What is the juxtaposition in "A Noiseless, Patient Spider"? Is there any satire on human race to overcome the truth?

Juxtaposition occurs when an author places two characters or events or narrative moments close to one another for the purpose of drawing a contrast between them.  Therefore, in this poem, a spider and a human soul are juxtaposed in order to emphasize their differences. 

In the first stanza, the speaker describes a single spider, noting how it stands alone, and draws attention to the way it spins its web, shooting out one silken thread after another.  In the second stanza, the speaker now addresses his own soul, noting that it, too, is surrounded by a vast open space, alone and isolated.  He says that his soul explores, wonders, attempts, to connect with its environment just as the spider does.  And, just like the spider, his soul will continue to shoot out its own "gossamer thread" until it successfully attaches itself to something via this connection. 

Thus, in the end, there is not much difference at all between a spider and the human soul, and the juxtaposition really draws our attention to their similarity.  Although this poem does not present a satire of humanity -- there does not seem to be any way in which Whitman is attempting to point out our flaws in an effort to force us to change -- it does employ verbal irony through its use of unexpected language.  We would not expect a comparison of our soul to a spider; it is a fairly atypical pairing.  Because it is so unexpected, it does succeed in attracting our attention.

If you began with 9.23 moles of hydrochloric acid and excess amounts of aluminum, how many grams of aluminum chloride would be formed?

This is a stoichometry problem, in which you use the relationship between reactants and/or products in a chemical equation to calculate the quantity of one substance base on the quantity of any other substance in the reaction. These relationships are given by the coefficients in the balanced equation, so it's necessary to begin by writing and balancing the equation. The equation for this reaction is:

`2 Al + 6 HCl -gt 2 AlCl_3 + 3 H_2`

The mole ratio of AlCl3 to HCl is 2:6, so the moles of AlCl3 formed is:

9.23 moles HCl x (2 AlCl3)/(6 HCl) =  3.08 moles AlCl3

Multiplying moles of AlCl3 by its molar mass gives grams:

3.08 moles AlCl3 x 133 grams/1 mole = 410. grams AlCl3

You can solve problems like this more quickly be multiplying the given quantity by a series of conversion factors, without having to calculate the intermediate step(s):

9.23 moles HCl x (2 AlCl3)/(6 HCl) x 133g/1mol = 410. grams AlCl3

A geostationary satellite is positioned 35,800 km above earths surface. It takes 24 h to complete one orbit. The radius of the earth is approx....

Hello!

We may suppose that the orbit is a circumference, Earth is a ball (sphere) and the speed of a satellite is constant.

The radius `R` of the orbit is the Earth's radius plus the given height, 6400+35800=42200 (km). The length of the orbit is `2 pi R approx265150` km.

The distance travelled in one hour is 1/24 of the entire orbit's length (it is given that it takes 24 h to complete one orbit, "geostationary" also means that). It is

`(2 pi R)/24=(pi R)/12 approx11048` km. This is the answer.

In Coraline, why do they replace eyes with buttons?

The buttons over eyes represents the Other Mother's unlimited control.

Eyes are very significant in Coraline. When Coraline sees a person's eyes, she is in the real world. For example, her real mother and father both have eyes. However, in the other world, eyes are replaced with buttons. Other Mother has buttons for eyes, as do the ghost children. The symbolism behind buttons for eyes is quite clear: "They were looking at her with their black button eyes. Or at least she thought they were looking at her. She couldn't be sure."

Buttons are a way to limit the humanity of another person. We speak with our eyes. They are a form of communication. Coraline's Other Mother replaces people's eyes with buttons as a way to silence their voices. Buttons are her means of limiting people's expressions in her world.

Coraline recoils at the thought of exchanging her eyes for buttons. Put another way, Coraline does not want to lose her unique individuality. When faced with the prospect of having buttons for eyes, Coraline rejects such a sacrifice. This repudiation is one of the first moments where she understands the importance of going home. Coraline clearly grasps that she is not going to be happy in a world of buttons.

What would be examples of a modern age guild?

While the idea of a guild is often associated with medieval history, guilds continue to exist in various forms throughout the modern world.

Professional organizations, such as the American Chemical Society and the Society of Petroleum Engineers, play a role very similar to that of traditional guild. Members must generally undergo various staged of apprenticeship before being recognized as a professional, and the recognition often carries legal import beyond the scope of the organization itself.

Additionally, business consultants act very much as guild journeymen, travelling from company to company, helping to spread new business practices and approaches between people who may have little direct contact with each other.

Guild also continue to play a large and important role in the entertainment industry. Working in the industry is often reliant upon membership in guilds such as the Screen Actors Guild, The Directors Guild of America, or the Writers Guild of America.

What were the punishments for violation of the Fugitive Slave Act?

The Fugitive Slave Act was part of the Compromise of 1850. This law required northerners to assist with the capture and with the return of runaway slaves. With the passage of this law, a runaway slave could only be assured of being free by escaping to Canada where slavery was illegal. It would now be possible that a runaway slave living in a free state could be captured and could be returned to the South. It also didn’t matter when a slave escaped to the North. Any escaped slave from any period of time could be captured and returned to the South.

There were punishments associated with violating the Fugitive Slave Act. Anybody interfering with the process of capturing a runaway slave could be fined up to $1000 and placed in jail for six months. Also, federal officials, who stood to gain more financially by returning a runaway slave than by letting that runaway slave go free, heard individual cases.

In My Side of the Mountain by Jean George, on what page does Sam Gribley use his ax?

In the book My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George, Sam brought an ax with him on his journey. Although Sam also brought other objects that helped him on his journey as well, the ax offered specific aid for Sam.

Foremost, when Sam was carving out his tree home, the ax helped Sam dig out the tree. Although Sam could have lived in a cave or another type of shelter, Sam wanted to live in a tree. He discovered that the inside of the tree was rotting and began to scrape away the rotten portions to create his new home. At first, Sam used his hands, but as he continued he also utilized his ax. As the text reveals on page 29:

“I dug on and on, using my ax from time to time as my excitement grew.”

Furthermore, Sam also used his ax to cut down wood for the winter. He first took away all the dry limbs from trees. Then, he later began cutting entire dead trees. As the text reveals on page 112:

“I shouldered my ax and went out . . .Then I chopped down dead trees.”

Thus, Sam used his ax on multiple occasions. His ax was greatly advantageous because it allowed Sam to work on making his home, gathering wood for the winter, and more.

In Macbeth, state three important events that happened off stage which serve to advance the plot.

