What are the historical time periods discussed in Guns, Germs, and Steel?

Jared Diamond discusses many different historical time periods in Guns, Germs, and Steel.  It would be very difficult to list them all.  However, you could say that the time period in which he is most interested is the time period (or periods) when agriculture was being developed and spread in various parts of the world.

In this book, Diamond discusses many time periods.  He talks in Chapter 1 of the time leading up to the year 11,000 BC.  In Chapter 2, he talks about a fight that happened in 1835, but he also talks about the peopling of the islands of Polynesia, which took place over a very long period of time, starting around 1200 BC and only being “mostly complete” (as Diamond says on p. 55) by 500 AD.  In Chapter 3, Diamond talks about the Spanish conquest of the Incas in 1532.  The list of time periods that are discussed in this book goes on and on.

However, Diamond is mostly interested in prehistory and, more importantly, the time period before and during the rise of agriculture.  Diamond is trying to explain why Europeans had come to dominate the world by modern times.  He thinks that this happened because people in Eurasia achieved agriculture before other people and because their agricultural societies spread out across their landmass more effectively.  He therefore asks two main questions.  First, he wants to know why Europeans got agriculture before other people did.  This forces him to look at the historical time period before agriculture was developed in the various regions of the world.  Second, he wants to know how agriculture helped Europeans come to dominate the world.  This forces him to look at the historical time period when Europe (and Eurasia more generally) was developing agriculture.  He has to look at how societies changed during this time and how that helped them dominate the world.

Thus, while Diamond talks about all kinds of different historical time periods in Guns, Germs, and Steel, the most important of these periods are 1) the period before agriculture arises and 2) the period as the rise of agriculture leads to the rise of civilization.

What kind of house is described in the poem "The Listeners" by Walter de la Mere?

Not much of the actual house is described, but it seems creepy. The mood and tone of the entire poem lends itself to making the reader think the house is unnerving.  

The poem's speaker gives the reader some information regarding the kind of house that is in the poem. First, the house is not in a neighborhood. Readers are told the house stands alone in a forested area.  

But only a host of phantom listeners   

   That dwelt in the lone house then 

The reader knows the house is in a forested area because of lines three and four.  

And his horse in the silence champed the grasses   

   Of the forest’s ferny floor.

I picture the house being at least two stories tall. I think that for two specific reasons. The first reason is because of the following lines:

Stood thronging the faint moonbeams on the dark stair,   

   That goes down to the empty hall.

I'm not sure how the man on the horse can see into the dark house, but he clearly sees stairs that empty out into a hallway. The second reason I think the house is a two-story house is because we are told the house has a "turret." I have never seen a one-story house with a turret.

I've attached a link to a picture of a house with a turret. A turret hearkens back to old castles, and the design gained popularity again during the Victorian era. A turret will make the house look quite imposing during the day, and—I would imagine—quite foreboding at night.  

Lastly, the house is one of those houses that is covered in creeping vines. Readers know this because we are told the windows are "leaf-fringed."  

No head from the leaf-fringed sill 

Leaned over and looked into his grey eyes. 

That means some kind of plant life is growing all around the windows. That image also gives the house the creepy feeling I spoke about at the beginning of my response because it's as if nature is taking back and enveloping the entire house.   

Why was a form of writing important to civilizations?

We may not think very much about how people know what they know, but when we stop and do think about this, it is easy to see what a difference writing has made. Writing was a quantum leap for civilization.  It saved people from having to reinvent the wheel, it allowed people to share ideas, facts, and great beauty through time and space, and it even aided commerce.   

Imagine, if you will, a world without writing in which someone discovered an antibiotic a thousand years ago.  There are bound to be rumors through the years about a discovery like this, but without the knowledge being written down, millions of people who could have been saved will die.  We would all have to wait around for someone else to stumble upon this antibiotic again.  There is no history of much of anything without writing.  We would stumble around making the same mistakes over and over again, a sort of dreadful Fifty First Dates scenario in which we didn't know which tribes were historically our enemies and which were our friends or in which we did not know that those weeds we keep finding are actually edible and can save us from starvation.  And whatever lessons we glean, with writing, we can transmit them to others and transmit them to the future, too.

Without writing, we would have little of the riches we have now in our lives.  Philosophy has come down to us in writing.  Our works of literature have come to us in writing.  Beowulf probably emerged from an oral tradition, but had someone not written it down, it seems quite unlikely that we would be able to study and enjoy it today.  Our appreciation for the heavens is thanks to ancient astronomers who wrote down what they knew.  Music is handed down through the ages through writing now.  We can look at scores of music that are hundreds of years old and play them.  Mathematics is a form of writing, too, one that comes to us via Indian and Arabic cultures.  Most of the religions in the world are based upon one or more holy texts that encouraged and solidified membership in their respective religious communities.  And say what you will about the divisive aspect of religion, there is no question that its development has made substantial contributions to civilization, at the very least, creating community and building some of the most magnificent architecture ever built.

Writing helped commerce. People could create tallies, keep track of their inventories and profits, and take orders once we had writing. (Perhaps the first writing in commerce was a customer complaint!) Writing helped trade to expand, which spread civilization, as people went further afield and shared ideas.  While I'm not sure that I would consider Amazon to be the quintessence of civilization, the fact is that it could not exist at all without writing. 

There are probably hundreds more ways in which writing helped us to build civilization. It created a truly paradigmatic shift in the affairs of human beings.  But certainly, at the very least, it saved us from having to invent or discover things over and over again, it allowed beauty and wisdom to be broadcast through time and space, and it was crucial in the development of trade and commerce. 

What is the difference between British and American Romanticism?

The differences between English Romanticism and American Romanticism are largely due to the national context in which these works were written. England had been a country for over a thousand years by the time its Romantic movement started in the late 18th century. The English people had a long national history and had been a powerful force militarily and culturally for several hundred years. This history, along with the often negative social effects of the scientific and industrial revolutions, sparked a change in their artistic focus. Poets like William Blake, William Wordsworth, and Samuel Coleridge had tired of the rationalistic, scientifically motivated writing of the Enlightenment, and wanted to probe the emotional lives of common people, as well as marvel at the mysteries of nature in terms of its beauty, rather than its physical laws. Poems like Blake's “Chimney Sweeper” and Wordsworth's “She Dwelt Among the Untrodden Ways” looked at how life treated ordinary people, and sometimes it was not a happy thing to see. Shelley's “Ozymandias” questioned England's imperialistic, empire building foreign policy. Coleridge's poetry, particularly Rime of the Ancient Mariner, presented a supernatural vision.

In America, things were different. The country was young, having been colonized and settled less than two centuries before Europe's Romantic Era began. Unlike England, America had no long, well-established cultural history to shape its literature—so America tended to follow what it read from Europe. So why did its Romantic period evolve differently? If America didn't have a lot of history, what did it have a lot of? In 1800 America still had only 16 states and less than six million people (almost a million of which were slaves)--so most of America was undeveloped and unsettled. What America had in abundance was territory, an almost mythological frontier that seemed to stretch out infinitely. America also had more of something than almost any other country in the history of civilization—freedom (although obviously not for those million slaves—theirs would come as the Romantic Era was giving way to the next movement, Realism).

So, as a result of this frontier and freedom, American Realism went down a somewhat different literary path. Writers like James Fenimore Cooper wrote about exploration and the beauty of the continent. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau helped begin an intellectual movement called Transcendentalism, that espoused the idea that every man was imprinted with the keys to the universe in his own being—you didn't need a scientist to explain life to you, it was there already, provided by your maker, in your own soul. This idea reflected the freedom Americans felt to be their own people.

Of course, Americans also enjoyed the titillating thrill of a good romantic horror story, and Edgar Allan Poe's work echoed Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, but with an important difference. Shelley's Victor Frankenstein had good intentions as he created his disaster—but Poe's characters, perhaps reflecting the darker side of personal freedom, got themselves into trouble in other, less altruistic ways.

That's a lot, isn't it? Break it down to this: Romanticism's development in England was largely influenced by its national history and industrial/cultural/military might. In America, Romanticism was shaped by the frontier and personal freedom.

How useful do you find Durkheim’s notion of a “social fact”? Does he do an adequate job of defending this concept, or does it still overlap...

Durkheim's concept of a "social fact" is a tremendously powerful one, and frankly one I wish more people talked about. The core notion is that social facts are those which don't exist in any particular individual, nor in any particular physical object, but are created by the aggregate behavior of whole societies. Social facts can in some sense be real facts that control our actions, despite not existing in any particular place at any particular time.

Durkheim's goal was to carve out a particular space for sociology as distinct from other disciplines, but the idea of a social fact has wider applicability, essentially to all the social sciences. "The British pound has recently been devalued relative to the US dollar" is a social fact that is of interest to economists; "herders typically establish norms of honor-based violence" is a social fact that is of interest to anthropologists.

It may not be possible to really separate social facts from psychological facts or economic facts, but this does not mean the concept is useless, only that it doesn't quite achieve the hard-edged distinction between different disciplines that Durkheim himself was aiming for. (Where does psychology end and sociology begin? Well, where does physics end and chemistry begin? Does it matter?) Social facts can be distinguished on a fundamental level from both physical facts on the one hand and fictions on the other.

