In the story "A Rose for Emily," what does the depiction of the manservant tell us about the historical and social context in America at the time...

Faulkner's story "A Rose for Emily" was published in 1931, and it can be inferred that the story takes place between the very late 1800s and the first few decades of the 1900s. The story takes place in the American South, specifically a town in Mississippi called Jefferson. This setting, both the time and the place, are important to understand what Miss Emily Grierson's manservant represents.

The manservant is a peripheral figure in the story. He is first mentioned in Part I when the narrator says "no one save an old manservant -- a combined gardener and cook -- had seen [the inside of Emily's house] in at least ten years." Over the course of the story, the narrator describes Emily as becoming increasingly reclusive, "with only a doddering Negro man to wait on her." Here and in a couple of other lines, it is established that Emily's servant is a black man. The narrator says, "he talked to no one, probably not even to [Emily], for his voice had grown harsh and rusty, as if from disuse." These details imply that Emily's manservant is seen, at least by Emily herself, as a kind of relic from an earlier time. While the manservant is not a slave, he seems obliged to remain Emily's servant despite her increasing eccentricity. When she dies, the servant lets some of the ladies from the town into the house , and "then he disappeared. He walked right through the house and out the back and was not seen again." 

Throughout the story, Faulkner depicts Emily as a symbol of the dying past of the South, the past that once included slavery and that once saw the Grierson family as as respectable, honored family. As society changes, Emily desperately wants to  hold on to the past. We see this in many of her actions -- from refusal to pay taxes or put a number on her house to her physically holding on to the body of Homer Barron. The manservant is yet another example of Emily's association with the Old South. Once she is dead, "a fallen  monument," Faulkner implies that much of what she valued and stood for is also dying out. The manservant's disappearance after Emily's death supports this reading. The manservant shows us the contrast between the contemporary moment in the American South (1920s-1930s) and a previous time that is quickly fading into the past and into memory but is no longer relevant in the modern world. 

We are doing a newspaper project on Romeo and Juliet, and I need ideas for ads/advertisements.

This assignment takes some creative thinking by remembering events and items in the story.  Here are a few ideas:

• An advertisement for the Capulet ball; a dress shop selling gowns for the ball


• A catering service for the ball


• An advertisement for Friar Lawrence’s sleeping potion or a want ad for the ingredients in it.


• A job wanted ad for the Nurse


• A used sword shop; knife shop


• A funeral home ad


• A messenger service that will deliver important news (other than the Nurse)


• Jewelry shop for a wedding ring.

Try to be creative and find items that are unusual. For example, think about the Capulet ball.  That’s how I came up with the three ideas by putting a “spin” on what would be needed by the people going to the ball or putting on the ball.  Think outside the box for interesting ideas. 

What is Orwell's argument in the essay "Shooting an Elephant"?

"Shooting an Elephant" describes an incident in George Orwell's early life, when he was working in Burma as a sub-divisional police officer--in other words, as a lower-ranking government official of the occupying white British government. Burma, which is modern-day Myanmar, is bordered by India, China, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. It was initially colonized by Britain in 1824, and following the Anglo-Burmese wars, was fully annexed in 1885. Thus, Burma became part of the British Empire in the East.

Orwell describes the incident with the elephant as revealing, although in a roundabout way:

And it was at this moment, as I stood there with the rifle in my hands, that I first grasped the hollowness, the futility of the white man's dominion in the East. Here was I, the white man with his gun, standing in front of the unarmed native crowd – seemingly the leading actor of the piece; but in reality I was only an absurd puppet pushed to and fro by the will of those yellow faces behind. I perceived in this moment that when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys.

Orwell's argument is that those who would rule and subjugate others do so at the price of their own liberty: absolute control of others is actually a constant struggle, not only to maintain control but also to maintain the appearance of control, which becomes of subjugation of the ruler himself. Though the tyrant may wear the crown, Orwell argues, it is a very hollow crown indeed. The ruler is no more free than the people he rules, and the barbarities rulers are enticed into committing ultimately cost the rulers their own humanity.

Orwell notes that he shot the elephant not because he wanted to, not because he felt the elephant deserved it, but because maintaining the appearance of control meant he had to do something personally distasteful:

I had got to shoot the elephant. I had committed myself to doing it when I sent for the rifle. A sahib has got to act like a sahib; he has got to appear resolute, to know his own mind and do definite things. To come all that way, rifle in hand, with two thousand people marching at my heels, and then to trail feebly away, having done nothing – no, that was impossible. The crowd would laugh at me. And my whole life, every white man's life in the East, was one long struggle not to be laughed at.

For young Orwell, the elephant becomes a symbol of the nations subjugated under British rule. He sees that killing the elephant does not make him greater or more in control or a better official. Crushing the imperial subjects does not, in Orwell's dawning understanding, make Britain greater than they. It removes the humanity of the British rulers, forcing them to do distasteful and barbaric things, much like shooting the elephant feels to Orwell.

What are some examples of asyndeton in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's short story "The Yellow Wallpaper"?

Writers create parallel structure when they intentionally repeat word patterns and grammatical structures within sentences. Asyndeton is a form of parallel structure in which a writer deliberately omits conjunctions between words and phrases while still preserving accurate grammatical patterns. Dr. Wheeler informs us that asyndeton can "create an effect of speed or simplicity," and beyond giving us the famous Veni. Vidi. Vici. example, translated from the Latin to mean, "I came. I saw. I conquered," he gives us the further example, "Been there. Done that. Bought the t-shirt" ("Schemes," Carson-Newman University).

In her short story "The Yellow Wallpaper," author Charlotte Perkins Gilman has a tendency to use the opposite of asyndeton—polysyndeton—much more frequently than asyndeton, but we do see a few uses of asyndeton. Gilman tends to incorporate polysyndeton when expressing her protagonist's desires for freedom and use asyndeton the further her protagonist, Jane, falls into a state of madness.

The more Jane becomes tormented by the wallpaper, the more Gilman uses asyndeton. One example can be seen when Jane begins to see a bent woman skulking along the walls behind the wallpaper pattern. Jane begins to wish John would move her out of the room, and Gilman reflects Jane's desperation in simple, quick language containing asyndeton:

I wonder—I begin to think—I wish John would take me away from here!

Since this sentence could also be written using conjunctions to join the separate clauses, we know this sentence is a perfect example of asyndeton.

As the wallpaper continues to disrupt Jane's psyche, Jane begins to associate a smell with the wallpaper, a smell she observes all over the house. The result is that she is no longer just troubled by the room she is staying in, but rather is troubled by the entire house. Gilman continues to capture Jane's troubled psyche by describing Jane's obsession with the smell using asyndeton:

I find it hovering in the dining-room, skulking in the parlor, hiding in the hall, lying in wait for me on the stairs.

Since in this sentence Gilman does not use conjunctions to join the separate phrases in the list, we know the sentence is an example of asyndeton.

In The Great Gatsby, why does Jordan seem familiar to Nick?

Jordan Baker seems familiar to Nick when he meets her at Daisy and Tom Buchanan's house in Chapter I, because, as he reveals in Chapter III, she was a golf champion and her picture had been in the papers.  Remembering a lie she told at a recent party, though, helps him to recall that she was once accused of cheating at her first really big gold tournament.  She apparently "moved her ball from a bad lie" in one of the final rounds: she likely picked the ball up and put it down again in a better location for her to take her next swing.  The situation had almost become a full-blown scandal, but her caddy eventually rescinded his statements and the other person who supposedly witnessed the incident admitted that he could have made a mistake.  Nick says that her name and that story remained forever linked in his mind, and his new knowledge of Jordan -- that "She was incurably dishonest" -- seems to support that idea that she did, in fact, cheat, and that perhaps she bribed the caddy and witness to back off.

Why does Bud attack the hornet's nest?

In Chapter 3, the Amoses make Bud sleep in the shed because they believe Bud was beating on their son in the bedroom. While Bud is lying down in the dark shed, he notices something hanging from the ceiling. Bud believes that there is a vampire bat hanging upside down. Bud is terrified of vampire bats and he picks up a gray rake, then stands on a woodpile. He takes a gigantic swing at what he thinks is a bat, and ends up hitting a hornet's nest. Bud says that it sounded like a buzz saw was turned on in the shed and he gets stung multiple times by the hornets. Bud mistook the hornet's nest for a hanging vampire bat and ended up unleashing the fury of six hundred angry hornets. Bud is forced to jump on the woodpile and bust out the window in order to escape from the shed.

Where should I begin the following assignment?Macbeth has hidden himself in a castle chamber to write a letter to the local Scottish advice...

There are two things that are needed to begin this assignment. 

First, you need to collect examples and evidence from Macbeth that detail Lady Macbeth's changing behavior. Look for times when she is acting especially dark (like in her soliloquy in I.5), especially controlling (like in her reaction to Macbeth's ghost-sighting in III.iv), or especially manipulative (like in her scene with Macbeth in I.iii). 

Watch for how Lady Macbeth uses various tactics (like anger, seduction, guilt, and pride) to control what Macbeth thinks and does. 

Collect these examples and keep them in a place where you can easily reference them while you write. 

Second, you need to understand what a soliloquy actually is. Luckily, Macbeth is full of them! A soliloquy is when a character speaks his or her thoughts out loud, especially when that character is alone onstage. It's essentially a monologue spoken to oneself or to God. Check out Macbeth's soliloquy in III.i, after he sends away all of the other characters onstage. It begins, "to be thus is nothing."  

Once you're set with both of those things, the only remaining task will be to turn your examples into a soliloquy! Pretend you're Macbeth ranting to yourself about your domineering wife. 

Where does Queen Mab travel and how in Romeo and Juliet?

