Describe the character of the astrologer.

The protagonist in "An Astrologer's Day" is an interesting character because he is a survivor. He came to the big city from one of the many small villages in India and had to find some way to exist without having any formal education or marketable skills. We do not know how he obtained his astrological paraphernalia, but it is possible that he found it somewhere and decided to become an "astrologer" on the spur of the moment. His "professional equipment" consists of

...a dozen cowrie shells, a square piece of cloth with obscure mystic charts on it, a notebook, and a bundle of palmyra writing.

The man who had owned the equipment before him may have been better versed in the pseudo-science of astrology, but he may have lacked the present owner's intelligence, glibness, personality, and "moxie." It is obviously very hard for any astrologer to make a living in this city because most people don't have any money to spare for anything but the bare necessities.

The astrologer's day is a long and precarious one. He has a wife and small daughter waiting for him at home. Even when he encounters Guru Nayak and his life is in danger, he resolutely insists on talking about money. Because of his brains and adaptability, he is able to bring home even more coins than usual. He lives from day to day. He doesn't even want to think about what he is going to do tomorrow. He has gotten through one day and that is enough for him.

"Time to sleep," he said, yawning, and stretched himself on the pyol.

The astrologer might be said to represent the millions of men who are migrating to the big cities of India from the villages. His story is just one of the many stories of these people, whose survival in the cities depends on their adaptability to very difficult living conditions.

He had left his village without any previous thought or plan. If he had continued there he would have carried on the work of his forefathers namely, tilling the land, living, marrying, and ripening in his cornfield and ancestral home. But that was not to be.

It is interesting to see how this nameless man has become transformed into a big-city dweller who deals with great numbers of people every day in order to eke out a living for himself and his tiny family. He needs money to survive and support his family, and he has to get that money from other people by providing something in exchange. The great subcontinent of India is changing in many ways because of globalization, expanding population, and other factors. "An Astrologer's Day" represents the macrocosm in a microcosm, which it what makes it such a memorable short story.

In the essay "Shooting an Elephant," one of Orwell's purposes in telling his story is to show how it gave him a glimpse of "the real nature of...

During his time as a policeman in Burma, which was then a British colony, the story's narrator learns to hate imperialism. As he puts it:

 In a job like that you see the dirty work of Empire at close quarters.

When has to shoot an elephant, the episode exemplifies the irrationality, cruelty, and dehumanizing effects of the system. The event shows him, he says, "the real nature of imperialism," and "the real motives for which...

During his time as a policeman in Burma, which was then a British colony, the story's narrator learns to hate imperialism. As he puts it:

 In a job like that you see the dirty work of Empire at close quarters.

When has to shoot an elephant, the episode exemplifies the irrationality, cruelty, and dehumanizing effects of the system. The event shows him, he says, "the real nature of imperialism," and "the real motives for which despotic governments act."  

When an elephant goes on a rampage and kills a man, the Burmese villagers turn to the narrator to shoot the elephant, as only the British are allowed weapons. By the time the narrator arrives, however, the elephant is calm. There is no need to kill it. In fact, killing it would be a mistake, a waste. However, because of the irrationality of imperialism, the narrator feels he has no choice. He realizes that imperialism robs the rulers as well as the ruled of their freedom.

I was only an absurd puppet pushed to and fro by the will of those yellow faces behind. I perceived in this moment that when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys. He becomes a sort of hollow, posing dummy.

Shooting the elephant is cruel because elephants are huge, with thick hides, and it takes a long time for them to die. It takes this elephant half an hour to die.

From the start, the narrator shows how imperialism has dehumanized him:

I thought that the greatest joy in the world would be to drive a bayonet into a Buddhist priest's guts.

The narrator realizes as he shoots the elephant that imperialism has stripped his humanity away, making him little more than a "dummy." Saving face and not being laughed at—playing the role of the strong, resolute sahib—has become more important than reason or compassion. Saving face has become the rationale for acting in a despotic regime. The narrator recognizes that imperialism does not work well for anyone. 

Why was the Nile important to ancient Egyptians?

The Nile was very important to the people of Ancient Egypt because it essentially made their economy possible.  It allowed them to do agriculture and to engage in trade.

Like all ancient people, the Ancient Egyptians relied on agriculture for most of their economy.  The Nile made agriculture possible in Egypt.  Every year, the river flooded.  When the floods receded, they left layers of silt on the areas that had been flooded.  This silt helped...

The Nile was very important to the people of Ancient Egypt because it essentially made their economy possible.  It allowed them to do agriculture and to engage in trade.

Like all ancient people, the Ancient Egyptians relied on agriculture for most of their economy.  The Nile made agriculture possible in Egypt.  Every year, the river flooded.  When the floods receded, they left layers of silt on the areas that had been flooded.  This silt helped make the land fertile, allowing the Egyptians to grow enough crops near the Nile to feed everyone.  In other parts of Egypt not flooded by the Nile, the land was not fertile enough for agriculture.  The Nile, then, was necessary for Egyptian agriculture.

The Egyptians also used the Nile for other things.  It was a source of papyrus that they used to make paper, boats, and other things.  It was a source for fish and for waterfowl.  It also made it easier for them to trade both within Egypt and with other countries.  The Egyptians could ship goods up and down the Nile, allowing them to be moved easily from place to place.  This made trade easier and helped the Egyptian economy.  In these ways, the Nile made the Ancient Egyptian economy possible.

How does Mr. Martin present himself to Ms. Barrows on the night of his visit to her apartment?

Mr. Martin at first presents himself as a modest little man not too much different from the person he appears to be at the office, except for the fact that he smokes cigarettes and drinks liquor. This is while he is still planning to murder Ulgine Barrows. She is surprised even at this difference in his personality. But while she is out of the room mixing drinks and he is looking around for something to...

Mr. Martin at first presents himself as a modest little man not too much different from the person he appears to be at the office, except for the fact that he smokes cigarettes and drinks liquor. This is while he is still planning to murder Ulgine Barrows. She is surprised even at this difference in his personality. But while she is out of the room mixing drinks and he is looking around for something to kill her with, he has a sudden realization that he can do something much better. When she comes back with the drinks he pretends to be borderline insane. He tells her, among other things:

"I am preparing a bomb that will blow the old goat higher than hell....I'll be coked to the gills when I bump that old buzzard off."

Mrs. Barrows indignantly orders Mr. Martin to leave. She reports his behavior to their employer Mr. Fitweiler the next morning. But she ends up losing her own job because Mr. Fitweiler believe she must be insane to think that a mousy little man like Mr. Martin could have behaved the way she describes.

What is the mood or atmosphere of this story?

The mood of this story is characterized by foreboding and danger. We know from the outset that Montresor is planning to do something terrible to Fortunato. He says, "I would be avenged" and that "I must not only punish but punish with impunity." Therefore, we know Montresor is plotting revenge for the "thousand injuries" Fortunato has done him as well as whatever "insult" Fortunato has offered him. Further, Montresor vows that he must not only...

The mood of this story is characterized by foreboding and danger. We know from the outset that Montresor is planning to do something terrible to Fortunato. He says, "I would be avenged" and that "I must not only punish but punish with impunity." Therefore, we know Montresor is plotting revenge for the "thousand injuries" Fortunato has done him as well as whatever "insult" Fortunato has offered him. Further, Montresor vows that he must not only exact such revenge, but he must do so without incurring personal consequence for himself. He feels both that he must go unpunished for whatever retribution he exacts as well as that he must make himself known as the author of this retribution. Several times Montresor hints about what he plans to do; the foreshadowing of his later actions lends to the foreboding atmosphere. His calculated coldness—his ability to deceive his victim up until the last moment—helps to create a mood of danger.

In Chapter 16 of Their Eyes Were Watching God, Mrs. Turner is very clearly prejudiced. How does Janie react to her? Why doesn't Mrs. Turner...

Chapter 16:

1) Mrs. Turner is very clearly prejudiced. How does Janie react to her? Janie humors Mrs. Turner and indulges the older woman's behavior. Janie doesn't try to change Mrs. Turner's views about race as she doesn't believe that her efforts will prove effective. Clearly, Mrs. Turner's beliefs about race are too entrenched for Janie to change. Essentially, Janie tolerates Mrs. Turner despite her aversion to the older woman's convictions about race.

“Her husband can’t do nothin’ wid dat butt-headed woman. All you can do is treat her cold whenever she come round here.” Janie tried that, but short of telling Mrs. Turner bluntly, there was nothing she could do to discourage her completely.

2) Why doesn't Mrs. Turner like Tea Cake? Mrs. Turner despises Tea Cake for superficial reasons. To Mrs. Turner, lighter skin and Caucasian facial features are deemed the most attractive and advantageous of physical characteristics. Since Tea Cake fails to live up to this narrow image of physical perfection, Mrs. Turner considers him unworthy of her acquaintance. 

She didn’t forgive her for marrying a man as dark as Tea Cake, but she felt that she could remedy that.

3) How is Turner characterized? Why does Hurston's narration change in the chapter? Turner is characterized as a meek man who is resigned to his wife's stubborn nature and to her egregious attitudes about race. In the story, Tea Cake tries to get Turner to rein his wife in, but the older man maintains that he is powerless to affect his wife's actions in any way. 

“Mah wife takes time fuh whatever she wants tuh do. Real strong headed dat way. Yes indeed.”

