What is The Horse and His Boy about?

The Horse And His Boy is part of the Chronicles of Narnia series of books by C.S. Lewis. It is the fifth book of the series.

This book takes place during a time when the Pevensie children (Lucy, Susan, Peter, and Edmund) are kings and queens of Narnia. By contrast, in the book The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, the Pevensie children have only just discovered Narnia. 

The protagonist of this book is Shasta....

The Horse And His Boy is part of the Chronicles of Narnia series of books by C.S. Lewis. It is the fifth book of the series.

This book takes place during a time when the Pevensie children (Lucy, Susan, Peter, and Edmund) are kings and queens of Narnia. By contrast, in the book The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, the Pevensie children have only just discovered Narnia. 

The protagonist of this book is Shasta. He is a Narnian boy, but he has been raised as the son of a fisherman in Calormen. The man he knows as his father plots to sell him into slavery to a Tarkaan (which is what the noblemen of Calormen are called.) Shasta begins talking to the Tarkaan's horse, who is a Narnian horse. Together, they decide to run away and return to Narnia. 

Shasta and the horse meet Aravis on their journey. She and her horse (Hwin) are running away to avoid the marriage her parents are trying to arrange for her.

On the journey, Shasta discovers he is a doppelganger for the Prince of Archenland, a kingdom that sits between Calormen and Narnia. In Narnia, Shasta meets Queen Susan who is being courted by a prince. Aravis learns that the prince is planning a secret attack on Archenland and Narnia, so Aravis and Shasta team up to try to warn the King of Archenland about the plot. They meet up with Aslan along the way, who has been guiding and protecting them. They join up with the King of Archenland for a battle against the prince and his people. Shasta finds out that he is actually the son of a king who had been lost long ago, and Shasta will now one day rule a kingdom. 

What does Emerson mean when he writes the aphorism “envy is ignorance, imitation is suicide”?

Emerson, who wrote this in his essay "Self-reliance," is simply saying the following: be yourself. Don't worry about what other people are doing. Don't conform. Do what is right for you.

When he says "envy is ignorance," he means that it is a mistake to be jealous of what another person has or is doing. If you envy another person, it means you are ignorant or unaware of the deepest longings of your own soul....

Emerson, who wrote this in his essay "Self-reliance," is simply saying the following: be yourself. Don't worry about what other people are doing. Don't conform. Do what is right for you.

When he says "envy is ignorance," he means that it is a mistake to be jealous of what another person has or is doing. If you envy another person, it means you are ignorant or unaware of the deepest longings of your own soul. What another person has, or is, has nothing to do with what is right for you. Look inside yourself.

Emerson means the same thing when he writes, "imitation is suicide." When you imitate the life another person is leading, you may not being killing your body, but you are killing your soul. Emerson says that every individual is born with his own unique destiny planted in him by a divine power. Figure out what that destiny is. Follow it, no matter what other people say or do. 

What is an example of a thesis statement for "The Story of an Hour"?

You might consider writing the following: the doctors' ultimate ruling concerning Louise Mallard's cause of death is ironic because it is not her joy that kills her, but rather her disappointment at finding her husband alive.  Then, in the essay, you could discuss the imagery of the "new spring life" outside the window and how it seems to symbolize what Louise is feeling inside herself.  For example, she hears the "countless sparrows twittering in the...

You might consider writing the following: the doctors' ultimate ruling concerning Louise Mallard's cause of death is ironic because it is not her joy that kills her, but rather her disappointment at finding her husband alive.  Then, in the essay, you could discuss the imagery of the "new spring life" outside the window and how it seems to symbolize what Louise is feeling inside herself.  For example, she hears the "countless sparrows twittering in the eaves" and notices the "patches of blue sky" and the "delicious breath of rain" in the air.  These are all such positive images.  You could analyze the little speech she does actually have in the story.  For example, why does she repeat the word "free" over and over?  It seems as though her husband was not a bad husband, as he never looked "saved with love" upon her.  You could even discuss her very healthy-sounding physical reaction to her new freedom.  If she is so ill, then why does her "pulses beat fast [now], and the coursing blood warm and relax every inch of her body"?  This sounds healthy, not sick.  

You could use much the same evidence to argue that Louise Mallard's so-called "heart trouble" is actually brought on by her marriage.  The fact that the lines in her "fair, calm face. . . bespoke repression and even a certain strength" seems to signify that it is the "repression" she has felt that may have seemed to weaken her, despite her initial and inherent "strength."  

What are the major sociological differences between America and Canada?

The U.S. is a far more violent country than Canada, with about five times the rate of violent crime than in Canada (see the link below). This is in part a result of looser gun ownership laws in the United States. In addition, the greater crime rate in the United States has been blamed on the American culture of individualism, which places great importance on the rights and liberties of the individual. Some argue that...

The U.S. is a far more violent country than Canada, with about five times the rate of violent crime than in Canada (see the link below). This is in part a result of looser gun ownership laws in the United States. In addition, the greater crime rate in the United States has been blamed on the American culture of individualism, which places great importance on the rights and liberties of the individual. Some argue that Canada is more communitarian, though a recent University of British Columbia study (see the link below) found that Americans and Canadians in reality are more similar than many people think.

The other differences in Canada stem from its longer association with Great Britain and its continued association with the British monarchy, while the U.S. long ago severed its political ties to Great Britain. Americans, while perhaps interested in the royal family as celebrities, are not subjects of the crown.

Canadians have often had to define themselves in opposition to the behemoth to the south, while Americans do not often define themselves with regard to Canadians. It can be argued that Americans see themselves as distinctive in the world, the beneficiaries of what has been called "American exceptionalism." Whether or not these views are valid, they have led the U.S. to be more bilateral or unilateral in approaching world affairs, while Canada is more multilateral.

`y = 3x , 0

The quantity to be calculated is the area of what is called a surface of revolution. The function `y = 3x ` is rotated about the x-axis and the surface that is created in this way is a surface of revolution. The area to be calculated is definite, since we consider only the region of the x-axis `x in [0,3] `, that is, `x ` between 0 and 3.

The formula for a surface of revolution...

The quantity to be calculated is the area of what is called a surface of revolution. The function `y = 3x ` is rotated about the x-axis and the surface that is created in this way is a surface of revolution. The area to be calculated is definite, since we consider only the region of the x-axis `x in [0,3] `, that is, `x ` between 0 and 3.

The formula for a surface of revolution (which is an area, A) is given by

`A = int_a^b (2pi y) sqrt(1 + (frac(dy)(dx))^2) dx `

` `

The circumference of the surface at each point along the x-axis is `2pi y ` and this is added up (integrated) along the x-axis by cutting the function into tiny lengths of `sqrt(1 + (frac(dy)(dx))^2) dx` 

ie, the arc length of the function in a segment of the x-axis `dx ` in length, which is the hypotenuse of a tiny triangle with width `dx ` and height `dy `.  These lengths are then multiplied by the circumference of the surface at that point `2 pi y ` to give the surface area of rings around the x-axis that have tiny width `dx ` yet have edges that slope towards or away from the x-axis. The tiny sloped rings are added up to give the full sloped surface area of revolution.  

In this case, ` ` `frac(dy)(dx) = 3 ` and since the range over which to take the arc length is `[0,3] ` we have `a = 0 ` and `b = 3 `. Therefore, the area required, A, is given by

`A = int_0^3 6 pi x sqrt(10) dx = 3sqrt(10) pi x^2 | _0^3 = 27sqrt(10)pi `

Please explain the significance of the year 1491 had as it pertains to the history of the United States.

From the point of view of native or indigenous peoples in the United States, and for that matter, the western hemisphere, 1491 was the final year in which their cultures and civilizations were allowed to progress in an undisturbed way, free of widespread European contact, conquest and genocide. While there was undoubtedly some random contact with Europeans before that year, especially via Greenland, these contacts were insignificant in terms of cultural impact.

In 1492, Columbus's...

From the point of view of native or indigenous peoples in the United States, and for that matter, the western hemisphere, 1491 was the final year in which their cultures and civilizations were allowed to progress in an undisturbed way, free of widespread European contact, conquest and genocide. While there was undoubtedly some random contact with Europeans before that year, especially via Greenland, these contacts were insignificant in terms of cultural impact.

In 1492, Columbus's arrival would disrupt and shatter native cultures, as historians such as Howard Zinn have documented. This process would continue for centuries. 

In 1491, native cultures in the United States would have been unaware of Christianity, guns, smallpox, European concepts of private ownership of land and racial hierarchy, and unaware that a change was coming that would completely upend their cultures. While the West routinely celebrates the arrival of Columbus as opening the New World to the Europeans, native cultures look at it as the year that brought disaster to their continent, and 1491 as the last year of prosperity for them. The land that comprises the US would be left largely uncolonized for more than a century, but after 1491, the end for them of life as they knew it was in sight.

How does Lewis Carroll play with language in Through the Looking-Glass?

In Through the Looking-Glass, Alice encounters a variety of bizarre situations, many of which are linguistic in nature. While we often use the term “play with language” somewhat loosely, Carroll’s novel often quite literally plays with language to produce games and puzzles for its reader.

Consider “Jabberwocky,” the often discussed poem within the novel. When Alice first happens upon the book that contains it, she decides that she cannot read it “for it’s all...

In Through the Looking-Glass, Alice encounters a variety of bizarre situations, many of which are linguistic in nature. While we often use the term “play with language” somewhat loosely, Carroll’s novel often quite literally plays with language to produce games and puzzles for its reader.

Consider “Jabberwocky,” the often discussed poem within the novel. When Alice first happens upon the book that contains it, she decides that she cannot read it “for it’s all in some language I don’t know”:

She puzzled over this for some time, but at last a bright thought struck her. “Why, it’s a looking-glass book, of course! And if I hold it up to a glass, the words will all go the right way again.”

The passage is printed backwards, and if the reader holds it up to a mirror, it appears legibly. This moment of linguistic play produces what Alice refers to as a puzzle—a game for the reader to play.

But there is a joke in Alice’s initial reaction that has to do with the linguistic play present throughout “Jabberwocky.” Once we read “Jabberwocky,” we see that there are words that we do not know:

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe.

But as we read through the poem, we can make sense of it. As readers we can interpret the passage because of the syntactical relationship that exists between words, even when we do not know what these words mean. Imagining their meaning becomes another sort of game precisely because the words that we play with are made up. This dynamic is in play throughout the novel: Alice must constantly manipulate language to solve the puzzles that other characters present to her. Characters use a precision of language that often twists the meaning of words entirely—as if they are holding language up to a mirror.

