In A Christmas Carol, why does Scrooge have any doubts that he will change the future he saw?

He is most uncertain because of the reaction, or perhaps the lack of reaction, he gets from the Ghost of Christmas Future. 

The spirit has shown Scrooge many disturbing things, and Scrooge is petrified that that all of this will come true. Remember, though, that Marley told him at the very beginning of the story that he was going to be visited by three spirits so that he might change his ways. So, Scrooge is hoping that Marley is correct and that if he changes he might save himself and others from the terrible fate he has been shown. 

"Men’s courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if persevered in, they must lead,” said Scrooge. “But if the courses be departed from, the ends will change. Say it is thus with what you show me" (Stave Four)!

To this, the spirit says nothing and then simply points to Scrooge's gravestone.This leads Scrooge to worry even further because the spirit is not confirming that if Scrooge changes his behavior that it will change the future. His silence causes Scrooge the most doubt.

Why would Milton begin "Aeropagitica" with a verse from the Suppliant Women?

It is the content of the quote rather than its source that motivated Milton to use it at the beginning of "Aeropagitica." In many ways, the excerpt reflects a central theme of the essay, which was written to argue against the licensing of books by the Crown, a practice that allowed the government to censure written material. The excerpt is saying essentially that liberty and justice depend in no small part on the ability to "speak free," and make one's views heard. Milton makes the same point in "Aeropagitica." Licensing and censorship, he argued, should anger every "learned and religious men," because they both restricted the expression of ideas and gave bad ideas more publicity than they should receive. Comparing truth to a "streaming fountain," Milton claimed that without the "perpetuall" flow of new ideas, might become a "muddy pool of conformity." So Milton argues, like the passage from the Suppliants suggests, that men should be allowed the freedom to express their ideas.

In Macbeth (Act I, Scene 3, lines 120-125) what does Banquo's speech mean?

This question seems to be referring to Banquo's aside to Macbeth, which, according to the e-text of Macbeth offered by this site, encompasses lines 130-135. Macbeth and Banquo have just discovered that the Thane of Cawdor, having committed treason against the King, is to be put to death, and that Macbeth will assume his title. This, of course, is what the two men had just heard the witches prophesy earlier in the scene, and Macbeth is taken aback by this knowledge. In the passage in question, Banquo says that this knowledge may "enkindle you unto the crown," in other words, cause him to begin to believe that the second part of the prophecy--that he will become king--might come true as well. But the second part of the speech is the most important:

But ’tis strange;
And oftentimes, to win us to our harm,
The instruments of darkness tell us truths,
Win us with honest trifles, to betray's
In deepest consequence...

By this he seems to be warning that though the witches may be telling the truth, their motives in doing so are still suspect. They may have told Macbeth these "honest trifles" in order to manipulate, or lead him to do horrible things to make them come true. This speech by Banquo turns out to be as prophetic as anything the witches say.

What is the goal of Mark Twain's "Advice to Youth"?

Mark Twain's Advice to Youth is an example of Juvenalian satire, a form of satire which is marked as being highly contemptuous and uses extreme exaggeration to make the target of the satire seem easily dismissed.

In speaking on the topics of obedience, respect, and lying, Twain is largely attempting to speak out against the learned behaviors that adults abide by in the name of cultural conformity. Specific examples of this can be seen in his choice of language, saying that children obey parents because "[parents] think they know better than you." It is important to note that he does not say that they do know better, but only that they think they do. Twain states that youth should not lie because they are not yet capable of lying "perfectly" and telling "a lie well told." Again we see that he is not expressing an absolute morality, but instead detailing the moral hypocrisy of the process of socialization.

It could be argued that the intent of Twain is to prepare youth for an adult life in which the very things he is, on the surface, speaking against are a common and important part of life, but it is far more likely that his purpose is instead to bring these qualities of adult life to the attention of adult readers.

Describe the method of inquiry used by Aristotle.

That would be logic.  Aristotle's logic was based largely on the establishment of two statements having an equivocal relationship and their relationship of a possible third statement.  The first two statements were called a "major and minor premise", while the third statement was called a "conclusion."  Here is a simplistic version of Aristotle's logic:

• If B is equal to A


• And C is equal to B


• Then A is equal to C

Aristotle's teachings laid the foundation to the modern method of inquiry, sometimes known as the "Scientific Method".  The scientific method has it's roots largely in Aristotle's logic, where a question is put forth of a scientific nature, seeking an answer.  Often, these questions have no easy answers and are designed to foster the asking of additional questions, all related to the original one.  Aristotle's teachings were the standard used for nearly 1500 years and had tremendous influence upon the philosophy and teaching of this time.

What literary devices are found in " It Was a Dream" by Lucille Clifton?

The most prominent literary devices used in this poem are repetition and parallelism.  The three lines beginning with "and" all use a parallel verb structure:  "twisted," "sparked," and "screamed."  The effect of this vivid imagery is chilling.  Clifton's alter-ego, her "greater self," is dissatisfied with "what [her] days had come to."  Much like Dickens's restless spirits of past, present, and future, Clifton's dream-self comes to warn her of all the things she could have, and perhaps should have, done with the repetition of the haunting word "This" three times in the final line.  This word gets special recognition as the only word capitalized in the poem.  Even the pronoun "I" is not capitalized, further emphasizing this final word.  "This" is symbolic of so many opportunities that pass by in one's lifetime that, upon reflection, might have made all the difference.   As a successful black female poet in a time of racism and sexism in America, her regretful tone might be viewed as surprising and possibly even ironic.

What qualities does Aunt Polly exhibit in her behaviour towards Tom in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer?

Aunt Polly is loving and patient with her mischievous nephew Tom.

Aunt Polly is pretty much in over her head with her nephew Tom Sawyer.  Tom is not only mischievous but clever, constantly coming up with new ways to get into trouble.  Polly tries to raise him right, but she loves him so much that she finds it difficult to discipline him in the way she thinks she should.

He 'pears to know just how long he can torment me before I get my dander up, and he knows if he can make out to put me off for a minute or make me laugh, it's all down again and I can't hit him a lick. (Ch. 1)

Polly feels that she isn’t doing her “duty” to Tom because she doesn’t spank him often enough.  Tom does try to avoid getting caught when he gets up to mischief, but Aunt Polly also can’t bring herself to hit him.  She is very loving and compassionate toward him because he has no parents but her.

When Polly does hit Tom for breaking the sugar bowl, he is surprised and upset because it was his brother Sid who actually broke it.  As Tom sulks, Aunt Polly tells Tom he probably deserved the punishment for something he had done that she hadn’t caught him at.  She still feels bad about hitting him though.

Then her conscience reproached her, and she yearned to say something kind and loving; but she judged that this would be construed into a confession that she had been in the wrong, and discipline forbade that. So she kept silence, and went about her affairs with a troubled heart. (Ch. 3)

Aunt Polly believes in home remedies, and often tries to give Tom potions and treatments that aren’t quite reputable.  Tom hates this, of course.  One day he gives his treatment to the cat, and when Aunt Polly sees the cat’s reaction she feels bad for even giving Tom the medicine.  She never realized how awful it was.

When Tom runs away and the whole town thinks he is dead, Aunt Polly is just happy to have him back when he shows up.  She loves him too much and missed him too much to be angry at him for running away.  Even though he is her nephew, she loves him like a son.

How does the "10,000 hour rule" complicate our understanding of innate talent?

This rule was popularized in Malcolm Gladwell's 2008 book entitled Outliers: The Story of Success, but versions of it have been floated for years by developmental psychologists and other scholars. Essentially, it argues that most very talented and accomplished people got that way through hard work (as well as social support and a bit of luck) rather than innate genius or talent. The "10,000 hour rule" refers to the amount of time people need to practice or work in order to achieve the kind of mastery of a pursuit that makes one an "outlier." What this means for innate talent is that it is perhaps less important than we have traditionally imagined when it came to achieving success. While Gladwell in particular does not deny that innate talent, even genius, exists (in fact, of course 'geniuses' in a particular field will be more likely to work hard for success in that field) he suggests that it is only one in a variety of factors that makes one an "outlier." 

Who is ultimately responsible for Macbeth's downfall?

In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the three witches provide Macbeth with a prophesy, saying that he will be Thane of Cawdor and eventually King of Scotland. At this point, a seed is planted in Macbeth's mind. He is strangely receptive of the idea, but he also is afraid to even think upon such a prophecy. It is clear that Macbeth is nervous about even thinking of becoming King of Scotland for he realizes that King Duncan will have to be killed first.

When Duncan pays a visit to Macbeth, Lady Macbeth sees an opportunity to kill King Duncan. In fact, during the banquet, Lady Macbeth seeks out her husband when he leaves the dining hall at the banquet. She questions Macbeth about his disappearance. Macbeth informs her that he has changed his mind. He no longer wants to kill King Duncan. He matter-of-factly states that he and his wife will not proceed in this murderous intent:

We will proceed no further in this business. He has recently honored me and I now have the Golden opinions from all sorts of people.

Lady Macbeth will not take no for an answer. She is ultimately responsible for King Duncan's death which in turn leads to Macbeth's downfall. Clearly, Macbeth has changed his mind in killing Duncan, but Lady Macbeth insults her husband's manhood.

Would you have the crown
Which you believe to be the ornament of life,
And yet live like a coward...?

As a brave soldier, Macbeth is affected by her scorn in calling him a coward. She knows exactly what to say to talk Macbeth into completing the murder of Duncan. In some ways, Lady Macbeth is more power hungry that Macbeth. She insults his manhood, knowing that he will decide to kill Duncan. If she had not used her power of persuasion, Macbeth would not have killed Duncan. Macbeth had changed his mind. Macbeth seemed to be content in the honors Duncan has bestowed upon him and has clearly changed his mind about murdering Duncan.

Lady Macbeth persuaded her husband to kill King Duncan. Ultimately, she would not rest until Macbeth had become King of Scotland. Ultimately, she is responsible for Macbeth's downfall.

