What page number does Miss Stephanie Crawford say she saw Boo look into her window?

In Chapter 1, page 16, Miss Stephanie Crawford says she woke up in the middle of the night and saw Boo Radley looking into her window. She mentions that his head looked like a skull. Miss Stephanie Crawford is the neighborhood gossip throughout the novel. The majority of the information the children receive about Boo Radley at the beginning of the novel come from Miss Crawford. Miss Crawford claims that she knows Boo's entire story. She tells them Boo's family history and several stories that depict Boo Radley as an insane individual. One story includes how Boo stabbed his father in the leg with a pair of scissors and then casually continued clipping newspaper articles out of the paper. She told Jem that the sheriff didn't have the heart to send him to jail, so they locked him in the courthouse basement. These rumors fuel the children's imaginations and lead them to believe that Boo Radley is a monster-like character with evil intentions.

Abraham Lincoln considered the ____________ to be the central component of his political thought?

Abraham Lincoln considered the effects of slavery on the country and the expansion of slavery to be at the center of his political thoughts. Abraham Lincoln believed slavery was wrong from a moral standpoint. He knew it would be very difficult to get rid of slavery. His main goal was to prevent the spread of it. Lincoln understood that slavery was protected by the Constitution. He said that if he could keep the country united by keeping slavery, he would follow this course of action.

When President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, he did this for military reasons. While he knew southerners wouldn’t follow it, he knew it would help sway the European countries to not help the South. The European countries were ending slavery in their countries, and this would give them a reason to support the Union. The Emancipation Proclamation could also potentially hurt the South militarily. If slaves became free, the South would have fewer possible soldiers that could fight on their side.

President Lincoln’s thoughts about ending slavery grew stronger as the Civil War progressed. He knew the issue of slavery had torn the country apart, and he believed a Union victory would end the debate about slavery. A Union victory would lead to the abolition of slavery.

What is Alexander Pope's connection to Edmund Curll?

Edmund Curll was a publisher and a bookseller who cared only about profit, not about the quality of the work he was selling. He published badly written (hack) works and sensational works, and skimmed along at the very edge of the law when it came to violating copyrights, sometimes actually stealing people's work. Many prominent writers and poets of the era became angry with him, including, among others, Alexander Pope's friends Jonathan Swift and John Gay. Swift, a clergyman, was infuriated when Curll exposed him as the author of A Tale of a Tub, because he feared it would damage his reputation as a man of God. Swift was also annoyed that Curll's "key" to A Tale of a Tub was lacking in intelligence and insight. Pope satirizied Curll more savagely than any other figure in his Dunciad, a work that made fun of dullness, or what we would today call stupidity, focusing on "Grub Street" publishers like Currl, who would sink to almost any level to make money. Pope, in contrast, cared deeply about quality and has come down through history as the most famous poet of his era. 

Explain the purpose of each door in the short story "The Lady of the Tiger?"

Frank Stockton's short story "The Lady or the Tiger?" is about a "semi-barbaric" king's idea of justice. The king has devised what he believes is the perfect platform for proving guilt or innocence. If a man is accused of a crime, he enters a large amphitheater where he has the choice of two doors.

The doors are exactly the same and sit right across from the king, who has a perfect view of the proceedings. Behind one door is a "hungry tiger, the fiercest and most cruel that could be procured," which promptly kills the man. Obviously this must be quite a spectacle and the galleries of the arena are always full as the institution is a "popular" one.

If the accused opens the other door, he is rewarded with "a lady, the most suitable to his years and station that his majesty could select among his fair subjects, and to this lady he was immediately married, as a reward of his innocence." It doesn't even matter if the man is already married. In the king's world, this method of justice proves final.

Stockton, of course, provides a surprising twist at the end of the story as he never reveals whether the princess's lover eventually opens the door with the tiger, or the door with the lady. He leaves it up to the reader to decide.

What is the setting in "The Umbrella Man" by Roald Dahl?

The setting for "Umbrella Man" by Roald Dahl is London.

The main character, the "umbrella man," is a flim-flam man who swindles the narrator's mother out of a pound note by telling her that he is too fatigued to walk home and needs a taxi. He offers his umbrella in return for the taxi fare; the umbrella, he says, is worth twenty pounds. Finally, with the urging of her daughter, the mother agrees to give the man who seemingly offers his umbrella generously in payment for a one pound note, the taxi fare he supposedly needs.

However, after following the older man, the mother and daughter see that he has tricked them. For, he is in a pub guzzling "a treble of whiskey." And, afterwards, he goes to the coat rack and unhooks his coat, but while doing so, he steals an umbrella 

...in a manner so superbly cool and casual that you hardly noticed anything at all, he lifted from the coat-rack one of the many wet umbrellas hanging there, and off he went. 

After they seeing him scurrying around after having traded his umbrella for money, the mother and daughter realize that they have been fooled.

What are the flows in the circular flow model?

In the most commonly used version of the circular flow model, there are two flows.  One is the flow of factors and the other is the flow of goods and services.  These flows combine in a circle, showing how the economy is a continuous loop of buying and selling.  This demonstrates for us the way in which households and firms are interconnected in our economy.

In one flow, households sell factors to firms.  The factor that fits this model most closely is labor.  People sell their labor to companies in exchange for money.  We see this every day as people go to work.  In the other flow, firms sell goods and services to households.  When people go to work for firms, they spend their time creating goods and services.  Those goods and services are sold to people from other households.  Thus, there is a circular flow that makes up our economic system, with firms buying factors from households and using those factors to create goods and services that they then sell to households.

Of course, the real economy is much more complex.  However, this simplified model allows us to understand the ways in which firms and households rely on one another to keep an economy going.

In The Crucible, what does Giles report to the Proctors?

When Giles Corey shows up at John and Elizabeth Proctors' house in Act Two, he comes to tell them that his wife and Francis Nurse's wife, Rebecca, have been arrested on charges of witchcraft.  This is incredibly shocking news because the Proctors are somewhat removed from town and they aren't as in the loop as others who live nearer by; they do not realize how powerful the court -- and the girls -- have become.  Hale is also completely shocked because, as he'd said earlier in the act, "God forbid such a one [as Rebecca] be charged."  Further, when he'd left the court earlier in the day, Rebecca had only been mentioned but not charged.  The fact that not only she is now charged, but also Martha Corey -- Giles's wife -- is therefore a complete surprise to Hale.

What lesson have you learned from chapter 19 of To Kill a Mockingbird?

Chapter 19 shows Tom Robinson taking the stand as a witness for his own trial, answering questions for Atticus, and then answering questions for the prosecution, Mr. Gilmer. Jem, Scout, and Dill are up in the balcony watching the proceedings. The reader learns about what really happened on the night in question, just as the children do; and what they learn isn't easy to digest. We learn that Tom was caught between a rock and a hard place, as the saying goes, when Mayella asked him into her home to help her. We learn that whatever Tom says won't matter--in fact, it will hurt him; and then we learn that racism is taught, not caught.

First, Mayella claimed in chapter 18 that Tom choked and raped her. In chapter 19, we learn that she called Tom into her house to kiss him; but once her father came up and saw her through the window, Tom ran and Bob Ewell set the sheriff after him with a lie about him raping his daughter. Tom was caught between a rock and hard place as explained by Scout:

"Until my father explained it to me later, I did not understand the subtlety of Tom's predicament: he would not have dared strike a white woman under any circumstances and expect to live long, so he took the first opportunity to run--a sure sign of guilt" (195).

Tom had two choices at that time he was caught with Mayella: Either he stays and takes his chances reasoning with Bob Ewell about his innocence or run and have a chance to explain it to the judge. Either way was bad for Tom because he's black and the Ewells are white. 

Next, we learn that whatever Tom says in his defense, even if it is all true, won't matter. Mr. Gilmer takes every advantage to make Tom look like he thinks he's better than white people. For example, at one point Tom says that he felt sorry for Mayella because she was alone, had no friends, had no mother, and had to take care of all the children by herself. Mr. Gilmer raised the roof with that one by showing his unbound disgust for what Tom had said. Scout explains as follows:

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

Mr. Gilmer plays off of Tom's truth because it seems as if Tom is placing himself higher than a white woman on the social class scale. That is a big problem for Southern white people to hear. When they hear that Tom was sorry for a white woman, that's like saying white people are inferior to him and that just doesn't fly in the South. 

Finally, we learn that racism is taught, not something we are born with. Dill demonstrates this because he, a young innocent child, can't stand listening to how disrespectfully Mr. Gilmer addresses Tom. Dill can't put his finger on it; that is to say, he doesn't know how to say that Mr. Gilmer was being a prejudiced bigot towards Tom, but he just knows it isn't right. Scout and Dill go outside so Dill can calm down when they have the following discussion:

"'Well, Dill, after all he's just a Negro.'

'I don't care one speck. It ain't right, somehow it ain't right to do 'em that way. Hasn't anybody got any business talkin' like that--it just makes me sick'" (199).

Dill shows here that he has not been taught to be racist. He can see a bully in Mr. Gilmer a mile away. He could feel how Mr. Gilmer was not speaking to Tom with respect. Scout, on the other hand, being a lawyer's daughter, simply thinks it is part of being a lawyer. She also says what she sees everyday living in Maycomb--that since he's black, it's apparently alright to talk to him disrespectfully. It's surprising to hear Scout talk like that because Atticus for sure wouldn't teach her that; but she sees it everyday by the way people in town treat black people, so she's already learned what Dill is resisting.