Physical facts just are. A particular configuration of matter exists in space, and it's there whether or not anyone believes it. "The Earth's mass is 6*10^24 kilograms" is a physical fact.

Fictions just are not. They make claims about the universe that simply fail to hold, again whether or not anyone believes them. "Harry Potter is a wizard" is a fiction.

But social facts are if we believe they are, or more precisely are if a critical mass in society acts as though they are. "The British pound is worth more than the US dollar" is a social fact. The British pound and the US dollar have no inherent value; they are slips of paper or numbers on a spreadsheet. But they take on value when we use them as though they have value, and that is not purely a fiction. It is not imaginary that a British pound will buy you more things than a US dollar---it really will buy you more things. But that is only true because millions of people in the US and Britain believe and act as though it is true, and if they ever started acting differently, it wouldn't be true anymore.

Describe the town using details from the novel.

Maycomb is an old, sleepy southern town during the Great Depression. It is described as the kind of place in which rains turn the roads to red mud and "the courthouse sags in the square" (page 5). In other words, its buildings exist in a state of disrepair. It is often a hot place, where everything wilts and people have to move slowly. People aren't in a rush because, as Lee writes, "there is nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with" (page 6). Maycomb is an Alabama farm town in which most people have very little money, particularly during the Great Depression, and in which people know very little beyond the boundaries of the town.

In addition, it is a town in which everyone knows each other and each other's business. For example, everyone knows that the Ewells are a disgraceful family. It is also a town in which people often help each other; for example, during the fire at Miss Maudie's house, the men of the town help carry the furniture out of her house. Finally, it is a segregated town in which most white people subscribe to racist beliefs and in which a white woman's word--for example, that of Mayella Ewell--always counts more than that of a black man such as Tom Robinson. 

How could you compare The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde and C Above C Above High C by Ishmael Reed?

We can compare both plays by analyzing the importance of appearances and the constraints of morality within the plays.

1) The deception of surface appearances.

In The Importance of Being Earnest, Jack Worthing uses his alter ego to escape the constraints of Victorian morality; with his alter ego, Earnest, Jack is able to keep up appearances before his ward, Cecily Cardew. The notion of hypocrisy as a form of self-preservation and personal agency was a means to an end within the structure of Victorian society. Keeping up appearances allowed one to preserve one's image of respectability and integrity before one's servants, family, and community.

In the story, Jack becomes Earnest when he wants to have a bit of fun in London. It's a convenient excuse that works splendidly, until he realizes that his deceptive alter ego could cost him Gwendolyn's love. Meanwhile, his best friend, Algernon, has his own alter ego as well, the hypochondriac Bunbury. Bunbury allows Algernon to bypass his social obligations, responsibilities he finds boring and uninspiring. Two other characters in the play, Lady Bracknell and Miss Prism, also have to keep up appearances in order to appear virtuous and morally unassailable.

The aristocratic Lady Bracknell's rejection of Jack Worthing/ Earnest as a desirable suitor for her daughter, Gwendolen, is predicated on Jack's lack of an acceptable pedigree. As a daughter from an aristocratic family, Gwendolen is expected to conform to particularly restrictive social norms. Honor and reputation must be preserved at all costs. Meanwhile, Miss Prism, Cecily's governess, must teach her young charge all the expected virtues the ward of a respectable man must have.

In The C above C above High C, appearances are a form of deception as well. All must conform to required expectations in order to fit into a narrow and restrictive culture. In the play, J. Edgar Hoover appears in drag and he's black, quite a stunning and unconventional portrayal of the ebullient and combative FBI director. According to Mamie Eisenhower (in the play), Hoover has never been accepted as a white man; as a form of self-preservation, he tells people that he has a tan so they will trust him to fulfill his prescribed role in society.

Meanwhile, President Eisenhower is portrayed as a lecher and adulterer in the play. His lover is Kay Summersby, who uses embarrassingly poetic language to describe her sexual ecstasies during trysts with her presidential lover. Meanwhile, General Douglas MacArthur is described as a sex-obsessed and abusive philanderer. In the play, Mamie tells Lil (Louis Armstrong's wife) that MacArthur had abused a Chinese teenager "into bad health." Louis Armstrong himself does not escape unscathed; his wife, Lil, describes him as a man sexually fixated on his mother.

The commonality between both plays is the importance of appearances as a tool of self-preservation and personal aggrandizement. In C above C above High C, respected men in political and military circles must conform to outward expectations of manhood, masculinity, and respectability. Their material success depends on this. Likewise, in The Importance of Being Earnest, members of the aristocracy and the lower classes must adhere to outward conventions of morality, honor, and dignity. Any variation from the norm threatens to disrupt the hierarchical equilibrium so prized by Victorian society.

2) The definition of morality is in the eye of the beholder.

In The Importance of Being Earnest, Gwendolen exemplifies the perfect Victorian young lady. She is dignified, virtuous, and cosmopolitan; in short, a young lady beyond reproach. Her ideas about morality are vastly antithetical to true happiness, however; Wilde satirizes her fixation on the name "Earnest" as a way to comment on the hypocrisy of Victorian morality, a morality encased in sanctimonious piety and patronizing noblesse oblige (an implied social responsibility by the aristocratic class to demonstrate nobility and compassion towards the lower classes).

Despite the social obligations of the upper classes, the lower classes also have to fulfill certain expectations. They sometimes fail desperately in this area. In the play, it is revealed Miss Prism left Jack in a leather handbag in the cloakroom of the Victoria Station when he was a baby. As Cecily's governess, however, she maintains an outward appearance of primness, integrity, and civility. Yet, the truth is that Miss Prism is a repressed woman, a caricature of the respectable working-class employee in an aristocratic household. She pines after the priest, Dr. Chasuble, but must hide her less-than-savory desires from the public eye. This she does through pompous diction and supposedly didactic discourse.

In C above C above High C, we find the definition of morality is again in the eye of the beholder. As described in (1), the perception of an individual's morality can vary depending on who is doing the judging. Characters from both plays demonstrate a fear for exposing their individual desires, personalities, and ambitions. Perhaps the natural propensity for humans to judge each other cruelly distorts truth and prevents genuine self-contemplation.

Which theories of personality development (Psychoanalytic, Humanistic, Social Cognitive, or Trait) would you use to explain the differences between...

Of the four personality theories, it appears as if the trait theory best explains the differences between Mike and Greg. Major theorists of this perspective are Hans Eysenck, Raymond Cattell, Robert McCrae, and Paul Costa. According to Hans Eysenck, the three major dimensions of personality are extraversion-introversion, emotional stability-neuroticism, and psychoticism.

So, two siblings from the same dysfunctional family can exhibit varying degrees of stability and instability. In the story, Greg (the narrator) and his brother, Mike found that they were on their own the minute their mother deserted the family. Their father, Tony, was not much of a solace; heartbroken and hurt by his wife's betrayal, he took to drinking heavily and to taking up with the wrong crowd. Miss Dora, an older lady, adopted the boys, but Tony rarely contributed to their care. Instead, he forced Mike and Greg to take up odd jobs to support all of them.

Greg relates how, for his first job, he had to pay a commission to Tony out of the three dollars he made "hustling" coal for a drug dealer. Every job Greg and Mike had was usually arranged by Tony; because of this, Tony expected both Mike and Greg to pay him commissions from their weekly pay. Tony usually drank away any money his young sons gave him.

Because of Tony's irresponsibility, the brothers lived in abject poverty for most of their growing up years. To make matters worse, Tony treated his two sons differently. While he encouraged Greg to pursue his dreams of becoming a lawyer, he treated Mike as a younger version of himself. For his part, Mike looked up to Tony and sought to emulate him.

He drank, gambled, had an active sex life, and mimicked the lingo and style of the small time hustlers, pimps, and thieves who befriended him...He reveled in tagging along with Dad on his rounds to gambling joints, bootleggers, and Muncie's whorehouses. Mike willingly absorbed all of Dad's lessons.

Mike was emotionally tied to Tony, while Greg sought to distance himself from his self-absorbed father. In Hans Eysenck's theory, Mike would be considered a highly neuroticistic extrovert; to survive in a dysfunctional relationship, he was willing to repress and to ignore his pain. On the other hand, Greg was not so willing to give Tony a pass for his abusive behavior. Greg would be considered less neuroticistic in outlook than Mike.

We can see the difference between Mike and Greg in the Christmas card episode. One Christmas season, Tony procured some Christmas cards for Mike and Greg to sell. The idea was that the boys could earn enough money to buy their own Christmas presents. However, Greg knew better. He refused to hand over any money to Tony; with the proceeds from the sale of the cards, he purchased a pair of shoes for himself. When Tony harangued Greg for not handing over his "investment" and his commission, Greg nonchalantly asked his father whether he would prefer to have his shoes instead.

This made Tony angrier, and he eventually threatened to leave the boys. For his part, Mike begged Tony to stay, promising that he would do whatever it took to make Tony happy. That Christmas, it was Mike who did without a Christmas present. So, the trait theory best exemplifies the difference between Mike and Greg; the theory hypothesizes that everyone displays varying degrees of stability and instability within specific environments (whether dysfunctional or not), and this bears out in Mike and Greg's story. While Greg eventually realized his dream of becoming a lawyer and then a law professor, Mike was left to pick up the pieces of his life in Indiana after being blinded in a shooting in an Indianapolis bar.

