Which of the following is true about Buddhism?a. Desire is the root of sufferingb. Buddhism began in Japanc. Having good karma will get you...

Of these options, the only one that is true is Option A. All the other options contain false statements.

Option B says that Buddhism began in Japan. This is incorrect. Buddhism actually began in India. The Buddha was an Indian man named Siddhartha Gautama. He achieved enlightenment in India and that is where Buddhism was first prevalent.

Option C says having good karma gets you to heaven. It is more correct to say Buddhists believe good karma lets you achieve nirvana. Nirvana is not a physical place like heaven is supposed to be. Instead, nirvana is more of a state of being.

Option D says there is only one branch of Buddhism, but this is not true. Buddhism has numerous branches. Among these are Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. 

By contrast, option A is correct. It says Buddhism teaches desire is the root of suffering. Buddhism does in fact hold that we suffer in our lives because we want things. We suffer because we want what we do not have and worry about losing what we do have. Buddhists' goal is to put all desire aside to break free from suffering.

Thus, Option A is the correct answer.

`int (x^3 - 6x - 20)/(x + 5) dx` Find the indefinite integral.

`int(x^3-6x-20)/(x+5)dx`

Let's evaluate the integral by applying integral substitution,

Let u=x+5, `=>x=u-5`

du=dx

`int(x^3-6x-20)/(x+5)dx=int((u-5)^3-6(u-5)-20)/udu` 

`=int((u^3-5^3-3u^2*5+3u*5^2)-6u+30-20)/udu`

`=int(u^3-125-15u^2+75u-6u+10)/udu`

`=int(u^3-15u^2+69u-115)/udu`

`=int(u^2-15u+69-115/u)du`

Now apply the sum rule,

`=intu^2du-int15udu-int115/udu+int69du`

`=intu^2du-int15udu-115int(du)/u+69intdu`

Use the following common integrals,

`intx^ndx=x^(n+1)/(n+1)`

and `int1/xdx=ln(|x|)`

`=u^3/3-15u^2/2-115ln|u|+69u`

Substitute back u=x+5,

`=(x+5)^3/3-15/2(x+5)^2-115ln|x+5|+69(x+5)`

Add a constant C to the solution,

`=(x+5)^3/3-15/2(x+5)^2+69(x+5)-115ln|x+5|+C`

How is Things Fall Apart relevant to the world around us?

One of the most significant messages throughout the novel concerns the dangers of intolerance and prejudice. Unlike Mr. Brown, who seeks to understand the culture of Umuofia by discussing religious differences with Akunna, Mr. Smith is not interested in getting to know the villagers. Achebe writes, "He saw things as black and white. And black was evil" (184). His uncompromising, intolerant attitude towards the villagers of Umuofia motivates Enoch to unmask an egwugwa during an annual ceremony, which leads to further conflict. This concept of viewing situations as "black and white" and developing intolerant attitudes towards foreign cultures is still relevant today. In nearly every society, individuals who practice a different religion, speak a different language, or come from a different culture are ostracized. Without mutual respect for one another's culture, conflict is often inevitable.

Another theme throughout the novel that is still relevant concerns violence. Violence invites serious consequences throughout the story. Okonkwo is punished for accidentally killing Ezeudu's sixteen-year-old son, and the tribe of Abame is wiped out after killing a white man. Achebe suggests that violence is not the answer and only invites destruction. This concept is still relevant in today's societies. Murder and war only seem to beget more destruction, and the loss of life negatively affects families, communities, and countries. Achebe suggests that communication and passive resistance are more effective approaches to conflict.

In O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi," is Della's character dynamic or static?

A static character is one who does not change his or her mind or opinion throughout a story. A dynamic one does. Characters usually undergo a dynamic change when they learn a lesson that contradicts what they believed in the beginning. Della is a dynamic character because she learns a valuable lesson about the price of love.

Della is a young newlywed who feels the weight of her husband's salary being cut from $30.00 a week to $20.00. Della only has $1.87 to spend on a Christmas gift for Jim, which she does not feel is not sufficient to buy a proper gift for her husband. As a result, she cuts and sells her hair to buy him a more expensive gift—a gold chain to match his gold watch. She discovers her husband sold his watch to buy her tortoise shell combs with bejeweled rims for her hair. Jim reacts by saying,

"'Dell,' said he, 'let's put our Christmas presents away and keep ’em a while. They're too nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs.'"

The irony in this scene provides a setting for Della to learn Jim loves her more than he cares for expensive gifts. He doesn't get angry; he chuckles. By selling his watch to buy the beautiful combs, Jim proves he is willing to sacrifice material objects for Della's happiness. He values Della's happiness more than his prized possession. Therefore, Della is a dynamic character because she learns she didn't have to sell her hair to obtain money to buy her husband an expensive gift—their love for each other is enough.

What is the rhyme scheme of "Let the Light Enter" by Frances Harper and what kind of figurative language is used in it?

"Let the Light Enter" by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper has a fairly simple rhyme scheme. The structure of the poem is six stanzas, each of which are four lines. In the first stanza, Harper employs an abab rhyme scheme, but abandons this by the second stanza, only choosing to rhyme the second and fourth lines.

The poem has what I would consider to be a trochaic rhythm. A trochee is a metrical foot consisted of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable -- the opposite of an iamb. If you recite the poem aloud, you will hear, from the first word, "Light!," that Harper begins with a sound that lifts, followed by a sound that falls. A trochaic rhythm is also called a "falling rhythm," which suits this poem about death.

Now, let's consider the figurative language that is used. In the first stanza, Harper likens life to water. Water is fickle and evaporates; so, too, does life. Goethe's life is "ebbing low," like a sea at low tide. He wants to throw open the windows and let in more light so that the shadows can "deepen." "Deepen" can also refer to the contrast between dark shadows, reminding one of shades from the underworld, and the light from the sun, or of Heaven.

The speaker's senses continue to shift from the earthly world to the heavens. The light is "balmy," a word that we associate with summer heat. Both the sun, which "[plays]," and his "bed," which is "dying," are personified. He identifies with these objects that he will soon leave behind to enter "the dimly lighted valley," which he "with lonely feet must tread."

In the third stanza, Death enters the room and it, too, is personified. It "[weaves] shadows 'round [his] waning sight." There is a bit of alliteration with "weaving" and "waning."

The first two lines of the fourth stanza apply a bit of anaphora -- that is, the repetition of a word at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences for emphasis. "Not" is repeated to emphasize the simplicity of the poet's needs. He no longer has use for genius or grand thoughts, simply "more light."

