Historians argue that the New Deal permanently changed the role of the federal government in the U.S. Was this change justified given the...

The New Deal changed the role of the federal government. Those changes still exist today. In the 1920s, laissez-faire was the policy of the federal government in regards to the economy. People believed that the government should have a very limited role in our economy. They believed the economy goes through cycles, and things eventually would work themselves out on their own.

With the arrival of the Great Depression, the thinking of the American people began to change. People began to believe the government should act as a safety net during tough times. Therefore, the people wanted the government to be involved in creating jobs. They wanted the government to establish rules and regulations to help prevent a depression like this from occurring again. They supported the regulations placed on banks and stock market. They supported the various job creation programs. This feeling still exists today. When there is a major disaster, people look to the federal government for help. This is seen repeatedly after tornados, earthquakes, or hurricanes. It was seen during the severe recession in 2008. People expect the government to be there for us when a great calamity hits our country.

The federal government also took on the role of a broker state during the Great Depression. The government began to act as a facilitator when there were disputes between various groups of people. The Wagner Act was designed to help and to protect workers. It created the National Labor Relations Board to help resolve issues between workers and companies.

The Great Depression changed the role of the federal government. The federal government has become more active in our economy and in people’s lives. Those changes still exist today.

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

The title of the poem is unusual in that it is relatively long in relation to the short, terse titles of many poems. Also, this title is unusual in that it is conveyed almost as how one would start a letter to someone to give them a message or an opinion. In addition, this title has a matter-of-fact quality to it – just a straight forward statement from the narrator who wants to let this doctor know his or her thoughts and appreciation for all that this doctor did in this very difficult circumstance.

This doctor had to – with professionalism – treat a baby who has been horribly raped. This doctor must save this bleeding baby girl’s life. The doctor must battle emotions and outrage while performing lifesaving duties. This is very difficult to do in this case because of the senselessness of the act on an innocent baby.

The doctor must suppress his emotions to ensure proper, immediate, successful medical action is taken. The title is very conversational and even a touch dry sounding against the intense backdrop of medical professionals trying to save a life. This contrast lends to the unusualness of this title in this poem by Finuala Dowling.

I believe that this title is effective in relation to the poem's contents. The title’s simplicity, but no holds barred choice of words (e.g. “who treated the raped baby”) immediately draws the reader into the poem. The reader wants to know more about this baby and if it has a chance to survive this horrible ordeal. The reader also wants to know how this affected the doctor who “felt such despair.” The reader also wants to know what the narrator of the poem thinks about all of this. Therefore, the effectiveness of the title is that it creates tension and the reader must address this tension by delving further into this intense poem.

What is one similarity between the speaker in "Young" by Anne Sexton and the narrator of "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros?

I assume you’re referring to the poem “Young” by Anne Sexton and “Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros. 

It can be difficult to find any similarities between the narrator of “Eleven” and the speaker in “Young” on the first read.  While in “Eleven” Rachel sees herself as a conglomeration of all the years of her life – as eleven, but “also ten, and nine, and eight, and seven, and six, and five, and four, and three, and two, and one,”  Anne Sexton in “Young” recalls a much less specified time in her childhood, possibly her entire childhood wrapped up in this eternal summer world she describes in the poem.  And her description is peaceful and nostalgic, while Rachel’s story instead encompasses the pain of having all those young, immature years nested inside of her; the incongruity of being right but powerless because of her age, and the embarrassment of being eleven years old and yet still crying like a three-year-old in front of the whole class.  As we read Rachel’s story she is living it; as we read Sexton’s poem, it is clearly a memory.

One similarity, perhaps, is the precocity and reflective nature of the two young girls; Rachel clearly has a philosophy on growing older and is able to extricate her own consciousness from the act of living in order to be able to analyze the act and its progress, which can be a challenge for many young children.  Sexton notes that she “told the stars my questions.”  She has questions, and paints them in a reflective, earnest light, telling them to the “wise stars” and yet being wise enough herself not to ask – not to expect any response.

One could also assume they are similar in their aloneness, though the nature of this state is different for both of them.  While Sexton is alone and content, presumably by her own devices, happy to have her contemplations be her company, Rachel is isolated by others as being a culprit – they all assume the sweater belongs to her – and is unable to defend herself.  In either circumstance, however, this lonesomeness makes the piece itself possible, and is the catalyst for the story being told.

One last, quick option:  in both pieces the girls’ parents are described in a loving, nurturing light, one could argue literally so in the case of “Young.”  So whatever the reason for their isolation and whatever the source and content of their reflections, they know that home is their anchor and their parents conjurors of a calm sea. 

And, as always with poetry, these analyses are subjective – don’t see them as 100% anything – right, wrong, complete.  There’s always more to see and different angles from which to see it.

What are the conflicts in chapter 13 of To Kill A Mockingbird?

The biggest conflict in Chapter 13 of  Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird is Aunt Alexandra's decision to come stay with Atticus, Jem, and Scout. This development is a conflict particularly for Scout, as Aunt Alexandra is determined to make her niece act like a "young lady." Aunt Alexandra disapproves of Scout's rough-and-tumble, tomboy existence, and she aims to force Scout to conform to standard feminine expectations of women. Thus, another, broader conflict here is the conflict of gender roles, specifically the conflict that greets women who try to flout gender roles. Scout values her independence and toughness, and Aunt Alexandra's imposition of traditional feminine gender roles threatens to extinguish these qualities and force her into the realm of tea-party society. Some of the threat of this conflict is lessened, however, when Atticus, after briefly trying to adhere to his sister's schemes, quietly tells Scout to forget about them. 

In the play adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank, what are some references to historical actions taken against Jewish people in Amsterdam?

The dramatic adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett premiered in 1955, just ten years after the end of World War II and the horrific events of the Holocaust. The play opens with Anne’s father, Otto Frank, returning after the war to the attic hiding place where his family and the Van Daan family spent two years trying to avoid capture in German occupied Holland. When the families first go into hiding, the play refers to the “Green Police”—Nazi police who were known by their green uniforms. The play also refers to the Star of David that Jewish people were required to wear on their clothing at all times. In the tense, emotional close of the play, the audience hears German voices and the door below being broken down. Mr. Frank shares the reassuring thought, “For the past two years we have lived in fear. Now we can live in hope.” Anne’s diary ends with their capture. The play, however, has a frame structure that begins with Mr. Frank returning to the attic after the war, flashes back to the period of hiding in the attic, and returns to Mr. Frank speaking with Miep about the events after their capture. The family was first sent to a concentration camp in Holland. Later, they were sent to the Auschwitz death camp in Poland. Anne and her sister Margot were later transferred to the Bergen-Belsen camp in Germany where they died of typhus. Less than two months later, the camp was liberated. Anne’s father Otto Frank was the only survivor of the two families.
    

What are the ways Beneatha thinks about race?

Beneatha Younger in A Raisin in the Sun is going through a period of trying to find who she is.  She is searching for identity through her African roots in an attempt to discover what it means to be a black woman.  Beneatha has been influenced by her African boyfriend, Asagai, to seek out and become more African than American.  He accuses Beneatha of being “white” because she straightens her hair instead of wearing it natural.  Beneatha tries throughout the play to express herself and find a compromise between her African self and her American self, something her family thinks is odd. She discusses current civil rights issues and even dances to African music in Nigerian robes. Beneatha represents a new awareness to the black experience of the time period that will evolve into future black movements of the 1960’s civil rights era.  She is learning to express herself through her heritage and history by embracing African culture.  In that expression, she rejects discrimination and racism of the time period. She is realizing her self-worth as a black woman in the 1950’s who has been touched by the Afro-centric politics of the time. 