Certainly, the murder of Duncan is a major event that moves the plot forward, and it is does not occur onstage.  During Act 2, Scene 2, Lady Macbeth says, "He is about it," letting us know that, at this moment, Macbeth is in Duncan's bedchamber killing the king.  Then, when he arrives in her room, he says, "I have done the deed."  Obviously, it is this event that inaugurates Macbeth's tragedy by being the first step in his descent into brutality and tyranny.

Next, Macbeth's murder of Duncan's chamberlains, the guards whom he and Lady Macbeth framed for Duncan's murder, occurs offstage and advances the plot as well.  In Act 2, Scene 3, Macduff discovers the king's body, and Macbeth and Lennox exit the scene to go and see it.  After they return, Macbeth says, "O, yet I do repent me of my fury, / That I did kill them" (2.3.124-125).  We know, at this point, that he killed the guards when he was in Duncan's room.  He likely killed them in order to make sure they could not proclaim their innocence or say what they might have seen in the night.  Now, there is no one to question, no one to blame, and everyone in the house becomes suspect.  This event initiates, rightly, Macduff's and Banquo's suspicion of Macbeth.

Finally, Lady Macbeth's suicide in Act 5, Scene 5, takes place offstage and helps to advance the plot in that it forces Macbeth to come to terms with the meaninglessness of life, of his life in particular.  He and Seyton hear a scream, and when Seyton returns after investigating it, he tells Macbeth, "The Queen, my lord, is dead" (5.5.19).  This leads into Macbeth's most famous soliloquy of the play where he laments the pace and pettiness of life, its intense emotion underwritten by its lack of meaning or purpose.  He enters his battle with Macduff with these thoughts.

What would be a good thesis statement about innovation, urbanization, and entrpreneurship in The Devil in the White City?

Erik Larson spends a great deal of time in his book discussing the politics around building the Worlds Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, and the obstacles Daniel Burnham had to overcome to get it done. This part of the book serves as an example of all that was right -- and wrong -- about how and why cities were built at the end of the 19th century. The White City was a kind of fantasy utopia made real. It was a place of great beauty and innovation -- the place where many people saw electric lighting for the first time, and the birthplace of Pabst Blue Ribbon and the Ferris Wheel. On the other hand, the motivation behind building such a place -- competition with other cities, the desire to turn a profit -- as well as the ephemeral nature of the City itself, inevitably leads one to ask if it was all worth it. Burnham's force of personality got the White City built, but it is possible that personal vision alone is not the best way to build a city.  

So, some thesis statements. You could go either way. Here are some examples you can build off of:

Burnham's struggle to build the Exposition shows how force of character and an entrepreneurial spirit can overcome tremendous obstacles.

or

While the Exposition was a success financially and artistically, Larson's book shows that the drive towards urbanization at the end of the 19th century was motivated by political and profit considerations, and not by a desire to create humane and livable urban spaces.

or

Burnham's White City was an expression of the American spirit, in that it showcased a vision of the future in which average people could live a life of ease thanks to technological innovation and labor-saving consumer products. 

or

The future world that the Exposition promised could be found not in the beautiful buildings of the White City, but in the promise of the free market, represented by innovations such as pancake mix or waffle cones. 

What mood is suggested in the poem The Last Lesson by D.H. Lawrence?

Impatience is the tone most strongly conveyed in the poem The Last Lesson by D.H. Lawrence.

This poem is, quite simply, about a child who cannot wait to get out of school. The ambiguous "they" that is frequently referenced is the teacher of the class, or the education system. The speaker feels very suppressed by his/her schooling and lessons. 

The speaker uses overdramatic and hyperbolic diction in order to convey how desperate he/she is to finish the last day of school:

No more can I endure to bear the brunt
Of the books that lie out on the desks: a full three score
Of several insults of blotted pages and scrawl
Of slovenly work that they have offered me.

That diction makes us empathize with the child, who clearly is suffering to be in lessons and feels like he/she is "enduring" school. The words "insult" and "slovenly" help to convey the mood of intense dislike that the student has for schoolwork, where he/she feels repulsed by the work.

I am sick, and tired more than any thrall
Upon the woodstacks working weariedly.

In those lines, the pain of physically being in school is apparently worse than the exhaustion of chopping wood, and in that moment the reader realizes just how dramatic the speaker is. While school is obviously not more tiresome than physical labor, the student's hatred of lessons makes it feel that way.

The poem ends with the statement "I will sit and wait for the bell." That concludes the rant of the student, and emphasizes that even though the student possesses an intense dislike for the school and the work, there is no other option. School is a requirement, and no matter how bad it is and how tired the student gets, they will still have to sit and wait for the release bell.

Which molecule made during photosynthesis stores the chemical energy?

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants convert the light energy, obtained from the Sun, into useful chemical energy. The process also consumes carbon dioxide and water and produces oxygen. The relevant chemical equation can be written as:

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

The chemical energy produced in this reaction is stored in Glucose molecule. This molecule is broken down through the process of cellular respiration, which generates ATP (adenosine triphosphate) molecules. The ATP molecules are also known as energy molecules and convert to ADP and release energy, which is used for various functions. The process of cellular respiration can be chemically written as:

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

Thus, the solar energy is converted to chemical energy (bound in the glucose molecule) through the process of photosynthesis.

In fact, you may have seen people drinking glucose (mixed in water), especially during summer season. This glucose is instantly broken down, releasing the bound chemical energy and thus, refreshing us.  

Hope this helps. 

What is the background in the story "Charles"?

"Charles" is a short story by Shirley Jackson. She is best known for the story "The Lottery." The setting for "Charles" is a typical American household in the late 1940's. The family is made up of a mother, father, kindergarten aged son and a baby daughter. 

It is obvious to the reader from the very beginning that the son, Laurie, is a terrible brat. He is obnoxious and talks back to his parents. He makes up a story about an equally bratty boy at school named Charles. It's really no surprise that at the end the mother finds out that Charles is really her own son. It is, of course, impossible for her to believe she could have raised such a child. 

Most of the action takes place at the family home. Everyday, Laurie brings home stories of the incorrigible Charles. The last scene is set at a "Parent-Teachers meeting" at the school where the mother is told by Laurie's teacher that there is no Charles in the kindergarten. 

The reader may surmise that Laurie has been allowed to get away with things because he is terribly spoiled and is the first son. He was born during World War II or just after and may be considered a "baby boomer." Maybe his parents were under the influence of Dr. Benjamin Spock, whose book Baby and Child Care encouraged parents to treat their children as individuals. Spock, widely popular at the time, was sometimes criticized for being too lenient in his ideas about raising children.

What is meant by the phrase "Effects of War?"

The phrase “effects of war” has many meanings. When considering the effects of war, we must consider the economic, political, social, and psychological impacts.

