`sqrt(1-4x^2)y' = x` Find the general solution of the differential equation

To be able to evaluate the problem: `sqrt(1-4x^2)y'=x` , we express in a form of `y'=f(x)` .

 To do this, we divide both sides by `sqrt(1-4x^2)` .

`y'=x/sqrt(1-4x^2)`

The general solution of a differential equation in a form of `y'=f(x)` can

 be evaluated using direct integration. We can denote y' as `(dy)/(dx)` .

Then, 

`y'=x/sqrt(1-4x^2)`  becomes `(dy)/(dx)=x/sqrt(1-4x^2)`

This is the same as  `(dy)=x/sqrt(1-4x^2) dx`

Apply direct integration on both sides:

For the left side, we have: `int...

To be able to evaluate the problem: `sqrt(1-4x^2)y'=x` , we express in a form of `y'=f(x)` .

 To do this, we divide both sides by `sqrt(1-4x^2)` .

`y'=x/sqrt(1-4x^2)`

The general solution of a differential equation in a form of `y'=f(x)` can

 be evaluated using direct integration. We can denote y' as `(dy)/(dx)` .

Then, 

`y'=x/sqrt(1-4x^2)`  becomes `(dy)/(dx)=x/sqrt(1-4x^2)`

This is the same as  `(dy)=x/sqrt(1-4x^2) dx`

Apply direct integration on both sides:

For the left side, we have: `int (dy)=y`

 For the right side, we apply u-substitution using `u =1-4x^2` then `du=-8x dx` or  `(du)/(-8)=xdx` .

`int x/sqrt(1-4x^2) dx = int1/sqrt(u) *(du)/(-8)`

Applying basic integration property: `int c f(x) dx = c int f(x) dx` .

`int1/sqrt(u) *(du)/(-8) = -1/8int1/sqrt(u)du`

Applying Law of Exponents: `sqrt(x)= x^1/2` and  `1/x^n = x^-n` :

`-1/8int1/sqrt(u)du=-1/8int1/u^(1/2)du`

                     ` =-1/8int u^(-1/2)du`

Applying the Power Rule for integration: `int x^n= x^(n+1)/(n+1)+C` .

`-1/8int u^(-1/2)du =-1/8 u^(-1/2+1)/(-1/2+1)+C`

                      ` =-1/8 u^(1/2)/(1/2)+C`

                      ` =-1/8 u^(1/2)*(2/1)+C`

                      `= -2/8 u^(1/2)+C`

                      ` = -1/4u^(1/2)+C or -1/4sqrt(u)+C`

Plug-in `u = 1-4x^2` in `-1/4u^(1/2)` , we get:

`int1/sqrt(u) *(du)/(-8)=-1/4sqrt(1-4x^2)+C`

Combining the results, we get the general solution for differential equation

`( sqrt(1-4x^2)y'=x)`

 as:

`y= -1/4sqrt(1-4x^2)+C`

Are the only short term causes to World War 1 the assassination and the alliance system?

In a sense, there were only two short term causes that caused the outbreak of World War I. Yet, only looking at the assassination, and the Triple Entente and Alliance will not fully explain the short term causes. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was a result of high tensions in the area. Serbia was very interested in gaining independence and freedom from Austria/Hungary, they wanted Bosnia and Herzegovina to join with them to create...

In a sense, there were only two short term causes that caused the outbreak of World War I. Yet, only looking at the assassination, and the Triple Entente and Alliance will not fully explain the short term causes. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was a result of high tensions in the area. Serbia was very interested in gaining independence and freedom from Austria/Hungary, they wanted Bosnia and Herzegovina to join with them to create the Slavic Union. When Austria/Hungary annexed both countries, it caused tensions to rise. Serbian nationalists were appalled by these actions and felt Austria/Hungary was trying to control them.

As for the alliances, it was not as simple as the Triple Entente and Triple Alliance. There were also secret alliances and support systems that came into play as the countries went to war. The Ottoman Empire and Germany secretly allied themselves, while Russia told Serbia they would support them against Austria. Also, the British promised Belgium that they would protect their neutrality. This meant if another country attacked Belgium, Britain would come to their aid. These alliances, although they seem small compared to the others, caused other countries to spring into action once war was declared.

Even though there may be only a few short term causes, they are just as important as what effected the war long term. All of these causes led to a devastating war and changed the dynamics of countries and their relationships across the globe. 

How is morality explored in Moll Flanders?

In his preface to Moll Flanders, Defoe states that his intention is to convey a serious moral. Yet, explicit moralizing is notable by its absence in the relating of Moll's bawdy, picaresque adventures. Right throughout the story, Moll becomes caught up in all manner of escapades, none of which are in any way illustrative of the Christian moral life.

Moll is a serial thief and prostitute; worse still, from a moral point of view, she...

In his preface to Moll Flanders, Defoe states that his intention is to convey a serious moral. Yet, explicit moralizing is notable by its absence in the relating of Moll's bawdy, picaresque adventures. Right throughout the story, Moll becomes caught up in all manner of escapades, none of which are in any way illustrative of the Christian moral life.

Moll is a serial thief and prostitute; worse still, from a moral point of view, she is an unrepentant serial thief and prostitute. Yet she does live by a moral code of sorts, often trying to rationalize her socially unacceptable behavior.

For instance, after she's robbed a drunken rich man she's just slept with, she convinces herself that perhaps the experience will prove instructive to the unfortunate gentleman. Perhaps, she reasons, he'll be less likely to cheat on his wife in future. Not surprisingly, that doesn't happen, but we can at least understand how Moll's mind is working. Essentially, she seems to believe that good can come from bad, moral actions from immoral ones.

Moll tests out this principle again when she steals from a young girl walking home by herself:

"I had given the Parents a just Reproof for their Negligence in leaving the poor little Lamb to come home by it self . . . ” (p.154)

In other words, it's not her fault that this little girl has been robbed; it's her parents' fault that they let her walk home all by herself, carrying such valuable objects. Maybe this unfortunate incident will teach them a salutary lesson.

Defoe was intelligent enough to know that treating Moll Flanders's story as an extended homily wouldn't have been anywhere near as interesting for the reader. Moll is his protagonist. As such, it's necessary for her to be made recognizably human. We cannot sympathize with Moll's criminal dishonesty, nor with her disingenuous self-justifications. Defoe doesn't expect us to.

However, we can at least understand her actions, even if we don't in any way accept them. In other words, we are induced to feel empathy, not sympathy. Defoe's method of telling the tale is all the more effective for being descriptive rather than prescriptive. It also provides us with a much more honest, more realistic portrayal of the criminal sub-culture in which Moll lives, moves, and has her being.

Why does Ponyboy love the country so much in The Outsiders?

In chapter 3, Ponyboy lays on his back and speaks to Johnny about the country. Ponyboy mentions that he wishes to get out of the big town and live in the country with his family. He tells Johnny that he is sick of all the excitement and the constant danger in the city. Ponyboy would prefer to live in peace and comfort in the country. In Ponyboy's mind, the country is a tranquil place to...

In chapter 3, Ponyboy lays on his back and speaks to Johnny about the country. Ponyboy mentions that he wishes to get out of the big town and live in the country with his family. He tells Johnny that he is sick of all the excitement and the constant danger in the city. Ponyboy would prefer to live in peace and comfort in the country. In Ponyboy's mind, the country is a tranquil place to relax, enjoy nature, and read a book. He does not like the congested atmosphere of the big town and prefers the wide open spaces. In Pony's perfect scenario, Sodapop would have his horse, Mickey, and his parents would be alive. He then begins to daydream about how his father would work side by side with Darry, and Johnny would join their family.

What are the 5 themes of geography?

The five themes are geography are:

1. 
   Location—our position on Earth, both relative and absolute. Think of the US—it has an absolute position on earth that can be located and pinpointed on a map and with coordinates (this is where latitude and longitude factor in to the conversation). It also has a relative location in terms of economy, society, politics, and so on. The United States's capacity for producing oil is relative to where the oil exists.


2. 
   Place—these are the physical and human characteristics that help define a location. How the physical and human relate to and impact one another is a key study in geography. Questions about place could include things like "what are the physical attributes of the Amazon rainforest" as well as "which peoples live in the Andes Mountains."


3. 
   Human-Environment Interaction—this concerns the impact humans have had on the environment. For example: how have irrigation efforts in the American Southwest impacted the environment?


4. 
   Movement—Continuing with our "human" theme, how have people and goods moved across the environment? Walking? Boat? Car? Airplane? Electronically? And how has this movement impacted the way humans live and interact with the environment, both absolute and relative?


5. 
   Region—how do regions form and change? The fertile crescent is a band of earth (in a crescent shape) from the Eastern Mediterranean across to the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in modern-day Iraq and Iran. How did this form? How does it change with human interactions? How do boundaries change over time with political changes? What is the location and place of the fertile crescent? And so on . . . How about the Northeast? It is not a formal region with delineated borders or boundaries, and yet it is considered a "region" of the United States.

Why are Jim and Della called magi?

Mr. and Mrs. James Dillingham Young, or Jim and Della, are called "the magi" in the final sentence of O. Henry's short story. It is explained at the conclusion of the story that the magi were the "wonderfully wise men" who gave the very first Christmas presents when they bore gifts to Christ in the manger. Since they were wise men, their gifts were undoubtably wise, too, and it is suggested that the spirit of their love and generosity are something to strive for in the gift-giving season.