In what way was Zaroff's character oxymoronic in "The Most Dangerous Game"?

Connell describes General Zaroff as having an aristocratic and cosmopolitan nature. Zaroff also has an affinity for the arts and the finer things in life, which is evident in his exquisitely decorated dining room. During a conversation with Rainsford, Zaroff says, "We do our best to preserve the amenities of civilization here. Please forgive any lapses" (Connell, 5). General Zaroff then reveals that he is well-read and enjoys reading hunting books from every corner of...

Connell describes General Zaroff as having an aristocratic and cosmopolitan nature. Zaroff also has an affinity for the arts and the finer things in life, which is evident in his exquisitely decorated dining room. During a conversation with Rainsford, Zaroff says, "We do our best to preserve the amenities of civilization here. Please forgive any lapses" (Connell, 5). General Zaroff then reveals that he is well-read and enjoys reading hunting books from every corner of the world. Zaroff is also depicted as an articulate man, who is courteous and well-mannered. When Zaroff shows Rainsford how he has electricity on the island, Zaroff tells him, "We try to be civilized here" (Connell, 9). Despite all of General Zaroff's apparent civility, he is a ruthless murderer. General Zaroff is anything but civilized, as he hunts humans that are trapped on his island. Zaroff's appearance and manners would be considered oxymoronic when compared to his savage nature.

The ring structure of glucose indicates that it is a(an) A. monosaccharideB. disaccharideC. fatty acidD. nucleotideE. amino acid

Monosaccharides contain the elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, with twice as many H to O atoms. An example of a monosaccharide is glucose. Monosaccharides are the building blocks of more complex carbohydrates.

Two monosaccharides can join by a covalent bond called a glycosidic linkage to form a disaccharide. An example is sucrose, or table sugar which is formed when the monosaccharides glucose and fructose are chemically joined. When several monosaccharides join by glycosidic linkages, this...

Monosaccharides contain the elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, with twice as many H to O atoms. An example of a monosaccharide is glucose. Monosaccharides are the building blocks of more complex carbohydrates.

Two monosaccharides can join by a covalent bond called a glycosidic linkage to form a disaccharide. An example is sucrose, or table sugar which is formed when the monosaccharides glucose and fructose are chemically joined. When several monosaccharides join by glycosidic linkages, this forms large polymers called polysaccharides including starch and cellulose.

A diagram depicting a monosaccharide can show its carbon skeleton in a linear arrangement. However, in an aqueous solution, the carbon skeleton of sugar can form a ring.

The answer to your question is that the ring structure of glucose indicates that it is a monosaccharide or choice A. If it were a disaccharide, there would be two rings therefore it cannot be answer B. It cannot be choice C as a fatty acid is a long linear skeleton of carbon with mainly Hydrogen atoms attached. The nucleotide in choice D contains either the sugar ribose or deoxyribose attached to a phosphate group and to a nitrogenous base. It is more complex than just a single ring structure. For choice E, amino acids are building blocks of protein and are not found in a ring formation. 

I have included a diagram of glucose to illustrate why choice A is the correct response.

`x=arcsint , y=ln(sqrt(1-t^2)) , 0

Arc length of a curve C described by the parametric equations x=f(t) and y=g(t), `a<=t<=b` where f' and g' are continuous on [a,b] and C is traversed exactly once as t increases from a to b, then the length of the curve is given by,

`L=int_a^bsqrt((dx/dt)^2+(dy/dt)^2)dt`

We are given:`x=arcsin(t),y=ln(sqrt(1-t^2)), 0<=t<=1/2`

`x=arcsin(t)`

`dx/dt=1/sqrt(1-t^2)`

`y=lnsqrt(1-t^2)`

`dy/dt=1/sqrt(1-t^2)d/dt(sqrt(1-t^2))`

`dy/dt=1/sqrt(1-t^2)(1/2)(1-t^2)^(1/2-1)(-2t)`

`dy/dt=-t/(1-t^2)`

Now let's evaluate arc length by using the stated formula,

`L=int_0^(1/2)sqrt((1/sqrt(1-t^2))^2+(-t/(1-t^2))^2)dt`

`L=int_0^(1/2)sqrt(1/(1-t^2)+t^2/(1-t^2)^2)dt`

`L=int_0^(1/2)sqrt((1-t^2+t^2)/(1-t^2)^2)dt`

`L=int_0^(1/2)sqrt(1/(1-t^2)^2)dt`

`L=int_0^(1/2)1/(1-t^2)dt`

`L=int_0^(1/2)1/((1+t)(1-t))dt`

Using partial fractions...

Arc length of a curve C described by the parametric equations x=f(t) and y=g(t), `a<=t<=b` where f' and g' are continuous on [a,b] and C is traversed exactly once as t increases from a to b, then the length of the curve is given by,

`L=int_a^bsqrt((dx/dt)^2+(dy/dt)^2)dt`

We are given:`x=arcsin(t),y=ln(sqrt(1-t^2)), 0<=t<=1/2`

`x=arcsin(t)`

`dx/dt=1/sqrt(1-t^2)`

`y=lnsqrt(1-t^2)`

`dy/dt=1/sqrt(1-t^2)d/dt(sqrt(1-t^2))`

`dy/dt=1/sqrt(1-t^2)(1/2)(1-t^2)^(1/2-1)(-2t)`

`dy/dt=-t/(1-t^2)`

Now let's evaluate arc length by using the stated formula,

`L=int_0^(1/2)sqrt((1/sqrt(1-t^2))^2+(-t/(1-t^2))^2)dt`

`L=int_0^(1/2)sqrt(1/(1-t^2)+t^2/(1-t^2)^2)dt`

`L=int_0^(1/2)sqrt((1-t^2+t^2)/(1-t^2)^2)dt`

`L=int_0^(1/2)sqrt(1/(1-t^2)^2)dt`

`L=int_0^(1/2)1/(1-t^2)dt`

`L=int_0^(1/2)1/((1+t)(1-t))dt`

Using partial fractions integrand can be written as :

`L=int_0^(1/2)1/2(1/(1+t)+1/(1-t))dt`

Take the constant out and use the standard integral:`int1/xdx=ln|x|+C`

`L=1/2int_0^(1/2)(1/(1+t)+1/(1-t))dt`

`L=1/2[ln|1+t|+ln|1-t|]_0^(1/2)`

`L=1/2{[ln|1+1/2|+ln|1-1/2|]-[ln1+ln1]}`

`L=1/2[ln|3/2|+ln|1/2|]`

`L=1/2[0.4054651081+0.69314718056]`

`L=1/2[1.09861228867]`

`L=0.54930614433`

Arc length of the curve on the given interval is `~~0.549`

`log_4(-x)+log_4(x+10)=2` Solve the equation. Check for extraneous solutions.

To evaluate the given equation `log_4(-x)+log_4(x+10)=2` , we may apply the logarithm property: `log_b(x)+log_b(y)=log_b(x*y)` .

`log_4(-x)+log_4(x+10)=2`

`log_4((-x)*(x+10))=2`

`log_4(-x^2-10x)=2`

To get rid of the "log" function, we may apply the logarithm property: `b^(log_b(x))=x.`

Raise both sides by base of `4` .

`4^(log_4(-x^2-10x))=4^2`

`-x^2-10x=16`

Add `x^2` and `10x` on both sides of the equation to simplify in standard form: `ax^2+bx+c= 0.`

`-x^2-10x+x^2+10x=16+x^2+10x`

`0=16+x^2+10x orx^2+10x+16=0.`

Apply factoring on the trinomial.

`(x+2)(x+8)=0`

Apply zero-factor property to solve for x...

To evaluate the given equation `log_4(-x)+log_4(x+10)=2` , we may apply the logarithm property: `log_b(x)+log_b(y)=log_b(x*y)` .

`log_4(-x)+log_4(x+10)=2`

`log_4((-x)*(x+10))=2`

`log_4(-x^2-10x)=2`

To get rid of the "log" function, we may apply the logarithm property: `b^(log_b(x))=x.`

Raise both sides by base of `4` .

`4^(log_4(-x^2-10x))=4^2`

`-x^2-10x=16`

Add `x^2` and `10x` on both sides of the equation to simplify in standard form: `ax^2+bx+c= 0.`

`-x^2-10x+x^2+10x=16+x^2+10x`

`0=16+x^2+10x orx^2+10x+16=0.`

Apply factoring on the trinomial.

`(x+2)(x+8)=0`

Apply zero-factor property to solve for x by equating each factor to `0` .

`x+2=0`

`x+2-2=0-2`

`x=-2`

and

`x+8=0`

` x+8-8=0-8 `

`x=-8`

Checking: Plug-in each `x ` on `log_4(-x)+log_4(x+10)=2` .

Let `x=-2` on ` log_4(-x)+log_4(x+10)=2` .

`log_4(-(-2))+log_4(-2+10)=?2`

`log_4(2)+log_4(8)=?2`

`log_4(2*8)=?2`

`log_4(16)=?2`

`log_4(4^2)=?2`

`2log_4(4)=?2`

`2*1=?2`

`2=2`        TRUE

Let `x=-8` on `log_4(-x)+log_4(x+10)=2.`

`log_4(-(-8))+log_4(-8+10)=?2`

`log_4(8)+log_4(2)=?2`

`log_4(8*2)=?2`

`log_4(16)=?2`

`2=2 `        TRUE

Therefore, there are no extraneous solutions.

Both solved x-values: `x=-2` and `x=-8` are real solution of the equation `log_4(-x)+log_4(x+10)=2` .

What does it mean if the wavelength is 0.3 m?

Waves are disturbances that transmit energy from one point to another. They usually are depicted as follows (see attached image of a sine wave). Light travels in the form of a wave, and so does sound. In fact, light and sound are different types of waves. Light is a transverse wave - it travels perpendicular to the vibration. Sound is a longitudinal wave - it travels in the direction of the vibration. The sine wave...

Waves are disturbances that transmit energy from one point to another. They usually are depicted as follows (see attached image of a sine wave). Light travels in the form of a wave, and so does sound. In fact, light and sound are different types of waves. Light is a transverse wave - it travels perpendicular to the vibration. Sound is a longitudinal wave - it travels in the direction of the vibration. The sine wave shown can roughly illustrate light as a wave.

