Blanche says death is the opposite of desire. What does she mean?

In Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche arrives at her sister Stella's home via just such a streetcar, both literally and metaphorically. "Desire" refers to Blanche's previous involvement in sexual promiscuity in her hometown of Laurel. Because she has lost her job and ruined her reputation there, she comes for an open-ended visit with Stanley and Stella. She begins a relationship with Mitch, pretending to be a sweet, moral, young woman to win his heart. Eventually he learns the truth and confronts her. By way of explanation, she says, "Yes, I had many intimacies with strangers. After the death of Allan--intimacies with strangers was all I seemed able to fill my empty heart with." She tried to forget the death of her young husband by indulging in desire. She goes on to describe how everything around her at her home, Belle Reve, was dying. Her mother and father, all her older relatives, the plantation which had to be sold piece by piece to pay debts, and, indeed, the gentle Southern way of life she had been raised in--all were dying around her. She says, "Death...the opposite is desire. So do you wonder?" She then recounts how she would have one-night stands with the drunken soldiers who staggered past her home on Sunday nights toward their training camp. Her point is that she used physical intimacy--desire--to take her mind off the death that was going on all around her.

How is death the opposite of desire? When someone is dead, she can no longer feel, she can no longer desire. Blanche had suffered so much pain--from the horrible circumstances of her husband's suicide to the multiple losses of loved ones--that she feels dead inside. To try to regain the vitality she lost, she tried to substitute sexual encounters. What she really desired was love, emotional support, and to return from her lost way of life. She sought those things the only way she knew how: through physical desire. The irony is that the more she sought to escape death through desire, the more of her own soul and the more of her own chances for happiness she killed. The streetcar named desire brought her to the pitiful place in life at which she has now arrived.

In the poem "Mending wall", How does the poet (Robert Frost) view his neighbor? Is his neighbor practical, illogical, a good neighbor, or a...

In Robert Frost's poem, Mending Wall, the speaker and his neighbor repair/rebuild the stone wall between their property in the spring of each year. The speaker of the poem ponders why they do this as they do not have livestock they need to keep on their own properties, and: 

My apple trees will never get across

And eat the cones under his pines

In the above quote and elsewhere in the poem, the speaker points out that the process of repairing and maintaining the wall is not for practical reasons. Thus, it is unlikely that the speaker would characterize his neighbor as 'practical'.

The speaker may find his neighbor to be 'illogical' in insisting the wall be maintained despite the lack of consequences to its absence, but the two times the neighbor is quoted in the poem seem to lead to the conclusion that the speaker views his neighbor as a 'traditionalist' rather than illogical.

The speaker twice quotes his neighbor's maxim that "Good fences make good neighbours." This quote is not based on practical or logical considerations, but rather on what appears to be traditional wisdom. Further, in the last three lines of the poem, the speaker reveals that his neighbor is repeating the saying of the neighbor's father. This reference back to the neighbor's father strongly supports the idea that the speaker sees his neighbor as a traditionalist, at least with respect to maintaining fences.

Finally, none of the above would indicate that the speaker does not believe his neighbor to be a 'good neighbor.' While the speaker questions the need for the wall, he nonetheless follows the ritual. In so doing, he seems to be acquiescing to his neighbor's maxim. Certainly, the mending ritual, if not the wall itself, helps the speaker and his neighbor remain good neighbors to each other.

Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is set during the Great Depression of the 1930's. How does this economic catastrophe affect the actions of characters...

Most of the country's economics in the early twentieth century was agriculturally based. A high percentage of families lived and worked on farms for their livelihoods. When Scout asks if they were as poor as the Cunninghams, her father gives her an answer that includes the effects of the stock market crash of 1929, which preceded the Great Depression:

"'Not exactly. The Cunninghams are country folks, farmers, and the crash hit them the hardest' . . . Atticus said professional people were poor because the farmers were poor. . . As the Cunninghams had no money to pay a lawyer, they simply paid us with what they had" (21).

Atticus proceeds to explain that he accepts any goods that Mr. Cunningham has to use as payment in order to pay off his bill. This is also called paying in-kind. Hence, because of the Great Depression, people like the Cunninghams found other ways to pay for things they needed. 

As far as Tom Robinson is concerned, he was employed as a picker for Mr. Link Deas. He probably earned far less than a white man would because of social inequality at the time, but he earned money rather than farming his own land. When Tom was arrested, he couldn't work; so, his church collected money for his wife Helen and three children. The collection goal was to raise $10.00, which doesn't seem like much at all.

"To our amazement, Reverend Sykes emptied the can onto the table and raked the coins into his hand. He straightened up and said, 'This is not enough, we must have ten dollars'" (122).

The Reverend Sykes had to hold his congregation hostage until they coughed up the money dime by dime. Many of the congregation may have been prejudiced against Helen and Tom for the rape allegations, but for the most part, it was probably just hard to raise $10.00 because of the economic hardships that everyone suffered at that time.

What is the symbol for choice in the poem "The Road Not Taken"?

The physical symbol of the moment of choice is the divergence of the two roads. The speaker is speaking literally about choosing between one of two roads, but the metaphor is that he must choose between one of two "paths" in life. That being said, each road represents a potential choice. 

Some interpret the poem to mean that the speaker is a nonconformist and he chooses the less traveled road. In other words, he chooses the path that most people do not take. However, evidence in the poem shows that he does not knowingly choose a less traveled road. In the second stanza, he notes that "the passing there / Had really worn them about the same." The two roads look equally worn and therefore, equally traveled. So, he is faced with two choices which look the same. He can not know, at this point, which has been less traveled, which is the path of nonconformity. 

He repeats the moment of choice in the last stanza: the divergence of the roads. He says he has taken the "road less traveled by" but he says this with a "sigh" indicating doubt, uncertainty, and maybe even regret. The sigh suggests that he can only hope that he had taken the less traveled road and/or that he regrets not choosing the other path. 

What elements of the poem "Still I Rise" make it inspiring and timeless?

Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise” inspires modern readers just as much today as it did when it was published in 1978. Many aspects of life in America have improved since this poem was written. There have been important advances in supporting women’s rights, promoting racial equality, and advancing rights of the LGBT community. However, all it takes is browsing news headlines to see that problems stemming from hate still exist. Whether on a personal or societal level, Angelou’s words still inspire readers to rise above hate, pain, lies, and fear.

Most people can relate to having been misrepresented like the speaker of the poem who confronts those who write her “down in history with your bitter, twisted lies.” Most people have confronted hatefulness, feeling that someone could “shoot me with your words” or “cut me with your eyes.” Most people have painful memories they would like to shed, “Up from a past that’s rooted in pain.”

Despite the negative circumstances the speaker struggles with, the poem has a bold, uplifting tone. The speaker is determined to rise above this pain, repeating that phrase eleven times in the course of the poem. These repeated words at the end of the poem give the impression that the speaker will continue rising, despite whatever new obstacles may come. This poem shares an empowering message for readers today and into the future.

In "Thank You, Ma'm" by Langston Hughes, why does Mrs. Jones take Roger home?

At the very beginning of “Thank You, Ma’m” by Langston Hughes, we are introduced to a tough woman named Mrs. Jones. Roger, a 14- or 15-year-old boy, attempted to steal her purse. Since the strap of Mrs. Jones’ purse broke, Roger ended up falling to the ground and Mrs. Jones confronted him.

First, she demanded that he pick up her purse and hand it to her. Next, she asked him a series of questions in order to gauge his character. She asked if he was ashamed of himself, to which he responded that he was. However, when Mrs. Jones asked him why he attempted to steal her purse, he denied his responsibility. She then asked him if she were to let him go if he would run or not, and very honestly Roger responded that he would.

Sensing that Roger did not see the severity of his actions or did not feel sorry for what he did, Mrs. Jones figured that she could teach him a lesson. She reveals her true intentions to Roger when she says, “You ought to be my son. I would teach you right from wrong." In other words, Mrs. Jones is momentarily taking Roger into her care so that he can learn from his mistakes.

What does the term BOND, as it relates to events depicted in The Merchant of Venice, mean ?

A bond is a written and signed promise to pay a specific sum of money on a particular future date or on the fulfillment of a certain condition. It is, therefore, a legal contract in the form of a loan agreement. The bond is normally signed by the parties thereto as well as a witness and is attested by a notary public or a legal authority who is mandated to perform such function, who can then sign the agreement and may place a seal on it. Both parties are protected once all the formalities have been dealt with.

If either party, therefore, forfeits on the agreement, the injured party may then seek restitution on legal grounds. The claimant may only seek compensation in terms of the conditions stated in the bond and cannot insist on any other recourse except through applicable legal means. 

The bond signed by Antonio and Shylock has the following terms:

Shylock will lend three-thousand ducats to Bassanio with Antonio to provide surety (guarantee) for its repayment.

The specified amount should be repaid within three months from the date on which the agreement is finalised.

The loan has to be repaid by Antonio.

No interest will be charged.

If Antonio does not repay the entire loan amount (three-thousand ducats) on or before the specified repayment date, Shylock may cut out one pound of his flesh as compensation.

The terms and conditions of the agreement may not be unilaterally altered by any of the parties.

Since Antonio was unable to repay the debt because his merchant ships did not reach their destinations and he was out of pocket, Shylock could claim restitution. Antonio had to abide by the conditions of their agreement. This gave Shylock the ideal opportunity to exact his revenge.   

How do I cook food?

While I'm not sure how the image you've shared relates to your question, I am happy to answer to the best of my ability.

