List three places in the body where mitosis takes place.

Mitosis will take place any where in the body except in locations where meiosis is occurring.  Meiosis is the process by which sex cells are created.  In other words, meiosis produces gametes that each have half of a person's genetic information.  

Mitosis doesn't produce haploid gametes.  Mitosis produces diploid copies of existing cells.  You can think of mitosis as cellular cloning.  When your body needs more of a certain type of cell, the cell goes through mitosis.  For example, when you lift weights, you actually tear the muscle fibers.  Your body needs to generate more muscle cells in order to fill in those tears.  

So muscle cells go through mitosis, produce copies of muscle cells, and the muscle tears are filled in.  Your skin is constantly going through mitosis as it generates layer after layer of fresh skin cells.  Your hair does the same thing.  Your digestive system is a high friction environment, so its existing cells are constantly being rubbed away.  The cells are constantly going through mitosis in order to replace the lost cells.  

What do George Wilson's interactions with Tom reveal about him in The Great Gatsby?

During their interactions, George Wilson affords the wealthy Buchanan credibility because of his socio-economic position, believing Tom to be superior to him. Because he is deluded about his wife Myrtle, Wilson never suspects Tom of being her lover.

Much like Gatsby, George Wilson is a dreamer who unrealistically affords people virtues they do not possess. Certainly, he puts more faith in his wife than he should, and he cowers to Tom Buchanan. For instance, he asks Tom when he is going to sell him a car promised him, not realizing that Buchanan uses this promise merely as a pretense to come by and let his mistress, George's wife Myrtle, know that he is going to New York City so she can meet him.  

"Hello, Wilson, old man," said Tom.... "How's business?"
"I can't complain," answered Wilson unconvincingly. "When are you going to sell me that car?"
"Next week; I've got my man working on it now."
"Works pretty slow, don't he?"
"No, he doesn't," said Tom coldly. "And if you feel that way about it maybe I'd better sell it somewhere else after all."

Clearly, George Wilson is a weak, submissive man who is defeated by his poverty and lack of success. He places hope in the wealthy Tom, believing that his association with Buchanan will somehow help him break from his life in the Valley of Ashes.

What is the impact that the Indian Removal Act (Trail of Tears) has on the modern Cherokee tribes?

The Indian Removal Act has had an impact on the Cherokee Tribe to this day. The Indian Removal Act forced many Native American tribes that were living east of the Mississippi River to relocate to the lands west of the Mississippi River. The Trail of Tears refers to the path of the forced relocation and the resulting suffering and death that resulted.

The Cherokee were impacted significantly by the law and by the Trail of Tears. About 4,000 Cherokee died as they were being relocated to the land west of the Mississippi River. This loss of life impacted future generations. Family sizes were reduced leading to fewer Cherokee being born. The Cherokee also realized they couldn’t trust the government. They had an agreement with the federal government through previous treaties that said they could stay on their land. However, those agreements weren't honored. To this day, there is a distrust of the federal government by Native American tribes, including the Cherokee.

Native American tribes also use the Trail of Tears as a remembrance of what their ancestors endured. This is something that is taught to every Native American child. This experience has also taught the Cherokee about adapting to changing conditions, just as their ancestors did years ago.

The Indian Removal Act has impacted and still impacts the Cherokee.

Who are Gandhi and Copernicus in A Wrinkle in Time?

Gandhi and Copernicus are just two of the holy people who are endeavoring to fight the Black Thing that has enveloped Earth. The children see this fact as they stare into the crystal ball in chapter five. The children's guides (Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which) have known that the Black Thing (which most resembles a dark cloud) has been blanketing the earth for quite some time. These holy people are the ones trying to fight the cloud, mostly with the feeling of love for one's neighbor, which can be determined by either action or art. For example, Jesus is probably the most important of the "fighters" mentioned here; however, both Gandhi and Copernicus are mentioned as well. Others in the mix are Buddha, Einstein, Michelangelo, Bach, Rembrandt, etc. All of them have endeavored to overcome the evil that the Black Thing represents. Now Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin (as well as their father) become some of those "holy people" as well.

Is the following sentence true or false? Acceleration refers to increasing speed, decreasing speed, or changing direction.

Acceleration by definition is the rate of change of velocity per unit of time (example: how much faster an object is traveling each second). Velocity is a description of the speed and direction of an object. Often times we only think of velocity as being how fast an object is traveling, but it also includes direction. This is why velocity can end up being a negative number when solving physics problems. In general, an object traveling downward or westward (to the left) will have a negative velocity.

Thus, any time something about the velocity is changing (its speed or its direction), the object will be experiencing acceleration. So, if an object is slowing down, it has acceleration. Slowing down is sometimes referred to as deceleration or negative acceleration. If an object is speeding up, it has acceleration. If an object is changing direction in any way, it has acceleration. 

I hope this helps!

How many events occur in the story "The Pit and the Pendulum"?

When one reads a short story, one can think of it in terms of the story arc, that is, the rising action, climax, and falling action. These events are related to the plot and follow the development and resolution of the conflict. Another way to think of a story is to follow the story line, that is, to follow the events of a story in chronological order. This will give an understanding of what happens in the story, whereas following the plot helps one understand why things happen.

In Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Pit and the Pendulum," the main events unfold as follows:

1. The narrator is tried and sentenced.

2. The man wakes up in a dark dungeon; he tries to determine how large it is and what its features are by walking around the perimeter.

3. The man falls asleep, then wakes to continue his exploration. He trips and finds his face hanging over the edge of a pit.

4. The man drinks and sleeps from the drugged liquid. When he wakes up he can see the cell. He finds himself strapped to a low table.

5. The pendulum above him begins to swing and slowly descend for days. 

6. When the blade gets very near his chest, the man escapes by rubbing meat on his bonds, which causes the rats to chew through them.

7. Upon his escape, the pendulum is withdrawn upwards. The walls begin to heat up and close in on him.

8. Just as he is about to be forced into the pit by the moving walls, he hears noises, and the walls are drawn back. He has been rescued by General LaSalle.

Much of the story involves the thoughts of the man as he undergoes the psychological agonies involved in the torture. The main events are relatively few and straightforward; the suspense occurs as the reader participates with the main character in the fears and mental torture his captors inflict on him. 

In To Kill a Mockingbird, how does Harper Lee use Calpurnia's actions in dealing with Tim Johnson to show the subtle discrimination prevalent in...

In Chapter 10, Jem and Scout are walking down the street with their air rifles when they spot an old dog named Tim Johnson walking awkwardly down the road. Jem runs home and tells Calpurnia, the Finch's cook, that Tim Johnson is limping when he walks. Calpurnia goes outside and sees Tim Johnson staggering down the street. She immediately recognizes that the dog has rabies. She runs to the phone and informs Atticus. Then she calls the operator, Eula May, and tells her to call everyone on the street and tell them a "mad dog's comin'." (Lee 124) Calpurnia asks Jem if the Radleys have a phone, and he tells her they don't. Calpurnia runs over to the Radley's front porch and begins to knock on their door. At this moment, Harper Lee portrays the subtle discrimination in the small Southern towns. Scout says to Jem, "She's supposed to go around in back" and Jem says, "Don't make any difference now." (Lee 124) In 1930's Alabama, it was forbidden for African Americans to enter through the front door of a white person's home. Jim Crow laws reached every aspect of society, and Scout's comment subtly displays this racial discrimination. The smallest routines affected the way African Americans interacted with white people. Sitting in the back of the bus, standing to let a white person sit, and entering through back doors were commonplace rules African Americans had to follow in Southern towns.

How does Marlow feel when he encounters the howling and dancing tribesmen outside Kurtz' station in Heart of Darkness?

This scene takes place during the night before Marlow and his men evacuate Kurtz from his hellish station in the heart of the jungle. While it's difficult to know exactly what's going through Marlow's mind at this point, it's possible to assume that in this moment, Marlow truly believes that he has stumbled upon the "heart of darkness." 

Conrad's image of the tribesmen in the forest after Kurtz is taken away is probably one of the most disturbing images in the book. The shapes of the figures in the woods take on a nearly hellish aspect, and so it's accordingly possible to interpret this moment as a metaphorical representation of the depraved, devilish lifestyle Kurtz has devoted himself to. Indeed, it's possible to assume that the scene in the woods is a personification of a "heart of darkness," and specifically Kurtz' heart of darkness.

In making this claim, it's important to recognize the potentially racist undertones of Conrad's metaphor. While Conrad certainly spends much of the novella criticizing white colonialism, it's also important to recognize that he uses the black natives as a representation of the primitive and depraved instincts at the heart of human nature. Unloading this assumption onto a particular race is troubling, as it attempts to argue that black Africans are closer to the primordial beginnings of humanity than whites. As such, it's important to carefully weigh Conrad's work, recognizing its artistic merits alongside its racially-charged baggage.  

What did Hulga/Joy and Manley Pointer have in common?

One of the ironies of "Good Country People" is how alike Hulga and Manley Pointer are. As Mrs. Freeman states, "Some people are more alike than others," and that applies to Mrs. Hopewell's daughter and the Bible salesman. Here are some of their similarities:

1. Both have an assumed name: Joy has changed her name to Hulga, and Manley Pointer tells Hulga at the end of the story that "Pointer" is not his real name.

2. Both dress oddly: Hulga's favorite outfit is "a six-year-old skirt and a yellow sweat shirt," and Manley wears a "bright blue suit and yellow socks."

3. Both have "a heart condition": Hulga is not expected to live past 45 years of age because of her "weak heart," and Manley informs Mrs. Hopewell that he may not live long because he has "this heart condition," although that was certainly a lie. In each case the physical heart condition represents a spiritual heart condition, however, since each is morally sick.

4. Both think "serious" thoughts; Hulga has her philosophy and derides her mother for "never looking inside," and Manley tells Hulga, "I think a lot."