In the chapter, Hurston's dialogue is couched in African-American vernacular speech. For most of the chapter, the nature of the dialogue mirrors the narrator's voice. However, when the narrator discusses Mrs. Turner's views about race, she uses grandiose religious metaphors to describe the older woman's convictions. 

Anyone who looked more white folkish than herself was better than she was in her criteria, therefore it was right that they should be cruel to her at times, just as she was cruel to those more negroid than herself in direct ratio to their negroness. Like the pecking-order in a chicken yard. Insensate cruelty to those you can whip, and groveling submission to those you can’t.

Mrs. Turner, like all other believers, had built an altar to the unattainable—Caucasian characteristics for all. Her god would smite her, would hurl her from pinnacles and lose her in deserts, but she would not forsake his altars. Behind her crude words was a belief that somehow she and others through worship could attain her paradise—a heaven of straighthaired, thin-lipped, high-nose boned white seraphs.

Hurston's narration changes to alert readers to the fact that Mrs. Hurston's dogmatism is inspired not by rational sentiments but by an almost fanatical, religious conviction about whiteness. 

Chapter 17: 

1) What kind of foreshadowing occurs at the beginning of the chapter? At the beginning of the story, the author uses foreshadowing through irrational concern to alert us to the approaching conflict between Tea Cake and Mrs. Turner. 

Before the week was over he had whipped Janie. Not because her behavior justified his jealousy, but it relieved that awful fear inside him. Being able to whip her reassured him in possession. No brutal beating at all.

It is obvious that Janie has no desire to run off with Mrs. Turner's brother. However, Tea Cake's insecurities get the better of him, and he resolves to rough Janie up a bit in order to show Mrs. Turner that he's a man to be reckoned with. Tea Cake really has no reason to distrust Janie's loyalty, so we can say that his fears are irrational. This foreshadowing prepares us for how Tea Cake acts to get Mrs. Turner to leave town.

Chapter 18

1) "Six eyes were questioning God." What is the significance of that line? The line describes the human tendency to petition Providence during times of unrest or crisis.

2) Discuss the dog bite Tea Cake receives. What is significant about it? In Chapter 18, Tea Cake gets bitten while trying to save Janie from a panicking canine. He is wounded before he can kill the dog. In Chapter 19, it is revealed that Tea Cake was bitten by a dog that had rabies. So, the dog bite Tea Cake receives in Chapter 18 is significant because it explains his violent behavior towards Janie in Chapter 19. Essentially, Tea Cake's insecurities are compounded by his illness, and he attacks Janie indiscriminately. In the end, Janie is forced to fire a fatal shot at Tea Cake. So, the dog bite in Chapter 18 foreshadows Tea Cake's demise in Chapter 19.

reason to be a loyalist

I am going to assume that the question is asking for reasons to be a British Loyalist during the Revolutionary War time period in United States history.  There were definitely reasons to be a Loyalist during this time.  

1. British colonists are British citizens.  The Patriots are the people that are rebelling against their home government.  Being a Loyalist means that you are choosing to support your home country instead of committing treason.  


2. Treason is punishable by death.  That's a powerful reason to stay loyal. 


3. If and when a war does occur, Britain is likely to win that war.  Their army is bigger, is better trained, has access to more weaponry, and has a full fledged navy capable of shutting down shipping and supply lines.  Additionally, Britain has a robust economy to support a war.  Being a Loyalist means that you are "rooting" for the team that is likely to win.  You get to celebrate and enjoy the fruits of that victory.  


4. Colonists and the colonies profit from friendly trading with the British.  Separating from Britain risks that profitable business. 

2. You were instructed by your supervisor to terminate an employee due to slow output of work. You just completed a class on employment law and...

To assure that you are not discriminating, you might consider reviewing federal and state (Pennsylvania) discrimination laws. 

At-will employees who wish to challenge their termination may rely on certain statutes to argue their case, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, Title I and Title V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Civil Rights Act of 1991,...

To assure that you are not discriminating, you might consider reviewing federal and state (Pennsylvania) discrimination laws. 

At-will employees who wish to challenge their termination may rely on certain statutes to argue their case, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, Title I and Title V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. 

You mentioned that the employee will be terminated due to "slow output of work." To address any concerns about discrimination, it would be wise to consider whether the employee belongs to any of the protected classes (under federal and Pennsylvania employment law). Is the employee disabled, over 40, a woman, a member of the LGBTQ community, or a minority?

Can the employee claim that a "hostile work environment" has led to his/her "slow output of work"? For example, can the employee argue that his/her transgender status has led to bullying from certain coworkers, thereby reducing his/her capacity to perform at an optimal level? Has the employee made claims of sexual harassment? If the employee has already made such claims, were internal investigations conducted to ascertain the validity of his/her claims?

Another factor to consider is whether there has been a paper trail documenting prior performance lapses by the employee. Without precise evidence documenting prior performance issues, an employee may successfully challenge his/her termination in court. It is wise to have clear, irrefutable evidence to support your reasons for terminating the employee.

Another factor to consider is whether the employee can claim to be a victim of "illegal retaliation." For example, has the employee recently filed for reasonable accommodations under the Americans With Disabilities Act? Has the employee recently reported that one or more of your company's policies are illegal or a violation of federal law? Employees who act as whistleblowers are protected under the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 (for private sector employees), the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (for federal employees), and the No Fear Act of 2002 (for federal employees). Additionally, Pennsylvania public employees are protected under the 1986 Pennsylvania Whistleblower Law.

You may be able to review the above factors by conducting your own internal investigations and by carefully examining the employee's HR records.

Give examples of wars that had a good impact on society and how?

Wars are a terrible thing, but sometimes good comes out of the horror and death that they produce. Many would argue that the Civil War ultimately had a good impact on American society. It ended slavery once and for all. Not only was slavery a demonstrably cruel and corrupting institution, its existence was an open wound tearing the country apart. It polarized the citizenry. For more than a decade, most government business was subordinated to...

Wars are a terrible thing, but sometimes good comes out of the horror and death that they produce. Many would argue that the Civil War ultimately had a good impact on American society. It ended slavery once and for all. Not only was slavery a demonstrably cruel and corrupting institution, its existence was an open wound tearing the country apart. It polarized the citizenry. For more than a decade, most government business was subordinated to this concern. Westward expansion became a bloody testing ground for free state or slave state. Members of Congress physically attacked each other over slavery. There came a point when, finally, compromise was impossible. War, and the decisive Union victory, gave the country a fresh start. 

Likewise, though unspeakably horrible, destructive, and genocidal, World War II settled certain questions for the better. The world, shocked and horrified by the carnage, made concerted efforts to try to build peace. Shocked countries worked together to create the United Nations. Europe and the United States reckoned with their complicity in anti-Semitism, finally working to try to eradicate that ancient hatred. The creation of the state of Israel, if a blunder in terms of the Palestinians already living there, was a goodhearted attempt to atone for past evils. Germany itself, utterly devastated by bombing and invading armies and shocked by its own barbarity, finally gave up its extreme militarism and embraced peace and modern democracy. 

What impression do you form of Helen as she learns to cope with her deafness and blindness? What steps do Helen's parents take to make her life as...

The impression that the reader forms of young Helen is that she is a very bright child who is at first trapped by her handicaps, but she bravely overcomes them.

Since she was only a small child when she lost her hearing and eyesight, Helen's recall of her life before her illness is understandably only a series of impressions and small memories in which fact and fantasy are mixed.

A few impressions stand out vividly from the first years of my life; but "the shadows of the prison-house" are on the rest. (Ch.1)

Naturally, young Helen has felt trapped in the dark world into which she is plunged after her illness. However, she does recall the various appearances of objects, the smells, and the sensations that she has experienced before she was sick. Having lost her sight and hearing, Helen has become dependent upon others and is limited in what she can do; nevertheless, there are some small tasks that Helen is able to perform for her mother. Also, she has a playmate in the servant girl Martha Washington.

Because Helen is an intelligent child, she becomes aware that her mother and others move their lips when they wish to communicate. However, she does not understand why no one knows what she wants when she imitates their lip movements. Few comprehend her hand signals, as well. In this state of frustration, Helen often breaks down "in tears and physical exhaustion" (Ch. 3).  Finally, aware of Helen's increasing frustrations, her mother recalls having read of a deaf and blind girl who had been successfully educated.

My mother's only ray of hope came from Dickens's "American Notes." She had read his account of Laura Bridgman, and remembered vaguely that she was deaf and blind, yet had been educated. But she also remembered with a hopeless pang that Dr. Howe, who had discovered the way to teach the deaf and blind, had been dead many years. (Ch. 3)

Later on, Helen's father learns of an eminent oculist in Baltimore who had been successful in restoring sight in some who were considered hopeless cases. So her parents decide to take her to Baltimore. Once there, they consult with Dr. Chisholm; unfortunately, he can do nothing for Helen. Nevertheless, he suggests that they consult Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, who may be able to refer Helen to schools for the deaf and the blind.

The Kellers confer with Dr. Bell, who suggests that they write to a Mr. Anagnos, director of the Perkins Institution in Boston, because he may have a teacher for Helen. In reply, Mr. Anagnos advises the Kellers that he has a teacher for their child. This teacher is the tenacious young Anne Sullivan, who unlocks Helen's mind by teaching her sign language.

Is Nick Carraway optimistic or pessimistic about others?