Queen Mab travels through lovers’ brains while they sleep in her special carriage.

Mercutio describes the fairy queen, Queen Mab, in a fanciful monologue.  In Mercutio’s version, Mab travels through the brains of lovers while they sleep at night.  He describes her as “the fairies midwife.”  She has a very interesting and tiny carriage.  

[She] comes
In shape no bigger than an agate-stone
On the fore-finger of an alderman,
Drawn with a team of little atomies
Athwart men's noses as they lie asleep;
Her wagon-spokes made of long spiders' legs,
The cover of the wings of grasshoppers,
The traces of the smallest spider's web,
The collars of the moonshine's watery beams (Act 1, Scene 4) 

In Mercutio’s mind, Queen Mab’s carriage is an empty hazel-nut.  She makes people dream of love as she visits them.  Each person Queen Mab visits dreams of what matters most to him or her. 

O'er courtiers' knees, that dream on court'sies straight,
O'er lawyers' fingers, who straight dream on fees,
O'er ladies ' lips, who straight on kisses dream,
Which oft the angry Mab with blisters plagues,
Because their breaths with sweetmeats tainted are … (Act 1, Scene 4)

Mercutio is saying this to distract Romeo from his lovesick mourning over Rosaline.  Romeo asks Mercutio to stop being so silly.  Mercutio and Benvolio want Romeo to go to the Capulet ball to take Romeo’s mind off of Rolsaline.  It works better than Romeo expected.  He does forget Rosaline, falling head over heels in love with Juliet.

As silly as this speech is, it is important character development for the quick-witted and silver-tongued Mercutio.  He loves puns and jokes, the dirtier the better, and he is a good friend to Romeo.  Romeo was moody and did not find life worth living, and Mercutio helped cheer him up.  Eventually, Mercutio would give his life defending Romeo.

In Romeo and Juliet, how does the imagery in III.ii affect the mood?

Before I answer this question regarding William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet, let's review these two key literary terms: 

Imagery:
A literary device that evokes the senses of the reader using descriptive language. Note: this is not solely visual - language that evokes any sense is visual

Mood:
A literary term for the reader's response to a text

I'll provide you with a few quotations and some brief analysis: 

What part of "The Necklace" shows Madame Loisel's jealousy and greed?

Madame Loisel is the main character of Guy de Maupassant's short story "The Necklace" about a woman who longs to be wealthy. While it's easy to see that she is quite envious of the rich, it's hard to assign the terms, "jealous" or "greedy" when discussing her.

At the beginning of the story Madame Loisel spends much of her time daydreaming about what it would be like to live the life of wealth and luxury. She yearns to break away from her middle class existence and the "shabby" rooms she lives in. She thinks the material trappings of the rich such as "oriental tapestries," "gleaming silverware" and shiny jewels will make her life more exciting. The reader is not led to believe she is jealous of anything or anyone. Rather, she just wants to be a part of a world her class status won't allow her to enter. She's not jealous of Madame Forestier, even though that woman has everything she is searching for. 

When Madame Loisel is actually granted an evening that matches her dreams, she makes the most of it. She is the prettiest and most sought after woman at the fancy ball her husband takes her to. The necklace she wears is a symbol of that opulence. It's not really accurate to describe her as greedy for wearing it. It's just a symbol of the life she wished she could live full time.

In the last part of the story, Madame Loisel shows traits which are quite the opposite of "jealousy" and "greed." She rises to the occasion and helps her husband pay off the debt for replacing the necklace. The reader may reach one of two conclusions about her. Some may be dumbfounded and have sympathy for her when she discovers the necklace was fake. Others, however, may feel she deserved to have her life destroyed because of her envious dreams. 

How does Lady Macbeth show control in Act 2, Scene 2 of Macbeth?

Lady Macbeth maintains control of the situation (and her husband) in many ways in Act 2, Scene 2.  

First, she instructs Macbeth on how to think about the act he has just committed; when he claims, "This is a sorry sight," she replies, "A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight" (2.2.28, 2.2.29).  Further, when he expresses his anxiety about his inability to speak the word "Amen" immediately after he'd stabbed Duncan, she tells him to

Consider it not so deeply [....].  
These deeds must not be thought 
After these ways; so, it will make us mad. (2.2. 41-46)  

She wants him to stop obsessing about the murder because she fears that such obsessive thinking will ultimately drive them insane. They need to move on.

Second, Lady Macbeth alone has the foresight and wherewithal to properly frame the chamberlains for Duncan's murder. When Macbeth returns to her, he seems to be in shock and still carries the daggers he used with him.  She asks, 

Why did you bring these daggers from the place?
They must lie there.  Go, carry them and smear
The sleepy grooms with blood.  (2.2.62-64)

She knows that the murder weapons must be found with the servants if others are to believe they committed the murder.  When Macbeth refuses to go back into the room with Duncan's body, Lady Macbeth places the daggers there herself. When she returns to Macbeth, she chastises him for his cowardice, further showing the control she exercises over her husband:

My hands are of your color, but I shame
To wear a heart so white [....].
How easy it is, then!  Your constancy
Hath left you unattended.  (2.2.82-88)

While Macbeth laments the act, fears the eternal consequences of what he's done, and seems to cower before a corpse that cannot hurt him, Lady Macbeth manages the situation and her husband with apparent ease.  (Though we find out, later, that her conscience begins to eat away at her, too.)

What is the significance and importance of the quote, "Gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and my...

This final line of the short story lets us know that the narrator understands that, no matter how important his desires are to him, the world will not change for him or make way for his goals. The "vanity" refers to the narrator's belief that things will somehow work out for him, that his dream of loving Mangan's sister can come true: first, that his uncle will come home in time and remember to give him money to go to Araby, then, that the trains will be running on time, that the bazaar will be full of extravagant and desired trinkets and that he will be able to choose and afford one that will help him to win the affections of his love. When he realizes that these expectations were vain (both in the sense that they came to nothing and were also self-important), he is provoked to intense sorrow and anger. His uncle forgot him, came home late, and then delayed him by eating dinner and asking questions; the train was held up and only after "an intolerable delay" did it "cre[ep] onward"; then, when the narrator gets to Araby, it costs a lot of his money just to get in and the majority of the stalls are closed. The one that is open has only tea cups and vases, nothing extraordinary or exotic at all, and the girl working there has no real interest in helping him.  He hears the clanking of coins and witnesses her flirtation with the young men as all of the lights go out in the hall. His hope is lost, and he realizes that his small desires are unimportant, that he is unimportant. And he cries.

What is a similarity between To Kill a Mockingbird and the short story "American History"?

Discrimination and prejudice are dominant themes in both "American History" by Judith Ortiz Cofer and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Both stories are narrated by women looking back on pivotal events that happened in their childhoods, too. In their youth, both girls are harassed at school for who they are. Elena is called "Skinny Bones" because she is not African American and can't jump rope as well as her classmates. Jean Louise is insulted by boys (Cecil Jacobs and her cousin Francis) who call her father "nigger lover." Elena is then discriminated against by a white neighbor from Georgia who won't let her study with her son, Eugene. Conversely, though, Scout is taught not to be prejudiced by her father Atticus and neighbor Miss Maudie. Both Elena and Scout both experience moments of quiet shock when confronted with discrimination or prejudice. The following are quotes from each story:

Elena: 

"I couldn’t move. I just stood there in shock at hearing these things said to me in such a honey-drenched voice. I had never heard an accent like hers, except for Eugene’s softer version. It was as if she were singing me a little song. 'What’s wrong? Didn’t you hear what I said?' She seemed very angry, andI finally snapped out of my trance. I turned away from the green door, and heard her close it gently" (6).

The above passage describes Elena's innocent reaction to Eugene's mother telling her that she isn't allowed to study with her son.

Scout:

During one of Aunt Alexandra's tea parties, the women are speaking about recent events in town that bring down the quality of their white society. Alexandra goes to the kitchen to find out that Tom Robinson has just been shot and she sits down overwhelmed. Scout starts to tremble because to the tension and can't stop. It takes Miss Maudie to snap the two back into composing themselves:

"Aunt Alexandra rose and smoothed the various whalebone ridges along her hips. She took her handkerchief from her belt and wiped her nose. She patted her hair and said, 'Do I show it?'

'Not a sign,' said Miss Maudie. 'Are you together again, Jean Louise?'

'Yes ma'am.'

'Then let's join the ladies,' she said grimly" (237).

Both girls are faced with shocking discrimination and prejudice because these are learned behaviors, not instinctual. Sadly, both situations are deep issues in America today and in American history.

What issues caused vigorous debate over ratification of the Constitution?

Even with the problems that people clearly saw in the plan of government created by the Articles of Confederation, there was no guarantee the states would ratify the Constitution. One of the biggest issues in the discussion over ratification was the lack of a Bill of Rights that would guarantee people their freedoms. A very big fear many people had about the Constitution was that by giving the government more power, it would have too much power and begin to abuse it. People were afraid the government would start to infringe on people’s rights, just as the British government did. Thus, some states refused to vote for ratification until a promise was made to add a Bill of Rights to the Constitution to protect the rights of the people.

Another concern that existed was that the Constitution gave the federal government too much power in general. They were concerned what would happen to the rights of the individual states. They also believed, that over a period of time, the government would begin to abuse its powers. This could lead to corruption and/or oppression.

Those in favor of ratification tried to reduce the fears of those against ratification. A series of 85 essays supporting the ratification of the Constitution was published. Called The Federalist Papers, these explained all the benefits of ratifying the Constitution. Once the guarantee of adding a Bill of Rights was made, the Constitution was eventually ratified.

What is revealed about the relationship between Bruno's grandparents?

