In Shakespeare's Hamlet, do you think the characterization of Gertrude and Ophelia as passive and dependent on men is accurate?

I do think the characterization of Gertrude and Ophelia as passive and dependent on the men in their lives is accurate.  Gertrude is so dependent on men that she cannot bear to be alone even for two months after the death of her first husband, and she quickly remarries a man she later comes to see as quite inferior to old King Hamlet.  However, she only arrives at this conclusion as a result of being scolded by her son, Hamlet.  After they speak, she agrees to act according to his instructions rather than her new husband's, King Claudius's.  She seems to need to be constantly led, and she really displays little to no independence until the very end, ironically, when she disobeys her husband and drinks the poisoned wine that kills her.  So much for independence.

Ophelia, likewise, is in love with Hamlet and believes him to be in love with her, but she takes the counsel of her father and brother and breaks off their relationship.  She follows her father's orders until Hamlet finally kills him, and then she goes mad and is unable to keep herself alive in the absence of a man to direct her.  Both Gertrude and Ophelia seem to simply exist as ill-fated players in others' plots, casualties of the schemes of the men around them.

What is the role of irony in "The Lost Jewels" by Tagore?

The story begins with a conversation between a merchant and a schoolmaster. The merchant is on a sabbatical of sorts; he's staying in a house by a certain river. The schoolmaster proceeds to tell the merchant an unfortunate story about the previous owner of the house, one Bhusan Saha, who was reputed to be the heir to a large fortune.

Bhusan Saha was a college-educated gentleman possessed of an unusually beautiful wife. Although his wife, Mani, reveled in her husband's generosity, she eventually became disenchanted with his passivity. The schoolmaster asserts that, under "the spell of modern civilization," man had lost the "God-given power of his barbaric nature" and "was therefore, neither successful in business nor in his own home." It transpired that Bhusan, hard-pressed for a way out of his financial troubles, was afraid to even broach the topic of his distress with his wife.

For her part, Mani eventually disappeared with her jewels. The story is that Mani, with her jewels intact on her person, had eventually committed suicide in the river.

In the story, Tagore uses situational irony to highlight the role of feminine and masculine energy in the area of attraction. He asserts that "the ordinary female is fond of sour green mangoes, hot chilies, and a stern husband. A man need not necessarily be ugly or poor to be cheated of his wife's love; but he is sure to lose it if he is too gentle." Here, Tagore describes the idea of polarization as a factor in attraction: opposites attract, just as the different poles of a magnet attract each other. In the story, instead of preserving his wife's love with his gentle submissiveness, Bhusan effectively causes his wife to respond with contempt and apathy.

Tagore also uses dramatic irony to characterize his short story as an allegory involving different manifestations of revered Hindu gods and goddesses. Dramatic irony is usually used by an author to create tension and mystery; in this short story, Tagore uses this literary device to perfection. At the end of the story, we learn that the merchant is the supposed Bhusan Saha from the schoolmaster's story, and his wife, Mani, is really Nitya Kali, a Hindu goddess who manifests herself in different forms. The intricate dance between feminine and masculine characteristics in each of Nitya Kali's manifestations is a representation of polarization in the realm of Hindu spirituality.

If you like, please refer to my answer about characterizations of Hindu gods and goddesses in the story.

What are four higher-order questions about selflessness in Shoeless Joe?

One question would be what is selflessness?  Based on what is seen in Kinsella's work, how is selflessness defined?  How do specific characters' actions reflect it?  Explorations here could focus on the building of the diamond and Ray's embrace of his mission behind it.  

Another question might examine the role baseball plays in defining the characterizations in the novel. It could be framed as a position question: "Do you think people in Shoeless Joe are defined by their selfless love of baseball?"  This question requires an explanation of the relationship between selflessness, love of baseball, and specific characters in the narrative.

Another question could relate to the effects of selflessness in the novel.  It could be a question such as "Based on its depiction in Shoeless Joe, is selflessness entirely positive?"  This type of question will require selflessness to be shown in a complex manner.  For example, when Ray plows over his field, it puts a financial hardship on the family.  While selflessness is noble, those who are close to people who are selfless might experience challenging realities.  As with the previous questions, this one is nuanced and requires a higher-order approach to see something usually seen as only good as perhaps containing more complexity. 

A final question relating to selflessness relate to the athletic dimension: "Examining athletes in Shoeless Joe, what role does selflessness play in the pursuit of their success?  How does this compare to modern athletes?"  The first part of the question drives at the relationship that athletes like Shoeless Joe have towards selflessness.  In a time before excessive materialism and wide-ranging branding, what role did selflessness play in athletic pursuits?  An answer could get into the "love of the game" that is intrinsic to athletic selflessness.  Finally, exploring selflessness in terms of similarities and differences to modern athletes could be very interesting.  For example, how does the selflessness of Shoeless Joe Jackson compare to modern ballplayers like Barry Bonds, Mike Trout, or Alex Rodriguez?  It might be insightful to explore this dynamic and delve into a comparison of athletes then and now. 

The answers to these questions are going to be open-ended, driven by textual analysis and support.

In Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis, what contributes to Bud's belief that Herman Calloway is his father?

Throughout the novel, Bud believes that Herman Calloway is his father because of the flyers that his mother left behind before she died. In Chapter 12, Lefty Lewis drops Bud off at the Log Cabin and Bud finally gets to meet Herman Calloway face to face. When Bud first walks in, he overhears an older gentleman telling a story. Bud immediately mentions that the old man, who happens to be Herman Calloway, had to be his father because he was talking just like him. Bud notices that Herman is telling a lie, or is at least exaggerating, the same way he does. That was all the proof that Bud needed to have for him to know that Herman Calloway was his father. Herman proceeds to tell a story about how a boxer named "Snaggletooth" MacNevin hit him so hard that he decided to quit because it was the sensible thing to do. This comment additionally contributes to Bud's belief that Herman is his father because Bud thought the exact same thing when Teddy Amos was beating him up at the beginning of the novel. 

What values of the time period does Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech communicate?

Two values of the 1960s embodied in Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech are transformation and community.

Transformation was an important value in the 1960s.  The time period changed the way people viewed the world.  It was evident in music, art, and literature.  It was also a significant part of the political landscape of the time period.  The shifting dynamics of race, class, gender, and sexual identity were all addressed in the 1960s.  Dr. King's speech embraces this idea of change.  "I Have a Dream" is significant because it moved the issue of civil rights to the forefront of American consciousness. The speech transformed how people viewed racial equality. The speech forced the issue that racial injustice must change. It made civil rights a moral issue. Americans of all backgrounds could no longer claim that it was a "political" or "state" issue.  Rather, the language and imagery that Dr. King employed made racial justice a spiritual necessity, something that found its root in Scripture.  Dr. King's speech caused people to change their thinking about civil rights.  In doing so, "I Have a Dream" embraced a significant value of the 1960s.

The value of community was important to the 1960s. From communes that became socially acceptable to the idea that inclusivity of voices was important to American identity, the 1960s emphasized a collective cultural identity.  "I Have a Dream" places importance on community.  Dr. King is deliberate in suggesting that racial equality can only be accomplished when everyone comes together, and can "sit down at the table of brotherhood." Dr. King uses references from Christianity to enhance the community, showing that civil rights is not an issue that only applies to one group.  Rather, he affirms that it is a reality that impacts everyone.  In employing "My Country, Tis of Thee" and ending with “from every mountainside, let freedom ring,” the speech strongly underscores community. In doing so, Dr. King echoes a value from the 1960s, and indelibly links his speech to the time period.