I would describe Nick Carraway as a pessimist, especially by the time he has left New York and, ostensibly, written this narrative. He admits, early in the first chapter, that

[tolerance] has a limit. Conduct may be founded on the hard rock or the wet marshes, but after a certain point I don't care what it's founded on. When I came back from the East last autumn I felt that I wanted the world to...

I would describe Nick Carraway as a pessimist, especially by the time he has left New York and, ostensibly, written this narrative. He admits, early in the first chapter, that

[tolerance] has a limit. Conduct may be founded on the hard rock or the wet marshes, but after a certain point I don't care what it's founded on. When I came back from the East last autumn I felt that I wanted the world to be in uniform and at a sort of moral attention forever. . . . Only Gatsby, the man who gives his name to this book, was exempt from my reaction

In other words, though Nick has tried to live his life by reserving judgments of those he meets, he saw enough of people during his stay in New York that he no longer feels that he can do so. He must have been so disgusted by the moral disorder he witnessed that he hoped for some kind of moral discipline upon his return home. By the time he left New York, the only person, he says, who was exempt from his judgments was Gatsby. This exemption seems to have to do with Gatsby's eternal optimism, his "extraordinary gift for hope" against all odds and in the face of any obstacle.  

At the end of the narrative, Nick says, of Tom Buchanan,

I couldn't forgive him or like him, but I saw that what he had done was, to him, entirely justified. It was all very careless and confused.  They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into the money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made

Ultimately, he judges Tom and Daisy harshly, which they seem (to me) to deserve. He calls them careless again and again, and that seems like the perfect, albeit judgmental, adjective. Having witnessed the "vast carelessness" of his cousin and her husband—as well as the people who had seemed to care for Gatsby when he had lavish parties to throw and then couldn't even be bothered to show up at his funeral—Nick's opinion of humanity seems to have declined a great deal. His inability to expect much good from people leads to my belief that he is a pessimist.

How do court decisions shape Constitutional interpretation of the relationship between the national and state governments in the U.S.?

Supreme Court cases have shaped the constitutional relationship between the national government and the state governments. This is a power that is granted to the Supreme Court in the Constitution. These decisions have influenced the balance of power between the national government and the state governments.

In 1803, in the case of Marbury v Madison, the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. The ruling also gave the...

Supreme Court cases have shaped the constitutional relationship between the national government and the state governments. This is a power that is granted to the Supreme Court in the Constitution. These decisions have influenced the balance of power between the national government and the state governments.

In 1803, in the case of Marbury v Madison, the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. The ruling also gave the courts the power of judicial review, which is used to determine if a law is constitutional.

In 1819, in the case of McCulloch v Maryland, the Supreme Court ruled that a loose view of the Constitution is acceptable. This increased the power of the federal government by allowing the federal government to do things that were not specifically mentioned in the Constitution.

There were a few other rulings that increased the power of the national government. In 1824, in the case of Gibbons v Ogden, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government is responsible for controlling interstate trade. In 1937, in the case of National Labor Relations Board v Jones and Laughlin Steel Corp., the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government could regulate products within a national marketplace.

Various Supreme Court rulings have increased the power of the federal government.

What is the relationship between Rolf and Azucena? What do they give to each other? What kind of love do they share?

Rolf and Azucena share a dynamic relationship in “And of Clay Are We Created” by Isabel Allende.

Originally, when Rolf arrives at the site of the mudslide he is working as a reporter for a major news outlet, but he leaves a changed man. He locates Azucena, the little girl partially buried in the clay. While observing her situation, he realizes her situation is not just a story to be covered as a job. He...

Rolf and Azucena share a dynamic relationship in “And of Clay Are We Created” by Isabel Allende.

Originally, when Rolf arrives at the site of the mudslide he is working as a reporter for a major news outlet, but he leaves a changed man. He locates Azucena, the little girl partially buried in the clay. While observing her situation, he realizes her situation is not just a story to be covered as a job. He knows he must stay with her and facilitate her rescue. At first he frantically tries to get aid for her, but as time passes he realizes he has become an emotional support system for the girl. As night falls, she pleads with him to stay with her.

“Don’t leave me alone,” she begged.

“No, of course I won’t leave you.”

During the hours the two spend together, they connected. The little girl demonstrated her bravery as she faced increasingly dire circumstances. As Rolf observes Azucena’s strength, he changes from her support system to a man who bravely faces his difficult past. This is something he never allowed himself to do.  Although, he sets out to save the little girl’s life, she ends up allowing him to face his past so that he can heal and move forward with his life as she loses her.

Do they demonstrate “love”? Can you develop love in three days? In this story, some would say the two characters developed an unconditional love which allows them to bare their hearts and souls to each other.  When help does not arrive, Rolf stays with the little girl, singing and talking to her through the hours. His job as a photo journalist is forgotten, instead he focuses all his attention on bolstering the girl. But as time passes, and she becomes weaker, his disastrous childhood creeps into his consciousness. Although, he cannot tell Azucena all the sordid details, he allows her to have a cathartic effect on him. One of her final expressions is that of never being loved by a boy. Rolf assures her he loves her more than anything. Her death allows him to live a life unencumbered by his past.

Rolf's partner was a distant observer, and she says,

I was there when she told him that in all her thirteen years no boy had ever loved her and that it was a pity to leave this world without knowing love. Rolf assured her that he loved her more than he could ever love anyone, more than he loved his mother, more than his sister, more than all the women who had slept in his arms, more than he loved me, his life companion, who would have given anything to be trapped in that well in her place, who would have exchanged her life for Azucena’s, and I watched as he leaned down to kiss her poor forehead, consumed by a sweet, sad emotion he could not name. I felt how in that instant both were saved from despair, how they were freed from the clay, how they rose above the vultures and helicopters, how together they flew above the vast swamp of corruption and laments. How, finally, they were able to accept death. Rolf Carlé prayed in silence that she would die quickly, because such pain cannot be borne.

How are the poets Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Dylan Thomas similar and different in their writing style in the poems "How Do I Love Thee? Let Me...

The first area you should compare is prosody. Both poets are using traditional meter. In terms of rhythm, both poems are written in iambic pentameter. Thomas's poem, however, has a greater number of spondaic substitutions than Browning's. One distinctive feature of Thomas's poem that gives it a sort of weight or solemnity is the use of initial spondaic substitutions.

In terms of rhyme structure, Browning's poem is a sonnet and Thomas's a villanelle. Browning uses the...

The first area you should compare is prosody. Both poets are using traditional meter. In terms of rhythm, both poems are written in iambic pentameter. Thomas's poem, however, has a greater number of spondaic substitutions than Browning's. One distinctive feature of Thomas's poem that gives it a sort of weight or solemnity is the use of initial spondaic substitutions.

In terms of rhyme structure, Browning's poem is a sonnet and Thomas's a villanelle. Browning uses the Petrarchan or Italian sonnet form of an octave and a sestet, rhymed ABBAABBA CDCDCD. The villanelle form used by Thomas, unlike the sonnet, is divided into stanzas. A villanelle consists of several three-line stanzas rhymed ABA with a final four-line stanza rhymed ABAA. Another major difference between the sonnet and the villanelle is that a villanelle uses refrains, repeating entire lines. The final line of the first stanza is repeated in all subsequent odd-numbered stanzas, while the final line of the second stanza is repeated as the final line of all even-numbered stanzas. The final four-line stanza has two regular lines followed by the first and then second refrain. Browning also uses repetition quite heavily, often repeating the phrase "I love thee," but the repetitions do not form a regular pattern.

While both poems address love and build to a conclusion about the relationship between love and death, Browning's progresses logically and steadily to its conclusion, while Thomas uses the rhetorical technique of crescendo to build to a dramatic conclusion.

In terms of language, both poems rely heavily on monosyllables. Browning is slightly more monosyllabic and uses slightly more abstract language, while Thomas is more vivid, sensual, and concrete. Thomas also uses comparison more heavily than Browning, giving several examples of how other types of men struggle against death (wise, brave, wild, and good men) before addressing his father, while Browning's comparisons illustrate the quality of her love rather than comparing it with that of other people. Browning's poem uses the first person throughout while Thomas only introduces the first person in the final stanza. 

Thomas relies more heavily on assonance and alliteration than Browning. A dramatic example of his use of assonance can be found in the first stanza:

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Why did people's daily lives change in the decades following the Civil War?

The daily lives of Southerners changed more drastically than those of Northerners in the years following the Civil War.  The Southerners faced personal financial difficulties, as well as a severely weakened economy.  The Northerners experienced a period of prosperity after the Civil War.

The South once again joined the Union after the Civil War.  The Confederate States were dissolved and the Southern states became part of the United States again.  Slaves were freed, which caused...

The daily lives of Southerners changed more drastically than those of Northerners in the years following the Civil War.  The Southerners faced personal financial difficulties, as well as a severely weakened economy.  The Northerners experienced a period of prosperity after the Civil War.

The South once again joined the Union after the Civil War.  The Confederate States were dissolved and the Southern states became part of the United States again.  Slaves were freed, which caused significant economic changes in the South.  The agricultural industry had relied heavily on slave labor.  Slaves had planted and harvested crops on large plantations.  Planters had to hire laborers for the first time after the war ended.  Many were already suffering economic ruin from the war and did not have the cash to pay workers.  Sharecropping became a common solution to this lack of funds.  Many formerly wealthy planters became poor.  Rather than produce crops like tobacco and cotton on smaller scales, they had to produce mass amounts to make enough money.  Many people had to borrow money and debt grew in the South.  Families who had previously lived comfortably had to do without.  Some people even went hungry.  Members of entire families had to do their share to help provide.

