How does Beckett use repetition in Waiting for Godot? Why does it matter?

As in a number of his other plays, Beckett attempts to sketch and pace a play which emulates the ebb and flow of life itself. Waiting for Godot is rife with false starts, false hopes, uncertainty, boredom, and the deep tenderness of friendship. The use of repetition plays a role in this allegorical depiction of everyday life and the human experience.

Early in the play, we see the following pieces of dialogue twice, absolutely identical,...

As in a number of his other plays, Beckett attempts to sketch and pace a play which emulates the ebb and flow of life itself. Waiting for Godot is rife with false starts, false hopes, uncertainty, boredom, and the deep tenderness of friendship. The use of repetition plays a role in this allegorical depiction of everyday life and the human experience.

Early in the play, we see the following pieces of dialogue twice, absolutely identical, nearly back-to-back:

VLADIMIR: It hurts?

ESTRAGON: (angrily). Hurts! He wants to know if it hurts!

The text is the same, yet a line later the roles are reversed. It is Estragon who says "It hurts?" Why does Beckett subject his audience to this nonsensical repetition between Vladimir and Estragon? Didi and Gogo's relationship serves as a sounding board for a wide range of human interactions and feelings: they are married, they are brothers, they are rivals and friends. This repetitive dialogue reflects the sometimes redundant nature of close relationships, such as marriages or close friendships. You switch roles; in one moment one is indignant at the other, and then it changes, but somehow the relationship remains at an even keel. It's an observation on human relationships, namely that we tend to fall into the same little arguments time and again.

There is also, of course, the repetition of each day in Vladimir and Estragon's world: waiting for Godot. Each day they wait, and each day Godot does not arrive. Godot may represent many things: God, death, some kind of transformative change which may never arrive. This repetitive waiting mirrors the audience's everyday life. Our days often look like one another until some kind of large change impacts us, and then we must adapt. This incessant waiting, the daily questions of "What am I waiting for, and why?" exist in life just as they do in the play.

In what ways in Nadine's story similar to a fairy tale? In what ways is it different? Would the story be more or less effective without the...

Gardner makes the story like a fairy tale by making its setting and characters idyllic. The man and his wife "loved each other very much" and "had a little boy and they loved him very much." They had a cat and dog and a car and "a caravan trailer for holidays and a swimming pool" which was fenced for safety purposes. Even their housemaid was trusted and their gardener as well. Everyone loves each other...

Gardner makes the story like a fairy tale by making its setting and characters idyllic. The man and his wife "loved each other very much" and "had a little boy and they loved him very much." They had a cat and dog and a car and "a caravan trailer for holidays and a swimming pool" which was fenced for safety purposes. Even their housemaid was trusted and their gardener as well. Everyone loves each other and they have everything they want. They even have a "witch," but she's a "wise old witch"--the husband's mother, who cautions them against taking anyone in off the street, which seems like good advice on the surface. 

The use of the phrase "happily ever after" is the stuff of fairy tales, but how Gardner uses it--from the beginning of the story and throughout--is not fairy-tale-ish at all. It is our first (and ongoing) indication that this is a satire of a fairy tale. Another way she veers from typical fairy tale fare is the couple's very modern obsession with protecting their family and belongings, even to the extent that they imprison themselves against the outside world. Despite all the remarks about how they're living "happily ever after," the tale does not end that way: their innocent little boy is sliced into a "bleeding mass" and has to be hacked free of the "DRAGON'S TEETH" concertina wire they'd placed atop their already high fence to protect themselves against the outside world. 

The story would work just as well--if not better--without her introduction. 

What is a summary of The Story of American Freedom by Eric Foner?

The Story Of American Freedom is a narrative history detailing the concept of freedom as it has developed in the United States from its inception to the present day. Foner's understanding of freedom in America is subtle and complex. He recognizes that the most important aspect of freedom is concrete rather than abstract. That's not to suggest that he doesn't realize the overwhelming importance of the idea of freedom in the context of American history and politics. It's simply to stress that the ultimate meaning of freedom is to be found in the lives and struggles of countless men and women over the centuries.

Foner, in writing his history, is by no means setting forth a Whiggish narrative whereby freedom constantly marches on in a linear, progressive direction. Indeed, one of the important themes of the book is how freedom has often regressed as well as progressed. This isn't simply because dominant social and racial groups have actively taken steps to curtail freedom (though that too has happened); it's also because freedom as it has developed in the United States is inherently a complex phenomenon, meaning different things to different people at different times.

Because of this, freedom is fiercely controversial in American history and always will be. Its meaning, its significance, and its scope will always need to be determined in the heat of often intense political struggle. Foner takes us through the various conflicts that have characterized the deeply contested notion of freedom down the years. In particular, Foner examines the way in which successive progressive movements have co-opted the traditional language of liberty to push for a more substantive freedom in society, a positive freedom which empowers members of hitherto marginalized groups to develop as individuals. This marks a significant, radical change from a negative understanding of freedom (freedom from) to a positive one (freedom to).

What attitudes distinguished the points of view of Mrs. Mallard and those who are concerned about her welfare?

After she receives the news of her husband's death, Louise Mallard understands that she is actually much better off, emotionally, than she ever was when her husband was alive.  Though she knows that he loved her, she can only focus on the fact that she is now "'free, free, free!'"  Despite the fact that their relationship seemed relatively happy, she felt that her will always had bend to his; the Victorian wife had no real...

After she receives the news of her husband's death, Louise Mallard understands that she is actually much better off, emotionally, than she ever was when her husband was alive.  Though she knows that he loved her, she can only focus on the fact that she is now "'free, free, free!'"  Despite the fact that their relationship seemed relatively happy, she felt that her will always had bend to his; the Victorian wife had no real identity of her own, and she was forced to allow her husband to make all decisions for their family and livelihood.

Louise's sister and friend, however, are more concerned about her physical well-being.  They are concerned, especially, when she locks herself in her room.  They believe that she has a heart condition, and they are most concerned that the news that her husband has died could kill her as a result of this condition.  Richards even attempts to shield Brently Mallard from his wife's view because he worries that shock of seeing him after she's been told he's dead would kill her; ironically, he's right, but not for the reason he believes. 

Compare the settlements of Virginia and Massachusetts in regard to theirfounding religion, form of government, and landholding patterns. It is...

Despite being founded during the same era in history by people from the same nation, the settlements in Virginia and Massachusettes had very different characteristics.

Founded in 1607, Jamestown, Virginia, was settled by representatives of the Virginia Company of London. Though they had a shared Protestant background, the settlers' goal was to find gold, spices, and wealth (they were hoping to get in on the same profits the Spanish were enjoying as they colonized Central and South America). As a result, their society was modeled after the mercantilist monarchy from which they came: the colony was ruled by a governor appointed by the king. Communities came to be centered around large agricultural plantations needed to support life in the swampy terrain. Later, agricultural plantations shifted to growing tobacco for export.

Landing on Plymouth Rock in 1620, the colonists in Massachusetts had very different intentions. They were Puritans, a religious group that had been persecuted in England. Puritans believed in predestination and an all-powerful God. They traveled to the New World so they could live free of religious persecution. In a document known as the Mayflower Compact, these settlers determined to govern themselves through town-hall-style meetings. Some consider the Massachusetts colony to be a theocracy because the Puritans' religious leaders and laws also governed the greater society. Towns in Massachusetts centered around the church, and homes featured individual farms.

Life expectancy in New England surpassed life expectancy in the Virginia Colony. The primary reason for this is environmental. The climate of Virginia is more conducive to tropical maladies, primarily malaria, that resulted in high fatalities. Further, the Massachusetts colony had greater economic success sooner, thriving sooner as a result.

I need to write a thesis statement for Bram Stoker's Dracula. It has to be about why Stoker gave Mina her specific traits. Remember, it has to be...

Of all the characters in Bram Stoker's classic of Gothic horror, Dracula, it is perhaps Mina Murray who provides the continuity necessary for this epistolary novel to hold together. Initially introduced through the journal entries of Mina's fiance, a young solicitor named Jonathan Harker, the reader can be forgiven for prematurely concluding that this young female is little more than a literary device against whom Harker can bounce ideas and with whom he can share his thoughts. Harker is a dull but professional representative of the firm that employs him, and that dispatched him to the remote corner of the Carpathian Mountains that is home to Count Dracula. Harker's journal entries, written during his travels to and during his increasingly macabre visit at the count's castle, give little indication that this man's love and future wife is Mina. Note, for example, the following references to a woman we are yet to discover is an individual in whom Jonathan has a romantic interest:

"I had for dinner, or rather supper, a chicken done up some way with red pepper, which was very good but thirsty. (Mem. get recipe for Mina.)"

"I shall enter here some of my notes, as they may refresh my memory when I talk over my travels with Mina."

As we discover, however, Mina is a major figure in Stoker's novel, and a formidable one at that. It is Mina who, in her efforts at protecting her friend Lucy, coordinates efforts intended to restore this beautiful, vivacious young woman to good health. And, it is Mina who assumes a prominent role in learning the true nature of Dracula's being and, eventually, assisting in the latter's final, and presumably irreversible, demise. Additionally, it is Mina who, alone among the story's characters, provides the crucial linkage between the solicitor held captive in the count's distant castle and the woman who would become the count's first victim upon entering the British Isles (not including the hapless seamen who ferry the soil-filled boxes, and the one containing Dracula, to those islands). Early evidence of Mina's connection to Jonathan Harker has already been alluded to, but note in the following passage from Lucy's letter to Mina of the closeness of their relationship:

"There, it is all out, Mina, we have told all our secrets to each other since we were children. We have slept together and eaten together, and laughed and cried together, and now, though I have spoken, I would like to speak more. Oh, Mina, couldn’t you guess? I love him. I am blushing as I write, for although I think he loves me, he has not told me so in words. But, oh, Mina, I love him. I love him! There, that does me good."