What is a concrete social, political, and cultural change in Europe after New World colonization?

Europe experienced rapid and profound social, cultural, and political change in the aftermath of the colonization of the New World, but demonstrating the causal relationship between these changes and colonization is complex and difficult. One social change resulting from colonization was also an economic change. Many historians have argued that the influx of wealth–particularly silver–from the New World via the Spanish Empire contributed to the rise of capitalism in Europe. Essentially, it precipitated a permanent shift to a money economy that featured such complex financial instruments as joint-stock companies and powerful credit houses. Cultural changes included the intellectual problems posed by encountering a "new world." There were people there who seemed alien and foreign to Europeans, and intellectuals and religious leaders struggled to make sense of people who did not fit into the so-called "great chain of being" as they understood it. The trope of a "noble savage" emerged in European literature and political theory, and many European writers from Montaigne to Thomas More used American peoples as an idealized counterpoint to European society. The new sense of cultural relativism contributed to the intellectual climate of first the Renaissance and later the Enlightenment. Politically, one of the major changes was the series of wars that broke out between the major powers, especially in the eighteenth century, that were fought at least in part over control of colonial possession in the Americas.

What does globalization mean to kids who dropout of school without skills necessary to participate in the global economy?

As a result of increasing globalization, students who dropout without skills necessary to participate in the global economy are placed at a tremendous disadvantage.

Students who drop out of high school are placed at a significant disadvantage in a globalized world for a couple of reasons.  One reason is a changing job landscape.  Prior to globalization, there were more jobs in industrialized settings that required a lower level of skills. Manufacturing jobs and industrial labor were readily available.  However, globalization has altered that reality:

Jobs that require routine manual or cognitive tasks are rapidly being taken over by computers or lower-paid workers in other countries, while jobs that require higher levels of education and more sophisticated problem-solving and communication skills are in increasingly high demand. 

Technology and outsourcing jobs that require a lower level of skills to different parts of the world have placed high school dropouts at a higher risk of failure in a globalized economy.

Another reality of globalization is that students are competing against more people.  Globalization has increased the candidate pool for work.  The global economy means that employers who want to find the best candidate can find candidates from anywhere. This means that students have to possess more skills than before to distinguish themselves from their global counterparts:  "American students today are therefore competing not just with students in the city or state next door but with students in Singapore and Shanghai, Bangalore and Helsinki."  Students who drop out of school move to the bottom even quicker than before because there are more qualified candidates from around the world.

When students drop out of school in a globalized world, they are placed at a brutal disadvantage.  What these students could do, others around the world are doing for a cheaper rate, making them expendable in the global economy. At the same time, the jobs that are available require skills that go beyond a high school education.  Globalization has created a system where education is essential for success. The more people have, the more economically viable they are.  The result is that students who drop out of school lack the skills needed to compete in a globalized world.

What is the plot arc of The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds by Paul Zindel, including setting, conflict, climax, denouement, and...

The details that make up the play's plot arc are described in the summary provided in the links, but one can describe this plot arc in detail by referring to its implications. The basic setting is one that sets up Tillie, a quiet teenage girl, as a protagonist who struggles with the strangeness and volatile environment of her home life. Tillie is interested in science and wants to do well in school. Ruth, her older sister, wants to be popular. Both girls have trouble fitting in because their mother Beatrice is unstable and a social misfit (this is the conflict).

The climax of the play occurs when Ruth gets into an argument with her mother on the night of Tillie's important science fair presentation. Ruth mentions a nickname she heard at school about her mother, Betty the Loon, and Beatrice is visibly shaken and decides not to accompany Tillie to the school, so as not to embarrass her. The denouement occurs when Tillie wins first place and returns home to learn Beatrice has apparently killed their pet rabbit. Ruth has a seizure due to the emotional condition she has suffered since the death of her father. Tillie's final speech is about her experiment growing radioactive marigolds; the theme of her project is that radioactive contamination produces mutations, and it is understood (in a way that makes this a moment of resolution, to some extent) that this side of contamination refers to her own toxic home environment and the effects of mental illness on her own life.

How does sight and blindness contribute to unity, theme and character in King Lear?

In King Lear, there is a recurring theme of blindness and sight. This creates a unity in the text because it is a recurring subject that thematically connects a number of characters to one another. The Earl of Gloucester literally goes blind when his eyes are violently gouged out. He describes this blindness as a kind of sight:

I have no way, and therefore want no eyes;
I stumbled when I saw: full oft 'tis seen,
Our means secure us, and our mere defects
Prove our commodities.

Gloucester is referring to being deceived by his illegitimate son Edmund into believing that his son Edgar was out to kill him. Gloucester was blind to these deceptions, and he saw neither Edmund nor Edgar for who they really were. Edmund’s scheming lead to Gloucester’s horrible assault, so he finally “sees” Edmund’s true nature and Edgar’s innocence.

Gloucester also states, “'Tis the times' plague, when madmen lead the blind.” He believes that mad Tom is leading him, but it is really a disguised Edgar. This quote is significant because another major theme is madness, for the titular Lear becomes insane and demonstrates poor judgment. On top of that, the kingdom experiences a kind of insanity, for it is consumed in a violent power struggle.

This sense of blindness also refers metaphorically to King Lear. Like Gloucester, he misjudges his children, banishing the faithful Cordelia and giving his kingdom away to the flattering Goneril and Regan. The loyal Earl of Kent tells the king to “see better.” Lear sees better when he recognizes Cordelia for who she is, a kind daughter.

In the play, sight mainly refers to clarity and wisdom. A number of characters are blinded by ambition, madness, and naivete. Both Lear and Gloucester eventually see the truth and come to their senses, but they pay a horrible price for their misjudgments.

In "Mending Wall" by Robert Frost, what is the gap the speaker refers to?

In the real stone wall, these gaps may appear in the spring, after natural frost-heaves from the ground move the rocks around and off the ledges. Stones may also be laid aside when hunters seek to uncover the hiding places of rabbits and other animals. In the metaphoric wall – the invisible boundary or relationship between one person/ neighbor and the next – gaps may come from misunderstandings, neglect, or non-communication. Here, the narrator and his neighbor are mending the physical wall while they are catching up with one another after a certain time away. They are also simultaneously repairing the invisible wall, the property tie, and special bond that they share. The gaps may at first appear to be negative spaces, but they also represent the possibility for two people to work together to repair the rifts: to find connection, not confrontation.

What are the main roles of NADH and NADPH in the energy synthesis processes?

NAD+/NADH and NADP+/NADPH are very similar molecules in both structure and function. Compositionally, they are differentiated only by the substitution of a phosphate group in NADPH, which is where the "P" in its name comes from. Metabolically, they behave in a similar manner as well; they are both referred to in binary terms because the presence or absence of a hydrogen determines the role they are capable of performing at a given time. Both are oxidizing and reducing agents, frequently shortened to "redox," meaning that they are capable either of donating or removing a pair of electrons, depending on their structure: the "+" forms are electron acceptors (oxidizers) and the "H" forms are electron donors (reducers). These terms can be tricky to manage; just know that whatever happens to one molecule, the opposite term is what happens to it at the end of the reaction; if NAD+ oxidizes (takes electrons away) from a molecule, the NAD+ becomes NADH, and we would say it has been reduced. Being comfortable with this terminology is mostly a matter of practice.

