In the poem "I am Becoming My Mother" by Lorna Goodison, what does "her birth waters sang like rivers" mean?

Lorna Goodison's "I am Becoming My Mother" is a beautiful, image-heavy, celebratory poem that describes how much the speaker has in common with her mother, how they share specific traits as well as a sense of belonging together in a powerful, long line of females. Although we can't assume automatically that authors are speaking the words of their poems directly, in this case, we can: Goodison herself has said that the poem is about her and her own mother.

Here's the second stanza:

My mother raises rare blooms
and waters them with tea
her birth waters sang like rivers
my mother is now me

The line in question is the third one: "her birth waters sang like rivers." It's a rich one, very open to interpretation!

In one sense, this line could mean that when the speaker's mother gave birth to her, the rush of the mother's fluids that had nourished the baby was like a powerful song of nature.

In another sense, the line could mean that, like a singing river, the speaker and her mother (and the rest of their female ancestors) are connected in a long, flowing, beautiful line of femininity and humanity.

In a third interpretation, you could read the line as a reference to the family's home country of Jamaica, as an indication that the land or the other people living there were joyous when the speaker's mother was born. (By calling a place your "birth waters," you might mean it's the place where you were born, the place that continues to nurture you physically and spiritually.) 

Finally, you can interpret the whole stanza to mean that the speaker's mother raised wonderful children ("rare blooms") and that every time she gave birth to a child, it was a joyous, almost musical occasion. If you favor this interpretation, you'll be interested to know that Goodison had eight siblings!

What tone does Maya Angelou use in her poem "Still I Rise"?

Maya Angelou uses a tone of self-confident assertiveness in her poem “Still I Rise.” Her air of angry confidence is peppered with sarcastic humor.

She addresses the poem to her audience of oppressors by beginning with the word, “You.”

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies

There is anger in Angelou's tone, but she overrides the anger with her air of self-confidence by asking questions such as:

Does my sassiness upset you?

Why are you beset with gloom?

Angelou wants to know if her attitude causes the reader discomfort about the cruelty her race has endured, especially black women. There is sense of false concern for her oppressors. She inserts sarcastic humor into the poem to offset her anger. Again, she uses questions as a literary element to express her self-assuredness through sarcasm.

Does my sexiness upset you?

Does it come as a surprise

That I dance like I've got diamonds

At the meeting of my thighs?

Angelou's repeated use of the words “I’ll rise,” and “I rise,” shows her tone of confidence. Not only will Angelou endure, she will prosper; her spirit will not be broken.

Write out the chemical equations that show how solid sodium hydrogen sulfite reacting with water to form an acidic solution.

Sodium hydrogen sulfite is a salt, with the sodium atom having a positive charge and the hydrogen sulfite molecule having a negative charge. Like simpler salts such as sodium chloride, this compound is soluble in water. The polar charges on the water molecules are able to arrange themselves around the cation and anion, and collectively overwhelm and isolate each molecule, surrounding them in a "shell" of water molecules. This is the first step in the reaction.

NaHSO3 → Na+ + HSO3−

At this point you might presume that the bisulfite ion (HSO3−) would strip a hydrogen from a water molecule, making itself into the sulfurous acid molecule and producing an OH−  ion. However, this produces a basic solution rather than an acidic one, and research suggests that the sulfurous acid molecule does not exist in solution anyway.

The only other option is to treat the bisulfite as an acid; its pKa is around 7, water is around 14. This means the water is more basic and therefore willing to accept a proton, which the bisulfite happens to have. This will produce a sulfur dioxide molecule with a -2 charge, and a hydronium ion, which has a very high acidity, thereby making the solution acidic.

HSO3− ⇌ SO32− + H+

H2O + H+ → H3O+

What is the meaning behind the quotation, "I’ve heard you to be a sensible man, Mr. Hale. I hope you will leave some of it in Salem" in The...

John Proctor hopes Reverend Hale's arrival will end the hysteria about witches, but it doesn't because things have progressed too far.

This comment is about the witch trials causing mayhem in Salem. The hysteria over witches is unreasonable. Reverend Hale is supposed to be an expert. The witch trials are a "beloved errand" for him. Proctor hopes Hale can end the girls' accusations of witchcraft on innocent people.

John Proctor certainly does not believe in witches.

Giles Corey: He don’t believe in witches.

Proctor, to Hale: I never spoke on witches one way or the other. Will you come, Giles?

Giles: No — no, John, I think not. I have some few queer questions of my own to ask this fellow.

The witch trials are a result of a group of girls who claim to have been attacked by witches, who in reality are just townspeople. Since the town fears witches, they believe the girls. The girls' ringleader is Abigail Williams, who has a specific reason to get back at John Proctor because he spurned her after they had an affair.

When Hale arrives, he brings with him his expertise and a bunch of books.

Parris, delighted: Mr. Hale! Oh! it’s good to see you again!
Taking some books: My, they’re heavy!
Hale, setting down his books: They must be; they are weighted with authority.

For a group of supposedly God-fearing people, the people of Salem go from normal to crazy pretty quickly. Hale, the supposed expert on witches, is unable to derail the insanity. By the time the trials are over, many innocent people will have died as a result of them.

When Melba was born, her scalp was injured and she got an infection. Why didn't her health improve immediately?

Melba's health didn't improve immediately because the white nurses neglected to continue with the necessary treatment that would have cured Melba of her infection.

When Melba was born, the doctor had injured her scalp with the forceps. As a result of this, Melba later incurred a massive infection. Accordingly, the doctor had ordered an Epsom salts and warm water treatment every two or three hours, but the white nurses had neglected to be diligent about continuing the treatment. Melba's mother only found out about the treatment by chance, when a black janitor mentioned what he heard the doctor tell a nurse in the operating room. Accordingly, the nurses were supposed to use an Epsom salts and warm water concoction to irrigate Melba's head.

After she confirmed this fact with a nurse, Melba's mother then continued the treatment herself. After two days, Melba's health began to improve, and she eventually made a full recovery.

The wave function for a particle is `psi(x)=Axe^(-x^2/a^2)` where A and a are constants. Where is the particle most likely to be found? Assume that...

Hello!

The probability of finding a particle within some set `R` is `int_R |Psi(x)|^2 dx.` The probability to find a particle at a specific point is zero, but there is a correct question: "what is the point `x_0` such that the probability of finding the particle within a small interval with the center in `x_0` is maximal?"

Since our `Psi(x)` is continuous, the integral over a small interval is almost equal to `Delta x*|Psi(x_0)|^2.` So, we have to find the point(s) `x_0` where `|Psi(x_0)|^2` has its maximum. This is the same as the `|Psi(x_0)|` maximum.

