Why does Macbeth hesitate to murder the king?

Macbeth is aware that murdering king Duncan would be one of the greatest sins and, he is talking about it in Act I, Scene 7:

He's here in double trust;
First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
Who should against his murderer shut the door,
Not bear the knife myself.

Macbeth states that going after his unchecked ambition which entails killing Duncan is wrong for three major reasons. Firstly, Macbeth is Duncan's relative, so it is abnormal and sinful to murder him since they are related. Secondly, Macbeth should be Duncan's most loyal subject, so he should fight for him, not kill him. Thirdly, when Duncan arrives at Macbeth's home, Macbeth will be his host, so he should protect Duncan because he will be Macbeth's guest. Macbeth should guarantee that his guest is safe. Additionally, Macbeth proclaims that the king is benevolent, and he has been recently promoted by the king.

All of the reasons listed above are strong enough, and Macbeth should not go against them. Yet, he states that his ambition is the chief reason why he wants to take the throne and eliminate Duncan.

What do Scout's thoughts about Boo Radley show us about her in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, based on chapters 25 - 31?

In Chapter 31 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout's thoughts about Arthur (Boo) Radley reveal a lot about just how much she had learned over the years and particularly at the exact moment standing on the Radley's porch.

Scout had just escorted Radley home, asking him to bend his arm so she could take it, fixing things to look like Radley was escorting her down the street just like any gentleman escorting a lady. After he enters his house, Scout stands before a window to the left of the door of the house and notes how much of the neighborhood can be seen from that window. As she does so, she imagines Radley observing "his children." One of the most significant moments is  when she imagines Radley watching "his children's heart break," which refers the kids' emotions after Tom Robinson lost his trial and was shot trying to escape prison. The second most significant moment is when she says to herself, "Autumn again, and Boo's children needed him," which refers to the moment the kids are nearly killed by Bob Ewell and rescued by Radley. Both of these imaginings open Scout's mind up to understanding just how much Radley cared for the children, just how much he is a kind and caring person he is in general.

Scout's realizations help her fully internalize something she had always been taught by Atticus: "[Y]ou never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around them." Scout further states, "Just standing on the Radley porch was enough." In other words, Scout has learned to see things from others' perspectives and to reject the prejudiced views of others. Scout's realization about seeing things from the perspective of others shows us just how much she has grown up throughout the book and at that particular moment.

According to Immanuel Kant what is the difference between duty and inclination and why is it important?

For Immanuel Kant, the moral value of an action has nothing to do with what a person does.  Actions themselves are not good or bad.  In addition, the results of the action do not determine whether it is good or bad.  The only thing that determines whether an action is good or bad (or morally indifferent) is the motive behind the action.  This is where the difference between duty and inclination comes in to his thinking.

For Kant, inclination consists of things that we desire.  If we act because we want something, we are acting from inclination, regardless of whether the action seems to be good or bad.  For example, if I stay after school without pay to help a group of students, I might be acting from inclination.  I might be doing that because I want the students to think well of me.  In that case, I am acting to try to achieve something that I desire.  As another example, let us say that I spend a lot of time with my kids, giving them attention and love.  I might be doing this from inclination because I enjoy being with them and I want to feel their love in return.  Also, I might be doing it from inclination because I want them to grow up and get good jobs or because I want them to be smart and to make their teachers think that I am a great parent.  In each of these cases, I am acting because I think my action will get me something that I want.  This is inclination.

Duty, by contrast, consists of things that we know we should do.  If we act because we know that it is the right thing to do, we are acting based on duty.  If I stay after school with my students because I know I have a responsibility to help and support them so they can succeed in life, I am acting from duty.  If I spend time with my kids because I know I should (even though I would rather be watching sports on TV) I am acting from duty.  Kant says that only actions motivated by duty are morally valuable.  If we act based on inclination, our actions are, at best, morally neutral.

The different between duty and inclination, then, is the difference between what we should do and what we want to do.  This difference is very important because Kant says our actions are only morally good if they are motivated by duty and not by inclination.

What was the evil that Miss Strangeworth saw in "The Possibility of Evil?"

Miss Strangeworth did not actually see any evil. She didn't even guess that anybody in the town was doing anything evil. She sensed that there was evil behavior going on in the town, and she saw the possibilities of evil in many human relationships. The poison-pen letters she has been writing for the past year mostly hint at the possibility of evil, except for the letters she sends to Don and Helen Crane about the possibility that their adored six-month-old daughter could be mentally retarded. (The victimizing of Don and Helen Crane is a clue to Miss Strangeworth's real motivation.) According to Miss Strangeworth's twisted mind, if she hints at enough possible wrongdoings, a certain percentage will be correct. There is an element of truth to this strange hypothesis, because there is bound to be a certain amount of misbehavior going on in any community; and the bigger the community, the bigger the amount of undisclosed vice, crime, perversion, peculation, etc. If we knew all the guilty secrets of all the members of our community, all the skeletons in all the closets, we would be astonished. We do not know for sure whether Mrs. Harper's husband is having an affair with another woman. We do not know whether the grocer's grandson is stealing money out of the cash register. We do know, however, that Linda Stewart and Dave Harris, the high-school kids who love each other, are not going beyond the usual teenage necking.

Miss Strangeworth never concerned herself with facts; her letters all dealt with the more negotiable stuff of suspicion. Mr. Lewis would never have imagined for a minute that his grandson might be lifting petty cash from the store register if he had not had one of Miss Strangeworth's letters. Miss Chandler, the librarian, and Linda Stewart's parents would have gone unsuspectingly ahead with their lives, never aware of possible evil lurking nearby, if Miss Strangeworth had not sent letters opening their eyes. Miss Strangeworth would have been genuinely shocked if there had been anything between Linda Stewart and the Harris boy, but, as long as evil existed unchecked in the world, it was Miss Strangeworth's duty to keep her town alert to it.

The problem with Miss Strangeworth's method of policing the morality of "her" townspeople is that, if a certain number of guesses are correct, a much larger number must be incorrect. She is not a psychic. And she fails to appreciate the evil that exists inside herself. She tells herself she is motivated by civic responsibility, but the truth appears to be that she is full of envy and jealousy. She causes trouble for people who are reasonably happy and untroubled. A good example is Mrs. Harper. Miss Strangeworth as an old maid probably feels jealous of an old acquaintance who seems happily married. Miss Strangeworth has never had a baby, and therefore she seems sufficiently envious of Don and Helen Crane to try to poison their happiness in having a new baby. Miss Strangeworth has never known love, and therefore she could hurt inside every time she views the loving relationship between Linda Stewart and Dave Harris. Her real motives for writing her anonymous letters are evil, but they are buried deep inside her unconscious.

Actually, Miss Strangeworth is most unlikely to see much evil because she is a lonely old woman who spends most of her time in her home or in her rose garden. Agatha Christie's amateur-detective heroine Miss Jane Marple may somehow see all kinds of real evil in her little village; but Miss Strangeworth is not as intuitive as Miss Marple. When real evil comes to Miss Strangeworth in the form of having her rose bushes vandalized, she is clueless. It doesn't occur to her that Don Crane could have sent her the anonymous letter reading:

LOOK OUT AT WHAT USED TO BE YOUR ROSES

What is Syme's observation about Winston's appreciation of Newspeak?

In Part One, Chapter Five, Syme observes that Winston does not have a "real appreciation" of Newspeak. He bases this opinion on Winston's writing, like his articles for The Times newspaper, which demonstrate that he prefers the original form of English, or Oldspeak, as the Party calls  it:

"In your heart you'd prefer to stick to Oldspeak, with all its vagueness and its useless shades of meaning."

For Syme, this is a sad state of affairs. He thinks that Winston does not appreciate the inventive and unconventional nature of Newspeak, a language which is based on the "destruction of words" and prides itself on "narrowing the range of thought."

In contrast, the fact that Winston does not appreciate Newspeak shows that he wishes to return to the old way of living, before the Party took control and when people had the freedom of self-expression. In other words, by rejecting Newspeak, Winston rejects the Party's rule.

One consequence of sin in this novel is isolation. What are three passages that indicate the isolation of the major three characters, Hester,...

For Hester, her scarlet letter seems to set her apart in every possible way. She even lives apart from the remainder of her community in a small cottage surrounded by "scrubby trees" that seem as though they exist in order to conceal something. Moreover,

In all her intercourse with society [...] there was nothing that made her feel as if she belonged to it. Every gesture, every word, and even the silence of those with whom she came in contact, implied, and often expressed, that she was banished, and as much alone as if she inhabited another sphere, or communicated with the common nature by other organs and senses than the rest of human kind.

Even when Hester would stand in a crowd, there seemed to exist a sort of magic circle around her, into which no one else would come. She even found that she was sometimes the subject of the Sunday sermon. She became completely alienated in almost every way: religiously, geographically, legally.

As far as Dimmesdale, because his sin is not known, his isolation is of a different, invisible sort. One day, Hester

[...] beheld the minister advancing along the path entirely alone, and leaning on a staff which he had cut by the wayside. He looked haggard and feeble, and betrayed a nerveless despondency in his air, which had never so remarkably characterized him in his walks about the settlement, nor in any other situation where he deemed himself liable to notice.

Thus, Dimmesdale has been isolated by his guilt, and because he has hidden his guilt, he purposely conceals his misery (for it is his guilt that makes him so terribly unhappy), and so becomes emotionally isolated from everyone around him.

For Chillingworth, his single-minded purpose, to exact ultimate revenge on Hester's co-sinner, forces him to become emotionally isolated as well. He must operate in secret, attempting to ferret out precisely what the minister most wants to conceal, and so he has time for little else. The two men even move in together, further isolating them both. Chillingworth's "intimate revenge" requires intense focus and, thus, demands exclusivity.

What does it mean by "feelings" in the book The Giver?

Well, the definition of the word is not any different in the book than it is in real life, but the range of feelings seen in the community is certainly more limited than in the real world or even in their world prior to Sameness.