These types of waves have repeating patterns. That is, they have periodicity. In the image, if I take the region from 0.0 to 1.0, I basically have captured all the information in the wave, as that particular portion simply repeats throughout. This is this wave's period. The beginning point and the end point of this period are 'identical'. That is, the next repeat in the pattern would simply have the end point of the first one as the first point in the next. Wavelength is simply the distance between these two identical points. It is technically defined as the distance between two crests or trough - or the highest and lowest point in waves - but for repeating waves like a sine wave shown it can be the distance between any equivalent point in the wave.

A wave with a wavelength of 0.3m means that the distance between crests (or any equivalent point) is 0.3 meter. For comparison, the visible light has a wavelength in the range of 390nm to 700nm (red to violet). Meanwhile, sound waves are from 17 millimeter to 17 meters. 

In the book Animal Farm, what is Napoleon's and Snowball's point of view on the defense of the farm?

Napoleon and Snowball have a radically different understanding of what the pigs' control of the farm should mean. Snowball is more idealistic; he genuinely believes in the political principle of "Animalism" (read: Communism). He's more intelligent than Napoleon; he's also a much more sophisticated thinker and a much better orator, skillfully using his rhetorical power to convince the other animals of the benefits of Animalism.

Snowball wants to defend Manor Farm by spreading revolution to...

Napoleon and Snowball have a radically different understanding of what the pigs' control of the farm should mean. Snowball is more idealistic; he genuinely believes in the political principle of "Animalism" (read: Communism). He's more intelligent than Napoleon; he's also a much more sophisticated thinker and a much better orator, skillfully using his rhetorical power to convince the other animals of the benefits of Animalism.

Snowball wants to defend Manor Farm by spreading revolution to other farms. The more widely the Animalist rebellion spreads, the more difficult it will be for the human enemy to fight back. He is somewhat idealistic but does at least appear to have a genuine belief in his political creed.

This is more than can be said for Napoleon. He sees Animalism as a means to achieve absolute power. He is profoundly jealous of Snowball and sees him as a threat to his plans for dictatorship. He's deeply resentful of the fact that Snowball is much more popular with the farm animals; he also has a chip on his shoulder about his own relative ignorance and lack of sophistication.

Napoleon isn't interested in defending the revolution by spreading it beyond the confines of Manor Farm. Doing so would undermine his power while increasing the power of Snowball. So long as there is a revolution in one farm, he can maintain control over the animals.

The characters of Napoleon and Snowball are based respectively upon Stalin and Trotsky. Their rival conceptions of Animalism also reflect the differences between Stalinist "Socialism in one country" and Trotskyist "Permanent world revolution."

How do the devices and structure below help achieve the purpose of Chapter 9 in the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Support your...

In Chapter 9, Douglass uses characterization of his master, Thomas Auld, to illustrate the hypocrisy of religion and the corruption caused by power. Douglass characterizes his master as diabolical and uses powerful diction to show his master's evil nature. Douglass writes, "Bad as slaveholders are, we seldom meet one destitute of every element of character commanding respect. My master was one of this rare sort." Douglass also uses metaphorical language to describe Thomas Auld and writes,...

In Chapter 9, Douglass uses characterization of his master, Thomas Auld, to illustrate the hypocrisy of religion and the corruption caused by power. Douglass characterizes his master as diabolical and uses powerful diction to show his master's evil nature. Douglass writes, "Bad as slaveholders are, we seldom meet one destitute of every element of character commanding respect. My master was one of this rare sort." Douglass also uses metaphorical language to describe Thomas Auld and writes, "At times, he spoke to his slaves with the firmness of Napoleon and the fury of a demon." Douglass's powerful word choice paints a vivid picture of his slave master as a devilish despot.

Douglass describes the way in which religion has made Auld even meaner and more despotic. After attending a Methodist camp meeting, the master, Douglass writes, is worse than ever. Douglass says, "it made him more cruel and hateful in all his ways." Rather than improving his character, religion makes the master worse than ever. In his characterization of his master, Douglas vividly shows the master's innate and enduring cruelty. Later, the master is shown whipping a woman mercilessly and reciting a verse from the Bible. This type of hypocrisy shows the way in which his master uses religion to be even crueler to his slaves. Douglass's powerful word choice and carefully drawn portrait of his master help the reader understand the hypocrisy of southern slave owners' religion.

Based on the Preface, Introduction, and Chapters 1-4 of Ian Haney López's "Dog Whistle Politics: How Coded Racial Appeals Have Reinvented...

First, colorblindness refers to the disregard of race in the public arena. The idea is that the Constitution is colorblind and therefore, cannot favor any one group of people over another. Based on this form of reasoning, affirmative action policies are unnecessary to ensure the complete integration of black Americans into the public sphere. This view of absolute colorblindness was steadfastly rejected by the Supreme Court in the early 1960s.

Initially, civil rights champions like...

First, colorblindness refers to the disregard of race in the public arena. The idea is that the Constitution is colorblind and therefore, cannot favor any one group of people over another. Based on this form of reasoning, affirmative action policies are unnecessary to ensure the complete integration of black Americans into the public sphere. This view of absolute colorblindness was steadfastly rejected by the Supreme Court in the early 1960s.

Initially, civil rights champions like Martin Luther King welcomed the idea of absolute colorblindness. However, as the 1960s progressed, it became clear that informal efforts against integration prevailed despite laws against segregation. So, the civil rights movement changed course; leaders began demanding that race be considered in efforts to integrate black Americans into every social sphere. However, by the mid 1960s, the Supreme Court reversed its earlier position. It now championed the view that it was just as wrong to compel integration as it was to force segregation. Lopez argues that such a notion of colorblindness renders civil rights gains obsolete and promotes dog whistle politics.

He maintains that the notion of absolute colorblindness protects whites in their efforts to derail the full integration of minorities into mainstream society. So, today, "colorblindness" is dominant in the race discussion because there is disagreement about how to pursue racial cohesion in American society. While some argue that integration shouldn't be enforced by violent means or by affirmative action policies, others argue that raced-based policies should be in place to reverse centuries of material hardship. So, a working interpretation of "colorblindness" is central to the debate about racial harmony.

In Martel's Life of Pi, what rituals and practices does Pi perform while lost at sea? Why do you think he creates such rituals or practices?

In Martel's Life of Pi, Pi discovers that he must keep himself busy each day in order to keep himself from going insane. A daily schedule of events allows him to find some sort of structure in his life at sea. His daily schedule is found in chapter 63 and contains everything from looking after the boat and Richard Parker to saying his prayers. He believes that this schedule helps him to survive as follows:

"I kept myself busy. That was one key to my survival. On a lifeboat, even on a raft, there's always something that needs doing. An average day for me, if such a notion can be applied to a castaway, went like this:  wake up, prayers, breakfast for Richard Parker, general inspection of the raft and lifeboat . . ." (190).

Pi catalogs the whole day from morning to night and breaks it down into five different sections. Within these five sectioned-off parts of his daily life, Pi not only checks the boat and the tiger, but he also prays just like a Muslim would. For five or six weeks, Pi says that this schedule helps him; however, he eventually forgets the schedule because it forces him to focus on time too much. As a result, he abandons looking after the boat using a schedule because of the following reasons:

"Time is an illusion that only makes us pant. I survived because I forgot even the notion of time" (192).

Pi never stops praying, though. In chapter 74 he practices his rituals and prayers even though he becomes discouraged at times. He says that God is love, and it is hard to have faith in God and love when he lives under such hopeless conditions. For instance, his clothes disintegrate right off of his body, which causes him to fall into despair. He describes this despair as "hell beyond expression." His response, however, is to pray and to think about his family. He says the following about the times he feels such despair:

"I thank God it always passed . . . I thought of my family, of how they were spared this terrible agony. The blackness would stir and eventually go away, and God would remain, a shining point of light in my heart. I would go on loving" (209). 

Thinking of his family and God always helps to bring Pi back from hopelessness to his desire to survive. Without focusing his mind on family, God, or love, Pi may have given up all hope for survival and died. 

Japan is near a subduction zone. What type of faults would you expect to be responsible for many of the earthquakes there?

There are three types of faults that are produced in the action of an earthquake, a normal fault, a reverse fault, and a strike-slip fault.  Of these, I would expect to see primarily normal or reverse faults.  A subduction zone is where a more dense part of the ocean floor meets a less dense part, and the denser part is subducted, or pulled beneath the lighter, less dense part.  This is the same motion that is...

There are three types of faults that are produced in the action of an earthquake, a normal fault, a reverse fault, and a strike-slip fault.  Of these, I would expect to see primarily normal or reverse faults.  A subduction zone is where a more dense part of the ocean floor meets a less dense part, and the denser part is subducted, or pulled beneath the lighter, less dense part.  This is the same motion that is responsible for the production of normal and reverse faults.  The third type of fault, a strike-slip fault, is produced by the action of a transform boundary, where you have shearing motion produced between the two tectonic plates.  Strike-slip faults are responsible for much of the damage that occurs in the state of California, as California sits atop the strike-slip San Andreas fault.

`f(x) = x/(x+1) ,n=4` Find the n'th Maclaurin polynomial for the function.

Maclaurin series is a special case of Taylor series that is centered at `a=0` . The expansion of the function about 0 follows the formula:

`f(x)=sum_(n=0)^oo (f^n(0))/(n!) x^n`

 or

`f(x)= f(0)+(f'(0))/(1!)x+(f^2(0))/(2!)x^2+(f^3(0))/(3!)x^3+(f^4(0))/(4!)x^4 +...`

To determine the Maclaurin polynomial of degree `n=4` for the given function `f(x)=x/(x+1)` , we may apply the formula for Maclaurin series.