Former slaves were able to attend school for the first time after the Civil War.  Some former slaves also were able to own land for the first time.  They were able to live with relative freedom for the first time, though racism made their lives difficult.  Some slaves also faced uncertainties as they lived independently for the first time.  They were freed, but not given any money, food, or shelter.  They had to find ways to provide for these basic necessities for the first time in their lives.

In the Northern states, there was economic prosperity.  Factories were built and jobs were plentiful.  Railroads were built throughout the northern United States.  Railroads expanded to the West from the North, as well.  These railroads were federally funded, and they also provided many jobs.

Soldiers on both sides returned home.  The male workforce resumed, so many women who had served as nurses and in other capacities had to return home.  Many former soldiers in the South had trouble finding work and were forced to live in poverty, while former soldiers in the North were able to get jobs in factories and for the railroad companies.

In the novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, are there any obvious hyperboles that are related to the identity...

Junior uses many hyperboles to describe himself and his identity. He says that he was so skinny as a small child that "I'd turn sideways and disappear." He also describes his feet as so big that, given his big feet and skinny body, "I looked like a capital L walking down the road." He states that his head is so big that other kids' heads orbited around it, much as planets orbit around the sun....

Junior uses many hyperboles to describe himself and his identity. He says that he was so skinny as a small child that "I'd turn sideways and disappear." He also describes his feet as so big that, given his big feet and skinny body, "I looked like a capital L walking down the road." He states that his head is so big that other kids' heads orbited around it, much as planets orbit around the sun. He describes himself as "the biggest retard in the world" because he has a stutter and a lisp at age 14. Though these descriptions may in part be based in reality, Junior describes himself in an exaggerated way, using hyperboles. The reader is supposed to understand that Junior's self-descriptions are exaggerations and are not strictly true. 

At the end of the story, what answer is given to the question of the title, "How Much Land Does a Man Need?"

The story portrays Pahom’s greed and the devil’s mischief. The devil overheard Pahom boast about how he would not fear the devil if he had enough land. The statement was made during a conversation between Pahom’s wife and her sister from the city. The sister bragged about how they had better lives in the city compared to what Pahom’s wife and her family had in the countryside. She talked about the exciting social life and...

The story portrays Pahom’s greed and the devil’s mischief. The devil overheard Pahom boast about how he would not fear the devil if he had enough land. The statement was made during a conversation between Pahom’s wife and her sister from the city. The sister bragged about how they had better lives in the city compared to what Pahom’s wife and her family had in the countryside. She talked about the exciting social life and advanced amenities in the city. Pahom’s wife in defense stated that although they did not enjoy the benefits of city life, they had less complicated lives with minimal risks to their fortunes. Pahom took the opportunity to state that the only problem facing people in the countryside was insufficient access to land and it was in the same breath that he made the boast.

The devil lured Pahom into his trap by offering him land. Pahom’s greed got the best of him, and he made a fatal mistake when the Bashkir’s made him an offer to acquire their land. In attempts to carve out a huge piece of land, Pahom walked too far and died of extreme exhaustion in front of the Bashkirs and their chief.  Pahom’s demise proved that he did not need all the land he tried to acquire because after death he left it all behind. He was buried in a six feet long grave, which was all the land he needed after all.

His servant picked up the spade and dug a grave long enough for Pahom to lie in, and buried him in it. Six feet from his head to his heels was all he needed.

Describe the major challenges the federal government faced in reconstructing the South after the Civil War during the period from 1865 to 1877.

The most significant challenges the federal government faced involved dealing with the massive population of freed African Americans after the war. There was never total agreement even in the North over a host of serious issues, including the extent of political rights for black men, the possibility of land reform for freedmen, and the role of the federal government in providing services (education, for example) for African Americans. The federal government sought to address these...

The most significant challenges the federal government faced involved dealing with the massive population of freed African Americans after the war. There was never total agreement even in the North over a host of serious issues, including the extent of political rights for black men, the possibility of land reform for freedmen, and the role of the federal government in providing services (education, for example) for African Americans. The federal government sought to address these issues in several ways, including the establishment of the Freedmen's Bureau, the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, and the passage of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments that clarified, at least on paper, the legal and political status of African Americans. Complicating these issues throughout Reconstruction was the fact that many southern whites fiercely, often violently, resisted political and social equality for African Americans. The Ku Klux Klan and many other organizations waged campaigns of terror to maintain white supremacy in the South. While the federal government responded by establishing military districts in the former Confederacy and passed legislation targeting these groups, white elites eventually regained control of state governments, usually with the support of poor whites, and often by violence and voter fraud. Reconstruction ended by collapsing under the weight of these challenges, with one state after another falling into the hands of so-called "Redeemer" governments. 

What color are Annmarie's eyes?

The color of Annemarie's eyes was not mentioned in the novel Number the Stars.  By looking at textual evidence, the reader can find clues which show the probable color of Annemarie's eyes.  One can do this by looking at the descriptions of her family members in the book.

Annemarie's hair was described several times in the novel.  In the first chapter of the book, "Annemarie's silvery blond hair flew behind her" as she ran....

The color of Annemarie's eyes was not mentioned in the novel Number the Stars.  By looking at textual evidence, the reader can find clues which show the probable color of Annemarie's eyes.  One can do this by looking at the descriptions of her family members in the book.

Annemarie's hair was described several times in the novel.  In the first chapter of the book, "Annemarie's silvery blond hair flew behind her" as she ran.  Her hair was later described as being long.  Annemarie and Kirsti, her younger sister, had similarly colored hair.  One can assume that they probably had similarly colored eyes.  In Chapter 17, Kirsti was described as "waving a small flag... [and] her blue eyes were bright."  Annemarie and Kirsti's uncle was also described.  Annemarie noticed that "his deep blue eyes [were] kind and questioning" (Chapter 9).  By looking at the descriptions of other characters in the book, the reader can assume it is likely that Annemarie also had blue eyes in the story.

What agreements came from the Berlin Conference?

The Berlin Conference of 1884-85 essentially formalized what became known as "The Scramble for Africa." This was the name given to the long-standing project of European colonial expansion in Africa. As the name suggests, the "Scramble for Africa" was a somewhat haphazard affair, often leading to petty territorial disputes which had the potential to develop into more serious incidents. So the Conference was convened by Bismarck to end the current confusion and divide the colonial...

The Berlin Conference of 1884-85 essentially formalized what became known as "The Scramble for Africa." This was the name given to the long-standing project of European colonial expansion in Africa. As the name suggests, the "Scramble for Africa" was a somewhat haphazard affair, often leading to petty territorial disputes which had the potential to develop into more serious incidents. So the Conference was convened by Bismarck to end the current confusion and divide the colonial spoils among the European powers on a formal legal basis backed by international treaties.

The Conference ended in the issuing of a General Act, which codified the principle of closer co-operation between the colonial powers. The most important provisions of the Act were the abolition of the slave trade throughout each power's respective sphere of influence and the maintaining of the Congo Free State as a place open to European investment. All of the various clauses of the Act were influenced by the principle of "Effective Occupation." Essentially this meant that European powers were only entitled to those territories which they already occupied politically and militarily. This was supposed to be a way of preventing future disputes; but as the provisions of the General Act referred only to those lands fronting the African coast, the precise division of colonial spoils continued to be a bone of contention up until the First World War.

how does the town people see the minister after he starts wearing the veil?

When Reverend Hooper initially wears the black veil to Sunday service, the townspeople are taken aback and disturbed by his foreboding image. The women and children fear the reverend at first sight and discuss his terrible appearance following the service. The townspeople also go out of their way to avoid Mr. Hooper and keep their distance from him. As time passes, the reverend's black veil becomes less threatening and more mysterious. The townspeople contemplate the...

When Reverend Hooper initially wears the black veil to Sunday service, the townspeople are taken aback and disturbed by his foreboding image. The women and children fear the reverend at first sight and discuss his terrible appearance following the service. The townspeople also go out of their way to avoid Mr. Hooper and keep their distance from him. As time passes, the reverend's black veil becomes less threatening and more mysterious. The townspeople contemplate the reasoning behind Mr. Hooper's black veil and continue to talk about the reverend behind his back. Unfortunately, Reverend Hooper loses his friends and close acquaintances because of his disturbing appearance. Despite his awkward and lonely social life, Mr. Hooper becomes a better reverend, and his messages are especially impactful. He becomes increasingly sympathetic towards those seeking redemption and becomes known for his enigmatic black veil. Overall, Reverend Hooper is unapproachable, and the townspeople gossip about him while going out their way to avoid socializing with him. Mr. Hooper is viewed as an enigmatic pariah because of his black veil. 

What dose it mean to say that countries of the world are interdependent?

This interdependency between nations has existed since the Age of Exploration, which initiated the trade of goods, such as spices and slaves, between continents. 

Currently, we still trade goods. We are also more connected. Due to the advent of the Internet, we are able to socialize with more people in more places with greater ease. We can also easily access media and cultural products from other countries and learn about the lives of people who...

This interdependency between nations has existed since the Age of Exploration, which initiated the trade of goods, such as spices and slaves, between continents. 

Currently, we still trade goods. We are also more connected. Due to the advent of the Internet, we are able to socialize with more people in more places with greater ease. We can also easily access media and cultural products from other countries and learn about the lives of people who are not like us. 