(I have always found Beneatha’s name odd because it contains the word, “beneath.”  It is a strange name for someone who is finding her true identity. What do you think? What was Hansberry’s purpose in naming her Beneatha? Is there any symbolism to the name?)   

Which chemical property could cause something to catch on fire?

Properties of matter are things that you can observe about matter. By describing the properties of different substances, you can distinguish them from one another. 

There are two types of properties of matter:

• 
  Physical Properties: When you observe or measure the physical properties of a substance, you are observing properties that do not change the substance itself. For example, when the color of a substance changes, this does not necessarily represent a chemical change. The substance itself is of the same composition. Examples of physical properties: density, mass, volume, color, conductivity.

• 
  Chemical Properties: When you observe or measure the chemical properties of a substance, you are observing properties that change the substance itself. For example, in order to observe the chemical property of reactivity, you have to observe the substance undergoing a chemical reaction. When a substance undergoes a chemical reaction, it becomes a different substance. Examples of chemical properties: reactivity, flammability.

Flammability is the chemical property that determines whether something will burn or catch on fire. Flammability is a chemical property because in order to observe flammability, you have to observe the substance undergoing a chemical change. 

What's an example of figurative language in Chapter 10 of The Hunger Games?

Katniss uses figurative language to describe her reaction to Peeta telling Caesar and the audience that he loves her.

Figurative language is language that is not meant to be taken literally.  Figurative language can consist of similes, metaphors, personification, and other strategies. 

Here is an example of a metaphor from Chapter 10.

I press my lips together and stare at the floor, hoping this will conceal the emotions starting to boil up inside of me. (Ch. 10)

A metaphor is an indirect comparison.  This is a metaphor because Katniss is describing the emotions that seem to be boiling inside her, but of course nothing is literally boiling.  She is just very upset, because she has heard Peeta say that he loved her.  Katniss is not sure what is going on.  She does not know if Peeta is just playing to the cameras, of it he actually means it.

Another example of figurative language is related to this same incident.

The roar of the crowd is deafening. Peeta has absolutely wiped the rest of us off the map with his declaration of love for me. When the audience finally settles down, he chokes out a quiet “Thank you” and returns to his seat. (Ch. 10)

When Katniss says Peeta has wiped the other competitors off the map, she means it figuratively.  There is no literal map.  The map is a metaphor for competition.  The idiom of wiping someone off a map means to get rid of the competition.

What Katniss means is that Peeta instantly became the most interesting competitor with his tale of unrequited love.  Since the contestants are supposed to kill each other to win, Peeta’s comment means that he was sent to kill the one he loves.  The audience is very sympathetic to him.  Katniss is furious at him.  She does not like being used as bait for sponsors.

What was Steve's motivation for participating in the robbery?

Steve Harmon is a good kid who excels in the classroom but wishes to earn some credibility throughout his neighborhood. There are several scenes throughout the novel that depict Steve's motivation for joining James King's crew which robs the drugstore. During a flashback scene where Osvaldo Cruz makes several derogatory comments towards Steve, he calls Steve a "lame looking for a name." In another flashback scene, Steve is hanging out on a stoop with James King when several other neighborhood friends show up. A guy named Johnny asks Steve who he is and says, "Since when you been down?" (Myers 56). In another scene where Steve Harmon is sitting next to James King before they enter the courthouse, Steve mentions that he used to want to be tough like James. Steve's motivation for participating in the robbery was to earn some street credibility. He wanted to be considered tough, so he chose to associate with criminals and participate in the robbery.

Why was Okonkwo forbidden to beat his wife?

Beating is forbidden during the Week of Peace, as is all fighting and violence. There is a custom in this region to observe a week of neighborliness and good cheer before the sowing season begins.

When Okonkwo beats his wife, Ojiuigo, during the Week of Peace he is punished for "breaking the peace of Ani," the goddess of the village and the spirit that oversees the farming and its results. 

Okonkwo is reminded for the reason of his punishment when Ezeani comes to speak with him. 

"You are not a stranger in Umuofia. You know as well as I do that our forefathers ordained that before we plant any crops in the earth we should observe a week in which a man does not say a harsh word to his neighbor. We live in peace with our fellows to honor our great goddess of the earth without whose blessing our crops will not grow. You have committed a great evil."

Okonkwo is told to make a sacrifice to the goddess.

This episode demonstrates a few things about Okonkwo's character. He is short-tempered and feels that he must maintain strict control over his family life. He is afraid of appearing weak and so acts quickly and rashly. 

Violence is his first impulse and it springs from a fear that deep down he is weak like his father. In the killing of Ikemefuna, this violence erupts again. 

Yet, Okonkwo is repentant. He is willing to make the sacrifice to pay for his mistakes. Above all, Okonkwo desires the acceptance and respect of his peers. His behaviors are largely designed to keep well within the strictures of his culture and community, to show himself as a good man fulfilling his duties to his family and his village. 

Despite his best efforts, Okonkwo's lack of self-control puts him at odds with cultural norms from time to time, with drastic consequences. 

In beating his wife, Okonkwo allows his temper and his desire to avoid weakness overwhelm his sense of duty to the village. 

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, what type of relationship do Jem and Scout have with their father?

Jem and Scout have a great relationship with their father, Atticus. Both children look up to their father and view him with high esteem. Atticus is patient and tolerant when it comes to child-rearing, and his children appreciate it. In one scene, Uncle Jack attempts to discipline Scout, and she says, "When Jem an' I fuss Atticus doesn't ever just listen to Jem's side of it, he hears mine too." (Lee 112) Atticus allows Scout the freedom to dress and act how she wants, despite Aunt Alexandra's disapproval. Jem looks up to his father, so much, that his worst fear is Atticus being disappointed in him. Jem risks his life going back to the Radley yard to retrieve his pants to avoid Atticus' disappointment.

Atticus teaches his children life lessons on perspective, courage, relationships, and compromise. Scout and Jem's moral development throughout the novel is a direct result of Atticus' child-rearing. Jem cares deeply for his father, which is why he refuses to leave his side during the mob scene. Scout takes heed to Atticus' lesson in self-control when she decides to refrain from hitting Cecil Jacobs. Atticus is a great role-model who leads by example. Miss Maudie tells Scout, "Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets." (Lee 61)

What is Confucianism?

Confucianism is the philosophy drawn from the teachings of Confucius. Confucius believed there was an ancient and ancestral way of life that promoted good morality and would enable people to live in harmony with one another and with the universe. He believed that ritual observance was a major factor in maintaining social order, particularly the structure of parent-child respect known as filial piety. 

There is some disagreement over whether Confucianism is a religion, as it does not involve any deities or a sense of the afterlife. People who practice Confucianism do practice ancestor veneration but do not really consider this to be a supernatural event.

As an ethical philosophy, Confucianism promotes education and self-development, respect for elders, and that governments should care for their people by ensuring everyone has food and shelter. 

In the 19th century, what were some of the main differences between the beliefs of laissez-faire capitalism and communists?