Members of the community are encouraged to share their feelings each evening at dinner with their families. They recount what happened during each of their days and how they felt about what happened. At the beginning of the book, Jonas doesn't seem to like sharing feelings much, but we learn that it is against the rules not to do so.  The feelings shared at the evening ritual seem very specific at first, until we get deeper into the story. By Chapter 17, though, Jonas has received many memories containing very intense emotions, and he gains a new perspective on the evening sharing of feelings, as do we readers:

"But Lily had not felt anger, Jonas realized now. Shallow impatience, and exasperation, that was all Lily had felt. He knew that with certainty because now he knew what anger was. Now he had, in the memories, experienced injustice and cruelty, and he had reacted with rage that welled up so passionately inside him that he thought of discussing it calmly at the dinner table was unthinkable" (CH. 17).

The feelings the community members have are limited due to their limited life experience. As Jonas comes to realize, they may think they are experiencing anger or happiness, but because their community and their lives are so controlled, they really have not had the opportunity to experience those feelings in any depth, like Jonas and the Giver both have.

In The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian, what are some of Arnold's personal growths throughout the book?

The over-arching change Arnold makes over the course of the book is his move from identifying as an outsider in many ways to seeing himself as an insider, or as part of many different tribes. Arnold knows he doesn't fit in in the tribe. People mock him and beat him up due to his disability and character quirks. He also doesn't fit in at Reardon, as demonstrated by the racism he's subjected to there. He struggles to fit in in both worlds throughout the novel, and it takes some time before he comes to the realization that it's okay to have many different aspects of his personality. He realizes that,

"sure, I was a Spokane Indian. I belonged to that tribe. But I also belonged to the tribe of American immigrants. And to the tribe of basketball players. And to the tribe of bookworms.

And to the tribe of cartoonists.

[...]

And the tribe of funeral goers.

And the tribe of beloved sons.

And the tribe of boys who really missed their best friends.

It was a huge realization.

And that's when I knew that I was going to be okay" (pg 190)

Though this change from exclusion to inclusion is the biggest that Arnold experiences, it isn't the only one. Another change he makes is from a lack of opportunities to having opportunities. Arnold knows that the rez is not a place where dreams come true. He talks about the dreams his parents and sister had, and who they would be if they weren't Indians living on a reservation, if they had opportunities. This situation is hit home to him when he gets his geometry textbook and sees that it's the same one his mother used when she was a student:

"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" (pg 34).

This event sparks Arnold's choice to go to Reardon High and sets him on a course to expand his opportunities in life. He sets himself up to graduate from a more prestigious high school, he makes the basketball team, he meets people from different walks of life. This is a personal growth that will continue to benefit Arnold. 

 

One final way Arnold grows is in his social-emotional intelligence. As a frequent victim of bullying, Arnold has seen the worst side of people. During the course of the novel, however, he comes to discover that most people have both good and bad, including himself. When he thinks about Penelope, he is way too caught up in her looks and her ideal white-ness, rather than how much they have in common. As both Rowdy and Gordy point out, this is superficial of him, and rather sexist. Still, in his speculations on Roger after Roger secretly gives him some cash to pay for dinner and a ride home is that Roger is "of kind heart and generous pocket and a little bit racist" (pg 119). Clearly, Arnold realizes that people can be more nuanced than he previously thought. 

Will teaching immigrants English and better hygiene habits make them "better Americans," or is this a racist assumption?

It is not necessarily true that teaching immigrants English and better hygiene habits (as was done in some settlement houses during the Progressive Era) would actually make them into better Americans.  It is true, however, that the middle class women who ran the settlement houses thought that it would.  In general, they thought that these things would make the immigrants more like middle-class, “native,” Americans.  The Progressives tended to be from this class and they believed that it would be better if the immigrants were more like them.

It is fairly easy to argue that teaching people English would make them better Americans.  While English is not our official language, it is by far the dominant language in our society today just as it was in the Progressive Era.  It is hard to truly fit in to a country if you cannot speak the language that is spoken by the vast majority of its citizens.  It is hard to get a good job.  It is hard to communicate with teachers, with police, and with other people whom you might meet.  It is hard to feel that you truly belong when you do not speak the language.  Thus, teaching immigrants English could have made them into better Americans.

Better hygiene is much less clearly connected to better citizenship.  A person can be slovenly and still hold good American values and feel a strong connection to our country. The people who ran the settlement houses really just assumed that good Americans were like them.  Since they kept up certain standards of hygiene, they felt that that was what good Americans did.  Therefore, they wanted to teach the immigrants those habits so they could be good Americans too.

Clearly, a person could say that this attitude is racist (ethnocentric might be a better word), as many people argue that similar attitudes are racist today.  If you say that someone cannot be a good American speaking a different language, you are (arguably) somehow implying that their language, and people who speak their language, are not good enough.  You are denigrating them and their language, which can be seen as racist.  When you start to teach people hygiene, you are implying that they are uncivilized.  You are saying that they need to be taught basic things such as how to keep clean.  We would feel insulted if someone tried to teach us such a thing.  That is something that parents teach children, not that adults teach other adults who are their equals.  Thus, teaching people hygiene is akin to calling them uncivilized or child-like.  When you imply that immigrants are like this, it is possible to argue that you are being racist (or ethnocentric/nativist).

Who was Galileo? When did he live? What did he do?

Galileo Galilei was born in 1564 in Pisa, Italy and died in 1642, near Florence. He was an astronomer and physicist (among other things). His most important contributions to science are listed below:

• He made various observations with his telescope, including the four moons of Jupiter, phases of Venus, sunspots, etc. His observations confirmed the hypothesis of Copernicus and disproved the Church's view of our Universe.


• He laid the foundation for Newton's work on gravity (and his laws of motion) by formulating the concept of inertia (that helps a body resists any change in its state of motion).


• Another contribution to physics was the experiment related to acceleration due to gravity (Leaning Tower of Pisa experiment), which showed that irrespective of weight, any two (or more) objects will fall to the Earth's surface at the same time, when dropped from a height. 

Hope this helps. 

How is courage portrayed in Chaucer's "The Knight's Tale"?

In "The Knight's Tale," the Knight primarily portrays courage on the battlefield, and he focuses on the deeds of noble warriors vying for the love of a single woman. Indeed, the climax of the story involves an organized battle between two former friends, Arcite and Palamon, who are fighting to win Emily's love. Both warriors conduct themselves honorably on the battlefield and abide by the code of chivalry. As such, we can see that, according to the Knight, courage is a quality that is best suited for warfare. That said, the Knight's portrayal of courage in warfare never involves ruthlessness or cruelty. Instead, all of his warriors conduct themselves with nobility and dignity and choose to fight for noble causes (such as Emily's love). As such, though the Knight defines courage as a quality best suited for warfare, he also portrays it as a quality that is only exhibited in "civilized" warfare. This distinction is in keeping with the Knight's dignified and courteous personality. 

In "Thank You, M'am," Roger wanted to say something more than "thank you." What did he want to say?

Part of what makes Hughes's story so compelling is that he does not exactly tell us what Roger would have said to Mrs. Jones.

It is clear that Mrs. Jones had an impact on Roger.  When she caught him at the start of the story, he tried to run away. However, as the story develops, he is touched by the way she looked out for him.  He is willing to go to the store for her and is shocked with her proposition that he could have "simply asked" her for the money.  By the time he leaves, he wants to say more to her.  Hughes writes that as she leads Roger out of her home, "the boy wanted to say something else other than “Thank you, m’am” to Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones."  It is not clear what this would be.  

We can surmise that Roger wanted to communicate how thankful he was for someone showing care to him.  He might have also wanted to continue a relationship with the woman, as it was clear that she understood his reality and the challenges that confronted him.  Roger might have even told her that her reaction to him had forever changed the way he viewed his life and the choices he made within it.  Simply put, we do not know what he would have said to her.  However, we do know that he was experiencing some authentic emotions of gratitude and emotional debt towards her.

Explain how exotic ocean life forms have survived/adapted to harsh ocean environment. How do they find mate? Where do they find their food? How do...

Organisms that survive in the ocean deep have to be able to deal with extreme environmental conditions.  They must be able to live in total darkness, as the suns rays do not penetrate to the bottom of the ocean.  They must also be able to withstand tremendous pressure, as the water pressure climbs the deeper you go.  They must also be able to withstand extreme temperatures; it is very cold at the bottom of the oceans. 

One of the adaptations for organisms living in these extremes is bioluminescence, which enables the organism to either give off light or light patterns on its body.  This light is used for attracting food and attracting potential mates.  Another mechanism to help deal with extremes of pressure are special structural pockets in the organism's body that enable it to deal with the intense pressures associated with the deep ocean.  Lastly, these organisms have adapted body structures that are built primarily of unsaturated fats as a primary component, which helps them deal with the cold temperature.

How does Lula react when she sees Scout and Jem arrive at the First Purchase Church with Calpurnia in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Lula believes white children do not belong in a black church.

Lula is not happy to see Scout and Jem with Calpurnia at First Purchase because it is an African-American church and she doesn’t think white children should be there. When Calpurnia tries to tell Lula that Scout and Jem are her company, Lula objects, saying Calpurnia is not company at the Finch house during the week. 

Lula stopped, but she said, “You ain’t got no business bringin‘ white chillun here—they got their church, we got our’n. It is our church, ain’t it, Miss Cal?”

 Calpurnia said, “It’s the same God, ain’t it?” (Chapter 12) 

Scout and Jem become uncomfortable during this altercation and want to go home. Calpurnia refuses to be intimidated. Scout is surprised to hear her speaking like the other African Americans because she is used to hearing her use the language and grammar the town's white people use. She doesn’t realize most African Americans do not have access to education, so speaking like a white person would make Calpurnia an outsider when she is at church. 

Calpurnia’s son Zeebo gives Scout and Jem a warm welcome and tells them not to pay any attention to Lula.  

One of them stepped from the crowd. It was Zeebo, the garbage collector. “Mister Jem,” he said, “we’re mighty glad to have you all here. Don’t pay no ‘tention to Lula, she’s contentious because Reverend Sykes threatened to church her. She’s a troublemaker from way back, got fancy ideas an’ haughty ways—we’re mighty glad to have you all” (Chapter 12).