All wars have a financial cost. Some of this cost include the money spent on supplies, soldiers, the conversion of industries to wartime production, weapons, and transportation. Fighting a war is very expensive.

Wars may have a political impact. If a war is unpopular, it may cost the President a chance at reelection. It may cost those elected officials who support the war a chance at being reelected. Conversely, a war that is very popular can help raise a president’s popularity and can help him get reelected. The same would be true for other politicians.

Wars also have social and psychological costs. People are killed and injured as a result of war. Suffering a devastating injury can be life altering. Soldiers experience things in war that can leave lasting psychological impacts. They may suffer injuries that impact their brain. These costs can’t be measured in terms of dollars and cents. However, losing a loved one is irreplaceable whether that is because of being killed or because of suffering a life altering injury.  

The effects of war are important to consider when evaluating a war.

How do the events in Chapter 6 help develop the relationship between Scout and Jem in To Kill a Mockingbird

Because of what occurs in Chapter 6 of To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem and Scout grow closer as they are conspirators together, they confide in one another, and Scout worries about Jem's safety.

On Dill's last night in Maycomb, the children decide upon going over to the Radleys'. At first, Scout does not want to go because Atticus has told them to leave Boo alone. But when the boys ridicule her, she joins them. In fact, she works with Jem in making a "saddle" to raise Dill to the window sill of the house. Then, after Jem loses his pants on the wire fence of the Radleys, Scout remains quiet, too, as Dill tells Atticus a tall tale about having won the pants in a game. Later that night, Jem confides in Scout that he must go back for his pants. She becomes very concerned that he could be hurt or killed and begins to be concerned,

I waited until it was time to worry and listened for Mr. Radley's shotgun. Then I thought I heard the back fence squeak. It was wishful thinking....There he was returning to me. His white shirt bobbed over the back fence and slowly grew larger. 

In The Catcher in the Rye, why does Holden like Mercutio (from Romeo and Juliet) so much? What does this reveal about Holden? What other character...

Holden likes Mercutio from Romeo and Juliet, because Holden most likely identifies with Mercutio more than any other character from the play.  Holden feels that he is often mistreated and the recipient of actions that were no fault of his own to begin with.  Holden feels that is what happened to Mercutio as well too.  It's not Mercutio's fault that he was killed.  He was simply trying to protect the honor of his family.  He was trying to make sure that Romeo stayed away from Juliet.  No Romeo means Mercutio lives.  No Romeo means Juliet lives too.  Holden thinks Mercutio is unfairly labeled a "bad guy" in the play.  Holden knows that feeling, which is why he's so angst filled against phonies.  

Lastly, Mercutio is a very funny and witty character.  On top of that, his jokes are sexual in nature.  In the novel, it is clear through Holden's first person narration that sex is on his mind a lot.  It is also clear that Holden thinks he is quite funny. 

What is the theme of A Walk in the Woods, and how is this theme developed? What is the mood and the tone of the story? What does the title of the...

The general theme of Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods is the beauty of nature and the necessity of protecting it. This is not the only theme, of course, but it is one of the most important ones in Bryson's popular book. Bryson develops this theme by not only describing his personal experience of the woods, but by also providing a historical context of the Appalachian Trail and conservation in the U.S. 

The mood/tone of the story fluctuates depending on the subject matter. The tone is frequently hilarious or at least humorous, especially when Bryson describes both his and Stephen Katz' utter ineptitude when it comes to the great outdoors. At other times, the mood of the story is bittersweet and poignant, especially when Bryson describes the vanishing natural beauty of the American countryside. 

The title of the book does not really symbolize anything, per se, but it does refer to Bryson's novice status as a hiker and outdoorsman. By downplaying the monumental task of hiking the Appalachian Trail as a mere "walk in the woods," Bryson pokes gentle fun at his own inexperience in the wilderness. However, in doing so he also suggests that one doesn't need to be an elite athlete to enjoy the great outdoors; rather, one merely needs to value the beauty of the natural world. This idea is central to Bryson's conservationist message, as he ultimately wants the average citizen to be aware of America's immense natural beauty and the challenges conservationists face. 

In Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, why did Jenner leave? What happened to him?

Jenner left the burrow because he didn't want to destroy the machines, but that was really just the last straw. He and Nicodemus were counterpoints to each other. Whereas Nicodemus was a big planner, Jenner was more practical. He did not think that they could go back to being "normal rats" and did not agree with The Plan. For example, in chapter 22 he says, "I say, why start from nothing if you can start with everything? We already have a civilization."

Jenner is killed when he is electrocuted at the hardware store trying to divert electricity. Mrs. Frisby hears the humans talking about it in Chapter 25, and tells the rats. This alerts them to the exterminators, which allows them to escape to Thorn Valley.

What kind of person is Nat in "The Birds"?

Nat Hocken is very aware of and connected to nature. He is the first person, for example, who notices the change in the birds' behaviour on December third.  Nat is also dependable and reliable: despite being an injured veteran, he works on the farm to support his family and, when the birds attack, takes charge of the situation. He ensures that all of the windows and doors are barricaded, for instance, and that the family has enough supplies to survive. This practical side of Nat's character may be the result of his military training but, whatever the case, is instrumental in the survival of his family.

Arguably, Nat's family are the most important people in his life and he works hard to protect them from danger. He jumps in to defend his children on the first night that the birds attack, for example, and risks his life to collect his daughter, Jill, from the school bus. He also tries to protect Mr and Mrs Trigg by offering them advice on how to stay safe.

Nat's fate remains a mystery to readers but, with his survival skills and dependable character, he may have outlived the birds. 

Why were some Federalists opposed to the Louisiana Purchase?

It is important to realize what a major undertaking the Louisiana Purchase was.  It was far more than what is now the state of Louisiana.  The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the new country. A look at the map provided via the second link below shows this.  States were being added to the original 13 states, some territories were moving in that direction, and now this purchase would lead to more states becoming part of the nation.  This diluted the power of those who represented the present states, which they were not pleased about. Furthermore, Jefferson seemed to be exceeding his authority as the president with this purchase.  There is nothing in the United States Constitution that allows a president to purchase land on behalf of the country, and this outraged the Federalists, too.  But Jefferson framed this as a kind of treaty and was able to secure the consent of the Senate, in a vote of 26 to 6.  It is easy to look back and see what a good idea this was, but at the time, it could have been a constitutional crisis. 

How do you know that the speaker in the poem "Those Winter Sundays" is a boy?