Oxidizers, in an overly simplified way, can be thought of as bond breakers, and reducers can be thought of as bond injectors. Basically, if you throw NAD+ or NADP+ at something, it will probably break that molecule into something smaller. If you throw NADH or NADPH at something, it will add new bonds to that molecule, making it larger.

Since they're so similar, it's worth asking why we need two different oxidizer/reducer agents in the body. The answer lies in their nature; since they can perform two functions, it's better to have one classified as "predominantly the reducers" and the other as "predominantly the oxidizer" by virtue of their quantity in the body. The amount of NADPH tends to be high, as it is used as a reducer, and NAD+ is kept high, so it can be used as an oxidizer.

You're probably familiar with NAD+/NADH and NADP+/NADPH through respiration and photosynthesis. NAD+/NADH is primarily involved in respiration, and NADP+/NADPH in photosynthesis, although it has some functions in animals as well. The NAD+ performs an intermediary role between glucose breakdown and ATP synthesis; the NAD+ takes electrons from the glucose and becomes NADH, which then brings the electrons to the electron transport chain, which ultimately drives the synthesis of ATP.

NADPH, on the other hand, doesn't have a direct role in "energy synthesis." Since its job is to build molecules up rather than break them down, it can be said to have a role in the generation of glucose, but not in the release of its energy. On the other hand, NADPH is one of the products of the light reactions in the chloroplast membrane, so we could say that the "role" of NADPH in energy synthesis is as one of its products as well as an intermediary. 

How would you describe the miserable appearance of the ghost in Oscar Wilde's "The Canterville Ghost"?

I believe that this question is asking about the ghost's first full appearance in the story.  That occurs in Part Two.  The Otis family has already attempted to remove the bloodstain, which of course reappeared.  The result of the reappearing blood is that the Otis family doesn't entirely discredit the possibility of a ghost haunting the house.

"I don't think it can be the fault of the Paragon Detergent," said Washington, "for I have tried it with everything. It must be the ghost."

The ghost of Sir Simon removes all doubt about his presence later that night.  By eleven at night, the entire Otis family is in bed.  At one in the morning, Mr. Otis wakes up because he hears a noise.  It sounds like clanking metal of some kind.  Annoyed, he gets out of bed, grabs a small bottle of oil, and opens the door to the hall.  He is immediately faced with the miserable and scary looking ghost of Sir Simon.  The ghost is dragging metal chains around.  He's wearing very ragged clothing, and he has glowing red eyes.  

Right in front of him he saw, in the wan moonlight, an old man of terrible aspect. His eyes were as red burning coals; long grey hair fell over his shoulders in matted coils; his garments, which were of antique cut, were soiled and ragged, and from his wrists and ankles hung heavy manacles and rusty gyves.

Personally, I'd be scared.  It's a ghost.  A scary looking ghost.  But Mr. Otis isn't concerned in the slightest.  He hands the ghost the oil, and tells him to use it on the rusty chains.  That way the entire family can stay sleeping.  Mr. Otis promptly turns around, closes the door, and goes back to bed.   

Are prohibitions against government actions that threaten the enjoyment of freedom called civil liberties, civil rights, injunctions, or federalism?

The answer to your question would be injunctions. An injunction is a court order halting something from taking place. If the government took an action that violated a person’s civil liberties or civil rights, a person could go to court to get an injunction requesting that the given action be stopped. A person’s civil rights or civil liberties are rights or freedoms a person has. Federalism describes a system of government where states share power with the federal government.

A recent example of an injunction is when the National Football League suspended Tom Brady last season for the first four games of the season. Tom Brady went to court to get the suspension overturned. The court ruled that the commissioner of the National Football League, Roger Goodell, went too far in imposing the four-game suspension. As a result, Tom Brady was allowed to play in those games last season. As a footnote, it should be mentioned that the National Football League appealed this ruling and won the appeal. As a result, Tom Brady won’t play in the first four games this season.

Another example of an injunction being used was when Martin Luther King, Jr. was put in jail in Birmingham in 1963. A temporary injunction was issued preventing a march from taking place without a permit. When the march was held in violation of the temporary injunction, Martin Luther King, Jr. was jailed.

There are three kinds of injunctions. A temporary injunction is a short-term situation allowing the court time to consider if a longer-lasting injunction should be issued. A preliminary injunction keeps something in place for a longer period of time. Usually, the preliminary injunction lasts until a case is decided. Sometimes when a person gets fired or suspended, they will ask for a preliminary injunction until the situation is resolved. A permanent injunction means that the given situation in question will remain in place permanently.

Therefore, when a person seeks to stop a government action because that action threatens a person’s civil rights or civil liberties, the person is asking for an injunction to be issued.

Brown (B) is dominant to white (b), and tall (T) is dominant to short (t). What is the probability of producing a brown offspring from two...

By considering the information given and the relationships between phenotype and genotype, we can definitely conclude with the initial information: 

B = brown, dominant

b = white, recessive

Therefore BB and Bb will be brown, and bb will be white.

T = tall, dominant

t = short, recessive

Therefore TT and Tt will be tall, and tt will be short.

We are told that both parents are heterozygous; in this case, we're looking specifically for brown offspring. Because of independent assortment and the fact that the color gene appears to have nothing to do with the height gene, we can simplify this problem; the T and t alleles will be irrelevant. We only need to look at the B and b alleles.

We know both parents are heterozygotes, which means both parents are Bb. 

This means they have a 25% chance of having BB children, 25% for bb, and 50% for Bb. 

Again, the T and t alleles are irrelevant here because the color of the children is a totally separate ratio from the height.

Since we're only looking for brown offspring, and 75% of the children will have a dominant B allele, then 75% of the offspring will be brown.

What is Guy de Maupassant's short story "The Necklace" about overall? What is the story's meaning?

Having been born into the upper class but raised in the middle class, Guy de Maupassant is the perfect author to write about middle class materialism during the Second Empire in France. De Maupassant's short story is a protestation against the materialistic mindset.

The Second Empire began under Napoleon III in 1852, about the time de Maupassant was born, and lasted until 1870, brought to an end by the Franco-Prussian War, which de Maupassant served in. Just as modernization brought wealth to all nations, modernization also helped France increase in wealth during this time period, inspiring the lower classes to become much more materialistic (Kelly, M., 1992, "Materialism in Nineteenth-century France," French Literature, Thought and Culture in the Nineteenth Century).

In de Maupassant's short story, Mathilde is characterized as materialistic because she is unhappy with her middle class surroundings and instead longs for expensive furnishings, multiple course meals, clothes, and jewels, feeling that "she was made for them" (p. 2). Her intense, obsessive desire for material possessions leads her to induce her husband to give her all of his 400 francs in savings so she can buy a new dress to wear to a ball. Her materialism further leads her to ask to borrow what she believes is a real diamond necklace from a wealthy friend to wear with the dress. Yet, instead of Mathilde being made happy by these possessions, she is made even more miserable. When Mathilde loses the necklace, she and her husband must move to an impoverished garret flat and work endlessly to pay off the debts they acquired to replace what they thought was a real necklace. The result is that, while at the start of the story she saw herself as poor and miserable in comparison to the upper class though she truly wasn't, by the end of the story, she has fallen into the lowest state of poverty possible, all because of her materialistic desires.