Although Zeebo welcomes the children, he is also extra polite and respectful. He treats Jem and Scout this way because they are white. Although Jem is younger than Zeebo, Zeebo calls him "Mister Jem." He is essentially proving Lula's point, even if he doesn't mean anything by it.

What ideas for government did Thomas Jefferson stress in his inaugural address?

Jefferson's First Inaugural is usually noted for its appeal for reconciliation between political factions. Mindful of the bitter partisan struggles of the late 1790s that played out in the election of 1800 itself, he urged his countrymen to unite around common beliefs, saying "we are all republicans, we are all federalists." Yet Jefferson also articulated much of his political vision in his speech, emphasizing that the "sum of good government" was to "restrain men from injuring one another" while leaving them "otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits." Jefferson also stressed frugality in government, protecting states rights, avoiding "entangling alliances," maintaining a militia (rather than a standing army), and protecting civil liberties. Many of these statements sound like platitudes, and they were, but they also were politically charged. Jefferson's critique of the federal government under Federalist control was that it had repeatedly overstepped its bounds by claiming powers not delegated to it in the Constitution. Those who read the address would have recognized this, and understood that he was describing his vision for what the federal government would look like under Republican administration. So Jefferson's speech was full of rhetorical flourishes and the appeals for unity that are always found in inaugural addresses, but it also included an extended statement of his beliefs. Limited government, civil liberties, and civic virtue were cornerstones of his thinking, and his speech is an appeal for these ideas.

What are two of the barber's character traits in "Just Lather, That's All"?

In "Just Lather, That's All," the barber has a number of prominent character traits. Here are two of them:

1. 
   The barber is proud of his work and strives for perfection. He calls himself a "conscientious barber," and is skilled enough at his job that he recognizes that the Captain has four days' worth of hair growth. He also handles the razor skillfully so that he never spills any of his client's blood. Furthermore, even in the midst of his murderous dilemma, he thinks about his reputation as the "best" barber in the town.


2. 
   The barber also has a strong sense of morality and aversion to violence. Even though he is presented with the perfect opportunity to kill his enemy, the Captain, he cannot bring himself to do it. For the barber, murder is not part of being a "revolutionary" because he realizes that violence will not solve political problems but will, in fact, exacerbate them:

"Others come along and still others, and the first ones kill the second ones and they the next ones and it goes on like this until everything is a sea of blood."

An arrow is shot at 30o above the horizontal. Its velocity is 49 m/s, and it hits the target. a. What is the maximum height the arrow will...

Hello!

I think we ignore air resistance. Then the only force acting on a flying arrow is the gravity force. It is acting downwards and gives an arrow constant acceleration of g (also downwards). Therefore an arrow's height above the initial point is

` V_0*sin(alpha)*t-(g*t^2)/2, `

where `V_0` is the initial speed and `alpha` is the angle above horizontal.

This is an equation of a parabola, and its vertex is at `t=V_0*sin(alpha)/(g).` The height at that moment is a maximum and it is

`(V_0*sin(alpha))^2/(2g) = (49^2*1/4)/(2*9.8)=10*49/16 approx 30.6(m).`

This is the answer for a.

b. An arrow will have the same (zero) height when the formula gives zero for positive t, i.e. at `t=2*V_0*sin(alpha)/g.`

Note that horizontally an arrow have a constant speed `V_0*cos(alpha).` So the distance will be

`2*V_0^2*sin(alpha)*cos(alpha)/g approx 212 (m).`

Why was killing Julius Caesar a bad thing? Please stick to the topic that it was bad.

First, "killing Julius Caesar" is a topic. Arguing that this was a bad decision is a stance on a topic or opinion about a topic. The two things differ. 

In Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare the conspirators have a wide range of motives. Cassius seems motivated mainly by jealousy, Brutus by a desire to preserve the Republic, and others by various political and personal considerations. 

From a moral point of view, one can argue that murder is always immoral. Even though Brutus had the interest of the Republic at heart, he killed a man who was a close friend and mentor to him, an act we might find morally bad. For Cassius and the others, we can argue that their motives as well as their acts were morally bad.

From a practical point of view, the death of Julius Caesar did not lead to the restoration of the Republic but to the beginning of Empire, with Octavius (Augustus) taking on the role of Emperor. One of the arguments that Brutus made was that because Caesar was a fundamentally good tyrant, he was more likely to cause the permanent end of the Republic than a bad tyrant against whom people would rebel. In actuality, though, he merely was replaced by another tyrant. 

Explain polarity in terms of electronegativity.

Polar substances are covalently bonded substances that contain partially positive and negative charges. The partial charges within a polar substance are a result of electronegativity differences between the atoms that share the covalent bond. Electronegativity is the likelihood that an atom will attract a pair of bonded electrons. The greater the electronegativity, the greater the attraction that an atom has for a pair of bonded electrons. The range of electronegativity differences is approximately 0.7 to 4.0. Some periodic tables contain electronegativity values of for each element. The electronegativity difference between two atoms forming a bond can be used to determine the type of bond that will be formed between the two atoms, as identified below.

• Electronegativity differences less than 0.5 = nonpolar covalent


• Electronegativity of 0.5 – 1.6 = polar covalent


• Electronegativity difference of 2.0 or more = ionic bond

(However, if the electronegativity difference between to atoms falls between 0.5 and 1.6, but there is symmetry within the compound, then that compound will not display polarity. This is the reason why carbon dioxide (CO2) is not considered to be polar.)

How are dreams significant in Of Mice and Men? What messages and ideas does Steinbeck convey using the theme of dreams?

In Of Mice and Men, Lennie and George are sustained in their hard and uncertain lives as ranch hands by their dream of owning their own small farm. When Lennie asks, “George, how long’s it gonna be till we get that little place an’ live on the fatta the lan’[fat of the land]—an’ [have] rabbits,” George provides a detailed description of what this farm will be like. It will be on ten acres, have a windmill and an orchard full of fruit trees, include the rabbits in hutches and chickens and pigs and a garden. The two men will own pigeons. They will be able to sell eggs and milk. But more importantly, the farm will give Lennie and George independence: they won't have to sleep in a bunkhouse anymore with strangers. They can tell people they don't like to leave, and they can have a spare bed to invite a guest to spend the night, something they can't do in a bunk house. If they want to take a day off, they'll be able to. It will be a place where they "belong." They will no longer have to be "runnin' around the country" looking for work. They will only have to work six or seven hours a day, not eleven. George will go on to say:

“An’ we could have a few pigs. I could build a smoke house like the one gran’pa had, an’ when we kill a pig we can smoke the bacon and the hams, and make sausage an’ all like that. An’ when the salmon run up river we could catch a hundred of ‘em an’ salt ‘em down or smoke ‘em. We could have them for breakfast. They ain’t nothing so nice as smoked salmon. When the fruit come in we could can it—and tomatoes, they’re easy to can. Ever’ Sunday we’d kill a chicken or a rabbit. Maybe we’d have a cow or a goat, and the cream is so God damn thick you got to cut it with a knife and take it out with a spoon.”

The aged Candy, who has lost a hand, eagerly buys into this dream, offering to throw in money to help it become a reality. He dreams of a safe place to retire, where he can live with dignity. Crooks also becomes interested in the dream of a farm, saying he'd come in "to work for nothing--just his keep." A short time later, he realizes the impossibility of this for a black man, and says it's not what he wants, although we as readers know it is what he wants because we have seen his flash of longing for it. 

In having Lennie refer to this dream over and over, and in having George repeat it, it becomes a central image at the heart of the novel, showing the gap between what the men have and what they desire. As Crooks says, everybody talks about having a farm. And Steinbeck makes clear, through Crooks, that blacks want this as much as whites, even if it is even less possible for them to have it. 

The dream is both a paradise and, in George's comforting tale, without any problems, but it is also, as Steinbeck implies, the core American Dream: a dream of independence, of small farming, of every man his own master that goes back deeply into the psyche of what it means to be an American. It's why people came to America. Steinbeck shows that for many that crucial dream was lost in the Great Depression. It is a simple dream: what Lennie and George aspire to is not mansions and limos, but a modest farm and a marginal living, with a wood burning stove, enough to eat and the chance to work for themselves. People deserve such an opportunity, Steinbeck believes, and part of the novel's pathos is in showing how impossible such a simple dream is for these men to achieve. Steinbeck would like to move readers to support a world in which it would be easier for ordinary, if damaged, people like Lennie and Candy and Crooks to live with dignity.

Why does Mr. Oakhurst think it is a bad idea to make camp before they reach Sandy Bar?

Mr. Oakhurst is the leader of the party from the beginning. In fact, he is the only sober one in the party of four, and he advises them that Sandy Bar is "distant a day’s severe travel" from Poker Flat. He also reports when they stop that "scarcely half the journey to Sandy Bar was accomplished, and the party were not equipped or provisioned for delay." Of course, they ignore him as they have already had quite a bit of alcohol by that point. As the group leaves Poker Flat, in fact, they travel from "the moist, temperate regions of the foot-hills into the dry, cold, bracing air of the Sierras," indicating that there could be trouble ahead in terms of cold and snow if they stop.

What is the ending of Lois Lowry's The Giver?

The ending of Lois Lowry's The Giver is debatable. Jonas is fleeing his home with his baby brother Gabriel in an effort to end Sameness. Once he gets to Elsewhere, or gets far enough away from his community, the memories that the Giver passed on to him will be released upon the citizens and Sameness will end. The Giver stays behind so he can help the people deal with the memories when Jonas crosses into Elsewhere. However, whether or not Jonas actually makes it safely to Elsewhere is ambiguous. As Jonas feels that he and Gabe are nearing the end of their journey, they run out of food and water and encounter deep snow. Jonas had been giving Gabe memories to satisfy his needs for a time, but he soon feels like he is running out of memories to give. The bike gets stuck in the snow and Jonas continues through the snow with Gabe. At one point, Jonas feels as if the memories are leaving him, suggesting that they are going back to the community.