The factor `|A|` has no effect on `x_0,` thus it is sufficient to find the maximum of `f(x) = x e^(-x^2/a^2)` for `xgt=0` (for `xlt0` the values are the same). At `x=0` the value is zero, at `+oo` the limit is also zero, so the maximum is somewhere in between. The necessary condition is `f'(x_0) = 0,` so the equation is:

`f'(x) = (x e^(-x^2/a^2))' =e^(-x^2/a^2) - x*(2x)/a^2e^(-x^2/a^2) =e^(-x^2/a^2)(1-(2x^2)/a^2) = 0.`

The only such `x_0 = |a|/sqrt(2)` (so there are two points of a maximum, `|a|/sqrt(2)`  and `-|a|/sqrt(2)`). Numerically for `a=2.49 nm`   `x_0 approx +-1.76 nm.`

A solution is made by dissolving 20g KCIO3 in 100g H2O at 60C. What are three ways to make this solution saturated?

A solution of `KClO_3` is made by dissolving 20g `KCIO_3` in 100 g of water (`H_2O` ) at 60C.

A solution is considered saturated when no more of the solute can be dissolved in the solution. Any additional amount of solute added remains undissolved.

There are three ways to saturate the solution that was created.

If the temperature is maintained at 60 C,  from the graph it is seen that the solubility of `KCLO_3` is around 25 g/100 g of water. If an additional give grams of `KCLO_3` is added to the solution, it would be saturated.

At 60 C, a saturated solution has 25 g of `KClO_3` for 100 g of water. 20 g of `KClO_3` would create a saturated solution with 80 g of water. If the solution is heated to evaporate 20 g of water and then cooled down to 60 C, it would result in a saturated solution.

At 50 C, the solubility of `KClO_3` is 20 g per 100 g of water. If the temperature of the initial solution is decreased to 50 C, it would become saturated.

How does Washington Irving create ambience in "The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow"?

In "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," Washington Irving masterfully crafts an ambience of both nostalgic, rural beauty and superstitious creepiness. He primarily does so through the use of rich descriptions that employ unique diction. Take, for instance, the following passage (it's worth noting that the quotes in this response don't have page numbers because I used the online text provided by . Check it out by following my link at the bottom of this post):

Another of [Ichabod's] sources of fearful pleasure was to pass long winter evenings with the old Dutch wives, as they sat spinning by the fire, with a row of apples roasting and spluttering along the hearth, and listen to their marvellous tales of ghosts and goblins, and haunted fields, and haunted brooks, and haunted bridges, and haunted houses, and particularly of the headless horseman, or Galloping Hessian of the Hollow, as they sometimes called him.

Notice here Irving's rich use of language. The diction in the phrase "a row of apples roasting and spluttering along the hearth" immediately brings to mind a quaint, rural, autumn scene, and his use of the verb "spluttering" lends the passage a particularly dynamic tone. Additionally, the extensive folklore mentioned in this passage gives one the sense that Irving is drawing on well-established traditions of tale-telling and yarn-spinning, all of which make Sleepy Hollow feel like a real small town with its own histories and legends.

Contrast this description, which evokes the idealistically rustic qualities of the region, with the following passage toward the end of the story:

In the dark shadow of the grove, on the margin of the brook, [Ichabod] beheld something huge, misshapen and towering. It stirred not, but seemed gathered up in the gloom, like some gigantic monster ready to spring upon the traveller.

This is Ichabod's first encounter with the Headless Horseman, and it is suitably creepy. Notice Irving's diction here: words like "misshapen," "towering," "gloom," and "monster" immediately transport the reader to a frightening, nightmarish landscape, one that marks a strong contrast to the earlier passage, which was dominated by a safe, secure, and nostalgic tone. As such, it's clear Irving was a master craftsman when it came to word choice, as his precise use of diction creates an ambience that shifts from agreeably pastoral to ominous and frightening. 

How can I write an essay that argues that "The Damnation of a Canyon" by Edward Abbey shows that dammed rivers can help human beings?

One of the central themes of Edward Abbey's work has been his staunch opposition to the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River that created Lake Powell, destroying stunning scenery and wildlife habitat, endangering many rare species of fish and animals, and also irreparably destroying many important archaeological sites which provided information about the early inhabitants of the United States.

The original benefits claimed for Glen Canyon Dam were twofold, first providing clean and inexpensive hydropower and second providing regular supplies of water to cities downstream. Trying to write a paper justifying building the dam on the basis of these benefits will be quite difficult, as history has proven Abbey correct in his assessment of the dam's impracticality.

Although the dam did provide water and power for a few decades, the continued shrinkage of Lake Powell, due to leakage and evaporation, has made it unprofitable in recent decades as a source of power, and more water is lost by these mechanisms than is saved by having Lake Powell as a reservoir. While some dams in places such as Quebec do provide clean power with minimal environmental damage, the Glen Canyon Dam is not really a good example of the positive benefits of dams.

What is an allegorical novella?

An allegory is a story in which "the characters and events stand for something else." (See the reference link provided). We see this clearly in Animal Farm: on the one hand, it is a novella (a short novel) about life on a farm, told from the perspective of farmyard animals. Looking deeper, however, Animal Farm depicts some of the major political events of the Soviet Union during the early-twentieth century. Moreover, its characters are based on the some of the key players from this period: Napoleon, for example, is clearly based on the Soviet dictator, Joseph Stalin.

By writing Animal Farm as an allegory, Orwell is able to express his thoughts on the Russian Revolution and the dangers of Soviet-style Communism, more generally. Looking at the events in the novella, it is clear Orwell disliked Communism and believed Stalin used it to subjugate and oppress the working class. We see this through the fate of Boxer, the hardworking horse who is betrayed by Napoleon when he is sold to a glue manufacturer instead of being allowed to retire.

In Lord of the Flies, why do the boys refuse to kill the pig at the start of the chapter?

At the beginning of the novel, the boys are exploring the island, and they come across a piglet that is caught in between vines and roots. As the piglet is trying to escape, the three boys get closer, and Jack draws his knife. However, Jack hesitates and thinks about what he is about to do. His hesitation allows the piglet to run free from the creepers, and Jack makes several excuses as to why he did not kill the piglet. He tells Ralph that he was looking for the right spot to stab the pig, but the reality is that he never killed anything before and was afraid of the massive amounts of blood. The reason Jack did not kill the pig reveals that the boys are still under the influence of the civilized world. As the novel progresses, Golding portrays their descent into savagery. Initially, the boys are civilized and think twice before engaging in violent acts, but as the novel progresses, they begin to follow their primitive instincts.

When asked at a seminar at the University of Virginia about the meaning of the title "A Rose for Emily" Faulkner replied, Oh, it's simply the...

The two quotations express pity for Miss Emily, though the first is a little more opaque, and suggest that Faulkner's story was named as a kind of gentlemanly gift honoring the unfortunate (fictional) character. One thing that can make Faulkner's quotations a little hard to interpret is the fact that Faulkner was often frustrated with academic literary criticism and made statements in interviews simply to puzzle or have fun with his interlocutors. His excessive consumption of alcohol may also at times have affected his responses to interview questions. 