In the end we learn that Tom can't win no matter what he says or does. The jury is stacked with white men--not Tom's peers--but with his bullies. And those bullies don't care if he lives or dies. In fact, in order to make a stand for their race, they'd rather see him die. It's really a sad and horrible situation.

Explain how vertebrates are classified into further subgroups.

Vertebrates are members of the phylum Chordata. Therefore, vertibrates are sometimes called chordates. All chordates contain a spinal cord. One way that scientists classify different subgroups of vertebrates is based on how organisms obtain oxygen. Vertebrates breathe either through their skin, gills, or lungs. Being endothermic or exothermic is another classifier of vertebrate subgroups. Endothermic vertebrates are warm-blooded, while exothermic vertebrates are cold-blooded. The third classifier used to subcategorize vertebrates is reproduction. Some vertebrates reproduce internally, while others reproduce externally. Some vertebrates are oviparous, which means they lay eggs. Others are viviparous, which means they give birth to live young. Vertebrate subgroups include jawless fish, cartilaginous fish, bony fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. A brief explanation is each vertebrate subgroup is provided below.

Jawless fish

Jawless fish belong to the class Agnatha. They do not have jaws, have slender bodies, and have a skeleton that is made of cartilage. Hagfish and lamprey are examples of jawless fish.

Cartilaginous fish

Cartilaginous fish also have a skeleton that is made of cartilage. However, cartilaginous fish do have jaws. Examples include sharks and rays.

Bony fish

Bony fish are fish that have calcified and bony skeletons. Most modern fish are bony fish. Examples of bony fish include pike, trout, bass, and salmon.

Amphibians

Amphibians are cold-blooded chordates that undergo metamorphosis. Amphibians usually transition from a gill-breathing larval stage into a primarily terrestrial adulthood. Frogs, toads, and salamanders are examples of amphibians.

Reptiles

Reptiles are also cold-blooded. The skin of a reptile is dry and scaly. Reptiles lay eggs on land. Snakes, crocodiles, and tortoises are examples of reptiles.

Birds

Birds are warm-blooded vertebrates that have feathers, beaks, and wings. Most birds can fly. Examples of birds are penguins, flamingos, robins, and goldfinches.

Mammals

Mammals are warm-blooded vertebrates that have fur. Offspring of mammals are reproduced internally within the placenta. Mammals have mammary glands from which they feed their offspring milk. Examples of mammals are dogs, cats, rabbits, and humans.

In Charles Dicken's novel A Tale of Two Cities, what is the mood at the end of the section in which Charles decides to leave for France?

The mood of the ending of Book the Third is one of dread and suspense. The reader is aware of the situation in Paris, and can be certain of trouble for Charles. The compassion of Charles for his servant, for whom he is willing to risk his life, provokes the reader's sympathy for his character. Charles’s effort to keep his departure a secret, at least for a little while, enhances the mood, with the likelihood that Lucie will follow him to Paris. The unsettled atmosphere in France during the Revolution makes it dangerous for anyone, even those on a mission of mercy, as Charles is. Trouble is sure to draw Charles in. Since Charles is a former nobleman, the reader knows that he will be a target, as he indeed becomes. This allows the reader to know something that the characters are not yet aware of. Charles is going toward his doom.

Do you agree that Congress of Vienna was a success?

For many years, historians have been debating about the “success” or “failure” of the Congress of Vienna. In order to form an answer to that question, it is vital to look at the context that the Congress of Vienna was created, and its strengths and weaknesses.

Beginning with the context, the Congress of Vienna (also known as the Concert of Europe) was created after the fall of Napoleon. One of the Congress of Vienna’s primary objectives was to maintain peace between the European areas after such a powerful dictator left the political stage.

Although the Congress of Vienna was successful in ensuring peace for many regions and for many years, scholars have argued that this peace was not for everyone and was not permanent. For example, in order to promote peace, the Congress of Vienna would often ignore a specific region’s desire for their own nationalism or other wishes.

Therefore, the Congress of Vienna came into existence during a crucial time after a strong dictator left the political scene. Although the Congress of Vienna was not successful at promoting nationalism or rights for everyone who wanted or deserved them, they were successful at keeping the area peaceful for several years.

Help needed for a PEE (Point, Evidence, Explanation) paragraph about the racism faced by the character Crooks in Of Mice and Men related to the...

Point, evidence, explanation (PEE-an unfortunate acronym if you ask me) is a common structure for students learning to write essays. The point is an argument about some specific topic. It must have a definite point of view. The evidence can include examples, statistics, narratives or quotations. The explanation synthesizes the point with the evidence and provides interpretation and explanation of the significance of the evidence. 

In Of Mice and Men, Crooks is the black stable buck who experiences racism and segregation on a ranch run by whites in depression era California. When Lennie enters his room in chapter four Crooks is hesitant to let him in because of how he is treated by the other men. He says,

“’Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me.” 

Here's a potential PEE paragraph:

Like many places in 1930's America, racism and segregation are part of the fabric of society on the ranch in John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men. When asked by the simple minded Lennie why he isn't wanted in the bunkhouse, the black stable buck Crooks replies, "They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black." Because of his skin color Crooks is isolated from the other men on the ranch in a time when being black assured second class citizen status.

Compare and contrast a high-density universe with a low-density universe in terms of its ultimate fate.

A high-density universe basically means that there is enough matter in the universe, packed closely enough to other matter that gravity will eventually begin to slow and reverse the expansion of the universe.  The universe will then begin to contract and collapse back in on itself.  It will get hotter because of this, but ultimately the universe will go back into a really tiny ball.  Then, another big bang will occur, and the process will start over again. 

A low-density universe will not have enough matter for gravity to stop the expansion.  Two things could happen at this point.  The first is heat death.  Stars will use up their fuel and die.  Solar systems and planets will grow dark and cold . . . and die. The universe will be a cold, dark, dead place.  The second thing is matter will simply begin ripping itself apart and seeking an even distribution throughout the universe.  Either way, a low-density universe winds up being a cold, dead, dark place.

How does Hale confuse Tituba in Act One?

After Abigail says that Betty's illness and her own strange behaviors (laughing during prayer or in church, waking at night to find herself standing up and wearing no clothes) are the result of Tituba's witchcraft, Parris and Putnam immediately turn on the slave.  Parris threatens to beat her until she confesses, and Putnam wants her to be hanged.  

However, Hale, on the other hand, speaks "kindly" to her, and he "takes her hand.  She is surprised."  He says that they will bless her for confessing and returning to God, and he tells her that she is God's special instrument to help them cleanse the village; she has a special purpose.  In this way, she seems to be confused (and somewhat touched) by his gentle treatment of her because she is used to being spoken to the way Parris speaks to her.  Obviously, being struck seems to be pretty common in his house since he leaps so quickly to it as a punishment. 

In Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, what does Lucentio's opening speech reveal about his character?

In Act 1, Scene 1 (after the Introduction) of The Taming of the Shrew, we meet Lucentio and Tranio, two men recently arrived in Padua. Based on Lucentio's opening speech, we can assume much about his character. First of all, he gives off the impression that he's a young man setting out on his own for the first time, as he says, "I have Pisa left / And am to Padua come, as he that leaves / A shallow plash to plunge him in the deep / And with satiety seeks to quench his thirst" (21-4). In this quote, it seems like Lucentio is characterizing himself as someone who has recently been relegated to the shallow end of the pool (adolescence) and is now ready to plunge into the deep end (adulthood). Furthermore, it seems as if Lucentio is preparing to study in academia, as he declares, "Here let us breathe and haply institute / A course of learning and ingenious studies" (8-9). Clearly, Lucentio is preparing to enroll in school or university. Finally, Lucentio appears to come from a significantly privileged background, as he characterizes his father as a successful merchant and says he plans "to deck his fortune with his virtuous deeds" (16). All in all, based on his opening speech, we can assume that Lucentio is an ambitious and privileged young man setting out from home to pursue success in school and beyond. 

In Lord of the Flies by Golding, what does Jack feel shameful and self conscious about?

Jack is shown to feel some manner of shame on multiple occasions, generally public ones, and it would be a fair evaluation of his character to say that he craves attention, exaltation and leadership. He fears being seen as weak and needs to assert his authority, whatever it may be; Piggy breaks this down in an astute evaluation of their social hierarchy in Chapter 5. Jack's fragility is demonstrated when he attempts to challenge Ralph for leadership, fails to win the group's approval, and runs away crying, refusing to "play" anymore.

The specific action over which Jack is shown to most obviously feel shameful and self-conscious about is his failure to attack the pig they find in Chapter 1. Though Jack appears poised to deliver a killing blow, he fails to do so; the boys understand that this is due to the "enormity" that the downward stroke of Jack's knife would signify. Jack immediately excuses himself, saying he was trying to find a good place to strike, despite revealing that he knew exactly where to strike (the neck). He melodramatically stabs his knife into a tree, on two occasions, when he declares that he'll kill the pig "next time" and issues a "challenging look" to the others. 

Never again does Jack behave quite so defensively on his own behalf, and his failure might partially explain why he embraces the "hunter" identity so fervently; he needs to prove that he is capable. 

In "Still I Rise," the writer addresses 'you' several times in the poem. Who is meant by 'you' and how can we tell?

Who is meant by 'you' in the poem "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou is American society in general and the thoughts held by some in this society. She addresses, for example, those who record history, whether its academic historians with prejudices against black people; newspapers and magazines with the same intent, or anyone or any group that records in a malevolent way stories about black people and their particular organizations.