"The memories had fallen behind him now, escaping from his protection to return to the people of his community. Were there any left at all?" (176).

This passage suggests that the memories have gone to the community and Jonas has no more to share with Gabriel to sustain him. Jonas keeps climbing a snowy hill and loses feeling in his extremities. Things seem hopeless, but then he remembers his friends and the Giver, and that motivates him to keep going. When he gets to the summit he finds a sled waiting for him. One could argue that Jonas's consciousness has simply fallen back to the first and final memory, and after that, he's done for. The text even says that "Jonas felt himself losing consciousness" before sliding down the hill. Jonas then feels joy, hears music, and thinks he hears people singing, but then the book ends with "But perhaps it was only an echo" (180). There is no explicit information that says Jonas and Gabe make it safely to a house that has a family in it. Furthermore, why would a sled be waiting for him at some random hill? It seems too much like the memory to be reality.

Others may say, however, that the memory of the sled, snow, and family in the house is a real memory; therefore, Jonas and Gabriel are truly saved and they find a real home in the end. Many readers like to believe this option is how the book ends because it is positive and Jonas and Gabriel aren't left out in the snow to die. The movie goes even further to perpetuate this belief by showing the community receiving the memories of joy, crying, and understanding life better; but the book seems to leave the end up to the reader to interpret for himself.

What do calories have to do with cellular respiration?

Calories are units of energy. Another common unit of energy is the joule. We commonly use these in relation to food or our body's requirement, such as 2500-3000 calories are needed per day by an adult, etc. Where do we get this energy from?

Our body (and that of other organisms as well) obtains this energy through the process of cellular respiration. In this process, glucose is broken down into carbon dioxide and water and (most importantly) energy is also released. The chemical reaction for this process can be written as:

`C_6H_12O_6 + 6O_2 -> 6CO_2 + 6H_2O + ATP`

Here, ATP molecules (or adenosine triphosphate) are the energy molecules and provide us with energy. 

When cellular respiration takes place aerobically (in the presence of oxygen), the energy yield (in terms of molecules of ATP per molecule of glucose) is much higher as compared to anaerobic respiration. 

Thus, cellular respiration is the process which generates energy that our body uses and can be measured in units of energy such as calories or joules, etc.

Hope this helps. 

What conflicts and difficulties occur in To Kill a Mockingbird?

"To Kill a Mockingbird" is brimming with examples of conflicts and difficulties.  One underlying difficulty is the Great Depression, during which the story takes place.  Another is that Scout's first grade teacher, Miss Caroline, is not happy that Scout can already read and write, claiming that she will have to "undo the damage."

Scout has trouble understanding others' viewpoints in the earlier portion of the novel, but she eventually learns how to "climb into" other people's "skin and walk around in it."

Jem and Scout have typical sibling conflicts throughout the novel, and gender stereotypes weave their way through the story as well.

Racial prejudice plays a substantial role in the story when a black man, Tom Robinson, is accused of raping Mayella Ewell, the daughter of the local ne'er-do-well, Bob Ewell.

When local townspeople threaten to lynch Robinson, Scout's impetuous nature saves the day when she asks Mr. Cunningham to tell his son "hey" for her and goes on to declare that "entailments are bad."  Though she doesn't fully understand what's happening, she has managed to defuse the situation, and the mob disperses.

Later, Robinson is shot and killed, an innocent victim, falsely accused of a crime he did not commit.

Finally, Ewell attempts to murder the Finch children and is killed in self-defense by Arthur "Boo" Radley, the town misfit, who has befriended the children in his own shy way, himself an object of local discrimination and gossip.

What does Passepartout sell and why in chapter 23?

By that part of the novel, Passepartout has been separated from Phileas Fogg.  That is a big problem in general, but the immediate problem is that Passepartout does not carry money around like Fogg does. Passepartout is hungry and needs to find transport.  He needs money for both things, so he decides that he can earn some money as a street performer.  Unfortunately, the clothes that he is wearing do not look like something a street performer would be wearing.  They are too nice.  

Passepartout decides to sell his extremely European clothing to a clothing dealer.  He is able to secure some money and clothing that is more suitable for a street performer.  With the money, he is able to buy himself some breakfast from a teahouse.  

In "The Poet at Seven" by Donald Justice, why does the boy want to go home if it appears he will be abused on the way home and at home? What is the...

The final lines do not suggest that the boy will be abused on the way home. Instead, he is hoping that someone who loves him will notice that he is missing, come and find him, and encourage him to come home. The fact that he wants someone to "whip him down the street, but gently, home," shows that he wants to be missed and fussed and worried over, and that -- when someone notices that he is missing and begins to worry about him -- this heightened emotion might translate into a bit of anger at him when he is found. However, this heightened emotion would only really be indicative of how nervous and upset that "someone dear" was when they realized that it was late and he was not at home. It would show how much that "dear" one cares about him.

I think, ultimately, his desire shows his wish to be wanted, to feel important. If we isolate the final words in the couplet -- "come" and "home" -- they can be strung together to form the imperative statement, "come home," and this meaning would likely register with readers as a caring statement. When someone tells us to "come home," it is usually because we are missed, that our presence is desired. Children are used to being told to "come home" at night by their parents, but it doesn't sound as if this boy is. The fact that he's alone, at night, out of his house, makes me think that his friends have all been called home. He has not been called home, and he wishes that he would be. Thus, the poem becomes further inflected by his deep longing, conveyed already by the content of the final couplet but enriched, certainly, by the words on which the poet finally lands.

What impact does the Columbia Exposition have on the world fair today?

The World’s Colombian Exposition was held in Chicago to commemorate Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the New World. The exposition was a highly successful social-cultural event that brought American people together. The Colombian Exposition’s success turned it into a yardstick for future World’s exposition especially, with regards to planning and organization of such events.

The trends and activities the Colombian Exposition introduced, impacted future fairs. The Ferris wheel was first introduced in the Colombian Exposition and later became a symbol of such events. The event provided a platform for showcasing American products, turning them into future leading brands known today. The business aspect was carried forward to different World Fairs today.

The Colombian Exposition introduced the Midway, an area of the event where sideshows were performed. The Midway is featured in most if not all of present world fairs. The carnival rides are mostly included as part of the Midway. This aspect of the Exposition also led to the establishment of permanent amusement parks and theme parks, such as Coney Island, Disney world and Disneyland.

What is the name of Malcolm's favorite dance?

The name of Malcolm's favorite dance is the Lindy-hop. In Chapter 3, we learn that Malcolm has just become a shoe-shine boy at the Roseland State Ballroom. During lulls in his work, he finds himself drawn to the rhythm of the music even though he has never danced before. So, despite his inexperience, Malcolm still finds himself dancing naturally to the music whenever he gets a minute.

Because Shorty takes him to many parties, Malcolm is able to enjoy lindy-hopping regularly. With alcohol or marijuana in his system, he usually becomes uninhibited enough to enjoy himself on the dance floor. To look the part, Malcolm straightens his hair and purchases zoot suits to wear. With his height, athletic build, and mature look, Malcolm never lacks for dancing partners. In short, he is so enthralled with the Lindy-hop that he never misses a dance at the Roseland for the duration of the time that he lives in Boston.

What exactly causes Paul's death?

In terms of the story's symbolism and themes about greed, Paul dies because his mother can not be satisfied. Even if he had continued winning more and more money, she would have simply craved more and more. Therefore, in lieu of his mother's insatiable greed, there would have been one of two outcomes: Paul's death or an end to his lucky streak. 

If we're talking about what literally kills Paul, that is more difficult to determine and is subject to interpretation. This story is designed like a fable or a fairy tale, so the precise cause of Paul's death is not specified and it may not be essential to the meaning of the story. But hypothetically, the cause could be related to stress. Paul has taken it upon himself to become the breadwinner and the "man of the house." He is only a child but has taken on the Freudian burden of replacing his father and becoming like a husband to his mother. The mental and physical strain of his "rides" combined with the psychological (probably unconscious in Paul) confusion of his roles in relation to his mother perhaps caused enough stress to lower Paul's immune system to the point that he dies of some subsequent ailment. 

In the end, Bassett says, "But, poor devil, poor devil, he's best gone out of a life where he rides his rocking-horse to find a winner." In other words, Paul is better off dead. The strain was too much for him. It was selfish and thoughtless for Paul's mother and uncle, even Bassett, to allow Paul to take on this burden. Paul works himself to death. This fable, in the modern context, is about man's (or "a boy's") futile attempt to substitute money for love. Again, this is as impossible as satisfying an insatiable consumer like his mother. He dies because he works himself to death trying his best to complete an impossible or never-ending task. 

What is a general summary of The Devil's Arithmetic?

The Devil’s Arithmetic is a young adult novel about the Holocaust.  At the beginning of the story, a Jewish girl name Hannah is celebrating the Seder meal at Passover with her family.  She seems to complain about many of the Jewish customs.  When she is asked to open the door for Elijah to come in (a common tradition during Passover), Hannah is transported into the time of the Holocaust.  She becomes a character called “Chaya,” and witnesses many of the horrors associated with the Nazi concentration camps.  She is forced onto a train, herded into the camp, has her head shaved, is tattooed with a number, made to do hard work against her will, and watches as many people die in the gas chambers.  In this context, Hannah becomes friends with a girl named Rivka.  When Rivka is sent to the gas chamber, Hannah tells Rivka to run.  Hannah then takes Rivka’s place and walks back into the gas chamber to die.  It is at this point that Hannah is transported back to the present time with a new respect for her Jewish heritage.

What are some symbols of good and evil in both Lord of the Flies and Macbeth?

Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, and Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, are popular works not only for their entertainment value, but also because both provide rich symbolism through characters and objects which deepen the reading experience and provide for insights into human nature. There are numerous symbols of good and of evil found in both texts, though it does require a deeper analysis to look for common symbols in both. The characters of Banquo (in Macbeth) and Simon (in Lord of the Flies) illustrate symbols of good, while the characters of the witches (in Macbeth) and Roger (in Lord of the Flies), as well as the presence and significance of blood in both texts, illustrate symbols of evil. 