In the fifth stanza, the ephemeral and pointless nature of fame is emphasized. Because the poem is about the death of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Germany's greatest poet, the meditations on fame and genius are significant. Harper employs inversion in the first line: "Heeds he not the gathered laurels, / Fading slowly from his sight..." "Laurels" are associated with praise and accolades, none of which he can remember, none of which matter on his death bed when he merely wants to live: "All the poet's aspirations / Centre in that prayer for light."

The sixth stanza makes an appeal to a "Gracious Saviour." "Life's day-dreams" materialize, then "melt and vanish from the sight." This image reminds one of snow or ice melting. Our dreams congeal like ice; they become fixed and immutable during life, but disappear just before death. We cannot remember them; they do not matter. "Our dim and longing vision" is for "light, more light." "Dim" implies that life is fading. In death, it is said that things are getting dark. However, the passion to live does not fade, there is "longing."

One could read the last line as a wish to be delivered to heavenly grace, as there is an appeal to a "Gracious Saviour." However, I read it as a longing to live just a little longer. The desire for "light, more light," "earthly light" from the "balmy sun" indicates that the poet wants to stay on earth longer, and is not eagerly seeking the afterlife.

What was Encolpius' purpose in Satyricon by Petronius?

Satyricon, written by Gaius Petronius of Nero's court and narrated by Encolpius, is a fragment. The section featuring Encolpius' adventures is fragmented, with no ending: "the exit of the two principal characters is not fixed at the time our fragments come to an end" (W. C. Firebaugh, Translator). Consequently, there is some difficulty in attributing purpose to Encolpius' narrative and actions.

If it is true, however, that Petronius' story had a deep and lasting influence on literature, as Firebaugh posits ("[Satyricon's] powerful influence upon the literature of the world"), then we ought to be able to borrow a literary model and a Shakespearean technique to overlay what we do have in order to discover a purpose attributable to Encolpius.

The literary model is that of laying out in the early pages of a work the key elements that will take shape through the course of the narrative. The Shakespearean technique is that of putting wisdom into the lines of seemingly insignificant characters and speeches: Shakespearean Clowns and Fools often carry the lines, in seemingly insignificant speeches, that establish key elements of plot, characterization and theme; King Lear's Fool comes readily to mind.

By using this approach—by borrowing the model and technique as an overlay—we can say that Agamemnon's recitation of verse in the fifth paragraph (called Chapter the Fifth)—being a foundational speech early in the fragment and being seemingly insignificant verse—holds the clue to both the direction of the plot development and to Encolpius' purpose.

We find in Agamemnon's recitation that he warns young men against "riff-raff," "evil companions" in dining and drinking, "poetry" and "sirens." We go on to find through Encolpius' narration that these are precisely the things that Encolpius, Ascyltos and Giton pursue, engage in and run from in their adventures. We also find in Encolpius' opening speech that he decries false rhetoric of "empty discord" and admonishes a "dignified ... a chaste, style" that "rises supreme by its own natural purity" (Chapter the Second), which he associates with the learning and wisdom of Sophocles, Euripides, Plato and Demosthenes.

When we put these two together—Agamemnon warning against the things that deter a young man from acquiring clear thinking and Encolpius admonishing "supreme" rhetoric—we can deduce that a reasonable purpose attributable to Encolpius would be that of illustrating the need for pursuit of wisdom, such as Agamemnon admonishes, through the pursuit of clear thinking expressed in "supreme" rhetoric, such as Encolpius admonishes.

If this suggested purpose proves plausible, then we might expect the story would have ended, being a satirical comedy, with Encolpius, Ascyltos and Giton returning to where they began, sadder but wiser young men, having indulged in all Agamemnon warned against and now newly devoted to the right course, that which was followed by Socrates, Demosthenes and Cicero.

Agamemnon: ...later, [after] the lore
Of Socrates' school he has mastered, the reins let him fling,
And brandish the weapons that mighty Demosthenes bore.
Then, steeped in the culture and music of Greece, let his taste
Be ripened and mellowed by all the great writers of Rome.
At first, let him haunt not the courts; let his pages be graced
By ringing and rhythmic effusions composed in his home [not to the Court]
[...]
In eloquent words such as undaunted Cicero chose.
Come! Gird up thy soul! Inspiration will then force a vent
And rush in a flood from [the] heart... (Chapter the Fifth)

`y = ln root(3)((x - 1)/(x + 1))` Find the derivative of the function.

`y=lnroot(1/3)[(x-1)/(x+1)]`

`y=ln(x-1)^(1/3)-ln(x+1)^(1/3)`

`y=1/3ln(x-1)-1/3ln(x+1)`

`y'=1/[3(x-1)]-1/[3(x+1)]`

` ` `y'=[(x+1)-(x-1)]/[3(x-1)(x+1)]`

`y'=[x+1-x+1]/[3(x-1)(x+1)]`

`y'=2/[3(x-1)(x+1)]`

The derivative of function y is `2/[3(x-1)(x+1)]` .

`y = ln((1 + e^x)/(1 - e^x))` Find the derivative.

Find the derivative of `y=ln((1+e^x)/(1-e^x)) ` :

Use a property of the natural logarithm to rewrite as:

`y=ln(1+e^x)-ln(1-e^x) `

If u is a differentiable function of x, then ` d/(dx)ln(u)=(du)/u ` so

`(dy)/(dx)=e^x/(1+e^x)-(-e^x)/(1-e^x)`

Subtracting the fractions we get:

`(dy)/(dx)=(e^x(1-e^x)-(-e^x)(1+e^x))/((1+e^x)(1-e^x)) `

Clearing the parantheses and adding like terms we get:

`(dy)/(dx)=(2e^x)/(1-e^(2x)) `

What is the relationship between inertia and mass?

It has been said that mass is a measurement of inertia.

We can illustrate this mathematically using force, momentum, and even energy. Momentum describes how impacts and collisions will affect other objects. The equation for momentum is p=mv, where p is the momentum of an object, m is mass [a measurement of the inertia] and v is velocity. If two objects collide at equal speed, but one is twice as massive, then the two objects will move in the direction of the more massive object, at a slower speed. You can try this with marbles and a table. 