In Chapter 8, Bruno recalls the events that took place on the last Christmas he spent with his grandparents. Bruno says that his father wears his fancy new uniform on Christmas Day, and the Commandant's father, Matthias, is very proud of his son's accomplishments. Bruno's grandmother, Nathalie, is the only person not impressed by the Commandant's uniform. Nathalie criticizes her son and refers to him as "a puppet on a string" who doesn't understand the real meaning of what his uniform represents. Nathalie, who is ethnically Irish, is ashamed that her son supports the Nazi cause. Matthias, Bruno's grandfather, essentially tells his wife to calm down and then mentions how proud he is to see his son hold such a valuable position in the Third Reich. Bruno's grandmother argues with her husband and calls him foolish for supporting the Nazi regime. Nathalie loses her temper and criticizes the Commandant and Matthias by commenting that all they care about is their fancy uniforms and medals, while they ignore the fact they are committing terrible atrocities. As Bruno's grandparents leave, Nathalie yells, "Ashamed!" and Matthias shouts, "Patriot!" (Boyne 93).

Matthias and Nathalie's relationship is controversial. They both have different political views and disagree with their son's position as a Nazi Commandant. Matthias is proud that his son supports the "Motherland" and the Nazi cause, while Nathalie is ashamed. They argue and raise their voices during the family gathering which portrays the major rift in their relationship.

How is graft represented with beer in the book The Jungle?

Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle is a dark, gritty look at the conditions in which the contemporary working-class families lived.  It is a story of poverty, brutal working conditions, corruption, and danger.  These horrible conditions are allowed to fester, in part, due to political corruption.

Graft is when a politician utilizes their position for personal gain by exploitation.  The relevant quote in The Jungle that deals with this is the following:

"At the last election the Republicans had paid four dollars a vote to the Democrats' three; and 'Buck' Halloran sat one night playing cards with Jurgis and another man, who told how Halloran had been charged with the job voting a 'bunch' of thirty-seven newly landed Italians, and how he, the narrator, had met the Republican worker who was after the very same gang, and how the three had effected a bargain, whereby the Italians were to vote half and half, for a glass of beer apiece, while the balance of the fund went to the conspirators!" (Sinclair)

Basically, each party was bribing voters to vote for them, and a group of newly-arrived Italian immigrants was to be taken to the polls and bribed as well.  Rather than bribing the Italians with money like they were supposed to, the democrats and republicans who were given the task decided to split the votes down the middle and offer the Italians a glass of beer instead of the money.  The people who hatched the plan took the money remaining after purchasing the beer and kept it for themselves.

The political corruption contained within this quote should be appalling, but pretty much the same thing still happens in the Chicago area.  Politicians rent out large spaces and have free BBQs for their constituents.  Free burgers, corn, lamb, beer, Pepsi, always right after an election.  The “volunteers” who work the picnic are generally people who have been given some sort of favor by the politicians.  They call the BBQ a celebration, but it is almost exactly what was going on in The Jungle.

To The Doctor Who Treated The Raped Baby And Who Felt Such Despair

The settings that contrast with the hospital in the poem “to the doctor who treated the raped baby and who felt such despair” by Finuala Dowling are:

1. A home and the hallway outside a baby’s room in this home. This is conveyed in the line:

“there was a light on in the hall

for a nervous little sleeper”

While a raped baby is being admitted to a hospital, somewhere in some town or city, a baby is sleeping and being protected by its loving family.

2. A veld, which is a grassland or prairie. Here a shepherd sings a lullaby to a baby in this simple environment, while the raped baby is being admitted to the hospital to save her life.

3. A home again, and a warm blanket supplied by a loving mother to her child who sleep walks. While the doctor is trying to staunch the flow of blood from the raped baby, this mother is comforting her precious child in a warm home environment.

4. Various homes, or the pediatric ward where newborns lie. Here, Finuala Dowling talks of:

“luxuriant dark nipples

for fist clenching babes”

These babies are being lovingly taken care of and fed breast milk, whether in homes, or in the birth ward of the hospital, while the raped baby is being given a powerful pain-killer to stop the pain caused by the violent and horrible rape.

5. A home again, and an uncle taking care of a hungry baby, against the backdrop of the doctor in the hospital calling for more blood as medical professionals work on the raped baby girl to try and save her life.

6. Two other homes, one where a baby is read a chapter from a favorite storybook, and one where a grandfather cares for a “colicky crier.” These actions take place elsewhere, while doctors and nurses try at the hospital to save the life of this violated baby girl.

The effect of poet Finuala Dowling constructing her poem in this manner is that it shocks the reader somewhat into realizing the horror of the raped baby’s experience. While doctors battle to save this baby’s life, elsewhere in the community and the world at large, many babies are safe in the cocoon of their homes with loving families taking care of them.

It is this contrast that lends this poem its power. The reader is taken on a mind journey, between states of grace and a state of despair and this contrast highlights the fact that life goes on fine for some people, while at the same time being hellish for others.

Was Jimmy Carter able to get congress to help him pass his ideas into law?

The short answer to this question is no. When Jimmy Carter came to Washington, he brought with him his team from when he was a governor of Georgia, and a general dislike of the glad-handing and schmoozing that are the staples Washington politics. Due to the fact that Carter refused to "play the Washington game," and did not engage in the kind of elbow-rubbing that defines so many Washington deals, members of Congress were reluctant to help him enact his agenda.

Yet even if members of Congress had been more personally inclined toward Carter, his ideas were not very mainstream at the time, and they faced opposition from vested interests like oil companies and banks. For instance, Carter was very prescient in warning that the United States needed to embrace solar and wind energy, as well as other emerging forms of renewable energy, in order to protect the environment and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

Unfortunately, his disastrous handling of foreign policy (the Iranian hostage crisis and the OPEC oil embargo) overshadowed his domestic agenda, and gave him little to no political capital with which to push that agenda through congress. Carter's desire to address materialism and an economy that he felt was too dependent on consumption, went over poorly with both the general public, which was nervous about pocketbook issues, and with members of Congress, who were either against his plans or simply felt that they lacked specifics.

As for Carter's push toward renewable energy, the notion of addressing the oil shortages that were plaguing the nation by investing in long term strategies struck most Americans as "pie in the sky thinking," which would not change the immediate problems of gas rationing and stagflation. Ultimately, Carter's style and policy prescriptions were at adds with voters' sentiment, which was defined by anger, fear and a demand for quick fixes. 

What are some significant differences between the way Clerval and Victor view the world in Frankenstein?

Henry Clerval and Victor Frankenstein see the world in almost completely opposing ways.  Henry is a Romantic, someone who responds emotionally to nature, to literature, to music, and the like.  He is imaginative and fanciful and creative.  He wrote poems and songs, and enjoyed feeling the intense emotions associated with adventure and drama.  Victor says,

Henry Clerval was [...] a boy of singular talent and fancy [....].  He was deeply read in books of chivalry and romance.  He composed heroic songs and began to write many a tale of enchantment and knightly adventure. He tried to make us act plays and to enter into masquerades

with characters drawn from fantastic or romantic tales of old.  Victor, instead, enjoyed science and the process of trying to find out the reason for things rather than simply enjoying their beauty or mystery (as Henry would).  He says,

"The world was to me a secret which I desired to divine. Curiosity, earnest research to learn the hidden laws of nature, gladness akin to rapture, as they were unfolded to me, are among the earliest sensations I can remember." 

These are the pursuits that make him happy, the triumph of discovery after intense investigation.  Thus, Henry wanted to feel deeply and appreciate things while Victor wanted to discover things he could know.

In To Kill A Mockingbird, what is the quote about empathy that Atticus teaches Scout?

Atticus believes that it is important to "put yourself in someone else's shoes" in order to understand them.  He is a firm believer in empathy.  He wants his children to also take this advice when they are angry or frustrated with people.

Miss Caroline, Scout's new teacher, does not understand Scout.  Scout tries to explain why Walter Cunningham refuses to take a quarter from her for lunch.  Miss Caroline thinks Scout is being impertinent, and she punishes her.  She smacks Scout's hand with a ruler and sends her into the corner.  Scout is upset by this because she had not intended to do anything wrong.  She was only trying to help Miss Caroline by telling her the ways of the Cunningham family.  

Scout later speaks to her father about Miss Caroline.  Instead of being angry or upset with Miss Caroline, he implores his daughter to have understanding.  Scout's new teacher "had learned not to hand something to a Cunningham, for one thing."  He also suggested that Scout and Walter Cunningham "put [themselves] in her shoes [and see] it was an honest mistake on her part. [They] could not expect her to learn all Maycomb's ways in one day, and [they] could not hold her responsible when she knew no better" (To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 3).

What connections does Pi make between zoos and religion?

One of the many thoughtful things that Pi has to say about his two passions (and later his two majors in college) is that both are out of fashion. In the modern world, people are becoming more ambivalent than ever about religion. After all, even out of those who would call themselves religious, few people rival Pi's dedication and quiet but intense love of God. Pi sees this in his family and the larger world around him. Likewise, zoos are "out of fashion" because so many people see them as bad for the animals. Pi talks quite a bit about the misconceptions people have about zoos taking animals away from their majestic, wild ways, when in reality, he says, zoos provide the animals with safety and security.

Pi ties this comparison together with the line "certain illusions about freedom plague them both." Here, he is suggesting that people dislike both zoos and religion because they seen to conflict with that very important 20th and 21st century value of freedom. To the modern world, these institutions seem old-fashioned, as they interfere with a creature's ability to make his own decisions and choices. One could imagine that the "safety and security" argument that Pi makes for zoos could apply to religion as well. Rather than taking away our freedom, religion provides believers with a sense that the world is a safe place and we are taken care of by a god, just as animals are by a zookeeper. 