On one level, giving a rose to someone signifies love, but in a manner that is quite in keeping with the traditions of the Old South. It suggests that Miss Emily is a traditional southern belle and that the story will be a story of love, which it indeed is, albeit with a rather grotesque twist.

Rose imagery also shows up in the description of the bedroom at the end of the story with "the valance curtains of faded rose color, upon the rose-shaded lights." From this confluence of the title with the final rose imagery, we can assume that we are being asked to think about the contrast between traditional expectations for an upper class woman of the Old South and the reality of the New South. The rose-colored parts of the room—the traditional parts—are faded and worn; they remind us that Emily was part of a tradition that was rapidly fading itself, dying out to make way for progress. Emily, with her dead lover locked away in her home, clings to tradition despite its decay, as the faded rose-colored curtains suggest.

How can I write a project about "chemistry in daily life" with examples and images?

Chemistry is all around us; we just have to look around and figure it out. Everything is made up of atoms. All the food that we eat and all the beverages that we drink are chemical compounds. Our clothes, utensils, furniture, etc., are made up of chemical compounds. Another example of chemistry is the cooking of food. The cleaning action of soaps and detergents can also be explained by chemistry. The making of bread is also chemistry.

A good way to make a project about chemistry in daily life is by listing the examples of chemistry in our daily life (some examples have been listed above for easy reference). It is very easy to find images for chemical compounds online. 

Remember that any process which involves chemical reactions (products have different chemical compositions than reactants) and/or involves chemical compounds is an example of chemistry in daily life.

Hope this helps. 

How effective are the books The Alienist by Caleb Carr and The Underdogs by Mariano Azuela in recreating the temper of the times in New York and...

Mariano Azuela's The Underdogs, published in 1915, is now recognized as the "classic story of the Mexican Revolution." It follows the story of Demetrio Macías as he works his way up to the rank of a general in Pancho Villa's army, with Villa and his forces positioned as heroes fighting on behalf of the poor people of Mexico. The novel accurately depicts and speaks out against post-revolutionary corruption in the Mexican government and examines the poverty that has impacted Mexican citizens well into the twenty-first century. 

Caleb Carr's The Alienist, published in 1994, is set in New York City in 1896. Although a work of fiction, this novel is a historical one in the sense that it identifies the new ideas of the time around detective work, particularly the creation of the term "serial killer." The narrative also follows the sophisticated (and very new) forensic investigational methods that had not yet become popular, including fingerprinting and the Bertillon system, and introduces a character as the one of the first female additions to the New York Police Department. 

What does playing with the word order do for the poem "anyone lived in a pretty how town"?

Ordinarily, a scrambled or unusual word order slows down the reader as he moves through the poem.

In this poem, this is especially true of the second line, "(with up so floating many bells down)." It is almost impossible to read through the first stanza quickly, because we are brought up short by the baffling syntax of that line. However, it is obvious from the parentheses and lack of commas that this second line is supposed to be read quickly, all in one breath, as it were.

The result is that instead of trying to let our brains get meaning from the line, we read it almost like a chant, as much (or more) for the sound and rhythm as for the meaning.

This tendency is reenforced when we hit the next line, which instead of being a grammatical sentence or phrase, is simply "spring summer autumn winter." This too is a chant—in fact, many of us remember chanting these four words, in this order, when we were learning the names of the seasons.

By the time the reader reaches line 4, he has been notified that this is going to be a poem with a nice, clear rhythm, in which the sound of the words is just as important as their meaning, and easier to determine. By this time, the reader will probably be reading the poem in a steady chanting rhythm, almost as if casting a spell.

After the first stanza, there is no line that is quite as puzzling, grammatically, as "with up so floating many bells down" (except when the same line occurs again). Although the author continues to use words in slots that do not match their expected part of speech, (e.g. "wish by spirit and if by yes"), the steady chanting rhythm of the poem will carry the reader through these potentially confusing bits, allowing them to cast their spell. Meanwhile, the parts of the poem that actually tell anyone's and noone's story are grammatical enough that we can tell what is happening. The grammatical story emerges in between the bits of chant, like a view emerging out of mist.

Finishing the poem, we are left with a somewhat fuzzy impression of the story it has told. The fuzziness is because of the many instances where the "wrong" part of speech is used. This fuzziness gives us the impression that we have glimpsed a world we don't quite understand, or perhaps we have seen the world through a perspective we are not used to—that of someone who explains things in an unconventional way and sees beauties that others often miss.

Speaking of which, we have very many clear snapshots of the beauties of nature. You do not have to understand the odd grammar to get a very clear impression from the line "bird by snow and stir by still."

Overall, the odd use of words and word order in the poem works together with the strong chanting rhythm and the beautiful, clear nature words to cast a spell on the reader.

How are helium atoms and neon atoms useful in predicting the structure of a sodium atom?

Helium has an atomic number of 2 and has an electronic configuration of 1s2. Neon is also a noble gas and has an atomic number of 10. Hence, its electronic configuration is 1s2, 2s2, 2p6. Sodium has an atomic number of 11 and hence has an electronic configuration of 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s1.

If we compare sodium and neon, we find that sodium is obtained by adding 1 more electron to neon atoms. There is an additional 3s orbital as compared to neon, or we can also state that an additional shell is present in case of sodium, as compared to neon. In comparison to helium, sodium has 2 additional electron shells. Hence, these two atoms help us gain a better understanding of the structure of sodium atoms. 

Compared to these two noble gases, sodium has unfilled valence electronic orbital and loses an electron to achieve noble gas configuration.

In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, would it be right to condemn Umuofia for the killing of Ikemefuna ?

An interesting question! According to the text, Okonkwo was the one who struck the killing blow during Ikemefuna's execution. Prior to Ikemefuna's death, Ogbuefi Ezeudu, a village elder and former warrior of Umuofia, had warned Okonkwo against participating in the boy's execution.

Ogbuefi's reason for discouraging Okonkwo from slaying Ikemefuna was that the young boy looked to Okonkwo as a father figure. In Ogbuefi's eyes, Okonkwo's participation would be dishonorable. Even Obierika later proclaimed that what Okonkwo had done would not "please the Earth. It is the kind of action for which the goddess wipes out whole families."

Yet, despite the fact that two clansmen disapproved of Okonkwo's participation in Ikemefuna's death, the tribal leaders still subscribed to the Oracle's authority in the matter. Ikemefuna was slated to die, regardless of anyone's wishes in the matter. Despite the judgment, there were those who disagreed with the execution of the innocent boy. It appears, though, that the larger community had no choice but to submit to the authority of the Oracle and its tribal leaders.