We actually do not know for sure that the narrator of the poem is a boy. Many people assume that the speaker is male because the author of the poem, Robert Hayden, is male, but this is not always a safe assumption. It is possible that we might read into the line about the "chronic angers of that house" that there is a clash between a father and son, as such a clash seems a bit more likely than one between a father and daughter; however, this is also no guarantee. Further, we might speculate that the speaker is male because his father "polished [his] good shoes" because one would be more likely polish the shoes of a son than a daughter, but this is also not certain. It is also possible, though not sure, that the narrator, in hindsight, asks, "What did I know, what did I know / of love's austere and lonely offices?" because he realizes now, as a father himself, what it is like to perform these types of unappreciated duties for one's children. On the other hand, a woman could also make a similar statement about her sacrifices and taken-for-granted efforts on behalf of her children. Thus, we have clues that may signal a male speaker, but the speaker's gender is never made explicit.

What is comedy?

By contemporary standards, we have a certain notion of comedy that involves a work that is funny and lighthearted. While there is certainly a connection, the classical notion of comedy is a genre of story with a happy ending, typically one that involves marriages. While comedies are often more lighthearted than tragedies, many, such as Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, also have a darker side. Examples of comedy by this definition would be Taming of the Shrew, Pride and Prejudice, As You Like it, etc... Plays many would now consider a romance would then have been considered a comedy in Shakespeare's day. Most happy love stories were considered comedies in that time period, while the romance was an different genre entirely. Harry Potter would have been considered a Romance, while the Notebook would have been considered a comedy. 

Could you please give me a summary of chapter 7 of "History of Plymouth Plantation" by William Bradford?

The seventh chapter of William Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation covers the period of time when the Pilgrims departed from Leyden in Holland and went to Southampton in England.  This was when they prepared for their journey to the New World.  Before they left Holland, a "ship was bought, and fitted."  This ship was used to transport the Pilgrims.  The group was prayerful about their departure, though they were sad to leave the place that had become their home.  They had lived in Leyden for twelve years, and they considered it to be a good home.  They bade farewell to their friends who they were leaving behind.  A strong wind brought their small ship to Southampton, where another ship was waiting for them.  This larger ship had been built in London.

Is riding a dirt bike on pavement bad for the tires?

There are many different types of tires sold for dirt bikes. Some are designed for use on a mix of dirt and pavement while others are designed exclusively for use on dirt. In general, the "knobbier" a tire, the less likely it will perform well on pavement and the more likely that it will wear faster if used on pavement. Essentially, the knobs on a dirt bike tire are meant to dig into soft soil and do not provide much traction or durability on pavement. You can, however, buy street tires for dirt bikes.

A second, and perhaps even more important consideration, is that not all dirt bikes or dirt bike tires are street legal. The Department of Transportation approves certain tires for street use but not all tires. Another issue is that many dirt bike tires have good traction on dirt but little or no traction on wet or icy pavement because there is so little rubber in contact with the pavement and thus they can be dangerous for riding on the street in bad weather. 

Compare the reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI. What were the necessary qualities for a successful absolutist monarch in the era of the...

An absolute monarchy is a form of government where the sovereign head of state wields unrestricted authority over his/her subjects. These types of governments are mostly hereditary, as was the case in France, where the leadership passed down among the members of the Bourbon family. Leadership was, however, influenced by the nobility, the clergy, and the other social classes existing within the society.

Leadership of the kingdom was passed down to Louis XV much earlier when the king was still very young and unable to rule. The responsibility was hence passed on to his uncle and later to his teacher, Cardinal Fleury, until the king came of age. During his reign, Louise XV made an attempt at reforms with regard to foreign policy and taxation but this was met with much resistance from the aristocracy. The same situation occurred soon after the ascension of Louis XVI to the throne. Both monarchs faced considerable resistance from the aristocracy with regard to leadership and policies.

The two leaders failed to read the mood of the people and this led to an increase of public resentment. Louis XV waged wars while Louis XVI failed to address extreme spending, which eventually led to a deteriorating economy and uproar from the public. Louis XV was buried a publicly despised man while Louis XVI died under the guillotine during the French Revolution.

The two leaders differed with regard to Enlightenment ideas. King Louis XV was not as receptive as his successor Louis XVI. Louis XV dissolved the parliament while Louis XVI reinstated it as part of his populist agenda.

In an absolutist monarchy existing in the Enlightenment era, it was important for the monarch to avoid extreme spending and engage strategies to ensure a stable economy. This would reduce public debt and the chance of mass action by the people. It is imperative to read the mood of the people and understand their suffering or challenges; this would ensure swift resolution of such issues. It is also important to be decisive and assertive in leadership; if a monarch fails to do this, he or she would be exposed to manipulation, like in the case of Louis XVI, who was known to be indecisive and suffered manipulation at the hands of the parliament and his advisers.

These attributes are important because they would ensure the voice of the masses is heard and their issues are dealt with adequately. Enlightenment ideals also seek to reinforce individual rights and freedoms and thus it is important that the masses are included in government decision making. Firmness exercised by the monarch would establish a sense of confidence among the people and this would guarantee the state's stability.

What was the "Iron Curtain?"

The "iron curtain" was a phrase used by former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to describe the expansion of Soviet influence into Eastern Europe. Churchill coined the phrase in a speech he gave in US President Harry Truman's home state of Missouri (at Truman's invitation) in 1946, just one year after the end of World War II. All the nations of Eastern Europe, Churchill warned, were falling "not only to Soviet influence but to a very high and in some cases increasing measure of control from Moscow." At the time of the speech, it was clear that a Communist government would be established in Poland, and it seemed likely that Stalin's influence would prevail in Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and of course Soviet-occupied East Germany as well. Yugoslavia and Albania were also communist countries, but not directly under the influence of Stalin and the Soviet Union. Churchill's speech was a warning that the struggle of World War II was to be followed by another, different type of conflict. Combined with the so-called "Long Telegram" from American diplomat George Kennan, which urged the US government to adopt a policy of "containment," this speech was one of the most important documents of the early Cold War. It was intended to serve as a sort of wake-up call to the United States, which would necessarily become the leader of any opposition to Communism. The phrase came to symbolize the divide between eastern and western Europe, and that between communists and the West more generally, that persisted until 1989.

How would the character of Despereaux's mother best be described?

Despereaux Tilling's parents represent the two primary ways that parents can betray their children, first with physical harm and secondly with neglect.

Despereaux's father, Lester, informs the Mouse Council of his un-mouse-like actions. Lester knows that "ratting out" his son will likely result in Despereaux's death, and yet he still chooses to betray him. This is an obvious form of betrayal, or "perfidy" as the book frequently refers to it. The father intentionally does something that will most likely bring physical harm to his son. This is most easily characterized as a form of physical abuse.