Force is defined as the rate of change of momentum, or `F=d/[dt]p` . This means that mass is changing how forces affect objects. It will take a greater force, for example, to move a bowling ball than a feather.
``

Energy is the integral of force, or `E=int_()Fdx` . This nest egg of formulas means that once again, mass is playing a role. Here, if two objects are moving with equal velocity, but have different masses, the one with greater mass will have greater energy. Think of how it feels to get hit by an RC car at five miles an hour versus a 200 pound linebacker at five miles an hour.

Based on all of this, it would seem that the mass of an object, in any unit, is really just a quantity of inertia.

How could I start writing a thesis for a macro-level critical analysis on Macbeth centered around the prompt, "'The central issue of the play is...

Although a thesis is the main point of an essay or analysis, most people don't know, when they being writing, what their thesis will be. Their main point usually emerges to them after they have written for a while.

To come up with a good, strong thesis, I suggest you write a "discovery draft." This means you spend some time writing freely about different aspects of the question, not worrying yet about whether what you are producing is coherent or would make a good final product. This discovery draft is for your eyes only, but it will help you discover your thesis.

First of all, I suggest you spend about 15 or 20 minutes—more if inspiration strikes you—writing about your reaction to the play. What scenes stood out most to you? Which characters did you most resonate with—or recoil from? What felt powerful, what felt unfinished? Did anything bother you about the play? These are the types of questions that will help you determine what your reaction was to the play. By the end of this exercise, you should have an emerging sense of "your understanding of the play."

After you do your discovery draft, set it aside and take a break. Then come back and do a second discovery draft. This one should be about the sentence, "The central issue of the play is the conflict between duty and desire." In this discovery draft, try to prove that this is true. Does Macbeth represent desire, and someone else (MacDuff?  Banquo?) represent duty? Or is Macbeth duty, Lady Macbeth desire? Or do you find duty and desire both at war within the various characters? Once again, spend about 15 or 20 minutes writing about this. Don't worry if you don't reach a firm conclusion.

After this, set both discovery drafts aside and take a break again, ideally overnight.

It's possible that, because you have spent some time thinking about your own reaction to the play and about duty/desire, your mind will spontaneously start to answer the assigned question and come up with a thesis statement. If so, that's great. Jot it down while it's hot; then you'll have it on hand when you buckle down to writing your paper.

If that doesn't happen, don't worry, as you still have your discovery drafts. After taking your break, get them both out and look at them. Now you know your reaction to the play, and you have some thoughts on duty/desire. From these, you can form a thesis that answers the question.

It might be along these lines:

• "The conflict between duty and desire is very close to my understanding of the play, because [insert insights from duty/desire writing, combined with your reaction]." OR...


• "I have a very different understanding of what the play is about. It's not about the conflict between duty and desire so much as it is about [insert material from your reactions to the play, planning to show why this is more important than duty vs. desire]." OR...


• "While duty and desire are certainly strong themes in Macbeth, I had trouble seeing them as the main theme because they were overshadowed by [insert overwhelming thing from your reaction discovery draft]."

Once you have done this, you will end up with a thesis statement that really reflects what you think and feel about the play. Once you have that statement, it will be much easier to write the rest of the analysis. The thesis statement, and the prewriting that you've already done, will guide you. You will probably end up using ideas from your discovery drafts, though you probably will not use the very same sentences.

Writing a discovery draft might seem to take more time up front, but it saves time in the long run because it makes the writing process much easier.

What does Chinua Achebe's story "Marriage is a Private Affair" say about the relationship between fathers and sons?

It is evident from the beginning of Chinua Achebe's short story "Marriage is a Private Affair" that the relationship between Nnaemeka and Okeke is quite amiable. Nnaemeka seems to be a faithful son who is very much aware of his father's opinion. Unfortunately for Nnaemeka, he falls in love with a woman who does not fit his father's expectations. It is a scenario which has played itself out many times in the history of father and son relationships. There is a generational and cultural conflict between father and son. Okeke lives in the traditional and prejudiced world of his small Nigerian village while Nnaemeka lives in the modern city of Lagos. Okeke fully expects his son to marry a woman of his own tribe and ethnic group. He has, in fact, already picked out a girl for his son. Nnaemeka, however, views the world in a different way. He no longer accepts the idea that his father should arrange his marriage and that he needs to live out his life married to someone who is socially and culturally appropriate, but whom he simply does not love. At one point in the story, Nnaemeka expresses his frustration with his father as he describes the girl he plans on marrying:

"Nene Atang from Calabar. She is the only girl I can marry." This was a very rash reply and Nnaemeka expected the storm to burst. But it did not. His father merely walked away into his room. This was most unexpected and perplexed Nnaemeka. His father's silence was infinitely more menacing than a flood of threatening speech. That night the old man did not eat. (Achebe 1347)

The reaction of Okeke reveals that he has been deeply disappointed by his son, who has probably never disappointed him before. Heretofore, the father and son relationship had been seemingly impeccable, most likely because Nnaemeka had always lived up to his father's expectations. Nnaemeka is simply not the rebellious son, and it is evident that he is distressed by his father's reaction. He hopes for the best and that his father will eventually accept his marriage. It takes eight years, but ultimately Okeke softens after hearing that he has two grandsons. In the end, love trumps stubbornness and it is suggested that Okeke will reunite with his son and his family.

MLA citations are very easy. A routine Google search should lead you in the right direction. I have used MLA style at the end of the quote, although the page number is for my particular anthology (World Literature, published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1993) and probably differs from yours. Also make sure to give a full citation of the story in your works cited section.

What was the ghost tempted to do when the young Duke of Cheshire visited Canterville chase? What caused this temptation and what traits of his...

In Chapter Four of the story, the Duke of Cheshire comes to spend one week of the holidays at Canterville Chase. On his arrival, the ghost is tempted to dress up as "The Vampire Monk," one of his "celebrated" impersonations, to scare the young Duke. This is because the Canterville ghost had once terrified the young Duke's grand-uncle, Lord Francis Stilton, in a display which became so infamous that it had to be "hushed up." As such, the Canterville ghost is keen to show that he has not "lost his influence" over the Stilton family.

After making his preparations, however, the ghost gives up the idea of scaring the young Duke when he realises that he might meet with the twins, if he leaves his room. It is, therefore, his fear of the twins and fear of being humiliated which stops him in his tracks. 

In Dreams from My Father, what difficulties does Obama describe having as a child?

In Dreams from My Father, Barack Obama describes the difficulties of not fitting in with others and being a social outcast as a child because of his racial identity.

