we are concerned about are capital, the machines that make the goods, labor, the people that run the machines, and raw materials, the ingredients that are fed into the machines that the goods get made out of. Different industries will require different amounts of each of these resources (compared to sandwiches, cars require much more capital and raw materials, but thanks to robots, proportionally not as much labor). In the short run, one or more resources is fixed, which constrains how much can be produced and often requires operating at less than optimal efficiency.

Another common resource constraint of many forms of production is land, or more generally natural resources; and finally sometimes you'll see financial capital listed as a resource, though really money is sufficiently different from other "resources" that it should probably be handled separately. Money can be made out of thin air; people and machines cannot.

How do both the poem and the story itself compare with nature?

I remember the first time reading this story.  I thought it was so cool.  I didn't quite understand the poem, and I definitely didn't understand the poem as it compared with the story.  Then my English teacher started in on both, and I realized that the poem and the story have a lot in common.  The other thing that I noticed is that both items have bleak and depressing messages.  

The poem ends with the following four lines.  

Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree,

if mankind perished utterly;

And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn

Would scarcely know that we were gone.

Basically, Teasedale is saying that nature itself could care less whether or not mankind walks the surface of Earth.  Nature will carry on its business.  It doesn't need humans and will barely even notice our complete absence.  That's sad.  When a reader compares that message to the full story, then a reader realizes that Bradbury's message is the same.  Mankind (at least in Allendale) has been wiped from the face of Earth.  The house goes about its business as if people were in it.  The house does ask the missing people questions, but the house eventually just makes its own decisions.  Ultimately, it doesn't need the people to operate.  As the story ends, the house is dying.  Nature is taking it back.  Nature will be taking back the entire city.  Given enough time, the processes of ecological succession will ensure that all traces of human habitation are erased.  Both the story and the poem point out the fact that the world is perfectly capable of going about its business without humanity in it. 

Why are these apples green?

In order to answer this question, I'll mix in a bit of plant biology with basic physical science light interactions.  

Plants contain various pigments.  Students generally learn about one specific plant pigment.  That pigment is chlorophyll.  Like any pigment, chlorophyll absorbs light.  White light is made up of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet wavelengths of light.  The chlorophyll pigment will absorb all of those colors except green.  Green will be reflected.  That reflected light travels to your eye, stimulates the corresponding cones in the retina, and you see the color green.  The apples that are pictured are green because they are reflecting green light due to the pigments in their skin.  

Chlorophyll is not the only plant pigment though.  More than likely, those apples are filled with anthocyanins which are plant colorants that are responsible for the red, purple, and blue colors displayed in many fruits, vegetables, and flowers. 

What tells us that the inner core is made up of iron?

Some of the best evidence that the earth's inner core is composed of iron is based on a calculation of the earth's density using the earth's size and gravitational pull. After calculating the earth's density, we know that iron is the material that gives the best estimate of the earth's weight. In addition, seismic waves moving through the earth's core travel at a velocity that is dependent on the material they move through. Iron represents the material that is the best fit with the velocity of the seismic waves moving through the earth's core. Finally, iron is one the most plentiful elements on earth, and many asteroids are also composed of iron. Scientists think that earth might have been formed in part from the merging of asteroids, so it would make sense that the earth's core is made up of iron as well. 

What is the great river in "By the Waters of Babylon" by Stephen Vincent Benét?

The great river in the story "By the Waters of Babylon" is the Hudson River.  

The Hudson River is the river separating parts of New York from New Jersey. Most notably, the river separates Manhattan, New York from New Jersey. The great river, which John calls the "Ou-dis-sun," is one of the main clues in the story that alerts readers to which great city of the gods John is exploring.  

There was the great river below, like a giant in the sun. It is very long, very wide. It could eat all the streams we know and still be thirsty. Its name is Ou-dis-sun, the Sacred, the Long. No man of my tribe had seen it, not even my father, the priest. It was magic and I prayed.

Then I raised my eyes and looked south. It was there, the Place of the Gods.

The text quoted above is a major hint to readers that the story is not taking place in the past. The river name, when spoken aloud, sounds vaguely familiar (which is what Stephen Vincent Benét intended). The following paragraphs further cement the future setting by describing large "god-roads" that are broken and look line vines. That's probably exactly what an old and broken suspension bridge looks like, and Manhattan has a lot of suspension bridges leading into it.

As the story continues, details confirm "By the Waters of Babylon" takes place in Manhattan. Because readers know John is travelling east to the Place of the Gods, the great river that borders the Place of the Gods must be the Hudson River. 

What is the couple arguing about in Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants"? How does the iceberg technique affect the way that you view the...

Ernest Hemingway believed that leaving out important details in his stories (often called the "iceberg theory") tended to make them more powerful. In his novel The Sun Also Rises, Hemingway leaves out the important fact that Jake Barnes has been castrated in World War I. The fact is implied but never overtly stated. Likewise, in the short story "Hills Like White Elephants," Hemingway never explicitly states the nature of the argument between the American and Jig, yet a close reading of the text identifies the topic as abortion. Two important references in the story reveal that abortion is the subject. First, Jig mentions how the hills resemble white elephants. A white elephant is often considered a gift which is burdensome and not really wanted. These hills are like the baby that Jig is carrying. Second, the American wants Jig to have an abortion and tends to refer to the medical procedure as simple and natural. He says,

"It's really an awfully simple operation, Jig...It's really not anything. It's just to let the air in."

For her part, Jig seems to resist the American's request to abort her baby but the issue is never resolved. Often analyzed by critics, some seem to feel that, judging by her perceived acquiescence to whatever the American wants, Jig will have the abortion. Others cite the fact that at the end of the story Jig and the American drink in different places (her at the table and him at the bar) to suggest that Jig will break off her relationship with the American and have the baby.  

What is the significance of the reoccurring motifs of fire and hunger in "By the Waters of Babylon" by Benet?

Fire is used many times throughout the story.  Sometimes John uses fire to do realistic things like cook food or stay warm.  At other times John uses the word "fire" to describe a deep burning desire that he has.  For example, John explains that acquiring new knowledge was like a fire in his heart.  He yearned for more.  

My knowledge made me happy—it was like a fire in my heart.

Unfortunately I can't fully support the idea of "hunger" being a reoccurring motif.  The word is used only twice in the entire story.  However, I think perhaps that the question is asking that "fire and hunger" be thought of as a single concept.  

John isn't hungry for food.  He's hungry for knowledge.  He yearns to know the answers to his questions.  That hunger burns in his soul, and he is incapable of resisting the basic burning of his hunger for knowledge.  For example, about halfway through the story, John arrives at the Place of the Gods.  He knows that he should turn around and go home, but he can't.  He is drawn toward the city by some primal need -- a hunger.  

Surely, that was enough to do, and live. Surely it was enough to spend the night upon the cliff. The Forest People themselves do not come near. Yet, all through the night, I knew that I should have to cross the river and walk in the places of the gods, although the gods ate me up. My magic did not help me at all and yet there was a fire in my bowels, a fire in my mind. When the sun rose, I thought, "My journey has been clean. Now I will go home from my journey." But, even as I thought so, I knew I could not. If I went to the Place of the Gods, I would surely die, but, if I did not go, I could never be at peace with my spirit again. It is better to lose one's life than one's spirit, if one is a priest and the son of a priest.

