What evidence in the text hints at or suggests Mr. Hooper's reasons for wearing the black veil?

The first hint we get about the meaning of the veil is the subject of the first sermon Mr. Hooper delivers after he begins to wear it. "The subject had reference to secret sin, and those sad mysteries which we hide from our nearest and dearest, and would fain conceal from our own consciousness [...]." His congregation even feels that he's "discovered their hoarded iniquity of deed or thought."

Then, when his fiancee, Elizabeth, comes to ask him about the veil, he says, "'If I hide my face for sorrow, there is cause enough, [...] and if I cover it for secret sin, what mortal might not do the same?'" So, we can piece together that Mr. Hooper's veil is symbolic of our attempts to hide our secret sins from one another. We all possess such sins, and yet we refuse to admit it to our fellows, and in this way we hold up a figurative veil between ourselves and everyone else.

Likewise, on his deathbed, Mr. Hooper asks, "'Why do you tremble at me alone? [...] Tremble also at each other! [....]  I look around me, and, lo! on every visage a Black Veil!'" He complains that he has been shunned because of his black veil, but that the quality that it signifies is possessed by everyone. If they find him frightening, then they ought to find each other just as frightening.

In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, what role does Peter the cat play in Chapter Twelve?

The cat serves as comic relief and another example of Tom’s exploits when he feeds it painkillers.

Tom is feeling depressed because Becky hasn’t been to school in a while.  He finds out that she is sick, and is afraid that she is going to die.  His aunt loves to try out home remedies, so she sees this as an opportunity to test a new one.  Tom asks for Pain-killer, and gives it to the cat.

Tom pretends to ask the cat if it wants medicine, with the cat saying it does.  Of course, the cat does not really want medicine.  Tom pries his mouth open and forces the Pain-killer on the cat, telling him that if he doesn’t like it he has no one to blame but himself.  The poor cat certainly reacts.

Peter sprang a couple of yards in the air, and then delivered a war-whoop and set off round and round the room, banging against furniture, upsetting flower-pots, and making general havoc. (Ch. 12)

As the cat is doing “double somersaults,” Aunt Polly comes into the room.  She of course asks Tom what “ails the cat” and he of course tells her he has no idea.  He tells her the cat is just having a good time.  Finally she sees the spoon, and he admits that he gave the cat the painkiller because he felt sorry for the cat for not having an aunt to give it to him.

Because if he’d had one she’d a burnt him out herself! She’d a roasted his bowels out of him ‘thout any more feeling than if he was a human!’ (Ch. 12)

This makes his aunt feel bad.  She realizes that if the cat reacted that strongly to the medicine, it must be awful stuff.  She fears that she has been treating Tom just as cruelly as he was to the cat by forcing it on him.

The incident serves as an example of comic relief, both because of Aunt Polly’s silly medicines and Tom’s messing with the cat.  It makes the reader laugh, and also demonstrates Tom’s cleverness.  Tom proved his point to his aunt, that the medicine was harmful to him.  He gets out of having to take any more medicine.

How did homo sapiens think before the advent of language?

This is an interesting question, but part of answering it may involve rethinking the assumptions behind it.

The main issue is how we could gain any evidence about it. Obviously, no writing could be preserved from pre-linguistic (or even preliterate) societies. Cave paintings and pictographs and other art forms exist from preliterate societies but we can't really know if those societies had verbal languages or not; if they communicated by visual signals or gesture, that would constitute a sort of "language" (just as ASL does).

As every society that now exists has some form of language, and even animals use limited sounds or gestures to communicate, the closest we can come to investigating this is by looking at feral children, who seem to have missed a key window for language development. Even in those cases, though, the only way we can investigate their inner thought processes is by teaching them language and talking with them.

Wittgenstein famously stated that the limits of my language are the limits of my world. Although we can imagine systems of symbolic thought quite different from languages as we know them, in so far as such systems could be mediums for thought, we would call them languages. 

What textual evidence helps prove that Mercutio is responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet?

Upon Mercutio’s death, he claims that the “plague” on the Capulet and Montague households is why he is dying. However, when taking a closer look at Act III, Scene I, it becomes clear that not only his death, but also the deaths of Romeo and Juliet could have been avoided had he kept his cool.

At the beginning of Act III, Scene I, Benvolio and Mercutio are strolling around in a public place when they run into Tybalt, who is looking for Romeo. Mercutio attempts to provoke Tybalt, which doesn’t work, especially when Romeo enters the scene. Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt, and Mercutio is disgusted by Romeo’s behavior, so he draws his own sword:

O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!

Alla stoccata carries it away.

[Draws]

Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?

Romeo begs him to put his sword away, but he refuses. Tybalt and Mercutio fight, and Mercutio is eventually fatally injured. He blames his death on the dispute between the Capulets and the Montagues: “A plague o’ both your houses!”

Once Mercutio dies, Romeo is furious. He recognizes that Tybalt is technically his cousin now, but he can’t hold in his anger since Mercutio was a dear friend:

Now, Tybalt, take the villain back again,

That late thou gavest me; for Mercutio’s soul

Is but a little way above our heads,

Staying for thine to keep him company:

Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him.

Their fight concludes with Romeo killing Tybalt.

This shows that Mercutio could be held responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet because Tybalt wasn’t even interested in fighting Mercutio, but because Romeo didn’t want to fight Tybalt, he pursued fighting Tybalt, causing his own death. Mercutio’s death brought a maddening fury to Romeo, causing him to fight Tybalt, which led to Tybalt’s death. The Prince then banished Romeo from Verona, which led the Friar to create a dramatic plan in order to ensure that Romeo and Juliet could be together. When the plan didn’t work out, Romeo was under the belief that Juliet was dead, which gave him no reason to live anymore; thus, Romeo killed himself in Juliet’s tomb. Once Juliet awoke to find Romeo dead, she, too, killed herself.

How is Ezinma in Things Fall Apart affected by the Igbo culture?

In Chinua Achebe’s debut novel Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo’s daughter Ezinma is deeply affected by the norms, customs, and values of traditional Igbo culture. More specifically, as Okonkwo’s daughter, she is valued according to her ability to marry into a reputable family. Indeed, Okonkwo has a tremendous amount of influence in who she marries and why. He dictates that rather than marrying a respected man in Mbanta, she instead should save herself to marry an Umuofian man:

“Many young men and prosperous middle-aged men of Mbanta came to marry her. But she refused them all, because her father had called her one evening and said to her: 'There are many good and prosperous people here, but I shall be happy if you marry in Umuofia when we return home.' That was all he had said. But Ezinma had seen clearly all the thought and hidden meaning behind the few words” (173).

She is valued as a commodity, and a reflection on her father’s status. In her time in Mbanta, she was given the nickname “Crystal of Beauty.” This reinforces her marginalized position within Igbo culture as a commodity.

Okonkwo laments the fact that she was not born a boy, and this is yet another piece of evidence that shows that women in Igbo culture are undervalued. She has desirable traits that Okonkwo respects, but he still desperately wishes that she was a boy. Thus, Ezinma is affected by Igbo culture in much the same way as other women: she is regarded as a commodity and marginalized as a human being.

How do we find valency of an element?

Valency of an element gives us an idea of the number of electrons required to completely fill the outer shell. It is also a measure of number of electrons involved in bond formation. The simplest way to find the valency of an element is to write its electronic configuration, for which the atomic number of the element should be known. From the electronic configuration, we can see the number of electrons that are required to fill the outer shell. This can be done either by gaining electrons (as in the case of non-metals) or losing electrons (as in the case of metals). Thus, the valency of the non-metals is negative and for metals, it is positive.

For example, sodium has an atomic number of 11 and hence it's electronic configuration is `1s^2, 2s^2, 2p^6, 3s^1` . It can lose 1 electron from 3s orbital and achieve fully filled configuration and hence has a valency of +1. On the other hand, chlorine (a non-metal) has a valency of -1.

Hope this helps. 

The speaker refers to "we" throughout the poem. Who is we?

The “we” in “We Wear the Mask” by Paul Laurence Dunbar is the African American who has been oppressed by white society. Because of racism, discrimination, and stereotyping, Dunbar maintains that blacks must wear a mask that hides who they really are and their true feelings.  Outwardly, they grin and lie to white society who feels they must act a certain way in order to fit in.  Underneath the mask, is a human being who is not accepted or understood because of the color of their skin.  The mask blacks must wear in order to navigate white society leads to “tortured souls” and unhappiness. The idea of this “double consciousness” first proposed by W. E. B. Dubois suggests that blacks act (and talk) one way in their own communities, and in order to survive, they must act differently in white society.  This dual role blacks must play causes them to wear an imaginary mask that shows happiness but hides their tears and sorrow for not being accepted in society.

Why does the narrator seek out Simon Wheeler in "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County?

The narrator seeks out Simon Wheeler because the narrator's friend back East requested that the narrator find Simon and ask him about another guy, named Leonidas W. Smiley.

Presumably because the narrator is a good friend, he does what is asked of him, and looks for Simon so that he can ask about Leonidas and, hopefully, contact his friend back East to let him know that Leonidas is okay.