The list `f^n(x)` up to `n=4` will be:

`f(x)=x/(x+1)`

Apply the Quotient rule for differentiation: `d/(dx) (u/v) = (u' *v -u*v' )/v^2`

Let `u = x` then `u'=1`

     `v = x+1` then `v' =1`  and `v^2= (x+1)^2`

`f'(x) = d/(dx) (x/(x+1))`

           `=(1 *(x+1) -x*1)/(x+1)^2`

           `=((x+1) -x)/(x+1)^2`

           `=(x+1 -x)/(x+1)^2`

           `=1/(x+1)^2`

Apply Law of Exponent: `1/x^n = x^(-n)` and Power Rule for differentiation: `d/(dx) u^n= n* u^(n-1) *(du)/(dx).`

Let: ` u =x+1` then `(du)/(dx) = 1`

`d/(dx) c*(x+1)^n = c *d/(dx) (x+1)^n`

                         ` = c *(n* (x+1)^(n-1)*1)`

                         ` = cn(x+1)^(n-1)`

`f^2(x)= d/(dx) (1/(x+1)^2)`

           `= d/(dx) (1)(x+1)^(-2)`

           `=1*(-2)(x+1)^(-2-1)`

           `=-2(x+1)^(-3) or -2/(x+1)^3`

`f^3(x)= d/(dx) [-2(x+1)^(-3)]`

            `=(-2)*(-3)(x+1)^(-3-1)`

            `=6(x+1)^(-4) or 6/(x+1)^4`

`f^4(x)= d/(dx) [6(x+1)^(-4)]`

             `=6*(-4)(x+1)^(-4-1)`

             `=-24(x+1)^(-5) or -24/(x+1)^5`

Plug-in `x=0` for each `f^n(x)` , we get:

`f(0)=0/(0+1) =0`

`f'(0)=1/(0+1)^2 = 1`

`f^2(0)=-2/(0+1)^3 = -2`

`f^3(0)=6/(0+1)^4 = 6`

`f^4(0)=-24/(0+1)^5 = -24`

Plug-in the values on the formula for Maclaurin series, we get:

`sum_(n=0)^4 (f^n(0))/(n!) x^n`

       `= f(0)+(f'(0))/(1!)x+(f^2(0))/(2!)x^2+(f^3(0))/(3!)x^3+(f^4(0))/(4!)x^4`

       `= 0+1/(1!)x+(-2)/(2!)x^2+6/(3!)x^3+(-24)/(4!)x^4`

       `= 0+1/1x-2/2x^2+6/6x^3-24/24x^4`

       `= 0+x-x^2+x^3-x^4`

      `=x-x^2+x^3-x^4`

The Maclaurin polynomial of degree `n=4` for the given function `f(x)=x/(x+1)` will be:

`P(x)=x-x^2+x^3-x^4`

In Romeo and Juliet, is Juliet a good role model?

Juliet is a very bad role model for young women today for several reasons.

First, her choice of romantic partners is terrible. Romeo was in love with another girl, went to the ball, saw Juliet, and decided he was in love with her on first sight. Immediately and without second thoughts or regrets, he loses interest in the girl he previously claimed to love. He is also attracted to Juliet mainly because of her physical...

Juliet is a very bad role model for young women today for several reasons.

First, her choice of romantic partners is terrible. Romeo was in love with another girl, went to the ball, saw Juliet, and decided he was in love with her on first sight. Immediately and without second thoughts or regrets, he loses interest in the girl he previously claimed to love. He is also attracted to Juliet mainly because of her physical appearance, something that does not bode well for a long-term relationship. This suggests he is by nature fickle, superficial, and untrustworthy—not ideal traits for a life partner. 

Second, Juliet is, at the time of the play, thirteen years old. By our standards, this would make Romeo a pedophile. Thirteen is far too young to marry or make other important life decisions. At thirteen, one has crushes, but these tend to be short-lived and superficial, even if they are intense. 

Finally, Juliet's agreeing to marry Romeo eventually leads to the deaths of Romeo, Juliet, and Paris and brings great suffering on their families and friends.

How does the boss react to Lennie's silence in Chapter Two?

In Chapter Two of Steinbeck's novella Of Mice and Men George and Lennie report to the boss of the ranch for work. They are late because George was content to sleep in the clearing next to the Salinas River the night before. Because Lennie is mentally challenged and has trouble thinking for himself George has instructed him to stay quiet while they speak to the boss. George is afraid that if Lennie speaks the boss will not allow them to work. Above all, George wants to make money in order to buy a small farm. When George does all the talking for the two men the boss grows suspicious:

The boss pointed a playful finger at Lennie. "He ain't much of a talker, is he?"

George quickly explains that Lennie is a "hell of a good worker" and "strong as a bull." Lennie temporarily forgets himself and repeats George's words, bringing more questions from the boss which Lennie struggles to answer. When George answers for him, the boss becomes even more suspicious and accuses George of taking Lennie's pay. George assures him that's not the case, but at the end of the interview the boss says,

"But don't you try to put nothing over, Milton. I got my eye on you...I seen wise guys before."

When the two men leave George immediately scolds Lennie for talking and worries that they will eventually get "canned" by the boss. As usual, Lennie is apologetic for his slip.

`f(x)=x^2e^(-x) , n=4` Find the n'th Maclaurin polynomial for the function.

Maclaurin series is a special case of Taylor series that is centered at `c=0` . The expansion of the function about `0` follows the formula:

`f(x)=sum_(n=0)^oo (f^n(0))/(n!) x^n`

 or

`f(x)= f(0)+(f'(0))/(1!)x+(f^2(0))/(2!)x^2+(f^3(0))/(3!)x^3+(f^4(0))/(4!)x^4 +...`

To determine the Maclaurin polynomial of degree n=4 for the given function `f(x)=x^2e^(-x)` , we may apply the formula for Maclaurin series.

To list `f^n(x) ` up to `n=4` , we may apply the following formula:

Product rule for differentiation: `d/(dx) (u*v) = u' *v +u*v' `

Derivative property: `d/(dx) (f+-g+-h) = d/(dx) f +-d/(dx) g+-d/(dx) h`

Power rule for differentiation: `d/(dx) x^n =n*x^(n-1)`

Derivative formula for exponential function: `d/(dx) e^u = e^u * (du)/(dx)`

`f(x)=x^2e^(-x)`

Let `u =x^2` then `u' = 2x`

      `v = e^(-x)`  then `v' = e^x*(-1) =-e^(-x)`

`d/(dx) (x^2e^(-x)) = 2x*e^(-x) + x^2*(-e^(-x))`

                        `= 2xe^(-x) -x^2e^(-x)`

Let: `u =x` then `u' =1`

        `v = e^(-x)`  then `v' =-e^(-x)`

Note: `c` = constant value.

`d/(dx) c*xe^(-x) = c*d/(dx) xe^(-x)`

                     `= c*[1*e^x +x * (-e^(-x))]`

                     ` = c*[e^x-xe^(-x)]`

                     ` = ce^x-cxe^(-x)`

`d/(dx) c*e^(-x) = c*d/(dx) e^(-x)`

                  `=c*(-e^(-x))`

                  `=-ce^(-x)`

`f'(x) =d/(dx) (x^2e^(-x))`

           `= 2xe^(-x) -x^2e^(-x)`

`f^2(x) = d/(dx) (2xe^(-x) -x^2e^(-x))`

            `=d/(dx) 2xe^(-x) -d/(dx) x^2e^(-x)`

            `= [2e^(-x)-2xe^(-x)] - [2xe^(-x) -x^2e^(-x)]`

            `=2e^(-x)-2xe^(-x) - 2xe^(-x) +x^2e^(-x)`

            `=2e^(-x)-4xe^(-x) +x^2e^(-x)`

`f^3(x) = d/(dx) (2e^(-x)-4xe^(-x) +x^2e^(-x))`

            `=d/(dx) 2e^(-x) -d/(dx) 4xe^(-x)+ d/(dx) x^2e^(-x)`

            `=[-2e^(-x)] -[4e^(-x)-4xe^(-x)]+ [2xe^(-x) -x^2e^(-x)]`

            `=- 2e^(-x) -4e^(-x)+4xe^(-x)+ 2xe^(-x) -x^2e^(-x)`

             `=- 6e^(-x)+6xe^(-x) -x^2e^(-x)`

`f^4(x) = d/(dx) ( - 6e^(-x)+6xe^(-x) -x^2e^(-x))`

          `=d/(dx) (-6e^(-x)) + d/(dx) 6xe^(-x)- d/(dx) x^2e^(-x)`

         `=[ 6e^(-x)]+[6e^(-x)-6xe^(-x)] -[2xe^(-x) -x^2e^(-x)]`

         `=6e^(-x)+6e^(-x)-6xe^(-x) -2xe^(-x) +x^2e^(-x)`

          `=12e^(-x)-8xe^(-x) +x^2e^(-x)`

Plug-in `x=0` for each` f^n(x)` , we get:

`f(0)=0^2e^(-0)`

          `=0*1`

          `=0`

`f'(0)=2*0*e^(-0) -0^2e^(-0)`

           `=2*0*1 +0*1`

           `=0`

`f^2(0)=2e^(-0)-4*0*e^(-0) +0^2e^(-0)`

            `=2*1 -4*0*1 +0*1`

             ` =2`

`f^3(0)=- 6e^(-0)+6*0*e^(-0) -0^2e^(-0)`

           `=-6*1 +6*0*1 +0*1`

           `=-6`

`f^4(0)=12e^(-0)-8*0*e^(-0) +0^2e^(-0)`

            ` =12*1 -8*0*1 +0*1`

            `=12`

Note: `e^(-0) = e^0 =1` .

Plug-in the values on the formula for Maclaurin series, we get:

`sum_(n=0)^4 (f^n(0))/(n!) x^n`

      `= f(0)+(f'(0))/(1!)x+(f^2(0))/(2!)x^2+(f^3(0))/(3!)x^3+(f^4(0))/(4!)x^4`

      `= 0+0/(1!)x+2/(2!)x^2+(-6)/(3!)x^3+12/(4!)x^4`

      `= 0+0/1x+2/2x^2-6/6x^3+12/24x^4`

      `= 0+0+x^2-x^3+1/2x^4`

      `= x^2-x^3+1/2x^4`

The Maclaurin polynomial of degree `n=4` for the given function `f(x)=x^2e^(-x)` will be:

`P(x)=x^2-x^3+1/2x^4`

Describe some of the military accomplishments of the Assyrians.

The Assyrians, like the Spartans of ancient Greece, were a warrior society. Every male member of that society was expected to fight as and when required. And as the Assyrians eventually came to defend a rapidly expanding empire, this became ever more imperative.

It is therefore not surprising that, over the course of centuries, the Assyrian Empire achieved a formidable reputation as a military power, building in the process the largest empire in the ancient...

The Assyrians, like the Spartans of ancient Greece, were a warrior society. Every male member of that society was expected to fight as and when required. And as the Assyrians eventually came to defend a rapidly expanding empire, this became ever more imperative.

It is therefore not surprising that, over the course of centuries, the Assyrian Empire achieved a formidable reputation as a military power, building in the process the largest empire in the ancient world until the time of Alexander the Great. The chief basis of their extraordinary might came from having an exceptionally strong, well-trained, disciplined standing army.

Initially, the Assyrians, like other armed forces in the ancient world, relied on conscripts to fight their battles. This was to enable crops to be harvested as the vast majority of part-time Assyrian soldiers were farmers who were needed to work the land. But under the military reforms of King Tiglath Pileser III all that changed. From now on, soldiers would be full-time professionals. This enabled the Assyrians to conduct warfare much more flexibly, as they were now able to take to the battlefield all year round, even later on in the year when the harvest was due.