In the story, Jim and Della are a young married couple who, despite pinching pennies from their meager salaries, find they don't have the money saved to buy the gift they each think the other deserves. Della finds she has "only $1.87 to buy a gift for Jim. Her Jim. She had had many happy hours planning something nice for him. Something nearly good enough. Something almost worth the honor of belonging to Jim." We learn that despite their humble living circumstances, each character has something that is precious and of much value to them. Jim owns a watch that has been passed down to him by his father, who received it from his father. Della has beautiful brown hair that reaches below her knee. O. Henry compares these items to the riches and jewels of kings and queens, and the items seem priceless due to their rarity and sentimental value. The comparison of them to jewels, juxtaposed against the repetitive use of grays and browns in the description of their clothing and home, suggest that these items bring them much joy despite their challenging and modest circumstances.

However, a major theme of the story is love, and despite their love for these items, their devotion to the happiness of each other is stronger. Della sells her hair to buy the perfect chain for Jim’s watch, and Della soon learns that Jim has sold his watch to buy hair combs that Della has long admired. These seemingly priceless items actually pale in value when compared to their love for one another. "And here I have told you the story of two children who were not wise," the narrator tells us, suggesting that many readers might view Della and Jim as foolish, with both their sacrifices and new gifts rendered useless. However, the narrator quickly adds, "Let me speak a last word to the wise of these days: Of all who give gifts, these two were the most wise. Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are the most wise." The moral of the story is that the true gift that both Della and Jim give each other is the sacrifice of something personally valuable in order to bring happiness to the other. Furthermore, Della optimistically tells Jim, "My hair grows so fast," and Jim "smiled" at seeing her gift. Rather than criticizing each other or mourning the loss of their treasures, both characters recognize the value of each other's sacrifice and are content. This knowledge and understanding makes them wisest of gift-givers, and, therefore, they are considered to be like the magi.

What are major moments and events from the novel?

The Wednesday Wars is full of major events, and some will be more important to readers than others. I'll list seven events that I think are important to the overall story.  

1. Holling gets placed in the "class" with Mrs. Baker while all of the other kids in school are at their religious studies classes. This is important because without this happening Holling would never establish the great relationship that he has with Mrs. Baker, and he would not learn to appreciate Shakespeare the way he does.


2. Holling saves his sister from being hit by the bus. Up until this point, readers see a lot of antagonism between Holling and his sister; however, Holling's heroic actions really secure his love for his sister. Heather is extremely grateful, and her attitude toward Holling begins to soften at this point in the story.


3. Heather runs away from home and gets stranded, then Holling rescues her. This is important because it cements the loving relationship between Holling and Heather. They know that they can always count on each other no matter what.


4. Meryl Lee and Holling go out on a date. Holling talks about his father's design for the school. Meryl Lee's father incorporates elements of the design, and Holling feels very betrayed by Meryl Lee. It's a rough patch in their relationship, but it is eventually fixed.


5. Holling gets slighted by his idol, Mickey Mantle. Mrs. Baker helps make up for this by contacting two other Yankee players and getting them to play some pickup baseball with Holling and his friends.


6. Holling plays a part in The Tempest and has to wear an embarrassing costume. He gets photographed in the costume and put in the paper. Those pictures are placed all over school, and Holling is mortified.  


7. Holling tries out for cross country and ends up being very good at it. He's so good that he wins the race and gets his first kiss from Meryl Lee as congratulations.

Hamlet is a play not just about the young prince's troubled mind but a play about relationships. How can I analyze one of these relationships in...

What an interesting question! For the purposes of this question, I will discuss Hamlet's relationship with his mother, Gertrude. This mother-son relationship connects to the themes of deceit and women's frailty in the play.

The benefits and hazards of Hamlet and Gertrude's relationship.

Hamlet has an interesting love-hate relationship with Gertrude. I think the main conflict between mother and son stems from Hamlet's analysis of Gertrude's seemingly hasty marriage to Claudius. Hamlet is suspicious about Gertrude's motives; he thinks that Gertrude has fostered an incestuous alliance with his father's likely murderer.

For her part, Gertrude loves her son, and she ostensibly marries Claudius to protect Hamlet's position in the kingdom. Gertrude feels that her marriage alliance will confer political and personal benefits to her son, benefits she has no power of securing otherwise. However, because of the sensual underpinnings of Gertrude and Claudius' relationship, Hamlet feels that he can trust neither his mother nor his new step-father. Deceit is a political tool that engenders conflict between mother and son. However, deceit is possibly the only weapon left to Gertrude, who lived in an era when women had little personal power and agency. She must execute a tight balancing act between Claudius and Hamlet in order to protect her station in life. Hamlet's relationship with his mother definitely highlights the themes of deceit and women's frailty in the play.

From what we can see, Claudius has hidden his culpability in his brother's death from Gertrude. Gertrude is also less than forthcoming about Hamlet's actions to Claudius. In Act 3 Scene 4, Hamlet openly accuses his mother of betraying and insulting his father (King Hamlet), of lying "in the rank sweat of an enseamèd bed,/ Stewed in corruption, honeying and making love.." to a murderer (Claudius). He insinuates that Gertrude was a full participant in his father's death and is guilty of great sin. Gertrude doesn't deny the "black and grainèd spots" in her soul, but she stops short of confessing to being an accomplice in King Hamlet's murder.

Hamlet further torments his mother by accusing her of lewdness. He asserts that a woman of her age is past her sexual prime. It's a very sexist statement, of course. Again, the theme of female sexuality is highlighted in the tension between Hamlet and Gertrude. Hamlet cannot conceive of his mother having any sort of sensual preferences at her age. He tries to mitigate his inner torment about such a possibility by resorting to a chauvinistic explanation:

You cannot call it love, for at your age

The heyday in the blood is tame, it’s humble,

And waits upon the judgment (Act 3, Scene 4).

The relationship between Hamlet and Gertrude is essentially poisoned because Hamlet is unable to forgive his mother for marrying Claudius. He attributes her hasty remarriage to the "frailty" of women, a popular stereotype during Shakespeare's time. Hamlet is supported in his diatribe by his father's ghost. The ghost appears to steady his son's hand in avenging his death. Earlier in the play, King Hamlet's ghost contrasted the pure love he shared with Gertrude against the adulterous love Gertrude now shares with Claudius. This plays into the popular stereotype about higher-classed women desiring the more primitive, virile men of the lower classes. King Hamlet's ghost definitely views Gertrude's alliance with Claudius in the light of this stereotype. Hamlet does his father one better: he orders his mother to stop sleeping with Claudius altogether:

Good night—but go not to mine uncle’s bed.

Assume a virtue if you have it not.

That monster, custom, who all sense doth eat,

Of habits devil, is angel yet in this:

That to the use of actions fair and good

He likewise gives a frock or livery

That aptly is put on. Refrain tonight,

And that shall lend a kind of easiness

To the next abstinence, the next more easy (Act 3, Scene 4).

The events in Act 3, Scene 4 definitely illustrates the depth of the dysfunction in Hamlet's relationship with his mother. He tells Gertrude that he firmly believes Claudius had a hand in killing his father. However, neither openly discuss Gertrude's possible culpability in the whole affair. Gertrude promises to keep Hamlet's confidence and later, tries to deceive Claudius about Hamlet's guilt in killing Polonius. She tells Claudius that Hamlet "weeps for what is done (Act 4 Scene 1). Of course, this isn't true at all, but Gertrude is merely protecting Hamlet.

To recap, Hamlet's relationship with his mother definitely highlights the larger themes of deceit and women's frailty in the play. If you're looking for some good sources to back up this argument, I include two links below. Two of my sources are also listed here.

Sources:

1) Gertrude's Elusive Libido and Shakespeare's Unreliable Narrators by Richard Levin, Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900, Vol. 48, No. 2, Tudor and Stuart Drama (Spring, 2008), pp. 305-326

2) Hamlet and Gertrude or The Conscience of the Queen by Robert M. Smith, The Shakespeare Association Bulletin, Vol. 11, No. 2 (APRIL, 1936), pp. 84-92

In I Am Malala, why is there a preface and a prologue?

The preface (“Birmingham, England, June 2015”) introduces the subject of the book and establishes the continued importance of Malala's work through the Malala Fund. In contrast, the prologue describes the events prior to the shooting and thus invites us to read Malala’s story. Basically, the preface establishes Malala's credibility in the area of girls' education, while the prologue provides the background details that led to the shooting. Note that the preface is never a part...

The preface (“Birmingham, England, June 2015”) introduces the subject of the book and establishes the continued importance of Malala's work through the Malala Fund. In contrast, the prologue describes the events prior to the shooting and thus invites us to read Malala’s story. Basically, the preface establishes Malala's credibility in the area of girls' education, while the prologue provides the background details that led to the shooting. Note that the preface is never a part of the text; it is numbered in Roman numerals rather than the Arabic numerals used in the prologue and the rest of the text.

The preface provides details about Malala's adjustment to life in Birmingham and describes her work with the Malala Fund. From the preface, we learn that Malala played an instrumental role in building a school for the Maasai Mara people in Kenya. The preface also explains why she visited Nigerian schoolgirls on her seventeenth birthday: in 2014, more than 250 schoolgirls in Chibok were abducted by members of Boko Haram. Although many of the girls have been rescued, the Nigerian government is still working on rescuing the rest of the girls. Meanwhile, Malala aims to support girls' education in Nigeria through the Malala Fund. To date, Malala's foundation has funded education projects in Jordan, Kenya, Pakistan, and Nigeria; it has also worked to integrate Syrian refugees into Jordan's schools. So the preface helps us understand why an organization like the Malala Fund is necessary, while the prologue briefly explains the premise behind the shooting (the main event of the book).

Where do Lyman and Henry speak directly to each other in "The Red Convertible"? Where do they speak indirectly? How do they communicate without...

A lot of the indirect communication between Henry and Lyman comes from Lyman's observations of Henry, including Henry's movements. For example, when they first drive places in their car, Lyman notices that Henry "was asleep with his arms thrown wide." Lyman knows that Henry is at complete peace. Later, when Henry returns from Vietnam, Lyman knows that he is not quite right because "he was never comfortable sitting still anywhere but always up and moving...