How does Mrs. Cratchit react to the mention of Scrooge’s name on Christmas in A Christmas Carol?

Mrs. Cratchit is no fan of Mr. Scrooge. On the other hand, Bob Cratchit is very respectful of Mr. Scrooge, in spite of how poorly he is treated by his boss.

At Christmas dinner Bob Cratchit gives a thanks to Ebenezer Scrooge and refers to him as "the Founder of the Feast." This irritates Mrs. Cratchit, who replies, 

"The Founder of the Feast indeed!" cried Mrs. Cratchit, reddening. "I wish I had him here. I'd give him a piece of my mind to feast upon, and I hope he'd have a good appetite for it."

When Bob reminds her it is Christmas and that kind of tone might not be appropriate, she retorts:

"It should be Christmas Day, I am sure," said she, "on which one drinks the health of such an odious, stingy, hard, unfeeling man as Mr. Scrooge. You know he is, Robert. Nobody knows it better than you do, poor fellow."

It is important to remember this takes place in Christmas future, after tiny Tim has died. Mrs. Cratchit has a lot of resentment toward Scrooge, whom she sees as responsible for her family's financial struggles. Bob Cratchit, however, is still trying to find the bright side where he can, thus he is grateful for the meager "feast" they have as a result of his small salary working for Mr. Scrooge. 

Discuss how, in Goethe’s Faust, Mephistopheles uses Faust’s arrogance in order to bring Faust to ruin.

In accepting gifts from Mephistopheles, engaging in wagers with the devil, and directly challenging the spiritual and ethical standards with which he has been molded to live socially, Faust demonstrates arrogance in the way that he feels that he is above any moral consequence for his actions. 

Not only is he arrogant, but he is also greedy, careless, selfish, and narcissistic. All of these are tantamount to arrogance. While a lot of people experience the same things, and may also be arrogant, Faust goes above and beyond by making his particular manifestation of haughtiness entirely official in the eyes of the higher powers; he is essentially saying aloud "look what I can do", and he freely engages in situations and behaviors that are as bad as they are dangerous. 

Moreover, Faust believed that he, out of anyone in this universe, would be able to manipulate all the forces that rule the spiritual and moral realm. To add to this shocking conclusion, he also feels that he can test and directly challenge the devil by taunting and mocking him. Faust is really testing his limits, but he really does not seem to care. Added to his arrogance, there is also a sense of entitlement that leads him to feel that he is smarter and better off than those which rule or mold the world.

A spectre this from which all shrink afraid.
The word its life resigneth in the pen,
Leather and wax usurp the mastery then.
Spirits of evil! what dost thou require?
Brass, marble, parchment, paper, dost desire?
Shall I with chisel, pen, or graver write?
Thy choice is free; to me 'tis all the same.

In his view, while he knows for a fact that the devil is evil, and nothing to be making friends with, he is arrogant enough to feel that the devil would spare him, of all people. Yet, Faust questions everyone, criticizes, judges, and opines as if he has the right to do so. Unfortunately for the reader, the novel will not be cathartic, as Part Two will show. Nevertheless, in Part One, we as readers get to meet who Faust really is and we get to understand why he would need a severe punishment at some point in the future. 

What are all the broken objects in the poem "Preludes"? What purpose do these serve?

“Preludes” is a poem of loneliness and the impersonal nature of the city, the emptiness of urban life and the often grimy, squalid environment—both physical and mental—in which so many people must survive. The poem is framed so that the individuals mentioned in the poem could be any person, in any city, in any country; when the speaker speaks of “you,” that you could be anyone, including the reader. This vagueness underlines the universality of the general dreariness and isolation described in the work.

Because all the images in the poem are working toward this end, there are a good many things that are broken. The evenings themselves are broken in I, described as “the burnt-out ends of smoky days.” Eliot also mentions “scraps of withered leaves” and “broken blinds and chimney-pots.”  In Part III, the very soul of the individual in the bed is fractured—we have mention of “the thousand sordid images / of which your soul was constituted.” There is no uniformity here; instead that soul is a mosaic, constructed out of sharp edges and pieced together as well as it could be. And in IV, we have “the notion of some infinitely gentle / infinitely suffering thing.” Here we could say that this thing itself is broken on an emotional level, suffering so fully and so perpetually.

Also in IV, we have another soul—“His soul,” which could be referring to the “you” in III or could be referring to a new individual, we have no way of knowing—which is “trampled by insistent feet / At four and five and six o’clock.” A soul that is folded into the very soul of the city, one with the streets, suffering along with the pavement as the relentless, uncaring, pulverizing population goes about its lonely, hurried business.

FDR had three political foes during his presidency. He managed to neutralize them by simply repeating their names in a derisive manner. They may...

There were several people that would be considered political enemies of President Roosevelt. They were Huey Long, Father Charles Coughlin, and Francis Townsend. These men believed President Roosevelt wasn’t doing enough to end the Great Depression.

Huey Long and Father Coughlin believed in a program, developed by Huey Long, which was called Share the Wealth. This program wanted to take from the wealthy and give to the poor. The program supported having high taxes on the rich. Huey Long also talked about free medical care and free college education. Father Coughlin wanted to have the government run the banks.

Francis Townsend proposed a plan that would give every person over the age of 60 a pension of $200 a month. They would have to retire, and they would have to spend the entire pension. Townsend believed this would create jobs for people because older people would leave the workforce, and increased spending would lead to increased demand for products and for workers to make those products.

These three men had President Roosevelt worried about his political future. Some of their ideas did influence some government policies, such as the development of the Social Security Act.

What is the relationship like between Willy and his sons in Death of a Salesman?

In Death of a Salesman, the relationship between Willy and his sons Biff and Happy is fairly contentious because Willy has imposed a set of impossible standards on his sons.  When the boys were in high school, Willy likened them to young "Adonises" and believed that they would be financially successful because people liked them.  However, Biff and Happy did not follow the path of success imagined by Willy:  Biff has been arrested for stealing, and Happy remains a low-level clerk in the company for which he works.  Willy continues to tell his sons that they will be great someday, but Biff in particular has a different set of dreams.  Biff wants to work in the outdoors, and he has come to accept the fact that there is nothing special about him.  Willy, however, will not accept this perspective and hangs on to his dream of greatness.  This clash in values creates the contentious relationship between Willy and his sons.

What was the impact of the setting on the plot of the novel "Bud, Not Buddy"?

The setting carries the plot, enhances it, and shapes it. The Depression was a time of despair all over the United States, and because of it, Bud ended up motherless, fatherless and homeless. Living in Michigan in 1936 was hard on mothers who tried to take care of their children while the fathers went away, chasing illusive dreams of work.

Bud had to escape foster care due to mistreatment born of discrimination. The setting of the Depression in a city carries the plot as Bud finds he cannot escape the state and decides to find his father. It enhances Bud's homelessness as no one has any way to help him, as they can hardly help themselves. 

The setting shapes the plot, providing a framework for the story. The experiences Bud had would make far less sense. The plot would lose the ability to evoke a sense of gloom and disappointment if set in a different time or place.

The way light bounces off a mineral's surface is described by the mineral's _____.

The way light bounces off of a mineral's surface is described as its luster. There are a number of specific descriptions or categorizations for a mineral's luster. Do keep in mind that luster is related to the opacity/transparency of a mineral in addition to the surface conditions, crystal habit, and index of refraction. Luster is unrelated to the color of a mineral or gem.

• 
  Dull, or earthy. This describes minerals with a matte surface, or one that is not shiny. Chert and flint fall into this category.


• 
  Waxy, or waxlike. These minerals may look like they have a coating of wax, and can be a little bit reflective. Coral and serpentine fall into this category.


• 
  Pitchy, or pitchlike. This means that a mineral looks similar to tar. Many radioactive minerals like uranininite fall into this category.


• 
  Greasy, like the mineral has been covered in an oily substance. Opal falls into this category.


• 
  Pearly, or mother-of-pearl sheen, describes minerals which look pearlescent. Muscovite and stilbite are two examples of pearly minerals.


• 
  Silky minerals look similar to the textile silk. They are composed of very fine fibers. The dangerous mineral asbestos falls into this category.


• 
  Resinous, or resinlike, describes minerals which look like resin or plastic. Amber is a famous type of resinous mineral, and is actually fossilized resin from a tree.


• 
  Adamantine, also called brilliant or diamondlike, has a very reflective and refractive luster. Like the name implies, diamonds fall into this category.


• 
  Vitreous, or glassy, describes minerals which look like glass. The quartz varieties falls into this category.


• 
  Submetallic minerals are those which look similar to metal but are not as reflective. Sphalerite is a perfect example of a mineral with submetallic luster.


• 
  Metallic minerals are highly opaque and reflective, like pyrite.

What insights does Nick provide about Jordan's character and what do these insights tell us about him?

Nick Carraway, the filter through whom we view The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald), is part of the careless and dishonest world he is showing the reader.  He is attracted to Jordan Baker, whom he begins to understand is "incurably dishonest" (63) and careless.  She has cheated in a golf tournament and has ruined a borrowed convertible she left in the rain uncovered and then denied it.  Nick says, "It made no difference to me" (63), and feels a sort of "tender curiosity" (62) toward her.  He decides to pursue her and shares with the reader that he must break off a relationship with a girl he had left behind before he can do so with a clear conscience.  He then notes he is "one of the few honest people that I have ever known" (64), which is utterly untrue, of course, since at the very least, he takes no stand against the destructive people around him, and at worst, he actively colludes with them.  When Myrtle Wilson is killed, he has had enough of all of them, and he rejects Jordan's invitation to join her and the Buchanans for the evening, in effect, breaking off the relationship.  He sees her one more time, after Gatsby's death, before he goes back west. He describes her as looking like a "good illustration" (185), with all the implications of her being all appearance and having no character.  She is engaged to another man now.  She explains that she had thought Nick  was an "honest, straightforward person" (186), one who could act as a foil to her dishonesty and carelessness.  And Nick responds that he is "'five years too old to lie to myself and call it honor'"(186).  He has learned a great deal, not only about the world, but also about himself, over the course of this one summer in the east, and while it is not clear that he has completely reformed, he will return to the heartland perhaps a better man.