Through having Mathilde fall into such a dire state of poverty, de Maupassant shows the dangers of a materialistic mindset.

Which of the two do you think made the most significant contribution to the ancient world, Greek philosophy or Roman law?

While both historical events have strongly influenced modern thinking, Greek philosophy (more specifically Athenian democracy), beginning with Socrates, then building to Plato’s philosophy, and growing through Aristotle (especially The Poetics) to the military and political accomplishments of Alexander the Great, seem to be the most lasting influences on modern Western thought.  While Roman law was a model for many subsequent legal structures, there have been numerous alterations to the structure of modern legal systems, including influences by other cultures, notably Oriental ideas.  When we use logic, we are employing thinking tools originally designed by the Greek philosopher Socrates more than 2000 years ago; when we divide, discuss, or critique literature, we are using both the definitions and the vocabulary of Aristotle; when we try to imagine the duality of reality and imagination, we are going back to Plato’s allegory of the cave.

Find dy/dx: (x + y)^2 = 4

Hello!

Let's differentiate the given equation:

`((x+y(x))^2)' = 4',`

`2(x+y(x))(x+y(x))' = 0,`

`2(x+y)(1+y') = 0.`

We know that `(x+y)^2 = 4,` therefore `x+y = +-2` and it is never zero. Thus `1+y'(x) = 0` and `y'(x) = -1.` This is the answer (dy/dx and y'(x) are the different notations of the same notion).

Which rule was useless in Jonas's community?

The rule against children under nine riding bicycles was useless because everyone broke it.

At the age of nine, everyone gets a bicycle in Jonas’s community.  It is one of the rites of passages and the ceremony gift given at the Ceremony of Nine.  The bicycle is considered an important symbol of growing up and independence, limited though it is.

The bicycle, at Nine, would be the powerful emblem of moving gradually out into the community, away from the protective family unit. (Ch. 6) 

Thus, bicycles are very important to the community.  Everyone has one.  They use them instead of cars, even as adults.  The Nines look forward to getting their bicycles, and so do their families.  This is why older siblings secretly teach them to ride the bikes while they are still Eights, so they can use the bicycles as soon as they get them at the Ceremony of Nine. 

It was one of the few rules that was not taken very seriously and was almost always broken. The children all received their bicycles at Nine; they were not allowed to ride bicycles before then. But almost always, the older brothers and sisters had secretly taught the younger ones. (Ch. 6) 

The reason that the rule is so easily broken in a society where there are such strict consequences for rule-breaking is that changing the rules is so difficult in their society that they have to just go the unofficial route and ignore the rule.  Supposedly committees have to “study the idea,” and change is so slow that a rule change happens rarely, if ever.  So the community makes its own change.  Everyone looks the other way, and the simple rule-breaking is considered harmless because it is community-wide.  It becomes a joke instead of a serious issue.

How does Nucor Steel's performance management system relate to theories of work motivation? Based on theories of work motivation, how does Nucor...

Performance management is a series of actions managers and employees take to create an effective work environment and to oversee and evaluate the employee's work goals and amount of contribution. It is more than just a simple performance review because it is a continual process of goal setting, assessing, and coaching to ensure employees fulfill their objectives.

Nucor Steel uses several performance management strategies. One strategy concerns the fair and equal treatment of its employees, across all levels of hierarchy. All members of the Nucor Steel team, including the CEO, are given equal benefits. The company further strives to treat all employees equally and fairly by promising employees who do their job well will never be laid off, by allowing employees to express themselves in "crew meetings, department meetings, shop dinners and employee surveys," and by giving employees a means of appeal should they think they have been given unfair treatment (Smith, G., "How Nucor Steel Rewards Performance Productivity," Business Know-How).

A second performance management strategy the company employs is the development of an earnings plan based on performance. The employees receive up to a quarter of their salaries based on the calculation of the "Return on Assets (ROA)," according to their "individual productivity" (Smith). To pay based on performance, the company gives employees an hourly rate that is lower than the average hourly rate in the steel industry, but employees are paid a substantial bonus if their work exceeds hourly expectations. Smith gives us the following example:

[T]he steel industry average says an individual should be able to straighten 10 tons of steel an hour. Nucor's goal is to straighten 8 tons an hour. Employees get an additional 5 percent bonus for every ton over 8 tons they can straighten. They typically average 35 to 40 tons an hour. ("How Nucor Steel Rewards")

Nucor Steel's unique compensation plan is a particularly effective performance management strategy.

We can see Nucor Steel's performance management system as being related to Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory, also called the two-factor theory or the dual-factor theory. Psychologist Frederick Herzberg theorized that a certain set of factors leads to job satisfaction, whereas a completely separate set of factors leads to job dissatisfaction. Based on this theory, he posited that fulfilling basic-level needs, such as safe working conditions, pleasant working environment, and minimal salary requirements, is not enough to create job satisfaction. Instead, employees need to feel they have fulfilled an accomplishment, been given responsibility, been given recognition, and are being given more responsibilities in order to feel satisfied. Also, since he theorized that job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction are actually not related but rather independent, he further posited that work-environment characteristics unrelated to the work itself actually lead to job dissatisfaction such as lack of leadership skills among supervisors, poor relationships between workers and supervisors, and inadequate company policies.

One way in which Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory is reflected in Nucor Steel's performance management system is with respect to the company's unique compensation plan. While the employees' hourly wage is less than average, their goal is also less than average, and their bonus for exceeding their goal is substantial; therefore, the bonus motivates the employees to exceed their goal, resulting in substantially higher industry payment overall and much higher rates of productivity, essentially energizing employee behavior.

We further see Herzberg's theory reflected in the treatment of the employees. By giving all employees the exact same benefits, even the CEO, the company is reducing feelings of inequity and helping to eliminate any tensions that create poor relationships between workers and supervisors. The company is further strengthening relationships by developing avenues for employees to speak their minds freely and to make appeals. In addition, allowing employees to speak their minds freely and promising they will be heard further helps guarantee that the company will create and initiate only policies that employees agree with and feel comfortable with, eliminating chances of job dissatisfaction.

Why did the man in the doorway start speaking to the policeman in "After Twenty Years" by O. Henry?

Bob speaks to the policeman because he doesn’t want his behavior to raise suspicion.

Jimmy and Bob have been friends for a long time.  They made a date twenty years before to meet on a certain spot on a certain date.  When Bob arrives, having gone out west, he discovers that the restaurant is now a hardware store.  He wants to keep his date, so he stays in the doorway of the now-closed hardware store.

When Bob sees the policeman, he doesn’t want his behavior to seem suspicious.  Bob is a criminal, so he is used to acting suspiciously and being suspected.  He calls out the policemen to let him know what he is doing there.  He speaks “quickly” when the cop walks toward him.