At its most basic, "cooking" refers to any action which changes the chemical structure of a food and renders it more palatable, nutritional, or better-preserved. Cooking may refer to a wide variety of behaviors dealing with preparing food for consumption, such as chopping vegetables, blending spices, and even waiting on a cake to bake in the oven. Most often, the chemical change we apply to food to improve its edibility is through heat. Exposing foods to heat in an oven, on a stovetop, or with fire helps to break down cellular structures and make the food easier to digest. Many plant foods, like potatoes, require enzymatic changes to occur in the plant material before the majority of nutrients contained in it can be digested. In animal foods, proteins begin to break down or "denature" and are made more easily digestible by this process.

Not only does transforming food through cooking make it easier to digest, it also tastes better! One of the changes which spurred the speciation of Homo sapiens was the controlled use of fire. When our ancestors started cooking foods, the nutritional yield increased, and we have since evolved to prefer food that has been changed through cooking. Humans are especially fond of foods which are caramelized, a transformation of sugar, or charred, as occurs with grilled meats. Heat isn't the only way to transform or cook food: the acids in lime juice are used to transform the proteins in white fish for the dish ceviche. Salting has also been a favorite means of transforming food for centuries. Though there are many ways to transform food, the use of heat is one that humans have evolved to love.

It's a great idea to learn to cook! Not only will you have a reliable source of meals (finances granted) in the future, it's a great way to exercise your fine motor skills, practice mathematics, and engage your senses. There are many resources for beginner cooks on the internet. Check out this website which has lots of easy recipes. A good place to start is by learning the basics- how to make rice, fry an egg, or roast a chicken. Most chefs will say the best place to start is by learning to cook something you like to eat, but it never hurts to get in a little practice scrambling eggs first! Keep in mind that many meals or single recipes are composed of more basic skills and techniques, so learning these will be a benefit to you.

Depending on what is available to you, there may be someone who can mentor you in your cooking journey. A family member or friend who likes to cook can give you some pointers. You may also like to look into recreational cooking classes in your area. Some high schools and universities even offer casual courses in cooking. I would also like to recommend looking up recipes for dishes you enjoy on youtube- you can find recipes from easy microwave-poached eggs all the way up to the complex duck fesenjan!

What places Elie in the infirmary in Night by Elie Wiesel?

While at the Buna work camp just after New Year's, 1945, Elie is stricken with a swollen foot caused by the cold of the bitter winter weather. When he goes to the infirmary, the kindly Jewish doctor tells him he needs an operation. The operation is successful but the doctor informs him he will need two weeks to recover. During this time he is in a bed next to an extremely emaciated man with dysentery who preaches doom and gloom. He keeps telling Elie that the selection is worse in the hospital and the Germans don't want any invalid Jews.

While Elie is resting in the hospital, news that the Russian army is closing in goes around the camp. Guns are heard nearby. The camp is ordered to be evacuated, but those in the infirmary are told they will stay behind. The man with dysentery tells Elie that they will all soon be shot and another man believes the camp will be mined. Elie has a difficult decision. He and his father can stay behind or be evacuated. The father leaves it up to Elie and he decides to leave. It is a fateful decision. Later, Elie discovers the infirmary was liberated by the Russians only a few days later. At Buchenwald, where they eventually end up, Elie's father dies.

On page 173 of Lyddie, what happens after Lyddie visits Brigid to explain her dismissal and "plan?"

Brigid’s crying annoys Lyddie, and she does not stay long.

After Lyddie is dismissed, she goes to Brigid’s house and explains to her that she wrote a letter to Mr. Mardsen threating to tell him that she saw him try to assault Brigid.  The letter should prevent Brigid from also being dismissed.  She gives Brigid a letter and has her promise to mail it if there are ever any problems with him.

Lyddie does not want to stay long in Brigid's shack.  She stays only long enough to catch her breath, and give Brigid the letter and her gift.

"I'll be going, Brigid. Oh, yes. I nearly forgot." She handed the girl the parcel containing Brigid's old primer and Oliver Twist. "So you won't forget me altogether, ey?" she said, and fled so she wouldn't have to listen to Brigid's sobs. (Ch. 22)

Lyddie has grown attached to Brigid.  When she first came, Lyddie was annoyed at having to train her.  However, she came to like the girl and see her almost like another sister.  Leaving Brigid was hard for Lyddie.  That’s why she didn’t stay to listen to Brigid cry.  She is not the sentimental sort, but listening to Brigid annoys and upsets her.

Lyddie knows that Brigid can’t read yet, but she hopes that with the primer and a copy of the book, Brigid will learn how to read the way Lyddie did.  The book holds a special significance for Lyddie, and she wants Brigid to have it.

Lyddie is not judgmental about the squalid conditions that Brigid lives in.  She has often had to suffer in her life.  She is more concerned that Brigid not lose her job. She worries about Brigid.  She even tells Diana to write to Brigid.

"You must write to Brigid and tell her you are fine, ey?" Lyddie said as they parted the next morning. "She can read now, and she worries." (Ch. 22)

Lyddie lost her job protecting Brigid.  Her family was scattered, and she had very few choices.  Without her factory job, she would not be able to be independent and make her own money.  However, Lyddie made sure to protect Brigid, even after what it cost her.

What makes a poem's title unusual?

A poem's title is unusual (among titles of other types of works: novels, works of nonfiction, dramas) in that it often gives us a great deal of information that is necessary to understanding the poem or information that very much enriches the poem's meaning. Poems are so concise, so condensed, that even the title has to have an impact and has to convey something of importance.

For example, consider the poem "The Adversary" by Phyllis McGinley:

A mother’s hardest to forgive.
Life is the fruit she longs to hand you,
Ripe on a plate. And while you live,
Relentlessly she understands you.

An adversary is an enemy or opponent, and this is not typically how we think of a mother, especially a kind mother who just wants to help and understand us.  However, the verbal irony of calling such a loving mother an "adversary" helps us to understand the poem's purpose: to point out how we often perceive our mothers' good intentions as irritating or even oppositional.  

Or, consider the poem "Suicide's Note" by Langston Hughes:

The calm,
Cool face of the river
Asked me for a kiss.

In this poem, without the title, we would likely not interpret the action as that of a person taking h/er own life. The narrator speaks of the river as one might a lover, personifying the water as being capable of requesting an act of physical intimacy. However, because of the title, we come to a completely different understanding of the poem's meaning. The speaker, describing suicide in such a tranquil and loving way, allows us to consider what might have prompted h/er to take h/er life: maybe it was loneliness, despair, or anxiety. They crave the "calm[ness]" and "cool[ness]" and connection to something. Without the title, however, we perceive little or none of this depth.

Langston Hughes's poems "Harlem" and "Cross" are equally as impacted by their titles. Titles of poems have a much bigger job than titles of prose works. A novelist can use thousands of words to make h/er point, but a poet has many fewer. Each one must count.

What positive and negative outcomes about transportation came about during the Industrial Revolution?

As far as transportation itself goes, all of the effects of the Industrial Revolution were positive.  The negative effects were side effects of the positive effects. During this time, transportation methods improved, making transportation much easier across both land and water. The only negative impacts were on things like people and the environment.

The Industrial Revolution also revolutionized transportation on both land and water.  It made steamships and riverboats possible.  These changed water transportation, making it faster and making it possible to travel in any direction, even upriver, relatively easily. The Industrial Revolution made the creation of railroads and trains possible.  This allowed much larger amounts of goods to be moved across land than had been possible when transportation by land was only accomplished by animals pulling wagons.  In these ways, the Industrial Revolution had important positive effects on transportation.

There were no real negative effects of the Industrial Revolution on transportation.  It did not reduce transportation capacity in any way.  However, the boom in transportation did impact other things like people and the environment.  As steamships and railroads improved mobility, Europeans were able to reach out and dominate other people more easily.  This harmed the non-whites who were conquered and subjugated. The new transportation required the use of more natural resources and made it easier to exploit natural resources as well.  This is true because the new ships and trains made it much easier, for example, to cut timber in one place and ship it somewhere far away.  In these ways, the new types of transportation harmed the environment as well.

Thus, the Industrial Revolution affected transportation in positive ways, making it much easier and more prevalent. However, the increased transportation affected the environment and some groups of people in much more negative ways.

What can you infer about the Brobdingnagians and their society from the king's reaction to Gulliver's account of English society?

The king of Brobdingnag is completely horrified by Gulliver's account of English society and savagery, and, from this, we can infer that Brobdingnagian society is quite peace-loving and pacifistic. When Gulliver gleefully offers to share the recipe for gunpowder with the king, describing its effects and the way it can blow men into pieces that fairly rain from the sky, the monarch declares that he and his countrymen must be the most "'pernicious race of little odious vermin'" that ever lived. In other words, the king believes Gulliver and his fellow Englishmen to be destructive and harmful, inspiring a strong hatred from others, as well as compares them to harmful little pests that are disgusting and difficult to get rid of (like rats or lice or roaches). This metaphor, comparing the English to the worst kind of pests in the world, makes it clear that the king feels that the usefulness of a society is determined by what they can create rather than what they can destroy.

What does the band's music make Bud think?

In Chapter 17, Bud hears The Dusky Devastators of the Depression perform for the first time. He compares the band's music to the sound of a harmonious storm. Bud says that Thug's drumming sounds like soft rain falling on a tin roof, and Dirty Deed's piano sounds like drops of water splashing from Niagara Falls. Bud mentions that Jimmy's horn and Steady Eddie's saxophone melodically join in the "storm." Bud describes the sound of Herman Calloway's large fiddle sounding like soft thunder in the distance. Bud has a hard time differentiating which instrument sounds the best because the various sounds blend so perfectly together. He says that it is similar to the smells at the library in the way that can't tell which one is the best. Bud says that Miss Thomas' voice is the "sun busting through thick, gray clouds" (Curtis 202). Bud thinks that Steady Eddie's saxophone sounds like it is having a conversation with Miss Thomas. When the band finishes playing, Bud is in awe and begins clapping.

What literary devices can be found in Chapters 12-19 of To Kill a Mockingbird?