It was during the nineteenth century that debates raged over the principles and practices of communism and capitalism, two competing economic models. These debates were spurred by industrialisation, the European Revolutions of 1848 and the publication of The Communist Manifesto (in the same year) which really brought economics to the forefront of public debate. But there are some important differences between these two models, which can be summarised as below:

• Capitalism is based on the private ownership of the means of production, e.g. factories and businesses. This means that single individuals have complete control. In contrast, communism bans private ownership and the means of production are instead shared by the individual members of a society.


• Capitalism also promotes free competition between business owners and does not invite the government or any other force to intervene. This is where we get the phrase 'laissez-faire' from; it literally means 'to let go.' Under communism, the government is heavily involved in controlling prices and other market conditions.


• Finally, in a capitalist society, prices are determined by the principles of supply and demand. If supply is high, for example, the prices tend to drop and if it is low, prices tend to rise. But under communism, supply and demand are not allowed to control or dictate the economy. It is the government who intervenes to set the price of commodities. 

The following quote is from The Merchant of Venice: "Give me my principal and let me go." Identify the speaker. What is meant by "my principal?"...

The speaker in this instance is the Jew, Shylock, who is a moneylender. The 'principal' he refers to here is the exact amount of money he lent to Bassanio - three thousand ducats - for which Antonio signed a bond as security. The loan had originally been made when Bassanio, Antonio's closest friend, approached him for a loan so that he may go to Belmont to try his luck in winning the hand of the beautiful and wealthy heiress, Portia.    

Antonio, who is a sea merchant, did not have any cash available since his ships and goods were all at sea. He then asked Bassanio to seek out someone who could provide him a loan. He would do the same and would stand security for the repayment of the amount so borrowed. Bassanio then made an arrangement with Shylock and Antonio signed a bond with Shylock guaranteeing repayment within three months. The bond agreement determined that if Antonio should forfeit on the repayment, Shylock could cut out a pound of his flesh.    

At the end of the agreed loan term, Antonio was unable to meet his obligation since his ships had all been wrecked at sea. Shylock then insisted on judgement for the forfeit. He was determined to get what he wanted - a pound of Antonio's flesh - and would not consider any alternative arrangements for reimbursement.

The reason why Shylock refused to accept any other terms was because he hated Antonio for he was, firstly, a Christian and, secondly, he had repeatedly criticized his moneylending practices for he charged interest. Furthermore, Antonio had treated him with utter contempt. He had spat on Shylock's cloak and beard and had kicked him. He had also called him a dog. Shylock was bitter and wanted revenge. The forfeiture would give him an opportunity to do so legally and thus get back at Antonio.

For this reason, Shylock wanted the court, under the guidance of the duke, to give him judgment. He felt that he was well within his rights and had a legitimate claim. In the process, Bassanio's new bride, Portia, became involved in the matter. She disguised herself as a lawyer and represented Antonio. During the trial, she, at first, pointed out that Shylock was within his rights to cut out a pound of Antonio's flesh but that if he should spill just a drop of his blood, he would be severely sanctioned and would have to forfeit all his property to the state.

Shylock realized that that was impossible and asked if he could not then rather get back thrice the amount he loaned to Bassanio and Antonio would be free. Portia, however, insisted that he should get what he asked for originally. She instructed him:

Therefore prepare thee to cut off the flesh.
Shed thou no blood, nor cut thou less nor more
But just a pound of flesh: if thou cut'st more
Or less than a just pound, be it but so much
As makes it light or heavy in the substance,
Or the division of the twentieth part
Of one poor scruple, nay, if the scale do turn
But in the estimation of a hair,
Thou diest and all thy goods are confiscate.

It is at that point that Shylock then asked:

Give me my principal, and let me go.

When Shylock wanted to go, Portia stayed him and then pointed out that Shylock had committed a crime by willfully attempting to harm a Venetian citizen - an offense that carried the severest punishment. He would have to forfeit his entire estate and his life would be in the hands of the duke who could determine if he should live or not. The duke, however, granted him his life.  

In the end, Antonio requested that Shylock must bequeath his possessions to his daughter and her Christian husband and that he should become a Christian. This then became an order of the court.

What is the importance of the title of the story "The Gift of the Magi"?

The magi in the Biblical story of Christmas are bearers of gifts. They travel from afar to give gifts to the Christ child. They leave behind the comforts of home and sacrifice their time to make the long journey. The magi are also called the wise men.

In "The Gift of the Magi," Jim and Della each make a sacrifice to give a special gift. Della sells her long, beautiful hair to buy a chain for Jim's heirloom watch. Jim sells his watch to buy a set of combs for Della's hair. When they exchange their gifts, they discover they are now useless. Still, they give the gift of love and sacrifice. At the conclusion of the story, O. Henry refers to the magi:

The magi, as you know, were wise men—wonderfully wise men—who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. . . And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house.

O. Henry points out that Della and Jim's gifts may be viewed as unwise ones. They sacrificed for gifts that neither can use as originally intended. Nonetheless, O. Henry goes on:

But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. O all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi.

O. Henry refers to gift-givers as being wise, as the magi were. According to him, those who give thoughtful gifts that require sacrifice are like the magi.

In the poem "To the Doctor who Treated the Raped Baby and who Felt Despair" by Finuala Dowling, read the first statement: "I just wanted to say on...

Dowling becomes a voice of all the ordinary people going about their ordinary lives when she says she is speaking "on behalf of us all." The poem juxtaposes the horrible event of a doctor having to treat a raped baby with images of many good, ordinary people going about the business of their lives. Dowling is, she implies, speaking for the parent who has left "a light on in the hall," for a "nervous little sleeper." In other words, a parent exhibiting compassion for a child's night fears. She is also speaking for a simple shepherd singing a lullaby in "the veld" and women breastfeeding their babies and an uncle waking up "bleary-eyed" in the middle of the night to feed a baby. People read stories to children and a "grandpa" with "thin legs" walks around holding a fussy (colicky) baby. These acts all illustrate unselfishness, compassion, and sympathy for the young. All of these people, the poet says, rested easier--ie, "slept in trust," a phrase repeated twice for emphasis-- because the doctor was there to tend the baby. They are better off for the fact "that you [the doctor] would do what you did/that you would do what you did," a line also repeated twice for emphasis.

Although the poet never comes out and says that all these people thank the doctor, that gratitude is implied in the final lines that note what the doctor did. The poem is, in effect, a gift to the doctor, telling him not to despair as he asks the question "Where is God?"

The cumulative effect of the plural pronouns, coupled with the vignettes that capture, in a few vivid images, the contrast to a brutal rape through loving, nurturing people caring for children, becomes a chorus of sorts that counters the horror of what the doctor has just experienced. The doctor, quietly heroic, although just doing his job, fills these people with trust that they live in a society where an injured, abused child can get  care. Yes, there is horror in the world, but there are also other voices telling other stories that perhaps will alleviate the doctor's despair. 

When, how and why did Victor Frankenstein fail his creature in the novel Frankenstein?

Much of Frankenstein criticism focuses on Victor Frankenstein and his abandonment of his creation, the Creature. Victor abandoned the Creature once he saw it. In volume one, chapter 5, Victor states, "Unable to endure the aspect of the being I created, I rushed out of the room." As the text continues, the Creature finds Victor, and mumbling, Victor runs away again. Victor's hostile and negative reaction toward the Creature was simply because the Creature did not look like or turn out as Victor had imagined. This abandonment of the Creature can be compared to a parent giving birth to a child, then abandoning it, which is essentially what Victor did. Why did Victor do it? Was it ego? fear? Most likely both and more. Victor's desire for power and control overtook him, and as the story continues, one could argue that the Creature's demise was because Victor had abandoned him at his most vulnerable time.