With trade pacts, economies become more interconnected. When you go to the supermarket, you may notice that you can buy summer fruit in the winter. This is because trade pacts with countries in the southern hemisphere allow for produce, among other goods, to be shipped north in exchange for goods that we produce. Fair trade practices, which are not universal, ensure that everyone, especially low-wage workers, benefit from the exchange of goods and services.

Finally, the perils of climate change have helped us realize that we are very dependent on each other for the maintenance of the planet and the sustainability of resources. The United States and China are the largest polluters on the planet. The release of carbon emissions in these countries can create problems for others. For example, the leaders of the Maldives expect that the islands will soon be under water. Rising water levels are due to melting ice caps in the Arctic. Though the melting of ice caps is a natural phenomenon, they have been disappearing at a far more rapid rate than in the past.

Interdependency can be beneficial. However, when nations do not work together or consider how their actions impact other nations, there can be harm.

How is the comparison of Gatsby with Christ (“he was a son of G-d…and he must be about His Father’s Business”) ironic? If the comparison...

There are a number of reasons as to why one could possibly consider the comparison between Gatsby and Christ ironic.  However, we should first look at the quote within its full context prior to examination:

The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself.  He was a son of God - a phrase, which, if it means anything, just that - and he must be about His Father's business, the service of vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty.  So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen-year-old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end.

When we state that something is "ironic," we mean that the use of language states one thing, but infers or evokes its opposite. On the surface, the phrase "son of God" draws a direct comparison to Jesus Christ.  One level of irony is the difference between what Christ valued versus what "Jay Gatsby" valued.  For Christ, humanity ought to love one another, to exhibit peace, love, and understanding.  Most importantly, the Bible repeatedly depicts Christ frowning upon wealth such as when he states, "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God" (Mark 10:25).  Gatsby, for all intents and purposes, is the exact opposite of this.  As the passage above states, Gatsby was about "the service of vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty." Both Gatsby and Christ are about their "Father's business"; however, their father's respective businesses are very different.  For Christ, his father is God, whose Golden rule is to treat others as we would want to be treated.  For Gatsby, his father is Dan Cody (the wealthy copper mogul who Gatsby fashions himself after).  Christ spends his adult life looking after and healing people who require us to look inward when we see them (i.e. lepers, the seriously ill, prostitutes).  Gatsby spends his adult life tending after a façade (i.e. a beautiful house with nothing in it, friends who aren't friends, a library with books that have never been read, a woman married to another man and who is likely hollow inside).

The above explanation is the main level of irony present in the passage.  One could, however, make the argument (though it is likely not what the question posed is getting at) that there is another level of irony in the fact that Gatsby is self-fashioned.  The phrase "Platonic conception" refers to Plato's theory of knowledge that we first conceive of an ideal (what he calls a "form") and once we conceive of the ideal, we can realize it or see it in reality (or, what his student Aristotle might refer to as "particulars").  In this case, Gatz conceived of "Jay Gatsby" and then made it happen.  Gatsby is a persona, a conception, or an illusion.  Christ, on the other hand, was anything but a façade.  He worked in an opposite fashion by seeing the world as it was and then going inward to find salvation.

If the comparison were extended in the novel, the obvious comparison would be Gatsby's death.  Christ, of course, dies for the original sin of humanity.  His sacrifice provided salvation for all humanity.  Gatsby, however, died for Daisy's sin of running over Myrtle.  Both could be said that they died for something they believed in and both can be said that they died for a people who was not worth saving.  The irony dissipates in this extended analogy, and drives home the rather depressing and caustic worldview of Modernist writers like Fitzgerald.  That is, to think that, in Fitzgerald's mind, we are all nothing but a bunch of Daisy and Tom Buchanan, and that the best modernity can do for the ideologues growing up is to offer them the role of Jay Gatsby.

Why does a bill have to go through many steps before it is voted on?

In order for a bill to become a law, it must pass through many steps. There are a few reasons for this. One reason is that we want to be sure the bill and its effects are thoroughly considered. By having a committee study a bill and then make recommendations, this helps to consider what impacts the bill will have. Even by doing this thorough review, there may still be unintended consequences.

We also want...

In order for a bill to become a law, it must pass through many steps. There are a few reasons for this. One reason is that we want to be sure the bill and its effects are thoroughly considered. By having a committee study a bill and then make recommendations, this helps to consider what impacts the bill will have. Even by doing this thorough review, there may still be unintended consequences.

We also want more than one branch of government involved in the lawmaking process. By allowing the president to veto laws, this acts as a brake on the powers of Congress. Without veto power, Congress could pass any law it wanted to pass. Congress now needs to consider the views of the president before passing a bill. Additionally, by having the courts review the laws, it requires Congress to try to make sure the bill would be legal under the Constitution. This is another limit on the powers of Congress. While judicial review is not a step in the lawmaking process, it does factor into the thinking that goes into proposing a bill.

There are many steps involved in passing a bill. This is done to make sure the bill is well written, is legal, and considers the effects the bill will produce.

Who is Kikuyu?

Snow Country is a classic piece of Japanese literature, written by Yasunari Kawabata. It tells the story of an affair between a geisha named Komako and a man called Shimamura. Their relationship is complicated, and, as Komako expects, Shimamura eventually leaves her for good. 

Kikuyu was a geisha older than Komako, who, quite like Komako, fell in love with someone who ended up leaving her. One of her regular clients, a wealthy married man, had...

Snow Country is a classic piece of Japanese literature, written by Yasunari Kawabata. It tells the story of an affair between a geisha named Komako and a man called Shimamura. Their relationship is complicated, and, as Komako expects, Shimamura eventually leaves her for good. 

Kikuyu was a geisha older than Komako, who, quite like Komako, fell in love with someone who ended up leaving her. One of her regular clients, a wealthy married man, had built Kikuyu a restaurant and called it Kikuruma after her. When she fell in love with another man, she turned down the opportunity of managing the restaurant. She was therefore left with nothing when the man she loved left her. Kikuyu left the area of the hot springs in shame, hoping to be able to start over somewhere else.  

This story is a part of a conversation between Komako and Shimamura that contributes to the breaking of the illusion for Shimamura that Komako is perfect and pure.

Compare the stories "Death Constant Beyond Love" and "Girl."

From what I can see, you are referring to the stories "Death Constant Beyond Love" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and "Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid.

Both stories are similar in that they demonstrate how parents view their children. However, they differ in how the parents choose to treat their children.

In "Girl," the mother sees herself as her daughter's mentor. She gives her daughter advice on how to navigate the challenges of life. If we read...

From what I can see, you are referring to the stories "Death Constant Beyond Love" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and "Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid.

Both stories are similar in that they demonstrate how parents view their children. However, they differ in how the parents choose to treat their children.

In "Girl," the mother sees herself as her daughter's mentor. She gives her daughter advice on how to navigate the challenges of life. If we read the text, we see that the mother advises her daughter on how she should interact with the opposite gender, take care of her home, treat strangers, and make herself presentable for company. The mother basically gives her daughter practical advice about many aspects of life. Although the mother's counsel about certain matters may seem strange to modern sensibilities, her care and concern for her daughter is clear.

The father (Nelson Farina) in "Death Constant Beyond Love" also purportedly loves his daughter, Laura. He thinks of Laura as possibly the most beautiful woman in the world. Certainly, Nelson's pride in his daughter is clear. However, unlike the mother in "Girls," Nelson chooses to exploit his daughter's beauty for his own purposes. 

In the story, Nelson manipulates Senator Onesimo Sanchez into doing his will by dangling before him the possibility of a sexual liaison with Laura. Nelson wants the senator to help him obtain a false identity card. He dresses Laura up in her best clothes and sends her to the senator's home. When the senator tries to make love to Laura, he discovers that she is wearing a chastity belt. 

Laura tells the senator that he can only obtain the key if he sends a written promise to help Nelson with his predicament. So, Nelson Farina differs from the mother in Kincaid's story in that he is willing to sacrifice his daughter's safety and happiness in order to realize his selfish goals.

What values are implied in lines 691-696? What message about these values do the lines convey?

Considered the first piece of formal English literature, Beowulfis an epic poem that recites the grisly tale of a warrior’s magnificent battle with monsters.  Central to the poem’s structure, which is divided into three parts entitled, “Grendel,” “Grendel’s Mother,” and “The Dragon,” is the theme of heroism and its ability to transcend time and cultures.  The poet, as an artist, deliberately guides the reader through the “Grendel” and “Grendel’s Mother” sections to explore the...

Considered the first piece of formal English literature, Beowulf is an epic poem that recites the grisly tale of a warrior’s magnificent battle with monsters.  Central to the poem’s structure, which is divided into three parts entitled, “Grendel,” “Grendel’s Mother,” and “The Dragon,” is the theme of heroism and its ability to transcend time and cultures.  The poet, as an artist, deliberately guides the reader through the “Grendel” and “Grendel’s Mother” sections to explore the relationship of kingship and bravery.  Beowulf himself provides a brief description of the Anglo-Saxon heroic code, stating “wyrce sé þe mote / dómes aér déaþe þæt bið drihtguman, / unlifgendum æfter sélest” (1187-1189).  This is translated into, “Gain he who may / glory before death; that is for the warrior, / unloving, afterwards the best.” Here, heroism is defined as achieving honorable immortality prior to death. 