A lot of the indirect communication between Henry and Lyman comes from Lyman's observations of Henry, including Henry's movements. For example, when they first drive places in their car, Lyman notices that Henry "was asleep with his arms thrown wide." Lyman knows that Henry is at complete peace. Later, when Henry returns from Vietnam, Lyman knows that he is not quite right because "he was never comfortable sitting still anywhere but always up and moving around." Henry's body movements imply that he is in a state of constant agitation. Even Henry's laugh seems more like a choking noise, and when Henry is watching TV, he bites through his lip, causing a stream of blood to go down his chin. It is through Henry's gestures and body movements that the brothers communicate indirectly, without speech.

They also communicate through speech and writing; for example, they write to each other when Lyman is serving in Vietnam. They often speak directly to each other about the car they share; for example, many of Lyman's letters to Henry in Vietnam are about the state of the car. 

The moments of emotion in the story are often expressed in a very subtle way. For example, the reader knows that Lyman is suffering greatly after Vietnam from seeing him bite through his lip and start to bleed when he is watching TV. The reader senses that Lyman is attempting to help his brother when Lyman destroys the car so that Henry can find it. When Lyman drowns at the end of the story, Henry expresses his pain by submerging his beloved car. Much of the emotion in the story is expressed through action rather than through dialogue or explanation. 

Assume you were a member of a working-class American family residing in a major industrial city during the late nineteenth century. Describe the...

For this assignment, you will need to use historical facts to imagine yourself living in a different time and place.  The rise of industrialism led to major changes in U.S. cities, such as New York, Boston, and Philadelphia.  Before the rise of factories and large machinery, goods were made by hand.  Cloth was typically made from hand spun wool and cotton threads using looms.  Tools were made by blacksmiths.  The development of factories meant that...

For this assignment, you will need to use historical facts to imagine yourself living in a different time and place.  The rise of industrialism led to major changes in U.S. cities, such as New York, Boston, and Philadelphia.  Before the rise of factories and large machinery, goods were made by hand.  Cloth was typically made from hand spun wool and cotton threads using looms.  Tools were made by blacksmiths.  The development of factories meant that these items and others could be produced on a large scale by low wage, low skill workers.  More and more people crowded into cities to take factory jobs in the late 19th century.  Many of these people were immigrants.

Though many people were employed by factories, their wages were low.  People often lived in crowded, dirty tenement houses in the city.  It was common for many family members to crowd into a one small apartment unit.  Communal bathrooms in the hall were sometimes shared by several units.  Tenement houses were not always built according to safety guidelines.

It was common for both parents to work in order to make ends meet.  Older children also worked instead of going to school to help support the family.  Sometimes older children skipped school to watch younger siblings.

In T. C. Boyle’s Greasy Lake, the lake is a central character in the story. How does the lake change from the beginning of the story to the end?

At first, the lake is a place where the narrator and his friends enjoy all the carefree and semi-wild carousing of youth: they enjoy the lake as a natural place, a backdrop to drinking beer, smoking pot, watching girls, and, as the narrator puts it, "howl[ing] at the stars" while listening to loud rock and roll. The lake, as a character, is innocent.

By the end of the story, the lake is no longer so...

At first, the lake is a place where the narrator and his friends enjoy all the carefree and semi-wild carousing of youth: they enjoy the lake as a natural place, a backdrop to drinking beer, smoking pot, watching girls, and, as the narrator puts it, "howl[ing] at the stars" while listening to loud rock and roll. The lake, as a character, is innocent.

By the end of the story, the lake is no longer so carefree anymore. In it, the narrator has experienced a kind of baptism that takes him from innocence to experience. Most specifically, he encounters a dead body in the lake, and suddenly, this carefree place is where he comes face to face, literally, with mortality. He also watches his mother's car get demolished and realizes that, in the grand scheme of things, he is not as wild and tough as he had believed. The lake changes in the course of the story from a place to escape reality to a place where the narrator encounters reality full-force.

What would a figurative language example be from this story?

Chains is full of really solid uses of figurative language.  Isabel might not be that formally educated of a girl, but her story telling language skills are very good.  Throughout the book, Isabel makes large usage of similes.  One of my favorite similes in the book is when Isabel describes what somebody's wig looks like.  

Looked more like a dead possum than a wig. 

Similar to a simile is a metaphor.  A metaphor makes...

Chains is full of really solid uses of figurative language.  Isabel might not be that formally educated of a girl, but her story telling language skills are very good.  Throughout the book, Isabel makes large usage of similes.  One of my favorite similes in the book is when Isabel describes what somebody's wig looks like.  

Looked more like a dead possum than a wig. 

Similar to a simile is a metaphor.  A metaphor makes a similar comparison between two different things, but a metaphor won't use the words "like" or "as" to make the comparison.  Isabel uses a great metaphor to describe herself while she is closely listening in to Master Lockton's Loyalist plans.  

I am a bookcase, I am a piece of furniture.

Isabel is willing herself to be as unnoticeable as a piece of furniture.  That way she can hear the full details of the plan.  

Another type of figurative language is hyperbole.  Hyperbole is exaggeration for the sake of emphasis.  I like the following example from Chains.  

I feared my ears might drop off.

I'm quite certain that a person's ears are not capable of just falling off, but it effectively sells the point.  

What does the fish most likely symbolize in Elizabeth Bishop's poem, "The Fish"?

Well, the first option is that the fish doesn't symbolize anything at all. Never leave that option out, even in poetry. Some poems try to capture vivid experiences in vivid verse.  In that reading, the poet caught a fish that looked strange, stared at it, and let it go. Again, don't underestimate that. Confronting other forms of life can be striking and meaningful without metaphor.

But if we assume it is a metaphor, then we find its meaning in those vivid images: the beard, the speckling, the loose skin, the multiple fishhooks, the scarring, etc. In catching a fish, the narrator has accidentally confronted age and mortality. The fish looks old and scarred by life, and if she keeps it, it dies. Releasing it lets life continue (and denies mortality).

What does the woman behind the wallpaper represent? How does the narrator come to identify with her?

The woman behind the wallpaper represents the narrator herself, which is why she comes to identify with the woman. Over the course of the story, the narrator gradually sees this woman in more detail because as she descends further into madness, she also becomes more and more aware of her oppression. 

The narrator is being treated for postpartum depression by "the rest cure," which means she must be isolated and not permitted to work. She...

The woman behind the wallpaper represents the narrator herself, which is why she comes to identify with the woman. Over the course of the story, the narrator gradually sees this woman in more detail because as she descends further into madness, she also becomes more and more aware of her oppression. 

The narrator is being treated for postpartum depression by "the rest cure," which means she must be isolated and not permitted to work. She must "rest" and not overexert herself through writing or socializing. The woman's husband is her doctor, and he takes her to an old house to recuperate. Male characters apparently do not understand how to treat this "female problem," and the cure clearly does not work. The narrator does not get better but rather becomes increasingly insane. However, her madness gives her insight into her position in a patriarchal society. 

The narrator first hates the wallpaper, but then she becomes interested in it, probably because she has no real outlet for her creativity. She eventually sees a woman, and later, she sees the woman moving. She describes the woman as crawling around quickly behind the paper and shaking it. She recognizes that the woman is trapped behind the paper. She also thinks there are "a great many women behind" the paper, which indicates that the woman's oppression is not just her own but is a larger societal issue. At the end of the story, the narrator is crawling around the room and she even says "I've got out at last." This shows that the woman has so fully identified with the woman behind the wallpaper that she considers them one person. 

How did Calpurnia and Atticus feel when Scout criticized Walter in To Kill a Mockingbird?

In Chapter 3, Scout watches as Walter Cunningham Jr. pours syrup all over his meat and vegetables. Scout is disgusted and asks Walter what the "sam hill" he is doing. Atticus quickly glances at his daughter and shakes his head as a sign of disapproval. Nonetheless, Scout continues to protest until Calpurnia requests her presence in the kitchen. When Scout walks into the kitchen, Cal chastises Scout about her rude behavior. Calpurnia tells Scout she...

In Chapter 3, Scout watches as Walter Cunningham Jr. pours syrup all over his meat and vegetables. Scout is disgusted and asks Walter what the "sam hill" he is doing. Atticus quickly glances at his daughter and shakes his head as a sign of disapproval. Nonetheless, Scout continues to protest until Calpurnia requests her presence in the kitchen. When Scout walks into the kitchen, Cal chastises Scout about her rude behavior. Calpurnia tells Scout she has no right to criticize Walter for the way he eats and she needs to stop acting "so high and mighty!" (17). Cal also tells Scout she needs to start treating her company with respect. Both Calpurnia and Atticus are ashamed and upset at Scout's criticism of Walter Cunningham, Jr. at the dinner table. While Atticus simply shakes his head at Scout, Calpurnia lectures her about treating others with respect.

Describe the atmosphere in which the laugher usually works.

"The Laugher" is narrated by a man that is a professional laugher.  Over the course of the short story, he informs readers about his job.  The narrator spends some time early in the story telling readers that his laughter repertoire is quite diverse.   

I laugh like a Roman emperor, or like a sensitive schoolboy, I am as much at home in the laughter of the seventeenth century as in that of the nineteenth, and when occasion demands I laugh my way through all the centuries, all classes of society, all categories of age.

Because of his skills, the narrator admits that he is in high demand.  He works on all kinds of various media types, and directors and producers feel that the narrator is "indispensable."  Therefore, the atmosphere that the narrator works in is an atmosphere of respect.  The directors don't treat him like a novelty.  They need him to perform a particular task in order to get a particular effect.  That also makes the work environment direct, straightforward, and demanding.  The narrator has to hit his marks and queues like any other actor.  