“It’s all right, officer,” he said. “I’m waiting for a friend. Twenty years ago we agreed to meet here tonight. It sounds strange to you, doesn’t it? I’ll explain if you want to be sure that everything’s all right. About twenty years ago there was a restaurant where this shop stands. ‘Big Joe’ Brady’s restaurant.”

The two of them have a discussion about the restaurant and the date between Jimmy and Bob, but the policeman never introduces himself.  He just comments that twenty years is a long time between meetings.  Bob expounds on Jimmy’s traits, explaining what a good friend he is.

“… I moved around everywhere, and I moved quickly. But I know that Jimmy will meet me here if he can. He was as true as any man in the world. He’ll never forget. I came a thousand miles to stand here tonight. But I’ll be glad about that, if my old friend comes too.”

The policeman moves on, and a man shows up pretending to be Jimmy.  Bob gets wise when he realizes that the man looks too different from his old friend.  He then hands Bob a note from Jimmy explaining that Jimmy was actually the policeman he talked to earlier.  He recognized him as the criminal wanted in Chicago, but did not want to arrest him himself, so he got another cop to do it.  That's what friends are for.

What are the connections between population growth, sustainability, and environmental health? How can I find academic sources on this topic?

All three of these issues are intimately connected. One way to explore the relationships among them is through the concept of "carrying capacity." In biology, this refers to the population a region can support indefinitely without degradation of environmental quality. For species other than humans, populations usually attain a certain degree of equilibrium based on carrying capacity. For example, if more deer are born than can survive from the available grazing in an area, some of them will starve, returning the population back to sustainable numbers. Most natural environments have a sustainable balance of plant life, herbivores, and predators that is self-regulating and sustainable. One great worry among scientists is that humans' ability to alter our natural environment may enable us to exceed the carrying capacity of our world.

For example, population growth has been sustained by a "green revolution" in agriculture, which uses selectively-bred and now genetically-modified high-yield crops which require irrigation and fertilizer. While these temporarily sustain higher populations—leading to a cycle of even greater food production—there are worries that irrigation-intensive agriculture is depleting water tables and causing land degradation. Global climate change is another form of environmental degradation due in part to population growth.

Environmental health is affected by overpopulation in several ways. The most obvious is the spread of epidemic diseases in overcrowded environments with poor sanitation. Overpopulation and unsustainable agricultural and industrial policies cause degradation of water supplies, leading to various illnesses due to drinking contaminated water.

To find academic resources on these issues, you should search databases of academic articles. If you go to your university library's website, you can search the JStor database; a reference librarian or your library help desk can help you learn how to use advanced search tools. Another good place to look is on Google Scholar. Although it uses the same search interface as Google, it searches exclusively in scholarly rather than popular resources.

A region of Earth’s crust where tectonic plates meet is called a what?

Where two tectonic plates meet, this space is called a boundary. Depending on the type of crust involved and the direction of plate movement, different scenarios can occur.

For example, when oceanic crust and continental crust move toward one another, the greater density of the oceanic crust causes it to sink beneath the less dense continental crust.  Eventually, the oceanic crust melts due to the heat within the asthenosphere and becomes magma. The magma rises under the continental plate and forms volcanoes. The sinking crust makes oceanic trenches which are very deep areas within the ocean. I have described a subduction boundary in the previous example.

A collision boundary is where two continental plates move toward one another and the force and pressure build up causing the plates to buckle and form a mountain range.

In a diverging boundary, two plates move apart. This occurs on the sea floor and is known as sea floor spreading. Magma will rise up and fill in the gap as the two plates separate. This forms a mid-ocean ridge.

Another boundary is called a transform boundary where two plates slide past one another. This is demonstrated by the San Andreas fault, in California. Here, the Pacific Plate and North American Plates are sliding past one another and the fault is a crack that has formed between the two tectonic plates.

I have included a link to animations showing plate tectonics. These are valuable as visual aids to further illustrate the answer provided above.

Is there any evidence in Hamlet that this was not a tragedy of revenge, but rather it was a tale of motiveless malignity? Instead of revenge, was...

“The motive-hunting of motiveless Malignancy” is a comment written by Samuel Coleridge Taylor about Iago’s deep-seated hatred for Othello searching for rationalization. A similar analytical assessment provided by Stephen Greenblatt (in his book "Will In The World") is Shakespeare’s “strategic opacity”. In Othello Shakespeare has deliberately removed the explicit motivation for Iago’s malignancy that is present in Shakespeare’s source material; Giovanni Cinthio’s, “Un Capitano Moro”. The same can be said in Hamlet. The source material, Saxo’s, “Amleth”, is clear for example on Amleth’s actions, delay and feigned madness. Shakespeare has removed these from the play.

So, to the question of motiveless malignancy in Hamlet, I think the exploration could start near the end with Hamlet’s actions toward Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. There is no reason for Hamlet to condemn R&G to death. Simply, removing the death warrant and carrying out the mission as advertised would have been sufficient to thwart Claudius’ plan. Instead Hamlet goes the extra length to usher R&G to their deaths. Next, even if Polonius’ death is excused as a mistake (for the moment), the remorseless treatment of his remains is certainly questionable. Then look closer at Hamlet’s quest for revenge. Hamlet has prime opportunity to make Claudius pay for his deed while Claudius is trying to pray following his quick exit after “The Mousetrap”. Hamlet wants more than revenge. He wants revenge on Claudius' soul.

If we even look to the second scene of the play. The scene is one of joyous ceremony. A new king, and a marriage signal that the ship of state is no longer rudderless and that political stability is again at hand. And yet there is Hamlet; dressed in black with an aim to spoil the festivities under the guise of remembrance of a departed father.

There is a moment in the play where Hamlet is standing over the body of Claudius in Act 3 Scene 4.

"I do repent; but heaven hath pleased it so,To punish me with this and this with me, That I must be their scourge and minister.” (Emphasis added)

Was Polonius’ death a mistake? Would Hamlet not have recognized Polonius’ voice? Had Hamlet just left Claudius praying? There is a darkness to Hamlet that goes deeper than revenge. Good question though and worthy of exploration.

Who or what usually calmed Helen after her angry outbursts?

Before Miss Sullivan came to teach Helen how to communicate, the girl was often frustrated.  Her frustration would frequently lead to angry outbursts.  When Helen had these outbursts, she often sought comfort in the garden near the small house called "Ivy Green."  She would "hide [her] hot face in the cool leaves and grass" (The Story of My Life, Chapter I), which calmed her.  The garden not only brought Helen solace.  Being out in nature also gave her joy.  After spending time around the flowers, shrubs, and trees, Helen felt glad.

Helen also found comfort from her mother.  As Helen grew older, she wanted to communicate more effectively.  When she could not, she suffered from extreme frustration and disappointment.  The young girl often went to her mother in tears.  Helen found comfort in her mother's lap.  Her mother wrapped her arms around the crying girl.

What is a short analysis of The Crucible by Arthur Miller?

The Crucible is loosely based on the Salem Witch Trials of 1692-1693. The culture in Salem at that time was one of strict Puritanism. The governing authorities were intertwined with this doctrine of religious ideology and sexual repression. Acting out against this religious imperialism, some girls go to the woods to dance naked. Fearing severe punishment, the girls decide to lie and say they were possessed by evil spirits. Abigail Adams leads the others in this lie, which eventually turns into a series of accusations. Abby and the girls accuse other women in the village of witchcraft. The town and its governing authorities become swept up in mass hysteria and the accusations continue. With the exception of a few rational people (including John Proctor, Elizabeth Proctor, and Reverend Hale), members of the village blindly believe the accusations. The scenes in court show the absurdity of the leaders because they essentially employ a "guilty until proven innocent" method. 