The above paragraph mentions that John has a fire burning in two locations.  One is his mind, and the other is his bowels.  Bowels will be the intestines.  Basically anything past the stomach.  If the stomach and bowels are empty, the body sends signals to the brain that you understand as hunger.  John has a mental and physical hunger to go to the Place of the Gods, and it burns like fire in his soul. 

What number is given to magnesium in the periodic table?

Magnesium, abbreviated as Mg, is an element with the atomic number 12. 

Magnesium is an alkaline earth metal which is solid at 20 degrees centigrade, strongly basic, and has a hexagonal crystal structure. To the naked eye, magnesium is a somewhat reflective, silvery substance. Magnesium also has an atomic weight of 24.305, a melting point of 650 degrees centigrade, and a boiling point of 1090 degrees centigrade.

This mineral is found readily in seawater, soil, and even a number of foods! Humans need magnesium in their diet and typically get it through eating dark, leafy greens, nuts, and bananas. 

When handling magnesium in a laboratory or industrial setting, be careful when opening containers of chip or powdered magnesium as there is the potential for spontaneous ignition on contact with wear. Though magnesium does not pose any serious health risks, wear a face mask and gloves to protect the airways and hands. Accumulation of magnesium dust in the lungs or stomach can cause flu-like symptoms.

In The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne, where is the proof that Shmuel is kind to Bruno despite the fact that Bruno's father is a Nazi...

Although the reader is never really sure that Shmuel knows that Bruno is the son of a Nazi commander, Shmuel certainly knows that Bruno is German, fairly wealthy, has no Jewish heritage, and lives on the other side of the fence.  (In truth, a nine-year-old might not always be clear about his or her father's exact job.)  Yes, Shmuel is always friendly with Bruno despite knowing these things.  For example, when Bruno and Shmuel speak (with the fence between them), Bruno often says things that reveal his German pride.  When Bruno finds out that Shmuel is from Poland, Bruno immediately replies that Poland must not be as good as Germany just because "We're superior."  Bruno immediately admits this "didn't sound quite right" and remains silent because he doesn't want to be unkind to his friend.  Shmuel acts the way he always does when Bruno acts with German superiority:

Shmuel stared at him but didn't say anything, and Bruno felt a strong desire to change the subject.  

Shmuel simply stares and says nothing when Bruno behaves in any way befitting a Nazi.  The irony is that, whenever Bruno does behave in this way, he immediately realizes there is something wrong about it.  Shmuel simply allows Bruno his reverie about his behavior and then continues the conversation as friends would.  

What is the moral lesson conveyed in "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery?

The moral lesson conveyed in The Little Prince is that life is only worth living when it is lived for others, not for oneself. The Little Prince lives on his asteroid in peace, taking care of his volcanoes and watching his sunsets. One day a rose appears on his asteroid, and he is intrigued by her, but he soon becomes offended by her conceit and her false words. He leaves her. On his travels, which ultimately lead him to Earth, he has a chance to view and evaluate many types of people. Most of the people he meets live only for themselves and don't invest their lives in anyone else. The king wants only to command. The conceited man lives only to be admired. The tippler only wants to drink so he can forget that he is ashamed of his drinking. The businessman wants to own everything without being of any use to the things he owns. What all these men have in common is that they are completely selfish, living only for themselves. 

When he reaches the planet of the lamplighter, he summarizes: "That man ... is the only one of them all who does not seem to me ridiculous. Perhaps that is because he is thinking of something else besides himself."

The farther away he gets from his flower, the more he realizes that it was his job to appreciate and protect her, not to get something from her. But when he comes to the garden of roses, he cries because he thinks his flower is not unique, as she had told him. 

The fox is the one who teaches the Little Prince the moral lesson clearly. He teaches him what it means to be tamed by someone--which is basically growing to love that person. After taming the fox, the Little Prince realizes that his rose is unique, because she is his rose, and he cares for her. The fox then shares his secret:

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. ... You become responsible forever, for what you have tamed. You are responsible for your rose."

This secret sums up the moral lesson of the book: Life is meaningful when it is filled with caring relationships.

Is it ethical to market products that might be harmful to consumers?

If we are simply looking at products that “might be harmful” to people, then it is beyond question ethical to market them to people.  The product that you give as an example (cars) is clearly dangerous, but it is also extremely beneficial to huge numbers of people.   We surely cannot ban the marketing of products that are very useful simply because they “might” harm some people.

If you think about it, practically any product that you care to name could harm someone.  I could cut my hand with a knife in my kitchen.  I could drop my vacuum cleaner and break my foot.  I could swallow a piece of meat wrong, choke, and die.  The world is not a place in which we are guaranteed to be safe.

Because there is an inherent risk in being alive, companies need to be allowed to market products that could harm us.  The products that they market will generally give us benefits that far outweigh the possible harm that can come from them.  If we were talking about products that have no benefit and can only harm people, then marketing would be unethical.  But such products wouldn’t sell anyway since no one would want them.

Since every product out there can potentially harm people, it is impossible to say that we should prevent the marketing of products that “might be harmful” to people.

What quotation from Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" exemplifies the narrator's type of diction?

The term diction simply refers to the author's word choice. Authors can choose formal or informal words, ones with Latinate or Germanic roots, and common or rare terms. Another important choice in types of diction is the degree to which an author uses adverbs and adjectives. 

The narrator of "The Tell-Tale Heart" is insane. Poe conveys this by using very disjoint language, often consisting of short clauses lacking conjunctions (a rhetorical figure called asyndeton). A good example of the narrator's characteristic diction is the opening of the story:

TRUE! --nervous --very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad?

The use of dashes conveys the narrator's inability to think in continuous rational sentences, and thus conveys his nervous character. He uses the words "nervous" and "mad" repeatedly in the story, word choices that focus the reader's attention on his mental state. The use of the adverb "dreadfully" and the use of the past perfect suggest a somewhat educated or intelligent speaker.  

Why do you think the Hunger Games series is a best seller? What about the series appeals to so many people?

 The Hunger Games series is popular because dystopias are very trendy.  Dystopia is the genre where the community tries to create a perfect world and ends up creating one that infringes on civil liberties.  This definitely describes Panem, where twelve impoverished districts toil away to enrich a gluttonous Capital in punishment for past rebellion.  Some people think that dystopias are so popular because people are unhappy with the world the way it is today, and it is easier to imagine a world that is even worse. 

One of the reasons that this series is popular is that everyone loves an underdog.  Katniss, the no-nonsense heroine, fits the bill.  She is talented, fierce, and unapologetic.  She is also loyal to a fault and volunteers to take her younger sister’s place in the brutal Hunger Games, where each district has to sacrifice two children to fight to the death on live television.

Katniss is a strong female lead, which is a good thing for a book for young adults.  She also comes from a difficult background, which many young people can relate to.  Her father died in a coal mining accident, and her mother is mentally unstable.  When she leaves her mother and younger sister behind, she has to give her mother instructions. 