I have become indispensable; I laugh on records, I laugh on tape, and television directors treat me with respect. I laugh mournfully, moderately, hysterically; I laugh like a streetcar conductor or like a helper in the grocery business; laughter in the morning, laughter in the evening, nocturnal laughter and the laughter of twilight. In short: wherever and however laughter is required—I do it. 

The demanding work atmosphere is made more clear to readers when the narrator explains how his laughing skills are in demand from mediocre comedians.  He is frequently hired to make sure that audiences laugh at the correct moment.  He must time his outbursts so that they are both natural sounding and infectious at the same time.  That demanding kind of atmosphere is tiring to the narrator.  

It need hardly be pointed out that a profession of this kind is tiring, especially as I have also—this is my specialty—mastered the art of infectious laughter; this has also made me indispensable to third- and fourth-rate comedians, who are scared—and with good reason—that their audiences will miss their punch lines, so I spend most evenings in night clubs as a kind of discreet claque, my job being to laugh infectiously during the weaker parts of the program. It has to be carefully timed: my hearty, boisterous laughter must not come too soon, but neither must it come too late, it must come just at the right spot: at the pre-arranged moment I burst out laughing, the whole audience roars with me, and the joke is saved.   

If the original question is meant to ask about the overall mood/atmosphere of the story as a whole, then I think "calm" effectively describes the atmosphere created by the story's narration.  The narrator describes events in a very straightforward, factual manner.  He's calm throughout most of the piece.  The atmosphere of the story does change near the end of it though.  As the narrator explains that he doesn't laugh outside of work anymore, the atmosphere is much more melancholic.  The narrator admits that he's happy with his marriage, but he also admits that laughter is not a part of that marriage.  

So our marriage is a quiet, peaceful one, because my wife has also forgotten how to laugh: now and again I catch her smiling, and I smile too.

The story ends with the narrator admitting that despite the fact that his job is laughing, he doesn't believe that he has ever actually heard his real, natural laugh.  

So I laugh in many different ways, but my own laughter I have never heard.

That's bordering on creating a depressed atmosphere for readers.  

What are the differences between Catholic, Baptist, and other Christian churches? What do they do that's different or demonstrates slightly...

The Bible is a complex book. In fact, the Protestant version is composed of sixty-six books, written by a range of authors. There are many themes that run through the Bible, and there are many places in the Bible that can be points of confusion.

The Bible is also a book that has been interpreted in various ways for close to 2000 years. There are many writings about the Bible and traditions that have arisen from these interpretations. 

In Western Europe, prior to the early 1500s, the Catholic Church was the only official Christian church. People who interpreted the Bible differently were called heretics and received terrible punishments if they were caught. In fact, the word "catholic" means "universal." 

Churches, such as Baptist, Pentecostal, Calvinist, Lutheran, Methodist, and so forth, did not arise until Martin Luther, then a monk in the Catholic church, challenged some of the Catholic traditions of the time. For example, some priests had been selling God's forgiveness of sin. Luther challenged these traditions and pioneered the essence of the "Protestant" churches. "Protestant" comes from the word "protest." 

Luther's successful challenge opened the door for churches to be established around a range of interpretations of the Bible. For example, the Pentecostal churches focus on the Book of Acts as a primary source for how a church should be. In the Book of Acts, the Holy Spirit comes down upon the disciples and they preach to people but each person heard the preaching in their own language.

Baptists differentiate themselves from other Protestant churches in part through a focus on the practice of baptism. Some churches baptize babies, and they may do this by sprinkling a small amount of water on a person's head. Baptists believe in full immersion baptism, following the way in which John the Baptist baptized Jesus (in the river Jordan) and also with a concern for the way the Apostle Paul describes baptism as a form of death, burial, and resurrection of the believer's soul. These churches don't baptize people until they are old enough to make that decision for themselves. 

Quakers believe that revelation from God did not stop with the Bible. They are also one of the peace churches, a group of churches whose members have chosen to be non-violent. They don't go to war because they believe there is the "light of God" in everyone. 

Catholics, Baptists, Calvinists, and so forth are all Christians, and the Bible is supposed to have a central role in their faith. They believe Jesus Christ was the Messiah promised in the Old Testament of the Bible and that Jesus lived, died on a cross, was buried, and then resurrected, which are the events described in the first four books of the New Testament (the Gospels). Beyond this essential belief, they differ in methods of worship and doctrine, based on differing interpretations of the Bible.

Who is Rosh in The Bronze Bow?

Rosh is the leader of a group of bandits who live on a mountain. Daniel lives with Rosh at the beginning of The Bronze Bow. When Daniel ran away from his master, Amalek, to the mountain, Rosh found him and took him in, so Daniel looks on Rosh as a mentor and "a good man." Joel has heard of Rosh and says that some people believe Rosh is merely a bandit "who robs even...

Rosh is the leader of a group of bandits who live on a mountain. Daniel lives with Rosh at the beginning of The Bronze Bow. When Daniel ran away from his master, Amalek, to the mountain, Rosh found him and took him in, so Daniel looks on Rosh as a mentor and "a good man." Joel has heard of Rosh and says that some people believe Rosh is merely a bandit "who robs even his fellow Jews," and that others believe he takes money from the rich to give to the poor. Daniel asserts that Rosh is "raising an army to fight against Rome" and that he is the "bravest man in the world." As the story progresses, Daniel begins to see Rosh for who he is--a selfish man who has no real principles. When Rosh refuses to help free Joel from the Romans, Daniel decides he is no longer one of Rosh's men. He realizes that Rosh is not the savior he once believed him to be, and thereafter he  considers the possibility that Jesus is a better leader than Rosh. In literary terms, Rosh is a "foil" to Jesus. He is a character who contrasts starkly with Jesus, thereby helping us better understand Jesus' character. Jesus is everything Rosh is not--kind, caring, loving, and one who can truly deliver his people--although not in the way that Daniel originally thought.

Assume the role of Aunt Alexandra or Calpurnia. Tell Tom's story from that character's perspective, and explain in character, why you feel it right...

Aunt Alexandrais a traditionalist who is also prejudiced against African Americans. We know that Aunt Alexandra disapproves of her brother defending Tom Robinson from Francis's interpretation of her comments regarding Atticus. In addition, the majority of Alexandra's peer group is also prejudiced against African Americans. Taking her social views into consideration, one would assume that Alexandra would support Tom Robinson's conviction, even if she believed that he did not rape Mayella. Similar to the jurors...

Aunt Alexandra is a traditionalist who is also prejudiced against African Americans. We know that Aunt Alexandra disapproves of her brother defending Tom Robinson from Francis's interpretation of her comments regarding Atticus. In addition, the majority of Alexandra's peer group is also prejudiced against African Americans. Taking her social views into consideration, one would assume that Alexandra would support Tom Robinson's conviction, even if she believed that he did not rape Mayella. Similar to the jurors who knowingly convicted an innocent man, Alexandra would support the decision to convict Tom simply because of her prejudice. Alexandra is intelligent enough to figure out that it was impossible for Tom Robinson to inflict those injuries on Mayella. She also knows that her brother would only defend an innocent man. Since Alexandra is a traditionalist, it can be assumed that she would not be in favor of giving African Americans the same rights as white people. She more than likely realizes that Tom is innocent, but would not support an acquittal because of its inevitable social impact. Alexandra would say something along the lines of, "I have no reason not to believe that poor, white girl. You all know how dangerous Negros can be. I would not be surprised one bit if Tom Robinson beat and raped her."

Calpurnia would fully support Tom Robinson and defend his character throughout the trial. Calpurnia is a close friend of the Robinson family and knows that he would never take advantage of Mayella Ewell. She is also aware of the Ewells's reputation throughout town and would know they are lying on the witness stand. She would more than likely recognize Mayella's contradictions immediately and take into account the fact that Mayella's father had the motivation to assault her. Calpurnia would also understand that Tom is physically incapable of inflicting those injuries upon Mayella. Calpurnia would argue for Tom's acquittal at the end of the trial.

How did your feelings about the Giver change as you read the story from beginning to end?

How your feelings would change about the Giver from beginning to end would depend on how you viewed the Giver at both times. While it is up to you to decide how to feel about him, it might help to look at how the Giver changed throughout the story.

When we first meet him in Ch. 10 and up through about Ch. 18, the Giver seems resigned to his position in the community and what it requires of him. He does not feel he has any power to change anything and perhaps is not even looking to do so:

"I have great honor. So will you. But you will find that that is not the same as power" (Ch. 11).

He also seems resigned to Jonas's taking over of his position. In many ways, the Giver is condoning Sameness, even though he understands all of it pitfalls. In the earlier chapters, when Jonas questions Sameness after only a few memories, the Giver is quick to point out that if people were allowed to make their own choices, they may make the wrong ones. So, although he has the memories and the wisdom of the world, he is still helping to support and contribute to this community of Sameness. 

Later in the book, though, he begins to change. As he sees Jonas question more and more about the community, the Giver is forced to help explain some of the reasoning behind the community's very strange and difficult decisions. When the topic of release comes up, the Giver seems to nudge Jonas into watching the video of his father releasing the newborn twin. He wants Jonas to fully understand the community he is living in, and yet, this is the straw that breaks the camel's back for Jonas. He decides then and there he cannot return home or live with his family anymore. It is in this moment, too, that the Giver begins to realize that he can be an agent of change rather than sit by and be complacent. 

"Having you here with me over the past year has made me realize that things must change. For years I've felt that they should, but it seemed so hopeless. Now for the first time I think there might be a way" (Ch. 20).

The Giver now feels like he has the power to help the community change.

Because the Giver changes so much from the beginning of the book to the end of the book, you could make an argument that your own feelings about him change as well. Perhaps you admire him more, respect him more, like him more, etc... Ideally, we want to see a dynamic character in a novel, one who experiences some sort of change, and the Giver does just that.