More than confidant to other characters, though, Mina is a resourceful and brave woman who accompanies the men on their voyage to intercept Dracula before he can reach his castle and kill him, evident in the following passage from late in the novel in which she relates her and Van Helsing's actions in their pursuit of the count's casket, which is being escorted "home" by gypsies:

"‘They are all converging,’ he said. ‘When the time comes we shall have gypsies on all sides.’ I got out my revolver ready to hand, for whilst we were speaking the howling of wolves came louder and closer. When the snow storm abated a moment we looked again. . .Closer and closer they drew. The Professor and I crouched down behind our rock, and held our weapons ready."

This is pretty revolutionary material for a novel written in the late 19th century, well before women had attained their legitimate and proper role in society. The women's suffragette movement was still struggling for the right to vote, and here is Stoker putting a gun in the hand of his female character with the intent to defend herself and her companions while planning the death of the vampire. The foundation exists, then, for the development of a thesis statement centered on the character of Mina. While women were continuing to agitate for equal rights, they had made progress, and Stoker's character is a reflection of the changing times in which he was living. Women are powerful, sexual forces in Dracula. The three female vampires who torment Jonathan Harker during his captivity are unafraid of the master of the house, and Lucy is a very sexual being who revels in the attention paid her and in her power over those men's emotions. Mina, however, is a force of nature. A thesis statement revolving around her could be something along the lines of:

In his classic of Gothic literature, Dracula, author Bram Stoker presents a female characterization in the person of Mina Murray who represents a threat to the established, male-dominated order of the socially-rigid Victorian society in which the story takes place.

What are 3 primary energy demands used in Iraq?

Energy demands in Iraq have quadrupled over the three decades (see the source from the International Energy Agency in the links below). The demand for energy per capita is 1.3 tonnes of oil equivalent. The major source of domestic energy is fossil fuels. Although gas is starting to overtake oil as the major source of power in the Middle East, the major demand in Iraq is still oil, accounting for 80% of energy demand (as compared...

Energy demands in Iraq have quadrupled over the three decades (see the source from the International Energy Agency in the links below). The demand for energy per capita is 1.3 tonnes of oil equivalent. The major source of domestic energy is fossil fuels. Although gas is starting to overtake oil as the major source of power in the Middle East, the major demand in Iraq is still oil, accounting for 80% of energy demand (as compared to less than 50% of energy demand in the Middle East as a whole). Gas accounts for about 10% of energy demand in Iraq. In addition, hydropower is generated from plants in the north of Iraq. The plants have a capacity to produce less than 1.5 GW, as there are low levels of water in the upstream reservoirs. There are also constraints on the water available, as water is needed for irrigation. Therefore, constraints on water use mean very little water is available for hydropower, and only a small percentage of the energy demand in Iraq comes from hydropower.

The sector of the economy that consumes the greatest amount of oil is transport, followed by power generation and building. Energy use for transport makes up 60% of the total consumption and is mainly for road transport. There has been a steep increase in gasoline consumption as car ownership in Iraq has skyrocketed in recent years. Most of the fuel used in power generation is heavy fuel oil, and most of the energy used in building is liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). 

Knowing what you do about crime report manipulation by the New York City Police Department, you are asked, as a criminal justice expert, what...

The student’s question implies an acknowledgement that manipulation of crime reporting statistics has occurred within the New York City Police Department and that instructions and pressures from police officers’ chains of command have been a significant factor in this practice. It is further acknowledged that the problem of manipulation of data is systemic and not merely a series of unfortunate incidents among officers. One New York Times article on the matter quoted an expert on the subject:

“I think our survey clearly debunks the Police Department’s rotten-apple theory,” said Eli B. Silverman, one of the criminologists, referring to the position that argues very few officers manipulate crime statistics. “This really demonstrates a rotten barrel.”

Additionally, a scholarly research project into the matter of manipulation of crime data titled “Police Manipulation of Crime Reporting: Insiders’ Revelations” (John Eterno, et.al., Justice Quarterly, 17 November 2014) concludes definitively, based upon surveys of retired NYPD officers and the testimonies of police department whistle-blowers, that manipulation of crime data has been widespread and directed downward as a means of manipulating the public perception of crime in the nation’s largest city.

With the question of whether there has been systemic cases of manipulation of crime data within the New York City Police Department settled, the question next becomes what measures can best be adopted to address the problem. The scholarly study referenced above (a link to which is available below) emphasizes the imperative of transparency in how the police department operates. As an opaque organization with respect to internal functions, an increase in transparency would allow the public and myriad official and unofficial (e.g., nongovernmental organizations) watchdog groups to monitor department policies for instances of corruption.

Another potential corrective would directly combat corruption among officers—for example, corruption involving bribes in exchange for dereliction of duty on the part of officers. This measure, admittedly controversial and likely to incur the wrath of police unions, is the occasional polygraphing of officers. So-called lie detector tests can be useful in ferreting out instances of wrongdoing among individuals sworn to enforce the law.

While manipulation of crime reporting data is hardly as important to public safety as cases of corrupt police officers undermining investigations into serious crimes like murder and drug trafficking, the fact remains that manipulation of crime reporting data does undermine both public safety and public confidence in the institutions of law. Moreover, because the problem of maintaining the integrity of crime reporting data appears to begin at the top of the organizational hierarchy, it is incumbent upon elected officials in the state legislature to increase oversight of the city’s department, preferably with the cooperation of that city’s mayor and council. Jurisdictional issues fall to the wayside when the budget is raised in discussions, and the state legislature controls the state’s budget. Additionally, it would be good if the city’s mayor focused more attention on this matter, but that may be going too far.

Find the area of the zone of a sphere formed by revolving the graph of `y=sqrt(r^2-x^2) , 0

The function `y = sqrt(r^2 - x^2) `  describes a circle centred on the origin with radius `r ` .

If we revolve this function in the range `0 <=x <=a `, `a < r ` about the y-axis we obtain a surface of revolution that is specifically a zone of a sphere with radius `r `.

A zone of a sphere is the surface area between two heights on the sphere (surface area of ground between two latitudes when thinking in terms of planet Earth).

For the range of interest `0 <=x<=a `, the zone of interest is specifically a spherical cap on the sphere of radius `r `. The range of interest for `y ` corresponding for that for ` ``x ` is `sqrt(r^2-a^2) <= y <= r ` .

The equivalent on planet Earth of the surface area of such a spherical cap could be, for example, the surface area of a polar region. This of course makes the simplifying assumption that the Earth is perfectly spherical, which is not the case.

To calculate the surface area of this cap of a sphere with radius `r ` , we require the formula for the surface area of revolution of a function `x = f(y) ` (note, I have swapped the roles of `x ` and `y ` for convenience, as the formula is typically written for rotating about the x-axis rather than about the y-axis as we are doing here).

The formula for the surface area of revolution of a function `x = f(y) ` rotated about the y-axis in the range `alpha <= y <= beta ` is given by

`A = int_alpha^beta 2pi x sqrt(1+ ((dx)/(dy))^2) \quad dy`

Here, we have that `alpha = sqrt(r^2 - a^2) ` and `beta = r ` . Also, we have that

` (dx)/(dy) = -y/sqrt(r^2-y^2)`

so that the cap of interest has area`A = int_sqrt(r^2-a^2)^r 2pi sqrt(r^2-y^2) sqrt(1+(y^2)/(r^2-y^2)) \quad dy`

which can be simplified to

`A =2pi int_sqrt(r^2-a^2)^r sqrt((r^2-y^2) + y^2) \quad dy`

`= 2pi int_sqrt(r^2-a^2)^r r dy `  `= 2pi r y |_sqrt(r^2-a^2)^r = 2pi r (r -sqrt(r^2-a^2)) `

So that the zone (specifically cap of a sphere) area of interest A =

`= pi (2r^2 - 2rsqrt(r^2-a^2)) ` ` `

This marries up with the formula for the surface area of a spherical cap

`A = pi (h^2 + a^2) `

where `a ` is the radius at the base of the spherical cap and `h ` is the height of the cap. The value of `h `is the range covered on the y-axis, so that

`h = r -sqrt(r^2 - a^2)`   and

`h^2 = 2r^2 - 2rsqrt(r^2 - a^2) - a^2 `  and

`h^2 + a^2 = 2r^2 - 2rsqrt(r^2 - a^2) `

 

How is Goldstein's book organized?

In 1984, Goldstein's book is organized into chapters that have titles based on Party slogans. Chapter I of Goldstein's book, for instance, is called "Ignorance is Strength," as we see in part 2, chapter 9. Similarly, Chapter III is called "War is Peace."

The organization of the book is, therefore, significant because it takes a systematic approach to explaining how the Party maintains power over the people of Oceania. Moreover, by using Party slogans...

In 1984, Goldstein's book is organized into chapters that have titles based on Party slogans. Chapter I of Goldstein's book, for instance, is called "Ignorance is Strength," as we see in part 2, chapter 9. Similarly, Chapter III is called "War is Peace."

The organization of the book is, therefore, significant because it takes a systematic approach to explaining how the Party maintains power over the people of Oceania. Moreover, by using Party slogans as chapter titles, Goldstein not only exposes the contradictions of these slogans but also explains how these contradictions directly benefit the Party and help them to maintain their supremacy.

Unfortunately, Winston is arrested before he has time to read any more than two chapters of Goldstein's book, but this is enough time to understand exactly how the Party controls the people.

What is Atticus's plan to defend Tom Robinson in To Kill a Mockingbird?

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus's first plan concerning Tom Robinson is to give him the best defense possible. Though Atticus knows Robinson will likely be found guilty, Atticus strives to expose the truth. We see Atticus's determination to reveal the truth when he responds to comments made by members of a group of men, led by Sheriff Heck Tate, gathered outside his home. For example, in reply to Mr....

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus's first plan concerning Tom Robinson is to give him the best defense possible.

Though Atticus knows Robinson will likely be found guilty, Atticus strives to expose the truth. We see Atticus's determination to reveal the truth when he responds to comments made by members of a group of men, led by Sheriff Heck Tate, gathered outside his home. For example, in reply to Mr. Link Deas's statement that Atticus has "everything to lose from" defending Robinson, Atticus responds by saying, "Do you really think so? ... Link, that boy might go to the chair, but he's not going till the truth's told ... And you know what the truth is" (Ch. 15). By speaking of "truth," Atticus is referring to the fact that evidence shows Bob Ewell is guilty of abusing Mayella, not Robinson.