The Assyrians were also notable innovators in the fields of military technology and tactics. A prime example of this can be seen in their use of siege warfare. Assyrians were not the first to use siege warfare tactics, but they perfected them almost to an art form. Siege towers, ramps and battering rams were just some of the highly advanced military innovations used by the Assyrians to carry out their equally innovative tactics.

The use of iron weaponry also changed the nature of warfare and contributed greatly to Assyrian success on the battlefield. Traditionally, most weapons were made of bronze; but iron was a much harder, more durable metal. It also had the advantage of being cheaper, and as the empire became increasingly over-stretched and difficult to manage, cost considerations grew in importance.

It must also frankly be acknowledged that the use of terror was a key factor in the Assyrians' military successes. They were utterly ruthless in this regard and gained a reputation for almost unimaginable savagery among their conquered subjects. The siege and subsequent destruction of Lachish in 701 BCE is a truly chilling illustration of the unrestrained bestiality shown by the Assyrians to anyone who dared stand in their way.

What is a quote from The Outsiders that explains a simalarity between the Socs and Greasers?

In S.E. Hinton's classic novel, The Outsiders, the relationship Ponyboy develops with Cherry Valance reveals that Socs and Greasers have more in common than they think. 

The novel is set in the 1960s, and there are definite distinctions between the classes. Greasers, named for the way they wore their hair, are poorer and of the working class. The Socs are affluent and have designer clothing and nice cars. 

Ponyboy narrates the novel, and he meets...

In S.E. Hinton's classic novel, The Outsiders, the relationship Ponyboy develops with Cherry Valance reveals that Socs and Greasers have more in common than they think. 

The novel is set in the 1960s, and there are definite distinctions between the classes. Greasers, named for the way they wore their hair, are poorer and of the working class. The Socs are affluent and have designer clothing and nice cars. 

Ponyboy narrates the novel, and he meets Cherry Valance at the drive-in movies one night. He knew who she was before that night, but had never spoken to her due to their class differences. Prior to meeting Cherry, Ponyboy spent a fair amount of time thinking about the differences between the Socs and the Greasers. Here is an example of his musing: 

But most looked at us like we were dirt—gave us the same kind of look that the Socs did when they came by in their Mustangs and Corvairs and yelled "Grease!" at us. I wondered about them. The girls, I mean... Did they cry when their boys were arrested, like Evie did when Steve got hauled in, or did they run out on them the way Sylvia did Dallas? But maybe their boys didn't get arrested or beaten up or busted up in rodeos.

On the night that Cherry and Ponyboy are at the drive-in movies, Ponyboy starts to describe the things that had been done to Johnny when he was jumped by a group of Socs. Cherry doesn't want Ponyboy to think badly of her, and so she takes the opportunity to address the stereotype most people have of her social class, the Socs. In the quote below, she describes a similarity between the Greasers and the Socs:

Cherry no longer looked sick, only sad. "I'll bet you think the Socs have it made. The rich kids, the West-side Socs. I'll tell you something, Ponyboy, and it may come as a surprise. We have troubles you've never even heard of. You want to know something?" She looked me straight in the eye. "Things are rough all over."

Cherry lets Ponyboy know that the Socs lives aren't as perfect and privileged as they appear to be. She divulges that they have troubles of their own and that life is hard no matter what social class you belong to. That is one example of the similarities between the Greasers and the Socs. Toward the end of the novel, when Ponyboy is having a conversation with Randy, there are similarities revealed again.

What is the role of the women in the society implied through Epic of Gilgamesh?

Women play a complex role in the society portrayed by The Epic of Gilgamesh. On the one hand, they are treated as sex objects. At the beginning of the story, Gilgamesh rapes any woman he wants to, and the priestess/prostitute (depending on your translation) Shamhat is sent into the wilderness to have intercourse with Enkidu.

However, women also represented wisdom. Shamhat, for example, may have been used as a sex object, but the act...

Women play a complex role in the society portrayed by The Epic of Gilgamesh. On the one hand, they are treated as sex objects. At the beginning of the story, Gilgamesh rapes any woman he wants to, and the priestess/prostitute (depending on your translation) Shamhat is sent into the wilderness to have intercourse with Enkidu.

However, women also represented wisdom. Shamhat, for example, may have been used as a sex object, but the act of intercourse began the process of Enkidu's civilization from beast to man. Shamhat also taught Enkidu about clothing and human food, for instance. Another example of a woman representing wisdom is Siduri, the tavern keeper whom Gilgamesh asks about eternal life. Siduri tells Gilgamesh to stop focusing on immortality--an attribute of the gods--and instead focus on what it means to be human.

Let your stomach be full,
always be happy, night and day,
make every day a delight,
night and day play and dance.
Your clothes should be clean,
your head should be washed,
you should be bathe in water.
Look proudly on the little one holding your hand.
Let your mate be always blissful in your lions.
This, then, is the work of mankind (Tablet X).

It is telling that Siduri had the "proper" view of life, while Gilgamesh--a great king--did not.

Compare and Contrast William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge's views on the imagination and nature in regards to the poems "Tintern Abbey" and...

There are many similarities between "Tintern Abbey" and "Frost At Midnight." This is not particularly surprising, as Wordsworth and Coleridge were close friends and collaborators who shared a common aesthetic vision. The first thing to note is that there are similarities at the structural level, with both poems written in blank verse. But it is in terms of tone and content that the similarities really begin to emerge.

The one main difference between the two poems lies in the language used. Wordsworth, in keeping with his and Coleridge's statement of intent in "Lyrical Ballads," is more direct in his language, much simpler, whereas Coleridge noticeably departs from his earlier intentions, writing in a more abstract vein. He uses a number of metaphors whose meanings aren't at all clear at first glance. For instance,

The Frost performs its secret ministry.

Nature inspires in both men a deep, philosophical reflection. But in the case of Coleridge it's a much more abstract style of philosophizing ("abstruser musings"), heavily influenced by his in-depth study of German Idealism.

To return to the similarities, both men are engaged in reminiscence. Wordsworth recalls the time five years ago when he last visited the area he is about to see once more. Coleridge recalls aspects of his childhood. In both cases, nature is the catalyst for reflection. For arch-romantics such as Wordsworth and Coleridge, the natural world is not just a source of the pretty and the picturesque; it is a creative force with a life of its own. It also has an important didactic function: it teaches us. But what it teaches us can change over time. When Wordsworth first visits Tintern Abbey, he's overwhelmed by the beauty of the natural world around him. And the memory of that stunning vision has sustained him ever since.

But now things have changed. Now, Wordsworth sees in nature the fundamental connection of all things, an underlying unity that transcends the ostensible gap between human beings and nature:

"And I have felt 

A presence that disturbs me with the joy 

Of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime 

Of something far more deeply interfused, 

Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns, 

And the round ocean and the living air, 

And the blue sky, and in the mind of man: 

A motion and a spirit, that impels 

All thinking things, all objects of all thought, 

And rolls through all things."

Wordsworth is still "a lover of meadows and woods," but now he doesn't just appreciate nature, he understands it.

Coleridge's reminiscence of childhood is also triggered by nature, in his case the appearance of frost on the window panes at midnight and the owlet's plaintive cry. He is alone with his thoughts and begins to reflect on years past. Wordsworth's memories of his previous visit to Tintern Abbey are happy; they kept him going as he struggled against the harshness of city life. Coleridge, however, recalls the boredom of schooldays, his memories brought on by a fluttering film of soot, a "stranger" on the fire-place grate.

For Coleridge, no less than Wordsworth, nature is a great teacher. The little piece of flapping ember doesn't just take him back to his schooldays, it allows him to connect past with present and present with future. Like Wordsworth, he sees the underlying unity of things. In the figure of his sleeping baby, he has presentiments of a better childhood for his son than the one he endured himself. For his child will be brought up in a natural environment, where he will soon come to understand the world as it really is by unifying it with his imagination.

Wordsworth, too, looks to a close relative as he surveys the future beyond. His sister still retains the childlike sense of wonder at nature that he himself enjoyed five years ago. But he is certain that one day she, too, will come to recognize the interconnectedness of all things.

What could be a good thesis for the novel Black No More?

The central theme of the satirical novel Black No More, which also constitutes the main thesis of the novel, is that the obsession with skin color is not only related to race per se, but is connected, on a deeper level, with a economic and political power. Schuyler creates a speculative and provocative novel which aims to address the hypothetical question of what might happen if America were able to completely—but not violently—rid itself of "the Negro problem."

In this novel, a successful physician named Dr. Crookman comes up with an inexpensive way of making black people white for life. As we can see, Schuyler was greatly influenced by the scientific research on eugenics at that time. The word spreads, and a huge number of African Americans undergo the procedure. The concept of "whiteness" is shown to relate closely to political and economic dominance, which is also why blacks are so interested in modifying their skin color.

However, this does not change America for the best. In fact, black business and social enterprises quickly break down. Furthermore, instead of improving the racial perception in America, this transformation generates paranoia, as Americans are unable to tell the "real" whites from the "fake" ones. 

We get to the point that, during the final election campaign, research concludes that very few Americans are racially pure. Everyone is paranoid about the chosen candidates, as it is impossible to be sure whether they are really white or not. Furthermore, the procedure does not affect offspring, so many are terrified of being exposed as former blacks. The main character's wife herself gives birth to a mulatto child, due to her husband being previously black (although she does not know it).

Finally, a belief that the process creates individuals who are excessively white starts to spread. We find out that the point wasn't really to be "white," but rather to be the "original white" and therefore real. Everyone else can only hope to imitate the "real" whites through the procedure but will never really be like them. Thus the racial differences still stand but are actually reversed. Now, being too white represents inferiority, just like being black did at the beginning of the novel. For this reason, the "real" whites start using skin products to turn their skin darker and to reaffirm their superiority over the "fake" whites.

In chapter 23,what did Atticus forsee?

We've reached Chapter 23 of To Kill a Mockingbird, and Tom Robinson has been falsely convicted of the rape and assault of Mayella Ewell. Atticus is going to file an appeal, and he actually goes so far as to tell Scout that the appeal has a good chance of success. We don't whether Atticus is just saying this to reassure Scout or whether he actually believes it. But Atticus must know deep down inside that there's...