When I am done with instructions about fuel, and trading, and staying in school, I turn to my mother and grip her arm, hard. “Listen to me. Are you listening to me?” She nods, alarmed by my intensity. She must know what’s coming. “You can’t leave again,” I say. (The Hunger Games, Ch. 2)

Katniss has to be the adult in her household.  That is how bad things have gotten.  Other young adults who have been through difficult situations and have grown up too fast will relate to her story.  Many will admire her and see her as an inspiration. 

Stories of rebellion and civil war are popular, especially when the story is about crooked rulers whose motives are unclear.  The series has many twists and turns, and readers love trilogies.  There seems to be something very satisfying about a trilogy, where three is just the right number of books.

When is Romeo ungrateful other than in Act 3, scene 3?

In Act 1, scene 1, after the fight between the Montagues and Capulets, Benvolio speaks to Lord Montague about Romeo.  Montague wants Benvolio to try to learn what is bothering Romeo because he and Lady Capulet are very concerned about his well being and emotional health.  Lately, Romeo has been quite depressed.  Benvolio asks if Romeo's father has any idea what the reason for Romeo's sadness is, and Montague responds, "I neither know it nor can learn of him" and that Montague "[him]self and many other friends" have tried to learn its cause (1.1.147, 1.1.149).  Thus, it sounds as though Romeo's father has tried many different time and several methods to help his son, to find out what's wrong.  He says, "Could we but learn from whence his sorrows grow, / We would as willingly give cure as know" (1.1.157-158).  Montague and his wife really want to find out what is bothering their son because they very much desire to find the way to fix the problem or cure whatever it is that ails him.  However, Romeo has obviously ungratefully rebuffed his parents attempts to be there for him, ignoring his mother and father's concerns and refusing their assistance.  This behavior shows his lack of gratitude for their efforts.

I do not know exactly what the public's role is in congressional decision-making in the modern House of Representatives. Does the public's role...

The role of the public in decision-making in the House of Representatives is generally meant to mean individuals, but certainly people in special interest groups are members of the public, too, so it would be accurate to say they are part of the "public." 

Individuals are at least superficially encouraged to get in touch with their representatives, all of whom must maintain a local presence in their respective districts with staff to respond to their constituents.  Often in high school civics classes, students will be assigned to find out who their representatives are and to write letters about a problem of general concern in their district. It is the wise representative who writes back! When there are campaigns on various issues, the campaigners will almost always advise people to write to their senators and representatives to express their opinions on the matter, for matters such as environmental concerns or funding Planned Parenthood.  Most representatives get in touch with their constituents routinely, with mailings or emails to inform them of their latest efforts, and to encourage a dialogue.  And representatives do pay attention to what their constituents think, even though they don't always vote the way some want them to.  They also take polls on various issues and sometimes will vote on a bill in accordance with what the majority of their districts wants.  I don't think anyone should ever hesitate to get in touch with his or her representative on any matter that representative is going to be voting on.  It is part of their job description to listen to their public.  

Special interest groups are usually represented to interact with Congress by one person or a few people, whom we call lobbyists.  Nevertheless, they comprise individual members of the public.  These members of the public have banded together for some common cause, and the fact that they have banded together should by no means take away their right to try to influence what their representatives will do. People are troubled by lobbying, particularly when it is very wealthy interest groups who are trying to exert influence, but I don't think you can have a democracy in which some members of the public can try to exert influence while others cannot because they have more money and have joined together.  It is not reasonable for us to be able to pick and choose this way. 

So, individual members of the public can and do affect the decision-making in the House of Representatives.  But special interest groups do, too, and they are part of the public. 

How would you describe the Garden of Death in "The Canterville Ghost" by Oscar Wilde?

The Garden of Death is featured in Chapter Five of "The Canterville Ghost," when the ghost tells Virginia Otis of his strong desire to leave Canterville Chase and to sleep forever. 

Though the ghost has not been to the Garden, he has a strong impression of its appearance and atmosphere. It exists beyond the "pine-woods," for example, and is guarded by a "yew tree" which protects the sleepers with its long branches. Inside, the grass is "long and deep" and the earth is "soft" and "brown." The Garden is also decorated with "hemlock flower" and filled with the sound of the nightingale's song.

According to the ghost, there is no sense of time nor place inside the Garden. Furthermore, there exists no today nor tomorrow; no life nor death. The Garden is simply a place of peace where the dead can sleep forever, without fear of ever being disturbed.

Who is Rahim Khan in Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner? What important roles does he play in Amir's life?

Rahim Khan is Baba's business partner and good friend. Rahim Khan also plays an important role in Amir's life by being a role model and father figure to him. When Amir was a child, Rahim Khan encouraged him to become a writer after reading Amir's first story. Thanks to Rahim Khan's encouragement, Amir grew up to be a successful writer. Later in the novel, Rahim tells Amir the truth about his half-brother Hassan and helps Amir gain redemption by giving him the opportunity to save Sohrab from a dangerous life as an Afghan orphan. Amir is able to atone for his past sins by risking his life to save Sohrab, and Sohrab is given the opportunity to start a new life in America with Amir and his wife. Rahim Khan provided Amir the chance "to be good again" and live a guilt-free life by guiding Amir to Sohrab and continually encouraging Amir throughout the novel.

How can I come up with a sequel to Boyle's "Greasy Lake"?

A sequel is a story that launches from a previous story and tells what came after or as a result of the first story. In the case of the violently graphic short story "Greasy Lake," a sequel would unravel what happens to the narrator and his friends when the ordinary circumstances of daylight life meet the aftermath of a cannabis and alcohol filled night, a night of violence and tragedy.

More specifically, your sequel would tell what happens after they commit the primal crimes, the "Ur-crimes." Your sequel would also need to tell what happens after the psychological shocks of the separate incidents of horror, realization and primitive urge: hot-bloodedly hitting his foe with the tire iron; coming face-to-face with a watery corpse; the attack on the girl. While the story is particularly violent and brutal, with scenes that are intense and graphic, the writing of these scenes comprises only a few lines: 8 to 10 lines for the attack on the girl and the image of their being "dirty, bloody, guilty." Your sequel would maintain the ratio developed in the story, proportioning the amount of space given to psychological introspection versus that given to dirty, bloody guilt.

Finally, your sequel would develop the allusion at the end of the story that suggests an association of his fate with "fence," a symbol for incarceration. At the end of the story, the narrator can only imagine what is facing him, but there is a suggestion of certainty that it will have something to do with fenced-off imprisonment. The sequel would fulfill this fence allusion, an allusion reinforced by the earlier imagined conversation: "'I don't know, the murderer said. Something came over me.'"

Stylistically, your sequel would preserve the elements of craft that develop mood, foreshadow events and reveal character psychology. More specifically, your sequel would continue the poetical references to nature: "eastern half of the sky ... cobalt"; "the birds had begun"; "buds and opening blossoms." Nature references develop the contrast between what will happen in daylight and what happens that night. A critical element of the nature references is the inclusion of harsh descriptors: black, take over, lay slick, sun firing, fence round the perimeter. These harsh words in the heart of a poetical reference to birds, flowers and a dawn sky set the mood and develop foreshadowing, foreshadowing that provides key indicators of what the sequel would reveal as the fate of the narrator and his friends (who seemingly would share the same fate but not necessarily so).  