The text tells us that Nwoye was especially traumatized by Ikemefuna's death, a death he had been powerless to prevent. Additionally, while Nwoye's mother sympathized with Ikemefuna's predicament, she too was powerless to affect a rescue on his behalf. It can be seen from the text that Umuofian society places a great premium on the authority and wisdom of the Oracle and its leaders. As to whether it is right to condemn Umuofia for Ikemefuna's death, we must ask ourselves whether we agree with the Umuofian concept of justice.

In the beginning of the story, a woman from Umuofia was murdered by someone from the Mbaino clan. In response, Umuofia offered two alternatives to Mbaino: either both tribes went to war or a Mbaino young man and virgin girl were given to Umuofia as compensation for the woman's death. Mbaino, anxious to avoid war with the powerful Umuofia, had agreed to the second alternative. The text tells us that this was the "normal course of action," which leads us to conclude that Umuofian society thrived on strict interpretations of entrenched Igbo ethics.

To change the culture, dissent must be allowed. If we disagree with the concept of justice in Umuofia, we may well condemn all of Umuofia for Ikemefuna's death. If, however, we see some value in Umuofian justice, we may interpret Ikemefuna's death as the necessary sacrifice in response to an Umuofian woman's senseless murder. Regardless of our choice, it is plain from the text that there are those in Umuofia who have begun to question the traditions of the clan.

Why is chapter 10 called "The Arctic Tern"?

Doug has a rough life.  His brothers are criminals in the making, and they abuse him almost as much as his father does.  Doug's father is not afraid to verbally and physically abuse Doug, and alcohol only makes it worse.  Doug has also been moved to a new city and new school, which means his close friend Holling Hoodhood can't be there for him.  All of these things pile up on Doug and give him a bit of a rough edge, which his teachers don't respond too well to at first either.  About the only thing in Doug's life that offers him comfort and peace is looking at the "Arctic Tern" plate painting by John James Audubon in the public library.  

Doug's closest friend, Lil, is also sick with cancer.  The doctors give her a one in four chance of surviving.  She's not doing well.  In chapter ten, Doug goes to visit her several times, and in the final moments of the chapter Doug is by her side again.  It's clear that Lil is scared.  She's shaking and crying, and Doug reaches out to hold her hand.  He tells her to think of "a whole lot" of Arctic terns flying around her.  He tells Lil to imagine them showing her the next great thing that is going to come into her life.  The sequence is incredibly sad, yet it is a hopeful scene as well.  Lil is comforted by imaging the terns, and throughout the novel, the image of the Arctic tern has offered comfort to both Doug and Lil.  It's appropriate to name this chapter after such a hope giving image.  

In "The Miracle Worker," why does Annie say that she will never love again and what changes her mind?

When Annie Sullivan was young, she lived in an almshouse with her younger brother, Jimmie.  They were orphans and only had each other.  When Jimmie died, Annie was devastated.  She vowed to never love anyone again:

Well, you say with love so easy, and I haven’t loved a soul since and I never will (The Miracle Worker, Act I Scene 4).

Annie arrived in Alabama to help Helen and become her teacher.  Though Annie tried to keep her distance, she came to love Helen.  At one point, Annie told Helen's parents that she did not love Helen.  Despite this, Annie developed a connection with the child.  She became her companion.  When Helen learned how to communicate, Annie spelled into her hand.  Annie told Helen that she loved her, and would love her forever.  She whispered the words, though Helen could not hear her.  Despite the pain of past loss, Annie was able to love again.

Upon his return to Abbenay, we witness Shevek frustrated that Takver has moved. He consoles himself by claiming that Takver is needed to fight the...

In Chapter 8, we learn that a terrible famine has fragmented many informal, social ties in Anarres. To save Anarres from human extinction, Divlab (a loosely-structured bureaucratic organization that dispenses work assignments to citizens) has instituted labor drafts to build up fast-disappearing food supplies. Upon his return to Abbenay, Shevek is distraught when he learns that Takver has been assigned to the Comestible Algae Experimental Development Laboratories in the Northeast for an "indeterminate period."

He finds himself wrestling with his cerebral acquiescence to Anarres' needs and his emotional attachment to his little family. In an anarchistic society, each citizen must go where he/she has been assigned; self-sacrifice is the epitome of anarchistic benevolence. However, Shevek finds it hard to contain his own personal disappointment, anger, and frustration. He tries to comfort himself by reasoning that Takver has gone "to work against hunger- hers, his, Sadik's hunger." Sadik is Takver and Shevek's infant daughter; in the novel, she is the apple of her father's eye. Each morning, Shevek would sit Sadik down for his "wild cosmological lectures," silly rhyme recitations, and playful bounces on his knee. So, the departure of his little family is emotionally debilitating to him; additionally, he is also wrestling with the fact that a fellow Anarres citizen, Sabul, has appropriated his work for his own.

Although it is uncommon to use singular possessives, Shevek uses them when he describes whose hunger Takver is seeking to alleviate. It's the only way he can comfort himself and to rationalize the self-sacrifice expected of him. In seeing his and Takver's sacrifice in terms of family survival, Shevek is able to shift his focus away from his personal misery and to preserve his sanity in light of Sabul's betrayal (in the story, Sabul is Anarres' leading physicist, a scientist who appropriates Shevek's work for his own).

In Anarres, the emphasis is on self-sacrifice. In order to survive catastrophes and famines, every citizen must agree to go where he/she is needed. Anarchist ideals rest on the assumption that everyone is willing to forego personal desires for the general welfare, especially in times of need; thus, the linguistic elements in Anarres culture must support the superstructure and testify to the economic base of the society. Technically, there is no government to dictate the national response; for the sake of survival, everyone must be compelled to act from purely altruistic motives. We can see, though, that even in an anarchistic society, some semblance of a central controlling authority is needed. In the novel, Divlab has the sole authority for assigning projects to all citizens.

There is no "I," "she," or "he" simply because the community must supplant the individual in order to preserve social cohesiveness in dangerous times. While such a system has its advantages, we can see that it is inadequate in addressing personal concerns. Shevek must make a choice between staying at Abbenay (and grieving for his exiled family) or posting to Rolny Peninsula, where he could live with his family but be denied a meaningful assignment. In the end, Shevek chooses to go where his skills can be used. Like Takver, he makes the decision because he believes in the anarchist ideals of self-sacrifice and mutual benevolence.

What is elaboration in writing?

In the composition of essays, narratives, analyses, dissertations, etc., support and elaboration are essential in order to develop the main points of the work. Without elaboration, the support of the points of a composition are not explained or illustrated as they should be for understanding; consequently, the veracity and validity of the written work is greatly compromised.

According to Learn NC, two elements are necessary in elaboration: sufficiency and relatedness:

• 
  Sufficiency - There must be enough detail; in addition, the details need to be adequate and offer strong support.


• 
  Relatedness - The details that are used must be relevant to the support for the topic sentence. They also should be strong, substantial points. 