To Kill a Mockingbird is littered with literary devices. Finding a metaphor, simile, or hyperbole is as easy as opening any page of the book and pointing to nearly any paragraph. Lee is a masterful writer who uses many literary devices throughout the book. One literary device found in chapter 12, which is more described than used, is the political cartoon showing Atticus chained to a desk, with bare feet, and wearing short pants while girls holler at him. The cartoon itself uses satire. Satire pokes fun at important issues while also criticizing certain aspects of it. For example, this cartoon makes fun of Atticus who is chained to his work while missing out on the fun parts of life.

There is also a passage in chapter 12 that uses many devices in just a couple of sentences and it is when Lula is described by Scout, as follows:

"Her weight was on one leg; she rested her left elbow on the curve of her hip, pointing at us with upturned palm. She was bullet-headed with strange almond-shaped eyes, straight nose, and an Indian-bow mouth. She seemed seven feet high" (119)

First, Scout gives good visual imagery describing exactly how Lula is standing. Then she uses metaphors to describe her physical features, such as bullet-headed and Indian-bow mouth. Finally, she uses hyperbole by saying Lula seemed seven feet high.

In chapter 13, Scout says, "Aunt Alexandra fitted into the world of Maycomb like a hand into a glove, but never into the world of Jem and me" (132). When Scout compares Aunt Alexandra fitting in like a hand to a glove she is using a simile. Similes compare two unlike things using "like" or "as."

In chapter 14, Atticus and Aunt Alexandra get into an argument. The passage describing the silence that follows uses onomatopoeia and personification:

"Atticus retreated behind his newspaper and Aunt Alexandra was worrying her embroidery. Punk, punk, punk, her needle broke the taut circle. . . She was furious" (137).

Aunt Alexandra's "worrying her embroidery" is an example of personification and the punks help to give the reader the sound of the needle puncturing the embroidery circle using onomatopoeia.

Chapter 15 - "I saw Atticus standing in the yard with another knot of men" (147). A metaphor is used here because there is no rope; rather, Scout says the men standing around seem to look like a knot. Since she doesn't use "like" or "as" in the sentence, it is not a simile.

Chapter 16 - "When they pointed to Miss Maudie Atkinson's yard, ablaze with summer flowers, Miss Maudie herself came out on the porch" (159). The word ablaze suggest that Maudie's yard was on fire. But since the word is connected with the words summer flowers we understand that the colors of the flowers are probably reds, oranges, and yellows, which would give the image of fiery colors. The words are used in the sentence as a metaphor and a hyperbole.

Chapter 17 - "With his infinite capacity for calming turbulent seas, he could make a rape case as dry as a sermon" (169). The words turbulent seas is an allusion to being at sea, but really means any type of chaos or argument. Then a simile is used to compare a rape case to a church sermon by using the word "as." 

Chapter 18 - "Mr. Gilmer waited for Mayella to collect herself: she had twisted her handkerchief into a sweaty rope" (180). A metaphor compares a sweaty rope to what Mayella's handkerchief looks like after all her crying.

Chapter 19 - The following passage uses an allusion to Boo Radley in order for Scout to understand Mayella's plight.

"As Tom Robinson gave his testimony, it came to me that Mayella Ewell must have been the loneliest person in the world. She was even lonelier than Boo Radley, who had not been out of the house in twenty-five years" (191-192).

By comparing Mayella to what she knows about Boo Radley, Scout attempts to understand the situation better.

There are many, many more literary devices throughout To Kill a Mockingbird. As said before, just read a few paragraphs and they are easily found. It's actually fun to find so many techniques and devices within a few lines of each other.

What is the purpose of lies in Lois Lowry's The Giver?

Lies allow one person or group to control another person or group. Lies are used for practical purposes to cover up, deflect, or misrepresent reality for a determined end. The whole point of having rules or laws is to keep the masses at bay by controlling them. If the masses ever found out that the rules were based on lies rather than for their protection and safety, then revolts and chaos could ensue. This is the reason that Jonas's government keeps the truth either completely away from people's thoughts or they camouflage it with words such as Release, Sameness, or Stirrings. The first time Jonas learns that lies are permitted in his community is when he reads the instructions for his appointment as the Receiver-in-Training. Three rules on his instructions are questionable where lies are concerned:

"3. From this moment you are exempted from rules governing rudeness. You may ask any question of any citizen and you will receive answers.

5. From this moment you are prohibited from dream-telling.

8. You may lie" (68).

The rules listed above either explicitly tell Jonas to lie in an effort to keep his training a secret from the community, or they exempt him from other rules in an effort to place him in "the know" and to keep others out. This unnerves Jonas because now he wonders who else has been given permission to lie. He now could ask questions whether or not they were rude, but then "he would have no way of knowing if the answer he received were true" (71).

Through Jonas's journey to become the new Receiver, he discovers truths that were either camouflaged by ambiguous wording or completely kept away from the knowledge of the citizens. He learns that the elders of his community keep and tell lies in an effort to keep their community revolving around Sameness. He also learns that there are casualties as a result for their lies--specifically new children who are "released" if they do not measure up to Sameness. This is enough to push Jonas over the edge and leads him to revolt against the elders and Sameness.

How does Lyddie respond to her injury in Lyddie?

Lyddie does not want to stop working even after she gets hurt.

Factory work is a dangerous business. Lyddie is very good at her job, but even someone like Lyddie can get tired and careless. When this happens, the results can be deadly. Lyddie was hit in the head with a shuttle one day. Although she did not die, it was a serious accident and she was badly hurt.

Before she could think she was on the floor, blood pouring through the hair near her right temple . . . the shuttle, the blasted shuttle. She tried to rise, she needed to stop the loom, but Diana got there almost at once … (Ch. 13)

Even though Lyddie has been hurt, she does not want to go home because it is not quitting time. Money is very important to Lyddie. Although she is probably partially in shock, she is also just a very dedicated worker. Even with the speed up, Lyddie maintained her focus and managed four machines at once. She was one of the best workers.

Even when injured, Lyddie thinks about money. She does not want Diana to use her apron on the bleeding wound.

"How about your stomach? Do you feel sick?" Lyddie shook her head, then stopped. Any movement seemed to make the pain worse.

There was a sound of ripping cloth at Lyddie's ear. She opened her eyes.

"Your apron," Lyddie said. "Don't‐" Aprons cost money. (Ch. 13)

Lyddie is troubled by the incident. Diana takes her to her doctor friend. Lyddie is just happy that the doctor does not charge her for the visit.

The pain is terrible. Lyddie wishes she had some kind of painkiller. It is even hard to lie down, because it makes her head throb. After the incident, Lyddie goes back to work and works as hard as ever.

Who is the speaker in The Road Not Taken? What is he remembering?

In Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken," the speaker is not identified by gender or age because the speaker could be anyone. 

Essentially, the poem is about how it is human nature to want our lives to have meaning and purpose. Humans do not simply recount a series of memories, but they combine those memories to tell a story and to teach or inspire others.

The speaker in the poem describes himself/herself as a "traveler" who comes upon a fork in the road or "two road diverged in a yellow wood." The speaker uses imagery to describe the paths in stanza two:

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim, 
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

Upon inspection of the two paths, the speaker concludes that the paths are almost identical: worn "really about the same" and "equally lay." The speaker then choses a path and remarks how he/she will keep the second "for another day," but "doubted if I should ever come back." This is another example of the theme of human nature in the poem. It is human nature to make plans with the  best intentions, but we do not adhere to those plans. 

In the final stanza, the speaker reveals that humans tend to rewrite their memories to make the story of their lives sensical. The speaker acknowledges that in the future he/she "will be telling this [story] with a sigh"

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— 

I took the one less traveled by, 

And that has made all the difference.

The speaker admits that when he/she looks back at this time that the memory will be skewed and rationalized to be a catalyst for change in the speaker's life. But in truth, this was simply another memory; another moment. Frost did not write this poem to cast human beings in a negative light, but he wrote the poem to emphasize how similar we all are. We do not want our good to be interred with our bones (as it was with Caesar). There is a universal desire for our humanity to be remembered. 

Does a plant change/rearrange the chemicals it takes in during photosynthesis into new substances? Please give 1-2 examples.

The chemical rearrangements and changes that occur during photosynthesis are what have allowed most of the life forms on Earth to evolve. The basic equation for photosynthesis

6CO2 + 6H20 -----(light energy)---->C6H12O6 + 6O2

shows, in short hand form, that carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of light energy change in form from molecules of carbon dioxide plus water to glucose plus oxygen.

As you can see from the formula above, the process begins with carbon and oxygen atoms bound together, as well as hydrogen with carbon. The 6-carbon sugar, glucose, that is formed from carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen represents a molecule that stores chemical energy that is then utilized by the plant, and any organism that happens to consume it. That, along with the free oxygen that is released, are the starting molecules for cellular respiration. The chemicals are again rearranged in this "reverse" equation to photosynthesis, releasing the stored energy for the organism in which it occurs. There are many intermediary steps in both processes, in which the chemicals are rearranged multiple times before becoming the final products.

What do you think are the top three most important issues in health and medicine in the United States today?

You are likely to get many different answers to this question, and it is up to you to sort out which three issues you think are most important. There are many pressing problems, but I will discuss three: obesity, the availability of affordable healthcare, and the lack of funding for research. 

Obesity in the United States is epidemic.  Somewhat more than one-third of all adults in the United States are obese, a frightening statistic.  This is not just about appearance, but more about people's health. Obesity leads to diabetes and heart disease, and it exacerbates pretty much any other health problem a person can have. For example, if one has arthritis, the extra weight causes more strain and pain on the obese person. This is an American tragedy, since obesity is a problem that can be solved, one person at a time.  