If the velocity of light 'C', the gravitational constant 'G' and Planck's constant 'h' are chosen as the fundamental units,...

What an interesting question! In the current system of measurements, the fundamental units are the units of length [L] = meters, time [t] = seconds, and mass [M] = kilograms. (There is also the unit of electric charge, Coulomb, but this is not relevant to this question.) All other quantities are measured in the units that are composed from the fundamental units.

For example, velocity is measured in meters per second, m/s, force is measured in Newtons: `1 N = (kg*m)/s^2` , and work is measured in Joules: `1J= (kg*m^2)/s^2` .

Now, we are going to assume that the units in which the speed of light c, gravitational constant G and Plank's constant h are measured are the fundamental units, and compose the units of measurement of mass, kilograms, from them.

The speed of light is `c = 3*10^8 m/s` ; [c] = m/s.

The gravitational constant is `G = 6.67*10^(-11) m^3/(kg*s^2)` ; `[G] = m^3/(kg*s^2)`

The Planck's constant is `h = 6.63*10^(-34) (m^2*kg)/s` ; `[h] = (m^2*kg)/s`

Note that the kilograms, the unit we need to express through [c], [G], and [h], is found in the denominator of [G] and the numerator of [h]. So the only way to produce kilograms while involving both is to divide one by another:

`([h])/([G]) = (m^2*kg)/s / (m^3/(kg*s^2)) = (m^2*kg)/s * (kg*s^2)/m^3`

Simplifying this results in `([h])/([G]) = (kg^2*s)/m` .

Notice that s/m is the reciprocal of the units of velocity: [c] = m/s, so

`([h])/([G]) = (kg^2)/([c])`

Now we can express the kilograms in terms of the new "fundamental" units:

`kg^2 = ([h]*[c])/([G])` and

`kg = sqrt(([h]*[c])/([G]))`

So the dimensions of mass will be

`([h]^(1/2) * [c]^(1/2))/([G]^(1/2))` .

What's an interesting topic for a research paper related to English literature?

It sounds as though your topic is wide open. It can be difficult to choose a research topic if you don't have any specific ideas in mind. But you should definitely choose something that interests or excites you, and that you'd enjoy doing research on. Perhaps there is an English writer whose work you admire, and you'd like to find out if their backgrounds or other aspects of their lives influenced their writing? This would be a sort of biographical topic. Maybe the author you choose often writes about landscape in an interesting way (such as Thomas Hardy). Maybe there is a particular book, story or poem you enjoy, and you want to find out more about what inspired it, or what the response to it has been. 

One of the best ways to begin a writing project like this is to start with some "free writing" which basically means just starting to write without planning what you're going to say. See where your thoughts take you; you may even start out by writing something like "I have no idea what to write about!" Chances are you have some ideas floating around that will emerge as you put pen to paper. It's also a good idea to do a fair bit of writing before you begin doing research, in order to find out what you want to say or discover about your topic. Then you can look over those notes and form an idea and begin your project.

Good luck!

What makes "The Black Cat" a Gothic story?

The Gothic genre is known for a few common themes. One is an element of the supernatural, some unexplained influence or phenomenon. This is definitely present in the story, as the narrator is spooked by the second cat's strange likeness to his dead cat Pluto. He says:

"I am almost ashamed to own that the terror and horror with which the animal inspired me, had been heightened by one of the merest chimæras it would be possible to conceive." 

The supernatural element here is not only that it seems that Pluto is back from beyond the grave to haunt the narrator, but that he has returned with a tiny patch of white fur in the shape of a gallows.

Another common theme in Gothic literature is the evil side of the human nature and the emergence of insanity. This is absolutely the case for the narrator, who, he claims, has always been kind, gentle, and an true animal-lover. After he took to alcohol, however, he was abusive to both his many pets and his wife, eventually killing both his favorite animal and his wife. The narrator claims that some of this perverseness, as he calls it, lives in all of us, saying:

"[...] perverseness is one of the primitive impulses of the human heart -- one of the indivisible primary faculties, or sentiments, which give direction to the character of Man. Who has not, a hundred times, found himself committing a vile or a silly action, for no other reason than because he knows he should not?"

In this story, we are all capable of such violence, deep down.

As for his decent into insanity, it is indeed hard to read the story without the mental confusion and angst of the narrator to be clearly shown. Certain lines like the following demonstrate this:

" And now was I indeed wretched beyond the wretchedness of mere Humanity. And a brute beast -- whose fellow I had contemptuously destroyed -- a brute beast to work out for me -- for me a man, fashioned in the image of the High God -- so much of insufferable wo! Alas!"

To get so worked up because you think your pet cat is haunting you from beyond the grave is definitely a red flag and shows that the narrator is suffering a severe break with reality. All of these features of the story place it clearly in the Gothic genre.

Discuss the significance of the phrase "I am not what I am" in Othello.

In this quote Iago is clarifying to Roderigo that he is merely pretending to be a loyal underling to Othello, and in actuality is only looking out for himself. Iago is getting Roderigo to trust him by convincing him that he also hates Othello. Although Iago does truly seem to hate Othello, he has another reason for bonding with Roderigo. Iago plans on using Roderigo to help destroy Othello, and thus he requires that both men trust him implicitly. 

However, this line of Iago's is much more than an attempt to win over Roderigo. This quote sets the backdrop for all of Iago's evil deeds and explains why people continuously have faith in him. Iago is terribly good at playing whatever role he must, even if it is demeaning, in order to carry out his disastrous plans. 

In addition, this line foreshadows the rest of the play, particularly the ending. Ironically, Iago contrasts himself to Othello by saying that he doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve as Othello does, but rather he hides his true nature. However, this line turns out to be somewhat untrue because Othello also reveals himself to be something other than what he'd been proclaiming. Othello has an intense self-righteousness that gets him out of some messes, but eventually dooms him completely. Despite the moral superiority that he professes to have, he gives way to destructive jealousy and distrust. If Othello had truly been a righteous man, then he would have had faith in his wife Desdemona, who he was supposed to love without condition, and wouldn't have killed her. Instead, he commits murder, a serious crime that such a "good" man should have been incapable of, and then kills himself. 

Ultimately, it turns out that declaration that Iago so proudly states "I am not what I am" is indicative of both himself and the man he despises so very much. 

In "How I Met My Husband," what is your attitude toward Edie, the narrator—sympathy, condescension, disapproval, or something more complicated?...

My reaction to Edie in "How I Met My Husband" is something more complicated.

Whenever a question is asking for the reader's attitude towards a specific character, different answers will emerge.  Evidence from the text can justify different attitudes.  My reaction to Edie is a complicated one because I think that the text reveals her to be a complex character.

I think that Edie's intricacies as a character comes from her ability to observe so much around her.  For example, she can see how unhappy Loretta Bird is in her own life.  Edie also grasps the class barrier between someone like her and the Peebleses.  Edie's complexity is displayed the most in the story's ending.  As she continually waits for the letter from Chris Watters, she understands that it will never arrive.  As a result, Edie is able to articulate a profound observation:  "Till it came to me one day that there were women doing this with their lives, all over.  There were women just waiting and waiting by mailboxes for one letter or another."  Edie understands how human beings "wait" for hope, sometimes accepting illusion over reality.  When she says, "So I stopped meeting the mail" and recognizes the type of woman she wants to be, Edie shows depth.