After Robinson is convicted by the jury, Atticus's next plan of defense is to appeal the case to the higher court. Throughout the book, Atticus argues he thinks he has a "reasonable chance on appeal" (Ch. 9). Even after Robinson is found guilty by his jury, Atticus doesn't stop saying that they have a good chance at appeal. However, Atticus's plans to appeal the court's decision are thwarted when Robinson decides to take matters into his own hands, tries to escape prison, and is mercilessly shot to death.

Who was the intended audience for "Hip Hop Planet" by James McBride, and what was his purpose for writing it?

The intended audience for "Hip Hop Planet" by James McBride were the readers of National Geographic in April 2007 and also people, like McBride, who had dismissed hip hop as an art form. His purpose for writing it was to convince others to stop dismissing hip hop and to instead give it a try and learn to appreciate it.

In the article, McBride charts his understanding of hip hop from his first experience with it at...

The intended audience for "Hip Hop Planet" by James McBride were the readers of National Geographic in April 2007 and also people, like McBride, who had dismissed hip hop as an art form. His purpose for writing it was to convince others to stop dismissing hip hop and to instead give it a try and learn to appreciate it.

In the article, McBride charts his understanding of hip hop from his first experience with it at a party in Harlem, through years of avoiding it, and finally to a studied understanding of the cultural influence of the genre. He says that he left rap behind, avoided it and that "in doing so, [he] missed the most important cultural event in [his] lifetime."

After examining the people, the time, the music, and himself, McBride comes to appreciate hip hop. He says, "That is why, after 26 years, I have come to embrace this music I tried so hard to ignore." In order to help a reader understand his transition, the essay traces his journey from one impression of hip hop to this new, positive one. 

McBride likely wrote the article to convince people who thought as he once did. He wanted to demonstrate that hip hop has significant cultural value and shouldn't be dismissed. It is unknown whether he originally wrote the article for National Geographic or if he wrote it first and later sold it to the magazine.

As of 2017, National Geographic has a readership that is slightly more male than female, with 54.6 percent male readers. 52 percent of readers report being married, 65.6 percent report having a college degree, and the average household income of readers is $88,106. The magazine has more than 9,600,000 readers.

What is an analysis of I Was Told to Come Alone?

In I Was Told to Come Alone, Souad Mekhennet charts the rise of jihadi groups and discusses how different factors lead to radicalization. She argues that better cultural understanding between the West and the Middle East is essential for positive changes to be made.

Mekhennet uses her experience as a journalist, as well as her background as a German of Turkish and Morrocan descent, to view the rise of jihadi groups in the Middle East and the anti-Muslim sentiment in the West. Her point of view informs every incident in the book. The suspicion with which she's treated as a female Muslim journalist also creates an interesting perspective that informs her writing, her interviews, and her experiences. In a very real way, Mekhennet herself represents the two cultures that seem so unable to understand each other. 

I Was Told to Come Alone is set all over the world. Her childhood in Germany and her time living in Morocco are examined in depth, as are her family members. She works at various newspapers and travels to many places to meet interview subjects. Some of the places to which she travels are dangerous; others make her feel safe and comfortable. Whenever she notices something interesting in her surroundings, she points it out to the reader to help them get a sense of a place they may never visit themselves.

When she starts being scared of the anti-Muslim sentiments in Germany, Mekhennet says she was ripe for radicalization. Although she escaped it because of her strong family and social ties, it helped her recognize how a lonely, angry, and isolated young person could be exploited. That is the root of her interest in radicalization. When a friend's nephew is convinced to travel from Germany to Syria to join a jihadi group, it hits her even closer to home. Mekhennet's experiences make it clear that radicalization isn't an unusual event. It's a serious problem that will continue happening until the issues that make a person susceptible to it are addressed. 

Mekhennet makes a good argument for creating better understanding between the two cultures in her book. Since they aren't able to relate to each other, it's easier for them to hate each other. Cultural misunderstanding and misplaced hate also contribute to radicalization and the rise of jihadi groups. She finds that anger lurks in the heart of each jihadist and recognizes that underneath the person they've become is a lost person they could have been. She also discusses the benefits of increasing education, saying that Middle Eastern leaders need to fix their issues so that the next generation has a chance to "grow up learning about history, medicine, and mathematics instead of running from bullets and bombs, fleeing their homes, and living in refugee camps or on the street." She calls out Iran and Saudi Arabia in particular. 

Ultimately, Mekhennet makes a strong case for working to solve the issues that contribute to the rage leading people to become jihadists. She doesn't blame the rise of militant groups on any one incident, saying that it's "the result of many mistakes." Her argument that understanding and being more aware of other cultures could help is supported by her experiences and conclusions. She says that people in Western countries "don't see the hazards of setting standards for others, as if our way is the right way and the only way. This is the same argument that ISIS makes." She has strong words and suggestions for each side, which helps to round out her argument and make it more effective. It also better represents her own unique placement as a liberal Western woman of Middle Eastern descent. 

How would I begin writing a literary analysis paper about Jay Gatsby?

To write a literary analysis paper about the character Jay Gatsby, you could go in several directions. First, you could ask what Fitzgerald, through Nick, is trying to say about Gatsby. What does Gatsby represent?On one level, he's just a criminal and grifter, making a vast amount of money by cheating people and selling alcohol illegally—and he's trying to steal another man's wife. Nevertheless, to Nick, he is a positive figure. To Nick, he...

To write a literary analysis paper about the character Jay Gatsby, you could go in several directions. First, you could ask what Fitzgerald, through Nick, is trying to say about Gatsby. What does Gatsby represent? On one level, he's just a criminal and grifter, making a vast amount of money by cheating people and selling alcohol illegally—and he's trying to steal another man's wife. Nevertheless, to Nick, he is a positive figure. To Nick, he represents the American Dream. How is this symbolized? Could it be, in part, through the color green? Where in the novel is Gatsby connected to the color green? Why is Gatsby always also connected to the color yellow/gold and why?  Could one color connect him to the idea of having a dream or desire? Could the other one link him to wealth? How are these two elements of the American dream (wanting something badly and money) portrayed through Gatsby?

Another route would be comparison/contrast. What traits in Gatsby's character become clearer when we compare him to Tom Buchanan? More specifically, how is it that Nick is always miserable around Tom? Why does he usually have a good time with Gatsby? Does Gatsby have a friendlier, kinder personality that focuses on other people and their needs? What places show this? Think about his interactions with Nick and how Nick feels about them. Think too about what Gatsby does when someone's dress is ruined at one of his parties. What does this show about him? What might Fitzgerald be saying is important in life? Is it coming from old money like Tom, with a string of polo ponies and racist theories about the superiority of "Nordics," or is it behaving with some element of kindness and generosity?

Best of luck, whichever way you might go!

What was the significance of Marbury v. Madison?

Marbury v. Madisonwas significant because with its decision in the case, the Supreme Court established the principle of judicial review. The case stemmed from newly-elected President Thomas Jefferson's refusal to allow his Secretary of State James Madison to deliver commissions for a number of lower-level judicial appointments made by outgoing President John Adams. One of the appointees, William Marbury, challenged Jefferson, claiming that the Judiciary Act empowered (required, even) the Supreme Court to issue...

Marbury v. Madison was significant because with its decision in the case, the Supreme Court established the principle of judicial review. The case stemmed from newly-elected President Thomas Jefferson's refusal to allow his Secretary of State James Madison to deliver commissions for a number of lower-level judicial appointments made by outgoing President John Adams. One of the appointees, William Marbury, challenged Jefferson, claiming that the Judiciary Act empowered (required, even) the Supreme Court to issue a legal writ called a mandamus that would force the President and his Secretary to deliver up the commissions. The Supreme Court, headed by Jefferson's political adversary John Marshall, ruled that this part of the Judiciary Act was in fact unconstitutional. The case was very complex, and not in and of itself all that consequential, but the precedent established by Marshall--that the Court might rule a law passed by Congress unconstitutional--was a very significant one. Though the Court would not exercise judicial review for several decades, the principle of judicial review would over time become a pillar of the system of checks and balances in the U.S. Constitution. It was also one of several landmark decisions issued by the Court under Marshall, whose vision of a robust federal government would prove very influential.

To what extent does Cather make us (the reader) disappointed that Jim and Antonia do not marry?

This question doesn't have one answer: not every reader, of course, will react the same way to the story. (Nor can we know exactly how much Willa Cather, author of the novel My Àntonia, was trying to "make us," as readers, feel a certain way.) Let's go over some of the main points of the relationship between Jim and Àntonia and how Cather writes about the fact that they do not marry, though your answer will be, in part, a matter of opinion. 

Throughout much of the narrative, Cather gives us several reasons to believe that Jim and Àntonia will end up together. They have a close friendship when they're young, and Jim appreciates Àntonia's warmth and kindness. As they grow up, he doesn't view her romantically, as his attention is on Lena (who is four years older and not interested in dating the boyish Jim). When Àntonia is working for Wick Cutter, she asks Jim to protect her from her threatening employer by sleeping in her room. He does this, and after a confrontation with Cutter, Jim also helps her move out. All of this (the friendship, support, mutual affection, and respect) seems to set the foundation for a romantic relationship down the line.

It's not to be, though: Jim goes away to university, and Àntonia, after becoming pregnant, is abandoned by her boyfriend. Time passes and Jim, before entering law school, goes to visit Àntonia (now a mother) at her family's farm. On this visit, he confesses his love for her:

Do you know, Àntonia, since I've been away, I think of you more often than of any one else in this part of the world. I'd have liked you to have you for a sweetheart, or a wife, or my mother or my sister—anything that a woman can be to a man. The idea of you is a part of my mind; you influence my likes and my dislikes, all my tastes, hundreds of time when I don't realize it. You really are a part of me.