How does gender relate to globalization?

One effect of globalization on gender dynamics is the increase in employment for women, which is often exploitative of women in developing countries. The "feminization of labor" refers to the effects of globalization on women's work participation. Globalization has resulted in more flexible employment, which makes it easier for women with children to work, but with lower wages and deteriorating labor standards. While women have access to more jobs in the globalized economy, they are performing these jobs for lower pay in worse conditions than men in their countries, and without a decrease in their share of domestic and child-related responsibilities. Globalization has not solved other employment-related problems for women, including gendered segregation of occupation, the gender wage gap, and lack of job training. In many countries exploited for resources under globalization, including those in Latin America and East Asia, women are increasingly segregated to low-wage labor in the textile and garment industries.

Where does Mercutio mock love in Romeo and Juliet?

Mercutio mocks Romeo for being in love twice: in Act I, Scene 4, and Act II, Scene 1.

In Act I, Scene 4, Romeo, Mercutio, and their friends are about to crash the Capulets' party. At this point, Romeo has not yet seen Juliet; he is still lovesick over Rosaline. He says he does not intend to dance because love makes him too "heavy" to dance. Instead, he will just hold a torch. Mercutio wants to get Romeo to dance, so he starts to argue with him.

Mercutio does not mock Romeo savagely in this scene, but he is not taking Romeo's lovesick state very seriously, either. At first, he suggests Romeo should "borrow Cupid's wings" to make himself light. When Romeo keeps insisting love is making him miserable, Mercutio says, "If love be rough with you, be rough with love" (line 27). By the end of the conversation, Mercutio is ready to "draw [Romeo] from the mire/Of—save your reverence—love, wherein thou stickest/Up to the ears" (lines 41-43). Here, Mercutio compares Romeo's "love" to mud, or perhaps something even more unpleasant. 

In Act II, Scene 1, Mercutio and Benvolio are outside in the dark, looking for Romeo so they can go home after the party. Little do they know that he is within earshot, wondering if he should approach Juliet's house, with whom he is now in love.

In this scene, Mercutio is more flippant about Romeo's being in love (he still thinks Romeo is in love with Rosaline). Perhaps this is because he doesn't know Romeo is listening, or perhaps he is a bit drunk from the party.

First, he mocks the state of being lovesick. He pretends to "conjure" Romeo, calling him up as he would ghost. He says he will know it's Romeo if Romeo appears "in the likeness of a sigh," or if he says, "Ay, me!" or makes a rhyme about love. We can hear his frustration with Romeo's constant moping.

Ghosts are usually conjured by the name of a certain person or entity, so Mercutio goes on to "conjure" Romeo by the name of Rosaline, and then by her various body parts, starting with her "bright eyes" and moving south until he becomes crude. When Benvolio tries to hush him, Mercutio's puns become cruder and cruder, particularly in lines 23 - 29 and 33 - 38.  

Romeo, overhearing this, remarks to himself, "He jests at scars that never felt a wound" (Act II, Scene 2, line 1). 

What is the significance of the sigh in the last stanza?

The sigh near the end of "The Road Not Taken" is intended to express a feeling of regret that the speaker will never know what would have happened to him in life if he had taken that other road, the road which he calls the one not taken. Obviously, if he had taken the other road, then the road he actually took would have been the one not taken. This poem is obviously not about a man taking a walk and having to choose between two real roads. The crossroads in the poem are a metaphor for a time in the speaker's life when he had to make an important decision about how he was going to live his life. Some have speculated that the speaker of the poem is Robert Frost himself, as he had to make a decision about a very common life problem. He knew he had creative talent, but he still had to make a living. He could either have a spartan existence, not unlike that of Henry David Thoreau, and devote his life to poetry; or he could get some kind of job and only write poetry in his limited free time. Frost chose the former "road." It was a long, bumpy road, but he was one of the few poets who achieved recognition and financial security. If he had taken the other road he might have been equally successful without having to endure the rather dreary life of a New England farmer. But he would never know.

Frost confided to a young girl who queried about the meaning of the "sigh":

Amherst Mass April 1925

"Dear Miss Yates:

No wonder you were a little puzzled over the end of my Road Not Taken. It was my rather private jest at the expense of those who might think I would yet live to be sorry for the way I had taken in life. I suppose I was gently teasing them. I'm not really a very regretful person, but for your solicitousness on my behalf I'm
your friend always
Robert Frost"

(Finger, L. L.: "Frost's 'The Road Not Taken': a 1925 Letter come to Light", American Literature v.50)

The "sigh" is one of the many subtle amenities in "The Road Not Taken." It occurs in these lines:

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

We seem to be hearing that sigh across those "ages and ages" at the point where the word "I" occurs twice with a dash indicating where the speaker pauses and takes in a deep breath before continuing.

How do justice and mercy and friendship and loyalty constitute the vital themes of the play The Merchant of Venice?

Justice and mercy are obviously major concerns in the play.  They are explored at great length in the courtroom scene (Act 4, Scene 1), to which the whole play leads up.  

Shylock insists (for example, in lines 89 - 103) that in demanding his pound of flesh he is asking for no more than justice, because it was guaranteed to him in the contract ("bond") drawn up by himself and Antonio.  Portia, in her speech (lines 182 - 203), shows that while justice is an admirable and necessary value, mercy is even more sublime, and furthermore is something that every human being has need of. But though justice is set against mercy in the play, justice is not written off as being of no value.  Even Portia, in her disguise as Balthasar, acknowledges that if Shylock's contract is merely overruled, then everyone will know that the laws of Venice are not fairly enforced.  

Friendship and loyalty surface in nearly every relationship in the play, but they are seen most clearly in the friendship between Bassanio and Antonio.  It is to a back a loan to Bassanio that Antonio enters into his fateful contract with Shylock.  Though Antonio had no idea it would cost him so much, he has already assured Bassanio (Act 1, Scene 1, lines 138 - 139), that "My purse, my person, my extremest means/Lie all unlocked to your occasions." Ultimately, Antonio is willing to die for his friend.  

Bassanio, who was reluctant to ask the favor in the first place, is horrified at the position he has accidentally put Antonio in.  By the time Shylock is ready to claim his pound of flesh, Bassanio has come in to some money, and in the courtroom (Act 4, Scene 1) he frantically offers to the pay debt, even up to ten times the original amount, or Shylock can take "my hands, my head, my heart" (lines 209 - 210).  Shylock will not accept this offer.

Luckily, Antonio is saved by the cleverness and pluck of Bassanio's wife Portia.  She goes to great lengths to save the life of her husband's friend, whom she has never yet met, showing an even higher level of friendship and loyalty. 

How can I write an essay on Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird?

English teachers love To Kill a Mockingbird for a variety of reasons.  One reason is that the book is full of diverse themes.  For your essay, pick a theme of the book, and attempt to prove how that theme is displayed throughout the book.  You could pick friendship, racism, bravery, parenting, honesty, hypocrisy, guilt, and/or innocence.  Without knowing specific requirements for your essay, I recommend doing a thematic analysis of the book.  It's broad enough to give you lots of potential support, but narrow enough to keep you focused.  

I also recommend doing a compare and contrast essay on two characters from the book.  As a teacher, I prefer reading these because so many students go the theme route.  The character analysis is a nice change of pace for me.  You could compare and contrast Atticus and Aunt Alexandra.  You could also compare and contrast Jem and Scout.  They might live in the same house with the same father, but they definitely see the world differently.  Jem especially.  The book is a real coming of age story for that boy.  

You asked for some general writing tips to make your essay better.  I would like to give a few tips.  I don't know how long the essay needs to be, but it should be a minimum of five paragraphs.  The first paragraph must be an introductory paragraph that ends with your thesis statement.  The thesis statement needs to be a statement that you intend to prove correct.  It can't be a statement of fact, because there is nothing to prove.  

The final paragraph is your concluding paragraph.  Don't forget this paragraph.  It should do two things.

1. Remind the reader of the evidence that you just presented in the body of the essay.


2. Push your reader toward caring about your topic.

If the essay is a minimum of five paragraphs with an introduction and conclusion paragraph, that means the body must be a minimum of three paragraphs long.  If the topic can't be supported by at least three paragraphs, it's not a good topic.   

What are 11 laboratory tools and their uses?

1. Beaker- used to hold liquid and solid samples while conducting experiments

2. Bunsen Burner or Hot Plate- used as a source of heat during experiments

3. Graduated Cylinder- used to obtain exact measurements in mL of liquid samples

4. Pipette- used to transfer and dispense liquid samples

5. Test Tube- used to hold small amounts of samples 

6. Wash Bottle- used to dispense small amounts of distilled water during experiments

7. Balance- used to calculate mass of a substance in grams

8. Wire Gauze- placed on top of a ring to support a beaker above a flame; allows for uniform heating of the sample in the beaker

9. Ring Stand and Rings- used to hold glassware usually above the bunsen burner

10. Erlenmeyer Flask- similar to a beaker, but contains a smaller mouth opening; used to hold substances and contain reactions

11. Clay Triangle- placed onto a ring and is used to hold and support evaporating dishes, crucibles, and watch glasses

What are some notable quotations in Zlata's Diary?