Despereaux's mother, however, engages in a different form of abuse that is nearly as painful to receive. The mother, Antoinette, faints when hearing that he is doomed to death. She doesn't make an impassioned speech on his behalf. She doesn't plead and beg relentlessly for Despereaux's life. And, as the book remarks, she doesn't offer her life in exchange, which is the sort of dramatic, loving gesture that one would expect of a mother, particularly one as emotional as Antoinette. Indeed, if she was a good mother she would have done more than faint and say "adieu" to her son as he was led to his death.

This is Antoinette's betrayal. She doesn't cause her child any harm or danger, but she does nothing at all to protect him. Moments after Despereaux is born in chapter one, Antionette names him "for all the sadness, for the many despairs in this place." Never in the book does Despereaux's mother ever show genuine, selfless affection for her son, nor does she ever seem to truly care whether he lives or dies.

Antionette does care, however, for her looks. When he is born, Antionette believes that Despereaux will die like the rest of her children from the same litter. Instead of cherishing every last moment with her newly born baby, she chooses to focus on her looks. She even declares that her mice babies are "hard on my beauty. They ruin, for me, my looks. This is the last one. No more."

Quite simply, Antionette is a shallow, vain mouse who possesses very little, if any, love for her children. While Lester eventually feels remorse for his actions against his son and begs forgiveness, Antionette never shows any indication of regret or shame for doing nothing to save her child.

What are some ways to approach a character analysis for the novel The Catcher in the Rye?

Because J. D. Salinger’s 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye is narrated by Holden Caulfield, readers see his inner thoughts and emotions. As the narrative unfolds, Holden reveals troubling aspects of his life as he copes with adolescence, sexuality, an uncertain future, the loss of his brother, and possible abuse. With all of these complex issues, it is no wonder that Holden is such a troubled and fragile character who eventually undergoes a mental breakdown.

As Holden tells his story, he frequently displays defensive behaviors that reveal his fragile sense of self. For example, he often tries to boost his own ego and impress his audience by describing himself as a smooth-talking Romeo. He often describes himself as "suave as hell" and "seductive as hell" when interacting with girls, but as the reader, we realize that such bragging is most likely unwarranted when other characters repeatedly comment on his youth and immaturity. Holden is concerned about how others see him and he wants to see himself in a better light too.

Holden's unstable character is also depicted through his fear of intimacy. He displays a wariness of opening up to others. For example, early in the story, Mr. Spencer asks Holden about his school troubles. Instead of taking this opportunity to share his troubles, Holden remains guarded and says, “I didn’t feel like going into the whole thing with [Mr. Spencer]. He wouldn’t have understood it anyway.” Later in the novel, Holden reveals that he was once very close with Jane Gallagher. He had even shown her his brother's baseball mitt. But now, Holden is scared to reconnect with Jane and he never reaches out to her, even though he repeatedly talks about doing so. Such behavior suggests that Holden now fears becoming close to others or being rejected.

Another one of Holden's defensive behaviors is escapism. He tries to physically flee his troubles, such as when he wanders around New York City after flunking out of school instead of going home. He also tries to mentally escape his troubles. For example, after his run in with Maurice, Holden elaborately pretends that he gets into a shooting match with the man where he came out victorious. Such pretending allows Holden to escape his feelings of cowardice and confusion while boosting his self-esteem. This fiction also helps Holden to feel more in control of his downward-spiraling life. 

These examples show Holden to be a troubled young man who struggles with insecurities and a fragile well-being. Though he tries to come across as tough and mature, we readers come to know a more vulnerable and uncertain Holden.

In The Kite Runner by Khlaled Hosseini, how has Amir's relationship with Baba changed from the time he was a child to when he is an adult? How has...

Amir spent a great portion of his childhood trying in vain to engage his father's interest, to earn his respect, and to find common ground in their values, experiences, priorities, and attitudes. Amir's self-esteem is constantly flattened throughout his upbringing by his father's inability to show him love in any recognizable form, much less his refusal to attempt to understand his son. During this period in their lives, the relationship is largely one-sided. Amir is left to wonder whether his father notices things about him, has desires, hopes and dreams for his son, or whether he has any real feelings at all for him. For his side, Baba feels confusion, ambivalence and distraction. He engages in lengthy discussions with his friends about politics, the state of the country, and other topics on which it never once occurs to him to seek his son's perspective. His mind is on more pressing matters than the feelings or emotional needs of his son, which he feels he will never understand. After his wife's death, he has concluded that raising his son, given Amir's bizarre and effeminate affinity for literature, will be beyond his grasp, and he appears to have given up trying to understand Amir. The differences in their personalities -- Baba's confidence and extroversion vs. Amir's constant self-doubt and insecurity -- are as vast as the differences in their bodies. Whereas Baba seems like a strong and immovable mountain, Amir is more slight and is, of course, still just a boy, with only the strength and size of a child.

Amir is all too aware that in these disparities there lies a judgment of each: his father is the better man, no matter how much Amir resents his disinterest. Amir's admiration of his father and his desire to gain approval from Baba become the defining factor in Amir's life and character. But this ends up working against him, as he becomes a person that even he cannot respect, all in an effort to please his father and make him proud.

After Ali and Hassan's departure to Hazarajat, Amir gains insight into how much they meant to Baba, something Amir had always noticed but had never understood completely or accepted. But there is no mistaking the great loss his father feels when Ali and Hassan must leave. This creates more resentment in Amir than ever before; he had hoped to be able to grow closer to Baba, with Hassan now out of the way. This doesn't happen, and father and son continue, instead, to grow apart. Baba confides in his best friend, Rahim Khan, that he does not understand his son...how weak and feeble he is. He does not believe that he ever will. Amir, clearly, is a poor substitute for Hassan and Ali.

Amir seems to find countless reasons for pride in his father, even as he continues to see himself as a misfit, a weakling, a young man of the lowest character, as the two men are finally leaving their country for good -- Amir now an eighteen year old.