Why is Piggy a social outcast in William Golding's Lord Of The Flies, and how do the boys make him feel uneasy?

In his novel Lord of the Flies, William Golding identifies Piggy as a social outcast. Piggy, whose real name is unknown, is fat and unathletic. He is also balding and wears glasses. Piggy's physical inferiority is highlighted by the fact that he has asthma and cannot complete manual labor or any other physically taxing activity. When the boys first meet Piggy they call him "Fatty," and Ralph corrects them by incidentally calling him by the name he hates the most...Piggy. Throughout the novel, Piggy is viewed as a social outcast because he is excluded from physical activities, like exploring the island with Ralph, Simon, and Jack, as well as going on hunting expeditions. Jack antagonizes Piggy throughout the novel by interrupting him while he is trying to speak at the assemblies, calling him names, and even physically assaulting him. Piggy gets made fun of for his glasses, which get broken, stolen, and destroyed by the end of the novel. Roger refers to Piggy as a "bag of fat," which ironically is the same adjective used to describe a group of pigs on the island. Piggy fears that the boys will harm him and looks to Ralph for protection. Their constant antagonism makes Piggy feel uneasy because he is aware that he is not socially accepted by the group of boys. He is also Ralph's biggest supporter, which does not add to his popularity as Ralph quickly loses control over the group. At the end of the novel, Roger rolls a boulder and kills Piggy, effectively destroying the last hope of civilization and humanity on the island.

Is the purpose of a management course is to teach students about management or to be managers?

A management course teaches students the principles of management. These principles may include organizational structure and design, human resources, addressing employee issues, marketing, and leadership. Typically, a management course prepares a student for a position in management.

However, many individuals view management as leadership, and these two terms are not synonymous. A manager may or may not be a leader, and a leader may or may not be a manager. The Harvard Business Review outlined three distinctions between managers and a leaders. First, a manager counts value, such as inventory, whereas a leader creates value. A leader creates value by allowing autonomy in the work group. Second, a manager has circles of power. A manager has contacts that create power within the organization or within the work group. A leader has contacts that create influence within and outside the organization and the industry. Managers receive advice from those to whom they report. Leaders receive advice from others beside their direct superiors. Third, managers manage work. Managers are often task focused, meeting deadlines and quotas. Leaders are interested in developing talent, influence and motivate others. 

In general, management courses do teach students how to become managers. However, management courses may or may not teach students how to become leaders.  Nevertheless, the intent of most management programs is to create future leaders in their field. 

What are some quotes that demonstrate Iago's manipulations in Othello?

Firstly, the fact that Iago declares his intention to harm Othello when he speaks to Roderigo, is a good quote:

I follow him to serve my turn upon him

Iago clearly and unambiguously says here that he only shows obedience to Othello to fool him into believing that he is being loyal and servile so that he may plot his downfall - true to the expression 'Keep your enemies closer.'

In the same speech he tells Roderigo:

... Others there are
Who, trimm'd in forms and visages of duty,
Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves,
And, throwing but shows of service on their lords,
Do well thrive by them and when they have lined
their coats
Do themselves homage: these fellows have some soul;
And such a one do I profess myself. 

It is obvious in these lines that Iago has much admiration for the type of servant who only obeys his master out of show and not because of genuine respect or duty. His sole purpose is to serve his own needs - they do homage to themselves. Such persons show spirit and Iago perceives himself to be the same. A confession of his devious and pernicious nature.

Iago has planned to rouse Brabantio, the beautiful and chaste Desdemona's father, to inform him that Othello had kidnapped her. The plan is to upset Brabantio to such an extent that he would take action against Othello. When the two arrive at his house, Iago shouts that there were thieves around. When Brabantio wakes and enquires what all the noise is about, Iago declares:

Zounds, sir, you're robb'd; for shame, put on
your gown;
Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul;
Even now, now, very now, an old black ram
Is topping your white ewe. Arise, arise;
Awake the snorting citizens with the bell,
Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you:
Arise, I say.

Iago uses the most disgusting animal metaphors to inform Brabantio that his daughter is being sexually abused. He cleverly refrains from mentioning the so-called abuser by name, but makes indirect references to Othello. He is incessant and continues using these images to further shock Brabantio, who later seeks out the duke and demands Othello's arrest.

Iago later maliciously informs Othello about how badly Brabantio had spoken about him:

Nay, but he prated,
And spoke such scurvy and provoking terms
Against your honour
That, with the little godliness I have,
I did full hard forbear him.

He tells Othello that Brabantio criticized him at length and used such shocking and provocative references that he, Iago found it difficult to restrain himself from lashing out at Brabantio. Iago has now manipulated both men and ruined, in a very short time, the good relationship (though superficial) that existed between the two.

Iago also masterfully manipulates the foolish Roderigo to do his bidding by dangling the fact that he would help him pursue Desdemona's affections and win her over in front of him like a carrot. He tells Roderigo:

Thou art sure of me:--go, make money:--I have told
thee often, and I re-tell thee again and again, I
hate the Moor: my cause is hearted; thine hath no
less reason. Let us be conjunctive in our revenge
against him: if thou canst cuckold him, thou dost
thyself a pleasure, me a sport.

He tells Roderigo that they should work together against Othello. In this venture, both will achieve what they want - he revenge and Roderigo Desdemona.

There are many other examples of Iago's manipulations but the one which stands out particularly since it finally convinces Othello of Desdemona's 'infidelity', is Cassio's speech with Bianca. Iago had planted Desdemona's handkerchief in Cassio's room and he is now speaking to him. Othello is in hiding, eavesdropping. Cassio speaks:

She was here even now; she haunts me in every place.
I was the other day talking on the sea-bank with
certain Venetians; and thither comes the bauble,
and, by this hand, she falls me thus about my neck--

Othello thinks that Cassio is speaking about his wife, but he is speaking about Bianca. She arrives later and angrily confronts Cassio:

Let the devil and his dam haunt you! What did you
mean by that same handkerchief you gave me even now?
I was a fine fool to take it. I must take out the
work?--A likely piece of work, that you should find
it in your chamber, and not know who left it there!
This is some minx's token, and I must take out the
work? There; give it your hobby-horse: wheresoever
you had it, I'll take out no work on't.

When Othello sees the handkerchief, he is fully convinced that he has been cuckolded. His mind is made up and he sets in motion the tragic events which transpire later.

What was Gatsby doing before he met Dan Cody?

Before he met Dan Cody, as Nick says in Chapter VI, Gatsby was "beating his way along the south shore of Lake Superior as a clam-digger and a salmon-fisher or in any other capacity that brought him food and bed." He took whatever work was offered in order to keep himself alive. Further, he "knew women early," and since they were too good to him, he started to hold them in contempt. During this time, he was haunted by his dreams for the future, and it was through his fantasies that he found an outlet for his well-developed imagination.

He found himself at the "small Lutheran college of St. Olaf in southern Minnesota." He was only there for a couple of weeks, working as a janitor to pay for school and absolutely detesting the work and "its ferocious indifference to the drums of his destiny [...]." He seemed to have a sense or a hope, at least, that he was destined for something substantial, that he was going to make some big impact on the world, that he would be important somehow. Then, disillusioned with school, he made his way back to the lake and was "still searching for something to do on the day that Dan Cody's yacht dropped anchor in the shallows alongshore."

Are there any more reasons for Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters not to tell the men that they have discovered Mrs. Wright's motive for killing her husband?

The primary reason that Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters withhold the evidence from the sheriff and the attorney is that they do not want it to be used to subject Mrs. Wright to an even more unjust trial than she will already receive. The women are acting as "a jury of her peers" for Mrs. Wright because the legal system of the time did not allow women to serve on juries. Knowing that the prosecuting attorney and the men on the jury are likely to consider the broken-necked bird as merely a "trifle" without seeing the full meaning behind it, they choose to not reveal the evidence they have found while paying attention to what the men consider "trifles." As women, they can put themselves into Mrs. Wright's shoes and imagine the dreadful emotional and probably physical abuse that she had been subject to. To them the dead bird indicates a sort of defense of Mrs. Wright's actions, whereas to the men the bird would provide merely a motive for the murder; they do not want to turn the evidence over to a system that will not interpret it correctly.

Another reason for their decision to withhold the evidence is their own guilt. Society bears some responsibility for Mrs. Wright's crime, and the women perceive that. Mrs. Hale, Mrs. Wright's neighbor and long-time acquaintance, feels personal responsibility because she could have befriended Mrs. Wright after her marriage and checked in on her frequently. That might have provided a way out of the abusive situation for Mrs. Wright. Mrs. Hale laments, "Oh, I wish I'd come over here once in a while! That was a crime! That was a crime! Who's going to punish that?" Mrs. Hale represents the microcosm of society that failed Mrs. Wright.

Mrs. Peters, the sheriff's wife, who was "married to the law," represents the macrocosm of society that also failed Mrs. Wright. What protection did the law provide for an abused wife? Suppose Mrs. Wright had taken the strangled bird to the police station and told the sheriff that she feared for her safety around Mr. Wright. Would he not have pooh-poohed her fears and considered the dead canary only a "trifle"? Even a hundred years after this play was written, it is difficult for women to find support when their husbands, who present a respectable public face, are abusing them in private. But today there are women's shelters and hotlines. In those days when women did not even have the right to vote, they were nearly powerless. Mrs. Peters, who is evidently moved by Mrs. Hale's expression of guilt, no doubt also shares a sense of responsibility for what Mrs. Wright had been driven to do. 

In addition to their desire to not enable an unjust legal system, the two women withhold evidence because of a sense of personal and societal culpability for the crime.

Determine the amount of money, to the nearest dollar, you must invest at 3% per year, compounded annually, so that you will be a millionaire in 30...

You need to use the formula for compound interest to evaluate the amount that should be deposited to produce one million after 30 years.