The writing style of the sequel would demand intelligent writing. The narrator uses Biblical, Classical and cultural allusions in his ordinary course of thought: e.g., cultural allusion, "Louisville slugger," a kind of baseball bat. For integrity in his character, which would not change during the confrontation and punishment part of his story (think of Camus' The Stranger)--and they will face punishing consequences since they themselves are walking evidence of horrible deeds as the Bel Air is driven evidence--his mode of personal inner thought needs to stay the same, and his mode of thought indicates a high intelligence and a quality education, this notwithstanding his existential angst-ridden psychological state.

One other stylistic consideration based on the psychology of the narrator strongly suggests the inclusion of flashbacks to horrors, shocks and primitive urges: e.g., flashbacks to the dead man in the water, the blow with the tire iron, the screams of the foxy girl, the wobbling of the stoned girls in stilettos. Note that part of the stylistics of the original story is the use of labels, like "the fox," instead of names, a technique that makes use of Jungian primal archetypes to develop character psychology, while the narrator's psychology is further developed by his stream-of-consciousness musings.

"I contemplated suicide, wondered if I'd need bridgework, scraped the recesses of my brain for some sort of excuse to give my parents .... Then I thought of the dead man. ... and felt the tug of fear, felt the darkness opening inside of me.... Who was he I wondered, this victim of time and circumstance...." (narrator, "Greasy Lake")

Find the range of the function` f(x) = ((x^2 -4)(x-3))/(x^2-x-6).`

Hello!

The range of a function is the set of its possible values.

The given expression for the function `f` is not so simple, let's try to simplify it. But first find the domain. There is a denominator, and it has not to be zero:

`x^2 - x - 6 != 0,` which gives `x != -2` and `x != 3` (easy to guess).

Therefore `x^2 - x - 6 = (x+2)(x-3).` The numerator has something in common:

`(x^2-4)(x-3) = (x-2)(x+2)(x-3).`

Thus the function becomes `f(x) = ((x-2)(x+2)(x-3))/((x+2)(x-3)) = x-2,` a simple expression. But remember that `x != -2` and `x != 3.`

Now we can easily find the range. For `x-2` when all x's are possible, it is the entire `RR.` Because `x=-2` and `x=3` are forbidden, the values `y=-2-2=-4` and `y=3-2=1` are impossible. So the range of `f` is `RR\{-4,1},` which is

`(-oo,-4) uu (-4,1) uu (1,+oo)`

in interval notation.

How is the cross examination of Tom Robinson different from that of Mayella Ewell in To Kill a Mockingbird?

The cross-examination of Tom Robinson differs from that of Mayella Ewell in the attitudes taken by the two lawyers toward the witnesses, and in the nature of their questions.

• Cross-examination of Mayella Ewell

When she first takes the witness stand Mayella tells Judge Taylor that she does not want Atticus "doin' me like he done Papa, tryin' make him out left-handed" even though Mr. Gilmer will question her first. Then, when it is Atticus's turn to cross examine, she complains that he is "sassing" her by addressing her as "Ma'am" or "Miss Mayella." Nevertheless, he continues to be polite to her, although he asks many questions about her home life and background and the circumstances of the alleged rape.
Then Atticus asks Mayella if the day of the rape were the first time Tom Robinson were invited into her house. Mayella starts a little, then she says that it was. Further, Atticus inquires if Mayella remembers being beaten in the face, and she at first says no, then she corrects her answer to yes. In order to display her lack of credibility, Atticus asks her a number of questions such as whether she screamed when Tom attacked her and if he knocked her down and hit her in the face; also, he asks if Tom choked her, or if any of the other children heard her screams. Finally, Atticus asks Mayella if Tom beat her or if her father had. Mayella becomes angry and lashes out at the jury insulting them. Judge Taylor does not hold her in contempt, perhaps, because she is so backward.  
Throughout all his questioning, Atticus has been thorough, but always polite and professional.

• Cross-examination of Tom Robinson

In contrast to the professionalism and politeness of Atticus's cross-examination of Mayella, Mr. Gilmer immediately tries to cast aspersions upon Tom Robinson's character. First he brings up a disorderly conduct charge from the past, and then he insinuates that Tom is strong enough to choke a girl, aggressively questioning him and using the insulting word nigger and further addressing Tom with the deprecating term of "boy." He tries to entrap Tom by asking him if Mayella has lied about some things, but Tom simply says that she "is mistaken in her mind." Then, when Mr. Gilmer asks Tom why he has helped Mayella, Tom speaks from his heart before he weighs the consequences of his sentence," I felt sorry for her."
"You felt sorry for her, you felt sorry for her?" (No black should feel sorry for a white as that implies a feeling of superiority.)

Further, when Mr. Gilmer asks Tom why he ran, Tom replies that he was afraid he would end up in court just as he certainly is. Then, Mr. Gilmer challenges Tom in a demeaning manner:

"Sacred of arrest, scared you'd have to face up to what you did?'
"No suh, scared I'd hafta face up to what I didn't do."
"Are you being impudent to me, boy?"
"No suh, I didn't go to be."

Mr. Gilmer talks "so hateful" to Tom as Dill later complains when he cries and has to go outside. 

I need help writing an argument that supports or refutes the claim that complex poems are superior.

No type of poem is inherently superior. Various types of poem can be well or badly written within the context of their own genres and audiences. 

Alexander Pope, for example, wrote a two-line poem that was inscribed on the collar of a dog he gave to Frederick, Prince of Wales. It read:

I am his highness's dog at Kew;

Pray tell me, sir, whose dog are you? 

This is a very simple and clever example of a genre sometimes known as occasional verse. It does not have the profundity or complexity of "The Wasteland" or of Pope's own "An Essay on Man", but that is not its point.

Poems should be judged according to what they are trying to accomplish. A limerick succeeds or fails according to how funny it is and how well it serves to entertain its audience; complexity would get in the way of its success. Traditional epic should be judged not on complexity but on the way it vividly and memorably conveys cultural tradition. 

In lyric poetry, some authors excel in creating complex works that engage the intellect as well as the senses and have multiple layers of meaning. Much of modern poetry and metaphysical poetry follow this model. Other poets succeed by creating simple and beautifully crafted lyrics such as Housman's "Loveliest of Trees, the Cherry Now."

No one type of poetry in inherently superior, although when selecting poems to read in the university classroom, one should choose complex and difficult poems as they provide greater challenges for students.

What were the features of Lincoln's plan of Reconstruction?

Abraham Lincoln developed his own plan of Reconstruction. It was often referred to as the Ten Percent Plan. President Lincoln was thinking of Reconstruction before the Civil War had ended. He issued his plan in December 1863.