In spite of the Affordable Care Act, which has made things somewhat better, even adequate healthcare remains unaffordable for many Americans.  The cost of the insurance itself is going up, and co-pays and deductibles are going up as well, making people choose sometimes between seeing a doctor and buying gas to go to work or between getting a needed prescription and having enough food to eat.  This might seem like an exaggeration, but for a family, there might be a deductible of over $6,000 annually, which is a hefty sum to come up with in order to have full coverage thereafter. 

Since the advent of the notion of a balanced budget and small government, medical research has fallen on very hard times.  If there is money to be made on research, there is private investment for that purpose, but otherwise, it is up to the government to fund a great deal of medical research.  Not all research is profitable, and there is a pressing need for more of it. Medical research funding has not only not kept up with inflation, but also, it has experienced actual cuts.  The National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control, as well as universities that have government-funded research, have fallen on very hard times.  

Again, there are so many issues that are important in medicine and healthcare, but these, obesity, affordable healthcare, and funding for research, seem to me to be particularly pressing. 

How and why was Germany allowed to annex Austria and the Sudtenland?

In the 1930s, the countries that eventually made up the Axis Powers began to take land in Europe and in Asia. Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931 and China in 1937. Italy invaded Ethiopia in 1935. In 1936, Germany moved its military into the Rhineland. In 1938, Germany took over Austria and made known its desire to take over the Sudetenland.

Hitler believed that regions with German speaking people should be ruled by Germany. Thus, in 1938, Hitler moved into Austria and took over the country. This event was known as the Anschluss. Some of the Allied leaders believed that if Hitler got some land, he would be satisfied and then peace would occur. Some Allied leaders also were sympathetic with Hitler’s goal of uniting Germany speaking regions under the control of Germany. The Allied leaders were also concerned that any confrontation with Hitler could lead to the start of World War II, something the Allies were not prepared to tackle in the 1930s for various reasons. The Allies were in the midst of dealing with the Great Depression, and they had not yet recovered from the effects of World War I militarily, economically, and psychologically.

However, after Hitler built up his military, moved it into the Rhineland, and then took Austria, the Allied leaders in France and Great Britain became concerned when Hitler announced he wanted to annex the Sudetenland, a region in northwest Czechoslovakia where many German-speaking people lived. It appeared war might be avoided when the leaders of Great Britain and France, Neville Chamberlain and Edouard Daladier, appeased Hitler by giving him the Sudetenland in return for a promise to take no more land. This agreement was known as the Munich Pact. Neville Chamberlain believed he saved the world from war and created what would be a lasting peace. Unfortunately, appeasement rarely works because a person gets what he or she demands without having to earn it. All Hitler had to do was a make a promise in order to get this land.

Appeasement failed in March 1939 when Hitler took over the rest of Czechoslovakia. The Allies responded by saying that any more aggression would lead to war. An ominous sign occurred when Germany signed a non-aggression agreement with the Soviet Union in late August 1939. When Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, it led to the start of World War II two days later. The Allied attempts to prevent World War II were not successful.

What is the difference between a gene and a chromosome?

A gene is a stretch of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), that codes for one or more traits in an organism. DNA is composed of four chemical bases whose sequences direct the production of specific proteins. The bases in DNA are adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T).

Strands of DNA are bound to protein structures called chromosomes. Human cells contain twenty-three pairs of chromosomes or forty-six total chromosomes. One chromosome in each pair is inherited from each parent.

Therefore, each chromosome is composed of protein and a strand of DNA. A specific stretch of DNA is called a gene. The base sequence in each gene directs the production of a particular protein.

Example: Several stetches of DNA (genes) in human cells direct the production of different types of keratin proteins. Keratin proteins are found in hair, skin, and nail tissue. The genes that direct the production of keratin proteins are located on the DNA strands that make up chromosomes 12 and 17.

In Oration on the Dignity of Man, what is humanity's "place" in the Universe?...

In his “Oration on the Dignity of Man,” 15th century Renaissance philosopher Pico Della Mirandola discusses humanity’s place in the universe. According to Mirandola, when God created the universe, he could find no singular place for humanity—the only earthly species which could understand the beauty of his universe—to inhabit. However, God was not restricted by humanity’s natural homelessness; in fact, he used the situation as an opportunity to prove his creativity yet again. Thus, he called Adam and told him the following:

Adam, we give you no fixed place to live, no form that is peculiar to you, nor any function that is yours alone. According to your desires and judgment, you will have and possess whatever place to live, whatever form, and whatever functions you yourself choose. All other things have a limited and fixed nature prescribed and bounded by our laws. You, with no limit or no bound, may choose for yourself the limits and bounds of your nature. We have placed you at the world's center so that you may survey everything else in the world. We have made you neither of heavenly nor of earthly stuff, neither mortal nor immortal, so that with free choice and dignity, you may fashion yourself into whatever form you choose. To you is granted the power of degrading yourself into the lower forms of life, the beasts, and to you is granted the power, contained in your intellect and judgment, to be reborn into the higher forms, the divine.

In other words, unlike the material beasts and the spiritual angels, humans would have the free choice to determine their own natures. They could—through intellect—elevate themselves to spiritual beings, or they could—by disregarding the spiritual and focusing on the material world—degrade their natures such that they become little more than animals.

In The Most Dangerous Game, what does General Zaroff let out at night to ensure no one escapes the island?

General Zaroff hunts human beings for sport.  He finds them challenging because they are the only animal that can reason.  When Rainsford expresses shock at the idea of the game, Zaroff explains that the person is pursued for three days.  If he can survive during that time, he wins the game.  So far, Zaroff has not lost one game.  Zaroff did admit,

“Occasionally I strike a tartar.  One almost did win.  I eventually had to use the dogs.” (pg 6)

At that time, Zaroff escorts Rainsford to the window.  There he sees about a dozen or so huge black shapes moving around in the courtyard. Zaroff explains that

 “…. They are let out at seven every night.  If anyone should try to get into my house --- or out of it--- something extremely regrettable would occur to him.” (page 6)

This is a warning to Rainsford.   He will not be allowed to leave during the night because the dogs will attack him and rip him to shreds.  Zaroff does not utilize the dogs unless the quarry he is hunting is winning the game. Rainsford will have to deal with the dogs later.  

Identify and discuss five features of good governance.

There are no doubt different lists of attributes different people will focus on for a discussion of what good governance requires.  I have chosen five of my own, but there are many others that are important, too.  Ideally, good governance should include a rule of law, consistency, stability, efficiency, and transparency.

A rule of law is a necessity for good governance because otherwise, governance is arbitrary and capricious. Leaders who make decisions on a whim about matters of state are not governing properly.  If there are no laws, there is chaos and anarchy. People have no means of governing their own behavior, and there are no limits upon the government can do. 

Consistency is another attribute that good governance requires.  Policy should be consistent, not wavering back and forth. Laws and regulations should be applied consistently, too, so that people know what to expect and feel they are being treated equitably.  If a leader or group of leaders can make a rule one day and suspend it the next, this lack of consistency creates a society in which people do not know what to expect. If a leader inequitably enforces laws and regulations, people have no way of knowing what consequences will be for a particular behavior and will be unlikely to comply with any law.

An orderly transition of authority from one group or leader to the next provides stability, another requirement for good governance. When governance changes through revolution, assassination, or a military coup, for example, the entire state is destabilized, creating chaos. Another important facet of stability is a bureaucracy, which can carry on the day to day business of governance, no matter who the leaders are, with a trained cadre of experts who perform these day to day tasks, and whose allegiance is to the state, not particular leaders. Without a bureaucracy, transitions in authority are always a problem, since the tasks of government, national security, for example, would otherwise be forced to be organized anew for each transition. 

Efficiency is also important for good governance.  If a government is not operating efficiently, it is wasting the money that supports it.  People expect their government to provide services as quickly as possible and for the least amount of money possible.  If government wastes and delays, peoples' willingness to be governed diminishes.  Again, having a bureaucracy to carry on government activities helps to create a more efficient government, since bureaucrats are trained and experienced experts in their particular areas and can perform most government tasks well. 

Transparency has become a hallmark of good governance in today's world, letting the governed know what is being done and how it is being done. Transparency promotes efficiency and creates a setting in which corruption is less likely to occur.  When people believe that there are machinations behind the scenes, they feel powerless and paranoid, far less willing to be governed and far more likely to participate in corruption and other unlawful behavior themselves.

Describe the development of the modern periodic table.

Lavoisier, Newlands, Mendeleev, and Moseley are contributors of today’s modern periodic table. Brief explanations on each of the scientists’ contributions are provided below:

1. Lavoisier wrote the fist list of elements. His list consisted of 33 elements. He made two broad categories – metals and nonmetals. Some of Lavoisier’s elements were later found to be mixtures or compounds.


2. In 1864, John Newlands took the 60 known elements of his time and arranged them by atomic weights and similarities. Thus, he was a forerunner of the concept of periods. Newlands created the ‘Law of Octaves’.
   


3. Mendeleev also based his periodic table on atomic weights. He placed elements that had similar properties underneath each other on his periodic table. He was the first to leave room for elements that were not yet discovered. In 1869, Mendeleev created the periodic law. Mendeleev’s periodic law stated that elemental properties vary with their atomic weights.


4. In 1913, Moseley identified the atomic number of each known element. He modified Mendeleev’s periodic law to state that elemental properties vary with atomic number.

Today’s periodic table is ordered by atomic number. Periods are horizontal rows. Main-sequence elements within the same period have the same number of electron shells. The columns of the modern periodic table are called groups or families. The main-sequence of elements within a periodic group have the same number of valance electrons. The number of an element’s valance electrons determines that element’s reactivity. Therefore, elements within the same periodic group have similar properties. Periodic trends result from today’s arrangement of the elements within the modern periodic table.

Which non metal is most reactive? Nitrogen, oxygen or neon?