The difficulties that Obama experienced as a child because of race are documented in different portions of his narrative.  One such moment is when he was a ten year-old new student.  The homeroom teacher, Mrs. Hefty, spoke glowingly about "Barry's" Kenyan heritage in front of the other students. Obama communicates the difficulties of being different from others when she asks him about his tribal affiliation:

Her question brought on more giggles, and I remained speechless for a moment. When I finally said 'Luo,' a sandy-haired boy behind me repeated the word in a loud hoot, like the sound of a monkey. The children could no longer contain themselves, and it took a stern reprimand from Miss Hefty before the class would settle down and we could mercifully move on to the next person on the list. 

Obama's difficulties in fitting in with the other children are due to his racial identity.  When the other children "could no longer contain themselves" from laughing at him being African, he felt like a social outcast.  He describes how he was "in a daze" for the rest of that day. Children asked to feel his hair, as if he were a pet, while another child asked if his father "ate people."  When Obama goes home after that first day, he cannot answer his grandfather as to how his day went.  He simply closes the door to his room, knowing that he does not fit in with white children.  The personal and emotional details that Obama employs to describe this experience communicate his difficulties in being "different" than the cultural majority.

How would you characterize Jonas in middle of The Giver? How has he changed since the beginning?

Jonas is more mature and more thoughtful by the middle of the book because he has been through some of his training as Receiver of Memory.  Through the memories, he has learned enough about his community to realize that there is a better way.  It makes him curious about what else he does not know.

By this point in the book, Jonas is learning about himself as he learns more about his society.  He realizes that he had no idea what his community was really all about.  He had always accepted it as it was.  He thought of it as a perfect world, because that was what he had been raised to believe.

When Jonas was younger, he thought that Sameness ensured that everyone in his community would be happy.  He also did not see anything wrong with everyone dressing alike and being told what to do all of the time and how to think.  After he began his training as Receiver of Memory, he realized that there was something wrong with this way of life.  He came to understand, for example, that his people did not feel the full range of human emotions.

Jonas is surprised when The Giver tells him that the people of his community “know nothing.”

"It's just that ... without the memories it's all meaningless. They gave that burden to me. And to the previous Receiver. And the one before him."

"And back and back and back," Jonas said, knowing the phrase that always came. (Ch. 13) 

The more Jonas learns from the memories, the more he realizes that The Giver is right.  His people cannot think for themselves, or feel real emotions.  He sees hunger and death in the memories, but he also sees love and real happiness.  He comes to understand that there are benefits to letting people experience the full range of life experiences.

What are Mrs Granger's nicknames?

Mrs. Granger is called by several different nicknames throughout the book.  Usually these names have a negative connotation.  Mrs. Granger is different from all the other teachers.  She does things her own way.  Usually, she is old fashioned.  She is known for being a very strict teacher.

Nick calls Mrs. Granger "The Lone Granger."  This is in reference to The Lone Ranger, a Texas Ranger who works alone.  Mrs. Granger is unlike any other teacher at the school.  In a way, she does work alone.  The rumors are that you shouldn't "mess around with The Lone Granger" (Frindle, chapter 3).

Mrs. Granger is also called Mrs. G by Nick.  Dave, another student at the school, calls her "Dangerous Grangerous."  This is in reference to the fact that Mrs. Granger is strict.  She gets upset when students do not follow her rules.  At first, she is upset when the students in her class start to call pens "frindles."  She forbids students from using the new word.

What are the dilemmas in "The Sniper" by Liam O'Flaherty?

A dilemma could be defined as a situation which demands a difficult choice. Often, the choice is between two things that are equally undesirable. There are at least three dilemmas in Liam O'Flaherty's short story "The Sniper." The first dilemma leads directly to the second. After spending a long day on a Dublin rooftop watching the streets below, the Republican sniper contemplates the risks of smoking a cigarette. He knows lighting a match may reveal his position to his enemies, but he cannot resist.

Placing a cigarette between his lips he struck a match, inhaled the smoke hurriedly and put out the light. Almost immediately, a bullet flattened itself against the parapet of the roof. The sniper took another whiff and put out the cigarette. Then he swore softly and crawled away to the left.

Having revealed his whereabouts, the sniper's second dilemma involves a plan to kill the enemy sniper who wounds him in the arm. He cannot reveal himself and will not be able to leave the roof until he eliminates the Free State sniper. He devises a "ruse" to draw his opponent into the open by raising his rifle covered with his cap and actually dropping the rifle to the ground. The falling rifle causes the enemy to believe he has been victorious, but, when he shows himself, the Republican sniper kills him with his pistol. The final dilemma occurs when the sniper becomes curious over the identity of his fallen enemy. He thinks he may know the man and is willing to risk his life to find out. Despite being fired at by a hidden machine gun, he safely crawls to the corpse to discover the dead man is his brother.

What quotes could be used to argue Pride and Prejudice is an analysis and criticism of traditional class and social distinctions? What mode of...

Pride and Prejudice is an analysis and criticism of traditional class distinctions because Mr. Darcy, as a member of the upper class, is supposed to marry an upper-class woman, such as Caroline Bingley. Although Caroline Bingley is eager to marry Mr. Darcy, Darcy falls in love with Elizabeth Bennett, the novel's protagonist. Austen makes it clear Darcy and Elizabeth belong together even though they are from different class backgrounds (Elizabeth's middle-class family has very little money, especially because she is one of five girls). For example, in Chapter 50, after denying her feelings for Darcy, Elizabeth admits,

It was an union that must have been to the advantage of both; by her ease and liveliness, his mind might have been softened, his manners improved, and from his judgment, information, and knowledge of the world, she must have received benefit of greater importance.

In other words, although they are from different classes, Elizabeth and Darcy are perfect for each other. Elizabeth's vivaciousness can soften Darcy, and he can offer her culture and knowledge. She likes his house, Pemberley, and her appreciation of his taste and their similar interests, such as reading, implies that they are well suited. Instead of marrying based on class, Austen suggests people should marry based on similar interests and compatible personalities. 

One way you might start this paper is to look for quotes related to the three couples who marry — Elizabeth and Darcy; Jane and Bingley; and Lydia and Wickham. Jane and Elizabeth, Austen suggests, have happy unions, while Lydia does not. What makes Jane and Elizabeth's marriages happy, while Lydia's is not? This might help you organize your paper. Also, pemberley.com (see the link below) is a great source of information about Jane Austen and her works. 

What is reapportionment as ruled by the Warren Court?

There were some cases that were handled by the Warren Court that dealt with reapportionment. Baker v Carr and Reynolds v Sims were very important cases.