_____________________________________________________________

For the purpose of illustrating what is meant, suppose a student must write on the following topic: 

*Valuable Lessons That Scout and Jem Learned in To Kill a Mockingbird

After writing the introduction that ends with the thesis statement and its blueprint (the points that will become topic sentences), the student will need, then, to write the body of the essay. So, a topic sentence is composed from the first point of the blue print, which could be not to prejudge people.

• 
  Topic Sentence:

In her interpersonal relations, Scout has learned that she must
not  pre-judge people; instead, she should try to
figuratively "climb into his skin and walk around in it." 


Now, to support this topic sentence, the writer can use pertinent incidents from the narrative to support the point of not pre-judging, but being objective. 

--At first, the children's perception of Boo Radley is generated from rumor and fears, but after they learn more about Boo, and Scout stands on his porch in the last chapter reflecting upon her experiences, she has "climbed into his skin." 

(Next, this support needs elaboration; that is, writing that is rich in detail.)

• 
  Elaboration:

--Early in the narrative, Scout points to the Radley house as containing within it a "haint," or a "malevolent phantom." One winter, for example, when the azaleas froze in an unusual drop in temperature for southern Alabama, people maintained that Boo Radley had breathed on them. Or, whenever small, stealthy crimes were committed in the town, these acts were attributed to Boo Radley. In another instance, when a series of bizarre acts in the night were committed, acts that mutilated people's chickens and pets, these happenings were blamed on Boo Radley.
   But, after Scout and Jem experience Boo's kind gestures of mending Jem's pants that he tears on the Radley fence and placing little "gifts" in the knothole of the Radley's tree which the children pass on their way home, they learn that Boo is really a thoughtful person. Later on, Boo's valiant act of rescuing Jem from the murderous hold of Bob Ewell teaches the children what a brave and kind person Arthur Radley truly is.

What is the democratization of science? How is this helpful in public health?

“Demos” is a Greek word that means people, or village, or the common people of Greece. Democratization is the process of making something available to people. So when we talk about the democratization of science, we are referring to the idea of making scientific knowledge, as well as the tools used in scientific pursuits, more available to people in general, as opposed to just scientists and researchers.

We can look at the democratization of science in a couple of ways. In at least a sense, the democratization of science involves the democratization of knowledge, which we have seen happening on a large scale in the last several decades. Computers were at one time only available to scientists and researchers. When I was in high school in the mid-70's there were only 5 computers in the building, and they were all in a lab to be used for teaching programming—nobody used them to do the actual work of running a school.

The development of the internet has taken the value of personal computers (and so many other devices now) to a new level. I can access an incredible amount of information, and some of that is scientific, that the ordinary person did not have access to a couple of decades ago. Plenty of this information is in the public health sector.

Let's look at a relatively common health issue in America. Mold that grows in houses can cause health problems, sometimes very serious health problems, for people. I can use the internet to research the issue, including practical methods for eliminating mold (in fact I'm including such a link below). That's democratizing information and science in a way that impacts public health—information is power.

The increased availability of scientific knowledge can also help the average citizen uncover and respond to some of the shadier elements sometimes found in society. The sugar industry has been under fire for decades for the negative effects of sugar on public health. So they go to great lengths to make sugar look less dangerous (sounds a lot like the tobacco industry). I am including a link below from a website that deals directly with this issue. I cannot personally vouch for its accuracy, but it is still a good example of how democratization has increased, through scientific progress, the availability of useful information to the public. The fact that the internet is free and anybody can post on it is the greatest example of democratization of all. We no longer depend only on what a publishing company produces or a newspaper prints or a tv station broadcasts.

Finally, we can also consider the systems and hardware involved in the democratization of science as it pertains to public health. All of the benefits mentioned above would be impossible for someone who did not have a computer (or similar gadget) and access to the internet. Some folks don't. So continued democratization depends on making tools and systems available to more people. We've witnessed one of the successes of a competitive economy with the tremendous drop in computer prices, and this is another case of democratization—our business system and has made it possible for the average person to own and use a much more powerful computing device than what even scientists had a few decades ago.  But still there are countries that do not have widespread access to what we take for granted. Democratization will stall if less advantageous countries cannot gain access to basic technologies.  

How would I write a topic-sentence outline comparing and contrasting the poems "Ulysses" and "Ozymandias"?

To write such an outline, you would first need a thesis statement.  What main difference or similarity would you like to discuss?  For instance, both Tennyson's "Ulysses" and Shelly's "Ozymandias"  involve the theme of time. An example of a thesis statement using this idea might be the following:  Although both poems concern man's relationship to time, Tennyson's "Ulysses" stresses the importance of making the most of what time we have while Shelly's "Ozymandias" focuses on our insignificance in the entire spectrum of time.  

Other thesis statements might involve man's relationship to his life's work or the idea of reputation.  Whatever you choose, make sure that your thesis statement is broad enough to have several sub-points.  These sub-points will become your topic sentences for your outline. When you write your essay, you will develop paragraphs supporting these topic sentences and relating them to your thesis statement.

A sample topic sentence outline might be something like the following:

I.  In each poem time is introduced by references to the superiority of the past over the present.    

A.  In "Ulysses" the past is described in terms of the adventures that Ulysses and his fellow mariners enjoyed.

B.  In "Ozymandias" the past is described implying the former might of the pharaoh and the vastness of his works.

C. In "Ulysses," the present is contrasted with the past as boring, tedious, and ineffective. 

D.  In "Ozymandias, the present is contrasted with the past through images of ruins that now occupy the space once populated with grand works.

II.  The effects of time are presented differently.

A.  In "Ulysses," the title character tries to make the most of his time by deciding to go on one last adventure.

B.  In "Ozymandias" time makes a mockery of the titled character by showing that his works did not endure.  

And so on...

You can do something like the above with any topic you think is interesting about the two poems.

Can plants undertake respiration and photosynthesis at the same time?

Yes, plants can do photosynthesis and cellular respiration at the same time. When sunlight is available for the plant, the plant can use that energy to perform photosynthesis. The major product of photosynthesis is G3P, a 3 carbon molecule that the plant can use to make glucose (it's own food), or other substances like proteins or lipids that it needs for other life processes. Let's stick with the glucose for this example, though. 

As mentioned, a plant produces glucose as food for itself. In order to use this food for energy, the plant must perform cellular respiration. Just like in animals, glucose is broken down during cellular respiration in plants to produce energy in the form of ATP. This is chemical energy that the plant can use during chemical reactions in cells that require energy. 

So, not only do plants perform both photosynthesis and cellular respiration, but as long as there is sunlight they can perform both at the same time. 

How are time and place used in Eliot’s poetry to shape the reader's intellectual and emotional response?