Among oxygen, nitrogen and neon; oxygen is the most reactive. Neon is a noble gas and is, thus, (almost) inert, that is, non-reactive. A look at the electronic configurations of the three given elements will clarify things much better. The atomic numbers of nitrogen, oxygen and neon are 7, 8 and 10. The electronic configurations of each are:

Nitrogen: 1s2, 2s2, 2p3

Oxygen: 1s2, 2s2, 2p4

Neon: 1s2, 2s2, 2p6.

As we can see from the electronic configurations, neon has a fully filled outer shell and hence is non-reactive. Oxygen needs 2 more electrons to fill the outer shell, while nitrogen needs 3 electrons. Hence, it is much easier for oxygen to complete its octet, as compared to nitrogen and that is why, oxygen is more reactive than nitrogen.

Hope this helps.

What are some examples of books/stories/etc. that are narrated in third person omniscient style?

Third person narration is identifiable because it means that the narrator is an outside observer.  He or she is not a character within the novel.  The style is easily identified because it uses the "he," "she," "they," pronouns.  A third person omniscient narrator is a narrator that knows everything.  He knows the thoughts and actions of every character in the novel.  That includes the good guys and the bad guys.  It would look something like this:

Billy thought to himself, "We are in so much trouble." 

Jane, at the same moment, thought that she didn't care about the coming trouble.  All that mattered to her was that she was standing safely next to her brother, Billy.  

It's a popular narrative style for authors like Clive Cussler.  Neal Shusterman's Unwind novels are written in this perspective.  A controversial series by Philip Pullman is also written in third person omniscient.  The series is the His Dark Materials series.  The first book is The Golden Compass which Hollywood made into a movie about 10 years ago.  Probably the most world famous example that I can give of this narrative style is Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy.  

What were the causes and consequences of the gold rushes in BC?

The Fraser Canyon Gold Rush occurred in what is now British Columbia in 1957. Gold was discovered in the Thompson River, just upstream from where it connects with the Fraser River. The rush started after San Francisco got wind of the gold discoveries because of a shipment of gold the governor had sent to the city's mint. Very quickly, thousands of men rushed up toward British Columbia to mine for gold. 

The flood of prospectors had a lot of consequences for the region, but the most notable was that it was responsible for the founding of the Colony of British Columbia. Since the region was previously unincorporated, the rush caused Britain to assert British authority and governance over the territory. 

Importantly, the influx of outsiders disrupted the balance between the fur traders and indigenous people. Tensions between miners and indigenous peoples rose, starting the Fraser Canyon War. 

By 1860 the gold was all but gone from the canyon, dispersing the population. However, the area would never be the same after the settlement of British Columbia. 

In "Blues Ain't No Mockingbird," what might have happened if Grandaddy Cain were not to have come home as he did?

If Grandaddy Cain were to not have returned home, it is probable that the two men filming for the government would not have left the property for some time because they have ignored Granny's request and been disrespectful to her by calling her "Aunty," a term used to move her to a category of "doddering older-other."

After Granny has asked the cameraman to shut his machine off and he has not complied, she retreats into the house slamming the screen door. Once inside, she goes back to her making of cakes for Christmas. but the young narrator describes her as

...mumblin real low and grumpy and holdin her forehead like it wanted to fall off and mess up the rum cakes.

Further, the narrator explains that whenever similar incidents like this one have occurred in the past, Granny has become so disgruntled that

...she'd get up in the night and stant packin....wakin everybody up sayin, "Let's get on away from here before I kill me somebody."

So, if Grandaddy Cain were not to have returned, something drastic like moving would likely happen. Instead, after he does return and Granny asks her husband, "Get them persons out of my flower bed...." as she moans in a low tone, much as she does at funerals, he finishes what he is doing with the hawks. Then, he turns and says, "Good day, gentlemen," while also holding out his hand for the camera. Frightened, the men put the camera into that "great hand." Finally, Camera asks for his machine back, and adds, "Please, sir." But, Granddaddy strikes the camera as though he is cutting a melon and breaks it open; Camera desperately gathers up the broken parts. When Granddaddy calmly says, "This is our own place," the two men back away and hurry down to the meadow far from the Cain's place.

Describe the climate in the first stanza of the poem.

The first stanza of the poem conveys the solitude of the speaker in these woods as well as the tranquil scene that has caused him to pause and enjoy.  He says,

Whose woods these are I think I know.   

His house is in the village though;   

He will not see me stopping here   

To watch his woods fill up with snow. (lines 1-4)

So, he claims that he is familiar with the owner of these woods, but the owner's home is actually in the village and not in the woods themselves.  In other words, the owner lives a ways off, and the implication is that he is not even nearby to enjoy the beauty to which he has such personal and unlimited access.  Moreover, the absence of the owner of this land indicates that the speaker is alone here.

Further, the visual imagery conveyed by the idea of watching "his woods fill up with snow" is arresting.  It is as though the woods are a container that can be "filled up" with something; we can imagine the tall, thin trees growing deeper and deeper in the snow as it piles up around them.  Such a line emphasizes, again, the solitariness of the scene and impacts the mood of the poem as well, and we can know that it is the tranquility of this silent, darkened scene that has so arrested the speaker.

In Robert Frost's poem "A Soldier," what is the obstacle the poet alludes to?

"A Soldier" is a sonnet written by Robert Frost not long after World War I. In it he begins by writing about a single soldier, who he describes metaphorically as a fallen lance, left behind on the battlefield, rusting. Frost then goes on to describe war in general and the ways in which it has changed, so those of us not right in the middle of it become detached from it. Towards the end, he writes,

"But this we know, the obstacle that checked

And tripped the body, shot the spirit on

Further than target ever showed or shone." (Frost ll. 12-14)

The obstacle of which he writes is the physical death of the soldier. The soldier's  life may have seemed meaningless in this war where he is one of thousands, but his death takes him to Heaven or to some sort of an afterlife that is filled with meaning. 

What happens if an animal dies?

Animals have organic bodies and hence the bodies start degrading, once a animal dies. The degradation results in bad odor and foul smell. The degradation happens both chemically and biologically. The biological degradation is carried out by microorganisms and also by vultures, etc. (if the animal was big enough to feed them). Chemical degradation is carried out by environmental constituents, such as gases in our atmosphere, etc. Thus, the death of an animal provides food to the detrivores and also releases the nutrients into the environment (such as soil). Another aspect of animal death is the effect on its food chain. Depending on its position in the food chain, the animal may have large influence on the other constituents of the chain. For example, if a tiger dies (and there are no other tigers to take its place at the top of food chain), deer population may increase due to lack of predator (or decrease in number of predators).

Hope this helps.

Why is it not possible to determine the type of atom by simply knowing its charge or by just knowing how many electrons it has?

The number electrons can change in an atom. Ions are charged particles. Atoms become ions by gaining or losing electrons. A cation is a positively charged ion due to the loss of electrons. The charge of a cation is the same value as the number of electrons lost. So if three electrons are lost, the cation would have positive 3 charge. Anions are negatively charged ions due to the gaining of electrons. Similarly, the charge of an anion is the same value as the number of electrons gained. So if three electrons are gained, the anion would have negative 3 charge. Since ions of different elements can have the same charge and number of electrons, it is not possible to determine the type of atom by simply knowing its charge or the number of electrons the atom has at any given moment.

The number of protons is what is used to identify elements. The number of protons, or atomic number, can never change. For this reason, the periodic table is arranged left to right by the atomic numbers of the elements.

A dog picks up a 0.2kg bone 0.40m and carries it 3m down the hallway at a constant velocity. Then he sets it back down 0.40m to the ground. What is...

Hello!

Denote the mass of a bone as `m,` the height on which it was lifted as `h` and the distance it was carried as `d.`

The force against which a dog performs work is the gravity force. It acts downwards and is equal to `mg,` where `g=9.8 m/s^2` is the gravity acceleration. Therefore a dog's force is `mg` upwards.

At the first stage, the displacement and the force have the same direction and the work is the product of them, `W_1=mgh approx 0.78 (J).` At the second stage, the displacement and the force are perpendicular, and the work `W_2` is zero. At the third stage, the displacement and the force have opposite directions and the work `W_3=-W_1 approx -0.78 J.`

I suppose that a hallway is level.

The same results may be obtained by considering the difference `mgh` between potential energies (kinetic energy is the same at the beginning and at the end of any stage).

What economic troubles did France face in 1789?

Basically, France had been in what amounted to a five-year long financial crisis by 1789, and it faced a serious, multifaceted economic emergency in that year. One major economic problem the French government confronted was a crippling national debt. This was the result of massive spending on the administration of the royal bureaucracy, the financial burden of supporting the royal court at Versailles, and especially military spending, much of which had been expended on French participation in the American Revolutionary War. By 1788, the French government was no longer even able to pay the interest on its growing debt. 

Another facet to the economic crisis had to do with the structure of the French tax system itself. Under the outdated social and political system, the French nobility was basically exempt from taxation, and attempts by the ministers of Louis XVI to reform this system were met with opposition from the French courts. This was both a symptom and a cause, because by diminishing confidence in the ability of France to repay its debt, the French government made it unlikely that they would be able to secure future credit, either from the sale of bonds or from foreign investors. 

Finally, the year 1789 witnessed one in a series of crop failures which led to a severe food shortage and inflation (rising food prices) especially in Paris and other urban areas. This economic crisis struck at exactly the time the nobles, the monarch, and the educated bourgeoisie were squabbling over the tax system, and when Louis's ministers were scrambling to figure out how to service the debt. This even goes a long way toward explaining why many ordinary Frenchmen supported the early efforts toward reform that led to the French Revolution. As one historian puts it: "Hunger...did not abate, and the traditional bread riot became more serious because it was occurring at a time of political crisis."

What does Lady Macbeth need in Macbeth?