`A = P(1+i)^n`

P represents the amount that should be deposited and it is unknown.

`A = $ 1,000,000`

`n = 30` years

The rate of 3% per year is compounded annually, hence `i = 3/100 = 0.03` .

`P = A/((1+i)^n) => P = ($1,000,000)/((1+0.03)^30) => P~~$412575.294`

Hence, evaluating the present value of the investment, under the given conditions, yields `P~~$412575.294` .

What dramatic devices does Shakespeare use in Romeo and Juliet?

There are many examples of dramatic devices in Romeo and Juliet, but I will highlight the use of a prologue and catharsis, as well as foreshadowing, dramatic irony, and tragedy.

Romeo and Juliet famously utilizes a prologue that explains the events that will occur in the play. In this prologue, Shakespeare foreshadows the love and death in the play to create dramatic irony. Dramatic irony occurs because the audience knows things the characters do not. Romeo and Juliet jump impatiently into their relationship, but the audience knows the consequences of this love. This dramatic irony creates tension. Finally, the end of the play brings about catharsis. Catharsis is a Greek term that describes the emotional response that occurs towards the end of a dramatic structure. A catharsis usually elicits emotional responses like crying. The Friar announces the catharsis and also classifies the events as a tragedy: 

I will be brief, for my short date of breath / Is not so long as is a tedious tale. / Romeo, there dead, was husband to that Juliet; / And she, there dead, that Romeo's faithful wife./ I married them; and their stol'n marriage-day / Was Tybalt's doomsday, whose untimely death / Banish'd the new-made bridegroom from the city, / For whom, and not for Tybalt, Juliet pined" (V.iii.229-236).

In Anthem, what is the life expectancy?

In the novel, Anthem, the life expectancy for the citizens in this society is around 40, and when old, they are sent to the Home of the Useless to live out their pitiful lives.  This society oppresses its people so much that there is very little will to live. Equality sees this among his brothers who cry at night and are fearful.  There is no individuality and no way to express one’s feelings in this dystopian society.  The society also works its citizens to exhaustion.  Equality is a street sweeper, a job that restricts his intellectual abilities and keeps him equal to everyone else.  There is no happiness or joy, and the only things the citizens have to live for are their fellow brothers.  Imagine not being able to fall in love or question or learn.  Your life is scheduled out with work and nightly meetings, and the government makes all the decisions for you in your life.

Life in this society is cruel and repressive because of the lack of self-expression.  It is so oppressive that it breaks the spirits of its people at a young age, and the desire to live diminishes, and you are considered “useless” and sent away to die.

What are some of the symbols in "A Jury of Her Peers?"

Susan Glaspell uses several powerful symbols in her short story "A Jury of Her Peers." When the attorney washes his hands in the kitchen sink, he remarks on the dirty roller towel, but Mrs. Hale defends the housewife, noting how much work there is to do on a farm and blaming the dirt on "men's hands." The roller towel is a symbol of the drudgery of Mrs. Wright's life in the farmhouse: Her job is to clean up after her husband every day in a revolving fashion, just like the roller towel presents a fresh portion of towel that Mr. Wright would only come in and soil again. 

Similarly, the broken bird cage is a symbol of Mrs. Wright's imprisonment by her husband. The fact that the door of the cage appears to be violently broken suggests that the abuse she suffered included physical, not just emotional, abuse. 

The quilt squares symbolize Mrs. Wright's deteriorating emotional state. While most of the squares had neat and even stitching, one had messy and uneven sewing, indicating her distress, probably after Mr. Wright killed the canary. The multiple references to the knots of the quilt create a link to the noose that Mrs. Wright used to execute her husband. 

The quilt squares also represent "trifles," as do the jars of preserves. The men mock the women for being concerned about "trifles," but the patient, self-sacrificing love and care that housewives put into their work is not insignificant. Neither is the mental acuity that the women possess that allows them to solve the case when the pompous policeman and attorney cannot. 

Finally, the fact that all the jars of preserves except one were broken by freezing is a symbol that Mrs. Wright's life will be "preserved" by the friendship of the women who appreciate her as a beautiful and worthy woman who was abused by a cruel and domineering husband.

From which point of view is the story "The Tell-Tale Heart" told?

"The Tell-Tale Heart" is told from the first-person perspective of a madman who is the caretaker of an old man.  This narrator says that he suffers from a disease that has caused him to develop acute senses, but it is clear from his obsession with sounds that he is mad.  Thus, the narrator is unreliable, so the reader must sort through the facts in the story to figure out the truth.  From the narrator's point of view, the old man's eye for some reason has plagued him, and he thinks that he should kill the old man.  The narrator makes his plot seem reasonable; however, he offers no "justifiable" reason for his actions.  So, the point of view in the story is a first-person unreliable perspective, which creates an engaging dynamic for the reader to analyze.

Why is it important for Scrooge to experience each one of those Christmases?

Each Christmas that Scrooge experiences reveals something to him.  When Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past, he is shown the former joy and trials in his life.  Scrooge sees how he lost Belle because of his greed.  When he observes the scene of Belle and her husband discussing Scrooge's loneliness, he begs to see no more of the scene.  His past Christmases show Scrooge where his greed has brought him.

When Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Present, he sees how his greed and selfishness has impacted his present.  Scrooge gazes upon the poverty of the Cratchit family, and he hears Mrs. Cratchit's negative opinion of him.  He also sees his nephew's Christmas party.  He observes the pity and disdain his nephew and niece feel toward him.  Scrooge's Christmas present shows him that the people in his life have a poor opinion of him and that they are suffering.

Last, Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.  He sees that in his death, the only people who show emotion are those in debt to him.  He also finds out that Tiny Tim has died.  Scrooge at last realizes that he has a chance to change his life and become a more generous, caring person.

What dramatic techniques are used in Macbeth, Act 1, scene 5 under the theme of appearance and reality?

In this scene, Lady Macbeth delivers a soliloquy, a dramatic convention where a character speaks to him or herself while alone on stage; it gives the writer an opportunity to show us the character's true thoughts and feelings. This soliloquy takes place just after the messenger who brought news of Duncan's impending arrival leaves the stage. Lady Macbeth calls on spirits to

[...] unsex me here,
And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full
Of direst cruelty [....].
Come to my woman's breasts
And take my milk for gall [...].  (1.5.47-55)

She has requested to have any compassion or regret, any weak emotion associated with femaleness at this time, removed from her body and replaced with bitterness and anger and brutality, such as a man would have, so that she will be able to perform and not repent the murder of Duncan. Thus, to him, she will appear as a "fair and noble hostess" (1.6.30), but, inside, she will really be ruthless and cunning and vicious.

Then, when Macbeth arrives home, Lady Macbeth tells him, via a simile, that when Duncan arrives, he should "Look like th' innocent flower, / But be the serpent under 't" (1.5.76-78). In other words, he should appear to be the same loyal and kind kinsman that he has always been to Duncan, but this should be a deception to disguise his true, murderous motives.

Who are the pearl buyers in The Pearl?

The pearl buyers are dishonest merchants, intent on cheating those people who bring them pearls to sell. They are not independent buyers but in collaboration with a main merchant, who pays them a salary, rather than a profit from each sale. Before Kino brings the pearl to them for a price, they had already heard a rumor of his find. They agree among themselves, in collusion with their employer, what price they will offer for this magnificent pearl. They also agree that they will say that the pearl, as large as it is, is only good for a curiosity. They begin to find other flaws with the pearl. In the end, the price they offer is made to seem as if they were doing a favor by offering Kino the low price. Kino sees through the artifice, however, and decides to wait and go to the city to see what they will offer him. He thinks, though, that the pearl buyers may be right, and he may be out of a chance to sell the pearl.

If Mollie was a person, what would she be like?

Thank you for asking such a fun question!

As I'm sure you know, Animal Farm is a satire and all the characters and events were written to satirize the Russian Revolution that took place between 1917–1945. George Orwell wrote the novel in 1943-4 in London, so he was satirizing the political environment of what was to him contemporary Russia. The country's political problems obviously impacted the rest of the world, especially England. It might have been dangerous for Orwell to write a novel that directly criticized important political figures and events, so he wrote a 'fable' and used animals to represent the real people involved.

Mollie, as I'm sure you know, represents the Russian bourgeoisie, or aristocrats, who fled Russia shortly after the revolution.

If she were a person, she would be a young woman, rich and pampered. Because she had a lot of money, she would sympathize with the government even though they oppressed the peasants. Mollie the person would enjoy having expensive, fashionable clothing and delicious food that most people could not afford. The expensive clothes are represented by the ribbons in Mollie the horse's hair: "She had taken a piece of blue ribbon from Mrs. Jones's dressing-table, and was holding it against her shoulder and admiring herself in the glass in a very foolish manner" (Chapter 2), and the delicious food is represented by the sugar cubes Mollie the horse enjoys eating: "The very first question she asked Snowball was: 'Will there still be sugar after the Rebellion?'" (Chapter 2)

Mollie is a stupid animal in the book: "The stupidest questions of all were asked by Mollie, the white mare."(Chapter 2) If she were a human, she would be a bimbo with first-world problems. She would purposefully do poorly in school because she expects to be looked after for her whole life: "Mollie refused to learn any but the six letters which spelt her own name." (Chapter 3) If her parents cut her off from her bank accounts and told her to get a job, she would run away to live with her boyfriend:

"Three days later Mollie disappeared. For some weeks nothing was known of her whereabouts, then the pigeons reported that they had seen her on the other side of Willingdon. She was between the shafts of a smart dogcart painted red and black, which was standing outside a public-house. A fat red-faced man in check breeches and gaiters, who looked like a publican, was stroking her nose and feeding her with sugar. Her coat was newly clipped and she wore a scarlet ribbon round her forelock. She appeared to be enjoying herself, so the pigeons said. None of the animals ever mentioned Mollie again." (Chapter 5)

Of course, I'm talking about what Mollie the person would be like if she were alive today. You might want to think about the Russian bourgeoisie from the early 1900s to form your description of Mollie the person.