5. Both are atheists and believe in nothing: Hulga has taken a PhD in philosophy and reads nihilistic writings, and Manley says to Hulga in his parting words, "I been believing in nothing ever since I was born!" 

6. Hulga and Manley each plot to seduce the other.

7. Both of them have a sick, twisted sense of humor. Hulga thinks her ugly sweatshirt is funny and thinks her plan to seduce Manley is "a great joke." Manley tells stupid jokes to Mrs. Hopewell and Hulga, and he no doubt thinks his fake Bible, his fake deck of cards, and his stealing Hulga's leg are quite funny as well. 

By the time readers get to the end of the story, it has become quite clear that neither Hulga nor Manley is "good country people." 

Why is halite crystalline?

Halite is rock salt composed of sodium chloride. The reason it is crystalline in structure is related to the type of bonding that occurs between sodium atoms and chlorine atoms.

The type of bond that forms is called an ionic bond between sodium and chlorine. What occurs is that sodium has 1 valence electron in its third shell and chlorine has 7 valence electrons in its third shell. Sodium transfers its atom to chlorine.  This occurs because the two atoms are very unequal in their attraction for valence electrons. 

Once this occurs, the sodium will have a net positive charge and is called a cation and the chlorine will have a net negative charge and is called an anion. Because of the difference in charge, these atoms are attracted to one another forming an ionic bond.

Salts like sodium chloride are ionic compounds. They are often found as crystals in nature. Halite forms when seawater evaporates. The atoms in rock salt arrange themselves symmetrically in a cube shape and the opposite charges of sodium and chlorine help to maintain the atoms in their crystalline lattice.

I have attached a link showing the arrangement of sodium and chlorine atoms in rock salt which is organized and stable resulting in its crystalline structure.

What is a quote in the book Of Mice and Men describing Curley's wife?

Curley's wife first appears in the bunkhouse in Chapter Two.

Both men glanced up, for the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off. A girl was standing there looking in. She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages. She wore a cotton house dress and red mules, on the insteps of which were little bouquets of red ostrich feathers. "I'm lookin' for Curley," she said. Her voice had a nasal, brittle quality.

George looked away from her and then back. "He was in here a minute ago, but he went."

"Oh!" She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward. "You're the new fellas that just come, ain't ya?"

Curley's wife is very young. She gives the false impression that she is flirtatious and probably promiscuous. The fact is that she has fantasies about becoming a movie star, as she reveals to Lennie in the barn shortly before he kills her. She is trying out her sex appeal on the only audience available to her--the men who work on the ranch. She has nothing to do with her time except to read movie magazines and experiment with her appearance and mannerisms. When she puts her hands behind her back and leans against the door frame so that her body is thrown forward, this is a pose she is evidently copying from a picture she saw in some fan magazine. She does this in order to make her breasts seem larger than they actually are. Her makeup and her shoes with ostrich feathers are out of place in this environment and betray the fact that she is very young and very ignorant. She started hanging around a dance hall in Salinas when she was only fifteen and has probably never been to high school. Curley has a big inferiority complex because of his small size. He probably married this young girl because he does not know whether he could relate to an older woman. Most of the men consider her a potential troublemaker. Lennie, however, is enchanted.

Lennie's eyes moved down over her body, and though she did not seem to be looking at Lennie she bridled a little.

The fact that she "bridled a little" seems to suggest that she is only a little girl playing at being a sexy movie star like Jean Harlow. She wants to be admired, but she doesn't really want anything more than that from any of these men. Her behavior causes her husband Curley to be jealous and suspicious of every man on the ranch. This foreshadows future trouble.

George looked around at Lennie. "Jesus, what a tramp," he said. "So that's what Curley picks for a wife."

"She purty," said Lennie defensively.

George is immediately apprehensive. Lennie is showing an interest in something besides mice and rabbits. 

"Listen to me, you crazy bastard," he said fiercely. "Don't you even take a look at that bitch. I don't care what she says and what she does. I seen 'em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her. You leave her be."

Lennie will remember George's anger and George's orders when he is alone with Curley's wife in the barn. Lennie won't let go of the girl's soft hair and she won't stop struggling and screaming. Lennie realizes he is getting into just the sort of trouble that George warned him against, and he accidentally kills the frail girl in a desperate attempt to stop her from screaming. This tragic event is foreshadowed by the girl's first appearance in the doorway of the bunkhouse.

Why is Jerry no longer interested in the French boys at the end of the story?

At the beginning of the story, Jerry strongly desires the acceptance of these boys. The narrator tells us

They were of that coast, all of them burned smooth dark brown, and speaking a language he did not understand.  To be with them, of them, was a craving that filled his whole body [....;] as he preserved his nervous, uncomprehending smile, they understood that he was a foreigner strayed from his own beach, and they proceeded to forget him. But he was happy. He was with them.

These boys are older than Jerry, and he very much wants to be on their level. Their cool turn-taking and nonchalance about swimming underwater through the rock frightens Jerry and makes him feel different from, lesser than, them. The tunnel through the rock can be read as a symbol of the passage to adulthood, and these "big boys -- men to Jerry" pass through it with ease, whereas Jerry knows there is no way he could even attempt such a feat now. He understands, after his fruitless attempts to draw their attention back to him, that 

They were leaving to get away from him.  He cried openly, fists in his eyes. There was no one to see him, and he cried himself out.

Like a child, he cries when he sees that he is not equal to them, not accepted by them as a peer.  

By the end of the story, however, Jerry has made a plan in order to be able to swim through the rock as the "big boys" have done. He has practiced and worked hard, and still he holds off attempting the feat because he wants to be sure he is really prepared. The narrator says, "A curious, most unchildlike persistence, a controlled impatience, made him wait." Jerry is beginning to develop from a child into an adult. He now looks back on the beach he used to play on with his mother as "a place for small children [...]. It was not his beach."

In the end, after he has literally bled and nearly died to achieve what the older boys accomplished so easily, "He did not want them." Jerry has realized that he's not quite ready to be one of the big boys yet; he's not ready to be an adult (though he has begun the process of developing into one).  This realization is further supported by Jerry's childish behavior with his mother in the final lines. Calling her "Mummy" (as a child would), and clearly hoping for her praise, he blurts out that he can now hold his breath for almost three minutes. He no longer seeks the approbation of the older boys; he is content with his mother's praise, as a child would likely be, because he recognizes that he just isn't ready to be "a man" yet.

Should mercury be considered a metal?

Mercury is classified as a metal because it follows all of the physical and chemical properties of other metals. Mercury just happens to have a very low melting point so at room temperature it is a liquid. Other metals have higher melting points so they remain solid at room temperature. Some metals, such as caesium, gallium and rubidium, have melting points that are just above room temperature and can easily become liquid. Mercury can be made solid, you just have to freeze it at a temperature of about -38 degrees Celsius (or about -36 degrees Fahrenheit). 

Just like other metals, Mercury has a metallic luster, can conduct heat and electricity, is malleable and ductile (although you will need to freeze it to see these properties), and is opaque. 

So, Mercury is a metal because it has all of the properties we use to define metals. It just so happens that one of its physical properties, melting point, is very low so we usually see it in its liquid form.

In your opinion, what can law enforcement do to be more effective when investigating possible serial killings?

First, one should note that law enforcement officers obviously try extremely hard to catch murderers. There are no quick and simple solutions which law enforcement agencies are not already thinking about and trying to implement. There are, however, some areas where it might be possible to improve current procedures.

The first area is how information technology is used. Unlike a single murder, serial killings can span a long period and many geographical regions. To investigate them requires seamless access to information systems that are often run by multiple agencies. Cooperation across multiple jurisdictions is essential.

Improvements in information technology use and especially in the ability to create queries that will search a wide range of databases would be useful. Using a statistical technique called "cluster analysis" on victims can be particularly useful as well to identify serial killings. 

The key problem in catching serial killers is that many have no intrinsic connections to their victims, making it very difficult to find a starting point for investigation. What is most likely to help is using big data, but this can be problematic as it might involve such things as using facial recognition software to sort through millions of images from traffic cameras or store security cameras near where murders took place, but the level of surveillance necessary to provide such data might also be considered a violation of people's right to privacy, as such surveillance would obviously include millions of images of law abiding citizens. 

What does "abject" mean as it is used in the sentence?

As it's used in the story, "abject" means "desperate" or "despicable and low."

Let's take a look at it in context:

"After all, I had already fallen in love with the savage brat, the parents were contemptible to me. In the ensuing struggle they [the parents] grew more and more abject, crushed, exhausted while she surely rose to magnificent heights of insane fury of effort bred of her terror of me."

As you can see here, the sentence is saying that the parents are losing the fight. They're getting beaten, and they're really tired. They're basically sinking down into a desperate, despicable struggle as they try to get their daughter to comply with the doctor's throat exam. At the same time, Mathilda herself is doing the opposite of what her parents are doing: they're sinking down low and losing, but she's rising up high and winning, temporarily keeping the doctor out of her throat.

So, the Olsons are abject: they're low, despicable, and absolutely desperate in this situation. 

"Abject" can also mean "utter or total" in other contexts, but as this one makes it clear, the parents are abject in the sense of "low and desperate."

You can remember "abject" and its meaning by understanding its roots and by comparing it to words you already know that have "ject" in them. "Ab-" means "down" or "away," and "ject" means "throw." So, something abject is "thrown down" or "thrown away" in the sense that it's very low down. Compare that to what you already know about "inject" ("thrown in,") "reject" ("throw out" or "throw back") and "eject" ("throw out.")

Is Descartes' argument for the existence of God circular?

In his Meditations on First Philosophy, René Descartes actually offers three distinct proofs of God's existence. While none of them are circular, they do posit claims that Descartes thinks self evident but are not universally acknowledged as either self-evident or true by many other philosophers.