We've reached Chapter 23 of To Kill a Mockingbird, and Tom Robinson has been falsely convicted of the rape and assault of Mayella Ewell. Atticus is going to file an appeal, and he actually goes so far as to tell Scout that the appeal has a good chance of success. We don't whether Atticus is just saying this to reassure Scout or whether he actually believes it. But Atticus must know deep down inside that there's almost no chance of Tom's conviction being overturned. An African-American convicted of raping a white woman in the South, even if it's on the basis of a trumped-up charge, is virtually guaranteed to pay with his life, either through lynching or the death penalty. At any rate, in response to a question from Scout, Atticus predicts that, if the appeal is unsuccessful, then Tom will be sent to the electric chair as rape in Alabama is a capital offense.

Discuss the argument that Hawthorne's tales have moral and historical dimensions that Poe's don't achieve.

Hawthorne's tales, whether we are looking at Young Goodman Brown (a short story) or The Scarlet Letter (a novel), almost always contain a moral, and they correspond with the Puritanical leanings of the era in which Hawthorne lived.

Consider Young Goodman Brown: there are the typical fairy-tale morals (the woods are bad, stay on the true path, etc.), but the big lesson comes at the end, when nothing is carved on the protagonist's tombstone because...

Hawthorne's tales, whether we are looking at Young Goodman Brown (a short story) or The Scarlet Letter (a novel), almost always contain a moral, and they correspond with the Puritanical leanings of the era in which Hawthorne lived.

Consider Young Goodman Brown: there are the typical fairy-tale morals (the woods are bad, stay on the true path, etc.), but the big lesson comes at the end, when nothing is carved on the protagonist's tombstone because he allowed his skepticism, cynicism, and pessimism to rule his life. This serves as a stark warning, indeed. In The Scarlet Letter, we are given the admonition not to judge others—a biblical value and one that was both controversial and commonly ignored in Hawthorne's era, and those preceding.

In contrast, Poe's stories use history merely as a backdrop or setting, and there are no real morals to speak of. Consider "The Cask of Amontillado," "The Tell-Tale Heart," and "The Black Cat": Poe's motivation in writing each was to intrigue, terrify, and entertain. There are no big life lessons, no preaching of any sort, and no real finger-wagging like we see in Hawthorne's works. In addition, we see characters thrown into a time and place, but neither of those details figure heavily in the outcome of Poe's tales. They just as easily could be set in other eras throughout history.

While Poe and Hawthorne can both be classified as Romantics, their reliance upon history and their appreciation for inclusion of morals varies widely. Both authors' stories, however, maintain appeal even centuries later.

Was the graphic novel 300 based on real events?

The graphic novel, and the film that followed is about the historical Battle of Thermopylae.  In that battle, the Spartans were tasked with slowing down the Persian ground forces until the Greek navy could defeat the Persians on the seas. Most of the information that historians have about Thermopylae is presented in the accounts of the Roman historian Herodotus. Herodotus had a habit of blending history with myth, so a lot of the story seems...

The graphic novel, and the film that followed is about the historical Battle of Thermopylae.  In that battle, the Spartans were tasked with slowing down the Persian ground forces until the Greek navy could defeat the Persians on the seas. Most of the information that historians have about Thermopylae is presented in the accounts of the Roman historian Herodotus. Herodotus had a habit of blending history with myth, so a lot of the story seems exaggerated.  While the battle did take place, and the Spartans did mount a very brave defense to slow down the Persians, it is unlikely that it was done with only three hundred soldiers.  So, to answer the original question, the novel is somewhat true, but likely an exaggeration of an already exaggerated battle in history.

What is the direct characterization and indirect characterization of the main characters in the "The Lady or the Tiger"?

An author uses direct characterization to tell his/her readers what a certain character is like. For example, an author can state that the hero in his novel is fearless, stubborn, or even meticulous. In direct characterization, the author directly reveals to us the personality of the character by using adjectives and other descriptive words and phrases.

For example, we are told that the king in the story is "semi-barbaric" or "barbaric" in nature. He is also said to be a man of "exuberant fancy," with "an authority so irresistible that, at his will, he turned his varied fancies into facts." He is introspective, a man "greatly given to self-communing."

Similarly, his daughter is directly characterized as having the same barbaric nature; she is also "intense and fervid" (passionate) in temperament.

In indirect characterization, an author reveals what a character is like through an account of his/her thoughts, actions, speech, facial expressions, and effect on others. In the story, the king commissions a special amphitheater to be built. According to the text, the king's arena is to be "an agent of poetic justice, in which crime was punished, or virtue rewarded, by the decrees of an impartial and incorruptible chance."

On any given day, an accused lawbreaker must choose between two doors to open in the king's arena. A beautiful maiden stands behind one door and a fearsome tiger behind the other. Here, the king's actions show that he is primarily focused on fulfilling the dictates of his "barbaric idealism." Through the king's actions, the author indirectly shows us that the king is iron-willed and imperious in nature.

In indirect characterization, authors may also reveal to us the thoughts of certain characters. In the story, we are told what the princess thinks of the beautiful maiden who stands behind one of the doors and what she thinks about her lover possibly meeting a violent end. Here are some quotes that reveal to us the princess' thoughts. They tell us much about the kind of person she is:

Often had she seen, or imagined that she had seen, this fair creature throwing glances of admiration upon the person of her lover, and sometimes she thought these glances were perceived, and even returned. 

...with all the intensity of the savage blood transmitted to her through long lines of wholly barbaric ancestors, she hated the woman who blushed and trembled behind that silent door.

How in her grievous reveries had she gnashed her teeth, and torn her hair, when she saw his start of rapturous delight as he opened the door of the lady!

Through her thoughts, we can see that the princess has a jealous and possessive nature. The author ends the story ambiguously; we are left to decide for ourselves whether the princess will succumb to the dictates of her possessive nature or whether she will yield to compassion. The beauty of indirect characterization is that it allows the reader to come to his/her own conclusions about a particular character.

Why is Tuck concerned about taking Winnie home?

It isn't only Angus Tuck that is concerned about taking Winnie home.  The entire Tuck family is concerned about taking her home.  The reason that they are concerned about taking her home is that Winnie has discovered their secret.  She knows that the Tuck family is immortal, and she knows how they became immortal, and she knows the location of the spring that gave them their immortality.  The Tucks are concerned about what Winnie might...

It isn't only Angus Tuck that is concerned about taking Winnie home.  The entire Tuck family is concerned about taking her home.  The reason that they are concerned about taking her home is that Winnie has discovered their secret.  She knows that the Tuck family is immortal, and she knows how they became immortal, and she knows the location of the spring that gave them their immortality.  The Tucks are concerned about what Winnie might do with such knowledge.  They don't want their secret to get out, because they understand that creating a world full of people that can't die is ultimately a bad decision.  They also don't want Winnie being tempted to drink from the spring herself.  The Tucks absolutely want her to know the dangers that the spring represents before letting her go back to her life. 

"We got to take you home with us. That's the plan. Tuck—he'll want to talk it out, make sure you see why you can't tell no one. But we'll bring you back tomorrow. All right?" And all three of them looked at her hopefully.

[...]

"I'll take you home. I promised I would, soon's we've explained a bit as to why you got to promise you'll never tell about the spring. That's the only reason we brung you here. We got to make you see why."

[...]

"Hush," Tuck interrupted. "Everyone hush. I'll take Winnie rowing on the pond. There's a good deal to be said and I think we better hurry up and say it. I got a feeling there ain't a whole lot of time."

Notice how the general and Rainsford are being compared to animals. What does this say about the distinction between animals and human beings?

Throughout "The Most Dangerous Game," the distinction between humans and animals is constantly being blurred. At various points in the story we are forced to ask ourselves exactly what it means to be human. Are we superior to animals by virtue of the fact that, unlike them, we have feelings? (This is what Rainsford believes.) Alternatively, does our superiority lie in our capacity to reason, something not shared by animals? (This is the position of General Zaroff).

When the action of the story moves to the appropriately named Ship-Trap Island, we are also confronted with the question of what it means to be civilized. General Zaroff, on the face of it, seems to be witty, urbane, and cultivated. However, he feels it sporting to hunt human quarry, treating them the same way as any other prey. Although Zaroff's sumptuous chateau appears to have all the trappings of civilization, it is merely a facade for his barbarism and savagery.

Ship-Trap Island is a place without any human laws. The only law is the law of the jungle. The implication here is that the already thin veneer that separates us from animals dissolves completely in the absence of institutions that restrain man's capacity for ruthless savagery. On Ship-Trap Island, there are no men, only animals. The only question is which animal has the strength, the guile, and the endurance to get on top and stay there.

By his (implied) killing of Zaroff, Rainsford has emerged as the strongest beast in the jungle. Additionally, his original justification for killing animals has been amply vindicated. As mentioned earlier, he believes that it is right for humans to kill animals because they have no feelings. On that score, the killing of General Zaroff can likewise be justified, not just on the grounds of self-preservation, but on the basis that Zaroff has proved to be nothing more than an animal without feelings and therefore fit only for slaughter.

Rainsford may have prevailed on Ship-Trap Island, showing that in nature, one beast may subdue another by force of strength and cunning. However, in the civilized world of men and laws beyond, he has not demonstrated in any way that human beings are truly superior to animals.

In Act 1, Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet, what language technique is used in Juliet's phrase, "My only love sprung from my only hate!"?

When Juliet utters this line, she is referring to the fact that she feels herself to be in love with this handsome stranger she kissed at her father's party, but she has just learned that he is Romeo Montague, the son of her father's great enemy.  It is a paradox.  A paradoxis a statement or situation that seems to be contradictory and therefore appears to be an impossibility; however, there is always some crucial...

When Juliet utters this line, she is referring to the fact that she feels herself to be in love with this handsome stranger she kissed at her father's party, but she has just learned that he is Romeo Montague, the son of her father's great enemy.  It is a paradox.  A paradox is a statement or situation that seems to be contradictory and therefore appears to be an impossibility; however, there is always some crucial piece of information needed to resolve and understand the paradox.  How can one's only love possibly be embodied by the same person who represents one's only hate?  It seems like an impossibility because a person cannot both love and hate someone else at the same time.  However, the feud between the Montagues and Capulets helps us to understand.  Juliet doesn't really hate Romeo, but she knows that she's expected to hate him because he's a Montague.  She loves him, but she knows that this love is going to be problematic because she is supposed to hate him.  It's a pretty sad irony.

Is there a conspiracy theory about Avril Lavigne?

Thank you for asking this question; it made my day. 

This has become a pretty common conspiracy theory across certain sectors of the internet! Unfortunately, I think the only people who could know the real truth on this are Avril herself and her possible body double. 