For what crime was the young man thrown into prison?

The young man is thrown into prison for falling in love with the princess, the much beloved daughter of the king. The young man is brave and handsome, but lowborn. The princess falls in love with him without the approval—or even knowledge—of her father. In fact, the romance goes on undiscovered, we are told, for many months. When the princess's father, who very much likes to have things his own way, realizes what has happened,...

The young man is thrown into prison for falling in love with the princess, the much beloved daughter of the king. The young man is brave and handsome, but lowborn. The princess falls in love with him without the approval—or even knowledge—of her father. In fact, the romance goes on undiscovered, we are told, for many months. When the princess's father, who very much likes to have things his own way, realizes what has happened, he has the young man cast into prison. As the text states:

Never before had such a case occurred; never before had a subject dared to love the daughter of the king.

We see from this action that the king is very possessive of his daughter. He also has a strong sense of social class, which means he is offended that the young man has overstepped his boundaries and dared to love a person so far above him in rank.

How is the theme presented/explored in "Suicide in the Trenches" by Siegfried Sasson?

The theme of "Suicide in the Trenches" is presented in the poem with the great contrast between society's romantic perception of trench warfare and its reality as exemplified by the young soldier. 

This theme of the stark reality of war is explored by means of diction and tone. In the first stanza, the young soldier has a romanticized view of life--grinning in "empty joy." In truth, he has no experience of the harsh realities of...

The theme of "Suicide in the Trenches" is presented in the poem with the great contrast between society's romantic perception of trench warfare and its reality as exemplified by the young soldier. 

This theme of the stark reality of war is explored by means of diction and tone. In the first stanza, the young soldier has a romanticized view of life--grinning in "empty joy." In truth, he has no experience of the harsh realities of war. However, once he is sent to the war front where the World War I soldiers engage in battle from the trenches, this naive soldier becomes "cowed and glum," experiencing horrifying fear and carnage, along with having to spend long hours of being subjected to bitter cold, lice infestation, and starvation.

In the final stanza, the speaker's tone becomes very sardonic as he addresses those who believe war is glorious:

You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
Sneak home and pray you'll never know
The hell where youth and laughter go

In the last two lines of Siegfried Sassoon's poem, the speaker expresses his scorn for those who romanticize something as horrific as war, a hellish condition that leads a despairing, innocent lad to kill himself in a lonely trench thousands of miles from his home.

You are sitting in a boat floating on a very small pond. You take the anchor out of the boat and drop it into the water. Does the water level in...

The water level in the pond will fall slightly. When the anchor is in the boat, the boat displaces enough water so that the buoyant force on it equals the sum of the weight of the boat, your weight, and the weight of the anchor. When you drop the anchor into the water, it displaces just its volume of water (rather than its weight as it did while in the boat.) The total weight...

The water level in the pond will fall slightly. When the anchor is in the boat, the boat displaces enough water so that the buoyant force on it equals the sum of the weight of the boat, your weight, and the weight of the anchor. When you drop the anchor into the water, it displaces just its volume of water (rather than its weight as it did while in the boat.) The total weight of the boat becomes less and the boat displaces less water as a consequence since the anchor is now resting on the bottom of the pond.

In the following passage from Lord of The Flies, how does structure contribute to the atmosphere and theme? Ralph shuddered. The lagoon had...

This quotation is taken from the sixth chapter of William Golding's Lord of the Flies. Although the excerpt is narrated in the third person, we are looking at the scene through the eyes of Ralph. Because Ralph is among the most mature and civilized of the boys, he serves as a normative viewpoint, one whose perceptions are reliable and with whom the audience is likely to empathize.

At this point in the story, Samneric have...

This quotation is taken from the sixth chapter of William Golding's Lord of the Flies. Although the excerpt is narrated in the third person, we are looking at the scene through the eyes of Ralph. Because Ralph is among the most mature and civilized of the boys, he serves as a normative viewpoint, one whose perceptions are reliable and with whom the audience is likely to empathize.

At this point in the story, Samneric have been terrified by their sighting of "the beast," which is actually the corpse of a dead paratrooper. The boys are searching for the beast on the only part of the island they have not yet explored, a sort of peninsula connected to the rest of the island by a narrow natural bridge.     

At this point in the story, the boys are facing three obstacles. The first is nature itself, from which they need shelter. The second is the external "beast." The third is the "beast" within themselves. The water for Ralph seems to embody or foreshadow all three of these thematic antagonists. Structurally, the image serves a function of transition and foreshadowing; the "slumbering leviathan" suggests that the menaces that Ralph perceives have not yet fully awoken but, like the tide, are about to unleash their forces on the boys.

The table-like rock suggests something stable and civilized that will be drowned by the primal and powerful force of the ocean. The force of the tide and phrases such as "strange growths" also suggest something primeval and terrifying, contributing to the atmosphere of horror that is developing in the novel. Thematically, this also emphasizes that nature, both physical and human, is seen in the story as potentially immensely powerful and destructive when not tamed by civilization. 

How would you analyze the following story's context, tone, and style? Birmingham bans apostrophes from road signs Councillors in Birmingham...

Context

Context includes the time period the writing is set in, the prevailing social and political conditions at the time of publication, and specific influences that inspired the writer to pen such an article.

The above passage appears to be a news article from a British newspaper. It was written in 2009. Although not immediately current, it addresses an ongoing national discussion about the dangers of "dumbing down" in the United Kingdom. In fact, there have been a slew of articles since then that have reported on the "dumbing down" phenomenon in education that concerns many British citizens.

The prevailing debate centers on questions of fairness versus quality: should academic institutions concentrate on instilling high standards of academic excellence or on providing equal opportunities for all? Recently, a barrage of articles (the above being one of many) have condemned the public predilection for pop culture and its disdain for serious discourse; as a result, there have been ubiquitous calls for a national examination of the public consciousness.

Critics of the "dumbing down" phenomenon contend British colleges and universities now award top honors to more than 70% of new graduates, essentially making their new degrees "meaningless" in terms of quality. The context of the article centers on the national debate regarding eroding academic standards and the simultaneous decline of British culture.

Here are articles on "dumbing down" in British society:

The "dumbing down" of British culture and society.

Universities 'dumbing down' degrees so more students graduate with top class honors.

Style

In any piece of writing, style includes diction (word choice) and syntax (sentence construction). In the Birmingham article, the author has chosen to use a more formal style of writing, as opposed to an informal style. Slang is not used in the article at all. The formal style with few contractions is perfectly suited to the serious subject matter.

Also, the style of the article is more informative than expository. In expository writing, the author provides evidence for taking a particular stance on a topic; on the other hand, informative writing aims to impart the straight facts and circumstances of a situation without the inclusion of personal opinion. In the Birmingham article, the author delineates the prevailing sentiments on both sides of the "dumbing down" debate, but he doesn't provide any arguments to support a personal stance on the matter.

Tone

As a practice, tone constitutes the author's own attitudes towards the subject matter. In the Birmingham article, the author is serious, clear, concise, and candid. It is an article devoid of tangential information; the author is focused on the "dumbing down" debate exclusively.

To what extent is the Treaty of Versailles fair?

The Versailles Treaty actually was not fair on any level.  Even though an armistice ending the war, Britain still maintained a naval blockade of Germany, thus starving the country.  Germany was faced with two options--sign the treaty and suffer for decades paying off reparations, or hold out for better terms, and risk further ruin to the nation.  Germany was forced to accept all of the blame for the war, even though German leaders initially encouraged...

The Versailles Treaty actually was not fair on any level.  Even though an armistice ending the war, Britain still maintained a naval blockade of Germany, thus starving the country.  Germany was faced with two options--sign the treaty and suffer for decades paying off reparations, or hold out for better terms, and risk further ruin to the nation.  Germany was forced to accept all of the blame for the war, even though German leaders initially encouraged Austria-Hungary to act with caution and only fully mobilized when Russia mobilized their troops.  Many of the atrocities that were attributed to German soldiers on the Western front later turned out to be part of an Allied propaganda ploy meant to get America into the war sooner.  While the U-boat was initially considered a war crime, Britain also flouted maritime law by flying the flags of neutral vessels and shipping weapons of war aboard passenger ships.  Not only was Germany forced to accept the blame for this war and to pay reparations, but the nation had to do it while weakened due to manpower and industrial shortages, thus making the expectations more unrealistic.  

How do books protect Liesel?

Liesel is the main character in the novel The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. She is a young German girl who, at the beginning of the story, is traveling by train to Munich with her mother and brother. On the way, her brother dies on the train, and while they are burying his body, Liesel steals her first book. This starts Liesel's love for and obsession with books, which continues throughout the rest of the story.

Liesel moves in with her foster parents in Molching, and Hans, her foster father, realizes that Liesel cannot read. He begins to teach her the alphabet, and Liesel and Hans develop a very special bond. They eventually finish the book that Liesel stole on the train ride.

The story is set during World War II in Nazi Germany. The second book she steals is during a book-burning ceremony in town. She is exposed to more books when she begins delivering laundry for a wealthy woman in town who owns a vast library. The woman, Ilsa Herman, allows Liesel to read her books. Liesel becomes quite the reader, which ultimately comes in handy.

When Molching is being bombed, the people must find shelter in neighbors' basements. Everyone is very tense and afraid, but Liesel begins to read aloud in the shelter, which calms everyone's nerves. In this case, the book doesn't literally protect her or the people from any bombs, but the power of her books and her words provide calmness and soothe people's anxiety.

Liesel's family take in a Jewish man named Max to help him hide from the Nazis. Liesel and Max have a very special friendship, and they spend time in the basement together reading and practicing spelling words. Max ultimately leaves, but he leaves a book for Liesel called "The Word Shaker," which is the story of Max and Liesel's friendship. It promises that someday they will be reunited.