First, Descartes proffers what is called the ontological argument for the existence of God. This starts with the notion that we conceive of God as perfect. Since existence is more perfect than non-existence, our conception of God must include a conception of his existence. While this is not circular per se, it is problematic in treating existence as a quality, assuming that something we can conceive must exist, ands assuming that existence is necessarily more perfect than non-existence (some modern theologians, in fact, argues that the perfection of God lies precisely in the way God differs from existing things).

Descartes' other two arguments rely on the notion of causation. First, for me to exist as a being with ideas about God, there must be some cause to that existence. That cause must be external to me, prior to me, and greater than me. Thus we need to posit God as a cause to account for our existing as beings with concepts of God. 

In both ontological and causal arguments for God, the problem is not circularity so much as confusing epistemology (our knowledge of something) with ontology (the existence of that thing). We can imagine Pegasus, or Zeus, or Harry Potter, but most of us would claim that those things do not "exist" outside our own imaginations. The problem is far from intractable, as either we can start refining our concept of existence to make it encompass all possible objects of thought or we can argue for God as a necessary ground for knowledge, but neither of these are precisely the arguments set forth by Descartes.

When did the Odysseus's adventure with the Cyclops happen?

Odysseus narrates the story of his dealings with Polyphemus, the Cyclops, in Book IX of The Odyssey.  Odysseus is speaking to King Alcinous of Phaeacia, telling him and his family the story of where he has been since the end of the Trojan War.  In his telling of this history, when his crew left Troy, they first landed in Ismarus, and -- long story short -- they partied a little too hard, got very drunk, and they were attacked by the Ciconians.  His men fought hard, but six from every ship were lost. 

After this, they drifted for many days and eventually found themselves in the land of the Lotus-eaters.  There, being cautious, Odysseus sent only three men to investigate the inhabitants of this land, and when they tasted the lotus flower offered to them by the natives, they no longer wanted to go home.  Odysseus had to drag them back to the ship.

Next, after their experience with the Lotus-eaters, his crew landed on the island of the Cyclopes, and it was then that Odysseus and his men have their run in with Polyphemus, the Cyclops and son of Poseidon.

Who are the major trading partners of modern African nations?

Africa is a large continent with over fifty individual nations. The economic development and trade potential varies from place to place. South Africa is the largest producer of gold and diamonds in the world and trades with most of the developed countries of the West and Asia. Nigeria is the largest oil producer in Africa and is a member of the petroleum cartel of Oil Producing and Exporting Countries. In that capacity, Nigeria is a player in global trade. Many parts of Africa are not well developed and rely on trade for food. The United States has a partnership with Africa that is called Trade Africa. It focuses on traded with sub-Saharan Africa.

Many developed countries have invested a lot of capital to the emerging countries of Africa. Trade with Germany, Japan, and China has had a positive effect on Africa.

What was the minister's name? What was the fiance's name?

The minister’s name is Reverend Hooper, and he is the main protagonist of the short story, “The Minister’s Black Veil”. Reverend Hooper appears at church one Sunday wearing a black veil hiding his face as he gives a sermon about sin. His appearance is odd to the congregation who begins to wonder why their minister is hiding his face from them.  Rumors begin to spread about what secret Hooper is hiding and an unrequited love is a speculation.  However, Reverend Hooper is engaged to Elizabeth who tries to get him to remove the veil, and he refuses. Elizabeth breaks off the engagement because of Hooper’s behavior and because he will not confide in her about his reasons for wearing the veil.  Hooper becomes more and more ostracized from society, and he later becomes ill.  However, the nice and caring Elizabeth is his deathbed nurse who implores him to once again take off the mask.  Reverend Hooper, however, dies with the veil on saying, “. . . deem me a monster, for the symbol beneath which I have lived, and die! I look around me, and, lo! on every visage a Black Veil!"  It is at the end of the story that we learn that Hooper’s black veil is not only a symbol of his own sin, but a symbol of everyone’s sin.

Compare igneous and sedimentary rocks?

There are three types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic. Igneous rocks are the primary rocks and are formed by solidification of molten magma. Depending on whether the cooling of magma takes place above the Earth's surface or underneath it, the igneous rocks can have fine or coarse texture. Igneous rock formation involves phase change of matter: from liquid to solid. Some examples of igneous rocks are basalt, granite, etc.

In comparison, sedimentary rocks are formed by erosion and transportation of existing rocks. Water, wind, etc., erode the existing rocks and transport the eroded material to new regions, where such material is deposited. Over time, rocks are formed by cementing of this material. Sedimentary rocks are the secondary rocks, since they are formed from existing rocks. A prominent feature of sedimentary rocks is the layering of material. Some examples of sedimentary rocks are shale, sandstone, etc.

Hope this helps. 

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Tom makes a fatal mistake in his testimony to Mr. Gilmer by saying he felt sorry for Mayella. Why is this...

In To Kill a Mockingbird, set in Alabama around 1935, Tom Robinson is an African American on trial for the alleged rape of a young white woman named Mayella Ewell. This is enough to seal Tom's fate, not anything he says. One could say Tom's fate was sealed once Mayella kissed him while her father was looking through the window. Others might argue that the fatal choice was when Tom bolted for the prison fences without allowing Atticus the chance to appeal the conviction. What he says to Mr. Gilmer on cross-examination doesn't do anything more than cause a cringe-worthy and awkward moment. Had someone taken out a gun and shot Tom right then and there for saying he was sorry for Mayella, then one could argue that the comment was fatal. As it is, though, the awkward moment is as follows:

"Mr. Gilmer smiled grimly at the jury. 'You're a might good fellow, it seems--did all this for not one penny?'

'Yes, suh. I felt right sorry for her, she seemed to try more'n the rest of 'em--'

'You felt sorry for her, you felt sorry for her?' Mr. Gilmer seemed ready to rise the ceiling.

The witness realized his mistake and shifted uncomfortably in the chair. But the damage was done. Below us, nobody liked Tom Robinson's answer. Mr. Gilmer paused a long time to let it sink in" (197). 

Even though his comment is not necessarily fatal, this certainly is the wrong thing to say for a couple of reasons. First, the truth hurts. The Southern white people in the courtroom believe that they are better than black people on all accounts, so they were shocked to hear such an uncommonly heard statement. Second, by Tom saying he felt sorry for her, he was pretty much saying he was in a higher position/status in life. It makes one wonder if they were more insulted that he actually was in a higher moral and ethical position in his life than Mayella, or if they were simply offended that he vocalized it. 

The lengthy deliberation and Atticus's comment about it are other pieces of evidence that show Tom's comment wasn't fatal. Atticus says the following when Jem says the jury made up its mind quickly:

"No it didn't. . . That was the one thing that made me think, well, this may be the shadow of a beginning. That jury took a few hours. An inevitable verdict, maybe, but usually it takes 'em just a few minutes" (222).

The jury was going to convict Tom Robinson no matter what awkward comments he said. Atticus even says the conviction was inevitable. Plus, if the awkward comment had been the clincher, the jury would not have taken as long as it did to deliberate. 

Who is Mrs. MacIsaac in Fall on Your Knees?

In Ann-Marie MacDonald's multigenerational saga Fall on Your Knees, Mrs. MacIsaac is the wife of the store owner (Mr. MacIsaac). James Piper, the father in the story, visits MacIsaac's store for provisions, though he does not want to speak to many people in town (as they shun him for being a scab and working during a strike).

When James visits MacIsaac's store on page 57, MacIsaac asks him about his wife, Materia, who plays the piano. James does not appreciate Materia's talents, and he is very angry when MacIsaac asks after his daughter, Kathleen (as James is very protective of her, to the point of obsession). MacIsaac and his wife do not have any children. When James leaves the store, Mrs. MacIsaac says, "We shouldn't let Piper set foot in here" (page 58). She does not like him because he is a scab. MacIsaac, however, tolerates James because he does not want to punish James's family for the mistakes that James has made. Later, on page 69, Mrs. MacIsaac worries about Materia, who is very pregnant and heading to church with her two children. She worries that Materia is too religious. Later on page 283, the reader learns that Mrs. MacIsaac has died and that many people are surprised that Mr. MacIsaac hasn't, as he has a drinking problem. He goes on to live a long life after giving up drinking. 

What does nick learn about Jordan Baker after he has spent some time with her in The Great Gatsby?

After he has been going around with Jordan Baker, who is a golf champion and plays in tournaments, Nick learns that she cheated in her first big tournament.

As Gatsby's neighbor, Nick has been extended an invitation to one of the large and lingering galas on the "blue lawns" of Gatsby's property where tents have been erected and tables set up to hold the lavish foods. While he is there, he encounters Jordan Baker again, and he visits with her. After this meeting, Nick

...lost sight of Jordan Baker, and then in midsummer I found her again.

He narrates that he was not in love with her, but he was flattered to be with her because of her fame as a golf champion, whose name everyone knew. Later, Nick notices that Jordan always wears a "bored, haughty face"; such a face always hides something, he observes. That something is an incident which Nick himself recalls--Jordan had moved her ball from a "bad lie," a difficult position, in the semi-final round of a tournament. Indeed, there was almost a real scandal, but for some unknown reasons, the caddy retracted his statement, and the other witness said he might have been mistaken (Chapter 3). Further, Nick describes Jordan as "incurably dishonest," but it was something in a woman that he does not "blame deeply. I was casually sorry and then I forgot."

Later on after becoming emotionally involved with her, but disillusioned with the East Egg group, Nick wishes to return to the Midwest and disassociate himself from the East. Nick has learned that Jordan Baker is a "bad driver," meaning that she is mendacious, incurably dishonest, and he breaks off his relationship with her.

What are the functions of all these machines (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon)?

In Aldous Huxley's dystopian novel Brave New World, these five terms that you list do appear quite frequently. However, they do not refer to machines; rather, they refer to social classes into which this new society is divided. 