Edie settles on being happy in daily reality rather than living in the splendor of dreams.  I think that my complicated attitude toward Edie is enhanced with the story's ending. Through Edie's narration, we find out that her husband, the postman, believes that Edie waited each day for him to arrive.  The reality is that she was waiting for a letter from Chris, and not for him.  However, Edie does not correct him.  She says that she likes "for people to think what pleases them and makes them happy."  In this emotionally complex ending, the reader is not certain if Edie has become a figure of sacrifice or one who lives in silence.  Does Edie let her husband think what he wants because she wants to fulfill his dream or because she has lost her own?  I find this emotionally rich terrain appealing in its complexity.

What organisms depend on protists for food?

Protists can be food to animals, other protists or bacteria.

Photosynthetic protists, such as algae, can make their own food and are considered autotrophic producers. Primary consumers, or herbivores, would eat this type of protist. Examples of these consumers include small fish, mollusks, jellyfish, and whales.

Animal-like protists, such as amoebas, are themselves heterotrophic and must eat to survive. Such protists may eat other protists. Zooplanktons are also consumers of protists.

Protists once were a part of a kingdom called Protista. The Protista kingdom no longer exists. Protists are a diverse group eukaryotic organisms that are not fungi, plants, or animals. Most protists are unicellular or colonial, but do not form tissue. Protists can be plant-like, such as algae. Other protists, such as slime molds, are fungus-like. Finally, some protists, such as protozoa, are animal-like.

Discuss the relationship between the words "law" and "justice" in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice.

The word "law" refers to the rules and regulations stipulated by a governing body and followed by a community. The word "justice" means the carrying out, or administration, of those rules on an equitable basis. Sometimes people tend to use the words interchangeably. In The Merchant of Venice, specifically Act IV, Shylock adds another word, "bond," that can mean "contract," but he also seems to use it as if meaning "law" and "justice," depending on the written context. These words are thus best examined in context as well. 

First, Shylock continually says, "I would have my bond" (IV.i.86). He is explicitly saying that he wants the contract between Antonio and him to be acknowledged by the court as well as executed. In a way he is saying, "I want justice." Justice is satisfied when supported by the law and upheld by the judgment of the court. Therefore, "law" and "justice" have an interdependent relationship--without one, the other cannot exist. Shylock points this out by saying the following to the Duke:

"To have the due and forfeit of my bond.

If you deny it, let the danger light

Upon your charter and your city's freedom" (IV.1.36-38).

Here he is saying that if they don't uphold the law, their city's integrity is threatened. 

Then, when Portia (disguised as a lawyer) gets involved, she and Shylock toss "law" and "justice" around more frequently. Shylock refuses to negotiate the stipulation of the contract mercifully and demands justice by the letter of the law being carried out; which is to say, he wants the law to be supported by a judgment of the court. Portia then says the following:

"Thyself shalt see the act;

For as thou urgest justice, be assured

Thou shalt have justice more than thou desir'st" (IV.i.310-312).

She warns him that justice can be satisfied in more ways than one. Once judgment is passed, the law is locked in and justice is satisfied. The end. There's no going back after this point, so Portia gives Shylock every chance to show mercy beforehand. Fortunately for Antonio, Portia has other laws that must be administered in order to satisfy justice if another law is broken--the one saying that anyone who seeks the life of a citizen of Venice shall have his estate seized. And the consequences of Shylock's demand for justice topple over him like dominoes after that.

At the start of Tess of the D'Ubervilles, what attitudes do Mr and Mrs Durbeyfield portray towards material wealth and social class and the roles...

When we meet Tess's family, it is clear that their lives are very simple. The father is a "hagler," or someone who buys and sells small articles for a profit, and the mother is consumed with raising her children. Their amusement comes from going to the pub. While the mother seems to have more sense, the father is nevertheless the one who makes decisions, even though he is not very responsible. Nevertheless, their appetite for the grand life is keen, and the first thing Tess's father does when he learns of his connection to the d'Urbervilles is to order a carriage to carry him home in style. The eagerness of Tess's parents to be raised up to their "proper station" is what sets the novel in motion.

Tess, whom Hardy describes as "a mere vessel of emotion untinctured by experience," has an instinctive distrust of her family's new "fortune," but she lacks the judgement or fortitude to question her parent's decisionmaking. Of course, Tess is the one who must suffer for her father's fantasy. The decision to send her to visit distant d'Urberville "relations" ends up throwing her in the path of Alec d'Urberville, and leads to her eventual ruin.

Does this make sense? Your tongue can stick to a flagpole because the freezing point of your saliva is higher than the melting point of the ice...

Interesting question! If you've ever had your fingers freeze to ice cubes you know that this can happen even without saliva involoved. It's more likely that the freezing temperature of saliva is the same or slightly less than the melting temperature of ice crystals on the metal pole. The freezing point of a substance is the same as its melting point. Both the ice crystals and saliva are predominantly water. Pure water melts and freezes at 0º C. If water has anything dissolved in it its melting point will be lowered. Saliva has some dissolved solutes so its freezing temperature is a little below that of pure water, not higher. 

If someone were to lick the ice crystals on metal that's below 0ºC the heat from the tongue might begin to melt the ice but the melted ice and saliva would quickly freeze because the metal pole, being colder than the tongue, would absorb the heat. Heat travels from where there's more to where there's less until thermal equilibrium is established, which means that the temperatures are equalized. Metal is a very good conductor of heat. The heat entering the metal from the warm tongue moves through out the flagpole. Since the flagpole is very large compared to the tongue it's unlikely that thermal equilibrium will be reached. Heat will continue to be transferred from the tongue to the flagpole.

Should this unfortunate event occur, pouring warm water over the area where the tongue is adhered to the pole should melt the ice long enough for the tongue to be quickly removed. 

What are the weaknesses of the Marxist concept of society?

Classical Marxism was a product, in a sense, of the Industrial Revolution of the nineteenth century. Marx was astonished by the economic change that engulfed Europe, and horrified by the human costs of these developments. Marx thought that industrialization was creating a class of workers (the proletariat) who, increasingly alienated from the value of their labor and subjected to poor working conditions, would eventually rise up and overthrow the bourgeoisie, or the wealthy class that controlled the means of production. 

Of course, this hasn't happened yet, and this is perhaps the biggest weakness of Marxian concepts of society. Marx failed to anticipate many crucial changes. For one thing, he did not recognize the appeal of democratic or state socialism, and especially didn't think that capitalist states were capable of enacting the types of reforms that created welfare states in the late nineteenth and the first half of the twentieth century. He also imagined that the proletariat and the bourgeoisie would become monolithic, and failed to anticipate that the complexities in economic development would lead to more complex social relations (in short, not all working-class people would have the same interests, because some would make more money). 

Perhaps the biggest weakness of Marxism is theoretical. Marx understood the world and all of human relations in economic terms--the relationship of people to the means of production. Everything else he dismissed as "superstructural," simply reflections of economic realities. Many would argue that this is far too reductionist and simplistic. Such factors as race and religion, some say, transcend class and economic relations. Still, Marxism remains a powerful force in many academic fields, including sociology and history, and while few would describe themselves as "Marxists," his analysis of history and human relations is very influential.

What is the good and bad in Scrooge's character in A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens?

In the first stave of the story, Scrooge is presented as being universally bad. He is anti-social, anti-charity, and anti-Christmas. Arguably, the only good aspect of Scrooge's character initially is his belief in working hard. This enabled Scrooge to build a successful business and amass considerable wealth and provide a job for Bob Cratchit. 