What does Jem say to point out the irrationality of Aunt Alexandra's major theory concerning human behavior in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird?

Early in her stay with the Finches in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Aunt Alexandra tries to teach the children her prejudiced views about hereditary human behavior. In Aunt Alexandra's mind, all human failings can be attributed to heredity. Specifically, she argues all of Maycomb's people have negative streaks they inherited from their families:

Everybody in Maycomb, it seemed, had a Streak: a Drinking Streak, a Gambling Streak, a Mean Streak, a Funny Streak (Chapter 13).

She further defines being good people, or "Fine Folks," as having a strong heritage. The longer a certain family lived on its land, the finer the family was. The finer the family, the better their behavior was. She uses this logic to claim the Finches are the best of people because they are "Fine Folks" who own their farm, Finches Landing.

Jem contradicts her argument that established residency makes a family fine by pointing out, "That makes the Ewells fine folks" (Chapter 13). The Ewells are the exact opposite of fine folks because they are uneducated, alcoholics, refuse to work, and live off of welfare. Jem's comment serves to underscore how wrongfully prejudiced Aunt Alexandra's views are.

After Tom Robinson's trial, Jem comes to understand that his aunt's views about the fineness of people has more to do with education. Jem interprets his aunt's statements about "Old Family" as meaning that the longer "your family's been readin' and writin," the better your family is, which is why Aunt Alexandra sees the Finches as being of higher standing than other families (Chapter 23). Jem uses his understanding of his aunt's comments to explain why everyone is different and why different people hate each other so much.

What is the theme of Friar Lawrence's speech in the beginning of Act II, Scene 3 of Romeo and Juliet?

In Friar Lawrence's opening soliloquy/monologue of Act II, Scene 3, he presents his philosophy of life. The speech is a soliloquy in the first 22 lines as he is alone on stage, and from lines 24-31 it is considered a monologue because Romeo has appeared on stage and the Friar is speaking to him. 

The Friar believes that within the earth "resides" both good and bad elements. One single flower may contain both poison and medicine. The earth is both a womb and a tomb as it produces life and then lets it die. Even the worst poisonous plant provides something positive for the earth. And elements that are essentially good can also wind up doing great harm.

He compares this to humans. Even the worst person may have something positive to contribute. Likewise, a basically good person can commit an evil act. He says,

Within the infant rind of this weak flower
Poison hath residence and medicine power:
For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each
part;
Being tasted, stays all senses with the heart.
Two such opposèd kings encamp them still
In man as well as herbs—grace and rude will;
And where the worser is predominant,
Full soon the canker death eats up that plant.

This theme of good and evil pervades the play. Good people commit foolish and evil acts. Mercutio and Tybalt are quick-tempered and belligerent, but we know they have good in them. Mercutio is Romeo's closest friend and confidant. Tybalt is also loved by his family, especially the Nurse, who takes his death badly. Lord Capulet adores his daughter (see Act I, Scene 2) but is at least partly responsible for her eventual suicide after his tirade at the end of Act III. Friar Lawrence himself contributes to the bad karma as he too could be considered responsible for the suicides after he devises the plan involving Juliet faking her death. Romeo carries out an evil act when he kills Paris at Juliet's tomb in Act V. Juliet is one character who doesn't display an evil side, yet she is the victim of the foolish acts that surround her.

I am going to write about Obamacare and I get very confused. Is Obamacare good or not good for the American economy in the future? I need to know...

The term "Obamacare" was at first a pejorative name given by Conservatives to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a health care coverage initiative signed into law by President Obama in 2010. The President decided not to reject this name, because he believed the initiative would be something the country would appreciate and the association of his name was appropriate since the program came into being under his administration.

The program has had many benefits, but is still controversial partly due to some problems and partly due to the overwhelming and constant attempts by Conservative politicians to dismantle it. These efforts to overturn Obamacare stem seemingly from party bias, a general feeling that the ACA takes away freedom of choice in health care, and in some cases an overall dislike of the President. 

Some of the "pros" of the ACA include the program's ability to offer health coverage to many Americans who did not have it previously, due to cost or limitations within their employment situation. This means that health care costs have been lowered across the board for those Americans who now have insurance coverage and do not have to pay out of pocket for health care costs, which can be very high. Health care coverage is now also more affordable than before the ACA came into being, and the ACA also rules that 80% of premiums must go directly towards health care costs. Also, insurance companies are not allowed to make unreasonable rate increases. As well, insurance companies are no longer allowed to deny coverage to anyone with a pre-existening condition. All of these measures have made health care more affordable and more accessible.

The "cons" associated with the ACA include the fact that some people have to pay higher premiums than they paid before (although in most cases this is because their coverage is now more comprehensive). Also, people who do not have health insurance can be fined (this measure was in place after Governor Mitt Romney enacted similar legislation for the state of Massachusetts prior to the ACA). There are complaints about new taxes that are helping to subsidize this program, effectively meaning the wealthy are helping the poor to obtain health care (although some economists apparently believe the long term impact of the ACA will be better for the federal budget). Another complaint has to do with the complicated enrollment process, though this has not been true across the board. Finally, some employers have been cutting back on employee hours in order to avoid being compelled to provide insurance coverage, although this is not a flaw in the ACA itself, but a problem with its implementation.

Was the bombing of Hiroshima necessary?

Whether one considers the atomic bombing of Hiroshima necessary is dependent upon whether one agrees that U.S. policy towards Japan should have been one of demanding unconditional surrender of the Japanese. If one believes that that demand was justified, then the atomic bombing of Hiroshima was justified. The reason for this is that the most compelling argument for the use of the bomb code-named "Little Boy," a 15-kiloton (or, roughly 15,000 tons of TNT) weapon, was that its use would convince Japan's Emperor Hirohito and his military commanders of the futility of resisting the overwhelming power the United States could bring to bear against Japan. The alternative to using the atomic bombs was a full-scale invasion of the Japanese mainland, an operation that, it was calculated, would result in as many as one million American casualties. If the use of the bombs against Hiroshima and Nagasaki--and the debate over the use of "Fat Man" to destroy the latter city a few days after the Hiroshima bombing is far more intriguing than the debate over the Hiroshima bombing--would convince the emperor to surrender and accept the U.S. occupation that would entail, then the costs in Japanese lives would be far lower than would be the case if the U.S. did launch an invasion, and the United States would also be spared the enormous losses of life that would have resulted from an invasion. In other words, the use of the atomic bombs saved untold millions of lives, as an invasion would have been much bloodier and far more protracted.

Lost in much of the debate surrounding the justification for the Hiroshima bombing was the toll in lives and property destroyed in conventional and fire-bombings of cities, not all of which may have been militarily necessary, although second-guessing war-time commanders in the midst of the most horrific conflagration in human history is an exercise of dubious morality. For example, the firebombing of the German city of Dresden killed around 135,000 people, while the firebombing of Tokyo killed around 100,000 Japanese with hundreds of thousands of more people wounded. These bombings killed more people than the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Again, though, the central question is whether the U.S. policy of unconditional surrender was justified. The answer to that question--and many Japanese agree--is yes, the policy was justified. Japanese militarism under the leadership of Hideki Tojo, an army general and prime minister of Japan during the war, was extremely well-entrenched in Japanese society. The fanaticism displayed by Japanese troops during the War in the Pacific had convinced American leaders of the necessity of totally destroying Japan's governing institutions. Only through the total defeat of Japan could Japanese society be demilitarized, and in this the late U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur, who would govern post-war Japan, was absolutely correct. The United States was able to impose a liberal, democratic constitution upon the Japanese that banned offensive military capabilities such as those that had enabled that country's imperialist expansionism during the 1930s and early-1940s. Absent a policy of unconditional surrender, such an accomplishment, still felt today, would have been impossible.

In conclusion, then, the policy of unconditional surrender was correct, and the bombing of Hiroshima, then, was also correct.

How is Calpurnia a good influence on Scout? Cite a line of evidence illustrating Calpurnia’s influence.

Calpurnia is a positive influence on Scout throughout the novel. She is a caring individual who is quick to discipline the children when they get out of hand. Calpurnia teaches Scout several lessons in manners and increases her perspective on life. In Chapter 12, Calpurnia takes Jem and Scout to First Purchase African M. E. Church. Scout gets the opportunity to experience life in the African American community of Maycomb. Scout notices that Calpurnia talks differently to members of her church than she does at home. Calpurnia tells Scout that she talks to her friends in an informal manner, because if she spoke formally, they would think she was "puttin' on airs to beat Moses." (Lee 167) Scout responds by saying that she knows better than to talk incorrectly. Calpurnia says, "It's not necessary to tell all you know. It's not lady-like---in the second place, folks don't like to have somebody around knowin' more than they do." (Lee 167) Calpurnia teaches Scout an important lesson in modesty. Scout learns that nobody appreciates a person who brags about how much they know and that some information is best kept to oneself. Scout admires Calpurnia's "modest double-life" and wishes to spend more time with her.

What is an example of how Harper Lee portrays the theme of evil in Chapter 10 or 11 of To Kill a Mockingbird?

In chapters 10 and 11 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, evil is symbolically referred to in order to develop her theme of evil.

In Chapter 10, evil is first symbolized by the children's Christmas gift of air-rifles. Atticus refuses to teach them to shoot, leaving it up to their Uncle Jack instead. The children assume it is because Atticus does not know how to shoot, but later we learn it is because Atticus strongly objects to killing living things, thinking it evil. Atticus's objection to killing living things is first demonstrated in the famous passage that became the basis for the book's title:

I'd rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird. (Ch. 10)

In saying he knows the children will shoot birds, Atticus is implying he understands there are two sides to human nature--evil and good--and that guns have a tendency to bring out the evil nature in humans, as displayed in his innocent children's desire to shoot and kill birds. In addition, Atticus's words imply that it is also human nature to kill or harm those things that are most innocent such as mockingbirds.