Of course, that's not exactly what happens in the story, though! The narrator does find Simon Wheeler, and he does ask him about Leonidas W. Smiley, but the narrator realizes just as we the readers do that his friend has played a joke on him. There is no such person as Leonidas W. Smiley, and his name, "Smiley," only reminds Simon about a long, boring story about a different guy with the same last name ("Jim Smiley") and Simon proceeds to tell this entire story to the narrator. The narrator is really annoyed and realizes that his friend probably planned out the whole interaction as a practical joke.

All this is reported within the very first paragraph of the story. It might be a little hard to understand, since it involves so many different men, so I'll also explain it like this. Here are the events in the order they happened, even though the narrator explains them all at once:

1. The narrator's friend asked the narrator to ask Simon Wheeler about Leonidas W. Smiley.

2. The narrator finds Simon and asks him about Leonidas.

3. Simon has idea who Leonidas is.

4. Leonidas's last name, "Smiley," reminds Simon of another guy, Jim Smiley.

5. Simon tells a long, silly, boring story about Jim Smiley to the narrator.

6. The narrator realizes his friend has tricked him by sending him on this errand--his friend probably knew Simon well and knew what would happen if someone mentioned the name "Smiley" to him.

What are some examples of foreshadowing in Act I of Romeo and Juliet?

There are two good examples of foreshadowing in Act I of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The first example occurs in Scene 3 after Romeo has read the list of invited guests for Capulet's party and discovers the name of Rosaline, the girl he loves but does not return his affection. Benvolio has been trying to convince Romeo that he should forget her and look at the other women of Verona. Benvolio says,

At this same ancient feast of Capulet’s
Sups the fair Rosaline whom thou so loves,
With all the admirèd beauties of Verona.
Go thither, and with unattainted eye
Compare her face with some that I shall show,
And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.

Benvolio is right and foreshadows the meeting of Romeo and Juliet in Scene 5. Once Romeo sees Juliet, he falls in love and forgets all about Rosaline. Like Benvolio, he even calls the other women "crows" after seeing Juliet:

So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows

The best example of foreshadowing, however, comes in Scene 4 as the Montagues are on their way to crash Capulet's party. After Mercutio's Queen Mab monologue, Romeo, in an aside, reveals his fear that going to the party will set in motion events that he cannot control which will ultimately lead to his death. He says,

I fear too early, for my mind misgives
Some consequence yet hanging in the stars
Shall bitterly begin his fearful date
With this night’s revels, and expire the term
Of a despisèd life closed in my breast
By some vile forfeit of untimely death.

As foreshadowed, the "night's revels" lead to his relationship with Juliet and the tragic circumstances of their love. Fate or a "consequence yet hanging in the stars" takes over Romeo's life as catastrophe after catastrophe changes his life forever. The final suicides are indeed untimely as Romeo is a young man in the prime of life and Juliet is only thirteen-years old.

What is a good quote that identifies prejudice in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird?

There are many quotes throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird that identify the prominent prejudice throughout the community of Maycomb, Alabama. The community of Maycomb is highly prejudiced against African Americans. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, prejudice is defined as an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge. White community members harbor negative feelings towards black people and believe they are inferior. In 1930's Alabama, Jim Crow laws were enacted to discriminate against black people. Throughout the trial, Bob and Mayella Ewell have confidence that the jury will take their word over Tom Robinson's because they are white. During Atticus' closing remarks, he calls attention to the prejudice in the community by saying,

"The witnesses for the state, with the exception of the sheriff of Maycomb County, have presented themselves to you gentlemen, to this court, in the cynical confidence that their testimony would not be doubted, confident that you gentlemen would go along with them on the assumption---the evil assumption---that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber." (Lee 273)

Atticus urges the jury to cast away their prejudice and judge Tom Robinson's case void of "evil assumptions." The majority of Maycomb's community members believe that black people are inherently evil. This idea is prejudice because there is no sufficient evidence or knowledge that confirms this belief. Unfortunately, Tom Robinson is found guilty by the racist Maycomb jury members.

Who is Sanaubar? How is she contrasted to Amir's mother?

In The Kite Runner, Sanaubar is the wife of Ali and the mother of Hassan.  Amir's mother is Sofia Akrami.  Sofia makes no appearance in the story, since she died in childbirth with Amir, but Sanaubar does make a brief appearance toward the end of the story.  They are certainly in sharp contrast to one another but have a few things in common. 

Sofia was a Pashtun and a Sunni, a member of the ruling class in Afghanistan. She came from a royal family, and was,

...a highly educated woman universally regarded as one of Kabul's most respected, beautiful, and virtuous ladies (Hosseini 15).

Sanaubar, on the other hand, was a Hazara and a Shi'a, part of the underclass in Afghanistan.  While she was considered attractive, with "brilliant green eyes and impish face" (8), it appears that it was her sexiness that made her memorable, sending "men to reveries of infidelity" (8), which led her to have a very bad reputation.  When Hassan was born, with his harelip, she ran away, leaving Ali to raise Hassan on his own, eloping with "a band of singers and dancers" (210).  

She resurfaces after Hassan and his wife have settled in with Rahim Khan, sick, old, feeble, and regretful over all the years she has been gone.  Hassan and his wife nurse her back to health, and she lives long enough to deliver her grandchild, Sohrab, and to see him reach the age of four, when she dies quietly in her sleep.

So, we have two women, both beautiful in their own ways, from opposite ends of the socioeconomic spectrum. Both have had a relationship with Baba, one marital and one adulterous, and both die sadly, one's life cut off far too soon, while the other's life was clearly shortened by the life she has led. 

In The Great Gatsby, Chapter 7 why does Myrtle out to the yellow car. Who does she think is driving and why is this ironic?

First off, you might check the link below for more information relating to your question.

In chapter seven of Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby the five central characters go into New York City to drink. Tom suggests that he and Gatsby switch cars so, on the way, when they stop at Wilson's garage, Tom is driving Gatsby's very expensive car. Myrtle Wilson, who is having an affair with Tom, sees Tom with Jordan Baker in the yellow car. She believes Jordan is his wife:

Her expression was curiously familiar--it was an expression I had often seen on women's faces but on Myrtle Wilson's face it seemed purposeless and inexplicable until I realized that her eyes, wide with jealous terror, were fixed not on Tom but on Jordan Baker, whom she took to be his wife.

In the city Gatsby confronts Tom about his love for Daisy and wants Daisy to tell Tom she never loved him. In a very uncomfortable exchange, Daisy is not able to deny her love for Tom. Tom then begins to berate Gatsby, revealing Gatsby has gained his fortune through illegal means. When the party breaks up Gatsby takes Daisy back in his car. When they drive by Wilson's garage Myrtle runs toward the yellow car thinking it is Tom. Daisy is driving and runs down the woman "goin' thirty or forty miles an hour." 

Myrtle was very much in love with Tom, even to the point of allowing him to beat her. She thinks Tom will save her from her dull life as the wife of a mechanic. She ignores the fact that Tom and Daisy are "unfair, corrupt and materialistic" and have no regard for those they hurt. Daisy never even slows down after running over Myrtle. It is ironic that Myrtle should be killed by Gatsby's car, an obvious symbol for materialism, driven by a woman who is consumed by it. 

It is also ironic that Gatsby would take the fall for Daisy and tell Nick that he had been driving the car. Even after Daisy has revealed herself as shallow and selfish, Gatsby clings to the dream of idealistic love. 

What is one way the House of Representatives and the Senate are different?

There are several ways the House of Representatives and the Senate are different from each other. One way is in the form of representation. In the Senate, each state, regardless of its size, has two senators. In the House of Representatives, the population of the state determines the number of representatives. Larger states have more representatives than smaller states.

There are other operational differences between the Senate and the House of Representatives. Any bill that deals with money must start in the House of Representatives. The House of Representatives determines if there is enough evidence to impeach the President. The Senate conducts the impeachment trial. The Senate must approve any peace treaty made by the President. The Senate also must confirm judges and ambassadors appointed by the President.

There are a few other differences between each part of the legislative branch. The members of the House of Representatives are elected for two-year terms. This means the whole House of Representatives, all 435 seats, are up for election every two years. The members of the Senate are elected for six-year terms. This means one-third of Senate, either 33 or 34 seats, is up for election every two years. To be elected to the House of Representatives, a person must be at least 25 years old. To be elected to the Senate, a person must be at least 30 years old.

There are many differences between the Senate and the House of Representatives.

In the final stanza of the poem, we discover that the lovers are soon to be parted. What effect, if any, do you suppose this impending separation...

“A Red, Red Rose” is a poem of love everlasting—though it can be interpreted ironically, the speaker here seems sincere; he is caught in the deepest throes of his passion, such that he will love his “bonnie lass … Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear, / And the rocks melt wi’ the sun.” If we take the speaker at his word, and believe his earnest claims, it would be safe to assume that, though the lovers are being rent apart, their love will endure.