Much like the Indian caste system, these five classes of Brave New World are immutable and strictly separated; people cannot move between classes, and they rarely, if ever, interact with people in classes other than their own. Each class is distinguished by the color of its garb, its daily responsibilities, and its living situation, but the differences between the classes are reinforced less so by these everyday banalities and moreso by the ways in which their fetuses are influenced prior to birth and by the effects of hypnopaedia. 

Alphas are the highest class, and Epsilons are the lowest class, with the three other classes progressing in from highest to lowest in the following order: Beta, Gamma, and Delta. 

Why does Holden envision himself in a movie scene shooting Maurice with an automatic weapon? What does this fantasy suggest about Holden?

This particular passage in The Catcher in the Rye comes at the end of Chapter 14, following Holden's interaction with the prostitute, Sunny. Holden arranges with Maurice to have a prostitute sent up to his room; when she arrives, she turns out to be a very young girl, Sunny. Instead of making Holden feel less depressed, or more grown-up, or "sexy" as he puts it, Sunny's presence just makes him feel more depressed.

When Sunny returns with Maurice, to collect the additional five dollars they believe they are owed, Maurice insults and punches Holden. Instead of the interaction with Sunny alleviating Holden's depression and helping him feel adult, the events of the night leave Holden feeling like a helpless child:

All of a sudden I started to cry. I'd give anything if I hadn't, but I did.

When Maurice and Sunny leave, Holden, in his mind's eye, imagines exacting revenge on Maurice by shooting him, as though in a scene from a movie. This is very telling of Holden's state of mind. Holden's reasons for wanting revenge on Maurice are, on the surface, because Maurice insulted Holden, for striking him; but ultimately, what Holden is most upset about is the way in which his interaction with Maurice violated and removed Holden's sense of control.

Throughout the story, Holden has been suffering from a deep depression and an unsettling sensation of loss of control. School has slipped away from him and he cannot control his spiraling moods. The trip to the city, the hotel stay, and the interaction with Sunny were all attempts by Holden to regain his psychological agency, or sense of control. Maurice violently removes this agency. He deflates Holden's attempt at bravado, and reduces him--literally--to a crying child. In his mind, Holden sees himself exacting the ultimate revenge on Maurice, thus controlling the situation, and making Maurice pay for what Holden sees as his contribution to Holden's state of mind.

Based on the book Nickel and Dimed, what were some of the issues experienced related to lack of healthcare insurance?

In Nickel and Dimed, lack of health insurance forces the poor to work through their pain or illness "with gritted teeth." Otherwise, they won't have enough money for groceries or to meet other needs. This leads to a vicious cycle of what Ehrenreich calls "chronic deprivation and relentless low-level punishment."

Ehrenreich sees up close the problems lack of health insurance can cause when her coworker Holly at The Maids, an already unhealthy, underweight young woman of 23, falls down on the job and hurts her ankle. Holly has no health insurance and refuses to go the emergency room. She also refuses to go home, despite being in pain, because she can't afford to lose the day's pay. Ehrenreich also notes how expensive it can be for the poor to buy painkillers and medicine without health insurance. 

When Ehrenreich works at the Hearthside, she meets a 50-something coworker named Lucy. Lucy limps near the end of her shift because something is wrong with her leg, but without health insurance, she can't afford to find out what the problem is. People like Holly and Lucy illustrate how lack of health insurance cause people to let health problems go untreated. When Nickle and Dimed was written, only Medicaid was available to the "desperately poor," and many of the people Ehrenreich worked with either earned too much or didn't apply. Today more people can qualify for subsidized health insurance but many still find it unaffordable, or if they live in a state without expanded Medicaid, unavailable. 

Why does the water in the eastern Pacific get warmer causing the El Niño phenomenon?

Over the Pacific Ocean, westward moving trade winds push the warm water on the surface of the ocean to the west from the east. This causes warm water to accumulate on the west side of the Pacific Ocean. As the warm water from the surface of the eastern Pacific is pushed to the west, cold waters are pushed up towards the surface. Because of this, there is a difference in temperature across the Pacific Ocean, in which the water in the western Pacific is warmer than the water in the east Pacific.

In El Niño, the warm water in the west Pacific heats the air around it, making the warm air rise, causing a circulation of air in which humid, warm air rises in the west Pacific, and cold air descends in the east, effectively bringing rise to east-bound winds, which weaken the westward trade winds. With the weakening of these westward trade winds, less warm water is pushed westward, and less cold water rises to the surface in the east, making the water temperature in the eastern Pacific comparatively warmer compared to its usual temperature. As the westward trade winds get weaker and weaker due to air circulation caused by heating of air in the west, the Pacific Ocean gets warmer and warmer in the east. This effect is El Niño, the (relative) heating of the eastern Pacific.

Given some knowledge of Shakespeare, why would you classify Othello as a tragedy?

Othello is arguably one of William Shakespeare's saddest tragedies. Let's look at two of the primary reasons we can classify Othello as a tragedy.

First, there is the very painful fall of the hero, Othello. We care so deeply for him that his downfall seems that much worse. He is a noble and good man brought down by outside forces that play on his own inner demon, insecurity, which causes him to become blind with jealousy. His tragic flaws, then, are both insecurity and jealousy. These tragic flaws cause him to be what we call a "tragic hero," someone who is brought down by their own imperfection(s).

Second, Othello follows the format of a classic tragedy quite closely.  Aristotle believed a tragedy would unite "Place, Time, and Action" - meaning these would all coincide. While Othello deviates from this formula slightly, it is still pretty close. The majority of the play takes place in the fortress in Cyprus, we have scenes following certain hours of the day, and although there are subplots (not common in a traditional tragedy), these subplots all further the actual plot that affects Othello.

Third 

How does effective communication incorporate the basic elements of communication?

Effective communication takes into account all the basic elements of communication and uses them well. 

• Speaker: Aristotle considered the ethos of the speaker the most significant factor in making a speech persuasive. This includes both extrinsic ethos, in the sense of a speaker's reputation, and intrinsic ethos, or how the speaker portrays him or herself in a speech. For extrinsic ethos, having expertise reflected in advanced degrees or tangible achievements will make a speaker more credible. For intrinsic ethos, using language well (i.e. no grammatical errors, pronouncing words correctly) and being polite and respectful towards your audience contribute to persuasiveness.


• Audience: Communicating effectively requires adapting your message to the nature of your audience. Just as you speak differently to your grandmother than you do to your friends, so the language you use at a frat party is probably not appropriate for a formal business environment.


• Message: Your message should be clearly presented and logically consistent.You should use multiple forms of evidence and argument to support your message and you should stay on topic. 


• Medium: You should choose the most appropriate medium for your audience and message. A short pithy comment might suit Twitter, but a complex discussion of a sensitive topic might be best held in person. 

In the Merchant of Venice (Act 4, Scene 1), explore the balance between justice and mercy in the major characters' contributions to the scene and...

In The Merchant of Venice’s trial scene, Shylock cries for justice: “If you deny me, fie upon your law!” Antonio owes him money, and the bond they drew up allows Shylock to take a pound of his flesh if he did not pay him back on time. Antonio’s friend Bassanio has more than enough money to repay Shylock, but Shylock insists that he stands “for judgment” and “crave[s] the law.” He will have nothing less than his bond.

Portia disguises herself as a lawyer, and both she and the Duke, who is presiding over the case, beg Shylock for mercy (hence, Portia’s famous speech on “the quality of mercy”). However, they also refuse to compromise justice for mercy because they will not break the law in order to grant Antonio a reprieve. Fortunately for Antonio, Portia finds a way to save his life without breaking the bond. The document allows a pound of flesh but “no jot of blood.” It would be impossible for Shylock to take flesh without shedding blood.

Shylock backtracks and asks for the money instead, but Portia uses his sense of justice against him in order to show how cruel justice can be:

For, as thou urgest justice, be assured

Thou shalt have justice, more than thou desirest.

On top of this, Portia points out that Shylock, because he is Jewish, is considered an alien, and it is illegal for an alien to conspire to kill a citizen. She directs Shylock to beg for his life, which the duke grants in order to demonstrate “the difference of our spirits.”

Antonio then shows a kind of mercy to Shylock by allowing him to keep half of his goods, as long as the other half goes to Lorenzo, a Christian who ran off with Shylock’s daughter, and Shylock’s money should go to Lorenzo after his death. In a final blow, Shylock must convert to Christianity. Shylock reluctantly agrees.

In the end, the characters are able to save everyone’s life and even livelihood by combining mercy and justice. However, it is questionable as to how much Shylock’s fate is merciful and how much it is a self-righteous sense of justice.

How does Forster describe "herd instinct" among the British or the Indians in A Passage to India?

Herd instinct, or herd mentality, is an economics term which describes how people are influenced by those around them to adopt certain behaviors, follow trends, and/or purchase items. Forster explores this idea in a few places in A Passage to India. Particularly striking is the courthouse scene.

Mrs. Moore becomes a hero to the Indian people because of her friendliness towards Aziz, and while Adele is in court, a large group of Indians forms and chants, "Esmiss Esmoor" over and over again. It sounds like Mrs. Moore but the words of her name have been changed making it apparent that most of the people do not even know what they are saying or why they are saying it: "...people who did not know what the syllables meant repeated them like a charm."

A mob of Indian people in the courthouse cheer for Adele when she leaves; she is a hero for having stood against her own people in the trial against Aziz: "...she was drawn into a mass of Indians of the shopkeeping class, and carried by them towards the public exit of the court." There is great chaos outside the court. Most of the people outside the courthouse do not know exactly what took place inside. They love Fielding but hate Adele because she made the accusation against Aziz in the first place. Even though Adele has retracted her accusation and Aziz is free, Fielding still has to rescue her from the mob outside.