Later in the chapter, evil is symbolized through the appearance of the rabid dog named Tim Johnson, who poses a threat to the whole neighborhood. It's at this moment in the story that Atticus astounds his children by demonstrating his sharpshooting skills in order to rescue the neighborhood. Miss Maudie speaks of the evilness of killing when she explains that the reason why Atticus gave up shooting and kept his skills a secret is because he saw that God gave him an "unfair advantage over most living things" through giving him his sharpshooting skills (Ch. 10).

In Chapter 11, evil is represented by Mrs. Dubose's actions. Each time Jem and Scout pass her house, she hurls insults at them and even stoops so low as to say, "Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for!" (Ch. 11). Yet, author Lee even uses Mrs. Dubose to show there are two sides to human nature, not just one. She portrays Mrs. Dubose's good side by having Atticus explain upon her death that she was a morphine addict due to her illness yet was devoted to ridding herself of her addiction before she died, despite how much pain she was in. In Atticus's mind, her devotion to her cause made her the "bravest person [he] ever knew" (Ch. 11).

What were some of the actions Jonas did to start destroy his society in The Giver?

Jonas began to destroy his society by asking questions and pointing out problems, and then by disappearing with Gabe.

Jonas thought his community was perfect until he started his training as Receiver of Memory.  Under the old man’s guidance, he learned about the past.  In doing so, he learned that the world of previous generations had its drawbacks, but was vastly superior to Sameness.

Jonas’s community is a surveillance state.  They do not accept any kind of inconsistency or imperfection.  This is why they allow the concept of release.  Anyone who breaks a rule or is imperfect is killed.  Jonas has no idea what is really happening until he sees the video of the release. 

When Jonas sees the memories, he feels that the community should no longer play war games.  When he confronts Asher and tries to explain it to him, he frustrates and confuses his friend.  Asher is annoyed that Jonas would try to tell him how to do something in his own area of expertise.  However, Jonas’s reaction is a subtle shift and would have had an impact on the community overall.

Another way Jonas’s memory experience impacts the community is when he asks his parents if they love him.  His parents scold him for being imprecise.  Jonas is confused, because it is not the reaction he expected.

"What do you mean?" Jonas asked. Amusement was not at all what he had anticipated.

"Your father means that you used a very generalized word, so meaningless that it's become almost obsolete," his mother explained carefully. (Ch. 16)

Jonas’s parents might have begun to wonder what Jonas was learning that love would suddenly be important to him.  This would have been another subtle shift in the community’s understanding, if his parents began to wonder about the idea that love was imprecise and invaluable.  Jonas also told Gabe about love.

However, the biggest challenge to the community is when Jonas escapes with Gabriel.  He watches the video of the newborn twin’s release, and then he decides that his community needs to be shaken up.  He escapes with Gabe in order to rescue him, but also in order to get his community back to the way things were in the last generations before Sameness.

The Giver shook his head and made a gesture to silence him. He continued. "If you get away, if you get beyond, if you get to Elsewhere, it will mean that the community has to bear the burden themselves, of the memories you had been holding for them. (Ch. 20)

Jonas knows that once he leaves and goes beyond to Elsewhere, he can never come back.  The community will have the memories, and everything will be different.  They will have to do away with Sameness, because they will have an understanding of war and pain, but also sunshine and love.

When do we learn that the stranger's full name is Victor Frankenstein? Why do you think Shelley withholds this information for so long?

We first learn Victor Frankenstein's full name at the beginning of Chapter 5, when he receives a letter addressed to him from Elizabeth Lavenza, his cousin and future (intended) wife.  

I think there are a number of possible reasons for this delay:

First, not knowing someone's name is very alienating. Our names feel integral to our identities and so refusing to call someone by their name is ultimately dehumanizing.  Perhaps Shelley is commenting on Victor's apparent lack of humanity by refusing to name him for so long. Such a move draws further attention to the way in which his "human nature turn[ed] with loathing from [his] occupation" when he was digging up bodies and visiting morgues in order to supply himself with parts for his experiment.  

Second, she might also refuse to name him to point out the inhumane way he treats his "creature" once it comes to life.  After having stared at this creature for months on end, in witnessing him come to life, Victor says that "no mortal could support the horror of [his creature's] countenance," literally placing himself outside the realm of humans (who would not have been able to handle it). Simply abandoning his creature to the elements is both cruel and ultimately traumatizing to the creature himself.  

Third, Victor never names the person he makes (another way in which he dehumanizes his creation), and Shelley goes to great lengths later in the novel to show readers just how similar Victor and his creature really are: starting with good intentions, wanting to help humanity, etc. Not naming him until later places readers in the same position regarding his namelessness as we are when it comes to the creature.  It's just one more way in which they are so alike (both are monstrous and both are good -- this duality is key to human nature in this book).  

What is an example of situational irony in "The Gift of the Magi"?

The most important instance of situational irony involves Della. This is really her story. It is told entirely from her point of view. Her husband Jim only appears at the end. He is a relatively minor character. People will always remember "The Gift of the Magi" as a story about a young woman who sells her hair in order to raise enough money to buy her husband a Christmas present.

Situational irony involves something happening that is contrary to what is expected. Della expects her husband to be delighted with the watch fob she has chosen for him and for which she has made the great sacrifice of all her beautiful long hair. It turns out that Jim no longer has the watch. He sold it to buy Della a Christmas present of tortoise-shell combs for her hair.

Irony is usually like a cruel joke. It would be funny if it were not so painful. We do not feel like laughing at either of these two young people, but the irony is partially ameliorated by the fact that they love each other. Their love is more important than any material possessions.

What two gifts does Steady Eddie present to Bud?

Steady Eddie himself gives Bud two gifts and is instrumental in giving him a third.

Shortly after joining the group of musicians, Steady Eddie informs Bud of the rules for being in the band. He lets Bud know that he must practice music two hours a day. He then gives Bud a recorder on which to practice simple music before learning a more complicated instrument.

The other gift Eddie gives Bud is near the end of the story. Steady Eddie gives Bud a saxophone. The saxophone has been used but is in good shape from repairs they gave it. They let Bud know that he must polish it himself.

One other gift Eddie was instrumental in giving Bud was a nickname which all the band members had. The band members gave Bud the nickname Sleepy LaBone at the same time that they gave him his recorder.

What are interesting facts, examples, or data one can learn about stem cell research?

Stem cells are cells with different characteristics as compared to other cells in our body. They are able to divide and stay as stem cells or can become a different cell type. It is interesting to note that embryos contain stem cells, and these cells enable the formation of various organs in our body and help it develop. Stem cells also help in replenishing old cells and repairing tissues, etc. Stem cells, by themselves, are unspecialized and cannot carry out the specialized functions that other cells (such as blood cells, nerve cells, muscle cells, etc.) can carry out. However, they can divide to form specialized cells. This multi-step process is known as differentiation and is a hot topic of research. Scientists are trying to understand what makes them become specialized. Stem cells are also capable of dividing without specializing for a long duration. For example, embryonic stem cells can divide without differentiation, while most adult stem cells cannot.

Stem cells are potentially very useful to us. For example, we can use them to grow specialized tissues or organs (hopefully, after more research) and transplant them into patients who need them. We can test a number of medicines on stem cells and study their effects, such as on cancerous cells. 

A lot of research is taking place on stem cells. Most recently, scientists have successfully grown sperm out of stem cells and have shown it to be useful. In this case, the injected mouse was able to reproduce: http://www.newsweek.com/scientists-grow-sperm-dish-embryonic-stem-cells-430498?piano_t=1

It has also been found that sleep deprivation may affect the regenerative ability of donated sperm cells. It has been shown in mice that stem cells derived from sleep deprived mice have low efficiency of restoring blood and the immune system: http://www.isscr.org/visitor-types/public

Scientists are working on a number of research areas using stem cells, including how they differentiate, their potential for damaged cell/tissue replacement, how to stimulate proliferation, medicine testing, etc. 

Hope this helps. 

In the novel Bud, Not Buddy, name one rule that Bud lives by and support how this rule helped Bud to survive or thrive by quoting text from the book.

Bud lives by numerous "Rules" that he lists in Bud Caldwell's Rules and Things to Have a Funner Life and Make a Better Liar Out of Yourself. These rules help Bud survive in a harsh world. In Chapter 11, Bud is extremely tired from walking to Owosso from Flint before being picked up by Lefty Lewis. Bud falls asleep on the ride back to Flint, and in the morning he hears someone calling his name, telling him to wake up. Bud cannot recall where he is at and remembers Rule Number 29,

"When You Wake Up and Don't Know for Sure Where You're At And There's a Bunch of People Standing Around You, It's Best to Pretend You're Still Asleep Until You Can Figure Out What's Going On and What You Should Do" (Curtis 116).

Bud keeps his eyes closed and listens to what the woman is saying in hopes that she will reveal where he is at and what's going on around him. Bud listens to her discuss the various bug bites all over his face and hears a man say that Bud was trying to walk to Grand Rapids from Flint. Bud finally remembers that Lefty Lewis gave him a ride and listens as they discuss his "father," Herman E. Calloway. Bud says,

"See! I told you it was smart to pretend you were asleep some of the time. Now I was going to learn some things about my father" (Curtis 117).

Bud learns that he has a half-sister who is an adult and that Herman was married to several women. Rule Number 29 allowed Bud to find out information about Herman that he did not previously know, and allowed Bud to understand his surroundings before waking up.