The Crucible illustrates the danger of mass hysteria. It exposes a corrupt authority run by a narrow-minded ideology. This play, first performed in 1953, is an allegory for the Communist witch hunt which has occurring in America in the 1950s. In this parallel, Americans were hunted like witches because they were deemed to hold Un-American beliefs.

How were the Romans able to create and sustain a civilization over a period of almost ten centuries?

Many of the great empires of the ancient world, including the Egyptian, Chinese, and Persian empires, successfully lasted for many centuries.

One key feature in the success of an empire was an effective system of administration. The Romans borrowed many administrative ideas from the great empires of the east, especially the Persians. Important types of infrastructure which facilitated administration of a large empire were a massive road network, a system of couriers, and a sort of postal system that facilitated communication from the center to the periphery of the Empire. Another important element was letting local elites of conquered territories continue to conduct local level administration. 

Next, the Romans had a very powerful and well-organized army. Not only did they innovate in military technology, but they created a path to Roman citizenship for barbarians through service in the legions, something that meant that rather than becoming hotbeds of rebellion, young men from conquered territories had a clear path to success and land ownership. 

Finally, the Romans were relatively fair and just rulers of conquered territories. Although conquered peoples had to pay taxes and become part of the empire, they were allowed to keep their local traditions and religions, meaning there was little incentive to rebel.

What is the tone of Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" speech?

"Gettysburg Address" was solemn yet hopeful. Lasting only a few minutes, it is considered one of the most eloquent speeches in American history. At the beginning of his speech, Lincoln spoke about the founding of the nation and its commitment to liberty. In the middle of the speech, he spoke about the Civil War in very brief terms, but the bulk of this short speech was dedicated to thinking about the future. Lincoln mentioned the "unfinished work" that the soldiers who fought and died at Gettysburg advanced, and he committed the country to "a new birth of freedom." As Gettysburg was the campaign that ended the Confederate advance northward in the summer of 1863, Lincoln began to look forward to the end of the war. This speech is a brief but solemn memorial to the people who died at Gettysburg and an eloquent and hopeful look at the future. 

What medium or media was The Odyssey first written on?

Originally, Homer's The Odyssey was intended for oral presentation, and so those experiencing the poem would have listened to a recitation of it, rather than reading it themselves. Even so, the poem was written down for the first time quite a long time ago. It's hard to pin down when this first happened, but rough estimates suggest the poem was copied down between 650 and 750 BCE. Though we don't know for sure what medium The Odyssey was first written on, it's estimated that the poem was originally written on rolls of papyrus, or on specially prepared animal skins (usually called vellum). It's also estimated that, since the poem is quite long, it might have been written on many separate rolls. All in all, though the poem was initially supposed to be presented orally, it's actually been written down for quite some time, which could explain how The Odyssey has proven to be so enduring. 

What is the relationship between social policy and public policy?

Public policy is a large umbrella that includes fiscal policy, monetary policy, international policy, and domestic policy, just to name a few areas in which government may act.  Social policy is one such area.  It is policy that is meant to address social problems, which sounds as though we could keep it in a neat little box.  It touches on so many areas of governance, though, that it may sometimes seem as though public policy is social policy.  Just to name a few areas in which this is true, education and housing are part of public policy generally, but they are also part of social policy.   Without good public education and housing security, there are many societal problems, poverty, homelessness, drugs, unemployment, and crime.  Public health is part of social policy and vice versa. Providing birth control for people is a public health issue, but it is also a solution to many social problems. Even national defense can provoke a need for social policy, to address the social problems of families of soldiers or to address the social problems when soldiers return and have a difficult time adapting to civilian life.  All of the areas of public policy that touch our societal arrangements could reasonably be said to be social policy. 

How can I include a detailed protocol describing the diagrams of an in-class biology experiment?

A "detailed protocol" is really just a fancy way of saying "the instructions". We just use this vocabulary to indicate the subtle but importance between following instructions like you would follow a recipe, and following a series of rules, regulations and guidelines that are a little more flexible and adaptive to your particular situation.

To incorporate diagrams into a protocol, you need to understand and prioritize the purpose of the experiment and the way in which the diagrams will meet or lead toward that purpose. Generally speaking, diagrams will either be a part of the procedure that have already been provided to you, to facilitate their execution, or they'll be something you have to create in order to describe your observations and results. If there are multiple diagrams, it helps to give them separate names and numbers, such as "Figure 1", and refer to them in this manner consistently throughout the procedure.

If a diagram is too complicated to refer to as a single figure, it can either be broken up into smaller diagrams, or given sub-labels within the diagram itself. A good example of this is found in many model kit diagrams. You can also refer to specific physical locations in the diagram with simple language, such as "the top left quarter of the diagram" - this is totally normal and acceptable even in college-level science.

If the protocol has not been provided to you already, review the materials given to you for the experiment, or the notes you took, and rewrite everything in sequential order, with specific attention to safety procedures and including all relevant information when it's called for. For example, many students will write a procedure without taking explanations into account, such as saying "on the diagram" without specifying which one. Make sure that all references are specific enough that a person who wasn't present for the experiment would be able to do it with little or no guidance.

Where did Brian shown confidence in the book Hatchet?

Brian shows confidence in coming up with innovative solutions for his survival. 

For someone who is young and does not have a ton of survival experience, Brian is actually fairly confident.  Many boys in his situation would give up or get discouraged much more easily than he does.  Brian has his ups and downs, but generally speaking he is intelligent and innovative, and continues to work hard.  He doesn’t let mishaps get him down. 

An example of this is his desire to get a better food source.  Brian wants to develop a fish spear.  He makes a plan and carries it out, confident that he will succeed. It is not successful at first. 

He had been so sure, so absolutely certain that it would work the night before. Sitting by the fire he had taken the willow and carefully peeled the bark until he had a straight staff about six feet long and just under an inch thick at the base, the thickest end. (Ch. 12) 

Brian has to “invent” a bow and arrow.  Again, he is confident that this will work.  He doesn’t give up because he is hungry and can’t just go to McDonald’s and order a burger and fries.  When one thing doesn’t work, he knows that he will be able to make something else work.  He believes in himself. 

When Brian misses a search plane, he gets frustrated and feels as if he wants to die.  However, he regains his confidence again.  He realizes that he is clever, and has come this far.  He is confident that he can survive on his own. 

He was new. Of course he had made a lot of mistakes. He smiled now, walking up the lake shore after the wolves were gone, thinking of the early mistakes; the mistakes that came before he realized that he had to find new ways to be what he had become. (Ch. 13) 

Brian fishes out the survival pack, and its contents are almost superfluous because he has been so successful on his own.  However, it has a radio that the search planes use to find Brian.  If Brian had not maintained his calm and confidence, mistakes and all, he never would have been found.

Which stylistic devices are used in Hamlet?