In Macbeth, arguably Lady Macbeth needs two things: one, to be queen, and two, to make amends for her role in Macbeth's murders. When Lady Macbeth receives Macbeth's letter in Act 1 Scene 5, she is consumed with the thought of being queen and resolves to persuade her husband to do all he can--murder--to make himself king immediately. As the first act continues to unfold, she challenges Macbeth's manhood to push him into wanting to prove himself to her. And her plan works--Macbeth does agree to murder Duncan so that he can become the king, making Lady Macbeth queen of Scotland. But Lady Macbeth is not happy for long, and when she learns that Lady Macduff has been murdered in Macbeth's efforts to wipe out all those who doubt him, she feels guilty because Lady Macduff was truly an innocent in the situation. In Act 5 Scene 1, Lady Macbeth is observed by the doctor and gentlewoman sleepwalking and asking to be washed clean of her guilt. So these are Lady Macbeth's two "needs" in the play.

Which passage from Julius Caesar best uses imagery a) And they would go and kiss dead Caesar's wounds / And dip their napkins in his sacred blood,...

You are quite correct in thinking that answer A has the best imagery, and I'll explain why. First, however, it helps to know why the other options are wrong. Answers B, C, and D do not really have any imagery at all. B has a slight example of imagery in the phrase "Caesar's angel," but it's a very soft example and, other than that, B,C, and D are largely statements without any descriptive figurative language. As a contrast, consider the rich images in A, the first option: "dead Caesar's wounds," "sacred blood," or "a hair of him for memory."All of these phrases employ rich descriptions that instantly give you a picture of the scene, which is basically a depiction of the dead Julius Caesar lying in repose. Thus, while the question seems to leave the answer up to independent opinion, it really only makes sense to choose the first answer, as it provides the only definitive example of imagery. 

What does the creature represent in Lord of the Flies?

As the boys first gather on the island, no one mentions the beast and the boys seem excited at the prospect of being on their own and working to get rescued or hunting for meat. 

After their first meeting, however, the boy with the mulberry colored birthmark mentions the "beastie" that he saw in his sleep and the fear takes hold inside the boys. It appears that this beastie could represent their fear of the unknown, the fear of what might be on the island that they don't know about yet.

But as time goes on, it becomes clearer and clearer that the "beastie" represents something inside of them. As the conflict between Ralph and Jack and their "tribes" grows, Simon begins to understand that the beastie represents the darkness inside of themselves, the possibility of violence and savagery that exists inside them. The beast, represented by the pig's head in his visions, mocks Simon and the possibility that they could have "killed the beast."

The representation is solidified when Simon tries to share this knowledge with the boys and they allow their fear to overrule any reason and they kill him when he stumbles out of the woods.

What is the “sign” that comes “down from the world of grownups”? What are its literal and figurative meanings?

At the end of Chapter 5, Ralph and Piggy lament about their situation and comment that they wish "grownups" were around because grownups "know things." Ralph says, "If only they could send us something grownup...a sign or something." (Golding 94) At the beginning of Chapter 6, an air battle takes place over the island while the boys are sleeping. During the battle, a paratrooper gets shot out of the sky and lifelessly floats to earth. The trooper's parachute cords get tangled in the canopy of the forest, and his dead body moves with the wind on top of the mountain. Golding utilizes dramatic irony by answering Ralph's request for a sign from the grownups with the corpse of a paratrooper. The paratroopers descend from the sky symbolizes Lucifer's fall from heaven. Later on in the novel, the dead paratrooper is mistaken for the "beast." The "beast" represents the inherent evil present in every human which correlates with Lucifer's nature. Literally, the "sign" from the grownups is the dead paratrooper, and figuratively the paratrooper symbolizes the existence of evil on the island and alludes to Lucifer's fall from heaven. 

What were the most important conflicts between various social groups in eighteenth century France?

Before the French Revolution, society in France was divided into three estates, the clergy, the nobility, and the masses. The first two estates had a monopoly on political power and land ownership, and were also exempt from many forms of taxation. When French monarchs attempted to raise money, they often levied various forms of duties on the third estate, those who were least likely to be able to afford them. Great economic inequality was a major source of conflict.

As well as conflicts over power and money, there were religious conflicts. Because the Roman Catholic Church was very much part of the structure of the French state, with the Church controlling great wealth, there was little freedom of religion. The Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 led to widespread restrictions on and persecution of Huguenots, or French Protestants. Another area of religious conflict was between the peasants who were compelled to tithe to the Church and the rich abbots and bishops who were beneficiaries of their tithes, while clerics who were not of noble birth labored as poor parish priests and did not benefit from tithes.

The growing class of the bourgeoisie, consisting of wealthy merchants, artisans, professionals, and clerks, people we would now call middle class, wanted a share in the power and wealth of the realm, and yet were restricted from participation in many avenues of advancement by not being members of the hereditary nobility.

Another major conflict was the way many of the aristocrats behaved with impunity, not fearing legal punishment when they badly mistreated peasants, including physical abuse and sexual abuse. Although the peasants individually lacked the clout of the better off bourgeois, some groups of peasants did revolt against their widespread oppression.

What is a general summary of each section of Food Politics by Marion Nestle?

Nestle's text can be broken down into three main sections, all of which support her main argument: that the food industry insidiously affects consumers' health and well-being by regulating and influencing the food supply. 

Part One provides an overview of food advice in the United States with respect to how lobbyists and the USDA have encouraged Americans to eat more in order to prevent disease, then in an effort to fight obesity, the government has advised consumers to eat less. Nestle then focuses on how lobbyists created the food pyramid to suit the needs of manufacturers (namely dairy and meat producers). By the same token, the USDA is called into question, as their role in developing and legitimizing the Food Pyramid further points to the idea that the food industry concerns itself more with profit over health.

In Part Two, Nestle explores how various companies in the food industry influence government policy on food. To illustrate this, Nestle discusses the Banana Wars (between Chiquita and the EU), as well as sugarcane production in the South. In both of these scenarios, lobbying and campaigning contributions figured prominently into the equation. Nestle sums up these findings by exploring how these practices actually influence what the public eats. 

The third section of the text analyzes the ways in which advertising campaigns have negatively influenced the eating practices of children, namely the availability of sugary, carbohydrate laden foods at schools. 

The final section of the text offers several case studies which illustrate how the deregulation of dietary supplements has influenced American health habits. Continuing in the same vein, Nestle devotes three chapters to designer foods and their subsequent impact on American health. Overall, this discussion provides a valuable reiteration of Nestle's main argument.

"Social inequality is the elephant in the room strangling us all." Please explain what this means.

The phrase "the elephant in the room" is used to describe things or situations which people don't want to talk about but is difficult to ignore. Social inequality is certainly one of those structures which many people don't like discussing or see as a fact of life which cannot be remedied. As little as people may desire to talk about social inequality, it still exists, and will most likely get worse the longer we try to ignore it.

Saying that the "elephant" of social inequality is strangling us alludes to the constraints social inequality places on "us" as members of a society. For many, there are damaging limitations and obligations. People at the bottom of a social hierarchy typically have roles and lifestyles entirely intended to benefit the upper class(es) while reproducing their own poverty or low social status. A common cycle of entrapment for low socioeconomic status people is that they have grown up in a low-income home and cannot afford to attend university or receive training which might earn them a higher-paying job. Being of a low socioeconomic status contributes to poor health and higher rates of stress, which take a hard toll on a person's body and can further limit social or economic mobility.

Social inequality which thrives when the labor and lives of certain people are devalued perpetuates a life cycle where poverty begets poverty. The upper classes are reliant upon the lower classes to perform duties they don't want to do. In this way, the upper classes are also strangled by the elephant of social inequality.

This quote about whether the elephant in the room is strangling us has  been used to create discourse about social inequality in Australia and around the world. 

What is liberal feminism and how does it differ from other feminist theoretical perspectives? Provide a critique of liberal feminism.

Liberal feminism concerns itself primarily with the ability of women to have equal access to economic and educational opportunities, as well as the right to make their own reproductive choices. Many of the advances for women that were achieved in the 1970s were through the work of liberal feminists who fought for the right to an abortion, an end to sex discrimination in employment, greater access to capital, equal access to education, affordable childcare, and improved wages and work conditions. 

The critique against liberal feminism is that it has mainly concerned itself with the concerns of white, middle-class women. Socialist feminism sought to broaden fairness and equality for women of different races and from lower socioeconomic strata. It focused less on private sphere issues and more on the public sphere. Its main argument was that true equality between the sexes could not be achieved in a capitalist society which thrived on inequality. Thus, for socialist feminists, capitalism was at the root of their oppression. Arguably, law professor Kimberle Crenshaw's theory of intersectionality -- that is, the notion that all forms of oppression are interconnected and should not be regarded distinctly -- arises out of socialist feminist views. 

On the other hand, radical feminists saw patriarchy (male-dominated society) as the root of all of women's problems. Patriarchy had allowed for the sexual exploitation of women, which was the focus of concern for radical feminists. Andrea Dworkin is most notable for raising the argument, in her essay "Intercourse," that sex renders women inferior, and that most -- if not all -- forms of sex amount to rape. She, along with Susan Brownmiller and Catherine MacKinnon, are well-known for their anti-pornography campaigns. Ironically, this stance linked radical feminism to the evangelical movement of the late 1970s and early 1980s, which also sought to ban the sale of pornography.

It is important to note that there has been a counterargument to radical feminist theories about sex. Sex-positive feminism embraces all sex, as long as it is safe and consensual. Sex-positive feminists also assert that there is no "right" or "wrong" response to pornography. Once again, the core value is consent. Some pornography is sex-positive, while other forms may not be.