The visits of the three spirits, however, completely transform Scrooge's character. For the first time, Scrooge's positive character traits far outweigh the negative ones: he is generous, as shown by his donation to charity and his purchase of the turkey for the Cratchit family. He is also interested in spending time with his family and befriending Tiny Tim. Moreover, Scrooge's change in character is permanent, as we learn in the closing lines:

He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world.

Why does Jonas take pills in The Giver?

Aside from pain pills, which do not seem to be used very much, the pills that Jonas takes are for his "Stirrings."  He begins these shortly before he is expected to celebrate his Ceremony of Twelve, which means he is about to turn twelve years old.  The pills begin after he reports a dream to his parents in which he wanted his friend Fiona to take off all of her clothes and get in the bathtub, so he could touch her and bathe her. These were Jonas' first indication of sexual desire, which is what Stirrings are called in the community.  Sexual desire is a condition that the community "treats" with these pills because the community wants all sexual desire to be repressed. Both of Jonas' parents take these pills, as does his friend Asher. Babies are produced by Birthmothers, and there is no other reproduction in the community. Each family unit gets two children this way.  It is clear that the community does not want people to have sex.  This is a means of controlling the population. If people do not have sex, there is no risk of unwanted pregnancies. I also think that repressing sexuality is meant to avoid all the messy emotions that result from sexual desire, love and jealousy, for example. 

In The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, what is the significance of this sentence: "This book belongs to Agnes Adams."

Junior read this sentence in his geometry textbook at the reservation high school. The reason it was a significant moment for him and the reason it upset him so much is because Agnes Adams is his mother's maiden name, meaning the book had belonged to her when she took high school geometry. Arnold read that and realized that the school had been using the same textbooks for at least 30 years. Junior is furious at this revelation, saying,

My school and my tribe are so poor and sad that we have to study from the same dang books our parents studied from. That is absolutely saddest thing in the world.

And let me tell you, that old, old, old decrepit geometry book hit my heart with the force of a nuclear bomb. My hopes and dreams floated up in a mushroom cloud. What do you do when the world has declared nuclear war on you?

What Junior does is throw the book across the room in fury, accidentally hitting his geometry teacher in the head with it and earning a suspension. This event is important to Junior's education and to the plot, because it is this scene and the revelation that comes with it that motivates Junior to leave the reservation school and go to Reardon in an attempt to get a better education and open up opportunities for himself.

What is the plot of "The Open Window"? What are the expostion, rising action, climax, falling action, and conclusion?

"The Open Window" by Saki is a short story about a dual-layered practical joke a young woman (Vera) plays on an unsuspecting visitor. The plot points can be broken up according to the plot triangle as follows:

Exposition: A man named Framton Nuttel is visiting the Sappletons. He must wait for Mrs. Sappleton, so 15-year old Vera keeps him company.

"'My aunt will be down presently, Mr. [Framton] Nuttel,' said a very self-possessed young lady of fifteen, 'in the meantime you must try and put up with me.'"

Rising Action: Vera explains the tragedy, and tells Framton that they keep the window open in memory of Mr. Sappleton. After talking with Vera for a while, Nuttel is introduced to Mrs. Sappleton. Mrs. Sappleton talks on about her husband and brothers, who Vera has just explained are dead. Framton believes Mrs. Sappleton is insane, and tries to avoid the subject of the husband.

"She rattled on cheerfully about the shooting and scarcity of birds...to Framton it was all purely horrible."

Climax: As the sun begins setting, three figures walk across the lawn and can be seen from the window.

"In the deepening twilight three figures were walking across the lawn towards the window, they all carried guns under their arms."

Falling Action: Framton, frightened upon realizing the figures are the ghosts of the Sappletons, grabs his things and leaves the house to escape the assumed ghosts.

"Framton grabbed wildly at his stick and hat; the hall door, the gravel dive, and the front gate were dimly noted stages in his headlong retreat."

'A most extraordinary man, Mr. Nuttel,' said Mrs. Sappleton...'One would think he had seen a ghost.'"

Resolution: The family thinks Framton is crazy because he ran away, and it is revealed that the Sappleton "ghosts" are just figments of Vera's "romance at short notice" (skill at telling stories).

What are the basic units of polysaccharides?

Polymers are made up of monomers. Polysaccharides are also polymers (and that is why their name contains 'poly') and are made up of monosaccharides. These monomers are simple sugar molecules and contain multiple hydroxyl groups (`OH^-`). Some examples of monosaccharides are glucose, fructose, etc. The monosaccharides contain a number of carbon atoms. Polysaccharides are formed when monosaccharides are linked through glycosidic bonds. For example, starch, a polysaccharide, is made up of glucose (a monosaccharide). Similarly, glycogen is also made up of glucose molecules connected through glycosidic bonds. Cellulose, which forms plant cell walls is also a polysaccharide, made up of the monosaccharide glucose.

Some polysaccharides are also composed of disaccharides, which are formed by covalent linkage of two monosaccharides. Sucrose and lactose are disaccharides. An example of a polysaccharide composed of disaccharides is hyaluronic acid.

Hope this helps. 

What are myths about the American West between 1845-1900s?

The American West has been heavily romanticized in popular culture. However, life in the West was not quite so exciting or appealing as it was depicted in John Wayne movies. Here are three inaccurate myths about the American West during the latter half of the 19th century.

1. 
   The West was incredibly violent. Most people believe frontier settlers were constantly committing violent acts due to the absence of adequate law enforcement. However, most Western violence occurred between the U.S. government and Native Americans, not American settlers.


2. 
   American settlers constantly clashed with Native Americans. In fact, these sorts of conflicts were quite rare. Native Americans only killed a few hundred American settlers, and vice versa. Once again, most of the actual clashes took place between the American military and the Native Americans.


3. 
   Americans invented the cowboy. The cowboy is a classic symbol of Americana, but he existed before the English had colonized the continent. The 19th-century American cowboy actually descended from the Mexican vaquero.
   

What different ways is Christanity portrayed in To Kill A Mockingbird?

Christianity is represented as both an ideal everyone should strive for and as hypocritical.

The Christian "ideal" we should all strive for is clearly Atticus Finch. From the very beginning of the book, he teaches his children to be fair and tolerant. He encourages them to put themselves in the shoes of others so that they might better understand them. He is a moral man, and although he does not "preach," he is one of the best examples of a good Christian in the book. Miss Maudie, perhaps, said it best: 

“We’re so rarely called on to be Christians, but when we are, we’ve got men like Atticus to go for us.”  

As for hypocrisy, there is no shortness of  "good" Christians who live in Maycomb that pride themselves on their faith and morals and at the same time are bigoted, hateful, and intolerant. One clear example of this is Missionary Circle. This church group meets regularly, and in Ch. 24 they happen to meet at the Finch home because Aunt Alexandra is hosting. At that meeting the women, especially Miss Meriweather, say some fairly appalling things one would hope wouldn't come out of anyone's mouth:

"Gertrude, I tell you there's nothing more distracting than a sulky darky. Their mouths go down to here. Just ruins your day to have one of 'em in your kitchen. You know what I said to my Sophy, Gertrude? I said, 'Sophy,' I said, 'you were simply not being a Christian today. Jesus Christ never went around grumbling and complaining,' and you know, it did her good. She took her eyes off that floor and said, "Nome, Miz Merriweather, Jesus never went around grumblin'.' I tell you, Gertrude, you never ought to let an opportunity go by to witness for the Lord."