These examples show that from Forster's point of view, people tend to follow trends without thinking or understanding them. 

Why was it so difficult for the rules to change in The Giver?

In any society it can be difficult to change traditions, rules, or beliefs that have been in place for a long time. This is especially true when no one questions them or the reason they are in place, which is the case in The Giver. The members of the community do not question the rules and therefore are not motivated to change them.

Aside from Jonas, we really do not see anyone else in the community questioning the rules. It is only after Jonas so vehemently reacts to the video of his father releasing the newborn and then refuses to go home again, that the Giver realizes things must change and he needs to do anything he can to help facilitate that change. 

"having you here with me over the past year has made me realize that things must change. For years I've felt that they should, but it seemed so hopeless" (CH. 20).

The Giver has felt this because he knows so much more about the world and about how the community used to be prior to Sameness. The other members of the community do not have this knowledge, however, so they have not become "hopeless" about the current situation and its inability to change. It is only with knowledge, the kind that the Giver and Jonas possess, that the members of the community can begin to understand a different type of world without the rules they currently live under. Without Jonas escaping, the rules probably would not change because there is no motivation for the members of the community to change.

What might Frost be referring to when he declares, “Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back”? (lines 13-15)

In these lines, Frost is referring to choice. Once a person has decided on a particular route, it is doubtful whether one would ever have the opportunity to return to the original choice and thus decide again. This is because once a decision has been made, one is taken on a route where other choices have to be made based on the original decision. One route leads to another and another and so on. In the end, one could be left so far from the original choice that the chance of starting over becomes nearly impossible.

It is this doubtfulness of an original decision that Frost questions in the poem. One can never be quite certain that an initial choice was the right one. There is only the question of, 'What if I had decided differently and taken the other route?' This is true in both a literal and figurative sense. The poem, however, uses the two roads as symbols for life-choices. 

Frost explores the doubtfulness of the choice that he has made in the line:

I shall be telling this with a sigh

The use of 'sigh' is clearly an expression of regret since the speaker has previously exclaimed:

 Oh, I kept the first for another day!

This is further emphasized by the title, 'The Road not Taken.' The focus is, therefore, not on the route the speaker actually took, but on the other. The speaker wonders what the outcome would have been if he had taken the alternative route. There is a tinge of regret that he will never know the answer since he took 'the one less traveled' by.

It is difficult to define what the speaker means by 

And that has made all the difference

since a comparison could not have been made. Because he had decided on a particular route, his choice led to other routes which were determined by his original choice. It is, therefore, impossible that he could have known the difference between the two and what the outcome of taking the other route would have been.

The 'difference' probably lies in the fact that the speaker had actually made a choice. Although he later expresses regret about not knowing what the outcome of deciding on a different path would have been, he stuck to his decision. The difference is that he chose, instead of being bogged down by indecision and not making a choice at all.

Explain the final three stanzas of the poem "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen.

The first stanza of the poem describes the ongoing misery, deprivation, and physical pain of the soldiers fighting in the trenches during World War I. The second stanza, beginning with the line: "Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!" involves a shift of pace and focus from ongoing misery to the sudden panic ensuing from a mustard gas attack. From when the shells are spotted, the soldiers have very little time to equip their gas masks and avoid inhaling the mustard gas. In the poem, most of the soldiers manage to put on their masks in time, but one is too slow and ends up inhaling the gas. 

The third and fourth stanzas describe in excruciating detail the effect of the gas on that soldier. Although his comrades manage to get him in a wagon which will convey him to where he can be treated (although full recovery in cases of severe exposure is not likely), he meanwhile is suffering from agonizing burns of his face, eyes, and lungs. Owen describes him:

white eyes writhing in his face,

His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin; ...

the blood ... gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs, 

This vision prompts Own to say that anyone who had the experience of watching this happen would not describe such injuries or deaths as "sweet and proper".

Compare and contrast Octavius and Antony.

Antony is always characterized as a man who likes physical activities and physical pleasures. He is first shown in Julius Caesar preparing to participate in a footrace. He likes partying and having fun. This characteristic remains consistent throughout Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and his Antony and Cleopatra. It is Antony's hedonism that leads to his downfall at the hands of Octavius when they have their final falling out in Antony and Cleopatra.

Octavius is a much younger man than Antony. Without Antony, Octavius would never have been able to succeed Julius Caesar as his heir. It was Antony's famous funeral speech that turned things around and enabled Octavius to head the triumvirate which eventually overthrew Cassius and Brutus at the battle of Philippi, recording in the last act of Julius Caesar. Without Antony, Octavius would not have been victorious in that battle because he lacked military experience. He appreciates the help and guidance he received from the older man and is willing to share the rule of the Roman Empire with him, until Antony's lasciviousness and negligence leads to a rift which results in the death of Antony and Cleopatra, as dramatized in that play by Shakespeare.

Octavius' character is just about the direct opposite of Antony's. Octavius is very serious, intelligent, calculating, cerebral, abstemious, and practical. This is why he wins sole rulership of the Roman Empire in the end. In Antony and Cleopatra, there is a scene in which the two men are compared by a soothsayer, who very accurately evaluates Octavius and Antony and their relationship.

ANTONY.
Say to me,
Whose fortunes shall rise higher, Caesar's or mine?

SOOTHSAYER.
Caesar's.
Therefore, O Antony, stay not by his side:
Thy demon, that thy spirit which keeps thee, is
Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable,
Where Caesar's is not; but near him thy angel
Becomes a fear, as being o'erpower'd: therefore
Make space enough between you.

ANTONY.
Speak this no more.

SOOTHSAYER.
To none but thee; no more but when to thee.
If thou dost play with him at any game,
Thou art sure to lose; and of that natural luck
He beats thee 'gainst the odds: thy lustre thickens
When he shines by: I say again, thy spirit
Is all afraid to govern thee near him;
But, he away, 'tis noble.

ANTONY.
Get thee gone:
Say to Ventidius I would speak with him:--

[Exit SOOTHSAYER.]

He shall to Parthia.--Be it art or hap,
He hath spoken true: the very dice obey him;--
And in our sports my better cunning faints
Under his chance: if we draw lots, he speeds;
His cocks do win the battle still of mine,
When it is all to nought; and his quails ever
Beat mine, inhoop'd, at odds. I will to Egypt:
And though I make this marriage for my peace,
I' the East my pleasure lies.        (Act 2, Scene 3)

There is no better comparison between Octavius and Antony to be found anywhere than in this exchange between Antony and the Soothsayer. Many readers will relate to Antony's thoughts and feelings. There are some people who make us feel inferior, even when they are supposedly our friends. The Soothsayer gives us good advice when he says, "Make space enough between you."

Macbeth refers to Banquo as a person like Octavius in Shakespeare's play.

There is none but he
Whose being I do fear; and under him
My genius is rebuked, as it is said
Mark Antony's was by Caesar. .    (Act 3, Scene 1)

By "Caesar," Macbeth means Octavius Augustus Caesar, who became the Roman Emperor and sole ruler of the empire after defeating Antony in a battle at sea and in a land battle in Egypt. 

Mark Antony tries to stay away from Octavius, but perhaps he needs someone like Octavius to exercise some restraint on his reckless and licentious character. In Egypt, Cleopatra is too much like Antony. She encourages him to be lazy and self-indulgent. His close associates deplore the way Antony spends all his time fornicating and partying and neglects the responsibilities of running his half of the Roman Empire. Octavius is remarkably tolerant for some reason, perhaps because he is grateful for the help he received from Antony immediately after Julius Caesar's assassination. In the end, it seems inevitable that the older, dissolute Antony, captivated by the cunning, voluptuous Cleopatra, would be defeated by the younger, more disciplined, more selfish and opportunistic Octavius. It is another case of youth winning out over age.

What arguments did Antony use to convince the audience that Caesar was not ambitious in Julius Caesar?

Antony told the audience that Caesar loved them and left them money.

In Antony’s famous funeral oration, he whips the crowd into a frenzy.  His main objective is to convince them that Brutus and the other conspirators are murderers and not liberators.  In order to do this, he has to counter Brutus’s characterization of Caesar as a tyrant.

Because Brutus spoke first, Antony does have an advantage.  He can use Brutus’s words against him.  Brutus made himself out to be a tyrant-killer, telling the audience that they were living as slaves under Caesar.  Antony is aware that some in the audience will be suspicious of what he has to say, so he begins by telling them that he is not dismissing Caesar’s negative qualities. 

I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Caesar. (Act 3, Scene 2)

This statement might have caught some of the audience off guard.  They would have expected to be hearing how great Caesar was from his head crony.  Instead, Antony uses the speech to attack Brutus and the others.  He tells them that if Caesar was ambitious, then he certainly paid for it.

Antony then reframes the conversation, reminding the people of Rome that Caesar made them rich.

He was my friend, faithful and just to me:
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
He hath brought many captives home to Rome
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious? (Act 3, 2)

This is very clever.  Antony is slowly turning the people against Brutus while not actively speaking against him.  By continually referring to Brutus and the others as honorable, he is making the people question that honor.  Antony clearly does not believe that there was anything honorable in what they did.

Antony points out where each conspirator stabbed Caesar.  He is painting them as murderers.  He also positions himself as Caesar’s heir, showing the audience Caesar’s will and telling them how generous he was to them.  Caesar not only made Rome rich, he is making each of them rich.  It shows how much Caesar loved the people of Rome.

It works.  Soon the crowd has not only forgiven Caesar, they have also remembered why he was so popular.  In a whirl of grief and anger, they attack the conspirators.  Antony has won the people over, and Brutus and the others are on the losing side.

Antony is the one who is being ambitious.  Well aware that Caesar's heir, Octavius, is on his way to Rome, Antony positions himself as the leader in Caesar's stead.  By telling the people about the will, he transferred their affection from Caesar to himself. 