The two are being separated because the speaker is going away. Why or where we can only guess, but it does seem that he has every intention of returning to his love—he says “fare thee weel awhile,” indicating an impermanence to his journey, and states hopefully that “I will come again, my luve.” These could be empty words meant to appease a lover stricken at his absence, or it could be hope, or it could have been the plan all along—we have no way of knowing. Perhaps he is a sailor, and is embarking on a long voyage— there is much imagery that recalls the sea in the poem, and what other way would there have been at the time the poem was written to travel “ten thousand mile” than by boat? Maybe the distance is not merely a hyperbole of passion. I like to take this poem at face value, and believe that the speaker truly believes he will return, and that both he and the woman he leaves behind wait for each other, keeping their love intact across the miles.

How can we differentiate between two points of view in Eveline? What is the purpose of having two points of view?

"Eveline" by James Joyce is told from a third person point of view:

She had consented to go away, to leave her home. Was that wise? She tried to weigh each side of the question. In her home anyway she had shelter and food; she had those whom she had known all her life about her.

However, this is not the standard third person point of view. Joyce does not merely report the events. He enters the mind of the protagonist, Eveline, and reports to us her thoughts, feelings, fears, doubts, desires, etc. Although Eveline is not the one who reports anything that happens, Joyce does that by using vocabulary which is appropriate for both Eveline's age and her situation. He attempts to report what Eveline goes through as if he were her.

This point of view enables the author to bring the main character closer to readers, so that they can identify with Eveline's struggle and sympathize with her more easily. The fact that we find ourselves in the middle of Eveline's dilemma (whether she should stay in her stifling Dublin home or escape towards the unknown) helps us visualize her struggle more effectively. As a result, we experience a lot of emotions, such as fear, tension and disappointment.

By this type of narration, the author does not merely tell us what happens in Eveline's mind. On the contrary, he shows us what goes through her mind, and makes her dilemma as realistic as possible.

In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, how can Mrs. Dubose be compared to a camellia flower in a cardboard box?

The camellia flower inside the cardboard box symbolizes Mrs. Dubose's courage and integrity. Throughout the novel, Mrs. Dubose is characterized as the unapologetic racist who insults the Finch family every chance she gets. After Jem wreaks havoc on her camellia bush, Atticus forces him to read to her every afternoon, except on Sundays. Jem and Scout learn that Mrs. Dubose was battling a terminal illness, and her final goal in life was to break her morphine addiction. Jem's reading kept her occupied between doses of morphine until her tolerance was high enough that she could break her habit. Atticus tells the children that she was the bravest person he had ever met. As a token of appreciation and a symbol of remembrance, Mrs. Dubose leaves a candy box for Jem with a white camellia inside of it. The color of the camellia is significant because white symbolizes purity. Mrs. Dubose died a pure individual without an addiction, "beholden to nothing and nobody." (Lee 148) Unlike Mrs. Dubose's ruined bush, the perfect camellia in the cardboard box symbolizes her integrity and courage. Mrs. Dubose's integrity remained intact, just like the camellia she gave to Jem, despite her illness.

Describe and explain Elie's view of God in Night by Elie Wiesel.

In the beginning of Night by Elie Wiesel, Elie is very religious. He believes deeply in God and even weeps when he prays. He and Moshe the Beadle study Torah (the Jewish Bible or first five books of Moses), Talmud (Jewish Law) and Cabbala (Jewish mysticism) together. 

After the Jewish people of Sighet are taken to Auschwitz, though, Elie's belief begins to change. He begins to question the existence of a God who would allow such horrible things to happen to people. He eventually loses all faith in God because of the horrors he witnesses and is subjected to. 

"I too had become a completely different person. The student of the Talmud, the child that I was, had been consumed in the flames. There remained only a shape that looked like me. A dark flame had entered into my soul and devoured it" (Wiesel 34)

With each terrible experience Elie has, he loses more faith in a superior being. When a boy is hanged at Buna, it is the final straw for him.

"Behind me I heard the same man asking: 'Where is God now?'

And I heard a voice within me answer him:

'Where is He? Here He is--He is hanging here on this gallows...'" (Wiesel 62).

What are the 3 main ways to identify an element?

Elements are types of atoms that have a unique number of protons.

In fact, from left to right, the periodic table is arranged by the number of protons that each element contains. The periodic table can be used to identify an element in the following three ways.

1. The simplest way to use the periodic table to identify an element is by looking for the element’s name or elemental symbol.


2. The periodic table can be used to identify an element by looking for the element’s atomic number. The atomic number of an element is the number of protons found within the atoms of that element. The key of a periodic table will indicate which number represents the atomic number within each elemental square.


3. The number of protons can be evaluated if the mass number and the number of neutrons of an element are known. The mass number of an element is the number of protons plus the number of neutrons. Therefore, the number of protons can be found by subtracting the number of neutrons from the mass number of the element. Then, the atomic number can be used to identify the element of interest using the periodic table.

Elements can be identified without using a periodic table in the following ways.

• Each element has unique physical properties such as density, melting point, boiling point, etc. These properties can be used to identify an element using a reference book that contains such information about each element.


• 
  Flame tests, atomic spectra, and spectroscopy can be used to identify some elements.

In Beowulf, what had Herot symbolized before the coming of Grendel? After?

Herot (or Heorot, in some versions) is the name Hrothgar's mead hall in the epic poem Beowulf. It is the main fortress for the Danes and a major symbol of wealth, power, and control. Before Grendel begins attacking the fortress, one can view it as a symbol of security, order, and civilization, as a structured haven safe from the chaos of the wilderness. 

After Grendel attacks Herot, the hall is understandably left in disarray, and no Dane is brave enough to spend too much time there, especially after dark. Essentially, Grendel's raids subvert Herot's image as a safe fortress, and so the order of Hrothgar's reign is accordingly also brought into question. In a nutshell, after Grendel's attacks Herot comes to symbolize disorder, chaos, and weakness.

It is impossible not to read a religious layer onto this idea. Grendel is generally taken to be a descendent of Cain, the exiled Biblical character who murdered his brother, Abel. As such, Grendel represents the heathen barbarity cast out of God's community. In contrast, Hrothgar's Herot can be seen as a symbol of Christian order and security, as a community favored by God. As such, the different phases of Herot can also be seen as different phases of Christian spirituality; on the one hand, you have the peace of God's approval and, on the other, you have the disarray following the dismantling chaos of "heathen" culture. In many ways, therefore, Herot's development can be seen as a commentary on what is perceived to be religious virtue as opposed to what is not. 

Why does Danforth declare, "Mr. Parris, you are a brainless man!"?

Danforth calls Reverend Parris "a brainless man" because he has allowed himself to be hoodwinked by his seventeen year-old niece, Abigail Williams.  Parris has just confessed that she vanished three days ago, telling him that she was spending the night at a friend's house.  However, the friend told her own family she was staying with Abigail.  Before they left, though, his daughter overheard them "speaking of ships" and they broke into his safe and stole his life's savings. 

Parris tries not to cry but he cannot help it, and Danforth seems to blame Parris for this turn of events.  Parris argues that "it profit nothing [to] blame [him]" because Abigail likely feared rebellion in the town due to the increasing unpopularity of the trials and ran away for this reason. 

What conflicts are in Gary Schmidt's The Wednesday Wars?

The central conflict in Gary Schmidt's The Wednesday Wars is an internal conflict within the protagonist Holling Hoodhood. Holling is not brave enough to stand his ground and, as a result, feels hated, bullied, and humiliated at school and neglected by his own father at home. As the story progresses, Holling develops bravery to the point that he can stand up to his father. Additionally, there are many minor external conflicts within the story, especially character vs. character conflicts.

One character vs. character conflict occurs between Holling and Meryl Lee Kowalksi after Holling takes her on their Valentine's Day date. While waiting for Meryl Lee's father to arrive at Woolworth's, Holling and Meryl Lee begin chatting about the designs their fathers are working on for the new junior high school. Their fathers are rivals, but neither Meryl Lee nor Holling see any danger in talking about their fathers' plans. Holling even draws out his father's design to show her, and she keeps his sketch. When Holling accompanies his father at the meeting of the school board to choose the design, Holling is shocked to see Mr. Kowalski present a combination of his own design and Mr. Hoodhood's—a classic exterior with a very modern interior:

No pillars, no straight walls. The roof a series of glass plates above the science and art rooms ("February").

Holling feels betrayed by Meryl Lee and thinks their date was only a setup for Meryl Lee to steal the design. Meryl Lee explains she showed her father Holling's drawing "because it was so good" and had no idea he would actually steal it. Holling believes her when he sees she has been crying all day and makes amends.

Why is Chapter 9 of The Scarlet Letter titled "The Leech?"

The actual leech is a worm from the annelid family which has suckers at both ends of its body. As such, this invertebrate attaches itself to the skin of vertebrates, sucking the immediate blood source that comes up in the process. Leeches produce a natural anticoagulant and blood thinner. This is the reason why leeches were the preferred method for "curing" people many centuries ago. However, leeches are making their way back into modern medicine.