Lines 691-696 uphold these values of heroism.  Translated from the original text, these lines read as follows:

none of them thought that he thence would

 his dear home again ever visit,

 his folk or his noble citadel, where he was nurtured

for they had heard that far too many of them already

in that wine-hall slaughtering death had carried off

of the Danish people.

In this excerpt, the poem’s persona conveys the fear and sorrow many of the Geats possessed for they believed as soon as they stepped foot in the “wine-hall” and waited for Grendel, they would never reemerge.  The Geats reflect on their homes, placing an emphasis on the value of family and origin.  By using the diction of “dear,” “noble,” and “nurtured,” they convey a deep-rooted love and fidelity for their legacy and ancestry.  There is also an intrinsic value placed on courage, for the Geats are aware that many of the men who have gone before them have been killed, yet they remain steadfast in their ambition to slaughter the terror-reigning monster.

Thus, the combined values of ancestral homage and bravery convey the message of heroism, for as previously mentioned, an Anglo-Saxon hero was an individual who achieved honor and fame for dying for a noble cause.  The Geats stand in Mead Hall with the understanding that they may die at the hands of the monster, yet they want to bring honor to their family, ancestors, and themselves. 

What is a quote in the first half of "To Kill a Mockingbird" that depicts how Scout looks up to Jem?

In Chapter 4, the children decide to role play Boo Radley's life story in a game they title "One Man's Family." Scout is reluctant to participate because she believes that Boo Radley will see them playing and sneak out at night to attack them. Jem dismisses Scout's concerns and tells his sister that nothing will happen because Boo Radley is dead. Scout eventually agrees to act out the role of various women in the play...

In Chapter 4, the children decide to role play Boo Radley's life story in a game they title "One Man's Family." Scout is reluctant to participate because she believes that Boo Radley will see them playing and sneak out at night to attack them. Jem dismisses Scout's concerns and tells his sister that nothing will happen because Boo Radley is dead. Scout eventually agrees to act out the role of various women in the play because she knows that Calpurnia and Jem will be around in the daytime, and her father will be home at night. Scout comments,

"Jem was a born hero" (Lee 25).

Scout believes that Jem will protect her from the "malevolent phantom" if he ever decides to attack. She is confident in her older brother and believes that Jem is brave for acting out Boo Radley's life story in broad daylight. She also mentions that Jem has amazing acting abilities and can play the role of various characters. During Boo's big scene, Jem pretended to stab Dill with a pair of scissors. Scout says, "From where I stood it looked real" (Lee 26).

What is the back story as to why Steinbeck gave Of Mice and Men that title?

John Steinbeck's choice of a title is an allusion to a well-known poem by Robert Burns, the full title of which is "To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Nest with the Plough." The speaker in Robert Burns' touching poem expresses regret for inadvertently destroying a mouse's nest while plowing. In the next to-last stanza he says:

But Mousie, thou art no thy lane,In proving foresight may be vain:The best-laid schemes o'...

John Steinbeck's choice of a title is an allusion to a well-known poem by Robert Burns, the full title of which is "To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Nest with the Plough." The speaker in Robert Burns' touching poem expresses regret for inadvertently destroying a mouse's nest while plowing. In the next to-last stanza he says:

But Mousie, thou art no thy lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best-laid schemes o' Mice an' Men
                       Gang aft agley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
                       For promis'd joy!

The title derived from Robert Burns' poem alludes to the dream of George and Lennie to own their own little farm and to be free of the backbreaking toil and wage-slavery in which they are presently trapped. This dream is the back story. It is repeated to Lennie by George in the first chapter. Lennie never gets tired of hearing it. Later in the story it seems that the dream may actually come true because Candy volunteers to contribute $300 to buying a farm George knows can be had for a total of only $600. Then everything goes wrong and Lennie has to flee and hide by the river where they camped in the first chapter. George is planning to shoot his friend to protect him from a worse fate at the hands of a lynch mob; but in the last chapter, at Lennie's request, he tells him part of the dream again.

"We'll have a cow," said George. "An' we'll have maybe a pig an' chickens . . . an' down the flat we'll have a . . . little piece alfalfa------"

But George can't continue with his dream-story. This is only another instance in which the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray. The lynch mob is fast approaching. George must pull the trigger of the stolen Luger and kill the only friend he ever had.

Is The Monkey King based on the ancient Chinese fable of Sun Wukong?

No, this novel by Timothy Mo is not exactly based on the Chinese fable of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, but Mo is using this title to connect his main character's learnings about the ways of Confucianism to the story of the Monkey King. 

On his journey from China to India, Sun Wukong is supposed to be protecting a monk, but is acting too unruly, as usual. The monk is given a headband to wrap...

No, this novel by Timothy Mo is not exactly based on the Chinese fable of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, but Mo is using this title to connect his main character's learnings about the ways of Confucianism to the story of the Monkey King. 

On his journey from China to India, Sun Wukong is supposed to be protecting a monk, but is acting too unruly, as usual. The monk is given a headband to wrap around Sun's head that makes him behave. As John Rothfork points out in his essay analyzing "The Monkey King" and Confucianism, the ethics of Confucianism become Wallace's headband—they give him discipline, make him act more like a man, and ultimately make him successful in his life missions.

I also see a connection in that the main characters of both stories question and subsequently confirm the virtues of certain parts of Chinese culture. Sun Wukong rebels against heaven/Buddha, but he repents, reaches enlightenment, and is eventually granted Buddhahood. Wallace and his story in "The Monkey King" put Confucian philosophy to the test, and in the end he finds success in life by following Confucian principles. 

What was Woodrow Wilson's argument in his speech about Declaration of War against Germany (1917)?

Wilson wanted the United States to enter the war as an "associated power" on the side of Britain, France, and Russia in order to make the world safe for democracy.  Wilson claimed that the German pledge of unrestricted submarine warfare was both hurting American economic and humanitarian interests in Europe.  Wilson cited attacks on hospital ships as well as ships bringing food to Belgium—before this, German atrocities against Belgium had been in the news.  Wilson...

Wilson wanted the United States to enter the war as an "associated power" on the side of Britain, France, and Russia in order to make the world safe for democracy.  Wilson claimed that the German pledge of unrestricted submarine warfare was both hurting American economic and humanitarian interests in Europe.  Wilson cited attacks on hospital ships as well as ships bringing food to Belgium—before this, German atrocities against Belgium had been in the news.  Wilson claimed that this was a war for democratic ideals and he referenced the recent Russian Revolution; of course, this was before the rise of the Bolsheviks in Russia.  Wilson claims that this was not a war against the German people themselves, but rather their government.  Throughout the speech, one gets an idea that Wilson is reluctant to go to war but feels as though it is America's duty to spread civilization and democratic principles in Europe.  

What are some quotes from I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem?

Here are some important quotes from the novel:

• "Abena, my mother, was raped by an English sailor on the deck of Christ the King one day in the year 16** while the ship was sailing for Barbados. I was born from this act of aggression. From this act of hatred and contempt" (page 3). This passage begins the book and establishes the idea that Tituba was born from the violence of racism and sexism that surrounded slavery. One of the themes of the book is the power of women in the face of discrimination and violence. While Tituba is born from white male aggression, she goes on to fight against this type of violence.


• “They hanged my mother. I watched her body swing from the lower branches of a silk cotton tree. She had committed a crime for which there is no pardon. She had struck a white man. She had not killed him, however. In her clumsy rage she had only managed to gash his shoulder.” Tituba's mother is hanged for resisting the sexual advances of a white man, showing the power of slave owners to do what they want to their slaves, particularly the women. Slaves were treated as sexual and material property. 


• "You would have said I wasn’t there, standing right there on the threshhold of the room. They were talking about me, but at the same time they were ignoring me. They were scratching me off the map of human beings. I was a non-being. An invisible." In this passage, Tituba discusses the cruel and dismissive way her white owners treat her. They don't see her has a human, but as an invisible pawn who they can do with what they want.


• "At this point in my life I was haunted by the temptation to kill myself. It seemed that Hester had set me an example to follow. Alas! I didn't have the courage" (page 112). In jail in Salem, Tituba meets Hester Prynne, the fiction heroine of The Scarlet Letter. Hester kills herself in protest, as she has been jailed for having an out-of-wedlock child while the father of her child remains free. Tituba yearns for this type of escape, but she does not succumb to the temptation to kill herself.


• “Life is too kind to men, whatever their color” (page 130). This quote is about the power of men over women; even slave men, such as John Indian, do not treat women as equals. 

`f(x)=(6x-1)/(3x-1)` Graph the function. State the domain and range.

We are asked to graph the function `y=(6x-1)/(3x-1) ` :

The graph has a vertical asymptote at x=1/3. The graph has a horizontal asymptote at y=2.

Thus the domain is all reals except 1/3 and the range is all reals except 2.

Using division we can rewrite the function as ` y=1/(3(x-1/3))+2` ; using y=1/x as the base graph the transformation has been shifted right 1/3 units and up 2 units with a vertical dilation...

We are asked to graph the function `y=(6x-1)/(3x-1) ` :

The graph has a vertical asymptote at x=1/3. The graph has a horizontal asymptote at y=2.

Thus the domain is all reals except 1/3 and the range is all reals except 2.

Using division we can rewrite the function as ` y=1/(3(x-1/3))+2` ; using y=1/x as the base graph the transformation has been shifted right 1/3 units and up 2 units with a vertical dilation of factor 3.