Along with the classist critique against liberal feminism, sex-positive feminists have also accused some liberal feminists, notably Gloria Steinem, of taking on a patronizing view of women who choose sex work. Steinem, in the past, has spoken out against pornography, using Linda Lovelace of "Deep Throat" as an example of how the porn industry hurts women. Presently, she has been vociferously critical of those who argue for the decriminalization or legalization of prostitution, assuming that all women who enter the trade do so only out of desperation or coercion. 

This attitude among liberal feminists is one of the reasons why feminism has become distasteful to many young women today, particularly the young, white, middle-class women who were the faces of the movement forty years ago. Moreover, the prominence of radical feminists, such as Dworkin, allowed for conservatives to make the argument that feminism was really misandrist, or anti-male.

What does Santiago notice at the abandoned church that he takes shelter in on his way to the merchant?

Santiago is a shepherd boy who genuinely loves his sheep. He even calls each sheep by name. While he is traveling through familiar country in Andalusia, he happens upon a dilapidated church that he has stayed at once before. One interesting characteristic about this abandoned church is that "an enormous sycamore had grown on the spot where the sacristy had once stood" (3). Not only that, but there is a fence that keeps the flock in during the night. All he has to do is lay some planks across the broken gate and the sheep will not run off. 

What is most interesting about the church, however--and what Santiago notices specifically--is that the last time he had stayed at this church he had dreamed a dream that made him "feel anger toward his faithful companions" (7). He experienced feelings about his sheep that he had not felt before, such as thinking that they were dumb beasts and that he could destroy them easily if he chose to do so. The following is another realization he has at the church:

"If I became a monster today, and decided to kill them, one by one, they would become aware only after most of the flock had been slaughtered, thought the boy. They trust me, and they've forgotten how to rely on their own instincts, because I lead them to nourishment" (7).

Santiago is surprised that he would feel these negative things and believes that the sycamore must be haunted. Then there is the curious dream that he had both times while staying at the church that confuses him. He decides that he better investigate its meaning by seeking out an old woman in Tarifa who may be able to interpret it for him. He was on his way there anyway to sell wool and see the Merchant's daughter, so he decides to find the old woman as well. 

"It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting, he thought, as he looked again at the position of the sun, and hurried his pace" (11).

What are the values presented in the story, "All Summer in a Day"?

In this story, set on Venus, the sun only comes out for a short time once every seven years. Otherwise, it rains. The story argues for the value of tolerance by showing the effects of intolerance.

Only one child, Margot, among all the nine-year-olds in the classroom where the story is set remembers seeing the sun. Unlike the rest of them, she only came to Venus five years ago. She's different in other ways too: she is pale and frail and seems ghostly. Also, her parents might move back to earth because Venus doesn't agree with her, so her difference looks as if it is getting her privileges. The children are jealous of her and hate her for being different and not conforming to their ways. Just before the sun comes out, they lock in her a dark closet. 

The children enjoy the sun. It is a moment of paradise for them. After it ends, they remember Margot and release her, but they feel unhappy about what they have done. One of the messages of the story is that hurting people who are different comes back to haunt the perpetrators too. Their perfect day will forever be a little "clouded" by their uncomfortable memory of what they did to Margot. 

Explain how Almondine is forced to develop while Edgar is gone in David Wroblewski's novel The Story of Edgar Sawtelle.

In David Wroblewski’s novel The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, the canine named Almondine is a constant presence in newly-born Edgar’s life. In Wroblewski’s narrative, Almondine is the product of generations of dog-breeding, dating to Edgar’s grandfather, John, who was fascinated by dogs to the point of obsession, breeding them, in the words of Wroblewski’s narrator, “dogs so unlike the shephards and hounds and retrievers and sled dogs he used as foundation stock they became known simply as Sawtelle dogs.” From this lineage would come Almondine, and the birth of Edgar would give this particular canine a special role in the child’s development.

Almondine is an integral part of the Sawtelle family; as much a part of this small unit as John and Trudy and their new-born baby, Edgar. It was Almondine who served an almost mystical role in the Sawtelle home, her animal instincts presaging developments in Wroblewski’s narrative. In an early chapter titled, appropriately enough, “Almondine,” the story’s narrator describes the dog’s curiosity born of a type of sixth sense that something was going to happen despite her inability to ascertain precisely what it is that will happen. The chapter begins as follows:

“Eventually, she understood the house was keeping a secret from her. All that winter and all through the spring, Almondine had known something was going to happen, but no matter where she looked she couldn’t find it. Sometimes, when she entered a room, there was the feeling that the thing that was going to happen had just been there, and she would stop and pant and peer around while the feeling seeped away as mysteriously as it had arrived.”

The mysterious development would, we learn, be the introduction into the Sawtelle home of Edgar. As the reader discovers, much of The Story of Edgar Sawtelle is actually told from the dog’s perspective. Every development is presaged by Almondine’s premonitions of change, including the dog’s discovery of Edgar’s disability, his inability to speak. Noting the dog’s intuitive connection to her owners/family, the author writes:

“Somehow, Almondine concluded that they were worried about the baby, that something wasn’t right. And yet, she could see that the baby was fine: he squirmed, he breathed, he slept.”

So, we know form early-on that Almondine will play a major role in Edgar’s growth from baby to infant to child to budding teenager. Almondine is more than just Edgar’s companion, and a crucial means of communication for this mute boy. She becomes during the course of the story a symbiotic part of Edgar’s soul. Almondine, of course, dies, hit by a gravel truck, but the dog’s relationship to Edgar remains a constant theme in Wroblewski’s story, the visceral connection between dog and boy. In perhaps the novel’s most poignant passage, the narrator, in the last of the chapters titled “Almondine” (there are three spread-out through the novel), emphasizes once again the depth of this relationship. Having cryptically described Almondine’s death, Wroblewski now ends this chapter with the following:

“She stood broadside in the gravel and turned her head and asked her question. Asked if it had seen her boy. Her essence. Her soul. But if the traveler understood, it showed no sign.”

[Note: Wroblewski confirms that Almondine died when hit by a gravel truck in an interview with Oprah Winfrey: http://www.oprah.com/oprahsbookclub/What-Happens-to-Almondine-Edgar-Sawtell-Video]

Still later, as the story progresses, Almondine having died, the perspective reverts back to that of Edgar, and the emotional connection between boy and dog is again, and again, revealed, as when Edgar contemplates the emotional vacuum that exists in his heart—a vacuum that cannot be filled by the other dogs in his life:

“And most ferociously, he missed Almondine. Her image appeared accompanied by a spasm of pure wretchedness. The dogs with him were fine dogs, astonishing dogs, but they weren’t Almondine, who bore his soul.”

And, once more for emphasis, in the chapter titled “Return”:

“Now Almondine occupied his thoughts. He hadn’t seen her for two months or more and suddenly it felt like he’d been severed from some fundament of his being. . .Others dreamed of finding a person in the world whose soul was made in their mirror image, but she and Edgar had been conceived nearly together, grown up together, and however strange it might be, she was his other.”

There is plenty of story left in Wroblewski’s novel when Almondine dies, but the dog remains an important presence in the story that continues past her death. The boy and the dog are one, and her physical absence cannot eliminate her spiritual presence. Near the novel’s conclusion—a tragic denouement reminiscent, as is the novel’s main plot, of the Shakespearean tragedy that inspired it—Edgar is also dead, burned to death in the barn fire.

Almondine is “forced to develop” while Edgar is gone because an integral part of her soul is departed. Many readers of The Story of Edgar Sawtelle concluded that the dog died essentially of a broken heart after Edgar left home. Certainly, the narrative suggests such a cause of death for Almondine. As noted, however, Wroblewski himself has stated that Almondine died after being hit by the truck. It is noteworthy, however, that, consistent with the nature of dogs when confronted by the departure of the one person in a family with whom the dog had a special connection, Almondine does grow close to Claude, Gar having disappeared from the dog’s life. Wroblewski’s story, however, is deliberately vague. What we can conclude is that the separation of boy and dog left a gaping wound in the souls of both, and their eventual reunion in the afterlife is a very minor salve to that wound.

In the story "A Christmas Memory," describe Capote's cousin.

In this semi autobiographical short story by Truman Capote, the character of Buddy is meant to represent Capote himself. "Sook" is the name given to his elderly cousin. Buddy describes the Christmas season of activities that occurred when he was seven years old. He also mentions that the things he does with his cousin are things they've been doing as long as he can remember. Although she is much older than he is, Sook is very childlike. She enjoys making jokes, having fun, and meeting every challenge with a sense of adventure. Although they have hardly any money, they manage to gather the supplies to make fruitcakes for the holiday season to send to friends, family and even total strangers. Buddy's cousin is very sensitive and her feelings are easily hurt; for example, when the other adults in the household scold her for giving Buddy whiskey, she cries and Buddy has to comfort her. Buddy's cousin is also extremely resourceful, generous, and resilient. The story makes it clear that Buddy's childhood was made bearable and enjoyable because of the close friendship he shared with his cousin, who he refers to throughout the story as his friend.

In what way does Maya Angelou describe “The Store”? Find an example of figurative language that helps to explain how she feels. Explain the...

In the book, Marguerite uses a metaphor to explain how she feels about her grandmother's store. She likens the store to "an unopened present from a stranger" when it stands "alone and empty in the mornings."

She explains that "opening the front doors was (like) pulling the ribbon off the unexpected gift." To Marguerite, the store is a fascinating place, filled with delightful items. She tells us that, as the sunlight streams into the store every morning, the shelves of "mackerel, salmon, tobacco, thread" reveal themselves to the human eye. The sunlight illuminates everything, including the "big vat of lard" which often softens to a "thick soup" in the summer afternoons.

Marguerite compares the 'store" to an "unexpected gift," likely referencing the fact that the store provides her with a sense of belonging. Ever since her parents' divorce and her exile to Stamps, the store has become a sort of lifeline for her; it is the one place Marguerite can count on seeing every morning. In the evenings, it is where she, Bailey, their grandmother, and Uncle Willie can share boxes of crispy crackers and cans of sardines for their evening meal.