Back to the story, in the time period where The Scarlet Letter is set (17th century) a physician such as Chillingworth (who pretended to be one) would have been referred to as a "leech" precisely because of the employment of the worms during treatments. However, this is also a figurative term that applies quite well to Chillngworth, who seems to be sucking away at the soul of Dimmesdale with his constant questioning and mentioning about what could be lurking within the soul of the priest. At first, the people saw Chillingworth as a blessing for their beloved and sickly Reverend Dimmesdale. 

This learned stranger was exemplary, as regarded, at least, the outward forms of a religious life, and, early after his arrival, had chosen for his spiritual guide the Reverend Mr. Dimmsdale.

However, after a while, the true intentions of Chillingworth, his inner anger, and his hunger for revenge began to reflect in his face, making him seem evil and scary to all the villagers. We know as readers that Chillingworth, upon discovering the situation that Hester was under as a pariah of the village, was determined to bring out who it was that wronged him. Chillingworth is willing to do anything for Hester and her lover to come forward and tell the truth that it is Dimmesdale who fathered Pearl. Hence, to disguise himself as a "leech" and, literally, latch on to the body and soul of Dimmesdale would be the easiest way to make his plans work. 

In Lord of The Flies, what were the rules in Jack's group and the rules in Ralph's group?

When the whole group of boys begin as "Ralph's group," they are eager to establish a lot of rules. They are only allowed to speak to the group while holding the conch, they have to work to build shelters, they are given shifts during which they have to keep the signal fire going, they even have rules about where they can go to the bathroom. These rules are all designed to keep things orderly and Ralph hopes they will also help to get them rescued.

Jack begins with just a group of hunters but once the split occurs and they go off on their own, his rules are simple. He is eager to hunt and kill for meat and to "have fun." The only real rules are that the boys must obey him or face his wrath. With his group there is no concern for order and civilization or rescue as they are focused only on hunting and "having fun."

After reading "The Postmaster," do you feel that all of our expectations can be fulfilled?

Tagore's "The Postmaster" suggests there will always be some of our expectations that cannot be fulfilled.

The two main characters demonstrate a lack of fulfillment in their expectations. The postmaster himself has several expectations that are not fulfilled.  Initially, he thinks that the rural setting of Ulapur will help fulfill his expectations as a poet.  This does not materialize.  He thinks that he will be able to develop the soul of an artist as a result of his relocation, an expectation that is also denied. While he does receive his wish of being transferred out of Ulapur, the ending reflects expectations that are not realized.  Even though he is leaving, he boards the boat and feels a "pain" in his heart.  He cannot shake this pain, and the only way he can cope is through rationalization: "So the traveller, borne on the breast of the swift-flowing river, consoled himself with philosophical reflections on the numberless meetings and partings going on in the world—on death, the great parting, from which none returns."  The postmaster must make do with "philosophical reflections," demonstrating that his expectation of pure happiness will not be fully realized.

Ratan is one of the best examples of how human expectations cannot be fulfilled.  She believes that through dutifully serving the postmaster, he will ask her to go along with him back home.  She believes that when he leaves, he will feel compelled to take her with him.  This is not to be as Ratan is left "wandering about the post office in a flood of tears."  Her "false hope" is her only companion.  As a result, Ratan's expectations are far from fulfilled.

Who believes tom Robinson has a chance at being set free and why

Jem believes that Tom Robinson will be set free after he listens to Tom's testimony. He is convinced that Tom will be set free because there is no concrete evidence against him, and the testimony of the Ewell's is dubious.

When Tom Robinson is on the stand, much of his testimony contradicts what Bob and Mayella Ewell have claimed. For instance, he testifies that he never came on the property without being asked. But, Tom is probably the only person who ever treated Mayella with kindness; he would help her with her chores when he passed her house on his way to and from working for Mr. Deas. Tom explains,

"Mr. Ewell didn't seem to help her none, and neither did the chillun....

Further, he reports what transpired between him and Mayella, and he states that Bob Ewell cursed his daughter when he arrived and witnessed her actions. Above all, Tom's testimony contradicts the confused statements of Mayella and the accusations of Bob Ewell. Furthermore, there is no concrete evidence to prove rape. 

So, in his closing statements, Atticus points out that there is notable variance between the testimony of Bob and Mayella Ewell, there is no medical evidence of rape, and the testimony of the defendant has "flatly contradicted" that of the two supposed witnesses. The only evidence is circumstantial: Mayella was struck, but she was beaten by someone who is left-handed. Furthermore, Tom Robinson has no use of his left arm and hand.

After lunch, Jem is convinced that Atticus has won, and he tells Reverend Sykes,

"...we've won it....Don't see how any jury could convict on what we heard--"

But, Reverend Sykes is not so optimistic:

"Mr. Jem, I ain't ever seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man..."

Then, when the jury returns, Scout notices something that only a lawyer's child would be aware of its significance: When the jury returns, no one looks at the defendant, and Scout notes, "A jury never looks at a defendant it has convicted."

Items are available in the following order to fit into bins of capacity 10. Using FIRST-FIT, put the items into the appropriate bins: 6 5 3 6 4 2 5 1

The first-fit allocation technique uses a list of free blocks. When an item is required to be placed in a block, the first free block in the list that is large enough to accommodate the item is chosen. If adding the item leaves a large free space, the block is split and the remainder is added as a new block to the list.

For bins of capacity 10, the given items of size 6, 5, 3, 6, 4, 2, 5, 1 can be placed as follows. The free block list is 10, 10, 10, 10...

The first item of size 6 is placed in the first free bin on the list, the remainder 4 is added as a separate bin in the free bock list. The list is now 4, 10, 10, 10...

As 5 cannot be accommodated in a bin with size 4, it is placed in the next free bin and a new block of size 5 added to the list. The new list is 4, 5, 10, 10... The next item of size 3 is placed in the first bin of size 4, the remainder 1 is added to the free list which changes to 1, 5, 10, 10...

The next item of size 6 is placed in the third free bin on the list which then changes to 1, 5, 4, 10, 10...

The next item of size 4 is added to the second bin on the list which changes to 1, 1, 4, 10, 10... The next item is added to the third bin and the list changed to 1, 1, 2, 10, 10... The next item is placed in the fourth bin and the list changed to 1, 1, 2, 5, 10, 10...

The last item is placed in the first bin as it can accommodate the item.

Does "The Monkey's Paw" demonstrate that it is human nature to try and achieve more using short cut methods?

The Whites do not believe that the paw is real when they first use it.

It is human nature to try to cut corners, or put in as little effort as possible to achieve success.  The White family seem like good people, but they make a wish on the monkey’s paw even after they are warned about how dangerous it is.

"I won't." said his friend doggedly. "I threw it on the fire. If you keep it, don't blame me for what happens. Pitch it on the fire like a sensible man."

Part of the reason that Mr. White wishes on the paw might be curiosity.  After all, he clearly does not believe it will work.  He has heard the story about the paw’s origins and its risks, but he goes along with the wish.  Either he thinks his friend is making it up, or he thinks he was deceived. 

The Whites ask for money the first time.  This is a reasonable request.  Most people would probably ask for money.  However, the Whites do not even ask for an exorbitant amount of money.

"If you only cleared the house, you'd be quite happy, wouldn't you!" said Herbert, with his hand on his shoulder. "Well, wish for two hundred pounds, then; that'll just do it."

Mr. White only asks for two hundred pounds.  He is a little bit ashamed of his actions, because he thinks that wishing on the paw is silly.  He does not really believe that anything bad will happen.

Despite the problems with the first wish, the Whites use the paw again.  When Herbert is killed in an industrial accident, Mrs. White wants to use the paw to wish him back to life.  Her husband tells her that getting the money was a coincidence, and he doesn’t seem to want to believe that the paw actually worked.  Mrs. White is convinced.

"We had the first wish granted," said the old woman, feverishly; "why not the second?"

The fact that the Whites use the paw again after the tragic consequences of the first time shows even less judgement.  However, Mrs. White is devastated with grief, and not thinking correctly.  It is only when the paw is used a third time, to wish Herbert back into his grave, that the family really believes that the paw is real.

While people often want to get something for nothing, the Whites are not completely guilty of cutting corners.  They are guilty of making a decision without really thinking about all of the facts.  For this reason, they lost their son and suffered with the idea of his mangled body showing up at their door.

Why does friction occurs when two surfaces are in contact?

Friction, in simplest terms, is a force that opposes motion. It occurs when two surfaces are in contact with each other. Friction occurs due to the roughness of the surfaces in contact. Even if a surface appears really smooth to our eyes, it is not so at micro scale or nano scale. A microscope can reveal the roughness features on a surface. Friction develops due to these roughness features or elements. This is the reason why a book stops after sliding for some distance on a perfectly smooth looking glass on top of a table. 

Friction between solid surfaces can be overcome by reducing the roughness of the surfaces. One common method to do that is by lubrication. Lubricants reduce the roughness and thereby, the friction between the two surfaces. That is why we put lubricant in door joints, car engine, etc.