It's up to you to decide how disappointing this is. In my view, it's heartbreaking and bittersweet, especially because, at this point in the book, Àntonia is not in a great situation as a single mother working in the fields.

However, years later, by the actual end of the book, Àntonia's situation has changed. She is married to a good man, with whom she has many more children; when Jim pays them a visit, he can see that she is doing well and that she's created a warm and loving family. It's still bittersweet that the two characters don't end up together, as we might have expected they would, but Jim's final thoughts in the book, which suggest peace and a broader understanding of destiny and the circle of life, help to alleviate that disappointment:

I had only to close my eyes to hear the rumbling of the wagons in the dark, and to be again overcome by that obliterating strangeness. The feelings of that night were so near that I could reach out and touch them with my hand. I had the sense of coming home to myself, and of having found out what a little circle man’s experience is. For Ántonia and for me, this had been the road of Destiny; had taken us to those early accidents of fortune which predetermined for us all that we can ever be. Now I understood that the same road was to bring us together again. Whatever we had missed, we possessed together the precious, the incommunicable past.

`y = 6-x , y=0, x=0` Find the x and y moments of inertia and center of mass for the laminas of uniform density `p` bounded by the graphs of...

For an irregularly shaped planar lamina of uniform density `(rho)` , bounded by graphs `y=f(x).y=g(x)` and `a<=x<=b` , the mass `(m)` of this region is given by,

`m=rhoint_a^b[f(x)-g(x)]dx`

`m=rhoA` , where A is the area of the region,

The moments about the x- and y-axes are given by:

`M_x=rhoint_a^b 1/2([f(x)]^2-[g(x)]^2)dx`

`M_y=rhoint_a^bx(f(x)-g(x))dx`

The center of mass `(barx,bary)` is given by:

`barx=M_y/m`

`bary=M_x/m`

We are given:`y=6-x,y=0,x=0`

Refer to the attached image for the bounded region.

Let's first evaluate...

For an irregularly shaped planar lamina of uniform density `(rho)` , bounded by graphs `y=f(x).y=g(x)` and `a<=x<=b` , the mass `(m)` of this region is given by,

`m=rhoint_a^b[f(x)-g(x)]dx`

`m=rhoA` , where A is the area of the region,

The moments about the x- and y-axes are given by:

`M_x=rhoint_a^b 1/2([f(x)]^2-[g(x)]^2)dx`

`M_y=rhoint_a^bx(f(x)-g(x))dx`

The center of mass `(barx,bary)` is given by:

`barx=M_y/m`

`bary=M_x/m`

We are given:`y=6-x,y=0,x=0`

Refer to the attached image for the bounded region.

Let's first evaluate the area of the region,

`A=int_0^6(6-x)dx`

`A=[6x-x^2/2]_0^6`

`A=[6(6)-6^2/2]`

`A=[36-36/2]`

`A=18`

Now let's find the moments about the x- and y-axes using the above stated formulas.

`M_x=rhoint_0^6 1/2[(6-x)^2]dx`

`M_x=rhoint_0^6 1/2(6^2-2(6)x+x^2)dx`

Take the constant out and simplify,

`M_x=rho/2int_0^6(36-12x+x^2)dx`

`M_x=rho/2[36x-12x^2/2+x^3/3]_0^6`

`M_x=rho/2[36x-6x^2+x^3/3]_0^6`

`M_x=rho/2[36(6)-6(6)^2+6^3/3]`

`M_x=rho/2[216-216+216/3]`

`M_x=rho/2(72)`

`M_x=36rho`

`M_y=rhoint_0^6x(6-x)dx`

`M_y=rhoint_0^6(6x-x^2)dx`

`M_y=rho[6x^2/2-x^3/3]_0^6`

`M_y=rho[3x^2-x^3/3]_0^6`

`M_y=rho[3(6)^2-6^3/3]`

`M_y=rho[108-216/3]`

`M_y=rho(108-72)`

`M_y=36rho`

Now let's find the coordinates of the center of mass,

`barx=M_y/m=M_y/(rhoA)`

`barx=(36rho)/(rho18)`

`barx=2`

`bary=M_x/m=M_x/(rhoA)`

`bary=(36rho)/(rho18)`

`bary=2`

The center of the mass is `(2,2)`

Who are the characters in I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem?

Main Characters:

1. Tituba: a biracial young woman born in Barbados (her mother was an African slave; her father, an English sailor, raped her mother). She is run off the plantation on which she grew up after her mother is hanged for defending herself against her owner's sexual advances. She marries John Indian, a slave, and returns to slavery on his behalf. She is eventually sold to Samuel Parris and gets caught up in the Salem Witch Trials. 

2. John Indian: Tituba's husband. He and Tituba are sold to Rev. Samuel Parris of Salem Township.

3. Rev. Samuel Parris: Puritan reverend who is in charge of the church in Salem Township. His daughter, Betty, is one of the initial accusers of Tituba in Salem after she and several other girls are discovered by Parris dancing in the woods and casting love spells.

4. Benjamin Cohen d'Azevedo: a Jewish merchant who becomes Tituba's owner after she confesses to witchcraft in Salem and is freed after the trials. She takes care of Benjamin's nine children until Puritans set his house on fire. Benjamin frees Tituba and send her back to Barbados. 

5. Mama Yaya: a Barbados woman who nurtures Tituba after her mother's death and takes Tituba back in after her release by Benjamin.

6. Hester Prynne: heroine of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. Prynne is imprisoned with Tituba during the witch trials for having an affair with a man she will not name and becoming pregnant with his child. Hester is eventually released along with her newborn daughter, Pearl, but forced to wear a scarlet letter A to identify her as an adulteress.

7. Christopher: leader of a group of maroons with whom Tituba joins up after her freedom from Benjamin. She sleeps with Christopher.

8. Iphigene: a young slave who is brought to Tituba near death. She nurses him back to health, and he plans a revolt against the plantation owners. However, his plan is discovered, and he and Tituba are arrested and hanged along with their followers.

Fahrenheit 451 and 1984 are both dystopian novels. What are their three main differences and three major similarities?

There are a number of similarities and differences between Fahrenheit 451 and 1984. Beginning with the similarities, both novels tell the story of a male protagonist who starts out as part of the system. Winston, for example, works for the Party in the Ministry of Truth, while Montag works for the government as a fireman. 

Secondly, the governments of Fahrenheit 451 and 1984 both use violence to maintain their authority. In Fahrenheit 451, this takes the form of the Mechanical Hound, who chases down its prey before delivering a lethal infection. Similarly, in 1984, the Party uses torture and execution to ensure that Party members operate within their extreme rules.

Thirdly, both governments do everything in their power to destroy freedom of expression. In 1984, for instance, Winston keeps a diary but knows that if the Party should ever find it, he will be sent to a forced labor camp (in the best-case scenario). In Fahrenheit 451, the banning of books has prevented freedom of expression, creating scores of people like Mildred who lack emotion and any deep connection with those around them.

However, there are also some key differences between these two novels. We see clearly, for example, that oppression comes from different sources. In 1984, it comes from the Party, a totalitarian group which rules with an iron fist, while in Fahrenheit 451, Beatty claims that censorship came from the people.

Secondly, oppression in Fahrenheit 451 comes from censorship, but people are generally free to live their own lives. They can walk around freely, they can associate with whomever they choose, and they are free to pursue their own interests. In 1984, however, the Party does not allow its members to have such freedoms. They are constantly watched, for instance, by hidden microphones and the telescreens, and they are forced to participate in mass activities, like the Two Minutes Hate.

This leads us to our final difference between the two novels. Montag, for instance, is ultimately successful in fleeing the Mechanical Hound and the city. As he watches from the railroad, he sees the city being bombed and realizes that there is a chance to rebuild society. In contrast, Winston is not so lucky. He is captured and imprisoned in the Ministry of Love, in which he undergoes a program of reintegration.

Montag, therefore, is successful in his efforts to bring down censorship, while Winston fails and learns (the hard way) to love Big Brother.

What is found in Mr.____’s trunk? What is symbolized by the trunk and the objects found inside?

For most of The Color Purple, the narrator, Celie, lives under the thumb of her abusive husband, Mr.——. She and her younger sister, Nettie, the person she cares about most in the world, are also separated for many years.

Celie is afraid that Nettie is dead, because she is sure that if Nettie were alive she would try to reach out to Celie. With the help of Shug Avery, Celie discovers that Mr.—— has been...

For most of The Color Purple, the narrator, Celie, lives under the thumb of her abusive husband, Mr.——. She and her younger sister, Nettie, the person she cares about most in the world, are also separated for many years.

Celie is afraid that Nettie is dead, because she is sure that if Nettie were alive she would try to reach out to Celie. With the help of Shug Avery, Celie discovers that Mr.—— has been hiding letters from Nettie to Celie in his trunk. Reading the letters, Celie finds out that this is because, years ago, Mr.—— tried to rape Nettie. Because Nettie fought him off, he told her that she would never see Celie again.

There are probably multiple reasonable interpretations as to what the trunk and the hidden letters symbolize. I see it as being symbolic of women being silenced by men, which happens quite a lot in this book. After she is able to open up to Shug about her life, Celie starts to communicate more and becomes a stronger person. But before that, Celie is a very quiet person, abused and silenced by her stepfather and then Mr.——. By hiding the letters, Mr.—— not only keeps Nettie's voice silent, but also worsens his silencing of Celie, because she had believed she had no one in life who cared for her. The opening of the trunk and discovery of the letters push Celie to end her silence.

What is the weather like in Chapter 23 of Tuck Everlasting? What happened in the chapter?

When chapter 23 begins, the reader is told that the weather is hot.  Really hot.  

It was the longest day: mindlessly hot, unspeakably hot, too hot to move or even think.

In addition to being hot, I think the humidity must be really high.  The text doesn't explicitly say so, but there are some hints.  The reader is told that the air feels heavy with little to no breeze.  I've lived in Florida for...

When chapter 23 begins, the reader is told that the weather is hot.  Really hot.  

It was the longest day: mindlessly hot, unspeakably hot, too hot to move or even think.