I would personally agree that time and place are used in Eliot's poetry to shape the reader's intellectual and emotional response. In "Love Song," Prufrock, the narrator, is a failed person (Ezra Pound, the original champion of this poem, called Prufrock "a portrait of failure" in his letter of January 31, 1915 to Harriet Monroe) who is obsessed with time. This concern first appears ironically: Prufrock insists that "there will be time, there will be time ... to murder and create," but in fact, the poem shows that Prufrock does nothing but fritter away his time, caught in mental paralysis that allows him to do nothing significant. He is conscious of this, bored and world weary, yet seems helpless to prevent time from slipping out of his grasp into indecision and repetition: "time yet for a hundred indecisions ... and revisions. ... In a minute there is time / For decisions and revisions a minute will reverse." Time cycles through repetitively, yet goes nowhere: over and over we hear the refrain that "the women come and go / Talking of Michelangelo."

Place also shapes the reader's response to this poem. Prufrock occupies drawing rooms where he spends--or wastes-- time socializing. These places underscore the triviality of Prufrock's situation. He measures out his life in coffee spoons, amid marmalade,  tea and porcelain, imagining himself descending stairs in his morning coat as people comment on him in inane ways: "how his arms and legs are thin." Meanwhile, the scene outside is both disquieting and numbing. The evening spreads out "like a patient etherized upon a table," while a yellow fog "curled about the house and fell asleep." The settings reinforce the mental numbness of the narrator and convey to the reader the narrator's emotional ennui. Intellectually, watching Prufrock fritter his time in frivolous settings might encourage a reader to examine his own life and determine not to do the same. 

A second Eliot poem that shows obsession with time is "Burnt Norton" in Four Quartets. Here Eliot explores the nature of time present, time past and time future, using place imagery to reinforce the message: the narrator envisions a passageway not gone down and a door to a rose garden not opened. He wonders if he should disturb the stasis of the present, wondering what the purpose is of disturbing the dust on a bowl of rose leaves. The poem works to inspire the reader both to think intellectually about time and to feel a sense of stasis.

What are the five continents that Jared Diamond refers to and what where the settlement patterns of each?

Most geographers assume that the world can be divided into six continents, corresponding to the six major landmasses of Africa, Antarctica, Eurasia, Australia/Oceania, North America, and South America. Diamond discusses five of these. The single exception is Antarctica, as it has no indigenous human life and is therefore not relevant to his work.

In terms of settlement patterns, Diamond emphasizes that the land mass of Eurasia is laid out to make east-west trade and travel relatively easy, so that civilizations could exchange resources and ideas, something that facilitated the development of advanced civilizations. Africa and the Americas, by contrast, are laid out primarily on north-south axes, with many barriers to trade. Australia and Oceania are surrounded by oceans, limiting cultural cross-fertilization. 

Diamond also discusses how favorable conditions for agriculture led to early dense settlements in Eurasia, something that also fostered the development of advanced civilizations.

Explain your answer and be sure to address both sides, discussing why you support one and oppose the other. Be specific and cite any sources you...

The probability of a major conflict happening may be higher now than it was during the Cold War. However, the probability of that conflict being completely catastrophic for all of human civilization has been dramatically reduced. Therefore, I conclude that in the most important sense, we are safer now than we were 30 years ago.

There are international relations scholars who believe otherwise, such as John Mearsheimer who argues that a war between the US and China is likely as China's economic growth continues. In my opinion, this argument neglects the fact that China's economic growth is largely driven by trade with the US; far from making war more likely, China's economic development could make it almost unthinkable, just as war between the US and Germany is now almost unthinkable despite being an event that happened within living memory.

The Doomsday Clock has also been set higher than it was during most of the Cold War, but this is frankly baffling, because during the Cold War we had thousands more nuclear weapons than we do now, and were actively maintaining a policy of rapid and overwhelming nuclear response. Today, even if the worst did come to pass and a fanatical Islamist organization like ISIS obtained and used a nuclear weapon, this would not result in a full-scale nuclear exchange. The absence of a government and cities to target is terrifying in its own way, but it eliminates even the possibility of an overzealous US nuclear response, as there is nothing to aim the nukes at. It would surely trigger a war, and the death toll could be in the millions---but in the Cold War we were talking about billions.

Indeed, I may be wrong to concede even that a major conflict is more likely. Overall the world is quite simply more peaceful now than it was then: "state-based armed conflict declined by 40 percent from 1992 to 2003", reports The Atlantic based on the 2009/2010 Human Security Report, and furthermore "The last ten years have seen fewer war deaths than any decade of the past century."

In Two Kinds by Amy Tan, why is there a clash between mother and daughter and what is the result of the clash?

In "Two Kinds," Jing-Mei Woo and her mother, Suyuan, clash over Suyuan's expectations about her daughter's abilities. Suyuan wants her daughter to become a prodigy. Because of children like Shirley Temple and Waverly Jong (a family friend's daughter, who is a chess prodigy), Suyuan thinks being a child prodigy would be fairly easy for Jing-Mei to do if she practices enough. Jing-Mei initially likes the idea of being a prodigy, but after she does not improve as quickly as she would like, she gives up on the idea of being a prodigy and decides not to try at piano anymore. Her mother continues to make her go to piano lessons and practice for two hours every day, though. Jing-Mei quickly realizes that her teacher, Mr. Chong, is deaf. She uses this information to her advantage by making it look like she is playing in time, but does not try to hit the correct notes.

When Jing-Mei plays piano poorly at the talent show in front of her family and her mother's friends and children, Suyuan does not say anything, but it is very clear that she is upset Jing-Mei did not play better. Two days later, Suyuan asks Jing-Mei why she is not practicing piano at the time she is supposed to be. Jing-Mei tells her mother that she is never playing piano again, which makes Suyuan upset. Ultimately, Suyuan tells her daughter she needs to be obedient. This prompts Jing-Mei to say she wishes Suyuan wasn't her mother or that she was dead "like them." This reference to Suyuan's twin babies that she had to abandon in China is the height of their clash, and Suyuan leaves immediately afterward.

How does Michael Pollan use the utilitarian theory in ethics to support his argument about eating animals in Chapter 17 of The Omnivore's...

Utilitarianism asserts that the morally correct action is the action that "produces the greatest balance of benefits over harms for everyone affected" ("Calculating Consequences," Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University). In Chapter 17 of The Omnivore's Dilemma, author Michael Pollan references a book titled Animal Liberation written by Peter Singer. Early in the book, Singer cites a famous argument for the liberation of slaves made by French utilitarianism philosopher Jeremy Bentham, soon after the French had liberated its slaves in 1789, well before the British or the Americans had done the same. Bentham makes a very complicated argument in favor of equal treatment for the entire animal kingdom based on all animals' ability to suffer.

Bentham asserts that all of the animal kingdom is entitled to the same sort of liberation not based on the equal ability to reason or talk but based on the equal ability to suffer. He asserts that the argument of basing equality on equal abilities to reason or talk is absurd since "a full-grown horse or dog is beyond comparison a more rational, as well as a more conversational animal, than an infant" (as cited in Pollan, p. 308).