Hope this helps.

Who is King Arthur?

The legend of King Arthur forms the basis of what must be the most famous and influential stories in all of English literature. But the story of Arthur first appeared as a work of literature in the French medieval romances by Chretien de Troyes. It has been generally acknowledged by historians that Arthur was not an actual king but a literary figure of mythic status. He is possibly based in part upon a warlord named Arthur first written about by a Welsh monk in the eighth century. Four hundred years later, Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote about Arthur in a book of English history that is now accepted to be an embellished work with many fictional components. In the 15th century Thomas Malory, a man born into wealth but who became a rebellious outlaw in his twenties, wrote what would later become Le Morte D'Arthur while he was in prison.

In this book, Arthur is imagined as a king who is of the son of King Uther and Lady Igraine, who conceive Arthur when the wizard Merlin casts a spell that allows Uther to persuade Igraine he is actually her husband, the Duke Gorlois. In return for this act of deception, Merlin demands he be allowed to raise Arthur in the forest, and later gives him to the knight Sir Ector as a fosterling. Arthur learns to be a squire to his brother Sir Kay, but because he is believed to be on humble birth he is not allowed to be a knight. Upon his death Uther plunges the magical sword Excalibur into a stone, and Merlin decrees only the true king of England will be able to free the sword. When Arthur does this, he is celebrated as the greatest king England has ever seen. Despite his reign being frought with personal difficulties, there is also peace and prosperity. The magical context of Merlin's influence has been a major part of the story of Arthur since Malory's work was published, and many literary and film versions since have embraced this conceit.

Not long ago an archeological discovery was made of burial remains that suggested a resting place of a Christian knight and king, and a new theory about Arthur's possible employment as a knight of the Crusades was born (this theory was developed into a screenplay of the film King Arthur starring Clive Owen). 

Name three ways the Persians organized and controlled their large empire

The ancient Persians are regarded by many historians as one of the greatest ancient empires in the history of the near east. Their strong army and leadership lead to massive land holdings. Because of this, they had to enact a number of policies and ideas to organize and control their large empire. 

Firstly, the Persians developed a new system of government that was more effective for ruling large groups of people. The Persians divided up their land holdings into "20 provinces", known as satrapies. Each of these satrapies was ruled by a governor, similar to the way states in the United States are governed today. These governors were known as satraps. The King would then send government officials to check on each region and make sure that they were conforming to the King's beliefs and wishes. 

Secondly, they became the first empire to govern conquered people by allowing them to have equal rights and responsibility as the citizens of Persia. The King would not interfere with traditions or customs of the conquered peoples, so long as they paid taxes and maintained peace. This differed from many of the Persians contemporaries who would often enslave captured peoples. 

Thirdly, the Persians developed an efficient communication system, so that news, orders, and information could be carried quickly through out their large empire. This was accomplished through the construction of a "royal road" that ran over 1,600 miles long, with various places along the way for messengers to stop and resupply or change horses. This road ran between Sardis and Susa, and allowed the King's messengers to cover the whole empire in as little as one week.

Hope this helps! 

Compare and contrast the views of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois on the issue of how best to help African-Americans achieve equality in...

W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington were leading African-American thinkers around 1900. Both men had clear views about how African-Americans should achieve equality.

Both men believed African-Americans should have equal rights. They differed on how those rights should be achieved. Booker T. Washington believed African-Americans should first focus on vocational training and securing jobs. Once they had jobs and were more secure financially, Booker T. Washington then believed African-Americans should fight for political equality. He believed economic equality should be secured before political equality should be secured. This idea was known as the Atlanta Compromise.

W.E.B. Du Bois believed differently. He believed African-Americans should secure all of the rights at the same time. He believed it was unnecessary for African-Americans to wait for political equality. He believed that African-Americans should secure both political equality and economic equality at the same time. He couldn’t understand why there should be a wait for any form of equality to occur. He believed it should all happen now.

Both men want equality for African-Americans. They differed on how and when that equality should be achieved.

I need some examples of economic decisions made by individual, family and the country.

Economic decisions are those decisions in which people (or families or countries) have to choose what to do in a condition of scarcity.  Scarcity occurs because people have unlimited wants but only have limited resources with which to fulfill these wants.  This means that people have to make economic decisions because they want more things than they can actually get.  Therefore, they have to choose between various options.

An individual person has to make economic decisions. You might have to decide which pair of jeans to buy, or how many pairs of jeans to buy as opposed to how many shirts. You may have to decide whether you will go to a university or whether you will go straight into the labor force. You may have to decide whether you should buy the newest mobile phone or keep your old one a while longer.

Families have to make essentially the same kinds of decisions.  A family might have to decide how many pants and shirts their children need.  They might have to decide how often (if at all) they can go on vacation. If they decide they can go on vacation, they will have to decide where they want to go and how much they want to spend on souvenirs while they are there.  They may have to decide what car they can afford and when to replace it with a new one.

Countries have to make bigger decisions. They have to decide what level of taxation they will impose on various types of economic activities. They have to decide how much they will spend on their military as opposed to domestic programs. They may have to decide what economic activities they want to subsidize.

All of these are decisions that have to be made because people (as individuals or as groups of people) want many more things than they can have and therefore must choose between various alternatives.

What form of government in the United States was established by the Articles of Confederation?

As the name suggests, the Articles of Confederation established a confederation, a loose organization of mostly independent states with a very limited central authority. The Articles themselves described the government as a "firm league of friendship," and while this might be a slight understatement--the new government did have the power to conduct foreign relations and other features of a sovereign government, but it had little coercive powers over the state. It also lacked an executive to enforce its laws. The laws themselves were passed by a unicameral Congress in which each state's delegation had a single vote. In order for a law to pass, nine of the thirteen states had to agree to it, and a unanimous vote in Congress was required for ratifying any amendments. In short, the Articles were quite limited in scope and power, and this caused considerable difficulty, especially in attempting to service the nation's ballooning war debts. These problems led to the writing and adoption of a new Constitution in 1787-1789. 

What is distinctive about John Smith's style of writing? Consider detail, vocabulary, narrative perspective, organization, and figurative language.

John Smith's narrative is incredibly distinctive and influential in terms of its effects on the development of the metanarrative of the "new world." Smith's descriptions of the fertile landscape is lush and vivid. He is very specific in his detailing and uses florid vocabulary to capture the essence of the region and provide an honest description of the local flora and fauna. A problematic element of his prose is his reference to the indigenous community as "savages." Obviously, this was merely a convention of the time, but prominently displays Smith's Eurocentric perspective.

Another peculiar element of Smith's style is his obsessive self-promotion. He is prone to exaggeration and portrays himself as a hero and friend of the "savages." This shameless self-aggrandizing detracts from his credibility and renders some elements of his narrative--including Pocahontas dramatically rescuing Smith--questionable. 

What is the king's system of punishment in "The Lady or the Tiger?"

In this story, the king uses what the narrator calls "poetic justice," meting out justice in a large ampitheater he had built for that very purpose. The accused is taken into the ampitheater and before a great crowd has to choose between two doors. Out of one will come a hungry tiger, who will devour the man. In this case, the man is considered guilty of the crime to which he had been accused. If the man selects the other door, a woman will come out, chosen to be as perfect as possible a mate for the man. If the man picks this door, he is considered innocent and would be expected to marry the woman who emerges, even if he already had a wife.

As we know, the daughter of the king has it in her power to signal to her lover which door to pick.

In The Crucible, what happened to the individuals who cried witchcraft on the innocent people?

In The Crucible, not much happens to the girls who accused innocent people of witchcraft.  When Reverend Parris arrives at the jail in Act Four, he tells Danforth that his niece, Abigail Williams (the instigator of all these troubles), "has vanished."  She's been gone three nights at this point, and she'd lied to him and said that she would be sleeping at Mercy Lewis's house (another accuser).  However, Mercy Lewis told her father that she was sleeping at Parris's house.  It is clear that they have simply escaped the situation before the town turned on them because they robbed Parris before they left.  He says that they broke into his strongbox and stole thirty one pounds, leaving him "penniless."  He believes that "they [are] aboard a ship" because Betty had heard them speaking about ships a week ago.

The fates of all the remaining accusers goes unaddressed in the play.

Whose footprints is the speaker referring to in the poem?

In the seventh and eighth verses of this poem, the speaker mentions “footprints on the sands of time,”

…that perhaps another,
Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.

These footprints are the legacies we leave behind when we die—the things that we have achieved in life, lessons we have learned and records we have filled. By mentioning these footprints the speaker is rallying the audience to become like “great men” of the past, those whose memories serve as inspirations to the living. These men also have left footprints—indications that we can make our own lives great, just as they did. And in becoming great ourselves, we also will become inspirations to some “forlorn and shipwrecked brother," a dejected member of a newer generation, who will follow the footprints we made, and will himself achieve success.

So, these footprints are metaphorical—they are the memories of great deeds and good men that get cemented in history, to serve as an inspiration for us all to seize life and experience it to its greatest extent, rather than let it pass us by. And, the speaker stresses, by allowing ourselves to be inspired by these past events, we ourselves are becoming inspirations for others.