Upon establishing a life in California, the two begin moving toward a place of acceptance of one another, if there still exists a lack of understanding on both sides. Amir is now at least pursuing a course of action that makes sense to his father by studying at the university. Baba works hard in jobs that would have been far beneath him back in Afghanistan. Amir sees his father's new-found humility and selflessness in this act, and he is duly grateful. As Baba's health worsens, Amir sees not only that his father may be human, may be fragile. More importantly, Amir sees that he himself can be of service to his father; he can finally be useful. A new dynamic between the two characters has taken seed and begins to grow. Amir respects his father no less than he always has, and perhaps even more, now seeing that his father is more human than he had thought. Baba expects Amir to at least honor the traditional Pashtun ways, and here Amir does not disappoint him. The two men settle into a more comfortable relationship, something closer to mutual dependence and equality. When Amir meets the woman who will become his future wife, he asks his father to intercede on his behalf with the family friends who are the young woman's parents. This "transaction," if you will, is one that greatly satisfies both men and their need to hold on to their old world. By this time, Baba is very ill and needs his son to take care of him, to arrange for doctors, get answers, make him comfortable, to the degree he can. The relationship has evolved from one of distance and aloof to one of intimacy and mutual respect. Amir never forgets or completely forgives his father's preference for Hassan, but he does come to peace with his father's perspective of the world. Rahim Khan is able to finally put to rest the mystery of Baba's loyalty to and affection for Hassan and Ali, helping Amir to come to terms with his own position and role in his father's life. His respect for and admiration of his father never changes throughout the period of his life to which the reader is exposed. But the resentment and confusion fade and eventually disappear. And, through Amir's validation of his father's beliefs and values, he gives his father the one thing that he most needs from his son -- not to be identical to himself, but to be honorable.

Where does Keeping Corner take place?

The book Keeping Corner, written by Kashmira Sheth, is set in the year 1918 in a small, rural village in India. The societal structure of India, called the caste system, plays a large part in how the story of Leela unfolds. She is lucky to have been born into the highest-ranking Brahman caste, but must also suffer the mourning traditions particular to her societal rank. "Keeping corner" is a mourning practice where women are essentially condemned to a life of poverty, shame, and exclusion after the death of their husbands. Leela must live in isolation in her own home for a year after the death of her husband, but her brother kindly procures a tutor for her. Much of the book takes place in Leela's family home, but there are mentions of life lived outside of the home, in the village and school.

What is the effect of Scrooges fiancée referring to money as a golden idol in "A Christmas Carol"?

Belle’s discussion of Scrooge’s love for money serves to explain how he ended up lonely and miserly.

In some ways, we have more sympathy for Scrooge as a result of learning that his fiancé dumped him.  She told him that he cared more about money than he did for her.

“ … Another idol has displaced me; and if it can cheer and comfort you in time to come, as I would have tried to do, I have no just cause to grieve.” (Stave 2)

However, she has a point.  Scrooge tells her that the world is hard on people who want to be rich, but harder on those who are poor.  Still, it is clear that Scrooge was deeply affected by the fact that Belle dumped him.  In fact, it is probably one of the reasons that he was pretty much alone for the rest of his life.

We know this because of Scrooge’s reaction to seeing Belle, both when she dumped him and as an older woman.  When he sees Belle dumping his younger self, he asks the Ghost of Christmas Past, “Why do you delight to torture me?”  However, his reaction to seeing her later, on the day Marley died, is even stronger.

“Remove me!” Scrooge exclaimed, “I cannot bear it!”

He turned upon the Ghost, and seeing that it looked upon him with a face, in which in some strange way there were fragments of all the faces it had shown him, wrestled with it. (Stave 2)

It is almost as if seeing this scene reminded Scrooge of all he has lost.  That was the night he lost his partner, and the ghost chose that night to show him Belle’s future.  Belle was not alone.  She had a husband and a brood of children.  She was happy.  Scrooge, as he was reminded, had no one.  The one person he did have died that night, and he spent the night working.

These scenes do create some sympathy for Scrooge in the mind of the reader.  After all, he was not always a lonely old miser.  We learn that he had his heart broken.  However, he had already started down his current path at the time Belle dumped him.  His pursuit of wealth against all odds is why she dumped him.

How is Holden Caulfield in J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye a non-conformist?

Throughout The Catcher in the Rye there are numerous examples of Holden being a non-conformist, none more so than his time at Pencey Prep. There are several examples of Holden refusing to conform at the school, but I'm only going to list two:

1. Holden is roommates with Stradlater, a popular boy who mothers would call "yearbook handsome." However, Holden refuses to be drawn into the boy's lifestyle, specifically Stradlater's desire to have sex with girls. Holden calls him a "very sexy bastard." However, Holden rejects this desire to have sex in high school. (He even refuses to have sex with a prostitute he hires.) Instead, when speaking about Jane Gallagher, a girl Stradlater wants to get "sexy" with, and a girl Holden might have been able to have sex with, Holden is only concerned about her checkers strategy and whether she still "keeps her kings in the back row."


2. A second example of Holden's non-conformity occurs when he rejects the popular crowd, like Stradlater and Ernest Morrow. While Holden's rejection of Stradlater might happen because of Stradlater's desire to have sex with girls, he rejects Morrow because he was "doubtless the biggest bastard in the history of Pencey Prep" and used to go down the corridor after a shower "snapping his soggy old wet towel at people's asses." Instead of choosing to be friends with one of these guys, Holden decides to be friends with Robert Ackley, one of the least popular student at the school. 

What is relation between force and pressure?

Pressure is defined as the amount of force acting on a given area. Thus, the mathematical equation of pressure is force divided by area. This equation can be rearranged to solve for force. When done so, force equals pressure times area.

Pressure is caused by the collision of particles with a surface. Although they cannot be seen with the unaided eye, there are gas particles surrounding us. These particles are in constant motion. The particles collide with one another and other surfaces. The more that a surface is bombarded by particles, the greater the pressure.

Pressure often increases as temperature increases. Temperature is a measurement of the average kinetic energy obtained by the particles that make up a substance. Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. Thus, an increase in the temperature of a substance implies that the average kinetic energy of the particles of the substance has increased. As the kinetic energy of the particles increases, the particles begin to move faster and more often. Thus, as temperature increases, the particle bombard surfaces more often and pressure increases also.

In Macbeth, what does the line "Fair is foul and foul is fair" mean?

This line, chanted by the witches as they depart the stage in the first scene of the play, means that what seems good is evil, and what seems evil is actually good. This foreshadows many of the play's events, particularly Macbeth's blood-soaked rise to the throne of Scotland. It also suggests the rightful, or natural, scheme of things will be overturned in the play. We see this on several different levels: Macbeth's murder of Duncan, Lady Macbeth's "unsex me" speech, and the witches' meddling. The line also indicates there will be a certain duality in everything the witches say and do; indeed, many of their prophecies for Macbeth's future, "fair" as they seem to Macbeth, end up being quite "foul" in the end. Macbeth realizes he has been tricked by the witches, or that he has tricked himself, but the fact that reality may not be as it seems is a theme first suggested by this line.

What about the boarding house rules made it hard for Lyddie to have Rachel with her in Lyddie?

The boarding house does not allow children to stay there unless they are workers. 