Pollan continues to explain that Bentham is "playing a powerful card philosophers call the 'argument from marginal cases'" (p. 308). Pollan explains that the argument asserts that we do not exclude the humans who are marginalized, such as the "infants, the severely retarded, the demented," from the moral imperative that they deserve equal rights even though such marginalized people have lesser mental functions than a chimpanzee. If we do not exclude marginalized people from the right to equality, then the question follows, "[O]n what basis do we exclude the chimpanzee?" (p. 308). There are those who argue that the chimpanzee should be excluded from moral rights on the basis that the chimpanzee is not human. However, Singer points out that that argument of exclusion isn't any different from excluding the slave from moral rights on the basis that the slave is "not white" (p. 308). There are also those who argue, in the words of Pollan, "But the differences between blacks and whites are trivial compared to the differences between my son and the chimp" (p. 309). To counter that argument, Singer points out that society is offended by the idea of discriminating based on something so nontrivial as intelligence even though there are human beings who do not equally posses the same human characteristic of intelligence as other human beings. Therefore, what right do we have to discriminate against animals based on the absence of "this or that human characteristic" even when there are animals that are more intelligent than some human beings? In the words of Pollan, Singer further concludes, "Either we do not owe any justice to the severely retarded ..., or we do owe it to animals of higher capabilities" (p. 309).

This is the argument that convinced Pollan to become a vegetarian. He reflects on the truth of the argument in the following: "If I believe in equality, and equality is based on interests rather than characteristics, then either I have to take the steer's interest into account or accept that I'm a speciesist," meaning one who discriminates against others outside of his/her own species, just like a racist discriminates against those outside of his/her own race (p. 309).

The argument that equality must be based on interests rather than characteristics is a utilitarian argument because it judges moral conduct based on the numbers of individuals the conduct benefits. Since all members of the animal kingdom suffer, basing equality on the fact that no member of the animal kingdom wants to suffer would benefit more members of the animal kingdom than basing equality on the presence of human characteristics would.

Yet, later he asserts that, except in the cases of the factory farm, animal domestication and the things gained from it--milk, eggs, meat--are actually more beneficial for everyone. Domesticated animals are that way because they learned some time ago they would survive better in the care of humans; in their state of domestication, they are living their best lives possible. In addition, refraining from eating meat does not prevent the deaths of animals. As he asserts, "If America was suddenly to adopt a strictly vegetarian diet, it isn't clear that the total number of animals killed each year would necessarily decline, since to feed everyone animal pasture and rangeland would have to give way to more intensively cultivated crops" (p. 326). Therefore, he concludes with the utilitarian argument that continuing in the beneficial relationship with domesticated animals, so long as animals are not made to suffer as they do in factory farms, is the most beneficial moral action and a reason to continue to eat meat.

In "The Open Window" by Saki, why do you think Framton Nuttel is so completely taken in, or tricked, by Vera's story?

Saki created the characters, the setting, and all the elements to suit his purpose, which was to have a visitor think three men approaching a country house were ghosts and to make him flee for his life. Vera is a good story teller. She is just young enough to think of playing such a prank, but just old enough to be taken seriously. After all, she is acting as the hostess. The big French window standing open at that late hour in cold October weather makes an excellent prop. Vera says her aunt has been leaving it open for the past three years because she expects her husband and two brothers to return through it in time for tea. The silly goose of an aunt falls right in with Vera's scheme. The girl knows exactly what her aunt is going to say, and it serves to substantiate the story. 

"I hope you don't mind the open window," said Mrs. Sappleton briskly; "my husband and brothers will be home directly from shooting, and they always come in this way. They've been out for snipe in the marshes today, so they'll make a fine mess over my poor carpets. So like you menfolk, isn't it?"

Vera also knows that her aunt's youngest brother Ronnie would start singing "Bertie, why do you bound?" as he was approaching the open window. So, it isn't Vera's story by itself that produces such a effect on Framton Nuttel. Aunt Sappleton contributes greatly with her conversation. There is also the fact that Framton is all wrapped up in himself and his nerve problems. He is only half-listening to Vera's story and doesn't have enough spare mental energy to suspect that the whole thing could be a practical joke.

The payoff comes when Mrs. Sappleton sees the three hunters approaching.

"Here they are at last!" she cried. "Just in time for tea, and don't they look as if they were muddy up to the eyes!"

Framton looks at Vera, expecting the girl to show by a look that this is typical behavior of her aunt, who lost her mind when her three men were sucked into a bog and has been looking for them to return ever since. But instead Vera is looking at the open window with goggle-eyed horror, as if to verify her aunt's recognition of the three approaching hunters as the men she has been expecting for the past three years. And then Framton looks out the open window and sees three men matching the descriptions Vera had given them when she told him about the "family tragedy." They are even accompanied by a little spaniel who was supposed to have died three years ago along with the hunters.

The fact that Framton Nuttel is so completely taken in is authenticated by the effect the story has on the reader. The typical reader of "The Open Window" thinks there really are three dead men approaching in the twilight and does not understand that Framton Nuttel has been tricked until Mrs. Sappleton's husband enters and has the following conversation with his wife.

"Here we are, my dear," said the bearer of the white mackintosh, coming in through the window, "fairly muddy, but most of it's dry. Who was that who bolted out as we came up?"

"A most extraordinary man, a Mr. Nuttel," said Mrs. Sappleton; "could only talk about his illnesses, and dashed off without a word of goodby or apology when you arrived. One would think he had seen a ghost."

In other words, both Framton and the reader are taken in by Vera's ghost story, and only the reader is let in on the joke because Framton is a mile away by then and still running. If we ask, "Why was Framton Nuttel so completely taken in?" we might ask, "Why were we so completely taken in ourselves?"

What are some lessons that students should learn throughout the novel The Boy in the Striped Pajamas?

Boyne's novel about a nine-year-old German boy who develops an unlikely friendship with a Jewish boy who is confined behind a barbed wire fence at Auschwitz has several significant lessons. This story is a cautionary tale of how radical government policies can propagate prejudice that results in the inhumane treatment of a specific group of people. The Nazi's Final Solution persecuted people of the Jewish faith and resulted in the deaths of approximately six million Jews.

Another lesson expressed throughout the novel is the idea that people should treat others the way they want to be treated. Unlike the other characters in the novel, Bruno's innocence allows him to treat everyone with respect and compassion.

Another lesson deals with the power of love and friendship. Boyne illustrates how love and friendship can overcome the most inhumane, dangerous environments. Despite the hate and brutality regularly surrounding them, Shmuel and Bruno develop a close friendship that withstands the test of time. Even though they both die at the end of the story, their bond transcends the physical realm.