The most effective quotes from Zlata's Diary are ones where the terror of war can be seen through a child's eyes.  

Zlata's Diary enables us to see how a child sees war.  The result is war's inhumanity is displayed in a very poignant way. One example is when Zlata personalizes the war experience:

That’s my life! The life of an innocent eleven-year-old schoolgirl!! A schoolgirl without school, without the fun and excitement of school. A child without games, without friends, without the sun, without birds, without nature, without fruit, without chocolate or sweets, with just a little powdered milk. In short, a child without a childhood. A wartime child.

When talking about war, we get lost in how human beings are uprooted.  Borders and military objectives diminish when we see how war permanently alters people's lives. Zlata captures this reality when she talks about how her childhood has been robbed because of war.  She has lost innocence, "fun and excitement," and "the sun."  I find this quote meaningful because it brings a human account to war's political dimension.

Zlata's personalized view of war is enhanced when she sees what the conflict is doing to her parents.  Children look to their parents for guidance.  Despite what parents say, kids observe their parents' facial reactions to indicate the reality of a situation.  Upon doing this, Zlata writes about how war weakens the people who have to endure it: 

...I look over at Mommy and Daddy. ... Somehow they look even sadder to me in the light of the oil lamp. ... God, what is this war doing to my parents? They don’t look like my old Mommy and Daddy anymore. Will this ever stop? Will our suffering stop so that my parents can be what they used to be cheerful, smiling, nice-looking?

The most poignant part of this quote is how Zlata yearns for the "cheerful, smiling, nice-looking" parents she used to know.  There was a time when Zlata's family loved life, and drank from its cup without hesitation.  The war has robbed them of the joy they once knew.  Zlata's words illuminate the yearning and ache that comprise war's psychological footprint.

Finally, I think that one of the most random details in the diary is also one of Zlata's most effective piece of writing. She writes about the stray animals that have emerged because of the war:

There are lots of beautiful pedigree dogs roaming the streets. Their owners probably had to let them go because they couldn’t feed them anymore. Sad. Yesterday I watched a cocker spaniel cross the bridge, not knowing which way to go. He was lost.

For a child, the suffering of animals is one of the most painful elements.  When Zlata writes about how the cocker spaniel did not know which way to go, she is mourning. She mourns not just for the lost dog, but for herself.  She identifies herself with the dog. Like the dog, Zlata is also not "spared by the war" and does not know where to go or what to do.  Her identification with the dog's predicament is another quote that notably illuminates war's pain.

In The Communist Manifesto, what do Marx and Engels have to say about people in pain and who experiences pain under capitalism?

In The Communist Manifesto, Marx and Engels suggest that the way capitalism exploits labor for profit is painful for the working class.  

The Communist Manifesto is quite direct in attributing exploitation for profit as the reason that people suffer. Marx and Engels argue that capitalism is predicated on manipulation.  The wealthiest of people generate their profit at the cost of workers.  For example, the owner of the factory is able to make more money when the worker is paid less for their efforts.  The less the worker receives, the more profit the owner makes.  Marx and Engels believe this helps to explain why capitalism is synonymous with suffering and pain for the working class:  "These labourers, who must sell themselves piecemeal, are a commodity, like every other article of commerce, and are consequently exposed to all the vicissitudes of competition, to all the fluctuations of the market."  Marx and Engels feel the wealthy have no qualms about increasing the suffering of the working class in order to meet the demands of the marketplace.

Marx and Engels are emphatic in suggesting that capitalism's success is dependent on the workers' pain. Suffering is unavoidable.  Marx and Engels describe how "masses of labourers, crowded into the factory, are organized like soldiers" and exist "under the command of a perfect hierarchy of officers and sergeants."  Such control makes workers "slaves of the bourgeois class, and of the bourgeois State."  In order for capitalism to thrive, Marx and Engels believe that the laborer is "daily and hourly enslaved by the machine, by the overlooker, and, above all, by the individual bourgeois manufacturer himself."  Suffering is inevitable when capitalism reduces workers to slaves.  When the drive for economic profit makes workers a mere "commodity," the end result is the workers' pain.  As a result of its objectification of the working class, Marx and Engels blame capitalism for the suffering it causes. 

What details in the first paragraph help establish the atmosphere or mood of "The Sniper" by Liam O'Flaherty?

Let's start with the mood and atmosphere of the story as a whole.  I would say that this story's mood is tense, dark, and violent.  In a nutshell, the story is about a sniper that coldly shoots and kills three people.  One of them happens to be his brother.  

The opening paragraph helps to establish that mood by setting the story in the evening.  Day is fading into night, so there is an actual darkness that accompanies the emotional darkness of the story.  

The long June twilight faded into night. Dublin lay enveloped in darkness but for the dim light of the moon that shone through fleecy clouds, casting a pale light as of approaching dawn over the streets and the dark waters of the Liffey.

Notice all of the words that focus reader attention on darkness and dark times.  "Twilight," "faded," "night," "darkness," "dim," and "pale" all highlight an ominous and oppressive feeling.  The rest of the opening paragraph points readers toward the violence that is happening around the setting.  A civil war is going on and guns can be constantly heard.  Based on the opening paragraph, readers know that this story is going to be a dark and violent story. 

What are some events in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night that are improbable?

Most of the situations in the play are improbable--but, then again, it is a comedy and it doesn’t really have to make sense.  You are there to have a good time, right?  I think the most improbable concept is that Viola could convince everyone around her that she is a man for so long.  Piggybacking on that, I have always found it disturbing that Orsino is so willing to marry her at the end.

DUKE ORSINO

Madam, I am most apt to embrace your offer.

To VIOLA

Your master quits you; and for your service done him,
So much against the mettle of your sex,
So far beneath your soft and tender breeding,
And since you call'd me master for so long,
Here is my hand: you shall from this time be
Your master's mistress. (Act 5, Scene 1) 

It’s just odd that he would suddenly accept her as a woman and fall in love with her instantly.  I understand that he has formed a sort of relationship with her when he thought she was a young man, Cesario, but it is still strange and somewhat improbable.

The situation with Olivia is also improbable on multiple levels.  Olivia says she is not interested in anyone because she is in mourning.  Her father and brother died recently.  As happens sometimes, she falls in love despite her intentions.  “Cesario” catches her eye.  The weird thing is that when she offers Sebastian marriage because she thinks he is Cesario, he accepts.  He barely knows her!  He even ponders whether one of them might be crazy.

SEBASTIAN

…

For though my soul disputes well with my sense,
That this may be some error, but no madness,
Yet doth this accident and flood of fortune
So far exceed all instance, all discourse,
That I am ready to distrust mine eyes
And wrangle with my reason that persuades me
To any other trust but that I am mad
Or else the lady's mad… (Act 4, Scene 3)

It is also probably unlikely that Malvolio would fall for Maria’s trick.  Maria tricks him into believing that she is in love with him by leaving a letter that states that he should dress garishly and act foolishly. He seems like an otherwise intelligent person.  Why would Olivia fall in love with him?  On that note, Sir Toby and Maria’s marriage might be a little unusual too, since he is above her class-wise.

If “Setting” is the general locale, historical time, and social circumstances in which the action of a fictional or dramatic work occurs, in...

This short story is set in the United States.  The narrator describes the home her husband, a physician, has rented as a "colonial mansion," and says that it "makes [her] think of English places" that one reads about.  The characters' names help us to identify the setting as America as well.  Further, the narrator mentions that her husband has promised to send her to see Weir Mitchell if she doesn't improve more quickly.  Silas Weir Mitchell was a real American physician who was actually responsible for inventing a treatment called the "rest cure," in which he would prescribe absolute bed rest, frequent feeding, and the complete absence of mental stimulation, to help women who were suffering from "hysteria" (a sort of catchall term for female emotional dysfunction) or a malady that we now know as postpartum depression (which appears to be what the narrator suffers from in the story).  Mitchell actually treated the story's author, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, with the rest cure at one point, inspiring her to write the story.  All of these clues help us to ascertain that the story is set in the United States in the later part of the 19th century, as this is when Mitchell garnered acclaim for his treatment methods and research.

What is the connection between the traditional gender role of domesticity and the way some women are treated in the workplace today?

Over the past fifty years, the developed world has seen a dramatic increase in the numbers of women in the workforce. Throughout history as well as in some places today, women have largely been limited to a role as wife, mother, and keeper of the house. Such a priority was placed on a woman's domestic capabilities that it was often impossible or utterly vulgar for a woman to seek a life outside of maternity and marriage. Though this attitude is not as pervasive today, this understanding of traditional gender roles still holds sway in how women are treated in the workplace.

Women in the workforce are often expected to take on junior roles to their male counterparts, or to be a part of supportive staff. For example, many people feel that women are better suited to be nurses than doctors, or secretaries rather than business people. There is an implication that women are either physically or mentally less capable of performing a job as compared to men, or that they may be unreliable and so should take a junior position. This "unreliability" is based on the expectation that a woman does or will have children, and that her role as a mother takes priority over work outside the home. 