Angelou writes:

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

It is obvious in these lines that she is taking historians and others to task for their prejudicial writings and oral storytelling. These are those who report inaccurately and sometimes totally wrong the history and contemporary stories about black people and their life experiences.

She challenges these people, asking them (this subset of society) if her being sassy upsets them. She talks with confidence and lets these people (who subscribe to putting blacks down) know that she will not be defeated by them, that she will counter them confidently and win.

Maya Angelou also writes:

You may cut me with your eyes,

You may kill me with your hatefulness,

This refers to peoples detestable looks full of animosity towards blacks as they may pass a black person in the street, in a mall, or wherever. This also refers to the deaths that have occurred against the black race in the form of lynching parties and other heinous acts.

We can tell that Maya Angelou is addressing society in general in this poem, in that she does not single out any one individual or group particularly. The 'you' of the poem is a general, all-encompassing term meant for this specific prejudicial group in society.

Nonetheless, someone of this ilk who may read this poem, may take this 'you' personally. Therefore, as an alternative, the 'you' can in some cases be addressed to a specific reader. It depends on who the reader of the poem is, as others who read this poem may not feel it is addressed to them at all.

Hence, this is why overall, the poem is addressed to that entire segment of American society that has untoward feelings, thoughts and actions towards blacks and to their culture, and sometimes act wrongly towards black people because of these proclivities.

Why do they kill Tom Robinson after the trial case?

Tom Robinson is shot while trying to escape from prison, so the simple answer to this question is that Tom is killed for trying to escape confinement. However, this answer should prompt us to question why Tom tries to escape from prison in the first place. After all, Atticus does at one point suggest there's a (slim) chance that Tom's case could be appealed. If there was chance Tom might have gained his freedom, why did he try to escape?

The answer is that, though Tom theoretically could appeal his case, in reality there is basically no chance for a black man to receive justice in a legal system dominated by racist white men. Faced with the racist culture of the United States, Tom knows that he is fated to be condemned for a crime he didn't commit. Thus, Tom despairs at such a hopeless situation and tries to escape, knowing fully that he will most likely die in the attempt.  

Identify a quote that describes Baba from The Kite Runner.

In The Kite Runner, Baba is defined by his strong personal beliefs.

Baba clearly articulates his beliefs.  He speaks forcefully, with a commitment to show that he knows what is right.  One quote that reflects this appears early in the story:

With me as the glaring exception, my father molded the world around him to his liking. The problem, of course, was that Baba saw the world in black and white. And he got to decide what was black and what was white. You can't love a person who lives that way without fearing him too. Maybe even hating him a little.

Baba's ability to see the world in "black and white" gives him strength in his convictions. This trait enables him to see his son as weak because "a boy who won't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up to anything." Accordingly, Hassan is strong because he is able to stand up for Amir. There is no indecision in the world that Baba has molded.

When Amir describes his father, it is effective in articulating Baba's character and the forceful hold he has over his son.  The quote reveals that the very strength that animates Baba can also be a source of fear, a complex emotional dynamic that is a part of their relationship.

In The Outsiders, why does Johnny consider Dally to be a hero?

In chapter five, while Johnny and Pony are in the church, Johnny starts talking about Dally in a tone that really surprises Ponyboy. Pony always knew that Johnny really looked up to Dally but for the first time he begins to realize why.

As Johnny is reading Gone With the Wind, Johnny asks lots of questions about the contents and starts to really get excited about the southern gentlemen. He equates Dally with them, even goes so far as to say that he was “gallant.”

Johnny is impressed that Dally would take the rap for Two-Bit when the cops picked him up for breaking windows in the school. Pony, on the other hand, really dislikes Dally and thinks that he is just too real, too normal. He realizes as he thinks about Dally that he really likes the super-human qualities of Darry and Soda and Two-Bit.

How can you tell that Goodwife Cruff is eager to see Kit suffer in The Witch of Blackbird Pond?

The constable feels badly for Kit. He brings her supper and a heavy quilt to keep her warm. We can tell that he feels uneasy about Kit staying in his shed overnight. He tries, unsuccessfully, to console her by saying that the townsfolk probably would not be too hard on her, “Being you’re so young and the first offense.” The constable’s wife visits in the morning to give Kit a hearty breakfast and expresses sympathy and brings her a basin of water and a comb to help clean herself up so she doesn’t look like a witch. We know the constable and his wife feel badly for Kit by the wife’s statement:

“My man and I, we don’t relish this work much. We’ll be glad when his term is up.”

Reverend Bulkely asks for restraint when considering the accusations during the hearing. He notes that "the unnatural events so far recounted appear to rest in each case upon the word of but one witness."

Adam Cruff does not speak at the trial until he is forced to by Goodwife Cruff “vehemently prodding her husband.” When he does speak, he shows the court the book with Prudence’s name written on it and notes that it is strange, but does not accuse Kit of witchcraft openly.

In contrast to this is Goodwife Cruff’s behavior. She vindictively accuses Kit of witchcraft in spite of the evidence against her claims. When Prudence comes forward to defend Kit and begins reading from the Bible, Goodwife Cruff claims that Prudence is bewitched. She screams, “I’ll see that girl hung!” When all is lost and the charges have been dropped by Adam Cruff, Goodwife Cruff channels her anger to Nat.

“That man!” she shrilled. “Isn’t he the seaman? The one who was banished for setting fire to houses? Thirty lashes they promised him if he showed his face here again!”

If Goodwife Cruff can’t make Kit suffer by hanging, she will try to cause pain by torturing the man who came to Kit’s rescue.

In A Christmas Carol, who are the people in Joe's scavenger shop, and what are the people doing?

In Stave 4, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come takes Ebenezer to several different scenes.  We learn toward the end of this stave that Ebenezer is dead at this point, and that the scenes we are witnessing represent different reactions to Scrooge's death.

One scene we visit takes place at Joe's scavenger shop.  There, some of Scrooge's servants, along with the undertaker's assistant, pawn some of the items from Scrooge's house: his clothing, bedding, silver, etc.  As Scrooge was not close with anyone, there would have been no one to leave these items to upon his death; thus, they were free for the taking.  It becomes evident that these people are not grieving the loss of Scrooge, but are, instead, looking at how they can profit from his death.

What is the summary for The Art of Democracy by Jim Cullen?

Because of the timing of this question, I assume it is being asked about the second edition of the interesting history book with the full title of The Art of Democracy: A Concise History of Popular Culture in the United States. Mentioning the edition is important because of two inclusions: a preface and a concluding chapter about computers and their impact.  (The previous editions did not have that important component.)

In short, this book is about popular culture and its history of bringing minorities into the forefront of the United States public. Because it is a "history" of popular culture, it flows chronologically from the late 1700s on to the present day.  Cullen begins with exploring the novels from the beginning of our country's history. Written word continues to prevail in popular culture until live theater takes hold, which allows minstrel shows to become prevalent in the mid 1800s. Cullen continues with the advent of movies, television, and computers. In each case, the new form of popular culture has to defeat initial resistance (often by the elderly population) in order to become mainstream.

In conclusion, it is important to note that in each case the popular culture mentioned allows the marginalized in society to be gradually accepted. There is no doubt that specific performers like Charlie Chaplin, Elvis, Billie Holiday, Jimi Hendrix, Culture Club, and Los Lobos rocket specific minorities into the mainstream of United States culture.

Why do we remove oil from water? What technologies are used to remove oil from water?

Oil is lighter than water, that is, it has less density than water and thus, it floats over the water surface. If we have an oil spill in a river or ocean, oil floating over the water surface will stop the exchange of gases between water and the atmosphere. This gaseous exchange maintains the dissolved oxygen levels at the values comfortable for zooplanktons (aquatic animals) and phytoplanktons (aquatic plants). When this exchange is stopped by an oil layer, the dissolved oxygen levels in water will fall over time, since oxygen consumption rate will stay the same, reaeration from atmosphere will stop. This ultimately results in death of zooplanktons and phytoplanktons. Thus, we need to remove oil from top of water surface. 

There are several methods of removing oil from water surface. Filter booms can be used to remove and recover floating oil from small streams. Oil can also be skimmed off the surface, especially from the areas where it is relatively stationary. Sorbent pads can also recover the oil. Another method is the use of detergents or dispersants, which may affect the marine life. 

Hope this helps. 

What are five adjectives that describe Iago in Othello?

There are many adjectives that can be used to describe Iago. He is obviously very cunning. He is vicious. We see this in the way he murders Roderigo, who trusts him. Iago is envious. He hates anybody who has more than he does. He hates Othello and Cassio especially. Othello is a better man in every respect, and Othello has the beautiful Desdemona. Cassio is better than Iago in belonging to a higher social class, being better-looking, better-educated, and having a higher military rank. All of these things make Iago burn with envy and hatred.

Iago is duplicitous. This duplicity is one of his most striking characteristics. He is completely dishonest, but he acts as if he is completely open and honest. A synonym for duplicitous is "two-faced."

He is also bold, daring, audacious, courageous, and probably a brave soldier. He is resourceful. He is always taking chances of being exposed as a villain, and he finally does get exposed by his wife Emilia.

Iago is witty in a sardonic way. He enjoys being evil and in deceiving people who trust him. He is vulgar. He expresses low opinions of everybody. He thinks everybody is as selfish, immoral, and licentious as himself.

Perhaps the best five adjectives would be:

Cunning
Duplicitous
Audacious
Vicious
Predatory

What is The Giver's favorite memory in The Giver?