In the 1962 Baker v Carr decision, the Supreme Court ruled that while the legislature was responsible for drawing legislative district boundaries, the courts could review these boundaries. In this case, the boundaries in Tennessee were drawn in such a way that they favored those who lived in rural areas. Rural regions had more representatives per person than the more populous urban areas had.

In the 1964 Reynolds v Sims case, the Supreme Court ruled that when legislative boundaries or districts are created, they should reflect the concept of “one person, one vote.” In this case, Alabama’s legislative districts were based on the population from the 1900 census. This ignored the growth of the population in urban areas and created a situation where “one person, one vote” didn’t really exist. Those people who lived in the rural areas were favored by using the 1900 census to determine legislative districts.

What could be seen as "the muddiest point" in the first chapter of Zinn's A People's History of the United States?

The "muddiest point" in any work is where the greatest amount of questions or confusion arise.  Since it is based on an individual's perception, the best I can do is to offer potential areas of complexity in Zinn's first chapter.

One "muddiest point" might be in Zinn's retelling of Columbus.  For so long, Columbus had been seen as heroic.  His vaulted position had been a part of the traditional historical narrative.  However, it might be "muddy" to have to reconfigure his position in the face of so much evidence.  A "muddy" element in Zinn's treatment of Columbus is how someone who did so many bad things to so many people could be seen as glorious by so many. Analyzing this disconnect between historical reality and historical mythologizing could be one of the "muddiest" points in chapter one.  The lack of simple and concrete answers makes this a very difficult process. 

Another point that might be "the muddiest" could be when Zinn submits his thesis.  The purpose of the book is outlined in its first chapter.  In the midst of his analysis on Columbus, Zinn puts forth his methodology of how he interprets history:

My viewpoint, in telling the history of the United States, is different: that we must not accept the memory of states as our own. Nations are not communities and never have been, The history of any country, presented as the history of a family, conceals fierce conflicts of interest (sometimes exploding, most often repressed) between conquerors and conquered, masters and slaves, capitalists and workers, dominators and dominated in race and sex. And in such a world of conflict, a world of victims and executioners, it is the job of thinking people, as Albert Camus suggested, not to be on the side of the executioners.

This could be seen as a "muddy point" because we have to consider other motivations in the retelling of history. Readers have to see the difference between the "history of people" and the "history of nations."  This can be seen as "muddy."

There is a tendency to see history as "objective truth." Zinn believes there is no such thing as pure objectivity. Seen and unseen biases infect our telling of history. Analyzing these presuppositions reveals political implications.  The way we teach and learn history reflects these understandings, a revelation that might be "muddy." Tangentially, it might be challenging for us to figure out when we have been "on the side of executioners."  Zinn forces us to reevaluate our own positions.  There might have been instances where we clearly believed something and Zinn is asking us to dissect the underlying ideas behind such convictions. Doing this can be a "muddy" and challenging exercise.

In the final analysis, the "muddiest point" of chapter one is dependent on the reader.  It is reflective of what they feel and understand as they interpret the ideas that Zinn puts forth.  I think two areas where this process could start would be in Zinn's analysis of Columbus and his thesis regarding his construction of the historical narrative.

(Top graph) The wave function of a particle is shown below. At which location is the probability of finding the particle the highest? A) Location...

Hello!

The probability of being at some interval is the integral of the square of a wave function (over that interval). I suppose "location" means "small interval around a given point", because for a continuous wave function the probability of being at the point itself is always zero.

For small intervals and continuous wave function the probability is about `Delta x*|Psi(x)|^2,` therefore it is greater at that locations where `|Psi(x)|` is maximal. Yes, the answer to the first question is D) r.

There is some confusion at the second question. Does it asks where the probability is greater, anywhere at the left or anywhere at the right? Or is asks about a small neighborhood of the origin?

If the first, then we have to compare two integrals. It is not so simple because we have no exact expressions for the left and right parts. We have to compare the areas under two halves of the graph, and not for the bottom graph itself or its absolute value, but its square.

If we suppose that the left part of the wave function is `(1-sin(4 pi x))` and the right is `-3sin(pi x),` then `int_(-1)^0 (1-sin(4pi x))^2 dx = 1.5` and `int_0^1 (-3sin(pi x))^2 dx = 9/2,` so the right half is much more probable.

I need someone to help me with this problems: 6/v=3/11, 16j=320, 13x=15-2x.

Hello!

As I understand, there are three unconnected equations, each with its own variable. Let's solve them one by one.

1) `6/v = 3/11.`

This is a proportion and we can use a rule for solving it, but it is probably better to solve it step by step. First, multiply both sides by `v` (it cannot be zero, so such a multiplication gives an equivalent equation):

`6 = 3/11*v.`

Then multiply by `11:`  `6*11 = 3*v.`

And finally divide by `3` and compute: `v = (6*11)/3 = 2*11 = 22.`

2) `16 j=320.`

Only one step is here, divide both sides by `16` and note that `320=32*10=2*16*10:` 

`j=320/16=(2*16*10)/16=2*10=20.`

3) `13x=15-2x.`

Two steps are here: first, add `2x` to both sides and obtain `13x+2x=15,` or `15 x=15.` Second, divide both sides by `15` and obviously `x=1.`

Based on the five elements of a quest, which character/s enter into a quest in the book Fahrenheit 451?

Guy Montag goes on a quest in Fahrenheit 451. The first element of the quest is the quester. Montag is the quester, as he is searching for something different and something that can make him happy at the beginning of the story. His life with Mildred leaves him lonely and sad, and he wants something new, away from the government-controlled television screens. When he meets Clarisse, he finds the second element of a quest--somewhere to go. He leaves the world he knows and gets to know her family, who, unlike most people in the society, walk and have discussions rather than watching television all day. He also has the third element, a reason to go on a quest, as he begins to feel alienated from his life and his work as a fireman. He also encounters the fourth element, challenges. Beatty, his fire captain, becomes suspicious of him, and then the mechanical Hound changes Montag as he tries to escape. Finally, Montag meets the fifth criterion of the quest, as he gains self-knowledge by leaving the world he knows and joining the people who have memorized books and who live far from his city. 

In October Sky by Homer Hickam, what does "Auk" stand for?