What's more, even in places where gender equality may be a public value, the labor of women is systemically undervalued. Even in the United States, where gender equality is preached publicly, women are paid on average twenty to forty cents less per dollar than their male counterparts. Even with exactly the same education and training, and in performing the same tasks, women are routinely paid less than men. This disparity has its roots in the time when women were not allowed to be in control of their own money. It was not until 1974 in the United States that women were allowed to have a personal bank account-- previously, all money had to be deposited under the name of a male member of the family. Though women were increasingly entering the workforce in the United States as early as the 1950's, they were compensated with menial pay on the expectation that their husbands earned enough money to cover all family expenses. 

I do not mean to imply that prior to the 1950's no woman had ever worked outside of the home. This simply isn't true. As early as 4,000 years ago at Lagash, women were employed in large numbers in workshops for weaving. However, at this time the only women who really had a need to work outside the home were orphaned girls, sex workers, the disabled, and those who were otherwise unable to marry. In some parts of the world today, it is only women who cannot marry that work outside the home. Even in the developed Western world, such attitudes persisted until the early 20th century. Prior to the gender revolutions of the mid-20th century, the women who made up the workforce outside the home were fringe members of society.

Though it is not explicitly stated, many women are encouraged to undergo training and take on jobs which conform to traditional gender roles. Women may be encouraged to become a teacher or nurse because these are care-giving,  nurturing jobs. Even in the sciences, women may be pushed out of hard-science like chemistry in favor of the soft or social sciences because these appeal to a woman's "emotional nature." It is unfortunate that even in the most developed and egalitarian of societies, a woman might be expected to fulfill the role of mother-sister-wife to her coworkers when any man might just as well perform the associated tasks, and she might do just as well performing his. As with all systems of oppression, awareness is the first step to remedying this pervasive social structure.

What is The Scarlet Pimpernel?

The Scarlet Pimpernel is the title of a historical novel by the prolific novelist and short story writer Baroness Emma Orczy (see reference link below). It is the first novel in a series of historical fiction which is set during the Reign of Terror at the time of the French Revolution. The Scarlet Pimpernel was first published in 1905. It features the daring exploits of an English gentleman who uses the alias of "The Scarlet Pimpernel." His real name is Sir Percy Blakeney. He poses as a fop and an idler, but in reality is devoting his time and resources to rescuing French aristocrats from the guillotine. The hero of the whole series of historical novels typically leaves his calling card behind after each of his successful exploits. The card simply bears a picture of the small red flower named "the scarlet pimpernel." No one is able to discover the true identity of the mysterious adventurer and brilliant swordsman who calls himself The Scarlet Pimpernel. The character became a favorite with Hollywood filmmakers. There were a dozen Scarlet Pimpernel movies made between 1917 and 1982. The best-known of these is The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934) starring Leslie Howard, an English actor who is now mainly remembered as one of the leading characters in the movie Gone With the Wind (1940). The 1934 film version of The Scarlet Pimpernel is available on DVD. A British television series titled The Scarlet Pimpernel was brought out in 1999. It is also available on DVD.

An older person or mentor is often very important in shaping the lives of gifted people by providing guidance and encouragement. To what extent was...

Helen Keller's life changed when Miss Sullivan entered her life. Miss Sullivan became her mentor, teacher, friend, and companion. Miss Sullivan had an incredible impact on Helen's life. In her autobiography, Helen described how Miss Sullivan changed her life:

Gradually I got used to the silence and darkness that surrounded me and forgot that it had ever been different, until she came–my teacher–who was to set my spirit free (The Story of My Life, Chapter I).

Miss Sullivan taught Helen how to communicate using the manual alphabet. After Helen learned to communicate, her life was transformed. Miss Sullivan continued to help and guide Helen. The teacher assisted Helen when she went to school by reading books and spelling their content into her pupil's palm. Miss Sullivan did the same thing with the lectures given by Helen's teachers and professors. With Miss Sullivan's help, Helen finished school and also went to college. Miss Sullivan helped to guide Helen in making decisions about education.

In addition to this, Miss Sullivan encouraged Helen. She encouraged her to learn all that she could and to experience life. Miss Sullivan traveled to many places with Helen. Together they went on many adventures, such as exploring the World's Fair and sailing in Nova Scotia. Miss Sullivan wished for Helen to live a full life.

What philosophical content is in The Truman Show and how can it be connected with Brave New World?

Freedom and control are philosophical ideas in The Truman Show and Brave New World.

Freedom and its countervailing force of control are essential to Huxley's vision of the future and Weir's world of reality television. Both works explore freedom, its effect on human beings, and authority structures that seek to lessen freedoms. As a result, Brave New World and The Truman Show spend a great deal of time discussing the philosophical implications of freedom in the modern setting.

The authority structure in A Brave New World wants to limit human freedom in order to establish security and control. Controllers like Mustapha Mond see freedom as dangerous. They believe freedom needs to be channeled, controlled, and contained so it does not upset the natural order of the World State. Mond uses information access to ensure citizens' actions are coordinated. Mond reveals his attitude towards freedom when he says that "happiness is a hard master—particularly other people's happiness." For Mond and the other Controllers in the World State, freedom is secondary to "unquestioning." World State citizens have everything subject to control. For example, human interactions can only be expressed through sex. Emotional connection between human beings is unpredictable and cannot be tolerated. John cannot adjust to the level of control in this "brave new world" and falls victim to it. This level of control causes him to commit suicide. Huxley shows how human freedom contains different layers to it, and how these layers trigger authority's response.

The Truman Show reflects similar philosophical probing into the nature of freedom and control. As the architect of the show, Christof views control and design as more important than Truman's freedom. Truman's acceptance of "the conditions of the world" surrounding him is Christof's most important reality. Truman's happiness is coordinated. His behavior is charted and recorded. Sets are built, actors are hired, and scripts are written to ensure Truman's life makes for good television. Like Huxley's vision, Truman's emotional freedom is limited in order to provide a vision of happiness. This can be seen in Lauren's/ Sylvia's removal. The emotional unpredictability triggered by the love she and Truman share is deemed unacceptable. Truman's growth lies in his challenge to this structure. His freedom is only possible through its rejection. Like John, Truman confronts his architect/ captor. Unlike John, Truman finds his own happiness when he walks away from a world of social control.

Both works delve into personal freedom and the extent that authority structures will go to in order to limit it. Characters must confront the agonizing philosophical choice between the happiness of a controlling authority structure or in finding their own voice. The answers reveal philosophical content with profound implications for what we should do and how we shall live.

How does Scrooge behave with his nephew before the ghost has transformed his heart in A Christmas Carol?

Scrooge will not suffer his nephew's good cheer when he comes to visit his uncle's office.

When Fred, Scrooge's jovial nephew, visits his uncle, he calls out swiftly as he enters, "A merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!"

"Bah!" said Scrooge. "Humbug!"

Fred is astonished. "Christmas a humbug, uncle!....You don't mean that, I am sure?" Scrooge assures his nephew that he does, indeed, mean exactly that. He asks Fred for what reason he is happy because he is "poor enough." To this remark, Fred cleverly turns his uncle's question back upon him as he asks his Uncle Ebeneezer what right he has to be so gloomy and morose. "You're rich enough."

Having nothing else to express himself, Scrooge reiterates, "Humbug!...What is Christmas to you but a time to pay bills without the money?" Then, even though his nephew tries to cajole him into a more cheerful mood, Scrooge continues to rant, arguing that he will keep Christmas as he pleases; after all, it has not done Fred any good.
Fred tells his uncle that all things cannot be measured by monetary profit. Christmas is, to Fred,

...a good time...a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time... when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.

Hearing this pronouncement of the merits of Christmastime, Bob Crachit applauds from the other room. Embarrassed that he has demonstrated the impropriety of listening, Bob quickly goes about stoking his pitiful fire from one lonely coal. Scrooge shouts out a threat to fire him if he hears anything else, adding, "I wonder you don't go into Parliament!" alluding to the vocal exchanges among those in this office.

Despite Scrooge's harsh and cruel words, Fred invites his uncle to Christmas dinner at his home. But, Scrooge declines, saying sharply, "Good afternoon!"

This early scene in the novella of Dickens serves to characterize Ebenezer Scrooge as a cold, heartless, materialistic old curmudgeon.

What is the American Dream? The traditional goals of achieving a happy, fulfilling life after hard work and dedication were challenged in the wake...

The American Dream is the ideal that anyone who lives in the United States can achieve a meaningful life and meet all of his or her needs through hard work and determination. "Of Mice and Men" and "Winter Dreams" address this theme directly, albeit in different ways. "Of Mice and Men" tells the story of two migrant workers who buy into the American dream, while "Winters Dream" tells of a young man named Dexter who is faced with the death of his own, more specific American dream.

1. How does the quest for this dream shape the lives of Americans today?

The American dream may have changed since the era of the Great Depression, but it still shapes the lives of all Americans. The American Dream is what fuels people to devote their lives to the pursuit of education and a career, through which they hope to achieve relative economic stability and the ability to live freely and pursue their interests.

2. Is the dream alive today, and is it even possible to achieve?

The ability to achieve the American dream is dependent upon both the protection of freedoms by the government and economic stability. The 2008 recession and housing market crash resulted in the perceived loss of the American dream for many citizens and immigrants alike, but economic recovery has led to a resurgence in believe in the American dream today. For many, the lavish American dream of the pre-Depression era in the 1920s is no longer a reality. Today's American dream has shifted to more moderate terms for most people, but it is still alive and well.