The Giver’s favorite memory is a family celebrating Christmas.

In Jonas’s community, there is no such thing as family or love.  The elderly are kept separate from everyone else until they are euthanized.  Families are a thing of convenience, created by committees.  When Jonas begins to learn about the memories, he starts to see that there was a time when people had emotions and cared about one another.

One day, Jonas asks The Giver what his favorite memory is.  He tells him that he does not need to give it to him yet, because he wants the old man to keep it as long as he can.  The Giver tells Jonas that he will give it to him.

He was in a room filled with people, and it was warm, with firelight glowing on a hearth. He could see through a window that outside it was night, and snowing. There were colored lights: red and green and yellow, twinkling from a tree which was, oddly, inside the room. (Ch. 16)

Jonas asks The Giver to explain what he saw.  The Giver tells him that he is seeing grandparents, and the emotion he experienced was “love.”  This is an emotion that simply does not exist in Jonas’s society.  They do not have any strong emotions, but they also do not have any strong connections to other people.  The concept of grandparents also does not exist.  The parents never see their children after they are grown, and the children never even meet the parents’ parents, because there is no point.  They have no relationship with their children once their children are grown.

Jonas says that it is a dangerous way to live, and the man asks what he means.  Jonas is not sure.

He could feel that there was risk involved, though he wasn't sure how.  "Well," he said finally, grasping for an explanation, "they had fire right there in that room. There was a fire burning in the fireplace.  And there were candles on a table. I can certainly see why those things were outlawed. (Ch. 17)

Jonas is focusing on tangible things, because he cannot quite put his finger on the real danger in the intangible things in the vision.  He has been taught all of his life that emotions are dangerous, yet they are celebrated in this memory.  Jonas focuses on the fire and candles, but the real danger is the fact that everyone in the old memory cares about one another and the strong emotions they feel as they celebrate the holiday.

Despite the fact that he thinks the way of life in the memory is dangerous, Jonas tells The Giver that he appreciates the warmth in the room.  He goes home and asks his “parents” if they love him, and they react in confusion and amusement.  They do not know love. They do not understand the emotions that Jonas has, and that people used to have.  The Giver is showing Jonas how the world was, and the benefits of it.  People used to have families.  Now they have family units.

Fruits contains seeds. Most plants produce fruits that are adapted for dispersing seeds. Seeds are dispersed so that young plants do not grow near...

There are two main advantages to plants of dispersing their seeds away from the parent plant. 

Firstly, seeds are dispersed to avoid competition between the parent plant and seedlings for sun and nutrients. If seeds only fell directly from the parent plant to the ground, new seedlings would sprout in the shade of the parent plant, receiving less sunlight. Also, the seedlings would send their roots down into the already established root zone of the parent plant. The two would then be competing to absorb water and nutrients from the same limited space.

Secondly, seed dispersal increases the odds of species survival in the event of adverse local environmental conditions. For example, if all the members of one species are located in the same small area, the entire species can be eliminated by pathogens and predators. Dispersal increases the geographic range of the species such that pathogens, like fungus, and predators, like insects, don't affect all the members. 

The main methods plants use to disperse their seeds to places with better growing conditions than directly under the parent plant include gravity, animals, force, wind and water. ....

On some plants native to Australia and South Africa, the seedpods may need the heat of the natural bush fires occurring in these areas to open and release their seeds, which are then dispersed by other means. (theseedsite.co.uk)

What can we learn about human existence in "A White Heron" by Sarah Orne Jewett?

From this story, we can learn that some human beings thrive more completely in a natural setting than they do in an urban one; others are driven to possess nature's beauty and, in their attempt, deprive it of its beauty as well as harm those who can appreciate it without owning it. Sylvia could not thrive in the city, and, when she came to the farm, it seemed as if she "never had been alive at all" before. Likewise, it seems that Mrs. Tilley's son, Dan, who had tamed a crow when he was a boy, was the same kind of person as Sylvia. However, when faced with the hunter from the city, Sylvia thinks of him as an "enemy" at first, and her head hangs "as if the stem of it were broken" when he follows her home. His desire to tame nature, to kill it and own it for himself, is precisely the kind of impulse that makes Sylvia's first impression of him correct. Instead of enjoying and embracing nature, as Sylvia does and Dan did, the hunter wants to have it. He is almost successful in getting Sylvia to tell him where the heron lives when he offers her money, more money than she's ever had, but she cannot bring herself to "give [the heron's] life away." In the end, she protects both herself and the heron because she, a child, recognizes nature's value better than the young man does. She understands the urgency of the need to preserve it. Often, children are smarter than adults because their innocence and candor allows them to perceive what is most important.

Which element can complete its octet by gaining two electrons and why: Na, S, Ca, AI, or N?

Sulfur could complete its octet by gaining two electrons. Sulfur is right under oxygen in group 16 on the periodic table of the elements. All the elements in this group need two electrons to complete the octet of electrons in their outer energy level of electrons. Group 16 is known for being electronegative and willingly accepting two electrons from electron donating elements, many of which are metallic in nature.

Of the other choices, sodium (Na) is from group 1. It donates it's one electron gladly to react with other elements. Calcium (Ca) is from group 2 and donates its two electrons to have its octet. Aluminum is in group 13, which is the Boron group, and donates its three electrons to bond with other elements. The last element, nitrogen (N), is in group 15, and is the first element in the nitrogen group, which accepts three electrons to form bonds with other elements and complete its octet.

HOW we get answer 29 from 1,2,3,4 numbers using at once

The process is by trial and error.

The following operations will produce 29 as an answer. The order of operation rules must be applied.

`(2)^[4+1]-3` 

`=(2)^5-3` 

`=32-3`

`=29`

The following operations will also produce 29 as and answer. The order of operation rules must be applied.

`(1+2)^3+sqrt4`

`=(3)^3+sqrt4`

`=27+sqrt4`

`=27+2`

`=29`

Do the arguments of Karl Marx or Max Weber better represent society in the present moment?

If Max Weber and Karl Marx were alive today, no doubt both men would be astounded with the world's economic landscape. They would discover some of their ideas were valid, and others not. Yet in 2016, the theories of Karl Marx better represent our current society.

In his most famous work, The Protestant Work Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, Max Weber argued that the beliefs of Protestantism, especially Calvinism, spurred individuals to work harder than their Catholic neighbors. More work created a stronger economy. In 2016, Weber would feel vindicated in his theories. The U.S., a predominantly Protestant country, has the strongest economy in the world. Other Protestant countries are not far behind, either.

Yet Weber's theories begin to fall apart when we look at the record economic growth achieved by China and other non-Protestant countries around the world. Though the reasons behind this growth are multi-faceted, we know now that many other factors besides ideology or religion play a key role in promoting economic growth within a society.

Though what Karl Marx envisioned as Communism never came to be, his theories hold up better when viewed in the context of current societal and economic trends. The 2008 financial crisis, the accumulation of wealth by the world's richest 1%, and Occupy Wall Street are only a few examples of what Marx would consider class conflict.

In fact, modern day 'Communist' China further bolsters Marx's ideas. Over the last 100 years China has evolved from a Feudalistic to a Capitalistic economy. In the case of China, members of the Communist Party are the Capitalists, as they control the country's largest economic enterprises. For the past 35 years China's proletariat have been placated by record economic growth. Yet as China's economy slows, the current government will need to resort to more repressive methods if hopes to prevent a revolution by the lower classes.

What do Prince Prospero's reactions to the disease reveal about him?

In his reaction to the spread of the Red Death, Prince Prospero reveals a few things about his character.

• Prince Prospero gathers one thousand of his friends and flees to a walled-off abbey to hide from the fatal disease, showing his cowardice. In order to save his own life (and those of his friends), he abandons his people, leaving them to fend for themselves against the rampaging disease.


• When he and his friends seal the iron gate of the abbey shut, keeping others out and themselves in, that reveals his naivety. It is very childlike to think that you can protect yourself from a plague like the Red Death simply by sealing yourself in an abbey; no matter how many supplies they brought with them, they would eventually run out, and they would be forced to interact with the outside world in order to get more, so Prince Prospero did manage to avoid dealing with the illness for the time being, but not forever.


• He also shows that he is the kind of person who prefers to pretend that a problem does not exist; he brought entertainment with him into the abbey and through a masquerade in order to distract himself and his guests from the problems the outside world was facing.

Although not much about the prince's character is explicitly stated, we can still learn a lot about him based on how he reacts to the threat to his kingdom: he is a cowardly, naive man who prefers to ignore a problem and hope it simply goes away rather than dealing with it directly.

What are the similarities and differences between "To Build a Fire" by Jack London and "After Twenty Years" by O.Henry?

One of the similarities is that both stories end with a man's demise. In "To Build a Fire," the man is over-confident in his ability to survive in the harsh conditions of the Yukon. In "After Twenty Years" there isn't as clear a focus of the overconfidence except perhaps that the waiting man is convinced that his friend Jimmy Wells will show up to see him. It is possible to suggest that this confidence that leads to their downfall is a common theme.

One of the major differences is that there are several characters in "After Twenty Years" whereas in "To Build a Fire," the man trying to reach his friends is the only human present.

Another possible similarity is that the man in "To Build a Fire" sees the fire as his friend and believes that he has kept himself from danger. So too the man waiting for Jimmy Wells believes that the cop he speaks to is not a threat and that he is safe there. But the fire loosens the snow which falls and extinguishes the warmth the man is depending on. So too the cop the waiting man thinks is just keeping things safe goes to get another cop to arrest his old friend.