What happens when Arnold plays Rowdy in basketball for the first time in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian?

The Wellpinit vs. Reardon basketball game comes just two weeks after Junior makes the Reardon varsity team. Junior knows it will be bad, saying, "Do I have to tell you that I was absolutely sick with fear? I vomited four times that day" (pg 142). 

When the team enters the gym, they are met with an organized stance against Junior. The crowd greets the team by chanting "Ar-nold sucks!" (pg 143). This is particularly important because the crowd is using Junior's "Reardon name" rather than his rez name, demonstrating that they view him as a totally traitor and outsider now. Junior considers not playing, but the sight of his family in the stands, ready to "walk through the crap" (pg 143) with him, gives him strength.

Still in a unified protest of Junior, the crowd falls silent when the team enters and all turn their backs on Junior. The only one still looking at him (aside from his family) is Rowdy. Junior knows why, saying,

"He wanted to play. He didn't want to turn his back on me. He wanted to kill me, face-to-face" (pg 144). 

Junior is scared and mad, but ready to follow his coaches advice and use the anger to play well. He gets put in the game, runs out to the court, and gets beamed in the forehead with a quarter someone threw from the crowd. Since the quartered drew blood, Junior has to get it fixed up before he can play again. Luckily, his dad's best friend Eugene agrees to give him three stitches right there and Junior can go back out on the court again. 

He does, ready to earn back all the points Rowdy had scored in his absence. As Junior tells it:

"I jumped in the air, heard the curses of two hundred Spokanes, and then saw only a bright light as Rowdy smashed his elbow into my head and knocked me unconscious" (pg 146).

This hit incites something of a riot in the crowd and on the court. Players start shoving one another, adults from the crowd surge on the court, tribal cops need to intervene. The refs give Reardon two free throws for Rowdy's "technical foul." Terrified of the angry Indians in the crowd, the refs also give Wellpinit ten free throws for Reardon players leaving the bench and "unsportsmanlike conduct" from Reardon's coach. Wellpinit wins the game by 30 points and Junior gets a minor concussion. 

This games deepens the chasm between Junior and Rowdy. Ever since Junior's decision to attend school at Reardon, Rowdy has been furious with him. His attack on Junior shows that his feeling have only deepened. The friend who used to protect Junior from beatings is now attacking him himself.

What was the North's perspective on Uncle Tom's Cabin, and what were the book's effects on the North?

Harriet Beecher Stowe's 1852 novel Uncle Tom's Cabin had a powerful effect on the north and helped sway public and political opinion against slavery. It is the highly sentimental story of Tom, a slave, and the effects that slavery have on his family. When President Lincoln met Stowe in 1862, he supposedly said, "So you're the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war." The abolitionist Frederick Douglass also remarked on the book's powerful effect, so the novel clearly affected political opinion. 

The novel was published shortly after the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, part of the Compromise of 1850. Many people in the north hated this law, which forced them to return escaped slaves to the south. Published two years after this act, Stowe's novel really resonated with public opinion in the north. The book quickly became a bestseller. Many northerner readers of the novel were persuaded that slavery was evil by connecting with the personal tragedy of slaves in a more emotional way than they could connect with abolitionist tracts and political speeches. Other northerners who were already abolitionists thought that Stowe could have been more forceful in calling for an immediate end to slavery and that the character of Tom in the novel could have been more actively and adamantly opposed to slavery. Southerners were critical of the novel, as they thought Stowe had little actual familiarity with slavery (and they were invested in defending slavery), and the book was banned in the south.

What is the focus of "The Ransom of Red Chief?"

"The Ransom of Red Chief," a short story by O. Henry, is a classic because of its brilliant irony. The focus of the story, an image or concept that the reader keeps in mind while reading and that the story action is built around, is the "ransom." Ransom is an amount of money demanded by a kidnapper to return the stolen person. The story begins by discussing the financial situation of Sam and his partner Bill. They need $2000 to be able to pull off a bigger swindle, so they kidnap the child of a prominent person in town. 

As the story progresses, Bill and Sam are both tormented by the boy, and they begin to doubt that even a loving parent would pay money to get the rowdy child back. Decreasing the amount of the ransom, they end up demanding only $1500. After a harrowing day with the child, Bill sends him away, willing to get out of the predicament they are in without getting any money--zero ransom. However, Red Chief has followed him back.

Finally, Ebenezer Dorset, the boy's father, sends a reply to the ransom letter offering to accept $250 payment from the petty criminals to take his son off their hands. They agree. They find that some things are worth more than money, and some things they are unwilling to do even for money, such as live with a vicious and unruly child. The focus on the ransom moves the action of the story along and provides the final ironic twist ending. 

From Richard Elliott Friedman's book Who Wrote the Bible, accurately explain the Documentary Source Explanation/Theory for how the Pentateuch was...

Trying to determine the authorship of sacred texts is a fraught activity, as it impinges not just upon scholarly consensus but upon deeply held religious beliefs.

The first five books of the Bible, or the "Pentateuch," were traditionally attributed to Moses, but close reading shows several elements (such as the death of Moses) that could not possibly have been written by Moses himself.

There are several other indicators that these books actually consisted of several early documents shaped by later redactors. There are inconsistencies in chronology and narratives suggesting imperfect redaction of independent documents. Both the vocabulary and the theological viewpoints of different sections of the Pentateuch show inconsistencies.  

The first scholar to argue for the documentary source theory was Julius Wellhausen, who was an exemplar of the German movement known as Higher Criticism, a movement that applied scientific philology to Biblical texts. 

He distinguished four major sources for the Pentateuch from evidence of linguistic and theological congruities:

• J or the Yahwist source: c. 950 BCE, written in the southern Kingdom of Judah.


• E or the Elohist source: c. 850 BCE, composed in the northern Kingdom of Israel


• D or the Deuteronomist: c. 600 BCE, composed in Jerusalem


• P or the Priestly source: c. 500 BCE written by priests during the Babylonian exile

According to the narrator, how does Nat spend his days in the beginning of "The Birds"?

In the beginning of "The Birds," the narrator introduces Nat Hocken, a disabled veteran, and informs the reader how he spends his working day. He works for Mr Trigg, the farmer, three days per week and is given lighter tasks, like hedging and thatching. He tends to these jobs in the morning and then, at midday, Nat takes his homemade lunch and sits on the cliff's edge where he watches the birds. He watches the birds on the land and he watches those out at sea. 

He has watched the birds so regularly that he has memorised their seasonal behaviours. Autumn is the best time for bird-watching, for example, because the non-migratory birds develop a pattern of their own which interests Nat. 

On December third, however, while eating his lunch at the cliff, Nat observes a sudden change in the behaviour of the birds. Their "restless" demeanour is the most obvious change and this foreshadows the conflicts to come.  

What does Peter do that embarrasses his mother at the shoe store in Judy Blume's Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing?

In Chapter 6 of Judy Blume's Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, immediately after going to the dentist, Mrs. Hatcher takes the boys shopping for shoes at their usual place, Bloomingdale's. It is while their favorite customer service representative, Mr. Berman, is out back looking for Peter's new loafers that Mrs. Hatcher notices Peter has a hole in his sock, which embarrasses her:

Well, it looks terrible. I mean, to come shopping for shoes with a hole in your sock! That's just awful. (p. 39)

Peter says he hadn't noticed the hole and adjusts his sock to hide the hole. He thinks his mother is being silly.

The reader is never told exactly why Mrs. Hatcher is embarrassed, but since the Hatchers are at a very expensive store, the reader may presume that she feels embarrassed bringing something old and shabby, like a sock with a hole in it, into a store filled with high-quality, expensive merchandise. The reader may also presume she feels embarrassed because the hole can make critical observers think that she is not taking care of her sons properly.

Whatever her reasons, Peter redeems himself by helping calm Fudge. Fudge gets upset because he wants the exact same shoes as Peter, but Peter's shoes don't come in Fudge's size. Therefore, Peter agrees to trick Fudge into thinking Peter is getting saddle shoes, just like Fudge's, when in reality Peter takes the loafers.

Which quotations in The Chrysalids best illustrate prejudice?

Prejudice and intolerance are prevalent themes throughout John Wyndham's The Chrysalids. Even within the book's first opening paragraphs, the reader is alerted to the prejudiced and bigoted opinions of the people within the story. The first quote that I feel illustrates the deeply seated prejudice is the following:  

"People in our district had a very sharp eye for the odd, or the unusual, so that even my left-handedness caused slight disapproval. So, at that time, and for some years afterwards, I did not mention it to anyone."

David Strom is narrating to the reader a little bit about himself and his society.  It's clear from the above quote that the Waknuk people actively look for differences within their population.  Those differences are not celebrated, but looked upon with suspicion.  Even David's left-handedness is seen as unnatural.

Also in chapter one, David meets a girl who he will become friends with. Her name is Sophie, and David discovers that she has six toes. In the Waknuk society that is reason enough to kill her or banish her. David is too young to understand and know about this, which is why Sophie's parents ask David to keep it a secret. The reason they give to David is the following:  

'If anyone were to find out, they'd — they'd be terribly un-kind to her. We've got to see that that never happens.'

The quote shows prejudice because it illustrates that people will mistreat Sophie simply because she looks different.  

The "repentances" that people hang in their houses as decorations further the theme of prejudice in the story. The Strom household prominently displays a sign that says "WATCH THOU FOR THE MUTANT." The entire society is taught to actively seek out and squash any sort of genetic divergence that is too far outside of the "norm." 

Why does Polonius read Ophelia's love letter and what are his plans?