Later in the story, Ilsa Herman leaves Liesel a blank notebook so that she can write her own book. Her love of books and words protects her at the end of the story, because she is in the basement writing in her notebook when her town gets bombed. In this raid, her beloved foster parents and her best friend, Rudy, pass away. Liesel is pulled from the ruins and only survives because she happened to be in the basement writing when the bombing happened. In this way, her love of books literally protects her and saves her life.

`(y-1)sinx dx - dy = 0` Solve the first-order differential equation

`(y-1)sin(x)dx - dy = 0`

To solve, express the equation in the form `N(y)dy = M(x)dx`.

So bringing same variables on one side, the equation becomes:

`(y-1) sin(x) dx = dy`

`sin(x) dx = dy/(y - 1)`

Then, take the integral of both sides.

`int sin(x) dx = int dy/(y-1)`

For the left side, apply the formula `int sin (u) du = -cos(u) + C` .

And for the right side, apply the formula `int (du)/u...

`(y-1)sin(x)dx - dy = 0`

To solve, express the equation in the form `N(y)dy = M(x)dx`.

So bringing same variables on one side, the equation becomes:

`(y-1) sin(x) dx = dy`

`sin(x) dx = dy/(y - 1)`

Then, take the integral of both sides.

`int sin(x) dx = int dy/(y-1)`

For the left side, apply the formula `int sin (u) du = -cos(u) + C` .

And for the right side, apply the formula `int (du)/u =ln|u| + C` .

`-cos(x) +C_1 = ln|y-1|+C_2`

From here, isolate the y.

`-cos(x) + C_1 - C_2 = ln|y-1|`

Since C1 and C2 represent any number, express it as a single constant C.

`-cos(x) +C = ln|y-1|`

Then, eliminate the logarithm in the equation.

`e^(-cos(x)+C) = e^(ln|y-1|)`

`e^(-cos(x) + C) = |y-1|`

`+-e^(-cos(x) + C) = y-1`

To simplify the left side, apply the exponent rule `a^m*a^n=a^(m+n)` .

`+-e^(-cos(x))*e^C= y-1`

`+-e^C*e^(-cos(x))=y-1`

Since `+-e^C` is a constant, it can be replaced with C.

`Ce^(-cos(x))=y - 1`

`Ce^(-cos(x))+1=y`

Therefore, the general solution is  `y=Ce^(-cos(x))+1` .

What is the difference between a natural disaster and a natural hazard?

To understand this, we must first provide definitions for "disaster" and "hazard" in order to differentiate between the two. According to Merriam-Webster, there are a few definitions each for disaster and hazard; however, we will use the definitions that relate to our discussion. Disaster is “a sudden calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, or destruction,” whereas hazard is “a source of danger.” 

A natural hazard would be a theoretical natural source of danger—something that has...

To understand this, we must first provide definitions for "disaster" and "hazard" in order to differentiate between the two. According to Merriam-Webster, there are a few definitions each for disaster and hazard; however, we will use the definitions that relate to our discussion. Disaster is “a sudden calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, or destruction,” whereas hazard is “a source of danger.” 

A natural hazard would be a theoretical natural source of danger—something that has the potential to cause harm. A natural disaster, by contrast, would be the result of a natural hazard, should that hazard wreak havoc and destruction on land, communities, resources, etc. For example, Hurricane Harvey was a natural hazard that became a natural disaster once it made landfall and wreaked destruction. 

In Thomas Paine's Common Sense: Why are Paine's reasons and rhetoric significant?

Thomas Paine wanted the message of "Common Sense" to be very accessible to his audience, the people of the American colonies. He was contracted to convince as many people as possible that separation from Britain was the right decision at that time.

Paine relied heavily on appeals to logic.  In the quotation below, he anticipated an opposing argument and refuted it.

"I have heard it asserted by some, that as America hath flourished under her former connection with Great Britain, that the same connection is necessary towards her future happiness, and will always have the same effect. Nothing can be more fallacious than this kind of argument. We may as well assert, that because a child has thrived upon milk, that it is never to have meat; or that the first twenty years of our lives is to become a precedent for the next twenty."

Paine's point is that the past practices of Britain may have enabled the colonies to "flourish," but he argues that there is no indication that a continued relationship will continue to yield the same result.  His use of a simple analogy about child rearing would be readily understandable by the masses.

Paine also refutes the claim that Britain should continue to rule the colonies because the people of the colonies are of English descent.  His claim,

"Not one third of the inhabitants, even of this province, are of English descent"

would ring true to people of the colonies in 1776 because there had been an influx of immigrants from all over Europe: Holland, France, Germany, etc. 

Paine doesn't miss  opportunities to appeal to emotion. For example, to those who would say that "Britain is the parent country," Paine counters, "Then the more shame upon her conduct. Even brutes do not devour their young."  

By keeping his message consistent, appealing to both logic and emotion, and using examples and analogies that would be resonant with his audience, Paine built his reputation as the pamphleteer of the American Revolution.

What was the dark underside of the Renaissance?

The Renaissance tended to portray itself as a period of enlightenment and movement away from the barbarism of the "dark ages", more properly termed the medieval period, preceding it. The reality is more complex, though.

First, in religion, the Renaissance was marked by the Reformation, which consisted of two different approaches to church reform. One resulted in Protestantism, which broke away from the authority of the Roman Catholic Church; the other—properly termed the counter-Reformation—attempted reform...

The Renaissance tended to portray itself as a period of enlightenment and movement away from the barbarism of the "dark ages", more properly termed the medieval period, preceding it. The reality is more complex, though.

First, in religion, the Renaissance was marked by the Reformation, which consisted of two different approaches to church reform. One resulted in Protestantism, which broke away from the authority of the Roman Catholic Church; the other—properly termed the counter-Reformation—attempted reform of abuses within the Church. The dark side of this reform was the ensuing period of devastating religious warfare that consumed Europe.

The Renaissance was a great era of exploration. Although this increased Europeans' knowledge and understanding of the world and led to many scientific discoveries, it had a dark side in the development of conquest, exploitation, and colonialism of peoples in Africa and the Americas.

The development of new technologies is often viewed as a positive element of this period, but this also included advanced weaponry, which allowed people to kill each other far more efficiently than they previously could. New technology also made many jobs obsolete, disrupting the lives of skilled craftspeople.

How do they decide which twin needs to be released in The Giver?

The Nurturers weigh both twins and release whichever one weighs less.

In Jonas’s community, people go out of their way to make sure no one is uncomfortable. Ironically, in a place where conformity is everything, being identical is not allowed.  The community carefully controls the birth rate and the physical features of its citizens, but apparently they cannot control whether there will be one child or two.  It seems that non-identical twins are acceptable, so they do not intervene until they know that the babies are identical.  Consider the conversation between Jonas’s mother and father.

Right now we're all preparing for a release we'll probably have to make very soon. There's a Birthmother who's expecting twin males next month."

"Oh, dear," Mother said, shaking her head. "If they're identical, I hope you're not the one assigned--" (Ch. 14)

From this we can assume that the twin will only be released if the babies are identical.  They are preparing for the release, so they seem to know that they are identical or that they might be.  Interestingly enough, even though no one in the community has any concept of death, releasing seems to be considered an unpleasant job.  Jonas’s mother tells his father she hopes he’s not the one to do it.

Jonas’s father explains the process that he will use to ensure that the right twin is released.

I'll have to select the one to be nurtured, and the one to be released. It's usually not hard, though. Usually it's just a matter of birthweight. We release the smaller of the two." (Ch. 14)

Why do they do this?  In this community, it is considered improper to not follow the rules.  Rules are incredibly important.  The community functions under a series of rules for almost everything, which are designed to maintain conformity.  Everyone follows the rules, and no one is ever uncomfortable because they know exactly what to do, and do exactly what they are told.

Jonas’s father does not seem to understand that he is killing the baby.

"Do you actually take it Elsewhere, Father?" Jonas asked.

"No, I just have to make the selection. I weigh them, … and then I get the smaller one all cleaned up and comfy.  Then I perform a small Ceremony of Release and--" He glanced down, grinning at Gabriel. "Then I wave bye-bye…" (Ch. 17)

Actually, Jonas’s father is taking one to Elsewhere.  That is what killing the twin does, since Elsewhere is a euphemism for death.  Yet Jonas’s father does not seem to think anything of it.  You can tell by the fact that he talks about waving bye-bye to the baby as if it is just leaving the room, and not dead.  The fact that he looks at Gabriel, who is constantly threatened with release, is even more disturbing.

When Jonas tells The Giver about the release, the old man says, "I wish they wouldn't do that," and Jonas tells him that it would be confusing to have two identical people (Ch. 19).  Apparently that simple fact, that someone might mistake one for the other, makes people uncomfortable.  They are uncomfortable enough to kill one of the babies to prevent it.

When Jonas sees the ceremony of release, which was videotaped, he is completely shocked.  The event is a turning point for his character.  This climactic event causes Jonas a great internal conflict.  He simply cannot believe what he sees, and from then on finds it impossible to exist within his community’s norms.  Instead, he and The Giver plan his escape.  They hope to return the memories to the people, and with them the ability to feel.  When you can feel emotions, you no longer cannot react to the murder of an innocent baby.

What were the effects of Reconstruction on American life?

The Reconstruction period began during the Civil War and continued after the end of the war. The period also marked the first attempt by the United States to develop interracial democracy. The North went to war against the South with the main issue being slavery. The North was determined to institute reforms against slavery while the South was holding on to it because of the free labor that the practice provided.The South however lost the...

The Reconstruction period began during the Civil War and continued after the end of the war. The period also marked the first attempt by the United States to develop interracial democracy. The North went to war against the South with the main issue being slavery. The North was determined to institute reforms against slavery while the South was holding on to it because of the free labor that the practice provided.The South however lost the war, signifying an end to slavery and the beginning of the reconstruction process.