Describe three factors in pre-1917 Russia that may have influenced people to flock to communism.

Before the Russian Revolution in 1917, there were many factors that drove people to oppose the tsar, Nicholas II, and support communism. One was the wounded nationalism of Russians that resulted from their losses in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 and the crushing defeats they were encountering along the Eastern Front in World War I. While the Bolsheviks ended Russian participation in World War I with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in 1918, there is no doubt that Russian communism became a vehicle for nationalist feeling. In other words, while Russia did not fight in World War I after it became communist, many Russians saw the Bolsheviks as promising a more powerful, more nationalist Russia after the country had suffering staggering defeats.

Another factor that drove people to support communism in Russia was widespread food shortages. The February Revolutions in 1917 that led to the abdication of the tsar were sparked by food rioters, who were then joined by striking industrial workers. Because World War I interfered with railroad lines, people could not get enough food and were facing widespread privation and starvation.

Finally, there was widespread dislike of the tsar, Nicholas II. In 1915, he had appointed himself commander-in-chief of the army--a job to which he was not at all suited. As a result, he was increasingly disliked, and his wife, Tsarina Alexandra (who was German) was left in charge of the country. People thought she was not loyal to Russia, and they hated her advisor, Rasputin (who was assassinated by Russian nobility in 1915). The Duma, or Russian Parliament, kept pressuring Nicholas II to form a constitutional government, but he refused. Therefore, the military, the duma, and the people all disliked the tsar and were ready to embrace communism.  

What literary term defines this quote in Macbeth "...for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth."

This is the second apparition, I believe, the first having told him to beware Macduff, thane of Fife. There are probably several literary terms we could say applies to this line: "For none of woman born shall harm Macbeth." 

The simplest explanation is that it's foreshadowing--a warning or indication of a future event. As this is literature--and in literature, we generally aren't told anything that isn't relevant to the plot--we know that the witches are tricking Macbeth, but we don't know exactly how it'll all come together yet. We just got the hint that it will be someone who was "not of woman born"--whatever that means. (Macbeth clearly doesn't think it's remotely possible, all the way to the very end when he is confronted with the horrifying details of Macduff's birth.)

How long until we run out of fossil fuels?

Fossil fuels are the fossilized remains of plants and animals and include coal, natural gas, petroleum, etc. These fuels are our primary fuels and primary sources of electrical energy (and heat), around the world. Industrial revolution and current living standards are many a times attributed to these fuels. 

However, these fuels are running out. It takes millions of years for these fuels to form, whereas our rate of consumption of these fuels is much faster. Hence we are in danger of running out of fossil fuels. According to one economic theory, the price of fossil fuels will go up as the supply reduces and will ultimately reach a level where no one can afford it and hence there will always be some small quantity of fossil fuel left. Apart from that, there are some potential reserves of fossil fuels yet to be exploited and/or discovered. Rate of consumption of fossil fuels in several developing countries (Such as China and India) is increasing. Another relevant aspect is the emphasis on renewable energy sources, given the risks of global warming.

Thus, it is a very complex question and it is tough to state when these fuels will run out. However, if we assume that we will continue to use the fossil fuels at our current rate of consumption, there is a strong likelihood that we will run out of them by the end of this century or so. Thus, we do not (in most likelihood) have reserves of more than 1 century.

Hope this helps.

What led to the growth of industry after the Civil War?

Much of what fueled the growth of industry was the war itself.  At one time the Union had over one million men in the armed forces--all of these men needed to be equipped and armed, and due to interchangeable parts and textile machinery, the North could do that.  Also, the North won the war due to its ability to harness its rail system.  After the war, this machinery did not die; rather, it was converted to civilian use.  Telegraphs used during the war to call for reinforcements were used to order goods to factories or to place orders.  The rail system made it possible for the same goods bought in Boston to be bought in Council Bluffs.  Another thing that led to the growth of industry was the efficiency of the monopoly system run by such men as Carnegie and Rockefeller.  While today's consumers want and need choices, Carnegie and Rockefeller were able to further develop efficient ways of producing steel and oil, respectively.  Steel and oil also led to improvements in building, heating, and eventually transportation.  Another thing that led to the growth of industry was increased immigration from Europe after the Civil War.  Some of this was due to conditions in America, such as promises of cheap land, but a lot of it was due to conditions in Europe, such as the freeing of the serfs in Russia.  With new labor pools also coming from the southeastern United States, there was no shortage of cheap labor to be had for one's factory.  

I cannot think of a clever title for my To Kill A Mockingbird essay. The essay topic is the evil, hypocrisy, and injustice of the adult society.

When writing an essay, sometimes it is best to write an outline that shows the direction you want to go first, before selecting a title. If you already have the essay written, go back through it and choose a sentence or phrase that encompases your main idea. If you don't have your essay written yet, do that first and be thinking of your title as you write.

If you haven't written the essay yet, and since your topic addresses three major themes, you could assign one character to each in order to specifically address the issues surrounding him or her. For example, if you decide to talk about Bob Ewell as evil, Miss Gates as a hypocrite, and Mr. Nathan Radley as unjust, then your title could be the following: Ewell, Gates, and Nathan Radley: The Evil, the Hypocrisy, and the Unjust. It all really depends on what you want to say in the essay and that will determine the title. Another option would be to entitle your essay simply, The Evil, the Hypocrisy and the Injustice of Maycomb County.

Without seeing the essay itself, it is difficult to come up with a title; so again, write it first and simplify the title by the major themes, by people, or by events. The title doesn't necessarily need to be clever as long as it ties in to what your main theme or message is.

Could you summarize the female menstrual cycle with hormones?

The female menstrual cycle occurs in 4 phases.  The menstrual phase, follicular phase, ovulation phase, and luteal phase are the four phases.  Those phases typically take around 28 days to complete, but there is some variation from female to female.  

Because the menstrual cycle is a cycle, there isn't really a start and end, but most textbooks list out the menstruation phase as the first phase.  There are four main hormones at work during the female menstrual cycle: estrogen, progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH).  During menstruation, those four hormones are at their lowest.  

Once menstruation is complete, the follicular phase begins.  There is a slight increase in FSH, which stimulates the development of a follicle.  That follicle contains the egg.  As the follicle continues to develop, there is an increase in estrogen levels.  

At the end of the follicular phase, the ovulation phase begins.  It coincides with rapid hormone changes.  The FSH and estrogen levels peak, and LH goes through a rapid spike.  After ovulation occurs, both FSH and LH hormone levels fall way down.  Estrogen drops a bit, but it levels off.  Progesterone levels now increase quite a bit, and the menstrual cycle has now entered the luteal phase.  Those two hormones cause the lining of the uterus to thicken and prepare for a fertilized egg.  If fertilization does not occur, the hormone levels drop off again, the uterine lining is shed, and menstruation begins.  The entire cycle starts over. 

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, on what page does Scout say "the pain of being called a girl"?

In Chapter 5 on page 55 of the Grand Central Publishing edition of To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout says,

"But I kept aloof from their more foolhardy schemes for a while, and on the pain of being called a girl, I spend most of my remaining twilights that summer sitting with Miss Maudie Atkinson on her front porch." (Lee 55)

At the beginning of Chapter 5, Scout laments about her relationship with Jem and Dill. Jem and Dill were getting older and spending more time together. Scout mentions that Dill asked her to marry him earlier in the summer, but quickly forgot about her and spent all his time with Jem. Scout says that she beat him up twice, but it did no good. She explains that Dill and Jem only call her to come and hang out when they need a third party present. Scout feels bitter that she is no longer part of their group, and Scout expresses her displeasure when they call her a "girl." Jem and Dill use Scout's gender to exclude her from activities. Fortunately, Miss Maudie Atkinson is kind enough to sit and talk with Scout on the front porch and keep her company.

What is implied by the word "sacred" in line 21 of "Self-Reliance"?

The full text of “Self-Reliance” does not contain the word “sacred” in the opening paragraphs. Perhaps you are reading an abridged version. The word does appear twice in the 7th paragraph, as follows:

Whoso would be a man, must be a nonconformist. . . Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind. . . No law can be sacred to me but that of my nature. Good and bad are but names very readily transferable to that or this; the only right is what is after my constitution; the only wrong what is against it.

In both instances, “sacred” does not refer to any tenet of an organized religion or a spiritual faith; rather, it is used to describe the importance of having sure confidence and faith in oneself. If you consider your personal integrity and individual nature to be sacred, you respect them and hold them in as high esteem as a devoted follower would hold hallowed ground. You believe wholeheartedly in yourself, your subconscious, and your own higher law. You protect your core from the outside influences or social expectations of others. “Self-Wisdom” is one of the major themes of Transcendentalism (along with the Importance of Nature and Commitment to Social Reform). Being able to rely on oneself and know and adhere to one’s beliefs are among the key foundations to living a transcendental life.

For book The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson: 1)What is the author arguing or trying to prove? What is the overall purpose of the book? For...

In The Devil in the White City, Erik Larson re-creates the history of the Chicago World's Fair of 1893, also known as the Columbian Exposition. Using primary sources, including newspaper articles, diaries, first-person accounts, and other documents, he interweaves the stories of two real men--Daniel H. Burnham, a talented architect who, with his partner, constructs and publicizes the fair, and H.H. Holmes, a serial killer who uses the construction of the fair to carry out trickery and murder. 