Make two arguments with examples that supports your position to the question: Should the filibuster be rule be changed to make it more difficult...

Here are two arguments in favor of keeping the filibuster rule as it is.  First, the Framers of the Constitution meant for the Senate to be able to obstruct the House of Representatives.  George Washington famously told Thomas Jefferson (at least this is how the story goes) that the Senate should be used to cool the House’s passions just as a saucer was used to cool tea that was too hot.  The Framers wanted the Senate to be much more deliberative and they wanted it to be harder to get bills through the Senate.  We should keep the filibuster as is because it helps to accomplish this. 

Second, the filibuster has been part of our political landscape for a long time.  Our system of government is not perfect, but it has helped our country become and remain very strong.  The government has been able to do this even though there has always been the possibility of filibusters in the Senate.  While we do have problems today, it is hard to say that they exist because of the rule on filibusters.  In short, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Here are two arguments in favor of changing the rules to make filibusters more difficult.  First, we can say that filibusters have become too easy.  In the past, Senators actually had to stand up and speak for as long as they wanted the filibuster to last.  Now, they do not have to this at all.  They can just inform the Senate leadership that they are going to filibuster and the leadership holds up action on the bill until agreement can be reached.  This means that Senators don’t actually have to work hard to filibuster.  We should change the rules so that filibustering is as difficult as it used to be.

Second, we can say that the filibuster has come to be overused in today’s hyperpartisan climate.  In the past, Senators would only filibuster on issues that were really important.  Now, (partly because filibusters are so easy) Senators filibuster on all sorts of issues.  This means that they can obstruct anything they like, not just bills that have to do with really major issues.  In our current political climate, the filibuster is being abused and overused.  Therefore, we should make it harder to filibuster.

Which of these arguments make more sense to you?

What is a good way to conclude an essay about Othello?

When it comes to writing an essay, the conclusion paragraph's function is to summarize and definitively prove your argument. To explain how to conclude an essay, it's important to understand how to begin and conduct the rest of the essay as well. 

Introduction Paragraph: Your introduction should capture the audience's attention with some sort of statement, question, or quotation relating to the major ideas addressed in your essay. This will guide their frame of reference as you introduce the text itself, and then introduce the argument you plan on making about the text. Be sure that your thesis statement is argumentative so that you can spend the rest of the essay proving it, not just summarizing the text. 

Supporting Paragraphs: Each supporting paragraph should have its own distinct topic that serves to prove your overall argument. That means that each paragraph could, in theory, be its own tiny essay about its own tiny argument, but in reality, combining them proves the large argument that your thesis claims is true. 

Concluding Paragraph: When writing a concluding paragraph, it is best to follow this basic structure. 

1. Restate your thesis. Do not repeat it, but rephrase it. Remind your reader what your initial claim was. 


2. Summarize the arguments you proved in your different body paragraphs. Try to stick to something like chronological order, and be sure that you show how each body paragraph's argument related to the others. 


3. End with a conclusive, resounding statement that leaves no doubt in your reader's mind that your claim is correct. This could be an idiom, a quotation, an observation, a rhetorical question, or any other statement that has the effect of rendering your argument final. 

What powers did the Declaration of Independence have in government?

The Declaration of Independence did not really have powers of government. It did not create a new government in the same way the Articles of Confederation or the United States Constitution did. What it did, however, was to declare the colonies separate from Great Britain. This paved the way for the formation of new state governments (indeed, this was one reason some of the revolutionaries thought it so urgent to declare independence in the first place). Until independence was declared, state governments could not be legitimately established, and most states were controlled by revolutionary committees. After the Declaration, each state held conventions that established state governments. So in this sense, the Declaration had the power to make it possible for governments to be established. Some have argued that the Declaration provided a sort of statement of principles for a new national government, but in reality, much of the Declaration's core principles had already been stated by the states in their instructions to the delegates to the Second Continental Congress. As Jefferson himself said, the document was intended to be more of an "expression of the American mind" than a charter for a new government.

How does Shakespeare present Juliet as being a strong woman in the play Romeo and Juliet?

Please see the links below that show different interpretations of Juliet. I tend to disagree with most of those readings. Of course, any analysis of a work of literature is totally subjective. It's instructive to note that Shakespeare was basing his play on a story that was already well known. He had no choices in how to plot the story, yet it could be said that he shows a young girl who changes and matures throughout the course of the drama.

Even though she is only 13 years old Juliet could be considered the strongest character in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. At the beginning we meet a young girl who is both polite and obedient. She is the dutiful daughter of parents who barely know her. She is basically raised by her Nurse who is the person she depends on the most until the Nurse betrays her in Act III. In fact, we lose faith in the Nurse because she advises Juliet to give up Romeo and marry Paris. The Nurse doesn't understand the strength of Juliet's love.

When she meets Romeo she is instantly in love and we know, through later events, that her love is genuine. Unlike Romeo, who seems to fall in love with any pretty girl he sees, Juliet is thoughtful about her love for the son of Montague. In the balcony scene she tells Romeo to wait and to take some time to consider the love the two obviously feel for each other. She says, in Act II, Scene 2,

Although I joy in thee,
I have no joy of this contract tonight.
It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden,
Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be
Ere one can say “It lightens.” Sweet, good night.
This bud of love, by summer’s ripening breath,
May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.

Romeo, of course, is not to be put off. He is impetuous and urges her to marry him right away. Not wanting to lose him, Juliet agrees. Some may say that she too is impetuous, but it could also be said that Juliet knows what she wants and doesn't want to risk losing it. For the first time in her life she makes a decision on her own despite knowing it would be against her parents' wishes. Unlike most women of her time, she thinks for herself. Her life is simply not a pawn to be manipulated by her father.

Later in the play when Juliet's father wants her to marry Count Paris, she stands up for herself and refuses. Even though she risks everything she weathers the wrath of her father and stays loyal to Romeo. Even when the Nurse advises her to give up her love she stands fast and seeks out counsel from Friar Lawrence.

The truest example of her strength is demonstrated in her willingness to go along with the Friar's plan. Not many young girls would trust in a plan that involved drinking a potion which would place them in a deathlike state. In the best soliloquy of the play Juliet describes her fears and shows her steely determination to again be reunited with Romeo. In Act IV, Scene 3, she says,

O, if I wake, shall I not be distraught,
Environèd with all these hideous fears,
And madly play with my forefathers’ joints,
And pluck the mangled Tybalt from his shroud,
And, in this rage, with some great kinsman’s bone,
As with a club, dash out my desp’rate brains?
O look, methinks I see my cousin’s ghost
Seeking out Romeo that did spit his body
Upon a rapier’s point! Stay, Tybalt, stay!
Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Here’s drink. I drink to
thee.

Finally, at the end Juliet again displays her determined love when she takes her own life in the wake of Romeo's poisoning. She goes from being a girl ruled by her father to a woman who can make her own decisions and go after what her heart tells her is right. 

What is osmosis? Can you give an example?

Osmosis is defined as the movement of solvent molecules through a semi-permeable membrane down a concentration gradient. The membrane is semi-permeable because it allows solvent molecules to pass through it but solute molecules (solids dissolved in the solvent) cannot pass through it. If you have two solutions of a solute in solvent (like salt or sugar dissolved in water) of differing concentrations on either side of the membrane, the water will naturally flow from the side where it is present in higher concentration to the side where it is present in lower concentration. In other words, osmosis will have the water flow in the direction through the membrane that will equalize the concentrations of the two different solutions over time. The natural osmotic flow of solvent from high to low concentration is called an osmotic gradient.

An example of osmosis is taking a tomato slice (or any vegetable) and immersing it in a saltwater solution. The tomato skin and pulp is the semi-permeable membrane that will allow water to pass through it. The saltwater solution surrounding the tomato will have a lower concentration of water than the relatively fresh water inside the tomato. As a result, the water will flow over time from the inside of the tomato to the saltwater solution to try to equalize the two. The removal of water from the tomato via the osmotic gradient will cause the tomato to lose mass and visibly shrivel up.

What were the Bolsheviks responsible for?

The Bolsheviks were responsible for establishing a communist regime in Russia. There were two revolutions in Russia in 1917.  Both were in response to the growing dissatisfaction with Russia's role and performance in World War I as well as food and fuel shortages.  The first revolution in February and March resulted in the installation of a Provisional Government that was democratic in nature.  This government could not handle the economic and military challenges of the day and was replaced by the Bolsheviks in a bloodless revolution in late October.  The Bolsheviks were led by Vladimir Lenin and believed in Marxism. They organized the workers and hoped to have a society in which the workers managed the economy as a whole.  The Bolsheviks would go on to win a five-year civil war with the White Army (those that supported the Provisional Government) and other factions within Russia.  This civil war was not bloodless like the November Revolution was.  The Bolsheviks evolved into the Communist Party of Russia.

In what way is Snowball corrupt?

The only way Snowball can be deemed corrupt is to mention that he, as much as the other pigs, enjoyed the benefits that they, as leaders, unfairly and undemocratically, allocated to themselves, excluding all the others. A good example of this is when the pigs claimed the milk and windfall apples for themselves, supposedly because it was 'brain food' and enabled them to perform their tasks well enough so that Jones would not return. This was the propaganda spread by Squealer and which the other animals accepted without question.

If Snowball had been a committed believer in the principles of equality, he would have opposed the reservation of these for the pigs' exclusive use. He, instead, said nothing about it and partook of these benefits just as much as the other pigs did. It is obvious, however, that in a general sense, Snowball had the well-being of all the animals at heart and consistently worked at improving conditions for them. He established numerous committees and worked extremely hard at educating all and sundry.

Snowball also introduced a number of innovative ideas in an attempt to make life easier. His outstanding achievement was the design and planning of a windmill which would provide electricity and ease the lives of the animals tremendously. Sadly, though, Napoleon opposed all these ideas and even went as far as urinating on Snowball's plans. On the day Snowball presented his ideas, the sly Napoleon called upon his guard dogs and they chased Snowball off the farm - never to be seen again.