His plan had several features. Once ten percent of the voters of a state would take an oath of loyalty to the United States, they would be able to form a new state government. They would adopt a state constitution that banned slavery. President Lincoln was also willing to offer amnesty to all white southerners who agreed to be loyal to the United States. However, this didn’t include the former leaders of the Confederacy. President Lincoln also encouraged the southern states to give more freedoms to the former slaves. However, since this wasn’t required in his plan, states were under no obligation to do this.

President Lincoln believed that Reconstruction should not be unduly harsh on the South. President Lincoln knew the country needed to reunite. He believed a harsh plan would make unity more difficult. His plan reflected these ideas.

Why is it important that the accused people come out underneath the place where the king and his party sit in the arena in the story "The Lady or...

The location of the king’s party is important because the princess is able to secretly signal her lover.

It is important that the king and the accused can see each other, because the king feels that fate is at play in his system of justice.  He is not the one condemning the accused or pardoning him.  That is done by fate.  The accused person chooses between two doors.  One kills him and the other sends him to his wedding to a beautiful maiden.

Directly opposite him, on the other side of the enclosed space, were two doors, exactly alike and side by side. It was the duty and the privilege of the person on trial to walk directly to these doors and open one of them. 

However, it probably never occurred to the king that someone in his party might find out what was behind each door and signal the accused.  When his daughter’s lover was sent into the arena, she took it upon herself to find out what was behind which door.  She used her position to signal him.

Her right arm lay on the cushioned parapet before her. She raised her hand, and made a slight, quick movement toward the right. No one but her lover saw her. Every eye but his was fixed on the man in the arena.

He knew that she would find out, and he knew she would signal him.  The interesting thing about this story’s ambiguous ending is that we do not know what she signaled him.  She might have sent him to his death, because she did not want another woman to have him.  However, she might have also decided she could not live without him.  We do not know what the signal was, we only know that there was a signal, and he saw her signal.

What is the main conflict of Scout Finch in "To Kill A Mockingbird," and what is the resolution?

Scout deals with several conflicts throughout the book.  A few are highlighted below:

Scout has an ongoing conflict with her brother, Jem.  Jem sometimes tries to make Scout feel excluded.  An example of this is when he tells her she is acting like a girl:

Jem was scowling triumphantly.  "Nothin' to it.  I swear, Scout, sometimes you act so much like a girl it's mortifyin'" (To Kill a Mockingbird, chapter 4).

Conflicts between Calpurnia and Scout are also common in the novel.  On the first day of school, Scout gets in trouble with her teacher because she is already writing.  Scout blames Calpurnia for giving her "a writing task by scrawling the alphabet firmly across the top of a tablet, then copying out a chapter of the Bible beneath" (Chapter 3).  Calpurnia is often strict with Scout, which she does not like.  Calpurnia scolds Scout when she is rude or unkind.

Scout is willing to challenge anyone who criticizes her father about the Tom Robinson trial.  Her cousin, Francis, insults Atticus.  He tells her that Atticus is a disgrace to the Finch family.  Scout is enraged and goes after him.

The main conflict is Scout dealing with those who insult her father.  Francis and children at school speak negatively about Atticus.  At first, Scout only responds with anger.  The resolution is when she learns to be confident in her father's work to help Tom Robinson.  She knows that he is doing the right thing, no matter what anyone says about it.  

Identify the location where Buddhism originated, and give a brief account of its diffusion and current global spatial distribution.

Buddhism originated in India and is believed to have developed from the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (born approximately 563 BCE) in Kapilavatthu near the border with Nepal. Gautama spent his life in Bihar and Uttar Pradash in eastern India. 

During the third century BCE, the Mauryan leader Ashoka converted to Buddhism and helped spread the faith by encouraging monks to travel to neighboring lands. In this manner, the faith spread from India to Sri Lanka, Burma, central Asia, Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet, China, Korea, and Japan. After Muslims entered India in the 11th century CE, Buddhism largely disappeared from India, though some historians believe it was in part absorbed into Hinduism. 

The estimates of the number of practicing Buddhists today range from 488 million to 525 million people, representing approximately 7%-8% of the world's population. China has the greatest number of Buddhists, with 244 million Buddhists. Thailand has about 64 million Buddhists, and Japan has about 45 million Buddhists. The other countries with great number of Buddhists are in Asia, including Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Taiwan, among others. 

"Imagine no heaven" by Salman Rushdie is about individuals struggling with a complex sets of external forces that regulate and define their lives....

In "Imagine no heaven," Rushdie sees orthodox religion as an external force that regulates an individual's life.

Rushdie's letter is written to the six billionth person born on the planet. He offers advice on two critical levels to this little person: "How did we get here? And, now that we are here, how shall we live?" In answering these questions, Rushdie suggests that dogmatic religious structures represent an external force that regulates and defines people's lives.

Rushdie lays out his case to the six billionth person on the planet in several ways. Rushdie believes that religious dogma seeks to control people's lives because it requires "much more" of the individual. Rushdie argues that "rituals of worship that grow up around" people become a part of their lives. He tells the six billionth person that religion will eventually become "the heart of your culture, even of your individual identity." This construction suggests that religion all over the world has a profound effect on how people see and define themselves.

Religion's pretense for abuse is another way Rushdie sees its controlling nature. Rushdie argues that while its message might be universal harmony, people who hold a zealous view towards religion might embrace it as a form of "public oppression." They persecute others as they see themselves as "charioteers of the gods." Rushdie feels that these people do not have a problem with religion being the pretext for so much human suffering: "In the opinion of religious people, however, the private comfort that religion brings more than compensates for the evil done in its name." The wars that religion fuels represent regulation of human action:

The real wars of religion are the wars religions unleash against ordinary citizens within their "sphere of influence". They are wars of the godly against the largely defenceless—American fundamentalists against pro-choice doctors, Iranian mullahs against their country's Jewish minority, Hindu fundamentalists in Bombay against that city's increasingly fearful Muslims.

The destructive capacity of religion is where Rushdie's fears about its effect on individual identity are most pronounced.

Rather than present an entirely dark portrait of humanity being regulated by religion, Rushdie suggests that there can be a way for individuals, particularly the six billionth person born, to reassert control over their lives. Rushdie feels that openly questioning dogmatic notions of the good is one response to a potentially oppressive force: "The victors in that war must not be the closed-minded, marching into battle with, as ever, God on their side. To choose unbelief is to choose mind over dogma, to trust in our humanity instead of all these dangerous divinities." Rushdie believes that embracing thought is a viable response to religion's potential for control.

Rushdie wants people to embrace their ability to think. He believes that making conscious choices that represent complexity and nuance as opposed to reductive simplicity is a way for people to resist the controlling force that religion could be:

 Only you can decide if you want to be handed down the law by priests, and accept that good and evil are somehow external to ourselves. To my mind religion, even at its most sophisticated, essentially infantilises our ethical selves by setting infallible moral Arbiters and irredeemably immoral Tempters above us: the eternal parents, good and bad, light and dark, of the supernatural realm.