The author has several purposes in writing this book, which is a type of narrative non-fiction (meaning it is history with a strong, compelling story). First, it's a great story--it's entertaining and about the growth of one of America's greatest cities. Second, Larson re-creates the wonder and chaos of the process of creating America's urban areas, including the anonymity they offered to scoundrels like Holmes. Third, by bringing together two stories that have not been connected before, he is in a sense drawing closer connections between the two protagonists--Burnham and Holmes--and suggesting that one used the fair to achieve greatness and the other (obviously Holmes) used the fair for evil. In this sense, the book offers a story that is new and ground-breaking, and it builds on more traditional, straightforward histories by using different types of primary sources (journals, diaries, newspapers, etc.). Larson may not be trying to discredit other writers but to offer a new perspective on historical events.

The result, by most readers' and critics' accounts, is stunning. The book is very readable and suspenseful to the point of being compelling, and, by using a broad variety of sources, Larson re-creates in fascinating and often gory detail what the time period was like. 

To what extent can Woody Guthrie be considered an accurate historical source?

Woody Guthrie was a folk singer and is perhaps most famous for his song, "This Land is Your Land." Born in Oklahoma in 1912, he traveled throughout his lifetime, "collecting" and popularizing folk music from around the United States. Folkloric studies, including the study of folkways throughout history, tells us what people believed or did, but not necessarily what truthfully happened. Folksong may reflect localized or folk belief, but we can also study it in terms of creation and re-creation of artistic themes through memetics. 

For any academic work, if you plan to reference Woody Guthrie's work, it is best to do so with the understanding that he shared the attitudes and expressions of the people he met. For example, his album Dust Bowl Ballads describes the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of people he met during the Dust Bowl in California. As a folklorist, Woody Guthrie may be considered an accurate historical resource concerning the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of the people he met during his travels.

How do I reverse this sentence? Civil rights fighters would be good examples.

The way to reverse this sentence is to say "Good examples would be civil rights fighters." Still better would be "A good example would be civil rights fighters." Really, your collection of civil rights fighters comprise just one example. 

The verb "to be" is the only verb that allows you to do a reversal like this. Any other verb would destroy the sentence's intended meaning. When we use "to be," it acts as an equal sign in the sentence, so that whatever is one one side equals what is on the other side. This is what allows us to perform this reversal and maintain meaning, as in the examples:

The teacher will be Mrs. Smith.

Mrs. Smith will be the teacher.

The CEO was John Doe.

John Doe was the CEO.

Even when the predicate includes something other than a predicate nominative, it still works, albeit sometimes awkwardly. 

The teacher will be here at 8:00 am.

Here will be the teacher, at 8:00 am. 

The parents are very tired.

Very tired are the parents. 

The second example for each set is not the way most people will speak or write English, but neither violates any grammar rules.

In "Raymond's Run" by Toni Cade Bambara, what were some events that changed the way Squeaky finally views competition?

In "Raymond's Run" by Toni Cade Bambara, there are two main events that change the way Squeaky views competition. Both come near the end of the story when Squeaky is running against Gretchen. The first one is when Squeaky realizes that Gretchen is actually a pretty good runner. Squeaky can't help but admire Gretchen when she sees that Gretchen takes her running seriously, and for the first time Squeaky sees Gretchen as someone other than an enemy.

The second event is when Squeaky notices that Raymond has run right next to her on the other side of the fence. She is surprised at first, but then thinks about how Raymond has always kept up with her when she practiced.

"Doesn't he always keep up with me on my trots? And he surely knows how to breathe in counts of seven 'cause he's always doing it at the dinner table, which drives my brother George up the wall" (Bambara 12).

Squeaky now sees herself as a possible coach for Raymond and a friend to Gretchen--a friend Squeaky might convince to join up with in her new coaching role. 

What is the most important scene or setting in the book Unwind?

This is a tough question.  First, it is asking about two very different things.  A setting will be where something is taking place, and a scene is likely a particular plot event.  Second, the question is made difficult because the book has a lot of pivotal moments that occur in a lot of different places.  Third, this question is ultimately an opinion question.  The answer that I provide might not be the answer that every reader will provide. 

I think that I can tie together a location and a scene that I believe are pivotal to the story.  The setting location is the Graveyard.  The Graveyard is where all of the AWOL Unwinds are hiding until they are 18.  At that point, they can't legally be unwound anymore. I choose this location as the most important location because it is where Connor finally begins to see himself as the leader that other people see him as.  At the Graveyard, Connor becomes the go to guy when something breaks and needs fixing.  Other Unwinds naturally gravitate toward his strong presence, reliability, and relatability.  At first, Connor isn't excited about this development; however, he eventually embraces it with a single action.  For me, one of the most important parts of the novel is when he traps Roland in the crate.  It's this moment that Connor fully commits to standing up to Roland.  Through this single act, Connor chooses to become the leader that all of the other Unwinds see in him. 

What happens when a cell becomes larger than the limits to cell size?

A cell will lyse if it becomes bigger than the limits of its cell size. In other words, the cell will “pop” or “explode.”

The tonicity of a solution refers to the solution’s solute concentration. A solute is the substance that is dissolved in a solvent. A hypertonic solution contains more solutes than its surroundings (“hyper” = more than). A hypotonic solution contains less solutes than its surroundings (“hypo” = less than). When two solutions are isotonic to one another, they contain the same amount of solutes.

A cell will lyse when placed in a hypotonic solution because of osmosis. Osmosis is the diffusion of water down its concentration gradient. In other words, water moves from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration during osmosis. When compared to the tonicity of a cell, a hypotonic solution contains less solutes and more water. Thus, the water will move from the hypotonic solution and into the cell via the cell’s membrane. If the tonicity difference between the cell and the hypotonic solution is great enough, then the cell will lyse because of all the water that rushes into it.

In "A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury, why does Travis work for "Time Safari Inc."?

The text does not state why Travis or any of the other Time Safari Inc. employees work for the company.  It is up to the reader to come up with some possible reasons.  

One of my reasons for why Travis works for the company is because it probably pays well.  Early in the story, the reader is told that if Eckels disobeys any of the rules, then he will be fined $10,000.  That's a hefty fine.  If that's what the fine is, I can't imagine what the ticket price must have cost.  The text says that Eckels slapped down a 10,000 dollar check, but that might just be the final installment.  If Time Safari Inc. has clients that throw around ten grand like it's nothing, then I'm sure the employees get paid fairly well too.  

I also think that Travis is probably a bit of a history buff.  He seems in awe of being able to travel back so far in time.  He doesn't sit back and wait for their arrival.  Instead, he narrates details of the timeline along the way.  

"Christ isn't born yet," said Travis, "Moses has not gone to the mountains to talk with God. The Pyramids are still in the earth, waiting to be cut out and put up. Remember that. Alexander, Caesar, Napoleon, Hitler­--none of them exists." The man nodded.

Lastly, I think that Travis enjoys adventure and danger.  If he didn't like the sort of danger associated with going back in time and hunting really dangerous animals, then he probably wouldn't work for Time Safari Inc. in the first place.  

What is one kind of conflict in chapters 1 through 12 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird and a quote that portrays that type of conflict?

The term conflict can be defined as a "struggle between two opposing forces" (Literary Devices, "Conflict"). There are four different types of conflicts that can be categorized as external and internal conflicts. Three out of four types of conflicts are external: (1) character vs. character in which the protagonist battles against the antagonist; (2) character vs. society in which the protagonist struggles against society at large; and (3) character vs. nature in which the character struggles to survive against nature. The fourth type of conflict, which is also the internal conflict, is character vs. self in which the character struggles to reconcile two opposing forces within himself/herself such as two opposing emotions, desires, or two opposing natures like good vs. evil.

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, two major plot lines emerge with their own conflicts. One of the major plot lines concerns the Finch children's coming of age story.

As the children mature, they face and overcome obstacles. One of the obstacles they face concerns their fears, which are depicted in the characters Arthur Radley, whom the children call Boo Radley, and in Mrs. Dubose. Scout expresses their fears of these characters in the following passage found in the very first chapter:

When I was almost six and Jem was nearly ten, our summertime boundaries ... were Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose's house two doors to the north of us, and the Radley Place three doors to the south. We were never tempted to break them. The Radley Place was inhabited by an unknown entity the mere description of whom was enough to make us behave for days on end; Mrs. Dubose was plain hell. (Ch. 1)

Since these are fears the children have of other characters, we can call this an external character vs. character conflict. As the book progresses, the children learn that these two people aren't truly so frightful after all. Specifically, they learn that Arthur Radley is actually a benevolent, caring person who comes to their rescue. In addition, Jem learns Mrs. Dubose is actually a very brave person worthy of being emulated.

One internal conflict Scout faces as she matures, which becomes evident in the early chapters, concerns her desire to be a tomboy in the face of the reality that she is actually a girl. At first, Scout very easily accepts her preference for her tomboy lifestyle. However, as Jem begins spending more and more time with Dill, she begins feeling left out, which makes her feel torn between wanting to act like the boys and facing her reality that she is a girl. Scout begins to hesitate to play with Jem and Dill when they begin playing what they call the Boo Radley game (Ch. 4). She hesitates partially because she is afraid Boo will see and do something to them and partially because she thinks they'll get trouble from Atticus if they keep playing. Jem and Dill call her a girl for acting so cowardly and begin going off by themselves, as Scout notes in the following passage:

They spent days together in the treehouse plotting and planning, calling me only when they needed a third party. But I kept aloof from their more foolhardy schemes for a while, and on pain of being called a girl, I spent most of the remaining twilights that summer sitting with Miss Maudie Atkinson on her front porch. (Ch. 4)

Hence, as we can see from this passage, Scout is conflicted because, though she wants to play with them, her girlish instincts that tell her not to do anything reckless have kicked in, making her feel torn between her desires and the reality of her girlish nature. Since Scout feels torn between something she wants to be and something that she is in reality, we can call this a character vs. self conflict.