Both Banquo and Simon are secondary characters in their respective texts, yet each plays an instrumental role in advancing the plot toward its inevitable conclusion when he meets his death. As symbols of good, both Banquo and Simon give off an air of innocence, of virtue, and of morality, both in general and when compared to the characters around them. Their deaths, in both plots, signify a definitive shift in the action toward an abandonment of good and a move toward evil. 

Macbeth himself describes the goodness of Banquo: 

Our fears in Banquo 
Stick deep; and in his royalty of nature 
Reigns that which would be fear'd: 'tis much he dares; 1060
And, to that dauntless temper of his mind, 
He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour 
To act in safety. (Act 3, Scene 1). 

Additionally, Banquo serves as a representation of good by being the first (aside from Lady Macbeth) to suspect Macbeth of specific wrongdoing:

Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all, 
As the weird women promised, and, I fear, 
Thou play'dst most foully for't: (Act 3, Scene 1).

When Macbeth sends the murderers to kill Banquo, the death scene is a turning point in the play, the death of any remaining good/hope. Following the murder of Banquo, Macbeth's thirst for blood only increases. 

Similarly, in Lord of the Flies, the author painstakingly illustrates the purity and goodness of Simon's soul, traits that continue until his violent death. Simon expresses, from the first day, a care and concern for the younger boys in the group that isn't matched by the others. 

He says, in Chapter 3,

"You've noticed, haven't you?"
Jack put down his spear and squatted.
"Noticed what?"
"Well. They're frightened."
He rolled over and peered into Jack's fierce, dirty face.
"I mean the way things are. They dream. You can hear 'em. Have you been awake at night?" Jack shook his head.
"They talk and scream." 

Simon's concern for the younger boys shows that he is caring and giving. As the novel continues, and the boys continue their descent toward savagery, Simon acts as a pillar of good. He braves the forest (in fact, finds comfort there) and works to dispel the fears of all of the boys about who/what the Beast and the Lord of the Flies truly are. 

When Simon is killed in Chapter 9, his body seems to glow as it's carried out to sea, which can also be seen as an ultimate symbol of Simon's goodness and of his overall role as a symbol of good in the novel. 

The water rose farther and dressed Simon's coarse hair with brightness. The line of his cheek silvered and the turn of his shoulder became sculptured marble....surrounded by a fringe of inquisitive bright creatures, itself a silver shape beneath the steadfast constellations, Simon's dead body moved out toward the open sea.

Symbols of good are best accentuated when paired with equal symbols of evil, and Macbeth and Lord of the Flies are no exception. Using character once again, the witches (collectively) and Roger can be seen as symbols of evil. Additionally, both authors used blood as a representation of evil. 

The witches can be seen as the essence of evil from the moment the play Macbeth opens. They harm for sport, and they give no consideration to the far-reaching effects their actions can have. While Macbeth arguably performs many evil acts throughout the play of his own free will, each time he begins to have doubt, the witches appear to goad him on toward a path of destruction. 

Following the three original prophecies from the witches in Act 1, they follow with additional prophecies in Act 4 that spur Macbeth onward. They start by addressing him as an evil being:

By the pricking of my thumbs,

Something wicked this way comes (Act 4, Scene 1).

And they continue by ordering him to listen only to the apparitions but avoid speaking to them. This adds a level of confusion to what the witches have already set up to be abstract symbols, misleading at best and evil at worst. The final image of Banquo's issue instead of Macbeth's pushes him toward desperate acts he may not have considered before. During this conversation with the witches, Macbeth vows to kill Macduff and realizes he has likely killed his trusted friend, Banquo, to no avail. He leaves the interaction with the witches feeling cursed. 

In Lord of the Flies, Roger serves as a symbol of evil from start to finish. Whereas many of the boys turn toward savagery as the book progresses, Roger started there. 

Roger gathered a handful of stones and began to throw them. 

Already in chapter 4, we see Roger's tendency toward hurting others (or scaring them, in this case) without any cause. 

Later, in chapter 11, Roger commits the only actual cold-blooded murder in the book when he deliberately pushes a boulder onto Piggy. 

High overhead, Roger, with a sense of delirious abandonment, leaned all his weight on the lever.....The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist. Piggy, saying nothing, with no time for even a grunt, traveled through the air sideways from the rock, turning over as he went.

Both Macbeth and Lord of the Flies also use blood as a symbol of the presence of evil. Blood is a prominent theme throughout Macbeth, most notably for Lady Macbeth. In Act 1, Scene 5, she calls on the spirits to "Make thick my blood," and to "stop up the access and passage to remorse," a request to block out the good in her and increase the evil. Later, after much of the violence has taken place, Lady Macbeth believes she literally has blood on her hands. 

Out, damned spot! out, I say!...Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him? (Act 5, Scene 1).

Blood on the murderer's face shows Macbeth that Banquo's murder has been carried out: "There's blood on thy face," (Act 3, Scene 4), and Banquo appears to Macbeth at the banquet as a bloody figure: "Now they rise again, / With twenty mortal murders on their crowns (Act 3, Scene 4). 

In Lord of the Flies, the appearance of blood is one of the first indicators of the boys' shift away from their normal world and into one where evil has an active presence. Jack first puts clay on his face as camouflage when he's hunting the pig; in chapter 4, when he catches and kills the pig, he applies the blood to his face instead. Symbolically, Jack has shifted from a boy into a hunter, a killer, and he celebrates this by marking himself with blood. 

Jack stood up as he said this, the bloodied knife in his hand. The two boys faced each other. There was the brilliant world of hunting, tactics, fierce exhilaration, skill; and there was the world of longing and baffled commonsense. Jack transferred the knife to his left hand and smudged blood over his forehead as he pushed down the plastered hair.

Both Macbeth and Lord of the Flies are rife with symbolism, and each has its share of symbols of good and evil. Looking at characters, including Banquo, Simon, the witches, and Roger, as well as the presence of blood in both texts, can provide an avenue of analysis of the themes of good and evil in each as well as serve as a point of comparison between them.  

What are two conflicts in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and how were they solved?

The two major conflicts in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream revolve around the young lovers (Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius, and Helena) and between Oberon and Titania, the fairies. First, the young lovers are caught between love and tradition because Hermia's father, Egeus, wants her to marry Demetrius, but she wants to marry Lysander. Demetrius had been courting Helena, but then dropped her to seek marriage to Hermia through Egeus. According to Athenian law, the father had the right to marry his daughter to anyone he chose. If the the daughter refused, the father could have her executed. Lysander begs Duke Theseus to consider him instead of Demetrius, but Egeus claims his right by saying the following:

"Scornful Lysander, true, he hath my love,

And what is mine my love shall render him.

And she is mine, and all my right of her

I do estate unto Demetrius" (I.i.97-100).

Meanwhile, the king and queen of the fairies are fighting over a young boy and how he should be raised. The boy is from one of Titania's servants who died at childbirth. Titania promised to bring up the boy like her own; but, Oberon wants the boy to become a henchman for him. Oberon vows to win this fight by saying the following:

"Well, go thy way. Thou shalt not from this grove

Till I torment thee for this injury" (II.i.148-149).

Thus, the duration of the play circles around how the young lovers will resolve who will marry whom and whether or not Oberon will successfully obtain Titania's boy. 

The young lovers' problems are resolved by Oberon who orders Puck to put love potion on Demetrius' eyes so he will completely love Helena and forget Hermia. Of course the plot is complicated when Puck accidentally mistakes Lysander for Demetrius first, but eventually Puck fixes his mistakes and the couples are paired off correctly. Demetrius therefore drops his claim for Hermia because he now completely loves Helena. As a result, Theseus allows Lysander to marry Hermia.

As far as Oberon, Titania and the boy are concerned, Oberon orders Puck to place love potion on his wife's eyes and make it so she will fall in love with something disgusting. Puck applies the juice to Titania's eyes while she sleeps; and then he decides to change a human's head (Nick Bottom's) into that of a donkey's. When Titania wakes up to see Bottom, she falls in love with Puck's odd creation. This gives Oberon the distraction he needs to carry away the boy! Once Oberon has the boy, and he and Puck have laughed at Titania for a while, Puck is ordered to remove the effects of the potion and make everything right again. Once awake and not under the influence again, Titania seems to have forgotten about the fight over the boy. She says the following to Oberon:

"Come, my lord, and in our flight

Tell me how it came this night

That I sleeping here was found

With these mortals on the ground" (IV.i.98-101).

Discuss the use of bird imagery in The Girl Who Fell from the Sky. Durrow uses a lot of bird imagery in the Jamie's/Brick's narrative, but also...

To begin a discussion on this topic, we first have to realize that birds can travel wherever they will at any moment due to use of their wings.  Rachel travels, too:  to Chicago, to Oregon, to many places where she learns race has great meaning.  Through her travels, though, bird imagery takes on a more important symbolism:  the symbolism of dreams.

The imagery is prevalent precisely because birds can escape and be free of anything that ails them:  they can fly away at any moment.  In all of the hardships Rachel faces, she often wishes for these very qualities.  Birds, then, end up symbolizing Rachel's dreams and hopes.  Rachel dreams and hopes she can find a way to fit in.  Rachel dreams and hopes she won't be weighed down by sadness at the loss of her family.  Rachel dreams and hopes she can find a true friend and a true love.  Even though this quotation doesn't mention birds precisely, it is full of bird imagery:

Grandma sees these things when she talks about them and gestures with her hands like she's painting brush strokes in the air. The way Grandma paints her dreams for me, there's a low sky.

Why is the "low sky" here important for Rachel?  Because, as a bird, Rachel feels like she can "reach" and/or "fly into" the "low sky" that her grandmother paints.  Here Rachel feels like her hopes and dreams are attainable. 

In conclusion, even the reference to Rachel's mother's and sibling's deaths can apply to the symbolism of birds as hopes and dreams.  When Rachel's mother and siblings fall, they look like birds at first.  Here it looks as though Rachel's hopes and dreams have died.  Ironically, Rachel is the bird that has escaped death and can, eventually, pursue her own dreams to "fly."