As Rushdie closes his letter, he believes that individuals do not have to succumb to the pressures of religion's propensity for control. He believes that reveling in our ability to think is something that "all six billion of us could do for ourselves." He believes that thinking for oneself is a way for individuals to participate in "the revolution in which each of us could play our small, six-billionth part: once and for all we could refuse to allow priests, and the fictions on whose behalf they claim to speak, to be the policemen of our liberties and behaviour." To see the world as "undogmatised and plain" is a way to repel the controlling aspect of religion. Rushdie believes this is the way out of the regulation and control intrinsic to religion.

Why is Bob's nickname "Silky" Bob in "After Twenty Years" by O. Henry?

Even Bob's first name is not mentioned until near the end of the story, and the nickname "Silky" Bob is mentioned only once. This is when the plainclothes detective tells him, 

You've been under arrest for ten minutes, ‘Silky’ Bob.

Bob's last name is never mentioned in the story. O. Henry has some reason for not wanting to identify Bob by his name. This is undoubtedly because Bob is continually on the lam and probably uses many different names. Jimmy Wells, of course, would know Bob's last name, but he cannot call him by his first name, last name, or nickname when he is talking to him in front of the hardware store because he has quickly decided not to reveal who he is or that he knows who Bob is. Jimmy makes this decision when Bob lights his cigar and Jimmy sees that his old friend is the man who is wanted by the Chicago police. From that point on, there is no exchange of names. Bob speaks of Jimmy Wells, but he does not know he is talking to Jimmy Wells. Bob is called "the man" and "the other," and at one point he is called "the man from the West," but he is not called Bob until the arresting officer arrives on the scene and calls out:

“Is that you, Bob?” he asked, doubtfully.

The plainclothes detective only knows the name because Jimmy Wells has told it to him. O. Henry could not have had Jimmy addressing Bob by name because Jimmy was pretending he didn't know him. Bob would have had no reason to introduce himself by name to a strange cop unless asked to show some form of identification. Both Jimmy Wells and Bob's identities are unknown to the reader until near the end of the story, which is O. Henry's intention because he wants a surprise ending.

Bob probably got the nickname 'Silky' Bob for two reasons. One is because he is apparently a smooth talker, as he demonstrates when he encounters the cop while he is standing in the hardware-store doorway. Bob is slick. He is like silk. Another reason is that Bob has a taste for luxuries, as demonstrated by the diamond scarf-pin he is wearing and his diamond- studded pocket watch. He probably also favors silk clothing. This would easily get him the nickname 'Silky' Bob in underworld circles. Crooks generally go only by their first names or a nickname to avoid being caught.

The word 'Silky' appears only once. The plainclothes detective has to show that he knows the man he is arresting. He has to make a positive I.D. This is why O. Henry has him say,

You've been under arrest for ten minutes, "Silky" Bob.

It may be that the Chicago police do not even know Bob's last name but have identified Bob in their telegram as "Silky" Bob. This would be sufficient for the New York detective to arrest Bob, although Jimmy Wells could supply Bob's last name when booking him. Bob might have many reasons for wanting his last name to be unknown, and Jimmy could cause him a lot of trouble all over the Midwest when he reveals what it is. If Bob is wanted by the Chicago police, he may very well be wanted by the police in a lot of other towns.

Ed earned $112 for 8 hours of work. At this rate, how much will he earn of 40 hours of work?

Ed earned $112 for 8 hours of work. At this rate, how much will he earn for 40 hours of work?

(1) One way to solve this is to find the unit rate. $112 in 8 hours reduces to $14 per one hour work. (Take 112/8 and simplify if necessary.) Thus Ed earns $14 for every hour worked -- working 40 hours yields 14*40=$560

Note that the units work: $/hrs*hrs gives dollars as the unit.

(2) An alternative is to set up a proportion: $112/8hrs=$x/40hrs

Multiply both sides by 40hrs to get (112)(40)/8=560 and the hours units cancel leaving dollars as the units.

In Monster by Walter Dean Myers, what do the two flashback scenes in which Steve learns of Nesbitt's murder suggest about his emotions at the...

In the first flashback scene, Steve overhears two women speaking about the murder of Aguinaldo Nesbitt. Steve then walks through the crowd of people, and begins to sprint away as the camera pans out. Steve running away from the scene suggests that he feels guilty about his involvement in the crime and is trying to escape from the reality of the situation. In the second flashback scene, Steve is watching the news and listens as the newscaster says that two armed men robbed and killed Aguinaldo Nesbitt. Jerry then picks up the remote and changes the channel. Steve Harmon's mouth is wide open and is in absolute shock after hearing about the tragedy. Two weeks later, Steve watches the news and learns that Richard "Bobo" Evans was arrested for robbery and murder. The camera then cuts to Steve's room, where he is lying on his bed with his eyes open. When he hears a knock on the door, Steve does not even react. Steve's emotions after learning about the crime suggest that he was involved because he is extremely worried and afraid. When Steve overhears the women talking about the crime, he runs away out of fear. After learning that the store owner was murdered during the robbery, Steve is shocked. His emotions reveal his fear and anxiety about being arrested for his involvement in the robbery. Steve's reactions suggest that he was involved and is guilty of participating in the robbery and murder of Aguinaldo Nesbitt.

In Shakespeare's The Merchant Of Venice, how is the character Antonio incomplete without Bassanio?

Antonio and Bassanio share a very close bond. This is obvious when one takes into consideration to what lengths Antonio is prepared to go to help his friend, as illustrated in the following extract from Act 1, Scene 1:

You know me well, and herein spend but time
To wind about my love with circumstance;
And out of doubt you do me now more wrong
In making question of my uttermost
Than if you had made waste of all I have:
Then do but say to me what I should do
That in your knowledge may by me be done,
And I am prest unto it: therefore, speak. 

Bassanio has asked Antonio for a loan so that he may woo the beautiful heiress, Portia, of Belmont. He needs the money to stand an equal chance against Portia's many other suitors, men of status and money. Even though Antonio has helped him many times before and Bassanio has, on numerous occasions, not paid him back, the merchant is still prepared to assist him - a true show of love and loyalty indeed!

Antonio is even prepared to put himself at risk by signing a bond with the Jewish moneylender, Shylock, in which the principal condition states that if Antonio does not repay the loan within three months, he must forfeit a pound of his flesh to him.

The above examples emphasize how close Antonio is to Bassanio. The implication is that their relationship is more than just friendly - they share a fraternal acquaintance with one another. One could even say that Antonio's sentiments for Bassanio go beyond that. He shows a fatherly care and affection for him. Bassanio, it seems, sees Antonio as a confidante and adviser and Antonio is more than happy to fulfill this role.

Should Bassanio successfully woo Portia, their constant companionship will somehow be disturbed because Bassanio would have to, as a matter of course, give his bride all his attention. Antonio would then, obviously, be incomplete since he would not have his closest confidante around him as much as he would want to. Many commentators suggest that it is this knowledge which makes Antonio feel sad at the beginning of the play. He realizes that he is about to lose his 'other half,' as it were, and the thought depresses him. 

What are the main themes of The Devil and Mr. Casement by Jordan Goodman?