How is empirical observation / an empirical approach used to critique systems of classification in 'View with a Grain of Sand'? So far I have...

What a fine and well-developed question!

Let me start with the simplest part of it first. You mentioned the use of colloquialism. That in itself would not make this poem scientific. That simply means the language used is common or ordinary.

No, rather than that, there are several elements that show empirical observation is used. Look at the first lines. They reject verbal labels, showing the gap between language and reality (and therefore pushing readers toward direct sensory observation).

The third stanza takes this rejection of human, social, and linguistic classification further, saying that the view exists without color, shape, etc. All of these things exist only in the human mind.

The fifth stanza may be the most explicit rejection of human conceptual structures. It is easy to think of something like a second as being objective, existing in the world, but as this stanza indicates, seconds only exist for humans, and only in the human mind. This peeling away of imposed concepts is almost Zen in its implications, removing misconceptions in order to push us to see clearly. In that sense, the poem walks all readers to direct observation.

What are three examples of matter that do not exactly fit into one of the usual three phases?

The three usual phases of matter are solids, liquids, and gases. However, there is a fourth and less commonly mentioned phase of matter that is called plasma. In fact, plasma is the most abundant matter in the universe as a whole. However, since plasma is rarely found on Earth, it is not mentioned as often as the other three states of matter. Stars, the sun, gases in fluorescent lamps and signs, and lightning are all examples of the plasma state of matter.

Plasma is the hottest of all the phases of matter. Plasma is considered to be an ionized gas that has equal amounts of positively and negatively charged ions. This ionic property of plasma causes plasma to be strongly influenced by electric and magnetic fields.

What is the Republican view on standardized testing in schools?

There is no single Republican position on standardized testing per se.  The Republican Party is generally opposed to much standardized testing right now, but that is largely because they see it as being mandated by the federal government which is, of course, being led by President Obama.

The current wave of standardized testing was, in fact, started by a Republican.  It was under President George W. Bush that the No Child Left Behind Act was passed.  This law required much more standardized testing than had previously been mandated.  Republicans at the time were largely in favor of this law because they felt it would impose higher standards on public education, which they tend to think is inferior.  To this extent, at least, the Republican position on standardized testing was fairly positive.

However, Republicans have (even before the Obama Administration) traditionally been opposed to having the federal government tell the states what to do.  This made some Republicans (though not many) oppose the NCLB law when it was first passed.  Now, Republicans are uniformly against any federal mandates having to do with education.  They do not want the federal government to require any standardized testing.

We should remember, though, that the Republicans are not necessarily opposed to standardized testing.  Most Republicans would probably welcome standardized tests as long as they were created and administered on a state-by-state basis.  They are really opposed more to federal control than to standardized testing.

Thus, there is no single Republican position on this issue.  The best way to describe their views is that they believe standardized testing is acceptable (and possibly even good) but only if it is run by the states and not the federal government.

Why were Gabe’s eyes of such interest to Jonas in The Giver?

Gabe has the same pale eyes as Jonas.

Jonas is attracted to Gabe’s eyes because they are light-colored, like his own.  Almost no one else in the community has pale eyes.  Sameness is crucial to Jonas’s community, and part of the Sameness employed means that everyone to have the same eye color.  No one sees color, but they are aware that some eyes are lighter than others.

Jonas feels subconscious about his eye color.  It is considered rude for anyone in the community to call attention to it, but his younger sister does.

"Oh, look!" Lily squealed in delight. "Isn't he cute? Look how tiny he is! And he has funny eyes like yours, Jonas!" Jonas glared at her. He didn't like it that she had mentioned his eyes. (Ch. 3)

After looking into baby Gabe’s eyes, Jonas notices that the eyes give the baby a deep look, as if he knows things others do not.  Jonas realizes that his eyes have the same effect on people.  It is unsettling, and adds to the fact that Jonas seems different.

Now, seeing the newchild and its expression, he was reminded that the light eyes were not only a rarity but gave the one who had them a certain look--what was it? Depth, he decided … He felt self-conscious, realizing that he, too, had that look. (Ch. 3)

Jonas does not realize how different he is until he is chosen Receiver of Memory.  This job is a special honor, and an assignment only given rarely.  The current Receiver of Memory has the same pale eyes Jonas has. 

It turns out that Jonas, The Receiver, and Gabe are all genetically related.  The eyes are significant because they pass on a rare trait that allows the individual to access memories.  For Jonas, this is called the Capacity to See Beyond.  It also means that he can see color when no one else can, after he has accessed enough memories.

Jonas is drawn to Gabriel.  He has the baby moved to his room when he fusses, so that he can comfort him himself.  One day when he is rubbing the boy’s back he accidentally transmits a memory to him.  This is when Jonas realizes just how special Gabe truly is.  Like The Giver and Jonas, Gabe can access the memories.  He has the Capacity to See Beyond.

The time spent on eye color and how rare it is early in the novel foreshadows Jonas's significance and his special ability.  It also foreshadows the role Gabe will play in Jonas's life.  As Jonas becomes more independent from his community through the memories, he gets drawn more and more to the special Gabe.  Everything about the baby is unique, from the way he ended up in Jonas's home to his ability to receive memories.  Jonas is very close to Gabe, and it is Gabe's impending release that forces Jonas to flee ahead of schedule.

Explain the quotation: "Atticus said the Ewells had been the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations. None of them had done an honest day’s...

Scout asks Atticus about Burris Ewell and why he always goes to school on the first day and skips the rest of the year. Atticus explains to his daughter how the Ewells live. He wants Scout to understand how they are different. The Ewell family is not respected in Maycomb, and has not been for many years.

According to Atticus, the Ewells are not hard workers. Hard work is valued in Maycomb. Even the Cunninghams, who are poor and fairly uneducated, work as hard as they can. The Ewells live in squalid conditions near where the people of Maycomb dump their Christmas trees each year. Scout is curious about the Ewell family. Atticus tells her that one year, after Christmas, he will take her by the Ewells' house when they go to dump their tree.

Describe what you think a hero is today, and the difference from the Greek concept of a tragic hero.

The Greek term “a hero” refers not to someone with super powers, but to the protagonist (main character in an “agon,” a conflict or battle). As defined by Aristotle, it is one element of a “tragedy,” a drama in which a hero (a great man) falls from a great height due to a tragic flaw; there are other elements of the definition of tragedy involved, too, such as a “catharsis.”

The term “hero” has been transformed in modern times to mean someone who performs a brave or self-sacrificing act in order to “save” someone else, usually physically, but also in a metaphorical sense, "My teacher is my hero." Comic books have taken the term even farther, referring to fictitious figures with super-human powers, which they use for the general benefit of humanity, as “heroes.”  The term may be used to refer, for example, to someone who saves a trapped person in a car crash, or a fireman who risks his own life to save a child in a burning building.  Of course, the term has become a common exaggeration in everyday speech.

What is the Declaration of Independence?

The Declaration of Independence was a very well written and eloquent document. It was important, not just for the messages it gave, but for its long-lasting impact. This document, written by Thomas Jefferson, was a masterpiece.

The Declaration of Independence stated to the world that the British colonies were no longer under the control of Great Britain. It stated these colonies were now independent. It went on to state that if a group of people declared their freedom from another group of people, they needed to tell the world why the did that.

The Declaration of Independence claimed that the role of government is to protect our rights. It claimed that all people have certain rights, called inalienable rights, that can’t be taken away. These include the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It went on to say that when the government violates, abuses, or takes away the rights of the people, the people have no choice but to remove that government from power and replace it with a new government.

The Declaration of Independence went on to say that we needed to let the world know what Great Britain did to us that led to our decision to declare our freedom from British rule. This portion of the document is the longest portion. It lists all of the complaints against the King of England and the British government. For example, it stated that the King abused and violated the rights of the people by taxing them without the colonists having representatives in Parliament that could speak about and vote for the taxes.

The last parts of the Declaration of Independence were the parts that said we were free from British rule. It also listed the signatures of each man who signed the document. These people literally put their lives on the line because if the colonists lost the ensuing war, these men could have been killed.

The beauty of the Declaration of Independence is how it has served as a model for the independence movements in other countries. For example, the French Revolution used some ideas in the Declaration of Independence. Independence movements in India and Vietnam also used the Declaration of Independence as a model.

The Declaration of Independence was one of the most moving and significant documents throughout history.

I have a Literary Analysis Essay to write for my American Literature class on The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. I had a choice of three...

I would say that one example of irrational thought is Holden's impulsive decision to go and spend two days alone in Manhattan. This is an example of the things a lot of adolescent males do. Holden has no idea where he is going or why. Naturally he gets into some troubles. It is irrational to have Maurice send Sonny up to his room when he doesn't even like the idea of losing his virginity with a cheap prostitute. One of his most irrational actions is proposing marriage to Sally Hayes in Chapter 17. He doesn't even like this girl. It is not totally rational for him to be inviting her to a Broadway show and then agreeing to go ice-skating afterward when he thinks of her as queen of the phonies. He decides he wants to get married without having any idea what that might entail. And he is only sixteen years old and has no income. Fortunately, Sally has more sense than he does.