3. Or is this dream just a reminder of what once was or can never be?

Whether this dream is possible to achieve is a matter of perspective, but as long as Americans maintain the basic freedoms of speech and the ability to earn a living through honest work, the dream will always be possible to achieve, if improbable. Like George in "Of Mice and Men," many Americans have been forced to re-evaluate their ideas of what it means to be free and successful in America. Like Dexter, many are forced to abandon idealistic dreams of perfection and youthful naivete, but with that abandonment comes perspective.

As Dexter realized that his own American dream was unrealistic, modern Americans are often forced to determine which qualities and achievements are truly fundamental to the American dream. Living in a mansion and driving expensive cars may not be a feasible American dream for everyone, but it is always the prerogative of the next generation to improve upon the American dream of their predecessors and redefine it in terms of the qualities that are most important to them. As long as people continue to think about the American dream and work earnestly towards achieving it, it will always be possible.

What are ten nouns in "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge?

Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" marked the shift to British Romanticism and the modernity of poetry. This poem was published in 1798 and describes the experiences of a mariner who shot an albatross after getting caught in icy Antarctic waters.

Let's make a list of some of the nouns that occur in this poem. First, let's make sure we understand the meaning of a "noun." A noun is a word the represents or names a person, place, thing, quality, event, or idea. I will bold the nouns as they appear in the lines of poetry:

"'By they long grey beard and glittering eye."

"The guests are met, the feast is set"

"The Wedding-Guest sat on a stone."

"The ship was cheered, the harbor cleared."

"The bride hath paced into the hall"

As this is a very long poem, there are plenty of other nouns within it, but this is a good start!

How is the dramatic purpose of the ghost in Act 1 of Shakespeare's Hamlet to show the strong relationship between Hamlet and his father before he...

Let's go step by step. Reading through and considering the situations of each scene in Act 1 slowly explains to us the relationship between Hamlet and his father.

Firstly, we learn that the ghost of the dead King of Denmark has begun appearing to guards at night time. Each time, the guards try to speak to it and understand what it is and why it appears. But the ghost does not speak and does not respond to them. Horatio, a friend of Hamlet, says that they should inform Hamlet about this, for the ghost that refuses to speak to them shall surely speak to him. This is really the first indication we have as to the nature of the father-son relationship. Horatio, who knew the king well and who also knows Hamlet well, implies that the ghost of the King would not be silent upon seeing his son, indicating that Hamlet and his father had a strong bond before the King's death.

And then consider the entry of Hamlet in Act I, Scene II, when his mother Gertrude immediately criticizes Hamlet for continuing to mourn his father's death. His mother asks him to stop wearing black clothes, a sign of mourning, saying that he cannot continue to think of his father all his life... and that it's common for people to die.

Hamlet explains to his mother the extent of his grief and mourning, which is far deeper than what his dark clothes, weepy eyes and sighs show. This is the most significant moment when we realize that Hamlet's love and attachment for his father was very strong and deep, much deeper than what his mother or uncle had felt, as they have visibly moved on with their lives by getting married and advise Hamlet to do the same. But Hamlet is in deep grief over his father's death and also over the unexpected and quick marriage of his mother to his uncle. 

Hamlet goes on to meet Horatio and others in Scene II and speaks highly of his father, saying that he will not come across a man like his father again. 

And in Act I, Scene IV, the ghost of the King comes again and motions for Hamlet to follow him. The ghost then proceeds and speaks to Hamlet, telling him that he is the ghost of the King and asks him to revenge him, to which Hamlet immediately accepts. Then the ghost goes on to tell him that he was murdered by his uncle, asks him to take revenge and asks Hamlet to remember him. Hamlet is naturally devastated and vows to avenge his father and says that he will remember only his father.

So Hamlet's father only spoke to Hamlet and not only did he do so, but he revealed the secret of his death and also entrusted Hamlet to avenge his death. We understand from this scene that not only did Hamlet love his father very much, but that his father loved Hamlet a lot, too. The King clearly felt that only Hamlet was worthy and capable of the task of avenging his death and reached out to him as a ghost and not to anyone else. 

From all of these scenes, we understand that Hamlet and his father shared a most strong and deep bond of love and trust.

In The Great Gatsby, what argument is F. Scott Fitzgerald making about the American Dream, based on the desires and fates of the characters?

The idea of the American Dream is a huge theme in The Great Gatsby. Each character is searching for his/ her version of the American Dream. Typically, the American Dream refers to the belief that one can start with nothing and ultimately succeed through hard work. For Jay Gatsby, this belief is extremely important. He started with nothing, and through hard work was able to amass a great deal of wealth. Gatsby is considered "new money," while other main characters (Tom and Daisy) are "old money." Gatsby wants to be on Daisy's level, and he tries to show off his wealth to her every chance he gets with lavish parties and his collection of custom shirts. His American Dream is to prove his worth to and win over Daisy, by proving he can provide for her.

Fitzgerald seems to be warning his audience about the pitfalls of pursuing the American Dream. Gatsby is never truly accepted by Tom and Daisy, and in the end, Daisy chooses not to be with Gatsby despite his wealth. Gatsby ultimately dies in pursuit of his American Dream—shot and left for dead in his swimming pool. His attempt to achieve the American Dream was unsuccessful.

Why is Christian education a necessity in the modern age?

A Christian would likely choose Christian education because it helps strengthen the faith "triangle." The three parts of that triangle are church, home, and school. A family can effectively teach a child from a Christian perspective at home. That teaching might include Bible stories, basic tenets of faith, and behavior from a Christian perspective. Going to church will further deepen and bolster a child's faith education. He or she will be a part of the larger Christian community by attending church.  

Attending a Christian school will even further integrate faith into that child's life. Church is maybe 90 minutes per week, which, if that is the only time a person spends on his or her faith every week, is not a lot of focus on faith and religion. Family time can increase that, but for at least 35-40 hours per week a child is in school, not in church or spending time with his or her Christian family. Attending a Christian school allows a child to learn the standard curriculum mandated by the state while at the same time having it taught from a Christian perspective. The faith base and standard education are woven together instead of being held separately, which public schools require.  

Christian families also might choose Christian education because private, Christian education often hold students to higher standards than public schools. Consequently, test scores and college admittance rates are frequently higher for students in private, Christian schools.  

Christian families also may choose Christian education because their child is more likely to be surrounded by friends and families who share the child's basic understanding of morals and behavior. This reinforces what the family teaches at home and what the church teaches on Sundays. 

Churches often encourage Christian education because students educated in Christian schools are more likely to make church attendance a part of their life for their entire life. A study was done on this very concept a few years ago. It is called the Cardus Education Survey. I've attached the findings for you in the 'Sources' section below.  

As for Christian education being a necessity in the modern age, I can't confidently claim it is an absolute necessity. I teach in a Christian school, and believe in all of the advantages that I wrote above. I also believe a child can receive a good education from a public school and grow up to be a strong Christian as well. If a family's goal is to teach a child that the Christian faith is all encompassing, and that faith is integral to all aspects of life and subjects, then only having the child learn about faith and God at home and in church presents the child with a lopsided Christian worldview. In that light, Christian education is necessary to educate a child about God and religion in as many aspects of his or her life as possible. 

Religious faith is vital to the following: a. Animals b. Human beings c. Heavenly bodies d. Gandharvas

The correct choice is human beings. According to the Hindu religion, religious faith is important to humanity. Religious faith provides information about the universe and all life forms. It also offers guidance and explains the interaction between man and the universe. Religious faith is important because it provides an opportunity for man to connect with divine beings.

Religious faith is viewed as man’s attempt to seek answers to some serious life questions.  Adherents of Hinduism observe diverse beliefs. However, there exist core beliefs that define the Hindu religion. These views form the common bond among followers of the faith. The belief system ascertains the existence of a Supreme Being.  It also explains the sacred nature of life. Hindus believe in Karma and reincarnation. These aspects explain how human beings should live and what to expect after death. Thus, the concepts of religious faith are mostly targeted to human beings.

The answer has been provided based on Hinduism because of choice D. Gandharvas. The option provided some context and direction for the answer.

Who is the Protagonist? What is the Protagonist doing in the play to which all the other characters must react? Who is the Antagonist, or...

In Arthur Miller's play All My Sons, the protagonist is Joe Keller, a factory owner who allowed defective air plane parts to be shipped to the Army Air Force during World War II, resulting in the deaths of 21 soldiers. His actions, which took place before the action of the play, are what the other characters must react to.

The antagonists react to Joe's actions and his denial of his role in the deaths of the pilots. For example, Ann Deever is Joe's antagonist because she knows that he was aware the parts were defective. Her father, Steve, is in prison for the role he played in manufacturing the cracked parts, and she refuses to speak to her father. She also knows that Larry, Joe's son, killed himself because of what Joe did. However, Kate, Joe's wife, continues to believe that Larry is alive. Ann reveals Larry's suicide note to Joe and Kate so that they will know that their son has died and so that she can marry their younger son, Chris. Joe's family reacts to his guilt with denial until Ann reveals that Joe is guilty and that Larry is dead. Ann is the antagonist who pushes Joe to reveal his guilt, and Chris and Kate are the antagonists who try to react with denial in the face of Joe's guilt until Ann makes it impossible for them to do so any longer. 