Ultimately, the representations of Christians in the book are both positive and negative. It seems that Lee is saying that it is not the faith itself that is either good or bad, but the way in which people choose to apply it to their lives.

Was Caesar really a threat to the Roman Republic? Why or why not?

This is the question that drives Brutus. Julius Caesar did not live long enough for the question to be answered. Brutus holds that the Republic of Rome will be destroyed if an emperor is chosen. Rome will return to the days of tyranny.

The commoners appear to adore Caesar and elevate him above the status of others. The angry Marullus chastises the people for celebrating Caesar’s victory over Pompey:

And do you now put on your best attire?
And do you now cull out a holiday?
And do you now strew flowers in his way
That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood?

However, the plebeians also support Brutus after he assassinates Caesar and claims that Caesar would make the people bondmen and slaves. They then miss the point by declaring, “Let him [Brutus] be Caesar.” In turn, Mark Antony easily turns them against Brutus by making them think that Caesar did not want the throne (he turned down the crown three times). On top of that, Antony proves that Caesar loved the people by reading his generous will.

Brutus even admits, “I have not known when his [Caesar’s] affections sway'd / More than his reason.” Still, he concludes that power could easily corrupt him. Caesar did turn down the crown three times, but Casca described him as doing so reluctantly. Decius tempted Caesar to the senate by telling him that they planned to offer him the crown. Caesar considered himself to be superior others, comparing himself to a fierce lion and to the constant Northern star.

Caesar did pose a threat to the Roman Republic, but one simply does not know what prosperity or harm he would have brought had he lived. What does happen is tumultuous upheaval during the transition period after he is murdered, and, in the end, Brutus’s dream of a Roman Republic is destroyed. In the years to come, Octavius Caesar becomes emperor.

I need help analyzing this passage from Lord Of The Flies: Far beneath them, the trees of the forest sighed, then roared. The hair on their...

The passage is an extract from Chapter 6: Beast From Air and relates to the twins, Sam and Eric, who were tending the signal fire. The fire had died since the two had fallen asleep. They reignited the fire from the glowing embers and once the fire was going, Eric saw something in the dark which had just been revealed by the light from the fire. Alarmed, he drew Sam's attention to what he had seen. The passage conveys their situation when they are looking at this unfamiliar sight.

The first line in the passage depicts the forest as a living, breathing organism, inhaling and exhaling. The wind is blowing and, accompanied by the ebb and flow of the tide, it sounds as if the trees and the forest is first sighing when the wind blows through it. The 'roar' could also be a depiction of the loud noise made by the wind rushing through the forest as it suddenly becomes more forceful. The line is quite dramatic and serves to emphasize the twins' anxiety and fear when they witness a terrifying object very close to where they are.

The fact that the boys' hair 'fluttered' and 'flames blew sideways from the fire' indicate that the wind has picked up and is blowing at full force, thus amplifying the sound as it whooshes through the trees and foliage. The boys hear a 'plopping noise of fabric blown open' from the object they have just seen fifteen yards away. The boys are terrified and run down to tell the others that they have just seen the beast.

What Sam and Eric do not realize is that they have just seen the body of a dead pilot who had been killed in an air skirmish above the island just that night. The body parachuted down to the island. The wind carried the body to the top of the island where it got caught 'among the shattered rocks'. The text makes it clear what happened then:

Here the breeze was fitful and allowed the strings of the parachute to tangle and festoon; and the figure sat, its helmeted head between its knees, held by a complication of lines. When the breeze blew, the lines would strain taut and some accident of this pull lifted the head and chest upright so that the figure seemed to peer across the brow of the mountain. Then, each time the wind dropped, the lines would slacken and the figure bow forward again, sinking its head between its knees.

With all the discussions about the beast that preceded this incident, the twins were obviously quite anxious and their awareness had been heightened. This led to their young and overly active imaginations running wild. The 'plopping' they hear is the sound the parachute makes as it is blown out and sucked in by the wind.    

In "Because I could Not Stop For Death," how has the poet structured each stanza of the poem?

In Emily Dickinson's poem, "Because I could not stop for death," the theme is the unstoppable nature of death. The structure of the poem is organized around the speaker's journey to the afterlife. The first stanza shows Death picking up the speaker in a carriage. The next stanza shows Death and the speaker slowly driving through town. First they pass the school, another stanza describes her dress, and the next stanza shows them passing a house. All of these stops reveal the narrator’s journey. The final stanza explains that the journey has reached its end.

Within each stanza, the poet has organized the details in terms of movement (where Death and the speaker are or are going) and what they see. It is like a tour through the speaker's life. In this way, the structure contributes to the overall meaning or theme of the poem.

What is the mood of Julius Caesar?

There are many different moods created throughout Julius Caesar. In the early part of the play there is a mood of growing tension and suspense. Everything seems to be building up to the attempted assassination of of the formidable Julius Caesar. Although the audience should know that Caesar was killed, Shakespeare manages to raise obstacles, fears, and doubts. Brutus doesn't know whether he wants to get involved in the conspiracy. Portia is dreadfully afraid the plot will be thwarted, in which case she would lose her husband and perhaps lose her home and everything in it. There seems to be some possibility that Calpurnia will succeed in talking her husband out of going to the Capitol on that fateful day. There are all kinds of supernatural signs that something dire is about to happen. But then the mood changes when Antony makes his funeral oration and turns the whole city against Brutus, Cassius, and all the other conspirators. 

The principal mood, if it can be called a mood, is one that might be called "time travel." We are brought back into the distant past and seem to be viewing great historical events as they actually happened. This is true even though the actors are all speaking English, most of it in poetic unrhymed iambic pentameter. Anthony's funeral oration is the crowning glory of this play. Shakespeare must have relished the opportunity to re-create that speech in English. We feel we are hearing the actual oration. The original theater audience must have been hypnotized, spellbound by the feeling of actually being present when these things happened.

When we think about the historical event, many of us think of Shakespeare's interpretation of it. We think of Shakespeare's Brutus, Shakespeare's Antony, Shakespeare's Caesar, and not of the real Brutus, Antony and Caesar or of Plutarch's histories. And this is true even though the actors are speaking English rather than Latin and are reciting Shakespeare's immortal poetry. We must feel that Shakespeare's version of Mark Antony's funeral oration is much better than the one the real Mark Antony actually gave. Antony calls himself "a plain blunt man" but moves the mob to frenzy with wild extemporaneous subjunctives:

But were I Brutus,
And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
Would ruffle up your spirits, and put a tongue
In every wound of Caesar that should move
The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.

What are the similarities between John Proctor and Giles Corey in The Crucible?

John Proctor and Giles Corey are both farmers, both practical, and both powerful within the community.  They likewise seem to be well-respected by their peers.  Politically, they also appear to be on the same side, opposed to Reverend Parris.  It is clear that neither Corey nor Proctor can stand the minister, and they both remonstrate with him about his salary and the provisions made for him in regard to firewood.  They gang up on Parris, who clearly feels very put upon by the two men.  It is clear that Parris and Putnam are on one side, and Corey and Proctor are on the other.  Corey is somewhat more willing to believe in witchcraft and rumors than Proctor is, but he is still someone who will call out another person if he believes they are wrong.

How does Napoleon use his power for evil in Animal Farm?