October Sky (originally titled Rocket Boys) a story about a boy who, despite growing up in a small mining town, develops an interest in rocketry. Sonny, the main character, founds the Bear Creek Missile Agency (BCMA), a club in which he and some friends attempt to build rockets using various fuels. Their first rocket was titled Auk 1, and it was powered by black powder; all of their subsequent rockets also bore the name "Auk." This name was ironic because an Auk was a seabird that was unable to fly. Moreover, Auks have been extinct since the 19th century. Much like the bird, Auk 1 was not particularly successful at flying; it barely flew six feet before crashing. This did not deter the boys from their quest, however; the "Rocket Boys" ultimately launched 35 rockets.

What are some interesting words from Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli?

There are a lot of interesting words in Milkweed, including the title word itself, "milkweed." Some others are Jackboot, Stawki Station, Stopthief, runt, strawberry babka, lopped-off, resettlement, deportation, ghetto, locomotive, dried herring, flamethrowewr, cannibals, nickered (a soft breathy whinny from a horse) and cuckoo (an Eastern Hemisphere songbird immortalized in cuckoo clocks). I'll discuss some of these and explain their interest.

First is milkweed. Its Latin name is Asclepias syriaca. It is a herbaceous perennial with 140 species and is native to North America, among other places. Most interestingly, milkweed is the chrysalis ground for Monarch butterflies, the population of which is recently cut down by 90%. Several movements to save the Monarch request that people plant milkweed, having very lovely blossom clusters, in their gardens to give Monarchs shelter. Also interesting is that milkweed is poisonous, as are the butterflies that feed upon them.

Stawki Station was an actual train station just to the east of Warsaw, Poland, where Jews were boarded onto trains for their "resettlement," or transportation out of Poland to resettlement camps, which we now know as extermination camps or forced labor concentration camps.

Strawberry babka is a traditional sweet Polish coffee cake. Babkas are generally made with orange peel for orange babka, but strawberry babka is a common variation on orange babka. Other ingredients in this sweet, raised-dough coffee cake are raisins, rum and almonds. Coffee cake is so named because it is traditionally served for breakfast or morning visits along with coffee; hence, coffee cake: cake served with coffee.

How will a nation try to overthrow a foreign country which reigns over it?

There are at least two main ways in which people or nations have tried to overthrow foreign countries that have ruled them.  These two ways are violence/military action and protests/persuasion.  A colonized country can use one or both of these methods to try to gain their independence.

In the United States, for example, both were used, but military action was more important than protests.  After the British government started to impose taxes on the colonists, there were many protests.  The colonists tried to persuade the British to give them more autonomy.  However, because the British did not agree to these requests, the colonists ended up fighting a war against the mother country.  It was in this way that they were able to gain their independence.  Similar things happened in Latin America to allow those countries to become independent from Spain.

In other situations, violence has been less important.  A major example of this is India.  In the history of British rule over India there were, of course, incidents of violent attempts to overthrow British rule.  However, in the end, it was protest and persuasion (along with WWII) that actually brought about Indian independence.  It was Congress’s program of protest and persuasion, rather than a violent rebellion, that overthrew British rule.

Thus, violence and persuasion/protest are the two main ways in which a nation might attempt to overthrow a foreign country that rules it.

How have the conditions of the women changed from the medieval period to now? In what ways are things similar?

Generally, the conditions for women have changed considerably since the Middle Ages. In the field of  education, for example, women are now allowed to attend university and study whatever field they choose. The world of work has also witnessed big changes: modern women can work in any profession they choose, like doctors and lawyers, which were once the preserve of medieval men.

Staying on this topic, we see some similarities between medieval and modern women. Today, for example, women continue to dominate the fields of teaching and nursing, as their medieval counterparts did. According to a survey carried out by the U.S. Department of Labor, for example, 91.1% of registered nurses and 81.8% of elementary and middle school teachers are female. (See the first reference link provided).

Many modern women also choose to work as homemakers and to adopt the role of primary caregiver in the raising of their children. This bears a strong similarity to medieval women for whom the home was of central importance.

Please see the second reference link for more information. 

What is the mood of "Young Goodman Brown" by Nathaniel Hawthorne?

Mood refers to the general feelings created for the reader by the text. This story's mood is somewhat eerie and melancholic, even foreboding and tense. The story begins as Goodman Brown leaves his home "at sunset," just before nightfall; he even says his journey "must needs be done 'twixt now and sunrise." The story is set in Salem Village.  Now, nighttime is often associated with mystery, dark deeds, and sinfulness, so it seems pretty shady that he has to do something that can only be done at night. Moreover, most readers have a general knowledge of the terrible witch hysteria that resulted in tragedy for so many in Salem in the late seventeenth century. Therefore, simply beginning the story with these details helps to set the mood. 

Further, the fact that Brown's wife, Faith, is "troubled" with strange dreams and begs her husband to delay his journey foreshadows something terrible. Her anxiety for him and his safety prompts readers to feel a similar sense of apprehension. 

As Brown leaves home, he takes a "dreary road" that is made darker by "the gloomiest trees of the forest." The path is "lonely" as he travels deeper into the forest. Like nighttime, the forest is often associated with evil and/ or temptation, especially in Hawthorne's works, and this is no exception. Brown even thinks, "What if the devil himself should be at my very elbow!" Again, this foreshadows the evil waiting for him in the woods, as well as those corrupt qualities within himself that allow him to believe "after this one night, [he'll] cling to [Faith's] skirts and follow her to Heaven." Brown is not planning a late-night prayer session; he is up to something bad, something he knows that he really shouldn't be doing (as a Puritan man), and that something turns out to be spooky and upsetting.

What is the meaning of the title of "A Silver Dish" by Saul Bellow?

The title of "A Silver Dish" references the silver dish that Woody remembers his now-deceased father, Morris, having once stolen.

Out of money for his business, Morris, accompanied by Woody, traveled through a blizzard to the home of Mrs. Skoglund in order to ask the woman for fifty dollars. While Mrs. Skoglund and her servant were out of the room praying, Morris picked a lock on the woman's cabinet and removed a silver dish from it, hiding the item in his pants in order to sneak it out of the house. This thievery stunned Woody, who fought his father to try to get him to return the dish to its proper place. By the time Mrs. Skoglund and the servant had returned, Woody had been thoroughly beaten. Morris managed to leave the home with a check for fifty dollars and the silver dish he'd snatched.

This theft causes trouble later; Woody chooses to defend his father's reputation by claiming that he is innocent, despite knowing this lie could cost him his position at the seminary. It also becomes a point of contention between Woody and Morris, as they continue to argue about it for the remainder of their lives.