What are the properties of sodium?

Sodium is a group I element placed in 3rd period of the periodic table of elements. It is a metal and has a silvery-white appearance. It is extremely soft and can be cut with a knife. Sodium metal is not present in the free form in environment. It is an extremely reactive element and readily reacts with water and air. Thus, a pure piece of sodium metal will lose its silvery appearance if exposed to air. Its reactivity can be attributed to a single valence electron (atomic number= 11, electronic configuration: 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s1). It is a solid at room temperature and has a relatively low melting point (about 97.8 degrees Celsius). 

Sodium is essential for all living beings, including human beings. Our most common source of sodium is the common salt, sodium chloride (NaCl).

Hope this helps. 

In The Canterville Ghost, what does Virginia tell her family about the ghost?

In Chapter Five of "The Canterville Ghost," Virginia Otis plays a very important role in helping the ghost to find eternal peace in the Garden of Death. During her absence, her family are beside themselves with worry but, in Chapter Six, she reappears as suddenly as she vanished. 

On her return, Virginia reveals few details of what happened when she went through the tapestry door with the ghost. Instead, she tells them:

"I have been with the ghost. He is dead, and you must come and see him. He had been very wicked, but he was really sorry for all that he had done, and he gave me this box of beautiful jewels before he died."

She continues that "God has forgiven him" and this is an important message in the story. By saying sorry for the bad things the ghost has done, notably the murder of his wife, he has received divine forgiveness and is able to leave Canterville Chase and rest eternally, undisturbed.

Virginia does not give her family any details of what happened because she has a profound respect for the ghost. She also echoes Wilde's sentiment that the ghost's status as a forgiven man is more important than any of the bad deeds he has committed. 

What are 3 words to describe Katniss in the book Mockingjay and why?

Katniss in Mockingjay is at her most intense. She has transformed from the young girl dedicated to the survival of her immediate family and friends to a girl who has taken on the revolution and now feels responsible for all the people of the Districts, struggling against The Capital.

One word to describe her is traumatized. Unlike many heroes and heroines of young adult dystopian novels, the horrors that Katniss has experienced (not to mention those she's actively participated in) haunt her: just take a look at her "mentally unstable" bracelet. Her constant nightmares and fears that everything she has could be taken away continue through the end of the novel. Even years later, with children of her own, Katniss has not fully psychologically recovered from the traumatic events of her youth and adolescence, and it's unlikely she ever fully will. 

Another word that fits Katniss in this novel is ruthless. Katniss has always had moral quandaries and discomfort with killing and hurting others. Those don't go away – she criticizes Gale and Beetee when they make traps for the enemy that prey on human compassion and hurt innocents. Still, when she takes command of her rebel unit after Boggs' death and leads them into the heart of the Capital to kill President Snow, she is leading them down a path that will get most of them killed. She herself shoots an innocent Capital citizen without thinking twice. She even votes that the Capital should send its children to a new Hunger Games. 

A final phrase to describe Katniss could be unwilling symbol. In Mockingjay especially, Katniss's role as the Mockingjay and a symbol of hope to the rebel is more at odds with her own desire for personal choices and freedom than ever. She wants to fight and "be useful" but can't because the rebels won't risk her getting hurt or killed. Aside from that, all the propos and staged battles and having a hair and make-up crew again rings a little too much like the Hunger Games themselves. It seems like Katniss is putting on a big, elaborate act again, this time for the rebels instead of the entertainment of the Capital. Serving as a role model is not really a strength of hers (she's not a great actress or really easy to work with), and it's definitely not what she wants to be doing for the cause. This tension between the role she's forced to play by the rebels and the role she wants only grows as the novel progresses. 

In "Winter Dreams," during the winter, how does Dexter reflect upon his summer activities?

In “Winter Dreams” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Dexter spends the winters of his youth musing over the lives of the wealthy members of the country club where he is a mere caddie. He sees himself playing matches with and against the club members, winning the club championship, and driving an expensive car. He longs not only to be like these men, he longs for the things they have. In his dreams, he is a man of prestige and accomplishment.

But do not get the impression, because his winter dreams happened to be concerned at first with musings on the rich, that there was anything merely snobbish in the boy. He wanted not association with glittering things and glittering people—he wanted the glittering things themselves.

Judy Jones enters his life when he is only fourteen years old, but she steers the course of his life into his thirties. His winter dreams focus on his obsession with this beautiful but fickle young lady. When he is with her, his dreams are fulfilled.

She simply made men conscious to the highest degree of her physical loveliness. Dexter had no desire to change her. Her deficiencies were knit up with a passionate energy that transcended and justified them.

Unfortunately for him, Judy moves from one man to the next without a thought for their feelings. As the seasons change, he begins to realize that he cannot have her and he tries to move on, even becoming engaged to another. “When autumn had come and gone again it occurred to him that he could not have Judy Jones.” But again, Judy appears and his stability is torn away once more. In spite of his success as a businessman who fulfilled his original winter dreams, Dexter is unable to let the dream of Judy die.

War intervenes, and upon his return, he builds his business in New York. During a business meeting, he learns of Judy's marriage. According to an acquaintance, she is in a difficult marriage, and her looks have dwindled. Only after hearing this does Dexter realize that although he attained his youthful “winter dreams,” he sold his soul for Judy Jones.

Even the grief he could have borne was left behind in the country of illusion, of youth, of the richness of life, where his winter dreams had flourished.

"Long ago," he said, "long ago, there was something in me, but now that thing is gone. Now that thing is gone, that thing is gone. I cannot cry. I cannot care. That thing will come back no more."

What are some of Mrs. Sommers's character traits in "A Pair of Silk Stockings"?

In "A Pair of Silk Stockings" Mrs. Sommers finds herself caught between being an unselfish mother and satisfying some of her own personal needs.

Here are some of her character traits:

• 
  unselfish - "Little" Mrs. Sommers thinks first of her children when she has the good fortune to acquire an extra fifteen dollars. She ponders for days upon what she will buy for her children and is excited at the "vision of her little brood looking fresh and dainty and new for once in their lives."


• 
  optimistic - She does not indulge in "morbid retrospection"; that is, she does not look back on the past when she had nice things for herself. Nor does she let the "gaunt monster" of the future trouble her too much.


• 
  frugal - Mrs. Sommers knows how to "elbow her way" at the bargain counters. And, she can hold on to an article until she is waited on in order to purchase it.


• 
  stressed - Mrs. Sommers cares for her children and forgets about eating until she is in the department store. Then, she feels faint.


• 
  impulsive - When her hand feels the silk stockings and the clerk asks if she wishes to see the hosiery, Mrs. Sommers allows herself to be seduced by the "serpentlike" gliding of the delightful silk through her hands.

She was not going through any acute mental process or reasoning...nor was she striving to explain to her satisfaction the motive of her action.

• 
  pleasure-seeking - After she purchases the silk stockings, Mrs. Sommers surrenders to the desire to indulge herself after so long, and she spends the money on new shoes and gloves. After these purchases she eats at a restaurant, splurging on a delicious meal; later, she attends a play.


• 
  wistful - As she waits for the cable car, Mrs. Sommers feels as though a dream has ended. She entertains "a poignant wish, a powerful longing that the cable car would never stop anywhere...."


• 
  reluctant  - Mrs. Sommers is not eager to return to her life of frugality again along with all her responsibilities.

Why are parallel circuits the best design?

Parallel circuits provide multiple pathways for electricity while series circuits only have one pathway. Both follow Ohm's law, V=IR. In a series circuit if an additional load such as a lightbulb is added the resistance R increases so the current I decreases. An advantage of a parallel circuit is that the voltage remains the same if another light is added so the brightness of each bulb stays the same.

A second advantage of parallel circuits is that the circuit can be broken in one loop without the entire circuit being incomplete. In a group of lights wired in parallel, if one burns out the others stay lit. In series the circuit is broken if one light burns out because there are no alternate pathways for the electrons.

In The Crucible, how does the author describe John Proctor?

When John Proctor enters Reverend Parris's house in Act One, Miller describes him as a man who had no patience for hypocrisy.  Miller says, "In Proctor's presence a fool felt his foolishness instantly -- and a Proctor is always marked for calumny therefore."  In other words, Proctor makes people very aware of their own failings just by being himself, and so he inspires their intense dislike and draws the criticism of such people.  

However, Miller also describes him as someone who feels a great deal of internal conflict due to the fact that he does not possess an "untroubled soul."  He has committed sins not just according to Puritan mores but against his own conscience (the chief of these, revealed later, is his infidelity to his wife).  As a result of this internal conflict, Miller says that he "has come to regard himself as a kind of fraud" despite his appearance as a confident, powerful, and righteous man.

What are some of Juliet's character traits?

Juliet Capulet is very young. Marriage and love are not yet on her mind. When her mother suggests marrying, Juliet replies, “It is an honour that I dream not of.” This changes when she meets Romeo the Montague. He falls in love with her at first sight, and the attraction is mutual. Though youthful, Juliet is not shy. She banters with Romeo about hands and lips upon their first meeting. Her feelings for him are so intense, she says, that if he is married, “My grave is like to be my wedding bed.” She is also ready to abandon her family identity: “if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, / And I'll no longer be a Capulet.”

Juliet also expresses wisdom by noting how arbitrary the difference between Capulets and Montagues is: “'Tis but thy name that is my enemy.” She is also somewhat wary of “lovers' perjuries” and questions Romeo’s sincerity, telling him not to swear unless “by thy gracious self.” Juliet worries that their love is “too rash, too unadvised, too sudden.” However, she can be very impatient, growing angry at the nurse for taking so long to return with news from Romeo and comparing herself to “an impatient child that hath new robes / And may not wear them.”