Subsequently, Snowball was used as a scapegoat for everything that went wrong on the farm. Through misinformation and propaganda spread by Squealer and Napoleon, Snowball was thoroughly demonized and was eventually seen as a threat to the safety and security of the farm. Napoleon used his name as a scare tactic and also to execute those who had supposedly been secretly plotting the overthrow of the farm with him.

In the end, therefore, everything about Snowball's good deeds came to nothing for his name was blackened and he was seen as a pernicious villain. Napoleon could then exercise his will on all the animals and, since he was unopposed, became a tyrant.  

What are some quotes from Chapter 11 that show how Daniel helps Leah with chores?

In Chapter 11, Daniel and Leah move into Simon's old house. Simon had allowed Daniel to stay at his workshop, which was attached to his home, because Simon was too busy traveling with Jesus to maintain his business. Daniel has a difficult time getting Leah to move but successfully convinces her to travel by providing her with a "litter" that drives her to the new house. Leah is hesitant at first to begin helping with chores around the house and Daniel is forced to take on the tasks that were typically left to women. Speare writes,

"Very early in the morning, before the women and girls were likely to be about, he carried the water jars to the well" (Speare 126).

Daniel wakes up early to gather water before the women arrive because he does not want people witnessing him doing a woman's job. Speare also writes,

"This was not a man's job, nor was the sweeping or the cooking or the washing of clothes" (Speare 126).

Daniel understands that these important tasks need to get done, and he has no choice but to complete them himself because there was "no women to wait on them." As the chapter progresses, Leah becomes alive and comfortable in their new home. She even begins to help Daniel garden and takes over the task of pulling weeds.

Source 7 contradicts the common understanding of how the Holocaust happened. To what extent were Hitler and the Nazis responsible for the Holocaust?

If we are supposed to use this secondary source to shape our answer to this question, we should look at the last paragraph in the source.  This gives us a good, neat answer.  Hitler and the Nazis were responsible for the Holocaust in that it would never have happened without them.  However, they were not fully responsible for it because (according to Goldhagen, at least) many Germans were terribly anti-Semitic and were therefore happy to help Hitler and the Nazis to achieve their evil goals.

At least according to this secondary source, the usual explanation for the Holocaust is that the Nazis were the only ones responsible.  Most Germans did not really know what was happening and those who did know were forced to accept it and even to help carry out the Holocaust.  This source contradicts this idea.  It tells us that Germans from all social strata participated in the Holocaust and that they did so willingly.  They knew that they did not have to kill Jews and yet they did so anyway because they hated the Jews.

Assuming that this is true, we can then say (as Goldhagen does in the last paragraph) that the Nazis are still mostly responsible for the Holocaust.  The German people might have been willing to help kill Jews, but there was no sign that they would have actually done so if Hitler had not come along.  Hitler and the Nazis, then, are responsible for the Holocaust because it was their idea.  They preached that it was necessary.  They created the organization that made it happen.  They encouraged people (even if they did not, according to Goldhagen, force them) to participate.  Without them, the Holocaust would never have happened.

Simplify: (2+log(x^2y^2))/log(10xy) The result should be 2. Not sure how to get it though.

We are asked to simplify `(2+logx^2y^2)/(log10xy)`

We will use the following properties of logarithms:

`(1) logAB=logA+logB`

`(2) log(A/B)=logA-logB`

`(3) logA^n=n logA`

`(2+logx^2y^2)/(log10xy) `

`=(2+logx^2+logy^2)/(log10+logx+logy) `

`=(2+2logx+2logy)/(1+logx+logy) `

`=(2(1+logx+logy))/(1+logx+logy) `

`=2 `

We used log10=1 since the base of the common logarithm is 10.

What was the name of the book Plato wrote to outline his ideal government and what was that ideal system of government?

Plato most directly addresses the ideal government in his most famous work, Republic. In this book, framed, like all of Plato's works, as a series of dialogues between Socrates and others, Socrates establishes that the establishment of justice ought to be the goal of any society, and that justice was the only proper foundation of good government. The problem was that only philosophers could really understand the nature of true justice. So the best government would be run by philosopher-kings, people who would have, based on their understanding of justice, the best interests of all the people at heart. He does not advocate a dictatorship, basically believing that enlightened philosophers would not attempt to establish one. But it is important to note that he did not approve of democracy, either. Plato's ideal republic would guarantee justice and freedom, but it would do so by placing government in the hands of those capable of understanding these things--a highly educated elite steeped in philosophical understanding. 

How did the trial affect Jem's relationship with Atticus?

Following the trial, Jem loses his childhood innocence and becomes jaded about the community members of Maycomb. Atticus becomes aware that his son is gaining perspective on the community and world around him, and is becoming a morally upright young man. Atticus becomes closer with his son by speaking to him about complex issues and trusting him with more responsibility.

In Chapter 23, Bob Ewell spits in Atticus' face, and the children begin to worry. Atticus notices that the children are acting strange and moping around. Jem tells Atticus that he is worried about Bob Ewell, but Atticus tells him that Bob Ewell got all the anger out of his system when Bob cussed him out at the post office. Atticus then has a conversation with his son over whether Tom deserved to be charged with a capital offense. Jem says they should do away with juries, and Atticus says that it is just an ugly fact of life when white people hold prejudiced views towards black people. Atticus goes on to explain why upright Maycomb citizens don't sit on juries and tells Jem that one of the Cunninghams was calling for an acquittal during the deliberations.

Atticus' conversations are becoming more in-depth and revealing with his son. Atticus can tell that Jem is maturing, and he feels comfortable discussing difficult topics with him. Atticus even lets Jem ride with him when he goes to give Helen Robinson the news that Tom is dead. Atticus trusts his son and allows Jem to walk Scout to Maycomb's Haloween festival. Jem is growing into the man Atticus wants him to be, and their father-son bond is becoming stronger. Atticus is gradually introducing Jem into the world of adults and is giving him more responsibility.

`A = 58^@, a = 11.4, b = 12.8` Use the law of sines to solve (if possible) the triangle. If two solutions exist, find both. Round your...

Given: `A=58^@, a=11.4, b=12.8`

Law of Sines  `a/sin(A)=b/sin(B)=c/sin(C)`

Triangle #1

`11.4/sin(58)=12.8/sin(B)=c/sin(C)`

`11.4/sin(58)=12.8/sin(B)`

`sin(B)=[12.8sin(58)]/11.4`

`sin(B)=.9522`

`B=arcsin(.9522)`

`B=72.21^@`

`C=180-58-72.21`

`C=49.79^@`

`11.4/sin(58)=c/sin(49.79)`

`c=[11.4sin(49.79)]/sin(58)`

`c=10.27`

Triangle #2

`B=180-72.20`

`B=107.80^@`

`C=180-58-107.80`

`C=14.20^@`

`11.4/sin(58)=c/sin(14.20)`

`c=[11.4sin(14.20)]/sin(58)`

`c=3.30`

What are two character traits for Claudius in Hamlet?

Two salient character traits of King Claudius are his qualities of being manipulative and corrupt.

• Manipulative

Whereas his brother King Hamlet was a valiant warrior and just man, Claudius's designs are all suited to his desires. With the tool of his glib and manipulative words, Claudius holds power over others. His skillful use of language is demonstrated in Act I as he speaks to Hamlet. While his apparent intention is to console Hamlet, he really desires to manipulate him as well as his sister-in-law Gertrude, who has now become his wife and queen. 
Very glibly, Claudius compliments, then lightly scolds Hamlet for grieving so long, telling him it is spiritually wrong, 

'Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet
To give these mourning duties to your father,
But you must know your father lost a father....
                                      ....But to persevere
In obstinate condolement is a course
Of impious stubbornness. 'Tis unmanly grief
It shows a will most incorrect to heaven. (1.2.87-95)

Further, Claudius urges Hamlet to think of him as his father now; he also plays to Gertrude and asks Hamlet to remain and not return to school in Wittenberg so that he can give "cheer and comfort" to his mother. Obviously, Claudius wants to impress Gertrude with his caring nature as he tries to keep her son near her to comfort her; however, his real intent in keeping Hamlet in Denmark is a sinister one. 

Certainly, Claudius manipulates Laertes into dueling with Hamlet. In speaking more briefly to Laertes than he does to Hamlet, Claudius prevents Laertes from having time to consider his words, and therefore, to become more reactive. This shorter speech is less obscure than the longer one, and its directness calls for action on the part of Laertes, who responds accordingly, especially when Claudius alludes to inaction as a failure to demonstrate love for his father, thus challenging his filial love and honor.

Not that I think you did not love your father,
But that I know love is begun by time,
And that I see in passages of proof (4.7.108-110). 

From the onset it is apparent that Claudius epitomizes what "is rotten in Denmark." When the ghost of his father talks to Hamlet, for example, he refers to Claudius as "that incestuous, that adulterate beast" (1.5.42). Claudius has committed fratricide and has married his brother's wife in a seemingly incestuous arrangement. Certainly, too, Claudius and his corrupt court delight in carnal pleasures:

The king doth wake tonight and takes his rouse, 
Keeps wassail, and the swaggering up-spring reels;
And as he drains his draughts of Renish down, 
The kettle-drum and trumpet thus bray out 
The triumph of his pledge (1.4.8-12)

Claudius exploits everyone and acts unscrupulously. He manipulates Polonius into having Ophelia talk with Hamlet while having Hamlet's old friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern spy on Hamlet. In addition, he cleverly motivates Laertes to kill Hamlet.
In Act V, he does not even tell Gertrude that the cup from which she drinks contains poison, lest blame fall upon him, merely urging her not to drink when she picks it up: "Gertrude, do not drink" (5.2.267). Later, in his declaration of revenge for his mother, before he forces Claudius to drink the poison, Hamlet reiterates the words of his father's ghost,

Here, thou incestuous, murd'rous, damned Dane,
Drink off this potion. Is thy union here?
Follow my mother. (5.2.304-306)

Manipulative and corrupt, King Claudius becomes a victim of his own evil as he swallows his poison. 
 