Lyddie works for the factory, and stays at a company boarding house.  The boarding house is for single girls, and there are no children allowed.  Lyddie is alone when she first gets the job, and it never occurred to her that she might need to have a child with her until her uncle showed up with her little sister Rachel. 

When Rachel arrives, she is in bad shape.  She is skinny and ill, and she is not strong enough to work.  Rachel’s mother is dead, and her uncle does not want to keep her so he takes her to Lyddie.  He likely wants to be free of the burden of this family.  Fortunately for Lyddie, Mrs. Bedlow is understanding. 

She could read the warning in Mrs. Bedlow's eyes. No men, no children (except for the keeper's own) in a corporation house. But surely the woman would not have the heart . . . 

"I'm begging a bath for her. She's had a long, rough journey in an ox cart, and she's chilled right through, ey Rachie?" (Ch. 15) 

Lyddie offers to pay full board for Rachel and reminds Mrs. Bedlow that she will not eat as much as a grown woman because she is so small.  She asks for just a few days to sort it out, because Mrs. Bedlow tells her that there is no way the girl can work as a doffer.  She is too small and weak for even little girls’ jobs in the factory. Mrs. Bedlow agrees.

The factory controls many aspects of the girls' lives.  To maintain its reputation, the company makes the girls go to church, dress well, and follow a strict code of ethics.  The company provides housing, at a cost, but does not want its workers to be mothers. 

Rachel decides to appeal to her brother Charlie.  Charlie works at a mill, and lives closer to the family farm.  She tells him about Rachel, and begs him to find a way to keep the farm.  They do not want it to be sold. 

I don't know what to do with Rachel. Children are not allowed in corporation house. If I can I will take her home, but I got to have a home to go to.  It is up to you, Charlie. Please I beg you stop Uncle  Judah. (Ch. 15) 

Charlie responds by showing up unannounced.  He tells Lyddie that he will take Rachel back with him, because the family he is working for have as good as adopted him, treating him like a son and not an employee.  He even goes to school.  Lyddie wants as good for Rachel, and grudgingly lets her go even though she feels like she has lost her last chance to get the family back together and back on the farm.

With whom did you sympathize, Ulrich or Georg, neither or both? Why?

Since this is a personal opinion or reaction question, I'll feel free to state my opinion or reaction, which is that I sympathize with Ulrich von Gradwitz. There are basically three reasons for why I sympathize with Ulrich: story structure; legal possession of the land; first with change of heart.

Saki has structured the story to point our sympathies toward Ulrich. He is the character through whom the story is "focalized." This means that Ulrich is the character through whom the limited third-person narrator chooses to focus our attention on events, both past and present, and on feelings and inner thoughts. This pointing of our focus on and through Ulrich occurs first at the outset of the story when Ulrich, "a man," is introduced as the afflicted protagonist of the story.

[A] man [Ulrich] stood one winter night watching and listening, as though he waited for some beast of the woods to come within the range of his vision, and, later, of his rifle.

Later, Saki includes Georg's thoughts and feelings in the focalization, in how the narrative focuses the readers attention, but the central focalization and primed sympathy is always through Ulrich. One example of how Saki later includes Georg in the focusing narrative occurs during the early moments after they are trapped by the beech branch:

Both men [Ulrich and Georg] spoke with the [feeling of] bitterness of possible defeat before them, for each knew [in his mind] that it might be long before his men would seek him out or find him....

Additionally, the text draws me to sympathize with Ulrich because Saki states clearly that, since the time of the "Courts" adjudicating legal ownership of the land, the land has legally belonged to the Gradwitz family. There is also a strong suggestion that the land had always previously belonged legally to them but that, because of its remoteness, it had been taken possession of by the Znaeyms, possibly in hopes that their possession of "the narrow strip of precipitous woodland that lay on its outskirt..." wouldn't be disputed (or even noticed).

Finally, when Ulrich and Georg are trapped together beneath the enormous beech branch (like the Carpathian beech branch pictured at the hyperlink), Ulrich is the first to offer aid to the other--although his gesture of goodwill and offer of aid are rejected--and the first to feel inner movements of compassion and regret toward his now suffering lifelong enemy.

An idea was slowly forming ... that gained strength every time that [Ulrich] looked across at the man [Georg] who was fighting so grimly against pain and exhaustion.
      "Neighbour," [Ulrich] said presently, "do as you please if your men come first. ... But as for me, I've changed my mind. If my men are the first to come you shall be the first to be helped.... We have quarrelled like devils all our lives ... I've come to think we've been rather fools; .... Neighbour, if you will help me to bury the old quarrel I - I will ask you to be my friend." 

[As a note, Carpathian Primal Beech Forests are now protected by UNESCO-World Heritage Sites.]

In Much Ado About Nothing, in which context does Leonato speak these words: "I hope to see you one day fitted with a husband"?

Leonato is speaking to his niece Beatrice in act II, scene 1. The scene begins with Beatrice commenting on Count John’s tart looks, noting that a mixture of the taciturn John and the talkative Benedick would make “an excellent man.” She goes on to say that a perfect man would also need several more excellent qualities, including money, and mocks both bearded and unbearded men. Leonato and his brother Antonio lament the fact that she will never get a husband with her sharp attitude, which is exactly what she hopes for. In fact, Beatrice calls it a blessing she’s thankful to God for “every morning and evening.” She encourages her cousin Hero to have some choice in her husband, to which Leonato replies, “Well, niece, I hope to see you one day fitted with a husband.” However, Beatrice continues to ridicule both men and marriage, stating that she will never marry a man, “Not till God make men of some other metal than earth.” Of course, she eventually eats her words when she falls in love with Benedick.

In A Christmas Carol, how has Scrooge's reaction to the spirits changed since the beginning?

When Marley visits Scrooge at the beginning of A Christmas Carol, Scrooge's attitude towards the visits of the spirits is very blasé. He jokes, for example, about receiving the spirits all at once. This attitude changes, however, when Scrooge is visited by the first of the three spirits, the Ghost of Christmas Past. In this instance, Scrooge reacts with a "trembling" lip and he tries to put out the spirit's light, an action which is symbolic of Scrooge's misanthropic and miserly character.

Similarly, Scrooge greets the Ghost of Christmas Present "timidly" and feels genuine fear when he meets the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come:

Scrooge feared the silent shape so much that his legs trembled beneath him, and he found that he could hardly stand when he prepared to follow it.

By the fifth stave, however, Scrooge's character is totally transformed, as is evident by his changing reaction to the spirits, as he comments,

"The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me."

No longer mocking nor afraid, Scrooge finally appreciates the purpose of the spirits' visits. 

what do meteorologists use to measure the climate of a area?