Juliet has a dark side as well. When Romeo kills Tybalt, she refers to Romeo as, “O serpent heart, hid with a flowering face!” She quickly repents her condemnation and mourns both Tybalt’s death and Romeo’s banishment. In fact, she wishes to kill herself then and there, so “death, not Romeo, take my maidenhead!” In her overwhelming passion, she eventually does commit suicide, wasting no time once discovering Romeo’s dagger.

Ultimately, Juliet is a complicated character with a variety of qualities. She is young, emotional, and poetic but also witty, decisive, and even wise.

What does SRO stand for during the Great Depression? What do SROs have to do with the book Bud, Not Buddy?

Truthfully, this question has more to do with the Great Depression and the United States in the 1930s than it does with the book Bud, Not Buddy. SRO stands for “Single Room Occupancy,” but cannot be found anywhere in the book. Many SROs were created in big cities, such as Grand Rapids Michigan and New York City, in order to combat the housing crisis. SROs were the government's answer to low-income housing because, quite frankly, most people during the Great Depression made little or no income. People during this time made so little money that they could not afford a regular home or multiple-room apartments. The government’s solution was to create SROs so that less people would become homeless. It is entirely possible that people like Mr. Lefty Lewis inhabited an SRO. SROs could also hold small families. Therefore, it is also entirely possible that Bud and his mother lived in an SRO before she died.  However, we know the band did not live in an SRO because Bud is put to bed by Miss Thomas in a separate room, and no band members join him.

Why does the ghost want Virginia to pray for him?

In Chapter Five of "The Canterville Ghost," the ghost meets Virginia in the Tapestry Chamber and asks her to pray for him. He asks this because he wants to enter the Garden of Death so that he can lie in the "soft brown earth" and sleep undisturbed. (He has not slept since his death 300 years ago.) According to the prophecy which is written on the library window, however, the ghost can only enter the garden if he enlists Virginia to pray for his forgiveness:

When a golden girl can win

Prayer from out the lips of sin,

When the barren almond bears,

And a little child gives away its tears,

Then shall all the house be still,

And peace come to Canterville. 

Of all the people living at Canterville Chase, Virginia is the only one who matches this description: she is kind-hearted, warm, and caring. In other words, she is the "golden girl" whose tears can make the almond tree bear fruit and who can convince God to forgive the ghost for his earthly sins. Without Virginia, the ghost has no chance of entering the Garden of Death and peace will never come to Canterville Chase. 

In what ways is Ralph like Piggy?

Both characters share an affinity for civilization, order, and democracy throughout the novel Lord of the Flies. Although they differ physically, both characters are considered intellectual individuals who value morality over savagery. Ralph and Piggy both recognize the importance of maintaining a signal fire and providing shelter for the boys over hunting and bathing. Rescue is their number one priority, and they both oppose Jack's tyrannical persona. Piggy is continually arguing with Jack, and Ralph consistently defends Piggy by challenging Jack. Ralph and Piggy both hold the conch in high esteem, which represents their longing for order and civility. Both characters lament their situation and wish they were home. When Jack leaves to start his own tribe, Piggy and Ralph refuse to join. Ralph and Piggy are both morally upright individuals who try their best not to succumb to barbarism throughout the novel.

What was the significance of the Reconquista in Spain?

The Reconquista was a very significant event in Spain. This event began in 718 and ended in 1492. The Reconquista refers to the defeat of the Moors, or Muslims, in Spain in 1492 by the Christians.

The Moors were from North Africa, and they had invaded Europe around 711. They took over most of the Iberian Peninsula when they invaded Europe.

The Reconquista began in 718. At the Battle of Covadonga, the Christians were able to secure their first victory over the Muslim armies. There were many battles that were fought over the next 700 years. Each side had some successes in these battles. For example, in 1085, the Christians captured Toledo. However, in 1086, the Almoravids arrived from North Africa to help the Moors fight and win battles against the Christians.

When King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella ruled Spain, they continued to fight the Moors. The Reconquista was complete, when the last Moorish stronghold, the city of Granada, fell. The Christians were in charge of Spain. They expelled the Moors and the Jews from Spain who refused to convert to Christianity.

What does the narrator of "A Modest Proposal" hope to gain from his proposal, and what does he specifically not expect as a reward for his great idea?

The answers to this question can be found in the last paragraph of "A Modest Proposal." Having suggested that Irish children be raised and reared to be food on the tables of Englishmen, and reassuring his readers that the plan would make a profit on those who are otherwise a burden on society, he says that his plan is only motivated by the "publick good of his country." In other words, he is only offering his plan for the good of Ireland--the purest of motives. He then goes on to specifically say that he does not stand to profit from his "proposal." His youngest child is nine years old, and his wife is "past child-bearing." In other words, he has no children that he could profit from. This paragraph makes for a delightfully wicked ending completely in keeping with the spirit of the satire in the essay. It also further drives home the point that Swift is satirizing the well-meaning and supposedly disinterested philosophers who seek coldly rational and profit-driven solutions to human problems. 

What does Montresor admit is his motive for the crime in "The Cask of Amontillado"?

Montresor says that his motive for killing Fortunato was that Fortunato had insulted him.

We actually do not know what Montresor thinks Fortunato did, but we can assume it was nothing significant because he is not specific, and because Fortunato does not seem to be aware that there was an injustice done at all.

The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that gave utterance to a threat.

Fortunato goes with Montresor down into the catacombs at night.  No one would do that if he felt that a person was out to get him for revenge.  You just do not go underground with people you have mortally insulted!

Yet Fortunato has no idea that he ever insulted Montresor or that Montresor is harboring a murderous rage because of it.

It was about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season, that I encountered my friend. He accosted me with excessive warmth, for he had been drinking much.

Would you really show someone excessive warmth if you thought they were holding a grudge against you?  No, you would more likely be very cautious.  Montresor gets away with murder because Fortunato has no idea that he is even angry.

The hyperbole in saying that Fortunato committed a “thousand injuries” and the fact that Fortunato is not suspicious adds up to the idea that Fortunato did not really do anything.  Montresor imagined it.  There was probably some minor slight that no one else would have noticed, which Montresor blew out of proportion. 

Montresor is clearly a madman.  Madmen do not make very good friends.  He is having some kind of delusion about Fortunato, and because of that Fortunato has to die.

Do you think the efforts of Brazil’s government to keep the economy growing will be successful? Why or why not?

Brazil is going through a rough patch, but they'll be okay in the long run.

Already, Brazil is an upper-middle income country with a GDP over $2 trillion. Per capita their GDP is about $15,000, which is above the world average and about half that of Portugal or Poland. Their life expectancy is 74, also above the world average and only a few years behind the US.

For the last few years, Brazil has been in a recession; it actually seems to be a stagflation recession similar to what the US went through in the 1970s. They've had inflation rates around 10%, which is high, but by no means unbearable. Their unemployment is around 8%, which is, again, high, but not catastrophic. Their fiscal deficit is about 10% of GDP, another moderately bad sign. All they really need to do is cut each of those numbers in half and they'll be just fine. (The people calling for them to achieve fiscal surplus frankly don't seem to grasp how fiscal policy works. Countries almost never run fiscal surpluses, even in the best times; and they simply don't need to. As long as your fiscal deficit is less than your growth in nominal GDP, you can do that forever.) To do that, cut some government spending that isn't very productive (military, perhaps? You could probably shave off 1% of GDP that way), raise interest rates a little, maybe implement some active labor market policies to help people find jobs, and then relax, because it's really not so bad. The US and Europe have been through worse recessions than this, and we're fine.

The minimum wage hikes and price controls they implemented in an attempt to counteract the inflation didn't work very well, and many economists think that Brazil's government has taken too much of a hands-on approach in general, micromanaging the economy rather than letting markets do their work. This is probably true; but to be honest I don't think this was Brazil's main problem. I think they were hit by the global Great Recession just like everyone else.

While they seemed to weather the 2009 Great Recession relatively well (largely because they did not allow securitization of mortgages---I think we might learn a thing or two from them on that one), I think the loss of exports damaged their medium-term finances and was a major factor in causing this later recession that hit them around 2012. President Rousseff didn't just arbitrarily decide to increase public spending for no reason; she did so in response to a loss of global aggregate demand and rising inequality within Brazil. I actually think the high public spending may have helped Brazil---their peak unemployment wasn't as bad as the that in United States, after all.

The recent drop in global oil prices has hurt Brazil's recovery, as their government budget is partly funded by their nationalized oil company. China's slowdown as they realize the hard way that no amount of good policy can sustain 9% GDP growth indefinitely has also hurt Brazil's exports.

The one thing I'm really worried about for Brazil is their political instability. Their current government is extremely unpopular, and perceived to be quite corrupt. There are even rumors of people that support a coup, though so far these seem to be a few rare extremists. If Brazil actually had a coup, they'd be in big trouble. But as long as they can keep their democracy going and hopefully even clean up some of the corruption, they should be fine.

It wouldn't hurt to get rid of some of the price controls and streamline some of the regulations. But I don't think that was ever really the problem, and I don't think getting rid of them is necessary for the solution.

Pertaining to the short story "The Cask of Amontillado," what showcases Fortunato's pride?

The first show of Fortunato's pride is when he insists that his taste and talents as a connoisseur of fine wine is superior to others'.  Montresor says that he sees that Fortunato is engaged, and so he will find Luchesi to help assess his recent purchase of a pipe (126 gallons) of Amontillado, and when Montresor says that "'Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry,'" Montresor asserts that "'some fools will have it that his taste is a match for [Fortunato's].'"  This prompts Fortunato to say, "'Come, let us go," and return with Montresor to his vaults.  Further, he tells Montresor, "'You have been imposed upon.'"  Fortunato thus somewhat rudely insists that he is better than another local connoisseur, as well as Montresor himself.  His pride in his taste and discernment is, evidently, the "weak point" that Montresor exploits in order to put his plan for revenge into action.