A good example of Holden's tendency to be unrealistic is the fantasy that gives the novel its title. He describes it to his little sister Phoebe in Chapter 22.

"Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some games in a big field or rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody's around--nobody big, I mean--except me. And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff--I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going. I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That all I'd do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really like to be. I know it's crazy."

It is hard to read that paragraph of dialogue in its semi-romantic, semi-cynical adolescent vernacular without feeling a bit like crying. This is his game plan for the rest of his life! 

Holden's whole excursion to Manhattan is like a montage sequence of irrational, romantic behavior. He even invites the cab driver to have a drink with him. He is all alone in the biggest city in America. He is a lost boy trying to pretend he knows where he is going. Everything he does is done on impulse. Nearly everything he does turns out to have been a mistake. 

How do you go about explaining narrative perspective in a novel that is in first person?

A first-person narrative is a story told by a narrator who is writing or speaking directly about themselves. The narrator relates the story by using a lot of I-statements and telling the story as it happened to him or her. A good example of a first-person narrative is Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. The action of the story is told entirely by Holden Caulfield, who is speaking about his own experiences:

If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth. (J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 1.)

Less common in literature is the second-person narrative, where the narrator of the story is writing or speaking to You, the second person, as though addressing the reader personally as would be done in a conversation. A good example of this in literature is the brilliant Aura by Carlos Fuentes. In this story, the action is directed at the reader, as follows:

Lees ese anuncia: una ofterta de esa naturaleza no se hace todos los días. Lees y relees el aviso. Parece dirigido a ti, a nadie mas.

You read the advertisement: an offer of this kind doesn’t get made every day. You read and re-read the ad. It seems to be directed at you, and no-one else. (Carlos Fuentes, Aura, Chapter 1.)

Most common is the third-person narrative, sometimes called the omniscient narrator. In literature, the action of stories written in the third person, as well as the internal thoughts and emotions of all the characters, are expressed by the same narrator. As a random example:

The Ladies of Longbourn soon waited on those of Netherfield. The visit was returned in due form. Miss Bennet's pleasing manner grew on the good-will of Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley; and though the mother was found to be intolerable, and the younger sisters not worth speaking to, a wish of being better acquainted with them was expressed towards the two eldest. By Jane this attention was received with the greatest pleasure; but Elizabeth still saw superciliousness in their treatment of every body, hardly excepting even her sister, and could not like them... (Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 6)

Note how in this last example, the narrator describes the external actions of a visit and then the internal impressions and opinions of several of the characters, in quick succession. 

How did the Anne Frank diary beame so famous?

A diary is usually a very personal and a very private document. However, the entire world knows about Anne Frank’s diary. There are reasons why this happened.

Anne Frank’s father, Otto Frank, survived the Holocaust. When he discovered her diary, he decided to try to get it published. He believed it was a story worth sharing.

When you look at and read her diary, you will see that it is a very compelling story. The story of a young girl and her family trying to survive the Holocaust by hiding is a story that many people will find captivating. It tells of her struggles and of her frustrations. It also shows the bravery of some of the Dutch people. Many young readers can identify in various ways with what Anne went through. While most readers weren’t in a struggle for their life, they can understand the goals a young person has, and the frustrations one experiences in trying to achieve them. People are generally interested in stories that show extreme courage and bravery. This diary has all of these components. It also is a well-written diary.

Once it was published, many people read it. Anne’s story and the story of the Holocaust became clearer as a result of her diary.

What types of figurative language are in the poem Dreams by Langston Hughes?

Langston Hughes' short poem "Dreams" has two types of figurative language, personification and metaphor. The poem encourages the reader to never give up on hopes and goals. Hughes was probably aiming his poem at blacks who were still experiencing overwhelming racism and segregation at the time the poem was written. The poem, however, appeals to anyone who has dreamed of something better. 

First off, Hughes uses personification in the lines: "For if dreams die" and "For when dreams go". Personification is when something non-human is given human qualities. Dreams don't literally die and they can't travel.

Secondly, Hughes employs two metaphors to describe what happens when dreams are lost. A metaphor is a comparison of two unrelated things to suggest they are somehow similar. In the poem, losing a dream is compared to a "broken winged bird That cannot fly" and a "barren field Frozen with snow".  These metaphors bring up powerful imagery which strengthens the overall impact of the poem. 

What was the state capitol of Michigan in 1963?

Michigan existed as a colonized territory from at least the 17th century and changed hands between French and British rule a number of times. In 1805, Michigan Territory was established and recognized as an entity separate from the Union. Michigan gained statehood in 1837 with Detroit serving as the first capitol city. Detroit was a natural choice for the capitol, as it was a hub for the booming industry of fur trade. Detroit had the benefits of being accessible by a number of waterways and served to connect the United States and Canada for trade purposes. Today, Detroit is the largest and most populous city in Michigan, but in 1847 the capitol was relocated to Lansing. The intent of moving the capitol was to encourage development of the western part of the state. The capitol building, completed in 1878, still houses the offices for the Michigan governor, Senate, and House. 

As the capitol was moved to Lansing in 1847 and has since remained there, the capitol city of Michigan in 1963 was Lansing.

What is the history behind the bloodstain, and why did the ghost take great efforts to repair it?

In Chapter One of "The Canterville Ghost," Mrs Umney informs the Otis family of the history of the famous bloodstain. It is the blood of Lady Eleanore de Canterville, who was murdered on "that very spot" by her husband, Sir Simon, in 1575. Later, in Chapter Five, the reader leans that Sir Simon murdered Eleanore because she was "very plain" and poor at housekeeping. She never starched his ruffs properly, for example, nor did she properly serve a buck that he had shot. 

Because of its personal history, Sir Simon, the ghost, goes to great pains to preserve his wife's bloodstain in the library. After Washington Otis removes it with Pinkerton's Stain Remover, the family finds that the bloodstain has reappeared every morning. Virginia Otis later learns (in Chapter Five) that the ghost stole her paints so that he could "furbish up" the stain each night. This also explains why the stain appears in different colours, including vermilion and emerald green. 

The bloodstain, then, is a physical reminder of Sir Simon's past crimes and of the house's murderous history. It also acts as a barrier to Sir Simon's eternal rest: the stain cannot be truly removed until the ghost repents of his sins and has left Canterville Chase.

During winter, why is there condensation on kitchen windows?

Condensation takes place when warm air comes in contact with colder and dry air. During the winter months, the outside temperature is less as compared to our homes. This is due to the insulation we use and the heating we are using at home. Kitchens are even warmer, especially when we are cooking. This causes the inside air to become warm and rise up. When this air mass comes in contact with the windows (which are colder), the warm air loses its temperature and its capacity to carry water. This causes droplets to form on the inside window surface.

We can observe similar condensation on our bathroom mirrors, when we are using hot water for bath. The remedy for this is either opening the window or using an exhaust fan in the kitchen or bathroom.

Hope this helps.  

Why does electronegativity decreases down the group even though the effective nuclear charge remains same?

Electronegativity, in simplest terms, is the ability of an atom to pull shared electrons (of a covalent bond) towards it. The electronegativity of an atom is dependent on two factors: effective nuclear charge and distance between the nucleus and electrons. Effective nuclear charge is the nuclear pull experienced by outer electrons, adjusted for repulsion offered by core electrons (electrons in the inner layers). As we down a group, in the periodic table of elements, the effective nuclear charge is same. However, the atomic radius increases down a group, which means electrons are now farther away from the nucleus. The sum of these two effects means a decrease in nuclear pull on electrons as we move down a group in periodic table of elements. And hence a decrease in electronegativity.

Hope this helps. 

Scout harbors her own prejudices at the start of To Kill a Mockingbird. What are they and what teaches her to lose these prejudices?

At the opening of the book, Scout does indeed have her own prejudices; however, they could more appropriately be what Atticus later calls "blind spots." As a child, Scout sees the world in a very simple, rigid way and is ignorant of how things like race or class shape and influence the way people are viewed by others. For example, she becomes very angry with her teacher for reprimanding her after she goes into detail about the Cunningham's financial situation. In Scout's mind, the Cunningham's poverty is simply a fact and it doesn't change the way that she feels about Walter or his father. This also influences the way that she views the conflict around Tom's trial and how it's changing Atticus' social standing. 

As one of the more prominent themes in the story, Scout's understanding of human complexity and contradiction changes over the course of the novel. Her first lesson in this comes when Atticus explains that Mr. Cunningham anonymously leaves goods in exchange for Atticus' services because he is ashamed of his inability to pay. Prejudice and bias are also essential to how the children view Boo Radley. In their mind, he is a mysterious monster or thrilling source of adventure. It never occurs to her to consider why she believes this or that he could be an emotionally fragile or mentally ill man.

Scout is repeatedly faced with situations in which her previously simple understanding of people is challenged. Each new situation, from confronting the crowd outside the jail to the conclusion of Tom Robinson's trial, brings her one step closer to a better-developed understanding of how complicated people can be.

It's never quite clear if Scout overcomes her own biases, but the final encounter with Boo suggests that she has changed. Although Boo has been a source of fear and excitement for the children throughout the story, by the end she unquestioningly accepts him and eventually walks him home. Her figurative embrace of Boo Radley suggests that even if she doesn't quite understand why people are different, she no longer feels the need to aggressively challenge that which she doesn't understand.