What is the relationship between Okeke and Nene in Chinua Achebe's "Marriage is a Private Affair"?

Okeke and Nene are related by marriage in the short story "Marriage is a Private Affair." Okeke is Nene's father-in-law. Chinua Achebe's short story, set in Nigeria, is about the marriage of Nnaemeka and Nene, who are from different ethnic groups. Their marriage is a source of conflict between Nnaemeka and his father, Okeke. Okeke objects to his new daughter-in-law for three reasons. First, he believes his son should not marry out of his ethnic group. Second, he had already arranged for Nnaemeka to marry an Ibo girl from his rural village. Third, he doesn't like the fact that Nene is a teacher. Okeke believes, according to his interpretation of the bible, that women should not be teachers. After the wedding, Okeke disowns his son for eight years until he receives a letter from Nene indicating the couple have two sons who would very much like to see their grandfather. In the end, Achebe suggests that Okeke will be reunited with his son and will finally accept Nene as his daughter-in-law.

How does Charlotte Bronte create a mood throughout the story of Jane Eyre, and what's an example?

Charlotte Bronte creates many different moods throughout the story of Jane Eyre. Primarily, it is in her descriptions of setting and characters that mood is created. 

From the very beginning of the story, when Jane is locked in the Red Room at Gateshead, Bronte's descriptions contribute to an overall somber mood - though here the mood is meant to be ominous and foreboding. For example, Bronte writes that Jane became "cold as a stone" and that she believes she saw a ghost - "I thought the swift-darting beam was a herald of some doing vision from another world" (page 19, 21). Jane's being physically and emotionally uncomfortable lends itself to the created mood.

Jane's time at Lowood is also peppered with dismal descriptions that create a somber mood. For instance, the girls who live there look plain and sickly - their uniforms "suited them ill, and gave an air of oddity even to the prettiest" (page 56). The setting is similarly dim - "all was wintry blight and brown decay" (page 58). The lack of colour and abundance of description about the disciplinary measures at Lowood provide a depressing mood for this section of the story.  

What is the plot for "A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner?

The story is about the eccentric Emily Grierson, a reclusive woman in a Southern town who kept an extraordinary secret.  She never married.  She never had any suitors.  Her father drove them away with a horsewhip.  When he died, she seemed to be in denial.  She refused to even let people in for several days.

After Emily’s father died, things got stranger.  Emily had a suitor, Homer, but he suddenly stopped coming around.  Emily was never seen outside the house.  One day there was a terrible smell.  The people could not even get Emily to open the door, and it was rude to suggest to a lady that her house smelled, so they broke in and sprinkled lime.

Emily refused to pay taxes, saying that her father had loaned money to the town.  She would take no for an answer.  The townspeople had nothing on Emily.  They couldn't get her to pay taxes, and they couldn't get her to come out of her house.

When Emily finally dies, the townspeople get to see the inside of her house at last.  It is a shock.  They find Homer’s body in bed, in “the attitude of an embrace.”   It is clear she has been lying beside him.

What was left of him, rotted beneath what was left of the nightshirt, had become inextricable from the bed in which he lay; and upon him and upon the pillow beside him lay that even coating of the patient and biding dust.

Of course, there would be much speculation about exactly what happened to Homer.  How did he end up dead in bed next to Emily?  It is not too much of a stretch to assume that she killed him.  Emily lived a sad and lonely life.  Her father smothered her and drove everyone away from her, and she could not stand the thought of Homer leaving too.

In Shakespeare's Macbeth, how can Malcolm face his country's problems after the reign of Macbeth?

Since Macbeth ends with the death of its titular character, we're unable to say for sure exactly how Malcolm can or will face Scotland's undoubtedly numerous problems, and thoughts on this question will be pretty speculative. However, based on what we know of Malcolm, and based on what we know of Scotland's post-Macbeth woes, it's possible to make some guesses.

First, let's consider the actual problems Scotland faces: as the play progresses, Macbeth becomes an increasingly paranoid tyrant, killing allies (and, at certain times, his allies' families) in order to consolidate power. Thus, Scotland will face some power vacuums brought on by the collapse of prominent aristocratic families. Moreover, the country as a whole is likely to be wary and distrustful of any kind of government for quite some time; after all, why should citizens of Scotland trust a new monarchy if the last one abused them in order to gain power?

Now, let's consider Malcolm: a cautious and clever individual, Malcolm is smart enough to leave Scotland after his father's death, and to return again to orchestrate Macbeth's downfall. Also, in a somewhat calculating way, Malcolm motivates Macduff to use the death of his family as motivation to seek revenge against Macbeth. Furthermore, at the end of the play, Malcolm presents us with a depiction of dignified royalty, promising to restore peace and order to Scotland. As such, it seems as though Malcolm not only knows how to play the political game, but also how to instill hope in the hearts of his subjects, and his intentions seem to be mostly noble. In that case, though we can't be sure exactly how the country's fortunes will play out after Macbeth's demise, we can hypothesize that Malcolm will use his nobility and political intelligence to restore some stability and confidence to Scotland. 

What symbols appear in "Once upon a Time" by Nadine Gordimer?

Nadine Gordimer's short story is brimming with symbolism. Here are some of the symbols and what they stand for.

The gold mine: In the frame story, the gold mine under the narrator's home that causes her house to shift and creak represents the stirrings of the "underclass" in the exploitative social system of apartheid. The white elitist culture is about to come crashing down due to the "uneasy strain" on South Africa's social fabric.

The wise old witch: The mother-in-law can stand for the political regime that promotes apartheid or for any influence that fosters racial or ethnic prejudice.

The walls, bars, and Dragon's Teeth: These barriers symbolize how fear produces isolation that creates a prison for the one who fears. The family first encloses themselves in a wall, then imprisons themselves behind bars, and finally confines themselves to a concentration camp. 

The cat: The cat represents the creeping fear of the "other" that cannot be resolved. The cat manages to get over the wall and through the bars. At the end of the story, the cat represents foresight: It knows to look before it leaps, which is more than the humans know. The parents have not anticipated how their fear and prejudice will destroy the future. 

The burglar alarms: These are most known for going off without good reason, showing that the fear the family has of "people of another color" is nothing but a "false alarm."

The son: The little boy represents the future, which the parents sacrifice to their fear. He also represents what is truly valuable as opposed to the material goods the parents try to insure from loss. They have become so focused on protecting their wealth and position in society that they neglect what is most important in life: connection to others, compassion, and love.

These are some of the symbols Gordimer weaves into her thought-provoking short story.

Which character matures the most throughout The Prince and the Pauper? What are examples of that change?

I would have to say that Edward, Prince of Wales, matures the most throughout the novel.

Edward had good manners throughout the book due to his training as a prince. He deepens and matures through his experiences. These start the moment he meets Tom. Edward responds sympathetically to Tom’s account of his life, and when he hears Tom gets beaten, tells him “BEATINGS!—and thou so frail and little. Hark ye: before the night come, she shall hie her to the Tower. The King my father"—

Tom interrupts, saying, "In sooth, you forget, sir, her low degree. The Tower is for the great alone."

Edward has a better formal education, but Tom understands the way of the world and that there are major differences in how the rich and noble experience the world compared to how the poor experience it.

Edward's experiences once he seems to be poor fundamentally change him for the better. Twain summarizes these changes in the novel’s conclusion. Edward acts more ethically toward individuals and works to make things better for his people as a whole. He matures by moving from sympathy to active ethical action.

If `cos A = -5/13`, what is `cos (A - pi/4)` ? It wants the answer in exact form.

Hello!

There is a formula `cos(a-b)=cos(a)cos(b)+sin(a)sin(b).`

In our case, `a=A` and `b=pi/4,` and we know `cos(pi/4)=sin(pi/4)=sqrt(2)/2.` So 

`cos(A-pi/4) = cos(A)cos(pi/4)+sin(A)sin(pi/4)=sqrt(2)/2(cos(A)+sin(A)).`

`cos(A)` is given, what about `sin(A)?` Of course `cos^2(A)+sin^2(A)=1,` so

`sin(A) = +-sqrt(1-cos^2(A))=+-sqrt(1-25/169) = +-sqrt(144/169) = +-12/13.`

To select "+" or "-" we have to know something additional about `A.` If it resides in the II quadrant, then "+", if in the III quadrant, then "-" (it cannot reside in the I or IV quadrants because its cosine is negative).

Without any additional information, we can only state that the answer is either  `sqrt(2)/2*7/13`  or  `-sqrt(2)/2*7/13.`

What are the advantages of banning computers?

Banning computers completely would surely be disastrous for any society. We would lose so much if we did so. We would lose the ability to have computer-controlled machines make things for us at low price. We would lose the ability to store huge numbers of records (including those at banks and hospitals) in easily accessible ways. We would lose the internet and, with it, our ability to access huge amounts of information easily and to contact people around the world via email. All of this would be terrible for our society.

I can come up with at least three potential benefits of banning computers, though. First, repressive governments would find it easier to prevent the spread of information and opinions. Without computers, people would have to spread opinions through actually talking to one another or printed materials. It is harder to spread information and ideas this way than through computers, making it is easier for the government to crack down on people spreading information. Thus, some repressive governments might like to ban computers.