Essentially, the theory is that when Avril Lavigne started gaining popularity for her music, she started using a body double named Melissa Vandella to help deal with all of...

Thank you for asking this question; it made my day. 

This has become a pretty common conspiracy theory across certain sectors of the internet! Unfortunately, I think the only people who could know the real truth on this are Avril herself and her possible body double. 

Essentially, the theory is that when Avril Lavigne started gaining popularity for her music, she started using a body double named Melissa Vandella to help deal with all of the press/publicity because it was too much for her to handle alone (so not a clone, just an actress who looked like Avril). Then, around 2003/2004, the real Avril Lavigne died, and her record company somehow got fake Avril to take over, covering up the death so that they could keep making music and making money. A lot of people say the differences between her music from the early 2000s and her more recent music support this theory. 

Keep in mind, this is all a conspiracy theory—I'm not saying that any of this is true. 

But it could be. 

Why is each character in "The Rocking-Horse Winner" motivated to acquire money?

The two characters whose motivations we gain insights into are the mother and Paul. The father remains in the shadows, seen through the eyes of the mother, while the uncle and groom simply seem to have a reasonable, healthy enjoyment of betting on the races. The mother, however, has an empty spot in her soul that she tries to fill with money; however, as is almost always the case with inner emptiness, money simply can't...

The two characters whose motivations we gain insights into are the mother and Paul. The father remains in the shadows, seen through the eyes of the mother, while the uncle and groom simply seem to have a reasonable, healthy enjoyment of betting on the races. The mother, however, has an empty spot in her soul that she tries to fill with money; however, as is almost always the case with inner emptiness, money simply can't fill the void. She is dissatisfied with her husband and, we are told, is incapable of really loving her children. Money becomes her substitute for love, and the house is permeated by the sense that there is never enough, despite the family's comfortable lifestyle.

Paul goes on his endless quest of riding his rocking horse to win money for his mother because he senses her emptiness and wants to make her happy and earn her love and approval. He gives all his winnings to her. He eventually rides himself to death to win money, money that he doesn't want for himself, in the attempt to fill his mother's void.

Describe the living conditions of slaves transported by ships as a part of the transatlantic slave trade. Did slavery have a role in the growth of...

The living conditions for slaves were about as inhumane as one could imagine. Because the Africans were regarded as cargo, they were packed in the bottoms of ships as such. No considerations were made for pregnant women who gave birth on the ships, or, quite simply, for people who would need to use the bathroom. As a result, for weeks, human beings were forced to lie in their own blood, feces, urine, and vomit, as some of those transported became ill due to illness or from being overwhelmed by the smells.

Slaves were packed very tightly into the bottoms of ships. The goal of the traders was to fit as many bodies in as possible. Mere inches of space separated one captured individual from another. More space was allowed only in instances in which a slave committed suicide by jumping off of a ship, or when those who had become too ill to be sold were forced overboard.

Every few days, slaves would be brought out onto the deck of the ship. Here, they would get exposure to sunlight and were allowed to breathe fresh air. Traders would get buckets of freshwater and throw the water onto the slaves. This was a feeble effort at maintaining hygiene. They were allowed small amounts of food (e.g., manioc, fish) and water to drink.

Slavery certainly had a role in the development of racism. Arguably, if Europeans had simply admitted that they captured Africans out of economic necessity (attempts to enslave Native Americans had failed over the long-term, and white indentured servitude was deemed less economically viable), perhaps some future troubles could have been avoided. It was the need to justify the act of enslavement which caused the racial tensions and hatred that remain prevalent today.

Racism had developed as a pseudo-science in the eighteenth century. Those who studied anthropology and biology began measuring skulls to determine differences between groups of people. It was assumed that the skulls of those of African descent showed evidence of poor mental development. With this, many whites came to believe that blacks deserved enslavement because they were deemed mentally inferior to whites.

Of course, not every white person believed this. There were some who believed that slavery was morally wrong and inhumane. A few even went as far to try to have it abolished, which was the purpose of the abolitionist movement.

It would be incorrect to think that the movement was popular. Though slavery did not exist in the North after the early nineteenth century (New Jersey was the last to abolish it in 1804), Northerners were not exactly more enlightened in their views on race. The popularity of minstrel shows in Northern cities in the 1830s and 1840s is proof of that. 

It would also be incorrect to think that everyone who detested slavery viewed blacks as equals. This was also true of some abolitionists. One of the causes of the rift between Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison was Garrison's stubborn need to use Douglass as a symbol of his cause instead of viewing Douglass as a peer in the movement.

The slave trade was abolished in the United States in 1807. Great Britain followed suit, abolishing its trade a year later. Other Western nations would continue to perpetuate the trade, including Spain. 

The assumption among some members of Congress was that the abolition of the trade would lead to the eventual discontinuation of slavery in the South. This proved to be untrue. Slavery would not end in the United States until President Lincoln delivered the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. Until then, to whet its appetite for more slaves, traders and planters forced the breeding of slaves, often raping black women themselves to force pregnancy. Also, free blacks from the North were sometimes kidnapped and brought to the South to be sold.

Who are the characters in The Control of Nature?

Characters in The Control of Nature include the narrator and the people he meets as he explores various ways mankind has tried to control nature in America and Iceland. 

John McPheeis the author and narrator. He travels in America to various places, including Louisiana, Hawaii, and California—as well as outside America to Iceland—to explore the ways in which mankind tries to control nature. According to his Macmillan author profile, McPhee is a writer who...

Characters in The Control of Nature include the narrator and the people he meets as he explores various ways mankind has tried to control nature in America and Iceland. 

John McPhee is the author and narrator. He travels in America to various places, including Louisiana, Hawaii, and California—as well as outside America to Iceland—to explore the ways in which mankind tries to control nature. According to his Macmillan author profile, McPhee is a writer who was educated at Princeton and Cambridge and has worked for Time magazine and The New Yorker. He has received several awards, including a Pulitzer Prize for his book Annals of the Former World.

Norris F. Rabalais is a man from Louisiana who works for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He guides McPhee through his travels in Louisiana as he explores their attempts to reroute the river. McPhee says Rabalais "was in on the action from the beginning, working as a construction inspector." Rabalais has a deep understanding of the project. 

LeRoy Dugas also works for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He works upstream from Rabalais. McPhee says, "Like Rabalais, he was Acadian and of the country. . . . Dugie—as he is universally called—had worked at Old River Control since 1963."

Thorbjorn Sigurgeirsson is a physicist who suggests cooling the lava after the eruption in Heimaey. The lava was headed toward a town where many people lived and where many ships docked. 

Sigurdur Steinthorsson monitors volcanic gas in Iceland. He is married to a woman named Helga. She tells McPhee about what it was like when the volcano exploded. 

Dennis and Susan McNamara are two people who live near the San Gabriel Mountains. The debris that comes down from the mountains creates problems for them at home. 

John Burroughs is a naturalist who lives in Pasadena Glen. McPhee discusses how the people who live in that house have seen the mudslides ruin the local real estate and the effect it has had on their neighbors.

Miner Harkness works for Sierra Madre Search and Rescue. He explains to McPhee that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers caused the erosions of the canyons, which have created more problems with debris and mudslides. 

What elements in our current society is this story warning us about? How are we heading for this version of dystopian society?

Le Guin published "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" in 1973, and it holds up quite well as a cautionary tale today.  Le Guin has exaggerated for effect, of course, but in some ways it does feel as though we could be on our way to a dystopian society, at least in the United States, Western Europe, and perhaps a few other places in the world.  This is a personal perspective, and other people will no doubt have different views.  There are two elements to Le Guin's tale to consider, first, the hiding of unpleasantness and second, the neglect or mistreatment of those we do not want to see.  Let's look at some examples of this "first world" problem. 

Consider the treatment of the homeless in society.  People do not want to see the homeless in their communities.  Merchants complain that consumers will not shop in areas where there are homeless people on the streets.  The police complain that they make more work for them.  Middle-class people cringe when they see them.  The solution -  to hide them, of course!  Shelters are one way, and simply driving them away so they can go somewhere else is another.  There are remarkably few programs designed to attack the problems that make people homeless in the first place.  But if we can't see them, as we cannot see that child hidden away, we can be perfectly happy. The homeless are just one sacrifice to our happiness.

Today, in the United States, in addition to being racially segregated, communities are more socioeconomically segregated than ever before.  This is our way of keeping the child hidden from our view.  Who wants to see unpleasant poor people all the time, people who look tired and hungry, people who don't wear the latest styles, people who do not speak as we speak?  In my own city, public housing was originally built as far away as possible from nice neighborhoods.  If we can surround ourselves with people like us, we don't have to look at all those people and be reminded that they exist. We sacrifice the poor on the altar of prosperity.  

Prisons in the United States are overwhelming filled with African-American and Latino poor people. This is another good way to hide these people we don't want to see. It is not a coincidence that the consequences of using a cheaper form of cocaine has led to severe sentences, while the use of the more expensive version has not.  It is not a coincidence that many of the people incarcerated are mentally ill.  These are the child in the story.  These are the people we don't want to see. If we hide them away in cages, our lives will be all sunshine and blue skies.  If we can just sacrifice enough of these people, all will be well. 

Immigrants are another group people feel somehow ruin their nice lives. And in fact, one presidential candidate has risen to his present heights on the platform of deporting them and keeping others from coming in.  We need not just put them in the basement; we can get rid of them altogether.  If we do that, America will somehow be great again, great because we won't have to deal with these needy people who want to pursue the American dream, too. 

The only light on the horizon I have seen has been the mainstreaming of the disabled, in schools and in employment.  When I was in elementary school, the learning disabled were confined to one classroom in the basement of the school, tucked away just like the child in Omelas.   Learning disabled students are to a large degree part of regular classrooms, and I often see disabled people working in my own neighborhood.  And yet, I hear grumbling about this, too, from people who do not want to see this.  It somehow ruins people's pretty pictures of the world. 

I would say that the story has a great deal of resonance in today's world, or at least in many parts of it.  We do not want to even see imperfections, much less ameliorate them.  Our happiness, we believe, depends upon hiding these imperfections away, our own form of sacrifice to the gods.   

How does Atticus tolerate Mrs. Dubose in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Mrs. Dubose is a neighbor who lives on the same street as the Finch family. When Jem and Scout walk by her house, Mrs. Dubose shouts insults from her front porch. One day, Jem goes home angry after a series of insults from Mrs. Dubose. His father tells Jem to calm down and consider Mrs. Dubose.