In addition to being hot, I think the humidity must be really high.  The text doesn't explicitly say so, but there are some hints.  The reader is told that the air feels heavy with little to no breeze.  I've lived in Florida for a little bit of my life, and that state has some ridiculous heat and humidity.  When Babbit describes the weather as oppressively hot and heavy, I'm reminded of my time in Florida.  

By the time the chapter ends though, the weather has turned.  When Winnie wakes up moments before midnight, the reader is told that a thunderstorm is moments away from beginning.  

As for what actions happened in Chapter 23, there isn't much to write about.  Winnie has been confined to the house and the yard, which is fine because it's too hot to do anything else.  The rest of the family tries not to move around too much.  Everybody goes to bed early, which suits Winnie just fine, because she is waiting until midnight in order to sneak out and help rescue Mae. 

What are the differences between a graphic novel and a conventional novel? Here's the information I know through comparison between the two....

It sounds like you have a great understanding of the structural differences between graphic and traditional novels, including uses and effects of such differences for the author's purposes. Perhaps the next item of comparison should be how these two types of texts affect readers differently.

While reading a traditional novel, we experience the flow of "natural reading," meaning that our brains register whole sets of words simultaneously, rather than focusing on individual words (which can...

It sounds like you have a great understanding of the structural differences between graphic and traditional novels, including uses and effects of such differences for the author's purposes. Perhaps the next item of comparison should be how these two types of texts affect readers differently.

While reading a traditional novel, we experience the flow of "natural reading," meaning that our brains register whole sets of words simultaneously, rather than focusing on individual words (which can happen in short dialogue bubbles of graphic texts). Therefore, we cover more text in the same amount of time we would spend on a graphic novel, which generally has shorter groupings of text. As we read a traditional novel, our brain registers the word groupings using various area of the brain (touch, vision, emotion, etc.) To fully make meaning of the words, the brain then associates them with our own real-life experiences. Of course, all this happens within milliseconds as our eyes scan across the page. However, this also means that we don't take much time to consider any one idea (generally required for retention of data) unless we choose to stop and re-read or take notes.

Due to the verbal-visual blend of a graphic novel, there is generally less text to be read on each page, and the flow of reading is interrupted more often as our eyes scan to the pictures. However, studies show that this multi-modal method of reading is actually more effective for retention of data. Rather than relying only on textual evidence, our brains must also decipher visual and spacial evidence on the page. As a result, our neuron activity is increased as we read and even afterwards, as we remember the story and accompanying graphic images. For this very reason, foreign language learners not only have an easier time reading a graphic novel in the new language, but it also helps them acquire and retain the language faster. The same is true for anyone wanting to acquire new data.

One study done at Ankara College Foundation Private High School compared similar-level students’ comprehension of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Not surprisingly, the group using a graphic novel approach scored significantly higher on the posttest than did those reading the traditional play format. The days of believing that comic books are just for young children are past. We live in a multi-modal, digital world, and whether we simply want to enjoy a colorful story or acquire some new knowledge, choosing a graphic text is not only fun but an effective brain activity.

How does Edwards's tone in "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" influence his congregation?

Edwards uses threatening, emotionally-charged language to convince the congregation that they "hang by a slender Thread, with the Flames of divine Wrath" waiting beneath to consume them. Recorded accounts of the reception of the sermon at an Enfield, Connecticut church in July of 1741 describe people fainting, weeping, and crying out to ask how they can be saved. This reaction is understandable because the sermon details at length how formidable God's anger is and how torturous the...

Edwards uses threatening, emotionally-charged language to convince the congregation that they "hang by a slender Thread, with the Flames of divine Wrath" waiting beneath to consume them. Recorded accounts of the reception of the sermon at an Enfield, Connecticut church in July of 1741 describe people fainting, weeping, and crying out to ask how they can be saved. This reaction is understandable because the sermon details at length how formidable God's anger is and how torturous the eternal punishment will be if one lands in hell.

Near the end of the sermon, Edwards momentarily modifies his tone and alters his message. He briefly introduces the idea that salvation might still be possible when he claims it is "a Day wherein Christ has flung the Door of Mercy wide open." Edwards promptly reverts to his overall threatening tone and cautions that sinners must act quickly to avoid a terrifying fate. His last words observe that damnation is "now undoubtedly hanging over great Part of this Congregation."

What are your thoughts on the imagery of the Italian Renaissance and the philosophy of reawakening the “man [who] is the measure of all things”...

The idea of reawakening the artistry and culture of the past and giving new energy to the creative and inquisitive spirit of people is, indeed, one that inspires many. The Renaissance imagery and philosophy of cultivating man's interest and talents as a viable measure of culture and scientific advancement brought human beings out of the stagnation of the Middle Ages and revived the creative spirit, a spirit that is intrinsic to progress.

A representative of the new thinking of the Renaissance, Giovanni Pica della Mirandola declared that God made man and woman to know the laws of the universe, to appreciate its beauty, and to be in awe of its greatness. In addition, God gave human beings the freedom of will and the ability to love. Mirandola further declared,

...the Creator [said] "I created thee a being neither heavenly nor earthly, neither mortal nor immortal only that thou mightest be free to shape and to overcome thyself. Thou mayest sink into a beast or be born anew to the divine likeness....To thee alone is given a growth and a development depending on thine own free will. 

Thus, the emphasis on the development of man's mind and spirit fell to man rather than to the Creator; blind religious devotion to the spiritual end of heaven characteristic of the Middle Ages moved to a new interest in human beings' place on earth with the Renaissance.

In order to "shape and overcome" their lower nature, those in the Renaissance sought to elevate the spirit and develop the mind with new knowledge of the world and science and art. To begin with, the classical arts and learning of Greece and Rome were revived. Artists such as Michelangelo and da Vinci inspired people. Then, too, there was a rebirth of intellectual energy. When the printing press was invented by Johann Gutenberg and books were printed, scholars as well as others were able to read books and expand their knowledge. Great men such as Galileo and Leonardo da Vinci designed inventions which improved scientific knowledge. Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci also left the world with inspiring art. For instance, the Sistine Chapel, whose ceilings hold the story of creation, has inspired many with its magnificent depictions of creation as Adam's finger touches his Maker's, and, then, Adam and Eve as they are expelled from the Garden of Eden.

After the Renaissance that began in Florence, Italy generated such art, innovation, and intellectual energy, other parts of Europe were influenced by this awakening, and they, too, markedly changed the path of many people's lives with remarkable achievements in art, science, and exploration.

Certainly, if Europe had continued to exist in the manner prior to the Renaissance, the world would be a far different and duller place. The art, learning, and discoveries of the Renaissance hold a beauty, inspiration, and significance that have truly changed humanity, as well as the course of history. Indeed, with its inspiring art and its reawakening of man's intellectual power, the Italian Renaissance produced a profound effect upon the civilized world.

How did John Adams contribute to the founding of America before the Revolution? Having trouble finding evidence for strictly BEFORE the Revolution.

This depends on where you start the American Revolution; one common start date is April 19, 1775, with the Battles of Lexington and Concord.  Adams was already quite influential by then.  He was a civic leader from his hometown of Braintree, Massachusetts, and a prominent lawyer.  His most important contribution before the Revolution was his legal defense of the British soldiers who participated in the Boston Massacre in 1770.  During the Boston Massacre, British soldiers...

This depends on where you start the American Revolution; one common start date is April 19, 1775, with the Battles of Lexington and Concord.  Adams was already quite influential by then.  He was a civic leader from his hometown of Braintree, Massachusetts, and a prominent lawyer.  His most important contribution before the Revolution was his legal defense of the British soldiers who participated in the Boston Massacre in 1770.  During the Boston Massacre, British soldiers fired into a large group of colonists who were protesting British taxation in front of the local customs house.  The British soldiers were outnumbered and the situation was tense. During the confusion, the soldiers fired on the civilians, killing five and wounding three.  If it was up to the people of Boston, the soldiers would have been quickly punished.  Adams insisted on giving them a fair trial, with the harshest punishment being flogging.  While some accused Adams of being lenient toward the British, he insisted on giving these soldiers a fair trial.  

Who was the second ghost and how did it appear before Scrooge?

In A Christmas Carol, the Ghost of Christmas Present is the second ghost to appear before Scrooge.

To see how he appears before Scrooge, take a look at Stave Three of the story. According to the text, the ghost announces his arrival with the appearance of a "ghostly light" that streams in from the room next door. The ghost also calls out to Scrooge, telling him to enter.

When Scrooge enters the room, it...

In A Christmas Carol, the Ghost of Christmas Present is the second ghost to appear before Scrooge.

To see how he appears before Scrooge, take a look at Stave Three of the story. According to the text, the ghost announces his arrival with the appearance of a "ghostly light" that streams in from the room next door. The ghost also calls out to Scrooge, telling him to enter.

When Scrooge enters the room, it has been transformed. The walls are alive with green foliage, and there is a "mighty blaze" in the fireplace along with a huge feast on the table. Dickens uses imagery to describe the items of food in this great feast. He talks about the "red-hot chestnuts," for example, and the "luscious pears."

You will notice that the ghost is very friendly towards Scrooge, inviting him into the room so that he may know the ghost better. This is because the ghost symbolizes the Christmas spirit and the love, compassion, and generosity of which it comprises.

What are some symbols that Glaspell uses in her story “Trifles” to represent women’s roles and gender stereotyping?

The most striking symbols are the canary and the bird cage. The canary symbolizes the role of a woman in this kind of male-dominated society. The bird is kept in a cage and its only means of expression in this prison is to sing. Analogously, the traditional stereotype of the submissive woman was that she should stay in the home while the husband goes out into the world to work. So, the cage and the...

The most striking symbols are the canary and the bird cage. The canary symbolizes the role of a woman in this kind of male-dominated society. The bird is kept in a cage and its only means of expression in this prison is to sing. Analogously, the traditional stereotype of the submissive woman was that she should stay in the home while the husband goes out into the world to work. So, the cage and the limits of the home are both like prisons.