What does Jem do to Mrs. Dubose's camellia bushes? Explain why he does this.

Mrs. Dubose is an old woman with no verbal filter. That is to say, she says anything that she thinks about without any consideration for who it might hurt. Every time Jem and Scout walk past Mrs. Dubose's house, they are polite but she is a witch. For example, she tells Scout not to wear pants and that if she continues to do so, she'll wind up waiting tables. But the worst thing she could ever say, and the straw that breaks the camel's back for Jem is when she says the following:

"Yes indeed, what has this world come to when a Finch goes against his raising? I'll tell you! . . . Your father's no better than the ni**ers and trash he works for!" (102). 

Mrs. Dubose didn't stop at that. She tells the kids that "half the Finches were in the asylum anyway." This recent rant from Mrs. Dubose comes on the heels of Jem having just bought Scout a toy baton. He couldn't take Mrs. Dubose's comments about his family anymore, so he grabs the baton, runs up to the house, and "cuts off the tops of every camellia bush Mrs. Dubose owned" (103). He also breaks the baton over his knee, pushes Scout to the ground, and pulls her home.

Jem just couldn't take Mrs. Dubose's disrespectful tone anymore. Scout says that "for a few minutes he simply went mad" (102) and deliberately forgot all of Atticus's teachings about being a gentleman. The pressure from the Tom Robinson trial seemed finally to get to Jem and he snapped. Scout thinks that if she was hearing about her father from kids at school, then Jem was probably taking flack as well. Mrs. Dubose's comments were simply all that he could handle before finally losing it and taking it out on the camellia bushes. 

Explain how the three-step writing process can be applied to emails in the business environment.

The three-step writing process comprises planning, writing and completing.

During planning, the person creating the message should understand the needs of the audience and determine the purpose of the message. Information should then be gathered to achieve the purpose of the communication. The medium of communication, in this case, electronic, is determined at this stage. It is also during planning that the main idea is delimited and the message outline is developed.

During writing, the person creating the message should be courteous and cautious of the language used, including the tone. The message creator should use the right words to ensure the message is understood as intended.

During completing, the message creator is required to proofread the content for clarity and readability. The final step in the completing stage is that the message is delivered to the audience. It is important to ensure the message in its entirety, including all documents and other attachments, is received by the intended audience.

Following the above steps, business emails can be organized to follow the three-step writing process by;

• Planning the message through gathering information that is required, to adequately satisfy the needs of the audience.


• Writing the message using the appropriate words to ensure the message is understandable, and setting the right tone for the communication.


• Completing the message through evaluating the content, appropriate formatting, proofreading for errors and finally delivering the full, complete message to the intended audience.

It is important to ensure the message has been successfully sent by confirming its existence within the Sent Items folder in the email dashboard.

In The Call of the Wild, what are Buck's most outstanding characteristics?

One of the things that the description of Buck makes plain from the beginning is his incredible strength and power. Even when he is living the soft life with the Judge, he has a confidence that comes from his physical stature. When he is exposed to the hard life of the Yukon, that strength is combined with months and years of hard labor and it grows to include a toughness that he didn't possess before.

Another outstanding characteristic is his intelligence. He has a combination of smarts and cunning that serves him well as he learns quickly from the dogs around him and from the different situations he finds himself in.

One more would be his pride. He has always seen himself as a leader, as being different from other dogs and this drives him to fight back when necessary and to also be a great lead dog in the traces when given the opportunity. This pride helps him survive some terrible injuries as well.

How can we consider "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll as a work of the absurd? Are there any elements of absurdity in it?

Saying that the poem "The Jabberwocky" is absurd is true, but calling it a work of the absurd, or absurdist fiction, is a little risky. Works of the absurd are generally more satirical and focusing on human nature, which is not the point of Carroll's "The Jabberwocky". However, there are a few things this poem has in common with absurdist fiction: lack of plot, lack of moral, and the form. Absurdist fiction often has no real structure or plot, which Carroll's poem is also lacking; there is a slight plot (the Jabberwocky is bad, a guy decapitates it, and then the guy goes home), but nothing too elaborate or really firm. It also has no moral; it is not trying to tell you that you should slay evil creatures, it is not trying to tell you anything, except maybe to "Beware the JubJub bird, and shun the frumious Bandersnatch!" Also, absurdist fiction can often be found in the form of a poem, which is what "The Jabberwocky" is.

All of that being said, Carroll's poem is more about whimsical nonsense rather than absurdist concepts.

In Animal Farm, what is the main reason for the failure of the farm?

There are a few ways in which to answer this question.

First, we can say that the farm failed from the beginning. At first it failed, because Mr. Jones did not really care about the farm or the animals. He was not diligent or caring, and at times he would get so drunk that he would neglect the farm altogether.

When the rebellion took place, it started off well, but there was a conflict among the leadership.  Napoleon finally drove out Snowball.  This act was another reason why the farm failed, because of the two pigs, Snowball was the more intelligent, better organizer, and the one who had a vision.

However, the greatest reason for the failure on the farm, in my opinion, is rooted in Napoleon’s plan for the farm.  Absolute power corrupts absolutely.  When Napoleon took complete control of the farm and introduced a reign of terror, he guaranteed that the farm would fail.  In fact, by the end of the story, we come back to where the story started, as Napoleon becomes a corrupt man, indistinguishable from a human.

In "A Psalm of Life," by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, what is not life's goal?

“A Psalm of Life” is a poem about living in the moment, about seizing the day and taking control of one’s life.  The poem is written as a young man’s thoughts on the words of a psalmist.  A psalm is a usually religious hymn or song of praise, and as such is often focused on the afterlife.  Here, we have a young, spirited dissention, asserting that life is not to be wasted, focusing endlessly on the far future, but rather to be experienced to the utmost, right now.  Indeed, by designating the poem as a psalm, Longfellow is informing us before we even begin to read that the piece is praising life.

 “Life is real!” the speaker says, “Life is earnest!/And the grave is not its goal.”  The grave is not its goal.  The goal of life is not to placidly await death, or whatever may come after death – the speaker is here exclaiming that the point of life is to be lived.  It is not simply to exist, or to passively experience – it is to explore, to learn, to change!  Consider the following lines:

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Finds us further than to-day.

Here we see a further emphasis on this concept – life is defined by action and personal growth.  It is not stagnation, and it is “not enjoyment” or “sorrow” – it is not simply these reactionary feelings, but rather something that must be kindling within oneself.  A bit later in the poem, our young speaker implores the listener to, “Be not like dumb, driven cattle!/Be a hero in the strife!”  Life is not to be lived in a herd, following the crowd and mindlessly absorbing your environment; it is instead a battle to be fought and won. 

So, life’s goal is not to follow the herd, and it is not passive experience.  It is instead action, the creation of experiences rather than the witnessing of them.  Living, rather than awaiting death.

What does Jonas notice about the books in the Receiver's dwelling in The Giver?

Jonas is shocked by the presence of so many books in the Receiver’s dwelling.

Jonas’s community has rule books and instruction books, and that is it.  There are no books of stories or history.  The community embraces Sameness, which seems to necessitate that no one knows what came before.  The only person who knows is the Receiver of Memory, because he holds the community’s memories going back generations.

When Jonas is selected to be the Receiver of Memory, he really has no idea what he is getting into.  He has no idea what to expect when he arrives at the Receiver of Memory’s dwelling. There is an attendant outside, and the dwelling itself is removed from the others.

Inside, Jonas notices that the furniture is different from most dwellings.  It is a little more luxurious.  He also notices that there are way more books than he has ever seen in one place.

But this room's walls were completely covered by bookcases, filled, which reached to the ceiling. There must have been hundreds--perhaps thousands--of books, their titles embossed in shiny letters. (Ch. 10)

Jonas can’t even imagine what is in all those books.  Everyone has a Book of Rules and Jonas has schoolbooks, but he doesn't think that all of these thousands of books contain instructions.  He is baffled by them, and they are his first window into the fact that the Receiver of Memory has special privileges in the community and knows much more than anyone else. The books are symbolic of that special knowledge.

Jonas later learns that the books contain “the knowledge of centuries.”  They are also forbidden to everyone but the Receiver of Memory.

Your living arrangements will have to be different from those of most family units, because the books are forbidden to citizens. You and I are the only ones with access to the books." (Ch. 13)

The Receiver of Memory keeps himself (or herself) apart from everyone else in the community.  It is almost impossible to have a regular family, because the Receiver’s work is private.  How could the Receiver share a dwelling when no one else can have access to books or memories?  The community respects the Receiver’s opinion and asks for it when wisdom and advice are needed, but most of the time the Receiver sticks to him or herself.

Receiver of Memory is a lonely job not just because of the living arrangements and other citizens' wariness.  The Receiver has an understanding that no one else in the community possesses.  As Jonas continues his training, he is often frustrated by this fact.  He alone knows about the past, experiences emotions, and thinks clearly.  It is a lonely position to be in.