She's an old lady and she's ill. You just hold your head high and be a gentleman. Whatever she...

Mrs. Dubose is a neighbor who lives on the same street as the Finch family. When Jem and Scout walk by her house, Mrs. Dubose shouts insults from her front porch. One day, Jem goes home angry after a series of insults from Mrs. Dubose. His father tells Jem to calm down and consider Mrs. Dubose.

She's an old lady and she's ill. You just hold your head high and be a gentleman. Whatever she says to you, it's your job not to let her make you mad (Chapter 11).

When Scout and Jem walk with their father, he greets Mrs. Dubose as they pass her house. He takes off his hat and greets her with a compliment.  

After Jem chops up Mrs. Dubose's camellias with Scout's baton, Atticus admonishes him. He tells his son that "to do something like this to a sick old lady is inexcusable." He recommends Jem apologize to her.

Atticus shows empathy toward Mrs. Dubose. She is a sick woman with a morphine addiction. Though she says unkind things about him, he shows her compassion. He also wants his children to show her compassion. Atticus tolerates Mrs. Dubose and her cantankerous ways because he sees her as a human being in need of compassion instead of a cranky old lady. He ignores the unkind things she says to him. He always treats her with respect and friendliness, no matter what she says.

In "The Necklace," how do Monsieur Loisel's inner thoughts affect your opionion of Madame Loisel's character?

Monsieur Loisel's thoughts and actions contrast with those of his selfish and querulous wife. 

Whereas he is content with his station in life, Madame Loisel is disappointed.

She grieved incessantly, feeling that she had been born for all the little niceties and luxuries of living. She grieved over . . . things which another woman of her class would not even have noticed.

When M. Loisel comes home, holding a large envelope with pride, he informs his wife that he has something for her. Rather than being delighted when she opens the envelope and sees an invitation to a ball at the Ministerial Mansion Mme. Loisel tosses the card aside and complains that she has nothing to wear for such an elegant occasion. Observing his wife's disappointment, her loving husband asks her how much she needs for a gown; she responds, "I think with four hundred francs I could manage it." M. Loisel turns pale. He has been saving for a rifle so that he could join friends the following summer in a hunting expedition. Unselfishly, though, M. Loisel gives the four hundred francs to his wife for a gown.

When they attend the ball, Mme. Loisel delights in the attention that she receives in her lovely gown adorned with a dazzling necklace that she has borrowed from a former school friend. Even the minister himself takes notice of her. On this night, Mme. Loisel . . .

. . . giv[es] no thought to anything in the triumph of her beauty, the pride of her success . . . of all the awakened longings, of a sense of complete victory that is so sweet to a woman's heart.

She even ignores her husband who has fallen asleep. Finally, she and her husband depart at four in the morning. After they arrive home, Mme. Loisel discovers that she has lost the borrowed diamond necklace. Monsieur Loisel goes back out and retraces their steps to find the necklace, but he has no luck. Madame Loisel is too ashamed of this loss to inform her friend. Instead, she and her husband borrow the money to purchase a replacement and take it to Mme. Forestier. 

[M. Loisel] compromised the rest of his life...and then, terrified by the outlook for the future, by the blackness of despair about to close around him, and all the privations of the body and tortures of the soul,...he went to claim the new necklace.

After this financial setback, Monsieur Loisel, a changed man, labors night and day. Also changed, Madame Mathilde Loisel does the heavy housework and haggles with the grocer and the butcher. Finally, their debt is paid. One Sunday while Mme. Loisel walks on the broad boulevard named the Champs Elysées, she encounters her old friend. Mme. Forestier, who does not recognize her because she is "greatly changed." Mathilde Loisel informs Mme. Forestier that she is to blame for Mathilde's having aged. She explains to Mme. Forestier that she actually lost the diamond necklace and had to purchase another to replace it. To her surprise, Mme. Loisel learns from Mme. Forestier that the first necklace was merely made from glass. Mathilde's selfish pride, which prevented her from informing her friend of the loss, has unnecessarily caused her and her husband untold hardships.

Why does Eckels want to go back in time in "A Sound of Thunder?"

In Ray Bradbury’s short story “A Sound of Thunder,” Eckels wants to go back in time to hunt dinosaurs because he is what is commonly called a “trophy hunter.” Trophy hunters are those who crave the opportunity to hunt and kill rare or endangered species or animals the accessibility of which exist outside the realm of the norm, as when Americans or others travel to Africa or Asia for the purpose of killing animals foreign...

In Ray Bradbury’s short story “A Sound of Thunder,” Eckels wants to go back in time to hunt dinosaurs because he is what is commonly called a “trophy hunter.” Trophy hunters are those who crave the opportunity to hunt and kill rare or endangered species or animals the accessibility of which exist outside the realm of the norm, as when Americans or others travel to Africa or Asia for the purpose of killing animals foreign to the United States. For such individuals, the opportunity to hunt a long-extinct species, such as dinosaurs, especially dinosaurs known to have been particularly ferocious, would be too hard to resist. Such is the case with Eckels.

In Bradbury’s story, Eckels arrives at the corporate office of the company that has developed a time machine and that uses it to offer expensive hunting excursions to the distant past. Such excursions involve considerable risk, from accidental death or from being consumed by one’s prey or, most dramatically, from altering the course of history. Eckels has been passionate about the outcome of a major election, the result of which went his way. As he is contemplating the risks of the hunt and the catastrophe that would have materialized had the opposing candidate won, Eckels is assured by an employee of the company that all he has to focus on at the moment is his hunt, not the risks associated with the hunt or any hypotheticals emanating from the recent election. Evidence of Eckels’ motivation is present in the following exchange between him and the employee:

“. . . Keith’s President now. All you got to worry about is—”

“Shooting my dinosaur,” Eckels finished it for him.

Eckels wants to kill a dinosaur solely for the experience of hunting such rare and dangerous prey.

What is the resolution in "The Monkey's Paw"?

The resolution at the end of "The Monkey’s Paw" is left ambiguous. After Mr. White’s first wish accidentally results in the death of his son Herbert, Mrs. White forces him to wish that Herbert was alive again. In the final moments of W. W. Jacobs’s short story, Mr. White uses his final wish, and the knocking at the door goes away. When he opens it, no one is there, and we learn that “The streetlight...

The resolution at the end of "The Monkey’s Paw" is left ambiguous. After Mr. White’s first wish accidentally results in the death of his son Herbert, Mrs. White forces him to wish that Herbert was alive again. In the final moments of W. W. Jacobs’s short story, Mr. White uses his final wish, and the knocking at the door goes away. When he opens it, no one is there, and we learn that “The streetlight opposite shone on a quiet and deserted road.” "The Monkey’s Paw" works through themes of fate and causality, and the lack of clear resolution at the end emphasizes these themes.

Mr. White’s first two wishes appear in the story in the form of dialogue, and thus the reader knows precisely what he has asks for. With the first wish in particular, we are able to analyze the chain of cause and effect: we can see how his wish for 200 pounds brings about the death of his son.

With the final wish, this dynamic is reversed: we see the first signs of his wish (its effect), but we do not know what he has asked for. Morris tells the White family that the paw was designed to show the power of fate and teach a lesson to those who try to challenge it. The first wish certainly supports this idea, and the final line of the story reveals an unnerving degree of isolation. We know that their son is not there, and given the cursed origin of the paw, we can assume that another tragedy probably awaits the White family. Did Mr. White wish for his son to go away, or for there to be no one outside his door? What if no one is left alive in the world except Mr. and Mrs. White? The ambiguity at the end draws attention to the risk of trying to control fate.

`g(x)=(5x)/(2x+3)` Graph the function. State the domain and range.

We are asked to graph the function `y=(5x)/(2x+3) ` :

The graph has a vertical asymptote at x=-3/2. The graph has a horizontal asymptote at y=5/2.

The domain is `RR-{-3/2} ` while the range is ` RR-{5/2} ` .

We can rewrite the function using division as `y=(-15)/(4(x+3/2))-5/2 ` . Using the hyperbola y=1/x as the base function, the transformation is a translation 3/2 units left, 5/2 units down, a reflection across the horizontal axis,...

We are asked to graph the function `y=(5x)/(2x+3) ` :

The graph has a vertical asymptote at x=-3/2. The graph has a horizontal asymptote at y=5/2.

The domain is `RR-{-3/2} ` while the range is ` RR-{5/2} ` .

We can rewrite the function using division as `y=(-15)/(4(x+3/2))-5/2 ` . Using the hyperbola y=1/x as the base function, the transformation is a translation 3/2 units left, 5/2 units down, a reflection across the horizontal axis, and a vertical dilation of 15/4.

The graph:

What do Tom's final words of the play mean? What do the lit candles represent? Why does he say the world is "lit by lightning"?

In this passage, Tom is reflecting on his memory of his sister Laura as someone who will never be able to move in the world as others do because of her shyness and lack of confidence about her appearance. She is a "candle" in a world "lit by lightning," and this metaphor describes her quiet beauty and gentle ways, that may not be noticed or appreciated among people who are louder, more talkative, more assertive,...

In this passage, Tom is reflecting on his memory of his sister Laura as someone who will never be able to move in the world as others do because of her shyness and lack of confidence about her appearance. She is a "candle" in a world "lit by lightning," and this metaphor describes her quiet beauty and gentle ways, that may not be noticed or appreciated among people who are louder, more talkative, more assertive, or more glamorous. Tom fancies himself one of the kinds of people who Laura can never really fit in with: he is talkative, confident, and has a sense of adventure. He also has a deep urge to get away from his mother and his upbringing, and he knows Laura will never be able to get away as he has done, and this fills him with guilt. 

The lit candles are Laura's memory and the image of her Tom carries with him. He tries to distract himself with other things, but cannot forget her. He says "blow out your candles, Laura," and the stage directions of the play depict Laura blowing out the lit candles on a candelabra. This same candelabra was given to Laura's Gentleman Caller Jim by Laura's mother Amanda, in a scene that symbolizes what may be Laura's last chance to find happiness and a way out of her situation. The lit flame may symbolize Laura "carrying a torch" for Jim, who she has had a crush on since they were in school together. In a wider sense, it could also symbolize Laura's sense of hope for the future and her quiet way of doing things.

Tom says goodbye to Laura when she blows the candles out in this final scene. Is he finally extinguishing his memory of her? Does his goodbye mean he commits suicide? Does her act of blowing out the candles, which we assume happens on a nightly basis, mean she goes on as before while Tom moves further away from his old life? The play's ending is somewhat ambiguous on these points.