Secondly, if we ban computers, we would open up many more jobs for people. If there were no computers, we would again need large numbers of secretaries, typists, and clerks in every office. They would be needed for filing papers and finding papers people needed. We would need more people to do the jobs of machines currently controlled by computers. There would be many more jobs in these areas than we have now. Of course, we would lose all the jobs that we have that depend on computers, so this might not be a net benefit.

Finally, we could argue banning computers would make our society more human once more. Today, people can avoid face-to-face interactions with other people more than ever before. They can also say horrible things anonymously through the internet. These behaviors make our society worse because they loosen the bonds between people. If we banned computers, we might have a more civil and polite society in which people interacted more with one another than we do now.

These are some possible benefits of banning computers, though such an idea is surely absurd in today’s world.

Why was Frederick Douglass not sure when he was born?

Frederick Douglass did not know when he was born because slaves were not told their birth dates.

One of the differences between black children and white children was that white children knew their birth dates and black children did not know theirs.  It was a small measure of inequality that was symbolically meaningful.  It indicated that black children were not valuable enough to know the dates they were born or exactly how old they were. 

I have no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing it. By far the larger part of the slaves know as little of their ages as horses know of theirs, and it is the wish of most masters within my knowledge to keep their slaves thus ignorant. (Ch. 1) 

Douglass comments that he never really knew a slave who knew his or her birthday.  They could only tell the time of year in which they were born.  Yet, as a child he wanted to know his birthday, because the white children knew theirs. 

A want of information concerning my own was a source of unhappiness to me even during childhood. The white children could tell their ages. I could not tell why I ought to be deprived of the same privilege. (Ch. 1) 

Even to ask his master his birthday would have been considered inappropriate.  This was “evidence of a restless spirit.”  It annoyed Douglass not to know his exact age.  He was a person, not an animal.  Not telling the slaves their birthdays was another way of subjugating them and keeping them down.

Slaves were not really able to keep accurate records of birth dates among themselves, and it probably was not a priority for them.  They were more interested in surviving than in worrying about things like dates on a calendar.  It was something else that made the whites feel superior.

In “And of Clay Are We Created” by Isabel Allende, where does the narrator spend most of her time while Rolf is with Azucena?

The narrator of “And of Clay We Are Created” by Isabel Allende is the partner of Rolf Carlé. They are together in their home when they are awakened by the news of a volcano eruption in Columbia that causes deadly mudslides in the hillside villages. Rolf hurriedly prepares to travel, as a reporter, to the catastrophic scene. She sat at the kitchen table drinking her coffee and contemplating how she would spend her time while he was gone. What she did not anticipate was the amount of time he would be gone, and what would transpire in those days.

Rolf Carlé was a prestigious news reporter, and therefore was able to quickly reach the scene of the disaster. While he was there, his partner was unable to stay in their home watching him on television. Instead, she went to the National Television station. It was a place she was familiar with because she and Rolf spent time there working on shows.

Many miles away, I watched Rolf Carlé and the girl on a television screen. I could not bear the wait at home, so I went to National Television, where I often spent entire nights with Rolf editing programs.

While being in a newsroom environment, she felt a connection to Rolf, as if she was at the scene of the disaster with him. In the newsroom, she was emotionally spent as she watched his three-day ordeal. In addition, while she was there, she was able to contact both local and national officials to obtain assistance for those affected by the mudslides. These efforts were met with shallow promises, but provided her with a diversion from staring at the news from the scene.

What is the plot of The Prince and the Pauper?

Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper tells the story of two identical young boys: a pauper named Tom Canty and the son of King Henry VIII, Prince Edward. The two boys meet when Tom is caught by guards while exploring the castle grounds and Edward stops them from punishing him. The two boys spend time talking and learning about each others' lives and discover that not only do they look physically identical, but they were also born on the same day. They decide to switch places: Edward leaves the palace in rags and faces the violent abuse of Tom's father, while Tom pretends to be the prince. During their time acting as each other, Edward learns about the cruelty of the judicial system, and Tom causes the palace staff to fear the prince is losing his memory. On the day of Tom's coronation as King Edward VI, Edward reappears at the palace and shows the Great Seal he had stolen to prove his identity. The two switch back to their original lives, with Edward becoming King and naming Tom his ward.

Soda water acidic or basic ?

Q: 

Is soda water (carbonated water) acidic or basic?

A:

Soda water, also called carbonated water, is acidic. 

We know that carbonated water is acidic based of its pH, which is a way to measure how acidic or basic a given substance is, which is caused by the hydrogen ions (charged hydrogen) in the substance. The pH level of carbonated water ranges between 3 and 4, where a pH of 7 is neutral, a pH of 14 is highly basic, and a pH of 0 is highly acidic. This is relatively acidic and gives soda water a distinctive "bite" or sour taste. In fact, carbonated water is acidic enough that some studies have shown it to slightly degrade tooth enamel. 

Carbonated water is water (chemical formula `H_2O`) with carbon dioxide gas (chemical formula `CO_2`) dissolved in it through injection. Interestingly, some amount of this carbon dioxide will react with the water to form a third compound called carbonic acid (chemical formula `H_2CO_3`). This acid is responsible for the low pH (acidity) of soda water. 

What are some quotes that show that Jem is a protective brother to Scout in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird?

Jem shows that he is a protective brother on Scout's first day of school. Scout is offended when Miss Caroline tells her to instruct Atticus to stop teaching her to read, and Jem responds, “Don’t worry, Scout...Our teacher says Miss Caroline’s introducing a new way of teaching" (page 17). Jem mistakenly calls this new method of instruction the Dewey Decimal System, but he is trying to reassure Scout about Miss Caroline's strange methods of teaching and to be comforting on Scout's first day of school. Later, in Chapter 4, Jem pushes Scout in a tire until she stops right in front of the Radleys' house, which they fear. Jem, out of ignorance about the Radleys but also out of a sense of protection, yells at Scout to run away as quickly as she can from the Radleys' place. He clearly cares about her safety.

At the very end of the book, Jem is also protective towards Scout when she fails to come in on cue during the Halloween pageant. Jem reassures Scout about her performance, and Scout thinks, "Jem was becoming almost as good as Atticus at making you feel right when things went wrong" (page 262). Jem also waits for Scout backstage until everyone else goes home so that Scout can be spared seeing anyone in the audience; that is why they head home alone and fall prey to Bob Ewell. 

Why are mitochondria circular in shape ?

Mitochondria don't really have a fixed shape, and so it would be imprecise to call them "circular." Furthermore, circles are two-dimensional shapes, like you would draw on a piece of paper, and mitochondria are three-dimensional objects; the appropriate term would be "spherical" if we want to describe them as being a circular three-dimensional object.

In most textbooks, mitochondria are depicted as being something like a sausage, oval or elongated circle, and usually in cross section to reveal the numerous and intricate foldings of their membrane, where ATP synthesis takes place. Mitochondria may even be tube-like. The point is that mitochondria are dynamic, meaning they respond to stimuli, and their shape seems to depend strongly upon the type of cell they're in, the immediate environment around them, the age and condition of the organism, and amount of energy demanded of them.

If mitochondria, at any location or time in their life, are spherical, this may simply be a matter of efficiency. The sphere is the most compact and surface-to-volume-ratio-efficient shape that the mitochondrion can take while retaining its function and identity, and the balance between volume, surface area and ATP production is a careful balance that may favor multiple spherical mitochondria in one circumstance, or fewer, elongated mitochondria in another. 

Other possibilities not related to the functionality of a spherical shape include the chance that we're seeing the mitochondrion during division or fusion, or we may be seeing a cross-section of a more elongated mitochondrion that appears circular from that particular plane. 

Why does Portia lie to Lorenzo and tell him that she is going to a monastery in Act three, Scene 4?

In Act three, Scene 4, Lorenzo praises Portia for being noble and understanding in regards to her husband's friendship with Antonio. Portia responds by saying that she never regrets doing a good thing and proceeds to tell Lorenzo that she will be leaving him in charge of her household until Bassanio returns. Portia lies to Lorenzo by telling him that she has made a secret vow to God to live in prayer and contemplation alone until her husband returns. She also says that she and Nerissa will be staying at a monastery two miles away and nobody is to bother them while they are there. The reason Portia lies to Lorenzo is because she plans on traveling to Venice where she will dress up and impersonate Doctor Balthazar in order to influence Antonio and Shylock's court case. Portia does not want Lorenzo or anybody else knowing that she is leaving Belmont, which is why she tells Lorenzo that she needs to be alone in the monastery.

What is a suitable alternate title for "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry?

I believe that the question is asking for an alternate title for O. Henry's short story "The Gift of the Magi."  

You could really come up with just about anything as long as it relates to the story. Obviously, some titles will be better than others.

The story is about Jim and Della, so a possible title could be "Jim and Della." That's not that terrible of a title. I can think of several other stories that are titled after characters in the story. Thelma and Louise, Rocky Balboa, Bonnie and Clyde, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are all titles that feature character names only.  

You could base the title on the theme of selfless love. "A True Gift of Love" or "Selfless Love" could both work.  

You could even borrow Haddaway's "What is Love?" song title for the story. Of course, you would then get a really catchy song stuck in your head every time that you think of Jim and Della.