How does John Steinbeck use the character of Lennie to highlight some aspects of American society in the 1930's in Of Mice and Men?

John Steinbeck himself remarked that Lennie was not meant to represent "insanity at all but the inarticulate and powerful yearning of all men." This character, then, highlights the loneliness and frustration of the disenfranchised men during the Great Depression of the 1930's.

That he represents a powerful yearning is certainly exemplified in Lennie who constantly wants things whether they be ketchup, a puppy, or a farm with rabbits. He is unhappy with the new location of their job on a ranch after Curley's wife comes into the bunkhouse, especially when George scolds him for looking at her legs. 

It seems that Lennie is very vulnerable and must be always on his guard and is worried about George getting angry with him. He feels insecure often, saying things such as "If you don't want me, you only jus' got to say so, and I'll go off in those hills...." Lennie longs for comforting words, and he just wants something to love. But, most of all he relishes hearing George recite their dream because it is hope for something permanent, a real home.

Thus the character of Lennie highlights the longing of the many men of the 1930's who were dispossessed and vulnerable and had to travel throughout the country in search of work, migrating from one job to another, without friends or loved-ones. He has only a dream, just as many in the Great Depression had but a vague hope of a better life; yet, they had to cling to it to keep themselves going.  

What words and phrases indicate that Polyphemus (the Cyclops) will be a formidable opponent for Odysseus?

Here are some quotes to help you out:

There are words of foreboding as part of Odysseus' narration: "A sudden foreboding told my fighting spirit I'd soon come up against some giant clad in power like armor-plate--a savage deaf to justice, blind to law" (218) and "But he proved no lovely sight to my companions" (218). As readers, when we read these words, we sense that Polyphemus is going to be a formidable foe.

There are words describing Polyphemus and his actions: "He flung them down in the cave--a jolting crash" (219). The words jolting and crash show us that Polyphemus is more powerful than any human. "Then to close his door he hoisted overhead a tremendous, massive slab--no twenty two wagons, rugged and four-wheeled, could budge that boulder off the ground, I tell you, such an immense stone the monster wedged to block his cave" (219). The description suggests how hard it would be to move the slab of stone, yet that it was easy for Polyphemus to move shows us how strong and powerful a creature he is.

There are words that Polyphemus says: "Out on a trading spree or roving the waves like pirates, sea-wolves raiding at will, who risk their lives to plunder other men?" (219) Polyphemus already suspects Odysseus and his men to be raiders or pirates and doesn't seem to think too highly of them. "You must be a fool, stranger, or come from nowhere, telling me to fear the gods or avoid their wrath! We cyclops never blink at Zeus and Zeus' shield of storm and thunder, or any other blessed god--we've got more force by far. I'd never spare you in fear of Zeus's hatred. You or your comrades here, unless I had the urge." (220). Most Greeks were god-fearing people. The fact that Polyphemus outright states that he does not fear the gods and isn't struck down immediately shows Odysseus and his men that the gods are not going to help or intervene.

Is it reasonable to expect that medical treatments sometimes require the use of force?

In “The Use of Force,” the doctor is in a difficult situation. By making it clear that the child will die if she is not treated and also stating the public health implications of untreated diphtheria, the story does justify the use of force in some situations. The readers do not really know why the child is resisting treatment and her resistance seems a bit unreasonable. The doctor admits to the reader that he should have perhaps waited and tried later. But throughout the story, the doctor demonstrates that doctors are only human.  He is captivated by the child’s movie star looks and her powerful assertion of her own body, and even admires the way she distinguishes herself from her humble parents. He sees her as a formidable opponent and abandons himself to pure feeling. When he finally gets her mouth open, he sees her as a hero who has defended some magnificent treasure. He has justified his actions in this case but also shown how people can have dignity and beauty in defending the indefensible and how caregivers are almost powerless before this heroism.

Who or what is to blame for the tragedy that is Nnaemeka's life?

First off, I believe the premise of your question is wrong. Nowhere in the text of Chinua Achebe's short story "Marriage is a Private Affair" does it say that Nnaemeka's life was a tragedy. In fact, Achebe comments at one point in the story that word had gotten back to the village where Nnaemeka's father lives that the son and his wife were very happy.

The tragedy is in the cultural and generational gap in the story that keeps Nnaemeka's father from seeing his son for eight years. The father basically disowns him over the son's marriage to a girl from a different ethnic group. Nnaemeka is Ibo and his wife, Nene, is Ibibio. Because they live in the large city of Lagos the marriage is accepted. In Nnaemeka's small village, however, the marriage is widely condemned by the villagers. In fact, the marriage is a major topic of conversation among the men of the Ibo village, making the title of the story quite ironic.

In the end, the reader is even led to believe that the hard hearted father may one day see his son again after receiving a letter from the wife which reveals the couple have two sons who would very much like to see their grandfather. So, in fact, the story may not be a tragedy at all. Instead, it may be a hopeful precursor to a more enlightened attitude among the Nigerian people.

How does Atticus teach the Golden Rule?

The Golden Rule states that a person should treat others in the way that they would want to be treated.  Atticus consistently teaches his children to live their lives in a way that follows the Golden Rule.  

Atticus is a man who has empathy for others.  He teaches his children to walk in the shoes of others when they are frustrated or mad at them.  For example, when Scout is frustrated because Miss Caroline punishes her, Atticus tells her to consider her teacher's perspective.  Her teacher is new to the area and does not know the way things are in Maycomb.

One night, a mob with ill intentions approaches Atticus, who is guarding Tom Robinson at the jail.  Scout spots Walter Cunningham, Sr. in the mob.  She is friends with his son.  Scout speaks to Mr. Cunningham with friendliness, and eventually he loses his desire to bother Atticus or Tom and tells the mob to leave.  Atticus talks to his children about this:

"...maybe we need a police force of children… you children last night made Walter Cunningham stand in my shoes for a minute.  That was enough" (To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 16).

He teaches Scout and Jem that other people who follow the Golden Rule will also treat others well.  He tells them that Mr. Cunningham had a change of heart and changed his mind.

Why does Dickens use humor in "A Christmas Carol"?

"A Christmas Carol" is a story with a strong message about the importance of reformation, but despite its sincerity, it is littered with instances of humor and light-heartedness. Arguably, Dickens uses this method for two reasons.

First of all, Dickens employs humor in the characterization of Scrooge to make the reader like him. After all, if the reader felt no empathy or warmth towards Scrooge, then the story of his reformation would not be so powerful. We see examples of Scrooge's wit in Stave One during his conversation with Marley:

"You travel fast?'' said Scrooge.

"On the wings of the wind,'' replied the Ghost.

"You might have got over a great quantity of ground in seven years,'' said Scrooge.

Scrooge's witty retorts, therefore, add a human element to his character and make him more likeable.

Secondly, looking at Dickens' preface to "A Christmas Carol" offers a glimpse into another reason for his use of humor:

I have endeavoured in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it.

In other words, Dickens wishes to present his message of social and personal reform in a manner which captures the joy and happiness of the season, not in a manner which comes across as demanding or oppressive. Through Scrooge, Dickens speaks directly to his readers: he wants them to consider the plight of the industrial poor—of people like the Cratchits—and act to improve their conditions. He is advocating an inclusive Christmas, where all members of society come together in harmony, and Dickens knows that humor is the only means by which he can transcend the existing social boundaries to make this happen.

Is there any personification in "The Tell-Tale Heart"?

There is, I believe, just one example of personification in this story. Shortly after the narrator describes the moments following when his finger slipped on the lantern and made a small noise heard by the old man, he describes what he believes the old man to be thinking since he feels he can relate. He believes the old man has been trying to reassure himself that the noise he heard is nothing to be afraid of. However, the narrator says that his reassurances are in vain "because Death, in approaching him had stalked with his black shadow before him, and enveloped the victim." Here, death is personified and given consciousness and intention, as well as the ability to approach its victim and cast its shadow upon the victim's body and soul.

This makes death seem that much more frightening, as though it considers its victim and "stalks" him ("stalking" never has a positive connotation); it makes death menacing and intentional, and it seems that this is how the narrator perceives death to be. He has no problem with the old man except his "vulture eye"—likely the result of cataracts, a malady associated with the elderly—and his association of the eye with vultures, which are associated with death. Therefore, it seems as though the old man is a reminder to the narrator of his own mortality (his obsession with time is also a clue to this), and so it is actually the narrator's own death that frightens him so much. He must kill the old man so that the old man can no longer remind the narrator that he, too, will one day grow old and die. Thus, the narrator's personification of death shows us how he views it.

When do Juliet and her father argue about Juliet's marrying Paris in Romeo and Juliet?