Napoleon uses his power to benefit himself at the expense of the other animals. By the end of the book, he and the other pigs are walking around on their back legs like humans, drinking alcohol, gambling, treating themselves to lavish meals when the rest of the animals are nearly starving, and generally behaving in a way that is totally inconsistent with the ideals of Animal Farm (i.e., they are acting like Man). So Napoleon and the pigs are obviously corrupted. But the issue of power goes beyond such abuses. Napoleon becomes a character who seeks and uses power for its own ends. The pigs alter the Seven Commandments to suit their needs. They "rewrite" history to persuade the other animals that Snowball was the enemy of Animal Farm all along. Napoleon holds vicious purges that murder dozens of innocent animals. All of this is done to augment their own power. This is a central theme, or a sort of moral, of Animal Farm as well as Orwell's other great novel 1984: power, if left unchecked, will only grow destructive.

Attempt a Marxist reading of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

Marxists argue that inequality is part of the structures of both agrarian and capitalist economic systems. Pride and Prejudice takes place, historically, at the juncture of both systems, with Darcy representing the agrarian "landed wealth" economic system, and Bingley representing the "new money" of capitalism (he is the son of a wealthy industrialist father from the "North," the word "North" a short-hand for a mill owner). Both economic systems oppress women and force them into a situation where they must sell themselves to the highest bidder in order to survive. We see this throughout the novel: Mrs. Bennet spends most of her time in desperate matchmaking because she knows her husband's death will throw the family into genteel poverty. Charlotte likewise understands that she must make a match with a man she thinks ridiculous or live at the mercy of her brothers, who may not want to support her. Elizabeth recognizes the Lydia is ruined if she does not marry Wickham, for a non-virginal bride is "damaged goods" in a culture that sees a woman as a commodity to buy on the marriage market. 

Beyond female oppression, we see in the many protestations of the housekeeper at Pemberley, Mrs. Reynolds, that Darcy is a "liberal" (financially generous) master, that this behavior is not necessarily the norm. The agrarian aristocracy can easily oppress the people--farmworkers--on whom its wealth is based. In both worlds, upper-class women are denied the opportunity to work for a living while lower class women are exploited, leaving both groups with few options. 

A Marxist reading would argue that in a post-revolutionary Marxist state, women and workers would not have to live in fear of poverty or humiliation, because all people would be guaranteed respect, the chance to work and sufficient resources to live. Money would no longer corrupt and deform human souls as it threatens to do in Pride and Prejudice. 

The Plessy decision distinguishes between political and social equality. Can one exist without the other?

This is, of course, a matter of opinion.  My own view is that it is possible to have political equality without social equality, but it is not possible to have social equality without political equality.

Let us begin by defining our terms.  I would say that political equality exists when all people (in this case, people of different races) have the same right and opportunity to vote and to speak out on political issues.  There is political equality when African Americans have the right to vote and to speak out even if the majority does not agree with the black voices.  In other words, I would argue that we have political equality between the races here in the US today.

I would say that social equality exists when people of different races think of one another as essentially the same.  When white people think black people are “like them,” there is social equality.  If there is social equality, the average person will not mind if a person of another race lives next door or if a person of another race dates their child.

With these definitions in mind, I would argue that it is possible to have political equality without social equality, but that the opposite condition is not possible.  If, for example, the law says that black people cannot vote, it is very unlikely that white people will see them as equals.  After all, if the law treats them so differently, how could they possibly be equal?  These discriminatory laws will have too much of an impact on people’s thinking and social equality will not be able to exist where political equality does not exist.

On the other hand, I would say that it is possible to have political equality without social equality.  White people do not have to think that blacks are their equals in order to allow them to vote and to speak out on political issues.  It is entirely possible to believe that blacks are inferior in various ways while still believing that they should be allowed to speak and to vote.  For these reasons, I think that political equality is possible without social equality but social equality is not possible without political equality.

What were some primary challenges that Andrew Jackson's administation faced? How well did he handle these challenges?

Andrew Jackson, a former soldier and military officer who battled Native Americans during and after the War of 1812, became President in 1828, in part because increased suffrage (voting rights) led to an expansion of the electorate. Many less prosperous people voted for Jackson, a Democrat. During his time in office, Jackson faced challenges that kept the Union together but that set a bad precedent for Indian removal and that created conditions leading to the Panic of 1837.

One of Jackson's primary challenges was dealing with resistance to the so-called "Tariff of Abominations," which had been passed in 1828. The southern states particularly disliked the tariff because it raised the cost of imported good that they relied on. As a result, in 1832, South Carolina attempted to "nullify" the law, meaning that they declared it void. The event was referred to as the "Nullification Crisis." Vice President John C. Calhoun from South Carolina supported this action, but Jackson threatened to send federal troops to enforce the payment of the tariff. Before he could do so, however, the Congress led by Henry Clay passed a reduced tariff as a compromise. In this situation, Jackson did not allow states to nullify federal laws and kept South Carolina from disobeying federal law. 

In the Indian Removal situation, however, Jackson set a poor precedent. In 1830, he signed the Indian Removal Act, which allowed the President to negotiate with Native American tribes to exchange their lands in the east for lands in the west. Several tribes were removed by force, leading to the Trail of Tears in which Cherokees and other tribes were removed from their ancestral lands in the southeast to the west. Several died along the way. Jackson also forced the Cherokee to agree to removal even after the case Worcester v. Georgia in 1832, in which John Marshall, the chief justice of the Supreme Court, ruled that Georgia did not have the right rule over Indian tribes or force them to follow state laws.

Jackson also dealt with the re-chartering of the Second Bank of the United States. He vetoed the bill to grant the bank another charter, as he believed the bank only benefited the wealthy. The result was that state and local banks took over the money lending business, leading to speculation and freer credit. Many historians believe this situation led to the Panic of 1837, which was blamed on President Van Buren and not on Jackson. While Jackson deftly handled the Nullification Crisis, his management of Indian Removal and the re-chartering of the bank had negative consequences. 

What did the Persians do to create a large and long-lasting empire?

The Persian Empire lasted as long as it did, and got as big as it did, because it was fairly loosely governed. The Empire, which stretched from North Africa to the Balkans to India at its greatest extent, was in many ways a loose collection of territories, each governed by a royally-appointed governor, or satrap. While the Persians would gain a reputation for despotic rule (mostly stemming from their war with the Greeks) they were in reality tolerant rulers, usually choosing not to impose their religion and culture on the peoples (the Jews in Mesopotamia and the Levant, for example) they ruled. They were more interested in fostering and profiting from trade between various parts of the Empire. At the same time, the Persians expended considerable energy on public works, including roads that connected various parts of the Empire, and they were fairly efficient at extracting tax revenue from the peoples they ruled. So the Persian Empire was flexible and capable of adapting its governing style and policies to the very diverse people that fell under its rule. 

True or false: Nerve cells have chloroplasts to quickly receive and deliver messages.

False. Nerve cells do not have chloroplasts to quickly receive and deliver messages.

The reason why the statement is false is as follows.

Chloroplasts are organelles that are found in the cells of autotrophs. Multicellular organisms that would have nerves are not autotrophic. Chlorophyll is housed in the thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts. Chlorophyll is a green pigment. The function of chlorophyll is to capture sunlight energy that is used during photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process by which carbon dioxide gas and water are converted into oxygen gas and a sugar that is called glucose.

Thus, chloroplasts are used for photosynthesis within autotrophs. Chloroplasts are not used to deliver messages between nerve cells.

It is the dendrites and axons of a nerve cell that receive and deliver messages (electrical impulses).