What are ten songs that could describe Freak the Mighty? Why?

What a fun project! The best list would be one that you put together yourself with the different themes from Freak the Mighty such as friendship, overcoming obstacles, growing up, and transformation (from weakness to power). The ten songs I’m going to suggest are either related to these themes or to a particular character. Some songs are “oldie goldies” while others are classic rock. Some are from current musicals while others are recent pop hits.

The first set of songs is all about the theme of friendship and the great power behind that force. Keep in mind that the friendship of Kevin and Max is very strong. Kevin is a boy with high intelligence who has a deformity from birth. Max is a boy with low self-esteem who has great strength. Together they make "Freak the Mighty." They have many adventures and overcome many obstacles, even death (due to stories of their friendship that Max vows to write). The list of friendship songs that fit Freak the Mighty are as follows: “The Power of Two” by the Indigo Girls, “You’ve Got a Friend” by James Taylor, “It’s Not Easy” from Pete’s Dragon, “I’ll Be There for You” by the Rembrants, and “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers.

Other songs have to do with either particular characters or other themes.

“I’ll Be Watching You” by the Police

This song was specifically chosen for the character of Kenny “Killer” Kane. The moment he gets out of jail, he vows to get to his son, Max. In fact, Kane kidnaps Max on Christmas Eve. This proves that Kane has been “watching” Max.

“Don’t Know Much about History” by Sam Cooke

This song has to do with Max specifically and his feelings about his intelligence level. Over all, Max values Kevin’s friendship which, of course, is a form of platonic love.

“Roar” by Katy Perry

This song has to do with Kevin specifically and his need to use his intelligence to overcome his physical handicaps.

“Catch a Wave” by the Beach boys

This song has to do with Kevin’s and Max’s dual character “Freak the Mighty” when Kevin “catches” the Max “wave,” Kevin is both literally and figuratively “sitting on top of the world.”

“Hold On” by Wilson Phillips

Both Max and Kevin undergo hard times within this book, this song is encouragement for both to keep living even when times get rough. I imagine Max, especially, could have benefited from this song when tied up to the boiler by his father Kenny “Killer” Kane. Further, I imagine Kenny could have benefited from this song when he was in the hospital undergoing tests.

What is the purpose of photosynthesis?

All organisms need energy to survive. Animals receive energy by consuming food. Conversely, plants do not eat, and cannot absorb all the energy they need from the soil. Thus, plants have evolved another means of obtaining energy - they make use of energy from the sun. However, plants cannot use the sun energy directly - they must capture the light and convert it into chemical energy.

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants convert the energy of sunlight into carbohydrates (sugars). These sugars are then stored and consumed when the plant requires energy. Photosynthesis takes place in the chloroplasts of the plant cells. Note that some bacteria are also capable of conducting photosynthesis.

Thus, we can say that the purpose of photosynthesis is to convert sunlight into a useable form of energy.

Evaluate the effectiveness and efficacy of the progressive movement on changes to the urban environment.

To some extent, the Progressive Era achieved its intended goals with regards to environmental reform, especially in the urban centers. This was mostly achieved through civic education on the importance of sanitation, clean-up and paint-up campaigns and the improved sense of environmental responsibility among the young.

The public was made aware of the looming problems if the threat to the urban environment was not checked. At the time, industrialization and a sharp increase in population in the urban areas posed major threats to the environment due to pollution and congestion. During the awareness campaigns, the issues raised included the spread of diseases, pollution, and deteriorating aesthetics.

Urban officials were also challenged to improve and provide better sanitary services and institute necessary environmental changes. Cities embarked on the provision of pure water, cleaner air and reduction of waste among other environmental needs.

The Progressive Era also brought together scientists, journalists, politicians and the general public with an aim of developing better methods to address the environmental issues. It is from these efforts during the Progressive Era that more aggressive and action-oriented environmental movements were born, such as the environmental justice movement organized in the late 70s.

Notable achievements of the Progressive Era included the Meat Inspection Act, Pure Food and Drug Act, reforms in factory inspection laws and smoke-pollution-control laws.

Describe Social Darwinism and how it manifested itself in the late 19th and 20th centuries. Give at least three examples of behaviors and beliefs...

Social Darwinism was the idea that the Darwinian laws of survival of the fittest applied not only to the natural world but to human society as well.  This idea held that people, like animals, are in competition to survive.  It held that the people who thrived in a society did so because they were the fittest and best adapted to the society in which they lived.  Rich people were rich because they were fit, poor people were poor because they were not fit.

Because so many people accepted the ideas of Social Darwinism during the late 1800s and early 1900s, they were able to justify many beliefs and behaviors that were prevalent at the time.  One such belief was the belief in laissez faire economics.  Laissez faire held that the government should stay out of economics and let the economy run on its own.  It should not intervene to help those who were being harmed by the system.  Social Darwinism helped justify this because it said that the fittest would come to dominate the economy, making it the best possible economy, if only they were left alone to do so.  A behavior that this justified was ruthless competition between businesses and the creation of monopolies.  Ruthless competition would ensure that the weaker businesses would die, leaving only the strongest businesses and thus improving society.  Finally, Social Darwinism justified the practice of not helping poor people.  The poor, in this view, were poor because they were unfit.  Helping them would actually harm society by allowing people who were unfit to prosper.  It would be better for society to avoid propping up the poor so that society as a whole would benefit as the fittest survived and improved society.

What do lyosomes do?

Eukaryotic cells are cells that contain a nucleus and organelles. Organelles are membrane-bound structures within eukaryotic cells that serve a specific function within the cell. The shape of an organelles is often complementary to the organelle's function within the cell. All organelles work together for the overall survival of the cell, much like all organ systems work together for the overall survival of an organism.

Lysosomes are vesicles that are pinched off by the Golgi apparatus. Within a eukaryotic cell, lysosomes serve in the digestion and removal of wastes. Digestive enzymes are housed within lysosomes. These enzymes are created by the endoplasmic reticulum. Lysosomes engulf other organelles that are no longer functioning, debris, viruses, bacteria, and/or toxins within the cell. The digestive enzymes within the lysosomes then break down this engulfed material.

What are some reasons that prove that Manifest Destiny was justified?

There are reasons to support the justification of Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny was a belief many Americans held that it natural for us to rule the land from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. One reason for this belief was that we needed to take care of our people. The farmers in the West needed to use the Mississippi River and the port of New Orleans so they could get their crops to customers in the United States and around the world. When we weren’t allowed to freely use the Mississippi River and weren’t allowed to store products at New Orleans, it was natural for us to want to acquire the land to make this possible. When our initial offer for New Orleans and for West Florida was rejected, it made sense to accept the far better offer Napoleon made to us for all of the Louisiana Territory. Once we made the Louisiana Purchase, we doubled the size of the country.

After we made the Louisiana Purchase, it was natural for us to want to learn more about the land we just bought. Various explorers went into these lands and brought back valuable geographic and scientific information. This information encouraged people to consider relocating to the new lands. Once minerals were discovered, that movement was greatly accelerated.

Another reason that justified the idea of Manifest Destiny was the growth the occurred because of it. As Americans expanded westward, the areas to which they moved grew in various ways. As people moved westward, more farms were established. Since the people who moved to the West needed products, businesses began to move to the West. This occurred as we began to expand our transportation into the West. The National Road was expanded, and railroads expanded further west. This progress helped the West grow and develop. Before we moved westward, the regions that were west of the Mississippi River weren’t growing or developing very much. Because of Manifest Destiny and the movement of Americans into these regions, the western regions experienced significant growth and development.

The United States became interested in becoming a world power in the late 1800s. Without expansion from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, the West wouldn’t have been developed. We needed to develop our country before becoming a world power. Once we expanded to and developed the West, we could then think of taking the concept of Manifest Destiny and expanding throughout the world. This occurred in the late 1800s and in the early 1900s. This worldwide expansion helped make the United States a world power.

There are several reasons why our policy of Manifest Destiny was justified.

How do characters such as Scout Finch and Atticus Finch in "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee influence others in the novel?

Scout and Atticus Finch are two of the main characters throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Both characters have a tremendous influence on others and play significant roles throughout the novel. Scout, Atticus' daughter, has influence over her brother, friends, and adults living in the community of Maycomb. Scout influences her friend Dill by encouraging him to tell the truth and express his feelings about his home life. Dill opens up to Scout about his issues, and when Scout takes him outside of the courthouse, both characters learn an important lesson about prejudice from Dolphus Raymond. Scout also influences Jem's character throughout the novel. Jem educates Scout and serves as her caretaker. Jem discusses his feelings about humanity and shares his perspective on Maycomb's community members with her. Scout also influences Walter Cunningham during the mob scene by making him aware of his actions when she attempts to have a conversation with him. Scout influences her Uncle Jack by teaching him a lesson on how to speak with children and is the reason why Aunt Alexandra has moved in with the family. Scout's "tomboy" persona influences Alexandra to teach her how to become a proper Southern Bell. Scout influences the character of Boo Radley throughout the novel by entertaining him and encouraging him to form relationships by communicating via gifts in the knothole of the tree. At the end of the novel, Boo Radley leaves his home to save Scout and Jem, which allows him the opportunity to interact with the children.

Atticus predominately influences his children by teaching them important life lessons which advance their moral development and understanding. Scout learns how to gain perspective on situations and how to compromise from listening to Atticus. Atticus also teaches his children lessons in courage and morality. One of the underlying themes throughout the novel is how to treat innocent beings. Atticus teaches his children that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. Atticus also influences the character of Tom Robinson by choosing to defend him during his trial. Atticus influences the way in which community members view racial issues and is the catalyst for social change in Maycomb County throughout the novel.

List the facts Holmes presents to Watson about the battered hat in "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle."

From the hat, Holmes deduces that the owner was intelligent but has fallen on hard times and his wife has left him.

Watson walks in on Holmes one day, intending to wish him Merry Christmas.  He finds Holmes lounging around, examining a battered hat with a magnifying glass.