Reconstruction was seen as an opportunity to develop an all inclusive nation. Life in the South and North changed with African Americans asserting their rights as free men. This situation was catastrophic for the Southern Whites who relied heavily on farming using free labor provided by the slaves. African Americans took the Reconstruction period as an opportunity to find lost family members, acquire farming land and pursue formal education. Apart from that, Black men were allowed to vote and hold office. The White Southerners feeling threatened, formed “patriotic organizations" such as the Ku Klux Klan to destabilize the government and reverse the gains made in American civil rights protections.

How does gender shape our identity? What role does society play in this? Use literary theories to argue points (i.e. Marxism).

The relationship of gender and society is complex. First, it is important to understand the difference between "gender" and biological sex; the latter has to do with anatomy, while the former refers to an ever-evolving set of social norms associated with the terms "male" and "female." I think most people (most people in the U.S., at least) derive a significant part of their "identity" (i.e., "the kind of person they think they are") from gender...

The relationship of gender and society is complex. First, it is important to understand the difference between "gender" and biological sex; the latter has to do with anatomy, while the former refers to an ever-evolving set of social norms associated with the terms "male" and "female." I think most people (most people in the U.S., at least) derive a significant part of their "identity" (i.e., "the kind of person they think they are") from gender identification.

Your question asks specifically about "literary theories." I think the "literary" part of gender has to do with notion that "gender" is symbolic, in the sense that it is a kind of "text" that people "write" for themselves and one which is open to interpretation. One of the key achievements of gender theory has been to show the arbitrary nature of gender and to explore the relationship between the gendered individual and the society that imposes gender norms on that individual. Judith Butler, for example, argues that gender is "performative," which is to say that gender identities are "performed" by individuals who decide to "act out" certain gender cues (like dress, makeup, behavior, etc.), thereby signalling their gender identities to others. On the other hand, Julia Kristeva, among others, analyzes gender in relation to a kind of "female writing" (ecriture feminine) and finds that the articulation of gender is bound up in the relationship of the individual to language. To crudely summarize: the denotative meaning of words is male; their connotative meaning is female. All of these ideas emerge from the psychoanalytic tradition, beginning with Freud, but especially draw on the thought of Jacques Lacan and his ideas of the Imaginary and the Symbolic.

You also mentioned Marxism. One of Marxism's contributions to understanding identity has been to situate the individual within a class structure. For gender studies, this has developed into the idea of "intersectionality," or the recognition that "identity" is not monolithic but composed of many separate identities, many of which may be oppressed, albeit in different ways. Intersectionality has become a way for people to understand gender within many different contexts, including race, social-economic class, sexual orientation, and so forth.

What is bebop?

Bebop is a type of modern jazz that was popular between 1940 and 1955. Bebop musicians essentially added to the traditional 7-chord harmonies with improvised chords from the 12-note chromatic scale.

The stunning chord progressions were revolutionary for their time. Traditional jazz artists decried the destruction of the jazz form, but others praised the often abrupt melodic progressions in bebop. Because of its nontraditional melodic structure and rhythmic complexity, bebop was more suited to listening...

Bebop is a type of modern jazz that was popular between 1940 and 1955. Bebop musicians essentially added to the traditional 7-chord harmonies with improvised chords from the 12-note chromatic scale.

The stunning chord progressions were revolutionary for their time. Traditional jazz artists decried the destruction of the jazz form, but others praised the often abrupt melodic progressions in bebop. Because of its nontraditional melodic structure and rhythmic complexity, bebop was more suited to listening than dancing.

Important bebop performers of the time included Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Thelonious Monk. A bebop band was usually small, and the only music instruments were the trumpet, saxophone, drums, piano, and bass. Bebop musicians were such nonconformists; they modified Count Basie's popular rhythm section and came up with their own distinctive rhythms. For more, please refer to the links below.

Find the exact value of sin(u+v) given that sin u=3/5 and cos v= -24/25. (Both u and v are in quadrant 2.)

Hello!

We know the formula `sin(u + v) = sin(u)cos(v) + cos(u)sin(v),` but it is not enough because we a given only `sin(u)` and `cos(v),` but neither `cos(u)` nor `sin(v).`

But we can find them using the identity `sin^2(x) + cos^2(x) = 1` and the information about the quadrant. Indeed, in the quadrant 2 sine is positive while cosine is negative, i.e.

`cos(u) = - sqrt(1 - sin^2(u)) = - sqrt(1 - 3^2/5^2) = - 4/5`

and

`sin(v)...

Hello!

We know the formula `sin(u + v) = sin(u)cos(v) + cos(u)sin(v),` but it is not enough because we a given only `sin(u)` and `cos(v),` but neither `cos(u)` nor `sin(v).`

But we can find them using the identity `sin^2(x) + cos^2(x) = 1` and the information about the quadrant. Indeed, in the quadrant 2 sine is positive while cosine is negative, i.e.

`cos(u) = - sqrt(1 - sin^2(u)) = - sqrt(1 - 3^2/5^2) = - 4/5`

and

`sin(v) = + sqrt(1 - cos^2(v)) = sqrt(1 - 24^2/25^2) = 7/25.`

This way we obtain

`sin(u + v) =sin(u)cos(v) + cos(u)sin(v) = `

`= (3/5)*(-24/25) + (-4/5)(7/25) = (-72 - 28)/125 = -100/125 = -4/5.`

It is not hard to find `cos(u + v),` too, using the similar formula

`cos(u + v) = cos(u) cos(v) - sin(u) sin(v). `

The answer for your question is  -4/5.

In The Giver, what might have happened in the community during the days following Jonas’s escape?

Jonas is assigned to be the community's next Receiver of Memory, and it says in his rules that he is not allowed to apply for release. The reason behind this rule stems from an incident explained in chapter 18: the previous Receiver of Memory was named Rosemary, and she applied for release because she could not handle the pain involved in the assignment. When she was released her negative memories flooded the community, which caused...

Jonas is assigned to be the community's next Receiver of Memory, and it says in his rules that he is not allowed to apply for release. The reason behind this rule stems from an incident explained in chapter 18: the previous Receiver of Memory was named Rosemary, and she applied for release because she could not handle the pain involved in the assignment. When she was released her negative memories flooded the community, which caused the citizens a significant amount of anguish and grief. The Giver tells Jonas that if he were to fall in the river accidentally, Jonas's years worth of memories would be too much for the community to handle.

Towards the end of the novel, Jonas plans to leave the community, and the Giver agrees to stay behind to help the citizens cope with the loose memories. Judging from the previous loss of Rosemary, one can assume that the people would panic and suffer once they experience Jonas's negative memories.

However, the wise Giver may also have developed a solution by advising the Council to adapt their ways of life, which would have altered the rigidity of their community based on conformity and comfort. Since the memories cannot be transferred back to the Giver, the citizens might learn from the world's ills and consider the positive memories of a free life. Over time, the loose memories may impact their community in a positive way as the citizens learn that an unpredictable life is better than the safe, restrictive alternative.

`x=sqrt(t) , y=3t-1 , 0

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

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

Given parametric equations are :`x=sqrt(t),y=(3t-1) , 0<=t<=1`

`x=sqrt(t)`

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

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

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

`y=3t-1`

`dy/dt=3`

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

`L=int_0^1sqrt((1/(2sqrt(t)))^2+3^2)dt`

...

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

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

Given parametric equations are :`x=sqrt(t),y=(3t-1) , 0<=t<=1`

`x=sqrt(t)`

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

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

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

`y=3t-1`

`dy/dt=3`

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

`L=int_0^1sqrt((1/(2sqrt(t)))^2+3^2)dt`

`L=int_0^1sqrt(1/(4t)+9)dt`

`L=int_0^1sqrt((1+36t)/(4t))dt`

`L=int_0^1sqrt(1+36t)/sqrt(4t)dt`

`L=int_0^1 1/2sqrt(1+36t)/sqrt(t)dt`

Take the constant out,

`L=1/2int_0^1sqrt(1+36t)/sqrt(t)dt`

Let's first evaluate the indefinite integral:`intsqrt(1+36t)/sqrt(t)dt`

Use integral substitution:`u=6sqrt(t)`

`du=6(1/2)t^(1/2-1)dt`

`du=3/sqrt(t)dt`

`intsqrt(1+36t)/sqrt(t)dt=int1/3sqrt(1+u^2)du`

`=1/3intsqrt(1+u^2)du`

Use the following standard integral from the integration tables:

`intsqrt(u^2+a^2)du=1/2(usqrt(u^2+a^2)+a^2ln|u+sqrt(a^2+u^2)|)+C`

`=1/3[1/2(usqrt(u^2+1)+ln|u+sqrt(1+u^2)|)]+C`

`=1/6(usqrt(1+u^2)+ln|u+sqrt(1+u^2)|)+C`

Substitute back:`u=6sqrt(t)`

`=1/6(6sqrt(t)sqrt(1+36t)+ln|6sqrt(t)+sqrt(1+36t)|)+C`

`L=1/2[1/6(6sqrt(t)sqrt(1+36t)+ln|6sqrt(t)+sqrt(1+36t)|)]_0^1`

`L=1/12[6sqrt(t)sqrt(1+36t)+ln|6sqrt(t)+sqrt(1+36t)|]_0^1`

`L=1/12{[6sqrt(37)+ln|6+sqrt(37)|]-[ln|1|]}`

`L=1/12[6sqrt(37)+ln|6+sqrt(37)|]`

Using calculator,

`L=1/12[36.4965751818+ln12.0827625303]`

`L=1/12[38.9883550344]`

`L=3.2490295862`

`L~~3.249`

Arc length of the curve on the given interval `~~3.249`

What are some new healthcare technologies and how can healthcare communications be changed as a result of such technologies?