Mrs. Wright was faced with a similar dilemma. Her farm was a good distance away from other people, including her friends. So, she was even more isolated. When her husband killed the canary, he essentially stifled the canary's only means of expression: singing. This evidently affected Mrs. Wright so much, that she decided to take out her vengeance upon him. When he killed the bird, he symbolically killed Mrs. Wright's "song." Mrs. Hale says of Mrs. Wright, "She used to sing. He killed that too." Mr. Wright killed the canary. He also killed Mrs. Wright's spirit over the course of their marriage. The imprisoned canary symbolizes a woman's limited role in a patriarchal society.

What is the setting of the story "Just Lather That's All"?

"Just Lather, That's All" is set in Columbia, the home country of its author, Hernando Tellez. Although we do not know the specific town, the story is told from the perspective of the narrator (who is a barber), and all of the action takes place inside his shop.  

It is clear from the dialogue between the barber and his client, Captain Torres, that a civil war is raging through the country. On one side is the Captain and...

"Just Lather, That's All" is set in Columbia, the home country of its author, Hernando Tellez. Although we do not know the specific town, the story is told from the perspective of the narrator (who is a barber), and all of the action takes place inside his shop.  

It is clear from the dialogue between the barber and his client, Captain Torres, that a civil war is raging through the country. On one side is the Captain and his men, and, on the other, there are rebels, for whom the barber is a secret informant. 

The setting of this story, therefore, is intrinsic to the story's plot. While the civil war rages outside, the appearance of Captain Torres gives the barber a rare opportunity to kill the Captain and become a hero. This opportunity, however, creates another war inside the shop: this time, it is a battle between the barber's desire for blood and his desire to simply be a barber.

How does the author portray the true destruction of war without a drop of blood?

In Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man at the Bridge,” there is only a single moment of happiness, and even that is infused with violence and destruction. When the soldier asks the old man where he came from, the old man answers:

“From San Carlos,” he said, and smiled.

That was his native town and so it gave him pleasure to mention it and he smiled.

The irony, of course, is that this old man “with...

In Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man at the Bridge,” there is only a single moment of happiness, and even that is infused with violence and destruction. When the soldier asks the old man where he came from, the old man answers:

“From San Carlos,” he said, and smiled.

That was his native town and so it gave him pleasure to mention it and he smiled.

The irony, of course, is that this old man “with very dusty clothes” has been driven from San Carlos by the artillery. His concern is no longer for himself but instead for the collection of animals he was forced to leave behind during his evacuation. Although the old man is, by his own description, “without politics,” they are still upon him, and the violence they wreak is visible through both the language employed by the short story as well as the man's foreshadowed death.

“The Old Man at the Bridge” is an incredibly short story, and the dialogue that makes it up can be described as compressed. The bloodshed that exists just at the margins of the story has reduced the interaction between the old man and the soldier to something transactional. The two speak in the briefest of sentences, and it is rare for any spoken sentence to be more than six or seven words.

Ultimately, the soldier recognizes that the old man’s fate is more or less sealed. While bloodshed remains outside of the page itself, the final passage makes clear that the soldier believes that the old man’s death is impending:

There was nothing to do about him. It was Easter Sunday and the Fascists were advancing toward the Ebro. It was a gray overcast day with a low ceiling so their planes were not up. That and the fact that cats know how to look after themselves was all the good luck that old man would ever have.

How is symbolism used in "A Little Cloud"?

Symbolism is used by Joyce to convey the general theme of "A Little Cloud" and the other stories in Dubliners: the restricted, provincial, suffocating nature of Irish life. The title of the story is itself symbolic. Little Chandler, in spite of his elevated ambitions of being a great poet, is just a little cloud in a much larger sky. He desperately wants to escape the stultifying boredom of his workaday existence but lacks the courage or ability to do so. So he floats along in life like a cloud, barely registering any kind of presence against the sky's expanse. A cloud can also symbolize the dreamy, hazy fantasy world that Chandler inhabits. His dreams of being a poet are precisely that; his head is permanently stuck in the clouds, unable to connect with the world around him.

Gallaher is also a symbolic figure, but at the same time incredibly real. In fact, he is considerably more real than Little Chandler. He is much more worldly, for one thing. Unlike his friend, Gallaher is actually living the dream, working as a successful journalist in London. He symbolizes the life that Chandler could have had if only he had the courage to take a chance and break free from Ireland.

Chandler's family could reasonably be seen as symbolic of Ireland at the time Joyce wrote the story. Home life is not a source of loving warmth for Chandler; it is a place of boredom, restriction, and lack of fulfillment. And the traditional Irish romanticizing of hearth and home has no appeal for Joyce, either. His eyes are firmly set upon being a great European writer, an artist of universal renown.

Chandler's poetry books gather dust on the shelf, unread, unloved, unappreciated. He wanted to read them to his wife, but he was always too shy to do so. Joyce too feels unappreciated by his fellow countrymen. But he is not too shy to bring his work to their critical attention. It is just that they would not understand it. His literary vision—so ambitious, so European, so un-Irish—is wasted on them.

The howls of derision and incomprehension that so often accompanied the reception of Joyce's work in Ireland are symbolically prefigured in the persistent bawling of Chandler's baby son. The child is too young to understand Chandler's poetic ambitions. And Ireland is too immature, too culturally insular, to appreciate the unique literary vision of James Joyce.

Why does Lyddie think she has been cast off like dry husks to wind?

The quote you mentioned comes from Chapter 14.

In that chapter, Betsy develops a cough and never quite recovers her strength. She becomes so weak that she has to leave her factory job. Betsy's uncle comes to take her back to Maine in April. Before she leaves, Betsy assures Lyddie that she will be back in a year; she also voices her desire to have enough money to attend college one day.

As she sees...

The quote you mentioned comes from Chapter 14.

In that chapter, Betsy develops a cough and never quite recovers her strength. She becomes so weak that she has to leave her factory job. Betsy's uncle comes to take her back to Maine in April. Before she leaves, Betsy assures Lyddie that she will be back in a year; she also voices her desire to have enough money to attend college one day.

As she sees her friend off, Lyddie becomes convinced that Betsy will never be strong enough to work thirteen to fourteen hours a day in the factory again. Lyddie decides that, when she is ready to the leave the factory, she will sign the petition for Betsy's sake. 

For her part, Lyddie feels that it is wrong for the factory owners "to suck the strength of their youth, then cast them off like dry husks to the wind." To Lyddie, the factory owners care only about their profit margin. They make their employees toil for long hours in hazardous working conditions. Young girls like Rachel and Betsy are considered expendable. When workers become sick from the toxic air, they are cast aside. The factory owners take no responsibility for the girls' suffering, which means that the girls have no recourse to competent medical care. In Lyddie's mind, these girls are cast away like "dry husks to the wind." They are treated as no more than encumbrances to be discarded once their health fails.

What do you think Johnny’s last words to Ponyboy mean?

The last words that Johnny says to Ponyboy are the last words that he ever says:

Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold

Johnny's words refer back to the poem that Ponyboy recited while they were hiding out in the old church. The poem is "Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost. The basic idea is that good things don't last forever. Nature is full of beautiful things, but because nature is dynamic and seasonal, those beautiful...

The last words that Johnny says to Ponyboy are the last words that he ever says:

Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold

Johnny's words refer back to the poem that Ponyboy recited while they were hiding out in the old church. The poem is "Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost. The basic idea is that good things don't last forever. Nature is full of beautiful things, but because nature is dynamic and seasonal, those beautiful things eventually turn into something less beautiful.

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower; 
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf,
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day
Nothing gold can stay. 

Johnny is trying to tell Ponyboy to stay innocent and pure. He knows that Ponyboy is smart and has great potential to do something beyond the gang life. Johnny doesn't want Ponyboy's only experience at being gold to be now. He wants Ponyboy to always be that way. Johnny knows that if Ponyboy becomes hardened and bitter like Dally and the other Greasers, he won't be as great and beautiful of a human being as he currently is: Ponyboy won't be golden anymore.

Who are the characters in All the Light We Cannot See?

The three most important characters in All the Light We Cannot See are Marie-Laure LeBlanc, Daniel LeBlanc, and Werner Pfennig. There is also a host of other characters whose lives and stories entwine with Marie-Laure, Daniel, and Werner.

Marie-Laure LeBlanc lives with her father, Daniel, in Paris. She's 16 at the beginning of the novel. She's blind from the age of six due to juvenile cataracts. Marie-Laure learns the geography of the area where she...

The three most important characters in All the Light We Cannot See are Marie-Laure LeBlanc, Daniel LeBlanc, and Werner Pfennig. There is also a host of other characters whose lives and stories entwine with Marie-Laure, Daniel, and Werner.

Marie-Laure LeBlanc lives with her father, Daniel, in Paris. She's 16 at the beginning of the novel. She's blind from the age of six due to juvenile cataracts. Marie-Laure learns the geography of the area where she lives through the models her father builds for her. He teaches her the neighborhood in the real world too, making sure she can get around on her own when he's not with her. She's skilled with puzzles and loves to read. 

Daniel LeBlanc, Marie-Laure's father, is a widow who works as a master locksmith. He's a loving father who's devoted to his daughter. With World War II looming, he's tasked to build three replicas of a gem called the Sea of Flames so that it can be transported safely out of France. He and Marie-Laure take one of the gems when they escape Paris and travel to Saint-Malo to stay with Etienne. 

Werner Pfennig is a young German orphan whose only family is his sister Jutta. He's interested in radios and circuits, using his skills to repair a damaged short-wave radio. They listen to many broadcasts on it -- including one from France that focuses on science, which inflames Werner's imagination. Eventually, his skills are noticed and he's sent to a training school where he'll learn to use his skills as a Nazi soldier. He excels and eventually becomes a soldier in Germany's army. His skills contribute to the German cause, but Werner becomes increasingly aware of the horrible things his talents are enabling -- such as the death of a young girl. 

Etienne LeBlanc, Daniel's brother, is a war veteran who hasn't recovered mentally from World War I. He broadcasts the science radio show that captures Werner's imagination. He allows Daniel and Marie-Laure to stay with him when they flee from Paris; he's part of the French Resistance and keeps using his radio skills to send out broadcasts for them.