The graph:

In To Kill a Mockingbird what do the kids find out about their father?

At the beginning of Chapter 10, Scout gripes about how her father does nothing interesting or special. She says that Atticus is old, nearly blind, and does nothing that could possibly "arouse the admiration of anyone." (Lee 118) When Scout compares him to her classmate's parents, who hunt and play poker, she says that all Atticus ever does is sit in the livingroom and read. Later on in the chapter, a rabid dog named Tim...

At the beginning of Chapter 10, Scout gripes about how her father does nothing interesting or special. She says that Atticus is old, nearly blind, and does nothing that could possibly "arouse the admiration of anyone." (Lee 118) When Scout compares him to her classmate's parents, who hunt and play poker, she says that all Atticus ever does is sit in the livingroom and read. Later on in the chapter, a rabid dog named Tim Johnson is staggering through the streets of Maycomb. Sheriff Taylor gives his gun to Atticus, and Atticus kills Tim Johnson in one shot. Jem and Scout are awestruck at their father's ability. Miss Maudie tells the children that Atticus' nickname growing up was "Ol' One-Shot Finch." (Lee 129) The children are shocked to find out that their father was the "deadest shot in Maycomb County." After finding out about their father's ability, Scout tells Jem that she can't wait to brag about Atticus to her friends at school. Jem tells Scout not to say anything because if Atticus wanted the children to know his talent, he would have told them. Atticus is a humble man who felt that his marksmanship ability was a God-given.

How did Jean Bodin's philosophy reflect the time and place where he lived?

Like most of the philosophers of absolutism (Thomas Hobbes being the other very famous example) Jean Bodin lived in a time of extreme social and political strife. He witnessed the French wars of religion in the sixteenth century, a bitter civil war between French Catholics and Huguenots (Protestants) that undoubtedly convinced him that a powerful sovereign was necessary to keep order within a kingdom. Bodin emphasized the importance of a unitary sovereign, embodying all the...

Like most of the philosophers of absolutism (Thomas Hobbes being the other very famous example) Jean Bodin lived in a time of extreme social and political strife. He witnessed the French wars of religion in the sixteenth century, a bitter civil war between French Catholics and Huguenots (Protestants) that undoubtedly convinced him that a powerful sovereign was necessary to keep order within a kingdom. Bodin emphasized the importance of a unitary sovereign, embodying all the powers of the state. The sovereign power was essentially beholden only to God and to the natural rights, especially property rights, of the people over whom he ruled. Bodin was actually quite liberal and progressive. He was opposed to slavery, and the struggle between religious factions also certainly shaped his views on religious tolerance, which were highly pragmatic and modern (except for the fact that he endorsed the persecution of witches). He also provided a prescient explanation for the inflation that gripped Europe in the sixteenth century, arguing that it was caused among other things by the influx of massive amounts of precious metals from the mines of Central and South America. But on the issue of government, he believed, after witnessing the horrors of civil war, that a powerful unified monarchy with virtually absolute power was essential to the maintenance of order, without which liberties were meaningless. 

Explain the negative and positive impact of democracy.

Democracy has been in existence for approximately 2500 years and has been implemented in a wide range of manners in different cultures. Thus, one cannot talk about positive and negative impacts in global fashion but only in terms of how democracy may have had positive and negative impacts on specific cultures in specific periods. 

If one looks at the ancient Athenian democracy, one can see both positive and negative elements. First, one should note that...

Democracy has been in existence for approximately 2500 years and has been implemented in a wide range of manners in different cultures. Thus, one cannot talk about positive and negative impacts in global fashion but only in terms of how democracy may have had positive and negative impacts on specific cultures in specific periods. 

If one looks at the ancient Athenian democracy, one can see both positive and negative elements. First, one should note that like many democracies, it had a limited franchise, meaning that only free male citizens could vote. Even this limited franchise meant that government was more responsive to the will of the people and that people enjoyed a greater degree of freedom and say in the formation of laws than was the case in earlier governments. Oratory and rhetoric flourished, with democracy leading to greater civic engagement and a vital public sphere. These are often held to be general virtues of democracy.

The negative side to democracy is that it can lead to mob rule and demagogues pandering to people's worst impulses. It was the Athenian democracy that, in the Melian debate, wanted to execute all the men on the island of Melos and enslave all the women and children. Democracies can oppress unpopular minorities and silence dissenting voices. It was the Athenian democracy that sentenced Socrates to death. Also, democracies may elect people on the basis of popularity rather than skill, leading the government to bad decision-making.

Malcolm X is eventually sent to reform school because of his deliberate decision to wear a hat in his classroom. Do you agree with the teacher's...

In The Autobiography of Malcolm X, the author recounts his decision to wear a hat in the classroom of his school, a calculated act of defiance that results in his being exiled to a reform school. However, the wearing of the hat is only part of the cycle of events that gets Malcolm exiled, and the nature of the story, combined with both the details we have and the details that are denied us, makes it difficult to determine precisely whether Malcolm's teacher was justified in his decision to oust the student.

In the Autobiography, Malcolm makes it clear that his decision to wear the hat was a deliberate one. He confesses that he was acting in direct defiance of school policy and his teacher's orders. He also makes it plain through the remainder of the story that it is not the hat-wearing that is the principle reason for his expulsion. First of all, as punishment for his hat-wearing, Malcolm is forced by the teacher to walk around the classroom until he is told to stop, so, the teacher says, "'everyone can see you.'" While he is doing so, the teacher continues writing on the blackboard, and while his back is turned, Malcolm, on his round-the-room circuit, plants a tack on the teacher's chair. By the time the educator returns to his seat, Malcolm, still walking around the room, is far away from the "scene of the crime." The teacher sits on the tack, and Malcolm sees him "spraddling up" as he runs out of the room, implicating himself for the planting of the tack. Even then, it's not merely the tack-planting, or even the wearing of the hat, that gets Malcolm expelled. He admits that the decision, after this incident, to send him to the reform school was not surprising to him "with my deportment record." This clearly suggests that Malcolm's exile is not punishment for wearing a hat in class, or for planting a tack on the teacher's chair. It's the culmination of a long record of such incidents, done deliberately and with calculated desire to cause trouble, that causes the teacher to send Malcolm on his way.

However, it is difficult to be certain that the teacher's actions in the Autobiography are just due to several mitigating circumstances. First of all, this is a literary work that takes as one of its central themes the balance of injustice in the way black men are treated versus white men. Throughout the book, there are numerous instances of black men being punished all out of proportion to their crimes (both real and supposed) for reasons that have more to do with the color of their skin than with the content of their characters. This culminates in Malcolm, grown up, out of school, and living "like an animal" by robbing and stealing, being given a prison sentence for burglary that is far higher than that normally given for the crimes he committed. He speculates openly in the book that the stiff sentence was not in fact for the house robberies, but for the fact that he and his partner in crime were at the time engaged in sexual relationships with white women, which was indeed still illegal in numerous parts of the country. So the entire book generates an atmosphere in which black men suffer far fiercer consequences for their crimes than white men do, even if the crimes of the whites exceed those of their black counterparts.

Therefore, in order to determine whether or not the teacher's behavior was just, we would need to answer one question: what would happen to a white student in similar circumstances? Since we do not get to see a white student engaging in the same behavior and being disciplined for it, we cannot for certain say that the teacher is acting outside the bounds of classroom justice, or from motivations that are less than pure or in defiance of the rules his position sets forth for him. But by positioning this anecdote within a story steeped in disproportionate white-on-black punishment, it is strongly inferred that Malcolm's punishment outweighs the consequences a white student would have received for the same infractions. So, based purely on the evidence of the story itself, Malcolm's punishment may seem acceptable in some lights. But placed in the context of a world in which whites routinely mete out disproportionate judgment to blacks for the "crimes" they commit, one can only assume that Malcolm's punishment is based as much on his complexion as on his crime.

Of course, the Autobiography is a work of non-fiction, so Malcolm is commenting as much on the reality of white-on-black injustice in the real world as in the "story" he has chosen to tell. These situations do indeed find numerous common parallels in life today. It is also worth noting that Malcolm's statement that his expulsion and reformatory incarceration are based as much on his "deportment record" as on the hat-wearing and tack-planting also has contemporary parallels. The significant number of fatal shootings of unarmed black men by police officers has raised questions about the responses of the media, the police, and society as a whole. Recent shootings have provoked a number of attempts to find evidence of past crimes as a means to "justify" police use of deadly force. The suggestion would be that, just like Malcolm, Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown were punished for their "deportment records"—not the incidents that immediately preceded their deaths.

What is GDP?

Gross domestic product, or GDP, is an economic term referring to the sum total monetary value of all goods produced in a particular country, as well as the value of any services performed there. Essentially, this is a way of measuring economic activity within a period of time to track growth or decline. The value of the gross domestic product is not only dependent upon the consumption of finished goods, but also investment, the value...

Gross domestic product, or GDP, is an economic term referring to the sum total monetary value of all goods produced in a particular country, as well as the value of any services performed there. Essentially, this is a way of measuring economic activity within a period of time to track growth or decline. The value of the gross domestic product is not only dependent upon the consumption of finished goods, but also investment, the value of exported goods, and government spending. 

The value of a gross domestic product is often used in reference to a nation's development and growth, as well as the quality of life for people in that nation.