Marguerite relates that the "peace of a day's ending" at the rear of the store is a great reminder that God will continue to keep his promises to "children, Negroes, and the crippled." So, to Marguerite, the store is an "unexpected gift" in the midst of the tragedy in her life.

How to do IUPAC naming of cyclic compounds?

To name cyclic compounds, you want to first count how many carbons are in the circle and simply add cyclo- as a prefix. For example, a cyclic alkane with 3 carbons is named cyclopropane, 4 carbons is cyclobutane, 5 carbons is cyclopentane, etc.

If there are any functional groups on the cyclic compound, then the carbons with the circle will be numbered so that the functional groups have the lowest numbers possible. For multiple functional groups, name the groups in alphabetical order, not in the order of the numbered carbon chains. For example, 2-bromo-1-chloro-3-methylcyclopentane. If there is only 1 functional group, the "1" can be omitted because it is assumed the functional group is on carbon 1, eg. bromohexane.

If the cyclic compound is not the longest carbon chain, simply name as above, but change the suffix to -yl to denote it as a side chain. For example, 2-cyclopentyldecane. This also applies if there are multiple cyclic compounds linked together - the smaller circle will be named as a side chain.

Other than these exceptions, the normal rules of IUPAC naming apply for double bonds, triple bonds, cis/trans stereochemistry, and other functional group suffixes such as -ol for alcohols, -al for aldehydes, -amine for amines, -one for ketones, and -oic acid for carboxylic acids.

What meaning does the title "Everyday Use" have in connection with the story's events? a. Quilts should be hung to look pretty b. Things made to...

In the story, the phrase “everyday use” originates from Dee, who criticized her sister because in her opinion, the sister did not perceive the true value of the quilts and would instead destroy them by using them for their intended purpose. Dee’s plan for the quilts was to preserve them as cultural symbols, by only displaying the quilts instead of destroying them by putting the items to use. In this regard the closest answer is D using things every single day wears them out. The answer captures the context of Dee’s criticism of her sister’s “backward lifestyle.” Dee suggested that by using the quilts their true value would be lost because they would be destroyed.

“Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts!” she says, “She’d probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use.”

Dee arrived back home a changed woman, she was dressed in an African attire and changed her name to fit her African roots. She intended to take a quilt woven by her grandmother but bequeathed to her sister, Maggie. Her Mother, Mrs. Johnson, declined her request, to which Dee responded that her sister would put the quilts to “Everyday use” insinuating that her sister did not know the value of the quilts and so would end up destroying them.

If Earth stopped rotating on its axis, how would the length of a day change?

The rotation of Earth on its axis is the reason we have day and night and each day is 24 hours long. If the Earth stopped rotating on its axis, we would no longer have a 24-hour day. In that scenario, we will have 6 months of sunlight and 6 months of darkness and thus, each of our days will be 1 year long. This is due to the fact that, even in the absence of rotation, Earth still goes around the Sun once every 365 (about) days. This would cause extremely hot temperatures on the sunlit side of Earth and extremely cold weather on the dark side of the planet. The vegetation would die as a result and we would find it extremely tough to survive.

Hope this helps. 

What is the setting of A Christmas Carol?

The story primarily takes place in Victorian London in the mid-19th century.  This is consistent with most of Dickens' work, as he tended to use contemporary issues and settings in his writings.

However, the setting, other than the fact that it is often dismal, does not necessarily factor heavily into the work.  Far more important than the physical setting is the "setting" of Scrooge.  With Scrooge's greediness and lack of compassion as a backdrop, the story can easily unfold.

It is exactly this lack of backdrop integration that permits writers to rewrite the classic Scrooge tale into more modern settings.  For example, the modern movie "Scrooged" translates (albeit loosely!) the ideas of the classic text into the world of a modern-day television executive.

Give some examples of sonotrophism.

Sonotropism is the movement or growth of an organism in response to sound. This type of motion is generally used for plants and not animals, since animals are capable of physical movement in response to a sonic stimulus. An example of sonotropism is the germination and growth of beans, on exposure to ultrasound. It has been found that beans grow more rapidly when exposed to ultrasound. This has been attributed to enhanced activity of the enzyme alpha amylase in beans.

Some of the other tropisms include, phototropism (due to light), gravitropism (due to gravity), thigmotropism (due to touch), etc. One can experiment on tropisms. For example, a given plant can be subjected to different sounds and its growth can be compared to a plant not subjected to any additional sound (other than what it was receiving naturally).

Hope this helps.

THE EMBRYO DEVELOPS INTO A FETUS Once it has begun to divide the fertilized egg is called a ZYGOTE. As the zygote divides, it moves along the...

I will complete the blanks in order as stated in your paragraph. The answers will be in bold print. I believe your question is based on the film, "The Miracle of Life" by the program Nova.

As the zygote divides it moves along to the uterus or womb, as it sometimes referred to. This is where an embryo will develop in a human female.

Leg buds appear, and the embryo is less than 1/2 inch long.  It floats inside the fluid -filled amniotic sac and its spine is clearly visible. These events occur at around 6 weeks.

At seven weeks, the embryo is 3/4 inches long and can move its hands with defined fingers that are visible. It internal organs are visible. One can see the internal organs because the skin is see-through at this stage.

The toe joints of the feet are seen. This stage can be observed at 8 weeks after fertilization.

The umbilical cord is the fetus' link to its lifeline which is its mother's placenta. The placenta is a specialized organ which supplies the fetus with food, oxygen and antibodies and removes excretory wastes.

For the last blank, another 8 weeks are necessary for the fetus to be able to survive outside its mother's womb. The last part of the pregnancy is the time for the organs to continue growing and developing so that survival in the fetus will become more possible.

In The Fountainhead, why does Howard Roark consider pity to be a "monstrous feeling [that] is called a virtue"?

Howard Roark, the hero of this novel, reflects Rand's belief in objectivism, individualism, and the virtue of selfishness. As the novel says, “Every major horror of history was committed in the name of an altruistic motive. . . ." Pity would clearly fall into this category of "altruism." In Rand's and Roark's worldview, pity undermines people by telling them they need to be helped, rather than help themselves. When we pity people, we teach them they are incapable--or worse yet, we recognize them as incapable, a terrible fate to befall a person.  

In the context of this particular quote, Keating, whose name conjures "weakling" and "bleating," has just shown Roark six of his canvases. Roark sees they are no good and tells Keating so. Roark then feels "sick with pity." As he feels this pity, he understands it as the "awareness of a man [before him] without worth or hope." Pity, to Roark, carries "shame ... that he should know an emotion which contained no shred of respect." It is then that he decides there must "be something terribly wrong with a world" in which pity is called a virtue. To Roark, pity means contempt. 

Roark, an architect usually thought to be based on Frank Lloyd Wright, has a unique gift, and he doesn't want pity or other forms of altruism sent his way to weaken him or to tell him he is worthless or hopeless and he feels sick when he has to pity others. As we can see from his response to Keating, being respected is extremely important to him, as is his freedom to follow his own path. He makes a passionate case for his philosophy of selfishness, which shows a marked rejection of pity, saying:

I do not recognize anyone’s right to one minute of my time. Nor to any part of my energy. Nor to any achievement of mine. No matter who makes the claim, how large their number or how great their need . . . I recognize no obligation toward men except one: to respect their freedom and to take no part in a slave society.

  As Roark says to Gail: "I'm not an altruist ... "

In The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen, why does Gitl insist on bringing all the gifts to the wedding if they are going to be brought back anyway?

In Chapter 6, as her brother is about to get married, Gitl continues to arrange and rearrange the wedding gifts on two wagons as she says "Those schnorrers in Viosk will know we honor our own."

What she means is that she wants to make sure that everyone coming to the wedding (especially the family of the bride, Fayge, who are from Viosk) will be aware that Gitl's family and and friends have provided abundant and generous gifts to Shmuel and Fayge on their wedding day. The gifts are a gesture of love and honor, a tangible way of displaying the pride that the community feels for Shmuel, a hardworking man with a good reputation.

According to this article from the Jewish Encyclopedia, a schnorrer is a moocher: someone who pretends to have respectability while living off other people's generosity. This explains Gitl's attitude toward her brother's new in-laws: she assumes that they are taking a passive, unhelpful role in the wedding, and that the responsibility falls on her to make sure it's a classy affair. By ensuring that the gifts appear numerous and lavish, Gitl is ensuring the respectability of the whole event and, you might say, rubbing this in the noses of her brother's new in-laws. On the other hand, Gitl could just be joking. She's a kind soul who nevertheless likes to tease people and use words that are harsher than what she really means.

What contradictory information does Elizabeth receive from Mr. Darcy's housekeeper in Pride and Prejudice?

Mrs. Reynolds, the housekeeper that Elizabeth Bennett and the Gardiners encounter when they visit Darcy's estate, Pemberley, has known Darcy since he was an infant. The information she gives is not "contradictory" in the sense of internally inconsistent but rather contradicts the account of Darcy given by the evil Mr. Wickham and Elizabeth's own prejudices and superficial impressions. The housekeeper's credibility is emphasized by her statement:

"I say no more than the truth, and what every body will say that knows him,'' replied [Mrs. Reynolds] ... "I have never had a cross word from him in my life, and I have known him ever since he was four years old.''

First, the housekeeper asserts that Darcy is an excellent master and well-loved by his servants and tenants, being both fair and generous. Next, she shows that he is a kind brother to his sister, taking great responsibility for her happiness in his role as her caretaker after their parents' death. 

He is shown as kind and "affable" to the poor and a person who takes his responsibilities seriously. What some people might see as pride, according to Mrs. Reynolds, is more a matter of a strong sense of duty and a certain degree of reserve.