Ultimately, the theft of the silver dish represents Woody's departure from his previous role as "foil" to Morris' "anti-hero." Although he used to side with his mother, morally-speaking, Woody has been altered by the act of covering up his father's crime, which has “carried him back to his side of the line, blood of his blood.” Woody lives out the rest of his life in a manner that is much more his father's speed —dancing around a life of sin and rejecting the religious lifestyle of his mother and the other women around him.

Where in James Joyce's "Araby" do we find references to religion?

There are two direct references to religion in James Joyce's "Araby." The first reference is to a priest who used to live in the unnamed narrator's house. The second way the unnamed narrator references religion is the way he talks about Mangan's sister, the object of his affection.

In the first two Dubliners stories, "The Sisters" and "An Encounter," references to priests are primarily negative. In this story, however, the reference to the priest is positive. This priest "left all his money to institutions and the furniture of his house to his sister." References to priests in "The Sisters" and "An Encounter" focus on the strict religiousness of these men; in "Araby," the "very charitable" priest reads possibly anti-Catholic and secular books such as The Devout Communicant and Vidocq's The Memoirs. 

The second reference the unnamed narrator makes in the story is conflating Mangan's sister with religion. As if being a Christian crusader, he imagines himself bearing his "chalice safely through a throng of foes." In addition, her name "sprang to my lips at moments in strange prayers and praises which I myself did not understand." These ideas could both be seen as blasphemous in Dublin at the time "Araby" was published.

What is the motive of the protagonist in the book Night by Elie Wiesel?

Eliezer, the protagonist who is based on Wiesel himself, faces many struggles throughout Night.  The most obvious struggle is external: the need to survive.  However, the struggle that is first set up by Wiesel is a spiritual one (internal).  As events progress, gradually leading Eliezer from uncomfortable situations to perilous ones, the spiritual struggle does not motivate or hinder Eliezer's physical response to his external obstacles.  Each situation is physically immediate, requiring abrupt decisions that will determine whether Eliezer survives. 

Eliezer's primary motive is to survive, a universal human instinct.  His secondary motive is to stay with his father.  Both goals are difficult to achieve and it might be argued that Eliezer's secondary motive may either hinder or support the accomplishment of his primary motive. Eliezer's spiritual struggles take on an overlying, background theme throughout the novel rather than dictating Eliezer's response to physical situations. 

Why is capital typically shown on the same side of the balance sheet as liabilities?

The question asks why capital is typically shown on the same side of the balance sheet as liabilities. Let’s start with a quick description of what the balance sheet is meant to convey. It is a point-in-time reflection of the best estimate of the value of the entity for which it is prepared. The basic concept is that the business is treated as a separate entity, and it has a legal or de facto claim on financial instruments, goods, and services with determinable values. These are its assets. On the other hand, other entities (people, other corporations, governments) have legal or de facto claims on the value of the entity. Claims held by entities other than the owners of the entity are called liabilities. Claims by the owners are called capital. With these definitions in mind, we can see that the balance sheet “balances” claims the entity has on others (“assets”) against claims others have on it (both “liabilities” and “capital”). Therefore, it is conventional to place assets on the left side of the sheet and both liabilities and capital on the right side.

`f(x) = sec(x), [0, pi/2)` Show that f is strictly monotonic on the given interval and therefore has an inverse function on that interval.

`f(x)=sec(x)`

Take note that a function is strictly monotonic on a given interval if it is entirely increasing on that interval or entirely decreasing on that interval.

To determine if f(x) is strictly monotonic on the interval `[0, pi/2)` , let's take its derivative.

`f(x)=sec(x)`

`f'(x) =sec(x)tan(x)`

Then, determine the critical numbers. To do so, set f'(x) equal to zero.

`0=sec(x)tan(x)`

Then, set each factor equal to zero

`secx=0`

`x= {O/ }`    

(There are no angles in which the value of secant will be zero.)

`tanx=0`

`x={0,pi,2pi,...pik}`

So on the interval `[0,pi/2)` , the only critical number that belongs to it is x=0. Since the critical number is the boundary of the given interval, it indicates that the there is no sign change in the value of f'(x) on [0, pi/2).  To verify, let's assign values to x which falls on that interval and plug-in them to f'(x).

`f'(x) = sec(x)tan(x)`

`x=pi/6`

`f'(x)=sec(pi/6)tan(pi/6)=(2sqrt3)/3*sqrt3/3=(2*3)/3=2/3`

`x=pi/4`

`f'(x)=sec(pi/4)tan(pi/4)=sqrt2*1=sqrt2`

`x=pi/3`

`f'(x)=sec(pi/3)tan(pi/3)=2*sqrt3=2sqrt3`

Notice that on the interval `[0, pi/2)` , the values of f'(x) are all positive. There is no sign change. So the function is entirely increasing on this interval.

Therefore, the function `f(x)=sec(x)` is strictly monotonic on the interval `[0,pi/2)` .

Describe "group think" and its implications for health care organizations.

Group think is the process in which a group of individuals largely foregoes independent or creative thought when presented with a problem and instead relies on conventional wisdom to resolve—or potentially never resolve—a problem. 

The implications of group think on the health care field are obvious. If a health care professional fails to think outside of the box or use new problem-solving skills, then answers to some of the most complicated medical problems of our day will never be resolved. Many of the remedies and vaccinations available now are thanks to individuals who fought against the idea of group think and instead sought new ways to find solutions to problems.

In some instances, group think can be looked at as a positive thing in the health care field, but this is only true when the it is used to help organize a group around a common goal or efficient solution to a problem. An example of this could be the uniting of a group of nurses to resolve to treat patients in an efficient and effective way.

A bull with a weight of 500kg runs at a speed of 15 m/s and hits at a standing idle 70kg weighing man. After impact, the idle man has thrown at...

Hello!

The fact that the collision is not an elastic one means that some kinetic energy turns into other form(s). Therefore the quantity of kinetic energy before and after the collision is different.

Note that after this collision the bull and the man have different speeds, so they don't move as a whole.

For a mass `m` moving with a speed `V,` its kinetic energy is `(m V^2)/2.` So after the collision the bull has kinetic energy `(500*10^2)/2 = 25000 (J)` and the man has `(70*5^2)/2 =875 (J).` Their total kinetic energy is `25000 J + 875 J = 25875 J.` This is the answer.

Just in case, compute the initial kinetic energy of the system bull+man before the collision. It is `(500*15^2)/2 + 0 =56250 (J),` so a huge amount of energy was "used" to damage the man (and the bull).

What is the plot of the short story "The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe?

Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Black Cat" was published in 1845. Written in first-person point of view, it is the story of one man's descent into madness as a result of an addiction to alcohol. It bears many similarities to Poe's story "The Tell-Tale Heart." 

The narrator begins by describing his gentle and kind nature. He has a great affinity for animals. He and his wife have a collection of animals, including a large black cat named Pluto. The narrator describes Pluto as his favorite of all the animals. The narrator is the only one who feeds this cat, and the cat follows him nearly everywhere he goes. 

The narrator describes the disintegration of the affectionate relationship with the cat as a result of his growing addiction to alcohol. His alcoholism changes his demeanor, as well as his feelings for the cat. The narrator, returning home from a night of drinking, thinks the cat is avoiding him, and for that reason, he grabs the cat. Pluto reacts by biting him on the hand, and the narrator flies into a rage. He takes out a pen knife and gouges out Pluto's eye. 

After this, the narrator describes feelings of great remorse, but confesses the remorse never really fills his soul. The cat recovers but avoids the narrator. The narrator describes his descent into what he calls "a spirit of perverseness." He claims he causes further harm to the cat based on his perverse human nature. 

Yet I am not more sure that my soul lives, than I am that perverseness is one of the primitive impulses of the human heart—one of the indivisible primary faculties, or sentiments, which give direction to the character of Man. Who has not, a hundred times, found himself committing a vile or a silly action, for no other reason than because he knows he should not?

The narrator hangs the cat from a tree in the garden. He explains that he did it for no other reason than that he knew that by harming the cat he was committing a sin. That night, his house is destroyed in a fire. The narrator is careful to point out there is not a likely correlation between these two events. The house is a total loss except for one wall, the wall on which the narrator's bed rested. The neighbors gather around the wall and marvel at what they see. The narrator discovers there is an image of a cat on the wall. He describes this image as containing so much detail that he compares it to a bas relief. The image contains a noose around the cat's neck  

Insanely, the narrator reasons that since neighbors gathered in the garden where the cat was hung, one of them must have cut the cat down and threw it in the window of his bedroom in order to warn him of the fire. He thinks the lime of the still-wet plaster and the ammonia from the carcass could have caused the picture of the cat. 

Later, the narrator is drinking, and he sees a cat sitting on a barrel of gin. The cat is a clone of Pluto in all ways except a white mark on his breast. The cat shows the narrator great affection and follows him home. In the morning, he sees the cat is missing an eye. He begins to dread the animal. The cat follows him everywhere, rubbing up against him constantly, which causes him to trip frequently. 

One day, he goes down to the cellar for an errand. His wife accompanies him, as does the cat. The cat nearly trips him on the steep stairs. He is incited to rage and raises an ax to kill the animal. His tender-hearted wife raises her hand to stop him, so he plunges the ax into her head instead. 

At this point, all confessions of remorse are gone from the narrator's speech. He sets about describing how he will dispose of the body. He decides to place his wife's body in a wall and plaster over it. He accomplishes the feat so well that the police suspect nothing when they arrive. He nearly gets away with murder until the howling begins in the wall. It sounds like the wailing of a child, and when the police break into the wall, they find the woman's body and a black cat sitting on her head. The cat is all black except the white outline of a noose on its neck.

How are the past and present skillfully blended in Miller's Death of a Salesman to illustrate the disturbed mind of Willy Loman. How effectively...

Miller originally titled his play The Inside of his Head, suggesting much of the story would be about Willy Loman's illusions. To indicate the parts of the action that take place in the present moment, and therefore in the "reality" portions of the play, Miller had his characters at those moments observe the imaginary wall lines around rooms (in other words, they were instructed not to walk through places where walls were supposed to be) and to enter and exit the house only through the door. When characters, in contrast, imagine scenes from the past, they step straight through walls. For the settings outside of the house representing these imaginings, Miller directed that only a few chairs or a table be set up, in contrast to the more fully furnished house interiors. Different lighting and sparse furnishings conveyed the dreamlike, unrealistic quality of the past as Willy remembered it. 

Most critics agree Miller was highly effective at portraying Willy's character through the disjunction or slippage between the reality of his present life and his illusions of grandeur. Willy is a man who has missed out on what could have been a happy and fulfilling life by pursuing a dream, an illusion. He sought the American Dream represented by his father, his brother, and Dave Singleton, a much older man from his youth who Willy remembers as a successful businessman. A big part of Willy's dream revolves around money, but beyond that, Willy dreamed of making easy money, believing personality or charisma mean more than hard work or education and that it is possible money can simply fall into a person's lap. In his dreams, for example, Willy idealizes Singleton as a salesman who could put on his green velvet slippers and sell from his room by making phone calls. Even at age 84, Singleton, in Willy's memory, was making an easy living. When he sees that, Willy says, "I realized that selling was the greatest career a man could want." 

By juxtaposing the false, inflated dreams inside Willy's head with the reality of his life, Miller offers a searing and effective portrait of Willy's failure. At 63, Willy is not rolling in the easy money he has dreamed of all his life; instead, he still works very hard and struggles to pay his bills. His dream is just that: a fantasy. We as an audience wouldn't be able to see this without the comparison to his real life, so the play is effective in going back and forth between the two. Finally, the play shows that in reality Willy's talent lies in carpentry and working with his hands, but rather than valuing this, accepting his limitations, and loving himself, as his wife, Linda, does, Willy sacrifices himself to an illusion of getting rich through selling. Linda can accept Willy as flawed but worthy, while Willy desires to be bigger than life. 

Miller shows us Willy living in unreality to the end of his days—his suicide is fueled in part by the grandiose illusion that he is so well known and well liked that people will flock to his funeral, when in reality, hardly anyone shows up. 

Who were the Athenians?

In 500 B.C.E., what we call Greece now was actually a group of independent city-states – Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Thebes, Argos, Delphi, etc.  Athens was one of the largest, and the birthplace of “democracy” – a form of government in opposition to the prevailing dictatorships, monarchies, etc. in which one ruler (who was in power by birth or military conquest) made all the choices for his/her own personal gain and without any other voice being heard.  The Athenians, citizens of Athens (excluding visitors, women, and slaves) decided on every choice, from distribution of wealth to war itself, by a vote in a public place.  This system, bolstered by the philosophical statements of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and others, worked very well, until the Persians attacked.  In the process of seeking allies and supporters from other city-states, especially Sparta, the city-states eventually joined together, at first under the leadership of Alexander the Great, into what we now call the country of Greece.