This book is about Roger Casement, the Irish-born member of the British Foreign office who investigated King Leopold II of Belgium's horrific actions in the Congo. Casement traveled about the Congo and interviewed people, which led to the release of the Casement Report. The Casement Report revealed Leopold had enslaved or killed millions of local people. His report led Leopold to give up the Congo as his personal domain. The Devil and Mr. Casement is about Casement's attempts to reveal the horrors Peruvian Julio César Arana committed in the Putumayo region of the Amazon against the local Indians, as Arana killed hundreds of thousands of locals in an attempt to extract rubber. The British Parliament investigated Arana's Peruvian Amazon Company, based in London, but Arana was left unpunished and continued to conduct abuses in the Amazon. 

One of the themes of The Devil and Mr. Casement is the difficulty of cracking down on abuses, even abuses as serious and extensive as those in the Putumayo region. While Casement arrives in the region with optimism that his investigation will end the abuses, "Casement's confidence soon dissolved into frustration and despair" (164). His attempts to arrest the perpetrators of the abuse in the region are unsuccessful because the political authorities in the region back Arana.

Another theme in this book is the flawed nature of justice. Arana, the perpetrator of great abuse, goes unpunished, while Casement, the humanitarian (who was also knighted), is soon afterward executed by Britain for helping Germany attempt to foment Irish independence from the British. The ways in which these two men are treated by the British justice system reveals the unfairness present in the British justice system at the time. 

What makes a good teacher?

The definition of “good teacher” is elusive and depends on the student.  However, in general there are some factors good teachers have in common.  Good teachers listen to their students.  They teach students, not subjects.  Don’t get me wrong.  A good teacher is passionate about the subject matter.  It takes passion to make a subject important.  However, it is also important to distinguish between that and caring about teaching.  A good teacher has both.

A lot of effort and preparation goes into teaching.  There is talent, experience, and training involved.  It is true that natural teaching talent exists, but even it requires guidance.  Good teachers care, but I think all teachers care.  A good teacher knows when to let things go.  Teaching is an emotional experience.  Good teachers know when to leave the job at work and balance their social and work life. 

Another feature of a good teacher is respect for and understanding of students as people.  You can create very good lessons and have no appreciation for students as the people sitting in the chairs, and ultimately you will not reach them.  Teachers who really make an impact are the ones who come to students’ games, listen to their stories of hardships, and take that extra step to show students that they care.  

Teachers should never talk down to students, belittle them, make jokes at the students' expense, or bully them.  These things will never help, and they can only hurt.  Teachers can make a huge impact for good, but can also do great harm without even realizing it.  That is the power of being a teacher.

Who are the characters in Act 1 of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing? What happens in the first act?

Shakespeare's comedy Much Ado About Nothing takes place in five acts. In Act I, Scene 1, Leonato–together with his daughter Hero and his niece Beatrice–prepares to welcome Don Pedro and his soldiers home from the war and host them in his home in Messina. Leonato learns from a messenger that Don Pedro favors a young soldier named Claudio, who has proven himself on the battlefront. Beatrice inquires after another soldier–Benedick. The Messenger speaks well of Benedick as a soldier, but Beatrice responds sarcastically, disparaging Benedick's character. Leonato reveals that Beatrice and Benedick are engaged in an ongoing battle of wits.

Don Pedro arrives, accompanied by Claudio, Benedick, Don John, and Balthasar. As greetings are exchanged, Benedick and Beatrice immediately start verbally sparring. Don Pedro introduces his traitorous brother Don John, who–although back in Don Pedro's good graces–is essentially a prisoner.

In private, Claudio asks Benedick his opinion of their hostess Hero: Benedick's response indicates he thinks little of marriage, though that is clearly what Claudio has in mind. Don Pedro agrees to help Claudio woo Hero by masquerading as Claudio at a dance that night and declaring his intentions to Hero and–if all goes well–her father Leonato.

In Act I, Scene 2, Antonio relays to his brother Leonato that one of his men overheard Don Pedro and Claudio discussing Hero. Antonio's man misunderstood the conversation, however, as he says Don Pedro plans to ask for Hero's hand that night.

In Act I, Scene 3, Conrade tries to cheer up Don John, who freely admits his villainous nature. Borachio arrives with the news that Claudio intends to propose to Hero. Don John seizes upon the news and begins to plan mischief. And so the stage is set...

The woman does not ask the boy about where he lives or who are his folks. So, what does she do instead and why in "Thank You Ma'am"?

Instead of asking Roger where he lives or about his folks, Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones feeds Roger some supper, telling him about her job. After they eat, she gives Roger ten dollars for some blue suede shoes.

As Mrs. Jones walks back to her room at a boarding house after working at a beauty shop that stays open late, a boy tries to grab her purse. But when the strap breaks on the purse, the combination of the weight of the purse and the boy's weight causes him to lose his balance and fall. Seeing him fall

...the large woman simply turned around and kicked him right square in his blue-jeaned sitter.

Then, she picks him up and shakes him. She asks him why he has tried to steal her purse, but the boy lies, “I didn’t aim to.” Mrs. Jones calls this boy a liar, and because he admits that he will run if she releases him, Mrs. Jones tells Roger she will hold onto him. Further, she complains of his face being dirty, so she announces that she will take him home with her to wash it. Mrs. Jones grabs Roger and drags him home. 

While she is fixing a little meal for Roger, Mrs. Jones talks with him, but leaves him alone with her purse. However, Roger "did not trust the woman not to trust him," so he makes sure she can see him. He listens as Mrs. Jones tells him about her job and the customers; she advises Roger to not steal any more. When they finish eating, Mrs. Jones gives Roger ten dollars so he can buy the shoes he wants. Overcome with emotion, Roger only manages a quick "Thank you" before Mrs. Jones closes her door.

Why is it significant that Mr. Martin helps set up the Lottery, while everyone else avoids helping in "The Lottery?"

The Martins are the town grocers.  While everyone else avoids the lottery, they seem to want to be involved in it.  They even keep the box in their store sometimes.  This demonstrates that not everyone is afraid of the lottery and some people even like it.  The town could not keep a tradition like this without some people like that. 

Little Bobby Martin seems to really like the lottery.  His behavior borders on sociopathic, because he gets way too much pleasure out of the lottery.  Either that, or he is too young to fully grasp the significance what is going on.  He is the first one to gather the stones. 

Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest stones…

He also runs around giggling before the lottery starts, until his father speaks sharply to him, aware that his son is being inappropriate.  The Martins keep their enthusiasm for the lottery maintained.  The villagers “kept their distance” from Mr. Summers and the paraphernalia of the lottery when it was first starting.  When Mr. Summers asks for help, most of them stand back.  Mr. Martin, like his son, is right in the thick of it.  He volunteers, along with his other son.

[When] Mr. Summers said, "Some of you fellows want to give me a hand?" there was a hesitation before two men. Mr. Martin and his oldest son, Baxter. came forward to hold the box steady on the stool while Mr. Summers stirred up the papers inside it. 

While everyone else avoids the lottery, Mr. Martin and his son are willing to hold the box while the lottery takes place.  They chat with Mr. Summers during the proceedings.  These things, little the littlest Martin gleefully collecting stones and running around giggling, show that the Martins enjoy the lottery and have a different perspective than the rest of the town.  The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.  Mr. Martin’s behavior and attitude influenced his sons’.