Climate is not the same as weather.

Weather refers to the atmospheric condition at a specific period of time. Sunny, rainy, windy, and cloudy are terms that describe weather. Thermometers, anemometers, psychrometers, rain gauges, and wind vanes are tools to measure weather.

Climate refers to the average weather of an area over a long period of time. "Tropical" and "polar" are terms to describe climate. Average air pressure, humidity, temperature of an area are three key factors used to describe that area's climate. Barometers, hygrometers, and thermometers are the three most common instruments used by climatologists. Barometers are used to measure the air pressure and, therefore, determine an area's average humidity. Hygrometers are used to determine an area's average humidity. Thermometers can be used to find the area's average temperature. Variations of each of the instruments can be read about here, as well as additional tools that are useful to climatologists.

When people are writing autobiography, what does it achieve?

I would say that depends a great deal upon the autobiography.  An autobiography can achieve something for both writer and reader, though, so let's look at these one at a time.

For the writer, an autobiography can be a form of catharsis, a way of cleansing one's mind and emotions of all that has gone before. Often people find it to be very therapeutic to share their stories with others for this reason. 

In writing an autobiography, the writer is imposing a structure upon the narrative of his or her life. This is a human need, actually, to try to make sense of the story of one's life.  Imposing that structure gives the writer a feeling of control, a way of feeling that things did not just happen, but that they have a purpose.  As we look back on our lives, we all do this. 

A writer also often has a message to share with the readers, which might be political, educational, or psychological, for example.  Many fine autobiographies have profound lessons to be shared. 

For the reader, there is often a curiosity that is satisfied in reading an autobiography. We all know of famous people we would like to know more about.  They might be actors or athletes, singers or senators.  But we want to know more, and an autobiography enables us to do so.

Some readers read autobiographies because they have a particular interest in a historical period or a particular part of the world.  An autobiography helps to round out the reader's knowledge of that world. 

We often read autobiographies because the author is in a field that we would like to succeed in. For example, someone who wishes to be a writer might read the autobiographies of writers or editors.  Someone who is interested in becoming a journalist might read autobiographies of successful reporters.  Athletes write biographies, too, that might include useful information for the person who wants to become a successful athlete.

A good autobiography is purposeful, meeting some need of writer or reader or both. I have included three links below, for more about three good autobiographies. 

In The Cay by Theodore Taylor, do you think Timothy really believed that he and Phillip would be discovered by a plane or a ship? Why?

In The Cay by Theodore Taylor, Timothy always tried to stay positive about a rescue for Phillip's sake, and though I think he also remained hopeful, I do not think Timothy thought there was much chance of them being rescued. Timothy figured that the little island they were on was way back in the Devil's Mouth, and he knew that ships could not get there easily, and that their cay was so small, it would be difficult to see from the air. Because of this, Timothy worked hard at teaching Phillip everything he could about survival on the island. He knew that he might not be around long enough to be rescued, and he wanted to leave Phillip with enough knowledge and skill to get by without him. 

Aran has a bag of pretzels. He gives half to Jon, then jon gives kiona 1/3 of his portion. what fraction of the bag do each get. This a...

Hello!

It is clear that the Aran's fraction is 1/2 (he had a whole 1 bag and gives a half).

Kiona received 1/3 of 1/2. To calculate 1/3 of something it is necessary to multiply that something by 1/3:

`(1/3)*(1/2)=(1*1)/(3*2)=1/6`

(we multiply the numerators and the denominators).

Jon received 1/2 and gives 1/6, so 1/2-1/6 remains. To compute this, express 1/2 as 3/6, and obtain 1/2-1/6=3/6-1/6=2/6=1/3.

The answer: Aran's fraction is 1/2, Jon's is 1/3 and Kiona's is 1/6.

In what ways does Doodle demonstrate that he has his own unique personality in "The Scarlet Ibis"?

Doodle demonstrates his own unique personality with his sheer force of will, imagination, and with his appreciation for the aesthetic.

Force of will

• While the doctor predicted after Doodle's birth that the strain of turning over or really moving would probably kill him because of his weak heart, he yet learns to crawl and "[F]or the first time he became one of us," the brother narrates.


• When the brother is irritated that he must pull Doodle around in a wagon and tries to discourage Doodle from coming with him by whisking the wagon around curves on two wheels, Doodle tenaciously holds on to the sides of the wagon. The brother narrates, "Finally, I could see I was licked."


• Despite the doctor's predictions, Doodle learns to walk so that he can be with his brother. "Doodle walked only because I was ashamed of having a crippled brother."


• Doodle learns to swim only as a willful response of his brother's insistence, despite his not sleeping well at night after he exerts himself so strenuously.


• Despite his mother's admonition to not touch the fallen scarlet ibis, Doodle insists upon burying it.


• Doodle exerts himself in his effort to run after his brother in the storm, although his refusal to give up costs him his life.

Imagination

Doodle's stories are very creative, assuming the elements of fable: The people in his narratives have wings and fly wherever they please; a boy wears a golden robe that 

glittered so brightly that when he walked through the sunflowers, they turned away from the sun to face him.                            

This boy owns a resplendent peacock whose magnificent tail covers the boy at night "burying him in the gloriously iridescent, rustling vortex."

Appreciation for the aesthetic 

• When the brother takes Doodle to Old Woman Swamp,

...down into the green dimness where palmetto fronds whispered by the stream...His eyes were round with wonder as he gazed about him. 

Doodle is so moved by the beauty of this area that the sensitive boy cries.

• After the scarlet ibis lands in the tree and then dies, Doodle recognizes it as a unique thing of beauty and feels compelled to bury it, singing softly Shall We gather at the River.
  

What are the resources the districts provide for the capitol in The Hunger Games?

There are thirteen districts of Panem.

District One manufactures luxury goods for the Capitol, including precious gems and perfumes.

District Two's industry is masonry, and people work to mine stone, lay brick, or as blacksmiths.

District Three specializes in technology and they primarily produce computers and televisions.

District Four is a fishing district, and people may take jobs as fisherman or in various ship-related duties.

District Five specializes in energy and produces the electricity which powers all of Panem. They utilize solar, nuclear, and water power.

District Six specializes in transportation.

District Seven has lots of forested area and produces wood and paper products.

District Eight produces textiles and clothing.

District Nine is a farmland where grain is grown and harvested.

District Ten is in charge of raising cattle and producing beef.

District Eleven is also agricultural and has many fruit orchards. They also produce some wheat and cotton.

District Twelve was primarily a coal mining district, but after the Second Rebellion they switched to producing medicine.

District Thirteen produced weapons like bombs, but was destroyed in the First Rebellion.