Beside the couch was a wooden chair, and on the angle of the back hung a very seedy and disreputable hard-felt hat, much the worse for wear, and cracked in several places. 

This is not uncommon behavior for Holmes.  He is a very skilled observer, and he can tell a lot about a hat from observing it, and even more about its owner.  As a detective, Holmes can make correct deductions from the smallest details.

Holmes tells Watson that the matter of the hat is trivial, but that he is happy to be able to tell Watson his findings.  Holmes often uses Watson as a sounding board, because he likes to discuss his findings out loud.  Holmes comments that there is no crime involved this time.

The “battered billycock” was found by a man named Peterson, along with a goose.  It was knocked off a man’s head in a fight with “a little knot of roughs.”  Holmes wants to use the hat to deduce who it belongs to.

Watson considers the hat ordinary but battered.  Despite this, Holmes comes up with a very specific list of deductions.

That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days. He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him. This may account also for the obvious fact that his wife has ceased to love him.

This is a lot of information for a hat, but Holmes can tell a lot about a piece of clothing from how it is worn.  He can tell things about the owner, and where the piece has been.  This is the work of a detective.

What does the word "lave" mean?

There are several ways of defining the term "lave." Its most common meaning is to wash or bathe something, though it may also refer to the way a body of water flows and "washes up" on the shore. Dictionary.com also lists that it can mean to ladle something, but this is not used in modern English.

You might be familiar with the term "lave" as a root of the word "lavatory." While it is an older term for referring to the washroom or toilet room, one can still encounter it in public spaces and more formal settings. In England, students must ask for the "lavatory pass" in order to take a trip to the bathroom. And what does one do in the lavatory? Among other things, lave the hands!

What is the summary of chapters 21-23 in The Giver by Lois Lowry?

Chapters 21-23 are the last three chapters in The Giver where the climax and resolution are found. The Giver and Jonas had come up with a plan for Jonas to escape and the Giver would help the community deal with all of the memories that would consequently overwhelm them. The plan had just been devised before chapter 21, so they were going to think about it more and come up with the details later. Surprisingly, however, Jonas finds out at dinner that Gabe is scheduled to be "released" the next morning; so he takes Gabe that night and forces the plan into action early. The rest of chapter 21 is about Jonas feeding and giving comforting memories to Gabe while avoiding planes that are searching for them overhead.

Chapter 22 shows Jonas and Gabe still on the road but the geography is slowly changing, as shown below:

"All of it was new to him. After a life of Sameness and predictability, he was awed by the surprises that lay beyond each curve of the road. He slowed the bike again and again to look with wonder at wildflowers, to enjoy the throaty warble of a new bird nearby, or merely to watch the way wind shifted the leaves in the trees" (172).

Jonas and Gabe start to experience starvation due to unanticipated length of the journey. Jonas tries to give Gabe memories of eating food to satisfy him, but it doesn't work for long. Both Jonas and Gabe cry because of starvation and exhaustion.

By chapter 23 the boys are cold and freezing. Snow is falling and there seems to be no hope left, even if Jonas feels like the end is near. They are dirty and starving and don't know where to go. Jonas gives Gabe memories of warmth to sustain him as they trudge through the snow, but those don't last long--nor do they help to remedy the reality of the situation.

Jonas's mind goes over his own experiences with Asher and Fiona. He thinks over his life and finds a little bit of renewed hope to keep moving. Eventually Jonas finds a sled and they slide down the hill. He thinks that he hears people singing as he slides down the hill.

The book ends there. There is no textual evidence, explicit or implicit, that shows Jonas and Gabe actually make it to anywhere safe. The text does say that they go in and out of consciousness. Jonas is down to his last memory, which happens to be the first one of the sled. This suggests that after this memory, there's nothing left to help the boys unless they do find someone to help them. But the book ends with this:

"Behind him, across vast distances of space and time, from the place he had left, he thought he heard music too. But perhaps it was only an echo" (180).

The question of whether or not Jonas and Gabe survive is left to the reader to determine.

What is the meaning of lines 10 and 11 in "The Old Woman's Message" by Kumalau Tawali?

To answer this question, let's take a look at the whole stanza:

Let them keep the price of their labor [10] / but their eyes are mine. [11] / I have little breath left [12] / to wait for them. [13] / I am returning to childhood. [14]

Line 10 refers to what the old woman's sons do for a living. She acknowledges the importance of her sons' labors; however, she isn't interested in monetary considerations for herself ("price of their labor"). All she desires is to see her sons before she dies. Now, line 11 is interesting. We can interpret this in one of two ways. The sons have their mother's eyes, both as a hereditary trait and in a symbolic way. If we want to be technical about it, the mother's chromosomes are directly responsible for the eyes her sons use in their labor; therefore, those eyes "belong" to her at this juncture of her life when she needs them. In some religions, the eye is the seat of wisdom, knowledge, and conscience. Therefore, in all good conscience, the sons' eyes must "lead" them back to their mother in her time of need if they are to perform their filial duty.

The mother has little time left on earth. She is reverting to childhood, where she must be taken care of instead of being the one to provide care. The poem suggests that the sons are not accustomed to taking on the role of caretakers, as their mother has never needed them to fulfill this role until now. Taken in this light, the old woman's words become significant in their poignant appeal. Hope this helps!

Why did the SS officers conduct the selection in the book Night?

In chapter three of Elie Wiesel's memoir Night, he and his father go through the initial selection at Birkenau death camp to determine which Jews would be immediately put to death and those who would be kept (barely) alive to do slave labor. The selection was conducted by the infamous SS officer Dr. Mengele, who earned the nickname "Angel of Death." The selection determined those who were fit enough to work and those who would be of no use. The Nazis planned to basically starve the work prisoners, so they wanted only the fittest. They also planned on conducting medical experiments and looked for the healthiest. Those who were pointed to the right by Mengele went to their deaths, gassed and then burned. Those who went to the left were taken to barracks where they were stripped of their possessions and chosen for work details.

Before the selection, a man tells Elie and his father to lie about their ages. Elie is only 14 at the time but is told to say he is 18. His father, who is 50, is told to say he is 40. This difference in ages probably saves their lives. Still, there is suspense as it looks as though those who go to the left are headed to a pit of flames, just as Madame Schachter had predicted in her screaming fits on the train. But just before they reach the pit they are turned and pointed to the barracks. Once in the barracks they are further split up into groups. Those who are the strongest will work the crematoria, and others, like Elie and his father, are eventually taken to Buna work camp where they work in a warehouse for electrical equipment.

More selections are made throughout the book as the prisoners lose their health, and in, some cases, their minds because of starvation. A particularly important selection comes at Buna when some are left behind in the hospital and some sent to Buchenwald. At this point the Jews are able to decide their own fate. Elie and his father could stay in the hospital, where they would have been liberated by the Russians almost immediately. Unfortunately, Elie chooses to be evacuated, and eventually his father dies at Buchanwald.

What was the first struggle the young mongoose had to deal with?

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi arrives at the bungalow in Segowlee cantonment after a heavy rain has washed him away from his home. Although the little boy, Teddy, thinks he is dead, he revives quickly and gets to know the family and the house. The next day, he makes his way into the garden and begins to hear about Nag, the cobra who is terrorizing the tailorbirds. Although Rikki has never battled a snake before because he is so young, he has innate snake-fighting abilities. Nag knows this and wants to make a speedy end of the mongoose. Engaging Rikki in conversation, Nag hopes to keep him distracted so that Nagaina, the female cobra, can strike him from behind. The tailorbird sings out a warning, and Rikki jumps away just in time: "he heard her savage hiss as the stroke missed." Rikki jumps so high that he comes down right on the cobra's back, and he could have killed her right then if he had been more experienced. He bites her, but doesn't hold the bite long enough. He manages to injure Nagaina and make her angry. Rikki begins to make his mongoose chatter that sounds like "Rikk-tikk-tikki-tikki-tchk!" But his first struggle ends there, with Nag and Nagaina making their way into the long grass of the garden. Not being confident of his ability to take on two large cobras at once, Rikki does not follow them, despite his rage.

when did the renaissance start

The Italian Renaissance was a period of renewed interest in the arts, sciences, philosophy, and logic. Historians generally hold that the Renaissance began in Florence during the 14th century, or the very tail end of the Late Medieval Period. This cultural change originated in Florence, Italy and by the 15th century Renaissance ideas and interests were spreading across Europe, though not uniformly. 

Renaissance thinking was fostered by the unique sociopolitical environment of Florence at the time. Many great scholars and works of literature were fleeing the push of the Ottoman Turks and found refuge in the great cities of Italy. During the 14th century, Italian cities were flourishing trade centers, and Florence specialized in textiles. The influx of wealth meant that people had more leisure time and more of an interest in individual study and supporting the arts. The Medici family were very wealthy bankers and generous patrons of the arts, supporting such artists as Leonardo da Vinci and Sandro Botticcelli.

How do Jesse's and Miles's views about the spring differ in Tuck Everlasting?

Miles has a more negative view of the spring than Jesse does.

The Tuck family drank from a spring that made them immortal.  It meant that they never aged, and never died.  It took some time for them to realize what had happened. 

Of all of the Tucks, Miles probably lost the most.  He had a family, but when the Tucks accidentally drank from the spring they lost the opportunity to be normal. Miles lost his family.

"I was more'n forty by then," said Miles sadly. "I was married. I had two children. But, from the look of me, I was still twenty-two. My wife, she finally made up her mind I'd sold my soul to the Devil. She left me. She went away and she took the children with her." (Ch. 7)

Miles lost everything because he was immortal.  Clearly he still feels the pain from his wife's reaction and the fact that his children grew up without him.

Jesse sees the positives in the spring, but Miles does not.  Jesse points out that although they only have each other, they are able to see a lot of things that other people don’t get a chance to see.  When you can live forever, you never run out of time.

"We've never had anyone but us to talk about it to.  Winnie—isn't it peculiar? And kind of wonderful? Just think of all the things we've seen in the world! All the things we're going to see!" (Ch. 8)

Miles reminds Jesse that not everything about the spring and living forever is a positive.  He tells Winnie that there is more to it than “Jesse Tuck’s good times.”  Living forever has meant losing his family for him, and Jesse never had the chance to have a family.  Jesse still thinks about things from a child’s perspective, whereas Miles looks at things from a more adult point of view.