How does the personification of the storm in chapter 16 of Hatchet add to or enhance the conflict?

The personification of the storm enhances the conflict because it creates suspense, as Brian has recently faced the moose and his defenses are low. 

By this point, Brian is successful at getting food. A moose attacks him while he is getting more food. In addition to being frightened, Brian also injures his shoulder and ribs. He manages to get back to his shelter and falls asleep. That is when the storm wakes him. 

The fear of the storm on top of the shock and pain of the moose attack is almost more than Brian can take. 

Low, almost alive, almost from a throat somehow, the sound, the noise was a roar, a far-off roar but coming at him and when he was fully awake he sat up in the darkness, grimacing with pain from his ribs (Chapter 16). 

This description of the storm increases suspense. The reader feels sorry for Brian and wonders what more this poor kid can take. He was practically starving, and is attacked when doing his best to get food. The attack frightens him, but he doesn't even have time to recover because of the storm. Like the moose, the storm is a new, unfamiliar obstacle and Brian doesn’t know what will happen. 

He found the spear and bow where they were hanging on the pegs of the shelter wall and brought his weapons to the bed he had made of pine boughs. More comfort, but like the comfort of the flames it didn't work with this new threat that he didn't understand yet (Chapter 16).

Brian feared the wind might be a tornado. He was not prepared for the intense wind that "whipped against the front wall of the shelter like a rag." Still, Brian survives this incident like all of the others.

Why was the theater closed in 1642?

The English Civil War had begun earlier in 1642, so many people began to feel going to the theater was purely frivolous at such a time. Further, the rise of Puritanism had already begun to chip away at theater attendance because Puritans considered such forms of entertainment to be corrupting influences. Puritans rose to power in the British Parliament in 1642, giving them the power to shut down all theaters. Puritans even began to demolish those theaters, just to be sure they could not be used. In the meantime, anyone caught going to a theatrical production could actually be fined. The war not only affected the theater, but it forever changed the way the English monarchy and Parliament would function.

When and how do readers of Saki's "The Open Window" know Vera has been lying?

Part of the beauty of "The Open Window" is that the reader is taken in by Vera's story just like Framton Nuttel. The reader gets the same uncanny feeling that Framton experiences when he sees Vera staring out the open window "with a dazed horror in her eyes" and then turns and sees what the girl is staring at.

In the deepening twilight three figures were walking across the lawn towards the window, they all carried guns under their arms, and one of them was additionally burdened with a white coat hung over his shoulders. A tired brown spaniel kept close at their heels. 

Framton never finds out that he has been the victim of a practical joke. But the reader learns the truth when the three hunters enter through the open window and Mr. Sappleton speaks to his wife.

"Here we are, my dear," said the bearer of the white mackintosh, coming in through the window, "fairly muddy, but most of it's dry. Who was that who bolted out as we came up?"

"A most extraordinary man, a Mr. Nuttel," said Mrs. Sappleton; "could only talk about his illnesses, and dashed off without a word of goodby or apology when you arrived. One would think he had seen a ghost."

Vera has not only done a fine job of story-telling, but she has also done a fine job of acting. Her look of "dazed horror" seems to verify that the three returning hunters are the men her aunt has been expecting for three years. Mrs. Sappleton is perfectly cast in Vera's little drama because the girl knows exactly what her aunt is going to say when she comes down. Mrs. Sappleton will explain the open window and then start dithering

...cheerfully about the shooting and the scarcity of birds, and the prospects for duck in the winter.

Mrs. Sappleton's single-minded conversation contains nothing to contradict Vera's fiction that the lady's husband and two younger brothers were sucked into a bog and that her aunt, whose mind was destroyed by the tragedy, has been waiting for them to return for three years. Even Ronnie plays his part just as Vera has learned to expect.

Noiselessly they neared the house, and then a hoarse young voice chanted out of the dusk: "I said, Bertie, why do you bound?" 

The reader realizes that this is just a normal incident at a stodgy English country manor. Three men have been out shooting all day and are now returning for tea.

What criticism has Stan Lee of Marvel Comics received over the years?

The first issue you should address is what your focus is as a writer. One type of paper would be a simple overview of his life and work. A critical paper, though, might investigate one particular comic product or how one theme plays out across multiple products. One good thematic approach is the role of women in Lee's work, as there is a significant amount of available scholarship on the topic. 

The first step in finding criticism on Stan Lee is knowing which search terms to enter. Although some critical scholarship might have the name Stan Lee in titles of articles, you should also search for criticism on individual characters and titles.

Next, you should distinguish between criticism, generally published in peer-reviewed academic journals, which is what you need to cite, and fan sites, which are generally not appropriate citations. 

Some of the important places to look for academic work in popular culture are the Journal of Popular Culture and First Person Scholar. Useful academic databases such as JStor and the MLA International Bibliography are available on your university library website; if you have not learned how to use these databases in your classes, a reference librarian will be able to help you. 

One of the best sources for feminist approaches to games and comics is Feminist Frequency which has especially good sections on the female stereotypes (such as the "damsel in distress" or "woman as reward") found in comic and gaming universes. 

In the book The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare, what is the setting for most of Chapter One?

Most of the first chapter of the book takes place onboard the Dolphin, the ship that Kit takes from Barbados to Wethersfield.  The setting of the book is introduced to us in the first paragraph, where we are told what year it is, where Kit is, and where she is going.

ON A MORNING in mid-April, 1687, the brigantine Dolphin left the open sea, sailed briskly across the Sound to the wide mouth of the Connecticut River and into Saybrook Harbor. Kit Tyler had been on the forecastle deck since daybreak, standing close to the rail, staring hungrily at the first sight of land for five weeks.  (Ch. 1) 

All of this is significant to understanding the book.  First of all, knowing the year is obviously important to appreciating Kit’s situation.  Colonial Connecticut was much different from modern life.  Also, it is significant to know that it is mid-April, meaning that it is just the beginning of spring.  It is still pretty cold.  Kit has not seen land for over a month, and this is clearly a circumstance she is neither used to nor enjoys. 

Kit’s reaction to the first sight of land is also telling. 

She could just make out the row of unimpressive shacks and the Bash of raw new lumber. Her smile was admiring from pure relief. At least this grim place was not her destination, and surely the colony at Wethersfield would prove more inviting. (Ch. 1) 

This tells us that Kit has never been to Connecticut before, and that it is different from what she is used to.  It also tells us a lot about the colony.  Conditions were stark and bleak.  It wasn’t heavily populated, at least not in this part. 

In this chapter, therefore, we learn quite a bit about Kit and the colony of Connecticut before we even get to much plot.  While Kit is still on the ship we learn how different Barbados is from Connecticut, and how different Kit is from the Puritans.  One of the main ways this is illustrated is through Kit jumping in the water for the doll.  The Puritans are shocked.  Kit grew up around water, but in Connecticut it is unheard of for a woman to swim.