One rhetorical device often used in Hamlet is metaphor. When Hamlet discusses how Claudius has damaged his kingdom, he says "Tis an unweeded garden that grows to seed." This is a metaphor because it is a description based on an implicit comparison between the kingdom and an untended garden.

Hamlet also contains similes, which are direct comparisons using the word "like" or "as." One example of this is "Reason, like sweet bells jangled."

Shakespeare also frequently employs alliteration, or repetition of beginning sounds in words. Examples include the phrases "frighted with false fire?" and "Be soft a sinews."

Lastly, Hamlet contains many allusions, which are indirect references to past works. For example, Claudius references Cain from the Bible when he says "It hath the primal eldest curse upon't, A brother's murder!"

What did Mrs. Umney tell the Otis family about the bloodstain on the floor?

Mrs. Umney tells the Otis family how the bloodstain got there, how long it has been there, and how the bloodstain can't be removed.  

Mrs. Umney tells the Otis family that the bloodstain has been in that very same spot ever since Sir Simon murdered his wife at that location in 1575.  That means the bloodstain has been on the floor for more than 300 years.  Mrs. Umney explains that the bloodstain has become a bit famous and people come to visit the Canterville Chase just to see the bloodstain.  She also explains that the stain is impossible to remove.  

"The bloodstain has been much admired by tourists and others, and cannot be removed."

Washington Otis thinks that last statement is entirely false.  He claims that his special cleaner, Pinkerton's Champion Stain Remover and Paragon Detergent, will be able to clean the stain no problem.  He immediately sets to work on the stain, and he is able to get rid of the stain completely.  

"That is all nonsense," cried Washington Otis; "Pinkerton's Champion Stain Remover and Paragon Detergent will clean it up in no time," and before the terrified housekeeper could interfere, he had fallen upon his knees, and was rapidly scouring the floor with a small stick of what looked like a black cosmetic. In a few moments no trace of the bloodstain could be seen.

Unfortunately the stain returns by the next morning.  

Why is the play The Merchant of Venice named after Antonio?

Many wonder about the title, since Shylock stands out as the play’s most dynamic character. He is crafty and cruel but sympathetic due to the antisemitism with which he contends. Second to him is Portia, the beautiful, wealthy, and clever woman who saves Antonio from Shylock’s wrath. In addition, much of the plot revolves around Bassanio, whom both Antonio and Portia love.

Still, Antonio is an essential part of the story. He funds the young nobleman Bassanio, even if it requires borrowing money from his enemy Shylock. Because of this act, Bassanio and Portia are able to meet and marry, and Antonio’s life is put in danger. The plot’s most tense scene involves Antonio’s imminent death at Shylock’s hands.

The word “merchant” is also key. Antonio makes his fortune off of selling and buying, and the play revolves around money and exchange. Antonio promises Shylock a pound of flesh for three thousand ducats. Shylock’s daughter Jessica gives both herself and her father’s jewelry to the Christian Lorenzo. Portia can deliver beauty and money to whomever she marries. Antonio gives money to Bassanio and receives Bassanio’s gratitude in return.

Another reason why the play might be named after Antonio is his ostensibly laudable qualities. This is how Bassanio describes him:

The dearest friend to me, the kindest man,
The best-condition'd and unwearied spirit
In doing courtesies, and one in whom
The ancient Roman honour more appears
Than any that draws breath in Italy.

Taking into consideration how poorly he treats Shylock, it is debatable whether Antonio lives up to that high praise. If the description were true, he would truly be a character worth naming a play after.

In John Keats's ode "To Autumn," who are the "bosom-friends"? Why are they "conspiring"?

Keats's ode "To Autumn" is an apostrophe, which means it directly addresses someone or something absent or merely rhetorical. In this case, as the title of the poem indicates, the speaker addresses the season of autumn:

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun (ll.1-2)

The image describes the close friendship of autumn and the sun that has helped the crops to grow; together, they have "conspired" to produce the abundant harvest detailed in the rest of the first stanza.

In establishing a personal relationship between inanimate entities, Keats introduces the personification of autumn that will run throughout the poem. Indeed, his use of apostrophe already endows the season with a degree of humanity, but it is enhanced in later stanzas as we see him sitting on the floor amidst the grain, napping in a meadow, and engaging in various harvest-time tasks. These actions depict autumn as a productive figure who can nevertheless stop to appreciate the beauty around him in the "winnowing wind" (l.15) or the "fume of poppies" (l.17).

This picture of a vibrant individual seems meant to contradict the hint of anxiety the speaker feels at the waning of the year that autumn brings, and the coming of winter, the metaphorical season of death. This hint is already present in the "maturing" sun of the second line - autumn and his best friend are not exactly young anymore. Yet the speaker urges autumn, "Think not of [the songs of spring], thou hast thy music too" (l.24). Although autumn is not the time of new birth symbolized by spring, the poem insists on the value of its different beauty. This assertion is perhaps especially poignant considering that this was one of the last poems Keats wrote before his early death of tuberculosis. So near the end of his life, the poem articulates the beauty and richness still to be found in maturity and endings.

Why does the average total cost slope upward at the end?

The average total cost (ATC) curve slopes upwards at the end because of the law of diminishing marginal returns.  At first, as production increases, a firm will become more efficient at producing a given good.  This will cause its ATC to drop.  However, at some point, the law of diminishing marginal returns comes into play and the ATC starts to increase once again.

In the short run, this happens because, at some point, a firm cannot work as efficiently when it tries to produce a larger quantity.  Let us imagine that I own a restaurant with a fixed kitchen size and fixed appliances.  I start out small, with only one or two people working in my kitchen.  Those two are trying to do all the work in my whole kitchen.  As business gets better, I hire more people.  The first few that I hire can really help me.  Each time I hire a new person, they fill in another empty spot in the kitchen.  They make it so each cook can specialize in one thing and can work exclusively in one area of my kitchen.  In essence, I create an assembly line. 

However, at some point, I have hired one cook for each space/task in my kitchen.  What happens if I try to produce still more food each day?  This is where the law of diminishing returns comes in.  I hire another worker for the kitchen, but my kitchen is not really big enough to give them a place to work.  They do not have an empty spot that they can fill.  They help as much as possible, but they do not add as much to our output as previous cooks did.  Because I tried to increase my output, I ended up lowering my marginal returns.

When marginal returns drop, ATC starts to rise.  I increase my costs by hiring more workers, but they do not create enough extra output to offset the wages I pay them.  Therefore, my average cost per unit of output (which is my ATC) rises.  This causes my ATC curve to slope upwards as output rises.

Please follow the links below for further discussion of this topic.

Why does the minister's wife send Miss Emily's relations a letter in "A Rose for Emily"?

The ladies want to write to Emily’s relatives to intervene for her in the matter of Homer Barron.

Emily had a man, Homer Barron, who was not the marrying kind—so he said. The townspeople were not sure who was going to win. Emily was strange enough that she might have won him over, but Homer was stubborn enough that he might have held out.

The case of Emily and Homer was complex. The townspeople were concerned that Emily was going to kill herself when she bought arsenic. The women of the town felt that eccentric Emily was a bad influence on other young ladies because of her relationship with Homer.

No one knew how to proceed. The men wanted to leave her alone. The ladies convinced the Baptist minister, who was not of Emily’s religion, to talk to her.