Juliet and her father argue about her marriage to Count Paris just after her mother informs her of the arrangements her father has made, in Act 3, Scene 5 (and this takes place right after Romeo leaves her bedroom!).  Juliet rejects their plans, insisting that she will not marry Paris.  When her father walks in, her mother says that Juliet should tell him herself.  He is immediately incensed at Juliet's lack of gratitude and pride in their choice of so great a husband.  He calls her "Unworthy" of such an advantageous match (3.5.150).  Even when she begs for his patience, imploring him to listen to her, he threatens to hit her (his "fingers itch"), and says that she can "hang, beg, starve, die in the streets" unless she relents and does as he has ordered (3.5.204).  He promises that he will "not be forsworn" (3.5.207); in other words, he will not change his mind or take back what he has said.  Juliet is absolutely her father's daughter, though, because she is as resolute as he once she's made up her mind.

When was William Shakespeare born?

Unfortunately, we do not know the precise date of William Shakespeare's birth. In Early Modern England, record keeping was not as rigorous as it is today. What's more, Shakespeare would not have been born in a hospital or birthing center setting where a birth certificate might have been issued. The good news is that most churches kept records of baptisms, weddings, funerals, and the like, and records from a church in Stratford-upon-Avon indicate that Shakespeare was baptized on the 26th of April, 1564. 

At the time Shakespeare was born, there was no strict rule for when children were supposed to be baptized. Especially if a baby was born small or not expected to survive, parents might wait to have a baptism performed until they were certain that the child would survive. The traditional date given for Shakespeare's birth, which is unverifiable, is the 23rd of April-- three days prior to his baptism. A baptism at three days old would be sensible, giving the mother and baby enough time to rest and recover after the difficulties of labor. The number three is also very important in Christianity, so baptism on the third day of life may have been considered auspicious by Shakespeare's parents. 

What did Hitler do in response to the Treaty of Versailles?

Hitler used the Treaty of Versailles as a way to fire up the German people and their spirit of nationalism. The German people were very unhappy with the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. They believed the treaty treated the German people unfairly. Hitler used this to his advantage.

The Germans felt the $33 billion payment in reparations was unfair. This payment was a factor that led to the Great Depression in Germany in the 1920s. It was this economic crisis that gave Hitler an opportunity to make his pitch to the German people that he could help Germany deal with its problems better than the current government could do.

Germans were upset with other aspects of the Treaty of Versailles. They felt that it was wrong that Germany had to accept responsibility for World War I when it was Austria-Hungary that started the war. They were upset that their military was dismantled. Germany could only have a military with defensive capabilities. Hitler used these terms to develop a spirit of nationalism in Germany. He said nobody should disrespect the German people. He indicated he would get revenge for this mistreatment if he got the power to do this. He began blaming other people, the Jews are an example, for Germany’s problems. He promised to restore the pride of the German people in themselves and in their country. The Treaty of Versailles gave Hitler the opportunity to pitch his ideas and to eventually lead Germany.

You have just purchased a new warehouse. To finance the purchase, you’ve arranged for a 25-year mortgage for 75 percent of the $4,200,000...

The question requires us to find the APR on the loan. APR is the Annual percentage rate. It is basically the amount charged for borrowing (a loan) or amount made by investing (an investment).

This question is an example of an annuity.  Annuities are defined as a series of fixed payments made by you or made to you over a fixed period of time. The common payment periods are yearly, semi-annually, quarterly or monthly.  

This question is a typical case of present value annuity. Because we are taking the loan now, we are determining the future payments of the loan based on today's value of the loan. 

The present value formula is as follows: 

`PV = x ((1 - (1+i)^(-n))/i)`

PV  = Present Value

We are told out loan value is 75% of the mortgage value:

 `PV = 0.75 * $4 200 000 = $3 150 000`

x= monthly payments

 `x =$18 300 `

n = number of payments

We are making payments monthly for 25 years:

 `n = 25 * 12 = 300 `

i = interest rate . We are required to find this to answer the question.

Now we can substitute into our equation: 

`3 150 000 = 18300 ((1-(1+i)^(-300))/i)`

`(3150000/18300) = ((1-(1+i)^(-300))/i)` 

This question requires us to iterate using software such as wolfram alpha or excel. Otherwise, trial and error can be used but will very time consuming. 

`i = 0.00041135`

Now we need to determine the annual percentage rate: 

`APR = ((1+i)^n -1 )*100`

`APR = (((1+0.00041135)^300)-1)*100`

`APR = 13.13%`

Answer: APR = 13.13%

The concept of "boomeranging" is often times mentioned in the Ralph Ellison's novel "Invisible Man." If boomeranging is the backfiring of one's...

What a great book! I hope you enjoyed it, too. As far as "boomeranging" in this novel, Ellison describes the world moving as a boomerang, instead of moving forward like an arrow. Our individual lives move forward each day, but the future and progress of our world is greatly affected by its history that does not simply stay in the past. The path of a boomerang always ends up back to where it originally started, just like the book. Ellison begins and ends the story in the same place, underground.

The narrator in the novel pushed forward in life to educate himself and help to rid the world of racism and social prejudices. As much as he grows as a person and learns to love and accept himself, he finds that society will not. He ends up where he started with society not seeing him for who he really is. As a result, the narrator has moved forward, but society has "boomeranged" around him.

In The Interlopers, Georg had townspeople in mind when he said that. As it turned out, who were the interlopers?

The term "interlopers" has many applications in this story. Ulrich feels that Georg is interloping on his land. Georg thinks Ulrich is interloping on land that he (Georg) should have access to. 

When Ulrich goes out hunting for Georg, hoping to catch him on his land, the two enemies meet. Each man has always considered to other to be the interloper. 

After the tree falls, pinning them both to the ground, both men threaten each other. Ulrich claims that his men will find them and Georg will be in severe trouble. Georg also claims that his men are out in the forest and they will find them first. So, again, we have more potential interlopers. Ulrich thinks his men will be the final interlopers and Georg thinks it will be his men. 

However, before either group arrives, Georg and Ulrich end the feud and become friends. Ironically, they have to worry about a new set of interlopers: the wolves. 

completely factor the following expressions. z^2 + 15z - 54

We need to find two numbers that multiply to -54 and add to +15.

This means that one number will be negative and one will be positive.  (a negative times a positive is negative)

Also the larger of the two numbers will be positive, since when added it results in a positive number.

Let us list the factors of -54 that fit this criteria.

-1*54 = -54.

-2*27 = -54

-3 * 18 = -54. and hey! 18 + -3 = 15

So our answer is (x - 3)(x + 18)

As Chief Information Officer, write a complaint letter to the telecommunication company you'd contracted regarding their installation of the...

A formal complaint letter should follow certain protocols in order to ensure that the letter is factual and impersonal. There is a tendency to make complaints' letters very personal as people have been inconvenienced and are feeling aggrieved. However, it is always important to remember the purpose of the letter. As this particular letter will be coming from The Chief Information Officer, it seems apparent that the writer of the letter wants to express his displeasure but his main aim should be to avoid what could become an ongoing struggle with the network in the future. If the system has been poorly installed, there are no doubt already communication issues, and if the quality of the system is perceived as inferior, the Chief Information Officer will be anxious to improve the quality as he will be looking at the long term effects of having used a company that has not met his expectations.  He or she will be looking for reassurances that the poorly installed network will soon be brought up to standard and that the installer can guarantee an imminent improvement.

Start your letter to the company's senior management with the usual headings for formal letters. Check your guidelines or rubric for the correct set-up. Once ready to start the letter, make sure that the subject line helps the reader to relate easily to the installation now under discussion. The first paragraph will outline the problem and a possible subject line is: 

Re: Installation of network at XYZ company on xxx January 2016

Note how the letter will not go into great detail about the inconveniences or the perceived incompetence of the installation team. There may have been some telephone conversations already. There are also likely to have been discussions about requirements before the contract was awarded to the installer. The letter might proceed as follows:

Further to the recent installation of the network at XYZ company, it has become necessary to detail the problems encountered and the company's disappointment at the poorly installed system and the quality of the products used. The equipment installed does not meet the brief and falls short of the standards expected by your otherwise reputable company and the installation itself was fraught with difficulty. 

Due to the initial discussions before the contract was awarded, it is a well-known fact that communication systems are crucial to the successful running of XYZ company. The system was expected to be up and running within two days (in terms of signed contracts), and yet, for 5 days, XYZ company was without its network as the installers struggled to successfully integrate the existing system with the new one they were installing. This has cost XYZ company in terms of its reputation and obviously from a financial standpoint. 

XYZ company reassured its customers that disruption would be minimal and steps were taken for unforseen problems. However, the problems became far more serious and the installation team did not seem to be equipped to deal with the complications. This resulted in XYZ further inconveniencing its customers. The embarrassment was worsened as XYZ were unable to offer a foreseeable end to the problems because the installation team was unable to confirm a date when the problems might be resolved.  The fact that another installation team was called to remedy the problem confirms suspicions that XYZ company did not receive the best service from the start of this contract as the best team was not sent in the first instance. 

Although the system is now up and running, the quality remains an issue and is of great concern. Steps need to be taken, without further cost or disruption to XYZ company, to install a superior product such as was expected and which only then would meet the requirements of the signed contract.

I invite your comments and look forward to receiving your assurance that the problems will be resolved very soon.

End your letter according to your guidelines for formal letters.