How does the scaffold in The Scarlet Letter bring greater meaning to the message, and does how the symbol further Hawthorne's purpose?

At the beginning of The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne and her illegitimate child, Pearl, stand on the scaffold in Boston so they can be public objects of scorn. Hawthorne writes, "The very ideal of ignominy was embodied and made manifest in this contrivance of wood and iron" (33). In other words, the scaffold is meant to shame people because it holds the gaze of the person on the scaffold forward so the offender's eyes must meet the crowd's. The scaffold enhances the idea that Hester and her child are outcasts, as they are held aloft from everyone else as sinners. 

At the end of the book, as the Reverend Dimmesdale is dying, he asks Hester and Pearl to help him ascend the scaffold, which he once feared. Hawthorne writes that as Dimmesdale ascends the scaffold, the crowd would not have thought it strange "had he ascended before their eyes . . . fading at last into the light of heaven" (140). Dimmesdale sacrifices himself on his death bed by telling the truth—that he is Pearl's father and a sinner—and the scaffold at this point acquires a symbolism that is similar to the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. Hawthorne's message is that Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale are saintly, while the crowd that crucified them is evil. The striking symbol of the cross reinforces Hawthorne's message that in Puritan society, those who are outcasts are truly saints while those who cast them out are sinners. 

How is Eli Sisters' character affected/changed by the personal, constructed, and psychological landscapes in Patrick deWitt's novel The Sisters...

Patrick deWitt's western novel The Sisters Brothers is a tale of a battle between an evil and a moral nature. At the start of the story, the two brothers of the last name Sisters, Charlie Sisters and Eli Sisters, are caught up in the world of evil by working as hired assassins for the Commodore. Eli in particular is caught up in this evil world because his fierce temper makes him more savage than most men. However, as they continue witnessing evil throughout the novel, Eli grows disgusted with the evil he sees and is ready to let go of it.

Eli's vicious temper is seen in such incidents as him using his boot to crush the skull of a prospector Charlie had just shot because the prospector held Eli at gunpoint. The prospector was already dead and his skull had already been disfigured by Charlie's gunshot; however, filled with rage at having been held at gunpoint, Eli was unable to quench his desire to continue mutilating the deceased prospector. Yet, after that moment, many events happen to change Eli emotionally.

One of those events is meeting Mayfield's beautiful hotel bookkeeper, who is dying of tuberculosis, yet still has a very positive outlook. Her outlook makes him feel ashamed of his violent rages and of his job as an assassin, especially since the man they are after, Warm, may be completely innocent. Eli begins to change most when he and Charlie read Warm's diary and determine that he truly is innocent. All the men the Commodore had sent them after before had been guilty of double-crossing the Commodore, but Warm hasn't done anything of the sort; he is only guilty of devising an ingenious chemical method of discovering gold in streams, a method the Commodore is eager to get his hands on. Instead of killing Warm and Morris, another man of the Commodore's who has betrayed the him to become Warm's partner, Charlie and Eli prove their loyalty to them by defending them against bandits and becoming their partners until both Warm and Morris are killed in a chemical accident. During their partnership, Warm says something insightful that particularly influences Eli to begin thinking about change:

Most people will continue on, dissatisfied but never attempting to understand why, or how they might change things for the better, and they die with nothing in their hearts but dirt and old, thin blood--weak blood, diluted--and their memories aren't worth a goddamned thing. (p. 295)

After Warm and Morris's deaths, Eli conquers the evil he has been battling throughout the whole novel by strangling the Commodore to death. Then, they return home to their mother, promising that they are done with all the violence they have been involved in. Eli even speaks of his new vision of opening up a trading post. Yet, despite Eli conquering evil by killing the Commodore, by the end of the novel, we know that Eli's change is not a complete, miraculous change; instead, it is a very realistic change. His change is realistic because he confesses to his mother that he still has his violent urges and still tries to use his calming technique. Yet, though he still has his violent urges and probably always will, at least he has conquered evil by no longer wanting to succumb to the evil within him; instead, he wants to succumb to the desire to behave morally.

How can I describe the relationship between Beatrice Hunsdorfer and her daughter Ruth in Paul Zindel's play The Effect of Gamma Rays on...

Beatrice and Ruth have a very problematic relationship. It is easy to see their personalities are similar, and this causes them to clash frequently. They are both outgoing, vain, and very sensitive to what others think about them. Beatrice talks about her younger days and how attractive and popular she was. We learn from Ruth that some people in the community used to refer to her mother as "Betty the loon." When Ruth repeats this in her mother's presence, Beatrice is visibly wounded and upset. It is obvious this gossip causes pain and humiliation for both of them, but Ruth retaliates against her mother's criticism of her by taunting her with this information.

Their relationship is characterized by oversensitivity and hyper-criticism; it is volatile, dysfunctional, and often passionate. Beatrice is protective of Ruth due to her illness, but just as Ruth is ashamed of her mother, there seems to be some embarrassment on the part of Beatrice because of Ruth's ailment. Clearly, the similar personality traits and psychological issues affecting both women are a factor in their relationship. There is also shame connected to Beatrice's husband leaving her years ago, and Ruth's interest in boys is overshadowed by her mother's failed marriage.

What is the meaning of "seedy"?

As it's used in the first chapter of Jerome K. Jerome's Three Men in a Boat, "seedy" means "unwell" or "poor," often as if you've been eating or drinking way too much:

We were all feeling seedy, and we were getting quite nervous about it. Harris said he felt such extraordinary fits of giddiness come over him at times, that he hardly knew what he was doing; and then George said that HE had fits of giddiness too, and hardly knew what HE was doing. With me, it was my liver that was out of order. I knew it was my liver that was out of order, because I had just been reading a patent liver-pill circular, in which were detailed the various symptoms by which a man could tell when his liver was out of order. I had them all.

As you can see in that paragraph from the story, the men are feeling "seedy," specifically meaning that they are feeling dizzy and otherwise sickly.

The Oxford English Dictionary actually cites Jerome's use of this "seedy" as one example of the word's meaning of "unwell, poorly, 'not up to the mark,' specifically as a result of excessive eating or drinking." The idea is that the seedy person is looking pretty shabby, like "a flowering plant that has run to seed," in the words of the OED. Imagine a flower that's already shed its seeds. It's becoming less colorful, less strong, and closer to death.

So, "seedy" is the perfect word for the men in this story. Even though most of their illnesses are imagined, they probably really do look all droopy, tired, and sallow as a result of how they constantly sit around doing nothing but trying to look sick.

In addition to describing what unhealthy people look like, "seedy" also describes what run-down, dirty places look like, and how their reputations are similarly icky. A seedy city street, for example, is clogged with garbage and full of cracks. By extension, a seedy restaurant or a seedy politician has a lowdown, dirty, slimy reputation. 

It's good to know, however, that "seedy" can also simply mean "full of seeds," as in "Wow, this watermelon is delicious, but it sure is seedy."