Some people disapprove of the gross domestic product as an indicator of economic activity because it does not account for any unofficial, or "black market," goods and services produced by a nation.

What is Shakespeare’s ultimate message in Othello?

I'm a bit unsure as to exactly what "ultimate message" means.  I think it is asking the standard "what is the moral of the story" question, so that is how I'll answer.  Different readers might take slightly different lessons from this particular Shakespeare play, but I think one major message is the importance of not believing in and acting upon unconfirmed rumors.  This entire play is propelled forward by the rumors and lies that Iago...

I'm a bit unsure as to exactly what "ultimate message" means.  I think it is asking the standard "what is the moral of the story" question, so that is how I'll answer.  Different readers might take slightly different lessons from this particular Shakespeare play, but I think one major message is the importance of not believing in and acting upon unconfirmed rumors.  This entire play is propelled forward by the rumors and lies that Iago spreads around to various people about marital infidelities.  Amazingly, many of the characters take Iago at his word and don't confront the person that supposedly wronged them.  Sure, Othello does confront Desdemona about her infidelity, but it's fairly clear to readers that he's not really willing to hear her side of the story.  He fully believes the rumors that he has been told.  

I cry you mercy, then,

I took you for that cunning whore of Venice

That married with Othello.—You, mistress,

That have the office opposite to Saint Peter

And keep the gate of hell!

Because of his belief in these unsubstantiated rumors, Othello makes a snap judgment about his wife.  He quickly decides to kill her, and she is dead before he learns the truth.  He kills himself out of guilt and grief.  

In "Battle Royal," who are the protagonist and the antagonist? Give examples from the story to support your answer.

The protagonist in "Battle Royal" is the narrator. The other nine African-American youth do not "care too much" for him and are, therefore, not pleased that he will be at the fight, so they feel antagonistic toward the narrator. In addition, there are other antagonists: the white men who exploit them during the battle.

Ralph Ellison's narrator is invited to give a graduation speech, and since he is going to be in the hotel for...

The protagonist in "Battle Royal" is the narrator. The other nine African-American youth do not "care too much" for him and are, therefore, not pleased that he will be at the fight, so they feel antagonistic toward the narrator. In addition, there are other antagonists: the white men who exploit them during the battle.

Ralph Ellison's narrator is invited to give a graduation speech, and since he is going to be in the hotel for this speech, he is told that he might as well participate in the battle royal with some of his schoolmates. This is a fight among the youths that the town's "big shots" attend in their tuxedos.

The narrator has his doubts about participating in this fight with them: he says, "I felt superior to them in my way, and I didn't like the manner in which we were all crowded together into the servants' elevator. Nor did they like my being there."

When they arrive in the ring, the narrator hears the school superintendent yell, "Bring up the shines, gentlemen! Bring up the little shines!"

The young men find themselves there facing a naked white women. They are embarrassed, worried, aroused, and laughed at during the exhibition. The narrator's teeth chatter in fear. As the woman begins to dance, one boy pleads to go home, embarrassed at his uncontrollable physical reaction.

The older white men become very excited by the young woman and they delight in the discomfort of the young men. After the young woman is removed, the African-American youth are further exploited as they are blindfolded and told to hit each other. As the white men yell for them to kill each other, the narrator recalls that "everyone fought hysterically. It was complete anarchy." 

After the fight is over, the youths are told that their money for fighting is on the rug. But, when they grab for it, they receive electric shocks. The narrator finds himself knocked around and shocked repeatedly, and he later realizes that the coins are brass advertising tokens.

When he finally is allowed to give his speech, the narrator accidentally says "social equality" when he has meant to say "social responsibility." Quickly, the narrator apologizes. Then, he is given a briefcase that contains inside a scholarship to the state college for Negroes. The narrator is so overjoyed that he does not even mind that the coins given him are merely brass pocket tokens that advertise a certain make of an automobile.

How do sailors feel about Ship-Trap Island?

Readers can find the answer to this question early in the story. Sanger Rainsford is talking to Whitney. Readers enter the story in the middle of the conversation, and Whitney is pointing out an island off the starboard side of the boat they are on.

"Off there to the right—somewhere—is a large island," said Whitney. "It's rather a mystery—"

Rainsford asks Whitney what the name of the island is and finds out it is called...

Readers can find the answer to this question early in the story. Sanger Rainsford is talking to Whitney. Readers enter the story in the middle of the conversation, and Whitney is pointing out an island off the starboard side of the boat they are on.

"Off there to the right—somewhere—is a large island," said Whitney. "It's rather a mystery—"

Rainsford asks Whitney what the name of the island is and finds out it is called "Ship-Trap Island." Additionally, Whitney tells Rainsford that sailors have some superstitious fears of the island.

"The old charts call it Ship-Trap Island,'" Whitney replied. "A suggestive name, isn't it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don't know why. Some superstition—"

Rainsford will eventually come to find out that the island's name and the sailors' fears are well-founded. The island's owner, General Zaroff, admits to Rainsford that he has a way of intentionally luring in ships toward the island in order to shipwreck sailors for him to hunt. Zaroff is able to light up a fake channel. The ships attempt to navigate the channel, and they are torn to shreds on the rocks.

"But where do you get them?"

The general's left eyelid fluttered down in a wink. "This island is called Ship Trap," he answered. "Sometimes an angry god of the high seas sends them to me. Sometimes, when Providence is not so kind, I help Providence a bit. Come to the window with me."

Rainsford went to the window and looked out toward the sea.

"Watch! Out there!" exclaimed the general, pointing into the night. Rainsford's eyes saw only blackness, and then, as the general pressed a button, far out to sea Rainsford saw the flash of lights.

The general chuckled. "They indicate a channel," he said, "where there's none; giant rocks with razor edges crouch like a sea monster with wide-open jaws. They can crush a ship as easily as I crush this nut."

I need to write an essay in response to the following prompt. History is full of people whose reputations in their days and in later days are much...

The first step in completing the assignment is choosing an artist. Since you haven't mentioned what sort of course the assignment is for or any limitations in period or region, perhaps the best way to help you get started would be to discuss a possible artist you could choose for your project. 

One interesting choice might be Domenikos Theotokopoulos (c. 1541–1614), who is better known as El Greco. Not only has his reputation varied widely, but...

The first step in completing the assignment is choosing an artist. Since you haven't mentioned what sort of course the assignment is for or any limitations in period or region, perhaps the best way to help you get started would be to discuss a possible artist you could choose for your project. 

One interesting choice might be Domenikos Theotokopoulos (c. 1541–1614), who is better known as El Greco. Not only has his reputation varied widely, but also some people understand him as a Greek artist who began his career in his native Crete as a painter of icons, some associate him with Venice where he moved as an adult, and others consider him part of the tradition of Spanish art, as he was most successful as an artist after he settled permanently in Spain. While in some periods his work was dismissed as mannered and eccentric, the Romantics admired his individualism, and his reputation has grown since that period. 

What is the significance/theme of the repeated phrase Je ne parle pas francais in the story "Je Ne Parle Pas Francais" by Katherine Mansfield?

The title of Mansfield's story, Je ne parle pas français, is expressive of the lack of communication and social meaning in the main characters.

There is little, if anything, which reflects a culture more than a language. So, the "stale phrase" of Je ne parle pas français—I do not speak French—is thematic of Mansfield's stream-of-consciousness story narrated by the male prostitute, Raoul Duquette.

This phrase, so commonly repeated by those who do not...

The title of Mansfield's story, Je ne parle pas français, is expressive of the lack of communication and social meaning in the main characters.

There is little, if anything, which reflects a culture more than a language. So, the "stale phrase" of Je ne parle pas français—I do not speak French—is thematic of Mansfield's stream-of-consciousness story narrated by the male prostitute, Raoul Duquette.

This phrase, so commonly repeated by those who do not belong to the French culture, reflects the theme of sexual ambiguity—not belonging in a single sexual category—since Raoul will go with men or women, as does Dick Harmon. Also, the woman called "Mouse" that Dick brings to Paris has some masculine traits, such as her "boyish" hands. Her act of holding out her hand "in that strange boyish way Englishwomen do" also conveys a certain sexual ambiguity. 

A story set in the years after World War I, a time in which France lost its moral center just as did other countries, "Je ne parle pas français" has a narrator and main character, Raoul Duquette, who hedonistically focuses solely upon the satisfaction of his own desires. He presents himself as a writer, but in reality he merely uses this pretense to frequent a cafe where he can prostitute himself to women or men, although he never propositions them. The title phrase, Je ne parle pas français, then, is also expressive of Duquette's amorality and nihilism, the belief that life is without real meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value. He simply enjoys what pleasures he can while acting under the pretense of having a literary profession. In essence, then, he does not really speak French, a historically precise language of philosophy, love, human truths, and war.

Another theme of Mansfield's story is that of the masque. Certainly, Duquette wears a social mask as he is not truly a writer, as he pretends. As an example of his pretense and self-deceit, at one point in the story, he narrates that he stands before his mirror, practicing his pose as a "man of letters." After all, he decides, if a person looks the part, he must be that part. Clearly, then, Raoul does not speak the language of reality; he merely pretends to do so.

Dick Harmon also pretends to be other than what he is. He masques as a heterosexual man, but has relations with Raoul, and is involved in some sort of odd relationship with his mother. He abandons the woman who believes he will marry her, writing her a letter that explains that he is controlled by his mother, whom he writes to Mouse is "dragging me back to her—calling."