Sergeant Major Reinhold von Rumpel is a German officer in the Army. He's looking for the Sea of Flames and almost kills Marie in his quest to obtain it. Werner saves Marie-Laure from Von Rumpel. 

Madame Manec, Etienne's maid, also works for the French Resistance. When she's too ill to continue her work, Marie-Laure takes over and carries messages for her.

Jutta Pfennig is Werner's sister. Many years after Werner's death from stepping on a landmine, she travels to meet Marie-Laure and talk about Werner and his death.

Frau Elena is the headmistress of the German orphanage.

Explain Andrew Jackson's legacy regarding the status of Indians in American society.

Andrew Jackson's legacy regarding the status of Indians in American society is one of devastation, racism, and death. Known colloquially as the "Indian Killer" and "Sharp Knife" by the Cherokee people, Jackson waged a relentless war against the indigenous populations—one that even predated his presidency.

After being appointed by President Jefferson to appropriate Cherokee and Creek lands, Jackson essentially ordered the extermination of Indian woman and children and stripped the Creeks of 23 million acres...

Andrew Jackson's legacy regarding the status of Indians in American society is one of devastation, racism, and death. Known colloquially as the "Indian Killer" and "Sharp Knife" by the Cherokee people, Jackson waged a relentless war against the indigenous populations—one that even predated his presidency.

After being appointed by President Jefferson to appropriate Cherokee and Creek lands, Jackson essentially ordered the extermination of Indian woman and children and stripped the Creeks of 23 million acres of land in Georgia and Alabama in order to make room for settlers and plantation slavery. 

Once he became the president, Jackson signed into law the Indian Removal Act, which essentially legalized the ethnic cleansing of the Indians. Approximately 46,000 Indians were removed from their land east of the Mississippi by 1837, with 25 million acres of land formerly belonging to Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminole people being offered to white settlers and slave owners. This paved the way for the Trail of Tears, which killed 4,000 Cherokee people who were being forced to migrate west. 

What should have been the role of the United States in the World in the early twentieth century?

Some historians might argue that the United States should have been a more progressive country in the early twentieth century, as domestically, many Presidents were moving towards a more progressive agenda. For example, Theodore Roosevelt used the Sherman Anti-Trust Act to break apart monopolies and instituted federal legislation such as the Hepburn Railroad Act and Pure Food and Drug Act to make railroad rates fairer and to regulate the quality of food and drugs, respectively.

...

Some historians might argue that the United States should have been a more progressive country in the early twentieth century, as domestically, many Presidents were moving towards a more progressive agenda. For example, Theodore Roosevelt used the Sherman Anti-Trust Act to break apart monopolies and instituted federal legislation such as the Hepburn Railroad Act and Pure Food and Drug Act to make railroad rates fairer and to regulate the quality of food and drugs, respectively.

However, internationally, Roosevelt's agenda was one of enforcing American imperialism on other countries. In 1898 (slightly before the period in the question), Roosevelt, then Assistant Secretary of the Navy, ordered Admiral Dewey to attack the Philippines if war broke out between Spain the United States (which happened after the explosion of the U.S. battleship the Maine in Havana harbor). This was the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, which led the U.S. to institute the Platt Amendment in Cuba. This legislation restricted Cuba's ability to make agreements with other countries and allowed the U.S. to intervene in Cuba's domestic affairs. Later, Teddy Roosevelt fomented a revolution in Colombia so that Panama would break away from Colombia. This revolution facilitated Roosevelt's building of the Panama Canal. His idea was to facilitate shipping from one coast of the U.S. to the other.

During the Taft administration, the U.S. pursued a policy of "dollar diplomacy" that promoted American investment abroad, particularly in Latin America and the Far East. It was not until Wilson's entry into World War I in 1917 that the U.S. supported a policy that, at least on the surface, was aimed at promoting international diplomacy and world peace. Until that time, the U.S. pursued an imperialist agenda that was aimed at aiding the American economy and facilitating American conquests abroad.

The U.S. should have taken a more progressive moral stance that provided assistance in the form of financial aid and technical knowledge to countries that were struggling to feed themselves, such as Cuba. This type of humanitarian aid would have provided greater stability than the constant military interventions conducted by the U.S. If the U.S. choose to intervene in a country such as Panama to build infrastructure that would benefit Americans, the American government could have also provided local assistance, such as setting up healthcare clinics or working to eradicate disease-carrying insects. The U.S. should have been a moral example rather than an unfettered interventionist. 

Why did Holden feel bad for his roommate Dick Slagle?

Holden feels bad for Dick Slagle because his suitcases are much nicer and more expensive than Dick's cheap suitcases.In chapter 15, Holden mentions that he used to have a roommate named Dick Slagle, who happened to own inexpensive suitcases. Holden says that Dick used to keep his suitcases underneath his bed, instead of on the rack, so that they would not be standing next to Holden's more expensive suitcases.Holden mentions that he felt...

Holden feels bad for Dick Slagle because his suitcases are much nicer and more expensive than Dick's cheap suitcases.

In chapter 15, Holden mentions that he used to have a roommate named Dick Slagle, who happened to own inexpensive suitcases. Holden says that Dick used to keep his suitcases underneath his bed, instead of on the rack, so that they would not be standing next to Holden's more expensive suitcases. Holden mentions that he felt depressed that Dick Slagle was embarrassed to have his cheap suitcases next to his expensive Mark Cross suitcases. Holden felt bad enough that he even put his expensive suitcases underneath his bed, but Dick would always pull them out and put them back on the rack. Holden believes that the reason Dick put his suitcases on the rack was to make everyone think they were his. Holden goes on to mention that they only roomed together for two months before moving into different rooms. After telling his story about the suitcases and Dick Slagle, Holden says,

"The thing is, it's really hard to be roommates with people if your suitcases are much better than theirs—if yours are really good ones and theirs aren't" (Salinger, 59).

How did yellow journalism contribute to the United States going to war against Spain?

Yellow journalism contributed to the march to war with Spain by dramatizing the plight of Cubans during their war for independence with that country. The phrase is generally associated with journalists working for publishers William Randolph Hearst (the New York Journal) and Joseph Pulitzer (the New York World). These publishers, locked in a struggle for readers, sent reporters to Cuba to cover the fighting there. Acting partially on instructions from the publishers, the...

Yellow journalism contributed to the march to war with Spain by dramatizing the plight of Cubans during their war for independence with that country. The phrase is generally associated with journalists working for publishers William Randolph Hearst (the New York Journal) and Joseph Pulitzer (the New York World). These publishers, locked in a struggle for readers, sent reporters to Cuba to cover the fighting there. Acting partially on instructions from the publishers, the reporters and artists (including famous painter and sculptor Frederick Remington) described, in maudlin terms, the suffering of Cuban civilians, especially women and children. The blame for the atrocities they described was laid squarely at the feet of the Spanish occupiers, especially General Valeriano Weyler, who they portrayed as a murderous beast.

When the USS Maine exploded in Havana harbor under mysterious circumstances, yellow journalists quickly reported that the disaster was the work of Spanish saboteurs (we know now that it almost certainly was an accident). In short, the yellow journalists helped to swing American public opinion in favor of war with Spain, which came in 1898. So the yellow journalists didn't cause the war, but they helped build support for it, at least among their readers. 

Look over the article at http://cdn.theatlantic.com/assets/media/files/justice%20quarterly%20article%20Eterno%20Verma%20Silverman.pdf What is...

The theory in this article is that crime reports in New York City might contain flawed data, so relying on this data to measure police effectiveness in the city is problematic. For example, lower-ranking officers might be manipulating crime reports to conform to the demands of higher-ranking police officials and their efforts to make sure the data show lower crime rates. 

To operationalize this theory, an e-mail survey was sent to 1,962 retired New York...

The theory in this article is that crime reports in New York City might contain flawed data, so relying on this data to measure police effectiveness in the city is problematic. For example, lower-ranking officers might be manipulating crime reports to conform to the demands of higher-ranking police officials and their efforts to make sure the data show lower crime rates. 

To operationalize this theory, an e-mail survey was sent to 1,962 retired New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers in 2012. Their e-mail addresses were found through the NYPD database of active retirees. Respondents were able to answer the survey anonymously, and, as they were retired, they did not have to fear workplace retribution for their answers to the survey. The analysis of the survey compared officers' answers about the manipulation of crime reports based on their years of retirement. The survey analysis also looked at whether the officers felt pressure to change crime reports so that they reflected reduced crime. Finally, the survey analysis looked at whether management pressure was what resulted in the manipulation of crime reports. 

The results showed that there was evidence that crime reports had been manipulated. The results also showed that crime report manipulation has increased over the years, and one possible reason for this growth over time has been a management culture that pressures officers to report lower crime rates. Further studies will have to be conducted to support or reject the study's conclusion that reports of New York City crime are not accurate and result from "gaming numbers" to continue the initial decrease in crime statistics at a time when crime was actually staying the same or going up.

Listen to this podcast and write a brief summary of what happened to these ethnic Southern and Eastern Europeans. ...

The groups being discussed as "ethnic Europeans" begins with the Irish, used as a base of comparison to evaluate ethnic Europeans who came to America later, in the 20th century. The Irish assimilated into American white culture, an assimilation that was boosted by developing a powerful East coast political machine. After the Irish, came the Italians, Greeks, Poles and Jews. Their skin and hair colors made them more distinguishable as "different" than the Irish hair and skin coloring, and their routes to assimilation into the culture of white English and Central European Protestants were made much harder by these distinguishing traits. These ethnic European groups are distinguished and set apart from "white" by dark, often curly, hair and "olive" skin.  