What are five examples of injustice in the novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hoessani?

The mistreatment and unfairness directed towards the Hazara by the Pashtuns. The Hazara were looked down upon by the Pashtun community as seen by the demeaning names used against them such as “dirty Hazara”.

The Hazara people were oppressed and not allowed to freely mingle with the rest of the community. This made it impossible for the Hazara to receive education in formal institutions. This can be confirmed by the fact that Amir had a chance to go to school while Hassan was left behind. Even though they were both young, Hassan is Amir’s servant and does all the chores in the house.

In the story, Hassan was raped by Assef. Amir witnessed it but did nothing to help. Prior to this, Hassan protected Amir from being physically assaulted by Assef. Amir was a coward and allowed Assef to get away with the injustice.
Amir forced Ali and Hassan out of their home after he accused Hassan of theft.

Hassan died without knowing the true nature of his relationship with Amir or his biological father.The information was withheld due to the negative social implications attributed to such a situation especially, for Baba.

Hassan’s child Sohrab was orphaned at an early age and exposed to the harsh environment controlled by the Taliban. The child suffered at the hands of Assef until Amir arrived from the United States and took the child away.

There is a surprising amount of agreement about which works are most important to read and study. Is it true ? thanks!

Unfortunately, this question contains an undefined term and a somewhat obfuscatory use of passive voice. "Surprising" isn't really something one can measure and one cannot judge whether a person or group of people will be surprised or won't without knowing their identities. Similarly, in stating "there is ... agreement" the question evades the issue of who is agreeing.

Most cultures do have what is known as "literary canons," standard works that are part of the school curriculum and that form part of the traditions of a particular culture. These canons, though, vary with time and region. The literary canon of Japan is not that of Nigeria and that of Tunisia not that of Germany. Even within the United States, canons have varied. Many of the writers belonging to ethnic minorities whose works are now considered standard elements of a literary curriculum, such as Zora Neale Hurston or Louise Erdrich or Alice Walker, would have been unknown two or three decades ago. Many critics in the UK and the US now include works of popular culture such as the novels of M. E. Braddon and Wilkie Collins in the canon, but others do not. The Letters of Phalaris, which were standard reading before Bentley attacked their authenticity, are now only known to specialists. Alcibiades I, which was the standard introduction to Plato among Middle Platonists is now also only read by specialists.

While some older works have solidified their positions in the western canon and are unlikely to fall out of favor (e.g. Homer, Virgil, Sophocles, Shakespeare, Chaucer, Goethe, Austen, Baudelaire) other elements of the canon are constantly changing.

Who are Piney Woods and Tom Simspon?

Piney Woods and Tom Simpson are a young and in love couple in the short story "The Outcasts of Poker Flats."  They are on their way to Poker Flat to elope.  In addition to their romantic attraction to each other, they are the only two characters that have not been kicked out of Poker Flats.  Uncle Billy has been kicked out because he's a violent drunkard.  Duchess and Mother Shipton have been kicked out for prostitution.  John Oakhurst is a gambler, but I doubt he was kicked out for gambling; more than likely he was kicked out of Poker Flat for winning.  

Tom Simspon is also called "The Innocent."  That about sums it up.  He's completely clueless as to what kind of people Oakhurst and the others are.  He even thinks that Oakhurst is married to Duchess.  

"Piney can stay with Mrs. Oakhurst," said the Innocent, pointing to the Duchess, "and I can shift for myself."

Oakhurst tries to encourage Piney and Tom to hurry on toward Poker Flat before nightfall, but they decide to share their provisions and mules with the group.  The mistake will cost Piney her life. 

In "The Scarlet Ibis," what are the two types of figurative language in the sentence "I did not know then that pride is a wonderful, terrible...

In the following quote from “The Scarlet Ibis” James Hurst uses both juxtaposition and metaphor.

I did not know then that pride is a wonderful, terrible thing, a seed that bears two vines, life and death.

Juxtaposition is a device used to compare or contrast things or ideas. In this story, Hurst juxtaposes two characteristics of pride as being a wonderful yet terrible thing. Influenced by his own pride, the narrator, who is Doodle’s brother, pushes him to his physical limits, which results in great pride for the brother, but ultimately it contributes to Doodle's death. Again, the author uses juxtaposition talking about the two opposing ideas of life and death. Pride encouraged Doodle’s brother but it contributed to his ultimate demise. Also in the quote, Hurst uses a metaphor comparing pride to a seed that sprouts into two vines. This provides a familiar visual image for the reader, so that a difficult concept is more easily understood.

In The Canterville Ghost, what is the story's main conflict?

In a story about a ghost, a reader might assume that the main antagonist is going to be the ghost.  That's how "The Canterville Ghost" begins too.  Sir Simon has been haunting the house for generations, and he has been successfully scaring away owner after owner.  That is until the Otis family moves in.  From that point forward, the Otis family is a larger antagonist than Sir Simon is.  The external conflict that exists between Sir Simon the ghost and the Otis family is the main conflict in the story.  Sir Simon continually comes up with new ideas to frighten and bother the Otis family with, but the Otis family repeatedly foils his attempts.  More often than not, the Otis family ends up pestering Sir Simon.  That is most obvious in the case of the twins.  The wreak havoc on Sir Simon, and he actually becomes afraid to reveal himself and continue haunting.  

What are the similarities between Lakunle and Baroka?

Although the characters of Lakunle and Baroka have many differences, they happen to share several similarities throughout the play The Lion and the Jewel. Both Lakunle and Baroka wish to marry the village belle, Sidi. Lakunle confesses his love, yet refuses to pay the bride-price and does not marry her. However, Baroka is able to deceive Sidi into believing that he is impotent and successfully woos her after promising Sidi that her face will be on every printed stamp coming from Ilujinle. Throughout the play, Lakunle is a proponent of modernization and values progress over maintaining traditional customs. Baroka values traditional customs but accepts progress towards modernization. He tells Sidi that he and Lakunle are alike and believes that change is a good thing. Both characters are also intelligent. Lakunle is educated and values reading and writing. He is considered the village madman for the "big words" he uses as well as his affinity for Western culture. Baroka is also viewed as smart and cunning throughout the play. He is known as the Fox, and Sadiku warns Sidi of his wit before she attends his dinner. Baroka outsmarts both Sadiku and Sidi into successfully getting what he wants.

What did roosevelt mean when he said that the president is the "steward of the people

Teddy Roosevelt stated that he was a "steward of the people" in the sense that he broadened presidential power in order to do more for all people.  He broke up monopolies and helped to create legislation to break up even more trusts.  He championed the Food and Drug Act.  He was responsible for getting the public behind the national park movement.  He gave impassioned speeches.  He lent his opinion to collegiate athletics and American foreign policy.  His domestic policy was known as the Square Deal.  He spoke out against anarchism when it was a growing and dangerous movement in this country.  For all of these reasons, Teddy Roosevelt was one of America's first modern presidents in that he made sure that the presidency was a vocal part of national government and a part of the lives of American citizens.  

What are ten characteristics which could be attributed to Doodle and his brother and five characteristics of the ibis in the short story "The...

James Hurst's short story "The Scarlet Ibis" is about two brothers growing up in coastal North Carolina in the first part of the 20th century. The narrator, who is never named, is six years older than his brother Doodle. Doodle is born with physical problems and at first the family believes he may die. Although he doesn't, he is physically challenged and doesn't learn to walk until he is five. The ibis, which dies in the family's front yard after a bad storm, is a symbol for Doodle and has some of the same characteristics. 

The narrator could be considered active because he is a young boy who loves more than anything to run, swim and box. He's adventurous as he loves to explore the swamps around the family farm. He's confident in himself and, despite serious obstacles, is able to teach Doodle how to walk. He is at first independent and doesn't like taking Doodle with him on his adventures. He could definitely be considered masculine and he often clashes with his more sensitive brother. He's also sometimes mean and cruel:

There is within me (and with sadness I have watched it in others) a knot of cruelty borne by the stream of love, much as our blood sometimes bears the seed of our destruction, and at times I was mean to Doodle. 

He is prideful and cannot accept that his brother will be different and maybe even laughed at by other boys at school. So, he is determined to make Doodle as physically fit as he is. He is also impulsive as he lets his pride get the best of him when he runs away from Doodle in the rainstorm. In the end, the reader may also assume that the narrator is loving and ultimately regretful at losing Doodle. 

Doodle's chief characteristics include sensitivity and fragility. He is physically challenged and often not able to keep up with his brother. He is sensitive about things, as when his brother shows him his coffin. He could be considered submissive to his brother and wants, more than anything, to please him.

Doodle also shows a very imaginative mind. He makes up fantasy stories. Within these stories he displays a wishful mentality. While, he is barely able to walk, the heroes in his stories can fly. This wishful thinking might also show a level of optimism on Doodle's part. He is extremely caring and devoted to his brother. He shows these same traits when he buries the dead ibis and sings a hymn at the bird's grave. Doodle is ultimately out of place. He does not fit into the hard, active world of his brother. He is too soft and fragile. It's not surprising that the rare and fragile ibis is a symbol for the boy.

The ibis is, above all, beautiful and delicate with its scarlet feathers and long neck. The narrator describes the bird:

Its long, graceful neck jerked twice into an S, then straightened out, and the bird was still. A white veil came over the eyes and the long white beak unhinged. Its legs were crossed and its clawlike feet were delicately curved at rest. Even death did not mar its grace, for it lay on the earth like a broken vase of red flowers, and we stood around it, awed by its exotic beauty.

The bird is rare in this part of North Carolina, having traveled many miles from its home in the tropics. Like Doodle, it is out of place in an environment it is not used to. Also, like Doodle, it is fragile. It cannot handle its long, physically taxing journey and dies not soon after it's discovered in the bleeding tree. Doodle, of course, also dies after pushing his body to the limit chasing his brother in the rainstorm.