In Act II, scene ii, Polonius reads Hamlet's love letter to Ophelia to Gertrude and Claudius. Ophelia had given it and other love letters to Polonius, her father, out of confusion and concern over Hamlet's professions of love for her. Polonius shares the letter with the King and Queen because he knows they are worried about Hamlet's recent irrational behavior. In the letters, Polonius believes he has found the key to Hamlet's madness: Hamlet is in love. Polonius explains to the King and Queen that when Ophelia came to him with her worries, he told her to avoid Hamlet: "Lord Hamlet is a prince out of thy star / This must not be.” In other words, because of being a prince, Hamlet was out of her league and it was safest to stay away from him. But because Ophelia has rejected him, Hamlet has gone crazy, Polonius maintains.

Polonius's plan is to spy on the couple along with the king to confirm that Hamlet really is in love. As a courtier, he will prove his worth if he can solve the monarchs' problem.  

What similarities do you see between the world in which we live today and the world depicted by Stevenson in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr....

The setting of this story is Victorian England, where reputation was really everything. Dr. Henry Jekyll feels trapped by his own society because he wishes to lead a wild lifestyle that would not be permitted by his social and professional circles. The only way he is able to live the life he likes is to create a new identity and live outside of Jekyll's circles.

In society today there is still pressure to live up to certain standards and a failure to do so can mean society judges one fairly harshly. While our society is not as strict as Victorian England was, there are certainly some real consequences to living the way that Edward Hyde likes. For example, he clearly likes to spend his time with ladies of the night, something that is still illegal and frowned upon today. Edward Hyde is also violent, which is a trait our society looks down upon, especially when that violence is directed at women, as Hyde's is. 

If someone were to give into all of their vices in today's society, like Edward Hyde does, there would still be consequences to pay. They could lose their job, be arrested, lose their circle of friends, and damage their reputation.

What are some metaphors in book eleven of the Odyssey?

Odysseus calls the "fair wind" sent by Circe a "welcome comrade." So, in this metaphor, he compares the wind that pushes their boat forward, speeding them on to the next leg of their journey, to a good friend because, hopefully, it will bring them one step closer to getting home! Also, Odysseus describes the "Cimmerian people's land and city [as] wrapt in a fog," and he says that "deadly night is spread abroad." In both cases, the comparison is to a mantle of sorts. The fog wraps around the city like a blanket or cloak, and the night is spread over the land like a blanket. Remember that Odysseus is telling a story, and these sorts of poetic devices enliven his tale and beautify it. They give the story a more imaginative and fantastic quality.

In addition, when Odysseus sees Alcmene, the deceased mother of Hercules, he refers to Hercules as "lion-hearted." This, too, is a metaphor, comparing Hercules' immense power and courage to a lion.

Why do cats always land on their feet?

Just adding some details on how the cat manages to turn its body while preserving its angular momentum.

Rotating different parts of his body at different times in the right direction isn't the reason why the cat manages to preserve its angular momentum. The reason for so is that there is no external torque acting on the cat! So, no matter what the cat does, as long as he doesn't touch anything (let us consider the fall to be such that the air resistance is negligible here), his angular momentum will be constant.

What the cat really does is use this angular momentum conservation law. Cats are able to turn their "upper" and "lower" body in opposite directions with no difficulty at all (they are very flexible). To understand how it all happens, let's see what a cat does while falling upside down.

First, the cat notices he is upside down, and he does so with his eyes or with the gyroscope in his ears. Then, he will divide his body (front and back) into two separate rotation axes that are tilted from one another. While falling down, he starts turning his front legs to the ground (it doesn't matter which direction he chooses to do so) and the back legs will turn in the opposite direction due to the conservation of momentum angular. Problem is, if he does so, he might end up with his body twisted and this could be a problem! So, to avoid this, when turning to the front, he will extend his back legs while tucking in his front legs. By doing so, he increases the moment of inertia of the back and decreases that of the front. This causes the front to spin faster than the back! When the front is aligned with the ground, he extends his front legs to increase the angular momentum and stop the rotation. Finally, he twists the back legs along the rotation axis, returning them to the original position and bracing for impact (all legs extended)!

You can watch the awesome video listed as a source for a really good explanation along with a real cat falling in slow motion!

In The Odyssey, why does Polyphemus ask about Odysseus ship?

In Book 9 of Homer's Odyssey, protagonist Odysseus describes his encounter with Polyphemus the cyclops. Odysseus and his men entered Polyphemus' cave, expecting him to show them hospitality (hospitality was one of the most important social virtues in ancient Greece). However, Polyphemus does not intend to show the Greeks hospitality. The cyclops asks Odysseus where he left his ship. Odysseus, recognizing that Polyphemus likely wants to destroy the ship, lies and tells him that Poseidon (the quote below uses his Roman name, Neptune) had shipwrecked them on the island.

He said this to draw me out, but I was too cunning to be caught in that way, so I answered with a lie; 'Neptune,' said I, 'sent my ship on to the rocks at the far end of your country, and wrecked it. We were driven on to them from the open sea, but I and those who are with me escaped the jaws of death.

Odysseus' cunning in this instance saved his ship and the lives of his men who were still on the ship. Polyphemus continued to show his lack of hospitality by eating two of Odysseus' men who were in the cave, but Odysseus and the rest of his men were able to escape the island.

What are the major similarities and differences between Thomas Hobbes' and John Locke's conception of the state of nature and the social contract?...

Hobbes argued that despite natural equality and liberty amongst individuals, the anarchy of pursuing survival made life "nasty, brutish, and short." Without the social bonds that emerge as the product of a state-constituted society, the free individual lives a solitary life in constant fear of violence and death. Therefore, he suggests the establishment of a supreme sovereign power (e.g. King/state) would be the only way to create order and peace as well as secure the natural rights of equality and freedom. This supposedly rational decision, by the people, to acquiesce power (freedoms) to an absolute sovereign in exchange for laws and enforcement that make life possible is understood by Hobbes as an implied agreement, which he calls the "social contract."

In contrast, Locke argued that despite the anarchy and insecurity of a state (of nature) in which each individual rights the wrongs perpetuated against them, because man is a social animal, he mostly honors his obligations and thus the state of nature maintains relative peace. Locke did not view the people as acquiescing any of the natural rights of life and liberty to the sovereign ruler in this agreement -- but merely exchanging individual retribution for the new right of (supposedly) impartial protection of property backed by force. Thus for Locke, the sovereign ruler is not the master but the arbiter and can never hold absolute power since the natural rights of individuals check any abuse of authority. Whereas Hobbes argues that once the agreement was made to establish a sovereign ruler one must obey without the liberty to revolt, Locke argued that if the sovereign violated any natural right, the individual, or the people had the liberty (and obligation) to depose the ruler. This is because, for Hobbes, the contract was only amongst the people themselves - hence once the agreement was reached the sovereign was held to no limits (e.g. the sovereign can never violate the contract). Yet for Locke, the social contract was between the people and the ruler.

Modern politics is deeply influenced by both Locke and Hobbes. Locke, however, is more favorably viewed as the precursor to classic liberalism versus fascist or totalitarian regimes, which have been more closely associated with the legacy of Hobbes. Although, given that many modern (even liberal) 20th and 21st century states have arguably violated their citizens' natural rights (as most citizens' grievances are with the abuse of state power in itself), and yet persist without being overthrown, Hobbes may de facto have more relevance today than Locke.

Why does Suyuan reproach her daughter Jing-mei in the story "Two Kinds" by Amy Tan?

While Jing-mei's mother, Suyuan, is trying to make her daughter into a prodigy, Jing-mei picks up first on her silent reproach, even before Suyuan says anything negative toward her. When Jing-mei fails the memory tests her mother puts her through, she notices her "mother's disappointed face once again," and she interprets that to mean she is not measuring up to her mother's expectations. When the two of them are watching The Ed Sullivan Show, Suyuan tells Jing-mei that the young performer they're watching is like Jing-mei: "Not the best. Because you not trying." In this way, Suyuan reproaches Jing-mei not because she isn't successful, but because she doesn't believe she's trying. 

When Jing-mei tells her mother she isn't a genius, Suyuan says she isn't asking her to be a genius, but only to "be your best." This, again, implies Suyuan thinks Jing-mei is not using sufficient effort. 

When Jing-mei rebels and says she will never be the kind of daughter her mother wants her to be, her mother says that what she requires is an obedient daughter. Here, Suyuan reproaches Jing-mei for her disobedience.

After Jing-mei becomes an adult, Suyuan offers to give her the piano as a birthday gift. Suyuan tells Jing-mei she could have been a genius if she wanted to, but she just didn't try. This is a reproach for a lack of desire as well as a lack of effort. 

Although Jing-mei interprets her mother's words and actions as reproaching her for her lack of success, Suyuan specifically reproaches her for not trying, not obeying, and not having enough motivation.

How is hypocrisy shown in Arthur Miller's The Crucible?

Hypocrisy is prevalent throughout Arthur Miller's play about the Salem witch trials of 1692--events he depicts in his effort at drawing a parallel with the anti-communist "Red Scare" of which he would become a victim. In preparing the script for The Crucible, Miller did copious research into the real-life events portrayed in his play, and the theme of hypocrisy stood out as particularly pervasive among the Puritan community involved. An early indication of Miller's intent to illuminate that hypocrisy is in the background material he provides on the character of John Proctor, whose illicit extra-marital affair with the much younger Abigail is instrumental in precipitating the tragic chain of events that culminated in the hanging of 20 innocent people:

"Proctor was a farmer in his middle thirties, He need not have been a partisan of any faction in the town, but there is evidence to suggest that he had a sharp and biting way with hypocrites. He was the kind of man - powerful of body, even-tempered, and not easily led - who cannot refuse support to partisans with-out drawing their deepest resentment."

Note the descriptive wording Miller employs in introducing Proctor: “he had a sharp and biting way with hypocrites.” That the presumably happily-married John Proctor would be revealed as every bit as hypocritical as any within his community by virtue of the contrast of his public demeanor with his sexual relationship with 17-year-old Abigail is a very glaring example of the hypocrisy the playwright sought to expose.