He would never divulge what happened during that interview, but he refused to go back again. The next Sunday they again drove about the streets, and the following day the minister's wife wrote to Miss Emily's relations in Alabama.

We do not know what she said to this minister, but it must have been something that caused the minister's wife to write to her family. Miss Emily was peculiar, and not quite stable. Clearly the minister thought so, and so did his wife.

As a result, Emily had “blood-kin under her roof again.” However, Emily did not become a social butterfly after that, suddenly engaging with the town. The townspeople were not sure what was happening because she did not really communicate. She seemed to be preparing for a man, and then nothing happened. Homer was never seen or heard from again.

It was not until years later that they found out that Emily had killed Homer, and that he had been in bed next to her for years as a rotting corpse. She got to keep him after all, even though he was not the marrying kind.

The man himself lay in the bed.

For a long while we just stood there, looking down at the profound and fleshless grin. The body had apparently once lain in the attitude of an embrace . . .

Emily never left the house, so no one ever realized what was in the house. When there was a strange smell, they just sprinkled some lime because it would have been rude to ask. The townspeople were afraid to confront this lady about taxes, so there was no way they were going to find out about Homer.

What are the instances of black comedy in the story "Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl?

There are several instances of black comedy in Roald Dahl's "Lamb to the Slaughter." When Mary commits the murder of her husband, for example, her reaction makes light of the violence which has just occurred:

All right, she told herself. So I've killed him.

Next, after committing the murder, Mary tries to make herself appear as normal as possible. She washes her hands, for example, fixes her make-up and practices her smile in the mirror. This scene is humorous because Mary does all of these things while there is a dead body lying next to her.

Finally, Dahl uses black comedy to add humour to the final scene in the story in which the police detectives are discussing the murder weapon. They have no idea that they are, in fact, eating the weapon which killed their colleague, Patrick Maloney. The sense of comedy is further reinforced by the image of Mary laughing in the other room. 

Who is Storm in The Swiss Family Robinson?

Storm is the family's buffalo. He is tied to the harpoon rope in Chapter 9 so that Fritz can bring ashore an enormous sturgeon that is eight feet long. In this chapter, the family sets up a fishing operation, and they use a harpoon and bow and arrow to kill large fish. However, they can not drag the largest fish to shore, so Storm is very useful to them. The family often relies on Storm as they would rely on a horse. Later, Storm is used, along with the bull named Grumble, to carry the mother of the family in a basket that is slung between the two animals. Storm is also used, with Grumble, to carry off the deadly serpent that kills their ass, and he is later employed in carrying the basket with Grumble when the family is gathering corn. Storm is a reliable work animal for the Robinson family. 

What motivates Lelia to take these private trips knowing that her marriage is in trouble?

In the novel, Lelia is Henry Park's wife. At the beginning of the story, Henry tells us that all is not well in his relationship with Lelia.

During the weekends, Lelia has taken to going on trips by herself. The destinations are varied. One weekend, she takes a trip to see her friend, who purportedly makes cheeses for her local city's street markets. Another weekend sees her flying west to El Paso (where they first met as a couple) or Montreal, where she mingles with the French-speaking locals. Soon, Lelia begins to take day trips to different parts of New York City every day.

It is only after Lelia leaves to travel between the Italian islands for the winter, that Henry begins to realize the import of her actions. After the death of their son, Mitt, Henry had grieved differently from Lelia, so much so that Lelia found it difficult to relate to Henry's apparent coldness and passive indifference in the face of tragedy. Before she leaves him, Lelia makes a list of Henry's attributes. Among them is the assessment that Henry is "surreptitious," a "stranger," a "traitor," and a "B+ student of life." Henry's tendency to suppress his emotions has made him a stranger to his wife. To Lelia, Henry has betrayed his humanity by refusing to acknowledge that some emotions must be expressed in a healthy relationship.

To Lelia, a woman who "can't hide a single thing...she looks hurt when she is hurt, seems happy when happy," Henry's reaction to Mitt's death is devastating; he is as "serene as Siberia" in the face of heartache and unimaginable grief. For his part, Henry has always been a man who controls his emotions perfectly; his line of work demands it. He laments that "on paper, by any known standard," he was "an impeccable mate." He knows that he "cooked well enough, cleaned enough, was romantic and sensitive and silly enough...made love enough...bull-headed and dull and macho enough," but he also knows that he failed his wife miserably when it came to grieving with her.

So, Lelia's extensive travels is perhaps a way for her to alert Henry to the serious problems in their marriage. In her estimation, the list is a necessary element in addressing the conflicts they have both been grappling with since their son's death. Also, we can't rule out the fact that, from Lelia's viewpoint, the possibility of Henry changing is slim. In that light, her trips may well have been representative of her discouragement and disillusionment at the impasse between them.

Mike buys an old airplane with the intention of repairing, restoring, and selling it. He anticipates that it will cost him $275,000 to purchase,...

If we are looking at this issue purely from an economic point of view, Mike should buy the engine and then resell the airplane. This would give him a greater marginal benefit (relative to marginal cost) from this point forward.

Economists say a person should not let their decisions be affected by money they have paid out in the past. In other words, Mike should not pay any attention to how much he has already spent or what he had thought would happen when he bought the plane. The money that he has already spent is called a “sunk cost.” It should have no effect on what he does going forward. All he should think about is what will make him the most money (or lose him the least) starting right now.

So, we have to think about this as if Mike were starting from zero right now. He has two choices. He can sell the plane as is for $180,000 without incurring any further costs. His “profit” from here on out would therefore be $180,000. His other choice would be to buy the engine for $95,000, at which point he could sell the plane for $310,000. When you subtract $95,000 from $310,000, you get a figure of $215,000. That means that Mike’s “profit” from here on out would be $215,000 if he were to buy the new engine, fix the plane, and resell it.

From this, it is clear that Mike should buy the engine, finish restoring the plane, and sell it. He will still lose money overall, but this is the best choice given that he cannot go back and refrain from buying the plane in the first place. Mike needs to forget his sunk cost and just look forward. If he does this, he will see his marginal benefit from buying the new engine and then selling the plane will exceed the marginal benefit of just selling the plane as is.

Who has a great relationship with Ponyboy in S.E. Hinton's novel The Outsiders?

Ponyboy is the protagonist of the novel The Outsiders and shares a very close relationship with his brother, Sodapop. Sodapop is a fun-loving, easy-going sixteen-year-old who treats Ponyboy with respect and compassion. Soda constantly makes Ponyboy smile, and Pony admires his brother for his good looks and positive attitude. Sodapop is always quick to come to Ponyboy's aid and defends him when Darry begins to argue and yell at Ponyboy. In Chapter 1, Ponyboy says, "Soda always takes up for me" (Hinton 12). Ponyboy also appreciates that Soda doesn't treat him like a child the way that Darry does. Although Ponyboy bellieves Soda will never grow up and is embarrassed Soda dropped out of school, Pony believes Soda is the only person who truly understands him. Ponyboy goes on to say, "I love Soda more than I've ever loved anyone, even Mom and Dad" (Hinton 3). At the end of The Outsiders, Sodapop finally addresses Darry and Pony's controversial relationship, allowing the brothers to become even closer than they were before. Without Sodapop's support and positive attitude, Ponyboy would not be able to live in the same home as Darry.