What are some examples of national protests?

Recent examples in the United States of national protests would be the current Black Lives Matter protests of police brutality, the Occupy Wall Street protests of economic inequality, and the Antiwar protests against military intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan. Although it could also be argued that these are also examples of international protests, they all, most certainly, had domestic roots in the United States.

Black Lives Matter began in 2013 as a social media response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman for shooting an unarmed black (male) teen to death. By 2014 demonstrations began in New York and Ferguson -- as a continued response to the criminal justice system that structurally perpetuates racism - and further spread, by the summer of 2015, to cities across the country, including Chicago, Cleveland, Madison, San Francisco/Oakland, Newark, Cincinnati, Austin, Baltimore, Sacramento, Minneapolis, and many more. 

Occupy Wall Street, although seemingly local with a slogan that references its origins in New York, the protests targeted at the concentration of financiers and bankers particular to Wall Street in late 2011 - soon spread across 600 separate sites in the US alone. Unsurprisingly emerging on the heals of the 2008 recession and the bail out of the big banks, students and the working class alike mobilized together in the name of the 99% - as a juxtaposition to the increasing concentration of wealth in the hands of the top 1%. Antiwar protests against the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and Afghanistan in 2001 have mobilized in cities that include New York, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Austin, Colorado Springs, Seattle, Philadelphia, Chicago, and others. Although these protests peaked in 2003 and consisted of 36 million protests worldwide (at its largest), demonstrations of fluctuating size have also continued into the present. Interestingly, these contemporary antiwar protests are also reminiscent of what is still considered the largest national (political) demonstration in the US, the Anti-Vietnam War protests of 1969. 

Find the percent by mass of lithium and oxygen in lithium oxide, Li2O.

To find the percent by mass of lithium and oxygen in Li2O you need to know the molar mass of both elements:

Li = 6.94 g/mole

O = 16.00 g/mole

The mass of one mole of Li2O is the sum of the mass of two moles of lithium atoms plus one mole of oxygen atoms:

2(6.94 g/mole + 16.00g/mole =

13.88 + 16.00 = 29.88 g/ mole

The percent of each element is its mass divided by the total:

O = 16.00/29.88 = 0.5355 = 53.55 %

Li = 13.88/29.88 = .04645 = 46.45%

Since Lithium appears twice in the formula it's mass is multiplied by 2 then divided by the mass of the formula.

Why is fiction more powerful than statistics (especially in regards to The Devil's Arithmetic)?

Please realize that this is an opinion question with no “right” answer; however, in my opinion fiction is more powerful than statistics because moving stories mean more to people than simple numbers.  This is especially true in The Devil’s Arithmetic in that the transformation of Hannah is moving indeed.  Hannah changes from a child who is annoyed by her faith to a young adult who appreciates many aspects of her Jewish heritage.  Further, the sacrifices of characters such as the “real” Chaya are meant to tear at a reader’s heart.  Chaya, of course, sacrifices herself in order to save Rivka from death in the gas chamber.  As a result of this fictional story, bravery such as Chaya’s will never be forgotten.  Compare this moving historical fiction with a simple list of numbers.  More than five million Jews were killed in the Holocaust.  That number can be delineated further by country, by sex, and by age.  However, numbers rarely move a reader to tears.  The story of Chaya from The Devil's Arithmetic, however, is much more powerful.  These powerful stories are what remind us of the Holocaust horrors so that we can prevent them from happening again.

In "Mending Wall," what is the effect of the wall between the speaker and the neighbor?

As the narrator and his neighbor undertake their annual ritual of wall repair, the narrator shares his belief that the wall acts as a barrier between him and his neighbor. He uses the poem to poke gentle fun at his neighbor, who believes that "Good fences make good neighbors"(line 27). 

The narrator says in the very first line that the wall is an unnatural barrier,"Something there is that doesn't love a wall."(line 1). And the ritual just creates a foolish game,

Oh, just another kind of outdoor game,
One on a side. It comes to little more: (lines 21-22)

Since the narrator has apple trees and the neighbor has a pine wood, there is no risk that the apple trees will disturb the pine woods in any way, and thus the wall is pointless.  If there were cattle, for example, that strayed onto the other's land or if there were some sort of boundary dispute, the wall might make some sense, but there is no reason at all that the wall matters, but for the neighbor's saying that it does.

Thus while the narrator and the neighbor are engaged in the activity of mending this wall, the wall does not promote any mending between the neighbors. It serves only to divide them and to give the narrator a good reason to vent! 

Identify one quality of Jerry's that helps him reach his goal?

Jerry is persistent, and this quality certainly helps him to achieve his goal of swimming, like the older boys did, through the tunnel in the rock.

He is persistent when he approaches his mother for goggles.  "He must have them this minute, and no other time.  He nagged and pestered until she went with him to a shop."  Jerry feels that he cannot lose any time in working to reach his goal, and so he hounds his mother until she acquiesces to his "need" for goggles.

Jerry further displays his persistence as he commits to practicing holding his breath and doesn't rush his progress.  He thought that he might be able to make it through the tunnel after a few days of practice, but "A curious, most unchildlike persistence, a controlled impatience made him wait."  He determines to keep practicing and getting better so that he can be assured of success.

Finally, it is probably partly Jerry's persistence that helps him to survive the ordeal in the tunnel.  He doesn't give up, although many others might; he keeps fighting to make it out, even though he is losing consciousness.

Why is Mark jealous of Cathy in That Was Then, This Is Now?

Mark is jealous of Cathy because his best friend, Bryon, spends most of his time with her. Before Bryon fell in love with Cathy, he and Mark were inseparable. Mark and Bryon spent most of their time together at Charlie's bar hustling people who played pool. After Bryon falls in love with Cathy, the two boys stop hanging out and their lives begin to move in different directions. Cathy has a positive influence on Bryon, and he begins to mature into a thoughtful young man. Bryon also realizes that Mark has no concept of right and wrong. Bryon and Cathy's relationship negatively affects Mark and Bryon's friendship and widens the gap between the two characters. Bryon's decision to remain close with Cathy makes Mark jealous, and Cathy and Mark essentially fight over Bryon's time and affection. In the end, Bryon calls the authorities on Mark after he discovers that Mark has been selling pills.

In Finuala Dowling's poem "To the Doctor Who Treated the Raped Baby and Who Felt Such Despair," the word 'and' is repeated on many lines. What is...

Finuala Dowling utilizes the repetition of the word 'and' at the beginning of many lines in her poem "To the Doctor Who Treated the Raped Baby and Who Felt Such Despair." The name for overusing a conjunction like 'and' is polysyndeton, and the effect is to increase the pace of the poem and to create emphasis.  Beginning lines with the same word multiple times is known as anaphora and is also used for emphasis and juxtaposing ideas.

As we examine the poem, we see that this particular repetition is used to juxtapose the horrific injuries the doctor must attempt to correct with a more tranquil episode the speaker claims is occurring elsewhere.  

This technique is effective for two reasons.  First, the increased pace mimics the movements of the operating room team as they race to save the baby. The reader feels the intensity as he, himself, does not experience pauses in the reading.  Second, the reader sees the connections between the two ideas the word 'and' links.  The first is a the soul-crushing plight of the doctor, as in "and when the bleeding baby was admitted to your care," while the next is a reassurance that the whole world is not vile, as in "faraway a Karoo shepherd crooned a ramkietjie lullaby in the veld."

With each action the doctor takes, he realizes the despicable nature of the world.  The word 'and' links his experience with another example pointing to a positive side of humanity.

What do the stars and the stripes on the U.S. flag stand for?

The 50 stars on the American flag represent the 50 states that compose the United States. The 13 stripes (alternating red and white) represent the original 13 American Colonies that declared their independence from Britain—staring the War for American Independence (also called the Revolutionary War or the American Revolution).

The flag we know today is not the same as the flag that flew during the Revolution. The American flag’s appearance has been shaped by three flag acts and the additions of each new state to our Union.

Congress passed the first flag act in 1777 while America was still fighting for its independence from Britain. This flag act established the major features of flag—13 stripes, alternating red and white, and 13 white stars on a blue background. The stars and stripes each symbolized the original 13 colonies-- New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

However, a problem arose as the country grew and added more states. How should the flag be altered to reflect the changing nation? The Flag Act of 1792 mandated that a stripe and star be added for every new state admitted to the union. However, as more and more states were added, people realized the flag would began to look a little crowded.

Therefore, the Flag Act of 1818 returned to the original design of 13 red-and-white stripes—still symbolizing the 13 colonies—but retained the idea of using a star to represent each state.

The flag went through its last changes in 1959 when Alaska and then Hawaii became states. There were now 50 stars and 13 stripes on the flag.

What is Beryl's fake last name in The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle?

In Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles, Mr. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson find themselves investigating a death and possible ancestral curse in the moors of Devonshire. Holmes asks Watson to stay at Baskerville Hall in Devonshire to send regular reports while he returns to London to conduct research. During his stay, Watson meets two people who introduce themselves as brother and sister—Jack and Beryl Stapleton. As it turns out, Jack Stapleton is the estranged cousin of Sir Henry Baskerville, and Stapleton is a false last name. Beryl married him and took this false last name, making Stapleton her fake last name as well. Beryl was originally from South America and of the surname Garcia. Though if Miss Garcia fully believed she was marrying Jack Stapleton—not Jack Baskerville—doesn't that make her a Stapleton just the same?

Who were the narrator's tormentors?

Edgar Allan Poe's short horror story "The Pit and the Pendulum" begins with the narrator being sentenced to death. In the first paragraph, we only know that the ones who pass sentence on him have "inquisitorial voices" and are "black-robed judges." Poe deliberately creates an aura of mystery regarding why the narrator is being tried, who is trying him, and what his offense is. In paragraph five, the narrator has come to his senses enough to begin reflecting upon his state. He mentions again the "inquisitorial proceedings" and then refers to the "autos-da-fe" and Toledo, a city in Spain. From this we can determine that the narrator is a prisoner of the Spanish Inquisition, but not until paragraph 12 is the word "Inquisition" actually used. When the narrator refers to his captors, he calls them "inquisitorial judges" or "inquisitorial agents."