The Reverend Parris is another blatantly hypocritical character in The Crucible. As a reverend ministering to a Puritan community, he should be morally above reproach, but from the play’s opening scene, it is clear that Parris will be part of the problem rather than part of the solution. He will be revealed as a petty, frightened individual unable to contain the damage his own paranoia will inflict on those around him—and we’re not even talking here about his ownership of a slave, Tituba, whom he brought back from Barbados. Early in the opening scene, Parris is depicted praying for the recovery of his daughter Betty, apparently taken ill after being observed engaging in strange activity with his niece Abigail and with Tituba. Alarmed at the possibility that the citizens of his town will suspect his daughter of practicing witchcraft, Parris reveals his true character in the following comment, in which he threatens Abigail for her role in the suspicious events:

Parris: Now look you, child, your punishment will come in its time. But if you trafficked with spirits in the forest I must know it now, for surely my enemies will, and they will ruin me with it.

Note, again, the words Miller has emanate from the mind of this less-than-respectable minister. This ‘man of God’ is more concerned with his reputation and with whatever political infighting surrounds him than in the truth. Now, look at the character of Ann Putnam, described by the playwright as “a twisted soul of forty-five, a death-ridden woman, haunted by dreams.” With this introduction of another citizen of this community, the actors and directors, and readers of Miller’s script, know that Ann Putnam will play a prominent role in the tragic events to come. Ann’s bitterness at the repeated deaths of her children and her jealousy of Rebecca Nurse, who has 11 children and 26 grandchildren. As the Putnams and Rebecca joust over the condition of the incapacitated Ruth:

Mrs. Putnam, with a growing edge of sarcasm: But I must! You think it God’s work you should never lose a child, nor grand-child either, and I bury all but one? There are wheels within wheels in this village, and fires within fires!

Ann Putnam’s bitterness towards Rebecca, an elderly woman in her seventies, provides another example of the hypocrisy endemic among this community. Ann’s accusations against Rebecca, who Miller describes as enjoying “the high opinion of most people,” stands in stark contrast to the love-thy-neighbor mentality that one would expect from a community built around fealty to the word of God.

The Crucible was Miller’s allegory about the communist witch-hunts sweeping America during the early 1950s, and that would find their personification in Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy. Miller took aim at the hypocrisy of the holier-than-thou mentality that led to unnecessary deaths in 1692 and to many damaged lives in the 1950s.

Why would cash transfers typically be preferred by recipients over in-kind transfers?

People who are going to receive help from the government might be more likely to prefer cash transfers over in-kind transfers because the cash transfers are more flexible and, perhaps, less humiliating to use.

In-kind transfers can be humiliating to use.  One type of such transfers, in the US, is the food stamp program.  When you use these, the checkers at the supermarket, along with those in line behind you, know that you are using them.  This makes it clear that you are poor, which can be humiliating.  When the government simply puts cash in a bank account, it is much less apparent to others that you are receiving government assistance.

In-kind transfers also tend to be less flexible.  If you get a certain amount of credit that can only be used on food, for example, it does not help you if what you really need is a part for your car.  You cannot skimp on food to save up to buy the car part.  When you are given a cash transfer, that money is yours to do with as you see fit.

Because cash transfers provide more flexibility and greater dignity, recipients might tend to prefer them over in-kind transfers.

`a_1 = 3, r = sqrt(5)` Write the first five terms of the geometric sequence.

The first five terms of geometric sequence can be computed with formula, such that:

`a_n = a_(n-1)*q`

`a_2 = a_1*q => a_2 = 3*sqrt5 `

`a_3 = a_2*q => a_3 = 3sqrt5*sqrt5 = 15`

`a_4 = a_3*q => a_4 =15*sqrt5 `

`a_5 = a_4*q => a_5 =15sqrt5*sqrt5 = 75`

Hence, evaluating the five terms of geometric sequence yields `a_1 =3, a_2 = 3*sqrt5 , a_3 = 15, a_4 = 15*sqrt5, a_5 =  75.`

Why is Rhett permitted to be a frequent caller at Pittypat's house?

Rhett Butler is permitted at Aunt Pitty's house because there are many strange men in Atlanta and Pittypat is very trepidatious. Also, Scarlett really enjoys riding in his carriage as he escorts her to danceables and bazaars; then, afterwards, he waits at the hospitals and escorts Scarlett home. Pittypat herself can offer no resistance when he compliments her elaborately, or when he brings her "small luxuries" from his trips to Nassau. Moreover, he is of great service to the Confederate cause, running four boats to various ports for supplies for the army and evading the Union blockades. Therefore, polite society forgives some of Mr. Butler's "indiscretions" of the past.

The little luxuries that Aunt Pitty receives are things impossible to obtain at home, so she lacks "the moral stamina to refuse them." After accepting his gifts, Aunt Pittypat then feels that she can not refuse to let Mr. Butler call upon Scarlett, especially since his visits are usually for the war cause. Besides, she feels that all the lone women in her house need a man in their house to protect them.

Because of his reputation for being a professional gambler who has disgraced his family and ruined some poor girl long ago in Charleston, Rhett Butler would have been a social outcast. However, the conditions of war and Butler's services to the Confederacy as a "dashing blockader" who obtains necessary goods for the South despite the blockades of such goods, allow him to be received in Atlanta.

Everyone knew now that the fate of the Confederacy rested as much upon the skill of the blockade boats in eluding the Yankee fleet as it did upon the soldiers at the front.

Once of the best pilots in the South, Rhett Butler is fearless. Having been reared in Charleston, he knows every inlet, creek, and shoal, so he eludes the enemy time and time again. He is also familiar with the waters around Wilmington. and he slides out under the cover of night to Nassau, England, and even Canada. When he sails to Liverpool, England, he can almost name his price for goods since the cotton mills are idle during the Civil War. "Yes, the ladies felt they could forgive and forget a great many things for such a brave man" (Chapter XII).

A force that opposes the motion of one object past another is?

That would be the indomitable force of friction.  Friction is a force that an object encounters as a result of it's surface contacting the other object's surface.  Depending on the mass of the two objects, the force of friction can or can not be an impending force to deal with in the movement of the former object.  Friction happens because the surfaces, upon microscopic examination, are not really smooth surfaces at all.  They are like mini-landscapes, with hills and valleys.  The hills and valleys of the two surfaces interlock and create a natural locking mechanism.  Depending on how much vertical force is in play (weight, which is dependent upon mass of the two objects), moving one object past the other can be a daunting task.  To get an example of what friction is capable of, try rubbing your two hands together rapidly, for say, about 10 seconds.  The heat that is generated is a result of the friction between your two hands.

The play Arms and the Man bears the sub-title "an anti-romantic comedy". How does Shaw present the anti-romantic element in the play?

The anti-romantic element is presented in two ways, through dialogue and through situational irony.

The character Raina at first believes in the romantic view of war and in her fantasies embodies this concept in the person of Sergius, with whom she is infatuated. Her visions of war and love are both based in art and literature and grounded in outward appearance. Captain Bluntschli disabuses her of the romantic concept of a cavalry charge, describing it as simply an unprofessional form of idiocy. Gradually, Raina abandons her romantic views and is convinced that a more pragmatic vision is superior and replaces her romantic infatuation with Sergius with a more solid love for her "chocolate cream soldier."

Sergius also functions in an anti-romantic manner. In the opening of the play, he is portrayed as a romantic hero, handsome and brave. Captain Bluntschli shows that most of this posturing is simply absurd and gradually exposes Sergius and Major Petkoff as unskilled amateurs in the art of war. In romance, Sergius idealizes Raina and plays a romantic role, but gradually, as the play progresses, we realize that he is not really the Byronic hero he appears to be and is far happier relaxing in the less romantic but more grounded relationship with Louka. 

Nicola is perhaps the most anti-romantic figure in the play, especially in the way he cheerfully gives up Louka as a romantic interest, stating that she'd actually be more valuable to him as a customer than as a wife. 

What makes The Boy in the Striped Pajamas historical fiction?

A book is classified as being in the historical fiction genre when it tells a fictional story that takes place in a historical setting.  The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a fictional story, which takes place in another time (the early 1940s) and in a historic setting (Berlin and Auschwitz during the second World War).  

The author created a fictional character, Bruno.  Bruno was the son of the Nazi commander in charge of Auschwitz.  Historically, there was a man in charge of Auschwitz who lived on the premises with his family.  The fictional characters of Bruno and his family were based on this real-life family, but were largely creations of John Boyne, the author.

Bruno's experiences in "Out-With" (what he calls Auschwitz) were based on historical fact.  Boyne described what Auschwitz was like during World War II.  He described the conditions of the prisoners there through characters like Pavel and Shmuel.  John Boyne did extensive research to make sure that the story aligned closely with historical facts.

In Act One, what motivates Tituba to suddenly offer names of alleged witches after having denied being under the spell of the devil?

Tituba, a slave in the Parris household, has no power and is the most susceptible to punishment when people start to make accusations of witchcraft. Initially, Tituba and the other girls, led by Abigail, maintain that when Parris caught them in the woods, they were only dancing. But when the adults start to speak about witchcraft, they bring in Reverend Hale, an expert on witchcraft, to investigate. Hale begins to question Abigail, and in order to save herself from suspicion, she accuses Tituba of working with the devil and making her drink blood, among other acts. With this, Hale turns to Tituba and begins questioning. As he does so, Parris says to her, "You will confess yourself or I will take you out and whip you to your death, Tituba."

At this point, Tituba likely realizes that she has little choice but to confess. It doesn't matter that she was not involved with the devil; she is a slave, and the moment Abigail decides to accuse her, she is considered guilty. If she stays with the truth, she will die. When Hale then turns to her and offers her the opportunity to confess, she knows confession equals protection, and she makes the choice to save her own life.