Using the Greek experience as an illustration of the experiences these groups shared, The Color Initiative podcast describes the typical racially punitive white reaction to these groups. In Omaha, Nebraska, in 1909, every Greek home was razed by fire in an ethnic cleansing when a police officer was killed as the result of a Greek man fleeing after being accused of having an affair "with a white woman," which is typically a racial crime in the South. The dark curly hair and dark skin of the Greeks associated them, in the cultural mind's-eye, with African Americans and Mexicans. Organizations like the American Hellenic Education Progressive Society grew up in response to hate crimes perpetrate against these ethnic groups, which were seen--as for example in the American South and Nebraska--as comprising a separate race: e.g., the Ku Klux Klan perceived Greeks as comprising a separate race and attacked Greeks on racial grounds.

Greeks and other ethnic Europeans living in Chicago's inner city ghetto enclaves were dispersed when Greek Town and other ethnic "towns" were bulldozed to make way for redevelopment, such as for a university site in Chicago. These dispersed groups--still using Greeks as an illustration--moved to suburbs where returning ethnic soldiers, having fought alongside other ethnic groups and whites in foxholes, becoming united in the brotherhood of war, had already settled. Once in white neighborhoods, speaking Greek only privately in homes and speaking English and only English everywhere in public, Greeks came to be seen as white European Americans. 

In concluding remarks, the podcast compares these ethnic European immigrations to the immigrations of the 21st century. The 21st century immigration movements are coming from Asia, including Southeast Asia, India and Pakistan, Latin America and Africa. Not only do these groups bring more distinctively different skin and hair color (and type) with them, they bring religious practices, manners of dress, cultural mores and religious governance that are more extreme in their distinctiveness than what the Europeans brought, which was Catholicism, Judaism and Eastern Orthodoxy, with variations on European dress and manner. The prediction is that these new immigration groups will find it harder to assimilate because their cultures require that they exclude themselves from much of white culture and society, and they will find it harder to be assimilated and to be accepted as part of the traditional, white dominated, Protestant dominated American culture.

how does Darwin's theory help illuminate the potential meaning and effect of Strindberg's play?

August Strindberg's play Miss Julie illuminates Charles Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection through a contrast of its two main characters: Miss Julie, the modernist daughter of a wealthy aristocrat, and Jean, her ambitious valet. 

Darwin’s theory posits that a species naturally over-produces members of its population because not all individuals will survive; therefore, only individuals possessing traits more adaptable to the environment will have a better chance of survival. This is also known as “survival of the fittest.” Strindberg pits his two main characters against each other using this concept, and his play’s plot and dialogue make it clear he believes only one should survive (Jean) while the other should not (Miss Julie).

Strindberg also sought to ground his play in the idea of naturalism, something he believed French playwrights of his day had failed to do within their own work. Thus, Strindberg’s characters think and behave realistically, with multiple motivations and actions grounded in heredity and environment. Two other aspects of naturalism found in Miss Julie are a focus on significant rather than superficial issues and a main plot that stands alone, without any subplots.

These aspects of naturalism serve to highlight the evolutionary battle between Miss Julie and Jean, who are two opposing forces vying for dominance in a game of survival. Miss Julie is depicted as both the last of a dying breed of aristocrat and as the result of modern European feminism, which makes her, according to Strindberg, half of a woman or, as Jean describes her in the play, a “sick” woman who has been made to hate men:

“Oh, I'd love to see the whole of your sex swimming in a sea of blood just like that. I think I could drink out of your skull.” (Miss Julie)

Strindberg’s views on women fall in line with the theory of hysteria, which was believed to be a nineteenth-century disease whereby a woman refused her own sexual desires. Strindberg has Miss Julie contradict herself by expressing both her desire to dance with Jean and her fantasy of the annihilation of all men. This makes her a degenerate character, whereas Jean is made to seem morally superior because he is a man.

Since Strindberg vehemently criticized and condemned modern feminism, it is Miss Julie who must lose this evolutionary battle to Jean; while she is a dysfunctional woman who has lost all power of authority that could come from her upper-class station due to her acceptance of feminist ideas, Jean is a servant who uses methods of psychology to influence Miss Julie’s thoughts and actions, such as exuding charm by offering compliments and praise to win her over.

Both characters' fears and/or aspirations are manifested in a dream each shares with the other; Miss Julie dreams of climbing a pillar and not being able to get down, representing her desire to be free from the strict social expectations dictated by the class and gender norms of the day:

“I'm sitting on top of a pillar that I've climbed up somehow and I don't know how to get back down. When I look down I get dizzy. I have to get down but I don't have the courage to jump.” (Miss Julie)

Jean dreams of looking up at Miss Julie from a pile of weeds in her garden, representing his desire to rise in social status:

“I caught sight of a pink dress and a pair of white stockings. That was you. I crawled under a pile of weeds, under—well, you can imagine what it was like—under thistles that pricked me and wet dirt that stank to high heaven. And all the while I could see you walking among the roses.” (Jean)

Jean goes on to express feeling hopeless to change his social status, which may lead one to believe he may have subconsciously wanted to seduce Miss Julie just to lead her to ruin as an act of revenge upon her entire class:

“You were unattainable, but through the vision of you I was made to realize how hopeless it was to rise above the conditions of my birth.” (Jean)

By the end of the play, Jean has succeeded in convincing Miss Julie to have sex with him, to run away with him to start a hotel, and then, finally, to presumably commit suicide using a razor as a way to escape her predicament and salvage her honor. The fact that Strindberg has Miss Julie use hypnosis on Jean to get him to command her in her father’s voice to kill herself illustrates Strindberg’s disdain for feminism; Miss Julie dies utilizing a method commonly used to treat women for hysteria, which was supposedly, in Strindberg’s view, one of the manifestations of women’s ruin.

`r=asintheta` Find the points of horizontal and vertical tangency (if any) to the polar curve.

To find a tangent line to a polar curve,`r=f(theta)` we regard `theta` as parameter and write it's parametric equations as,

`x=rcos(theta)=f(theta)cos(theta)`

`y=rsin(theta)=f(theta)sin(theta)`

We are given the polar curve `r=asin(theta)`

Now let's convert polar equation into parametric equation,

`x=asin(theta)cos(theta)`

`y=asin(theta)sin(theta)=asin^2(theta)`

Slope of the line tangent to the parametric curve is given by the derivative `dy/dx`

`dy/dx=((dy)/(d theta))/((dx)/(d theta))`

Let's take the derivative of x and y with respect to `theta`

`dx/(d theta)=a[sin(theta)d/(d theta)cos(theta)+cos(theta)d/(d theta)sin(theta)]`

`dx/(d theta)=a[sin(theta)(-sin(theta))+cos(theta)cos(theta)]`

`dx/(d theta)=a[-sin^2(theta)+cos^2(theta)]`

`dx/(d...

To find a tangent line to a polar curve,`r=f(theta)` we regard `theta` as parameter and write it's parametric equations as,

`x=rcos(theta)=f(theta)cos(theta)`

`y=rsin(theta)=f(theta)sin(theta)`

We are given the polar curve `r=asin(theta)`

Now let's convert polar equation into parametric equation,

`x=asin(theta)cos(theta)`

`y=asin(theta)sin(theta)=asin^2(theta)`

Slope of the line tangent to the parametric curve is given by the derivative `dy/dx`

`dy/dx=((dy)/(d theta))/((dx)/(d theta))`

Let's take the derivative of x and y with respect to `theta`

`dx/(d theta)=a[sin(theta)d/(d theta)cos(theta)+cos(theta)d/(d theta)sin(theta)]`

`dx/(d theta)=a[sin(theta)(-sin(theta))+cos(theta)cos(theta)]`

`dx/(d theta)=a[-sin^2(theta)+cos^2(theta)]`

`dx/(d theta)=a(cos^2(theta)-sin^2(theta))`

use the trigonometric identity:`cos(2theta)=cos^2(theta)-sin^2(theta)`

`dx/(d theta)=acos(2theta)`

`dy/(d theta)=a(2sin(theta)d/(d theta)sin(theta))`

`dy/(d theta)=a(2sin(theta)cos(theta))`

Use the trigonometric identity:`sin(2theta)=2sin(theta)cos(theta)`

`dy/(d theta)=asin(2theta)`

We locate horizontal tangents by finding the points where `dy/(d theta)=0` ( provided that `dx/(d theta)!=0` )

and vertical tangents at the points where `dx/(d theta)=0` ( provided that `dy/(d theta)!=0` )

Setting the derivative of x equal to zero for locating vertical tangents,

`dx/(d theta)=0`

`acos(2theta)=0`

`=>cos(2theta)=0`

`2theta=pi/2,(3pi)/2,(5pi)/2,(7pi)/2`

`=>theta=pi/4,(3pi)/4,(5pi)/4,(7pi)/4`

Let's find the corresponding radius r for the above angles,

For `theta=pi/4`

`r=asin(pi/4)=a/sqrt(2)` 

For `theta=(3pi)/4`

`r=asin((3pi)/4)=a/sqrt(2)`

For `theta=(5pi)/4`

`r=asin((5pi)/4)=-a/sqrt(2)`

For `theta=(7pi)/4`

`r=asin((7pi)/4)=-a/sqrt(2)`

Now let's set the derivative of y equal to zero for locating horizontal tangents,

`dy/(d theta)=0`

`asin(2theta)=0`

`=>sin(2theta)=0`

`=>2theta=0,pi,2pi,3pi`

`=>theta=0,pi/2,pi,(3pi)/2`

Now, find the corresponding radius r for above angles,

For `theta=0`

`r=asin(0)=0`

For `theta=pi/2`

`r=asin(pi/2)=a`

For `theta=pi`

`r=asin(pi)=0`

For `theta=3pi/2`

`r=asin((3pi)/2)=-a`

Note: If we plot the polar curve , its a circle and it should have two horizontal and two vertical tangents. However we got four points because it depends on a, whether it's positive or negative.

For positive value of a ,

the polar curve has horizontal tangents at `(0,0),(a,pi/2)`

and vertical tangents at `(a/sqrt(2),pi/4),(a/sqrt(2),(3pi)/4)`

For negative value of a,

the polar curve has horizontal tangents at `(0,pi),(-a,(3pi)/2)`

and vertical tangents at `(-a/sqrt(2),(5pi)/4),(-a/sqrt(2),(7pi)/4)`