Moreover, when Montresor and Fortunato are in the vaults, Fortunato seems to take great pleasure in outing his companion as one who is not a Freemason.  He performs some secret sign once, twice, and when he sees that Montresor doesn't comprehend, he proudly proclaims, "'Then you are not of the brotherhood."  His shock when Montresor insists that he is, in fact, a "mason," further indicates his sense of pride and superiority.

What are Granny's circumstances in the story?

Granny Weatherall is eighty years old and is on her deathbed in her daughter Cornelia's house. She is in and out of consciousness, losing hours here and there in sleep. When she is conscious, she can be tenacious and rude. She recalls significant moments of her life. She recalls the first time she was jilted. This is when she was left at the altar by George. (She would eventually marry a man named Johh, the father of her children.) Even at this point in her life, decades later, the jilting of being left at the altar still stings. Being on her deathbed, old and physically weak, she feels useless. She fondly recalls how her children had always needed her. She longs for those days when she was useful and the children depended upon her for so many things in their lives. So, at the end of her life, she is despondent because she has lost that feeling of being needed. She feels "jilted" again. 

She wants to see her favorite daughter, Hapsy. However, Hapsy does not come to her deathbed. She feels jilted by this as well. Repeatedly, Granny keeps trying to forget George but she can not: 

Again no bridegroom and the priest in the house. She could not remember any other sorrow because this grief wiped them all away. Oh there's nothing more cruel than this--I'll never forgive it. 

The jilting of being left at the altar is the primary grief in her life. The grief of dying and feeling useless reminds her of that primary grief and she unsuccessfully tries to get beyond this grief before she passes on. 

Does Jem feel that Tom Robinson is guilty or innocent?

Jem feels that Tom Robinson is innocent. Throughout the trial, Jem is rooting for Tom Robinson, and when Bob Ewell proves that he is left-handed, Jem says, "We've got him." (Lee 238) Following Atticus' closing speech, Jem approaches his father and says, "We've won, haven't we?" Before the verdict is read, Jem tells Reverend Sykes that there is no way Tom will lose this case based off the evidence. It is clear to Jem that Tom is innocent. Mayella and Bob's testimonies conflict, Bob Ewell was left-handed and probably beat his daughter, and Tom's handicap would make it impossible for him to have strangled Mayella. Jem has not yet experienced racial injustice at this level and is naive to think that an all white jury will take a black man's word over a white women's word. When the verdict is read, Jem is heartbroken when he hears that Tom Robinson is "guilty." Jem cries and repeats the phrase, "It ain't right." (Lee 284) Later in the novel, Jem tells Atticus they should do away with juries because they convicted an innocent man.

After adding potassium permanganate to water the volume does not increase but the weight does increase. Why?

When a solute is dissolved in a solvent or when two solutions are combined the volumes aren't necessarily additive. However, the masses are additive according to the law of conservation of mass. It's common for the total volume of a solution to be less than the sum of the volumes of the components before they were combined, which is what you're observing. The difference between the volume of a solution and the sum of the volumes of the uncombined components is designated as `Delta` V, and it can be either positive or negative. A solution with a `Delta` V of zero is called an ideal solution. For a non-ideal solution, the amount that a component contributes to the total volume is called the partial molar volume. 

This phenomenon occurs because the attractions between solute and solvent particles are different from the attractions between particles in the pure components, and because the shapes of the particles can result in closer or more distant packing. If you have a full container of sand, you can still add water to the container because it fills spaces between the sand particles. (This is just an analogy. A mixture of sand and water isn't a solution.) When two components of a solution are combined one component can sometimes fit into spaces between particles of the other. 

What is one event that happens in Esperanza's house?

One incident that occurs in the house is in the chapter entitled "Papa Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark."

Esperanza is awakened while it is still dark; her father is in her room, saying, "Your abuelito [grandfather] is dead." She knows that her father will take a plane to Mexico for the funeral, and he will return with a black-and-white photograph of the family before the tomb. He has told Esperanza first because she is the oldest; now, it will be her duty to inform her siblings. She must also explain to the younger ones that they must not play any games that cause them to make noise; instead, out of respect for their father's grief, they must be quiet.

Turning to look closely at her father, Esperanza reflects upon this man upon her bed:

My Papa,...who wakes up tired in the dark, who combs his hair with water, drinks his coffee, and is gone before we wake, today is sitting on my bed. 

Suddenly Esperanza wonders what she would do if her own Papa died. With sudden emotion, she holds her father with the fierceness of a fearful love. "I hold and hold and hold him."

Why does the Mesoamerican calendar have 18 months?

Well, basically, why not? While years are a clear astronomical phenomenon---the Earth goes around the Sun, the seasons complete a full cycle---months are more or less arbitrary. They are sometimes based on the revolution of the Moon, but that doesn't fit evenly into a year, so most calendars make some sort of adjustment, including the Gregorian calendar we use where most months are 30 or 31 days even though the Moon's orbit is about 29 days long (as seen from Earth).

Most Mesoamerican cultures use a form of the Mayan calendar, because the Mayan calendar is astonishingly accurate---we're still not entirely sure how they gathered enough astronomical knowledge to make it line up so precisely with the orbital precession of the Earth. (Their leap year adjustments are actually slightly better than the Gregorian calendar, albeit more complicated to work with.) There are a lot of crazy theories out there ("Aliens!"), but the most plausible one is simply that this was very important to them based on their religious beliefs, so they took extremely careful measurements with the equipment they had.

What we do know is that they had an advanced mathematical system, including the use of zero and modular arithmetic, which cultures in Europe and Asia would not figure out until centuries later. They also used base 20 most of the time, so months had 20 days (numbered 0 to 19, just like base-20 modular arithmetic!); this made for 18 months, plus 5 or 6 extra days called "Uayeb" that were observed as solemn holidays.

How would McGregor's X and Y be applied in today's diverse workforce?

Douglas McGregor, who was a professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management, wrote The Human Side of Enterprise in 1960. He described in it what became the widely known Theory X and Theory Y of management. In his formulation, these were not two distinct methods, but the end points of a broad and continuous spectrum of management assumptions and associated behaviors.

Theory X generally assumes that workers are not self-motivated and will only do work well and efficiently if closely supervised. This theory requires that managers create strict rules, rewards, and punishments. Theory Y, on the other hand, assumes that workers are self-motivated and will strive to do well for the intrinsic satisfaction of the job itself if management encourages them to be creative and take responsibility.

With today's diverse workforce, one should not use either one of these different theories exclusively as people from different cultural backgrounds respond well to different management styles. Instead, one should adopt elements of these different management styles to different groups of workers.

As was true in McGregor's time, different types of workers should be managed differently. Workers in fast food or manufacturing may need more standardized procedures and rules, while workers in the new knowledge economy respond better to Theory Y. Also, the entrepreneurial contract workers of the "gig economy," because they are contractors rather than employees, are by nature functioning within a Theory Y context.

If you go up a P5th from D, which note do you land on?

It looks like you are asking about going up a Perfect 5th from D on the keyboard. From D, the tonic note, you will end up on the note A if you want a Perfect 5th chord.

Perfect 5ths are made up of seven half steps. So, if you follow on the keyboard, you will see a progression like this: D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A. (# symbolizes sharp).

Also, here's an easier way to recognize perfect 5ths if you prefer not to count half steps. All fifths are perfect without sharps or flats unless you are referring to B and F. To get a perfect 5th here, you will need B and F sharp. The progression will look like this: B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#. (To check, you can see that it's seven half steps from B to F sharp).

For notes with no sharps or flats:

1)From C to G is a perfect 5th.

2)From E to B is also a perfect 5th.

If both notes are sharped or flatted, they will still be Perfect 5ths. Try these:

1)From C sharp to G sharp ( C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#).

2)From A flat to E flat ( A flat, A, B flat, B, C, D flat, D, E flat).

Try other combinations if you like, but the principle still holds the same. Happy playing!

What are the downsides (disadvantages) of education in a economic view?

There are two main potential downsides to education from an economic point of view.  One will always exist while the other applies to some people but not to others.

In economic terms, education is an investment for an individual.  When we invest, we forego something good in the short term in hopes of getting something better in the long term.  For example, if I invest part of my paycheck, I do not get to spend that money on anything that would be fun in the short term.  I give up that potential fun in hopes of getting more money in the future.

Education is similar.  When we go to college, or even to our later years of high school, we are giving something up.  We are giving up the chance to be working and making money.  Instead of making money, we may actually be spending money for tuition and books.   In this sense, education is bad for us in the short term.  Instead of making money by working, we are giving up money to pay for our education. This is a downside (at least in the short term) to education.

When we invest, we hope to get a return that makes it worth it to have given something up in order to invest.  Sometimes, however, investments go bad.  We invest, for example, in bad stocks and we do not get much of a return on our investment.  We have given up the chance to use our money in the short term and we have not even gotten a long-term benefit.  This can happen with education as well, but it does not always happen.

For some people, money spent on education will be wasted. Even with their education, they will not be able to get a good job that will pay them well.  These people would have been better off just going to work right out of high school.  For them, the investment in education did not pay off.  For these people, there is a long-term downside to education because it costs them without doing them much good in the long term.

 Education is an investment.  Investments always involve giving things up in the short term in hopes of a high return in the long term.  However, there will be people for whom education is a bad investment because they will not get a high return.  The short-term loss (for all people who get educated) and the long-term loss (for some) are the two main potential downsides to education.