The Spanish Inquisition was a judicial institution established by the Pope to prosecute heresy; it functioned from 1478 to 1834. Its chief function was to verify the faith of Jews and Muslims who converted to Catholicism, but it wielded great power and could have dealt with anyone who the Church deemed as an enemy. For example, the Archbishop of Toledo was arrested in 1559 by the Inquisition and accused of Lutheranism; he was imprisoned for 17 years. Perhaps this is why Poe set his story in Toledo. As mentioned in the story, the condemned were usually executed at an auto-da-fe, a public pageant attended by large crowds and often royalty, which often featured burning of heretics at the stake. The head of the Inquisition was the grand inquisitor; he had five assistants as well as consultors; these would be the "black-robed judges" described in the first paragraph. There is no record of the Spanish Inquisition employing the methods of torture Poe describes in this story. Although Poe has General Lasalle rescuing the prisoner, Lasalle was never in Toledo. However, the appearance of General Lasalle helps us date the story to 1808. 

Poe uses members of the Spanish Inquisition as the tormentors of his protagonist, but by downplaying religious themes and leaving the specific nature of the narrator's crimes unnamed, he is able to focus more on the psychological and physical responses of his main character and less on the identities and motivations of his captors. 

In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, what are some examples of Atticus Finch being anti-prejudice?

There are several examples of Atticus Finch displaying his anti-prejudiced beliefs throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. In Chapter 11, Scout asks her father what a "nigger-lover" is. Atticus tells his daughter that it is a derogatory term that really has no meaning. He says that trashy people use it when they think somebody is favoring Negroes over them. Scout then asks her father if he is a nigger-lover. Atticus says,

"I certainly am. I do my best to love everybody...I'm hard put, sometimes—baby, it's never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it doesn't hurt you. So don't let Mrs. Dubose get you down. She has enough troubles of her own" (Lee 145).

Atticus is explaining to Scout that being prejudiced and using racial slurs says more about the person using the term than it does about the person it is directed towards. He tells his daughter that a person using those derogatory remarks is "poor," which portrays his anti-prejudiced feelings.

In Chapter 23, Atticus is having a discussion with his son about why the prejudiced jury convicted an innocent man. Atticus tells his son that racism is an ugly fact of life and that the one place where a man should get a square deal is the courtroom. Atticus says,

"As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don't you forget it—whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash" (Lee 295).

Atticus' comments depict his anti-prejudiced feelings. He believes that a man is trash if he treats a black person unfairly, regardless of the man's background and social status.

How do you find the genotype of an individual on a pedigree?

Using a pedigree to determine the genotype of an individual for a particular trait, based on the individual’s family history can be done via the following steps. Please note that these steps are for basic genetics. They are not for sex-link, polygenetic traits, autosomal disorders, or codominant traits.

1. Determine if the trait of interest is dominant or recessive.

2. If the trait of interest is dominant, then individuals on the pedigree that have trait will have their shapes shaded. However, if the trait is recessive, then individuals with the trait will have shapes that are unshaded. Some pedigrees use half-shaded shapes to represent carriers of a trait.

3. The genotype of recessive individuals will be represented by to lower case alleles. The lowercase letter that is used is usually the first letter of the dominant allele that is being represented.

4. If a pedigree does not use half-shaded shapes to represent carriers of a trait, then it can be assumed that all individuals with the dominate phenotype have at least one dominant allele. Dominant alleles are indicated by a capital letter. The capital letter used is often the first letter of the dominant trait that is being represented.

         (a) To determine the second allele of an individual on a pedigree that has the dominant phenotype of a trait that is on a pedigree that does not use half-shaded shapes to represent carriers, the genotypes of the parents or offspring of that individual must be examined.

                I. If one parent is homozygous recessive, then it can be determined that the individual has a heterozygous genotype. A heterozygous genotype has one dominant and one recessive allele.

                II. If both parents are homozygous dominant, then the individual will also have a homozygous dominant genotype and contain two dominant alleles for the trait.

5. If the offspring of the two parents has a recessive trait, but the parents do not, then it can be assumed that the parents each have a heterozygous genotype for the trait. A heterozygous genotype has one dominant and one recessive allele.  

I need to write a compelling and arguable thesis on the importance of The Odyssey in our modern era. I already wrote a thesis saying that it was...

Let me start by saying that your teacher is right, because of specific prompt you were asked to respond to. Besides what your teacher said about being able to take lessons about pride from many books, there's also nothing specific to the modern world or era about it. Therefore, to develop your thesis, you want to focus on the modern end of the challenge.

What is there about the modern era that fits with The Odyssey? I would say it is in the way Odysseus has to reason and trick his way through his challenges, and, especially, in how he has to adapt. This isn't a straightforward story: this is a story in which the hero changes identity and disguises himself.

Consider some of the following as you develop a thesis:

The modern world is defined by questions of identity. People self-identify according to different categories of race, gender, and sexuality. Online, they pass on other people's words as their own, and post messages under screen names. In such a world, the best, most appropriate kind of hero is one who is comfortable with change and skilled at changing. Through his travels and tests, Odysseus displays a creative ability to adapt that makes him the perfect hero for the modern age.

How do Scout and Jem show respect to Boo Radley in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird?

Jem and Scout don't start out being very respectful to Boo Radley, because from what the rumors say, he's described to be more like the neighborhood boogieman than a person. Jem tries to get information from Atticus about the Radleys, but the response he gets is as follows:

"Atticus's only answer was for him to mind his own business and let the Radleys mind theirs" (11).

Jem can't leave the Radleys alone because Dill keeps provoking him to get Boo to come outside. Once Jem loses his pants during an escapade at night, though, and Boo mends and folds them for him, Jem gains a more human perspective of Boo and starts to show more respect. Scout gains more respect for Boo after they discover that he gave her a blanket during the night of Miss Maudie's house fire, too (71).

Through these personal experiences with Boo, the kids learn he is a person and should be treated with respect. So as Atticus advised them, they show that respect by not playing out the Radley family drama in their front yard,  not daring each other to run up and touch the house, and not trying to get Boo to come outside.  

Further, in chapter 7, they start to receive gifts in the Radley tree's knothole. They don't suspect Boo right away, but they show respect by accepting the gifts once they realize they are placed there for them. Jem and Scout also want to write him a thank you letter and leave it in the tree, but Mr. Nathan Radley fills up the hole with cement before they can do it. Had they been able to send the note, that would have been showing respect, too.

In the end, Boo actually saves Jem and Scout's lives when they are attacked by Bob Ewell. Scout eventually recognizes who he is and she shows great respect and hospitality in the following way:

"People have a habit of doing everyday things even under the oddest conditions. I was no exception: 'Come along, Mr. Arthur,' I heard myself saying, 'you don't know the house real well. I'll just take you to the porch, sir.'

He looked down at me and nodded.

I led him through the hall and past the living room" (272).

The final and most respectful thing that the kids can do is to keep it a secret that Boo Radley saved them from Bob Ewell. Sheriff Tate convinces Atticus to keep Boo's privacy in tact by not making him a spectacle for the community to talk about. Atticus struggles with the decision, but he is supported in it when Scout reminds him that it would be like shooting a mockingbird if they brought attention to a man who lives a very private life. Giving Boo Radley the privacy he needs and deserves is therefore the best demonstration of respect.

Why did people in the past try so hard to be like everyone else?

The American culture of the 1950's has been labeled as an era of conformity by historians. Conformity is the word for the idea that you have proposed in your question. Since the Fifties was an era of conformity, it should come as no surprise that psychologists wanted to study the phenomenon. In 1955, Morton Deutch and Harold Gerard published the results of a study on why people conform. They identified two classifications for understanding why people follow the group. First is what they called normative conformity. What this means is that people have a desire to fit into the groups and are naturally fearful of being rejected. In this situation, the individual may, in fact, disagree with the thoughts of the group but will not demonstrate this publicly.

The other reason that people follow the lead of the group is what they referred to as informational conformity. In this scenario, a person may be ignorant or uninformed and looks to the group to find the norm. In other words, the individual does not know any better so they are likely to follow the lead of others. The person that follows the group in this case is more likely to adopt and internalize the ideas of the group.

In his opening paragraph of his letter, King says that he rarely pauses to answer criticisms, but he is replying to the clergymen because what?

In the opening paragraph of Martin Luther King’s speech “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” King states that he rarely replies to criticisms because if he were to answer every criticism, it would leave him little time to carry out his mission of trying to obtain equality and justice for African Americans. He writes, “Since I feel that you are men of genuine goodwill and your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I would like to answer your statement in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms.” Because King is himself a member of the clergy, he relies heavily on morality, ethics and common Christian doctrine to argue that he and the Southern Christian Leadership’s presence in Birmingham, Alabama was both wise and timely. King addresses the main criticism that he and his group are “outside agitators”. He writes:

I am in Birmingham because injustice is here. Just as the eighth century prophets left their little villages and carried their "thus saith the Lord" far beyond the boundaries of their home towns; and just as the Apostle Paul left his little village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to practically every hamlet and city of the Graeco-Roman world, I too am compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my particular home town. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid (King).

By comparing the injustices faced by African Americans in the south to the apostles who carried Christianity to the world, King is able to illustrate the necessity of his presence in Alabama. His presence he states, “answers the call” of the people in Birmingham.

King also responds to the clergy’s criticism that King’s presence in Birmingham was unwise. He states, “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly, I have never yet engaged in a direct action movement that was "well timed," according to the timetable of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation.” King argues that the urgency of injustice makes his presence both timely and wise. Because King believes that the clergy encompasses some of the same morals and values as he does, he answers their criticism of his being in Birmingham.