Many of the new advances in technology provide an opportunity to transform healthcare in radical ways through changing the models for medical data communication.

One type of advance generally falls under what is termed the "internet of things," or the ability to embed wireless communication abilities into a variety of very small objects with minimal power requirements. This means medical devices such as pacemakers or glucose monitors can send real-time information to patients' phones, which...

Many of the new advances in technology provide an opportunity to transform healthcare in radical ways through changing the models for medical data communication.

One type of advance generally falls under what is termed the "internet of things," or the ability to embed wireless communication abilities into a variety of very small objects with minimal power requirements. This means medical devices such as pacemakers or glucose monitors can send real-time information to patients' phones, which can relay that information to doctors or computers running diagnostic software, allowing treatment of many chronic diseases to be managed continuously. This monitoring results in better outcomes. Remote monitoring systems combined with phone applications that sense whether someone has taken medications can increase patient compliance and may help the elderly who might be suffering mild dementia to live independently longer. 

Next, a combination of digital imaging, video conferencing, and wireless-enabled diagnostic machinery can allow expert doctors to consult with physicians in remote areas. While many rural areas cannot support medical specialists such as cardiologists or neurologists, remote diagnostic facilities allow such specialists to diagnose patients and prescribe treatment remotely.

Finally, drones are increasingly being used to deliver medications, including vaccines, to remote ares in sub-Saharan Africa, where road access is limited. Drones also allow humanitarian organizations to deliver medications in conflict zones. Combining remote consulting and prescribing with drone delivery and cloud-based expert systems allows medical treatment to reach many people who would otherwise lack access to it. 

What does Melinda want? What are her hopes and goals?

Melinda ultimately wants to find her voice and grow as a person. After being blamed for calling the police and ending a summer party, her classmates abandon and bully her.  Melinda never revealed that the real reason for her 911 call was that Andy Evans, a popular senior boy, had raped her at the party. Throughout the story, she withdraws and chooses not to communicate with anyone. Melinda is only at peace when she is...

Melinda ultimately wants to find her voice and grow as a person. After being blamed for calling the police and ending a summer party, her classmates abandon and bully her.  Melinda never revealed that the real reason for her 911 call was that Andy Evans, a popular senior boy, had raped her at the party. Throughout the story, she withdraws and chooses not to communicate with anyone. Melinda is only at peace when she is alone. Eventually, she begins to express herself through art class. Her art teacher tells her “I think you have a lot to say. I’d like to hear it.” Melinda finally speaks out when she attempts to warn Rachel, her former friend, about Andy. Realizing that other girls feel the same way about him, Melinda becomes more empowered to stand up for herself. When she finally stands up to Andy, she finds that she has the support of others who will listen to her. Just like the trees that form the focus of her art project, Melinda grows and finally finds her voice.

What was the Presidential Election Campaign Fund, created in 1971, intended to provide?

The Presidential Election Campaign Fund was established to provide public funding for presidential campaigns, which are, as is well known, very expensive. Basically, taxpayers can decide to order that a few dollars be placed in a fund to be distributed to potential candidates. The Federal Election Commission determines which candidates are eligible to receive funding. The purpose of the fund was to keep candidates from turning to wealthy private donors, who might exercise an undue...

The Presidential Election Campaign Fund was established to provide public funding for presidential campaigns, which are, as is well known, very expensive. Basically, taxpayers can decide to order that a few dollars be placed in a fund to be distributed to potential candidates. The Federal Election Commission determines which candidates are eligible to receive funding. The purpose of the fund was to keep candidates from turning to wealthy private donors, who might exercise an undue and corrupt influence on elections. The problem, however, is that those candidates that receive money from the fund do so in return for a pledge to limit their spending on their campaigns. In recent years, changes in laws and Supreme Court decisions have made it possible for candidates to legally raise far more money through private donors than they could through the Campaign Fund. So in the last election, both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney refused all public funds. Most Americans, in fact, choose not to contribute to the fund on their tax returns.

What points do the authors make about "Medical Murder" in Chapter Eight of The Will to Kill: Making Sense of Senseless Murder?

In Chapter Eight, entitled "Medical Murder," Fox, Levin, and Quinet address a particularly disturbing kind of homicide, namely the murder of people in hospitals and nursing homes. Describing these crimes as "serial in nature," the authors further categorize them as murders committed in order to "satisfy a variety of personal desires and psychological needs" on the part of the killers. In order to fit the category, these murders also have to be carried out in the "perpetrator's health care role." According to the authors, this grisly phenomenon arose more or less at the same time as the hospital itself became a professionalized institution, and is not all that uncommon--one man in the 1890s may have killed as many as 200 people, and a nurse named Charles Cullen received multiple life sentences for murdering over 35 patients at a number of institutions.

What causes these people to commit these heinous crimes? The authors point to a number of factors. First, the victims are uniquely vulnerable. Many are sick and helpless, and of course health care professionals have access to drugs and other things that can be used to kill people. Many medical murders, it seems, are driven by profit, but the main motive is the importance that the killers feel by having life-and-death control over patients. These "power killers" usually kill far more people, because, in short, they do not want to get caught. They are subtle and quiet. "Hero killers," on the other hand, "create a life and death emergency with the goal of...thrusting themselves into the center of the dramatic crisis." The chapter also describes "Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy," which is where people fake illness in another person in order to attract attention and create drama. Obviously, professionals are uniquely placed to be able to act on these desires. 

One reason, the authors argue, that these crimes are so common is that they are hard to prove--many people die, of course, in hospitals and nursing homes in particular, and many administrators may not be willing to admit that their staff is complicit in their deaths, even if accidentally. The authors conclude by looking at several ways to prevent these crimes. One is by tracking data on healthcare providers to look at the number of people that died under their care. Another is by providing support for remedying the stressful conditions in healthcare facilities that can cause staff to "snap." Finally, actually charging the accused with homicide, rather than negligence, which seems to happen in a shockingly large proportion of cases, might serve as a deterrent. 

Source: James Alan Fox, Jack Levin, and Kenna Quinet, The Will to Kill: Making Sense of Senseless Murder, 3rd ed. (New York: Pearson Education, 2008), 143-160.

In Hatchet, how does Brian try to start a fire?

In Chapter 6, Brian laments not having matches as he looks out at the vast amount of dry driftwood around the lake. He tries his best to think of how experts start a fire and begins to rub two sticks together. After ten minutes of rubbing the sticks together, the sticks are still cool to the touch, and he fails at starting a fire.

In Chapter 8, a porcupine enters his shelter and Brian throws...

In Chapter 6, Brian laments not having matches as he looks out at the vast amount of dry driftwood around the lake. He tries his best to think of how experts start a fire and begins to rub two sticks together. After ten minutes of rubbing the sticks together, the sticks are still cool to the touch, and he fails at starting a fire.

In Chapter 8, a porcupine enters his shelter and Brian throws his hatchet in its direction. The hatchet bounces off of the rock wall and creates tiny sparks. The next day, Brian wakes up and realizes that his hatchet is the key to starting a fire. He examines the wall of his shelter and notices that the hatchet struck the darker rock. Brian then begins to strike the blade of his hatchet against the dark rock to create sparks.

In Chapter 9, Brian takes patches of birchbark peelings and shaves them to make birchbark fluff. He then takes the fluff and forms it into a nest with a depression in the middle. Brian uses his hatchet to create sparks which land in the nest, and he blows on the embers to create fire.

What is Marxism and how is it currently influencing the economy?

In popular terminology, Marxism is a set of beliefs about the proper set up for a country’s economy.  Marxism is diametrically opposed to capitalism, arguing that capitalism is unjust because it exploits the workers.  Although this is somewhat controversial, we can at least argue that Marxism affects the American economy by inspiring government programs like welfare programs and Medicaid.

Marxism is named for Karl Marx, who laid out the foundations of the philosophy in the...

In popular terminology, Marxism is a set of beliefs about the proper set up for a country’s economy.  Marxism is diametrically opposed to capitalism, arguing that capitalism is unjust because it exploits the workers.  Although this is somewhat controversial, we can at least argue that Marxism affects the American economy by inspiring government programs like welfare programs and Medicaid.

Marxism is named for Karl Marx, who laid out the foundations of the philosophy in the mid-1800s.  He argued that capitalism inherently exploits the workers.  Marx argued that manufactured goods only had value because of the work that went into them.  Even so, the workers did not get most of the money from the sale of the products they made.  Instead, the capitalists who owned the factory got most of the money even though they did none of the work.  To Marx, this was very unjust.  He argued that the economy should be set up in such a way that the workers would own everything and there would be no capitalists.  In this system, everyone would be essentially equal to one another economically.  There would be no rich and no poor people.  Only in this way could there be a truly just economic system.

Today, it is very controversial to call any aspect of our economy Marxist.  This is because Americans generally hate the idea of Marxism so calling something Marxist is very politically inflammatory.  However, you can argue that some aspects of our economy are influenced by Marxism.  In particular, you can say that anything the government tries to do to bring about economic equality is Marxist.  Therefore, you can say that programs like welfare, Medicaid, and Social Security are evidence of the influence of Marxism on our economy.

What are some quotes from The Story of American Freedom by Eric Foner?

Eric Foner's The Story of American Freedom is a look at American history through the lens of the struggle for and celebration of freedom. Quotes important to the book discuss freedom, American history, and Foner's connections between the two as he shows how the desire for freedom drives the history of America.

Foner writes "No idea is more fundamental to Americans' sense of themselves as individuals and as a nation than freedom." This is essentially his thesis for the entire book. He goes on to explain that the word appears in some of our most valued texts, including the Constitution. Foner also cites the Civil War and the Cold War as being fights to obtain and defend our freedom. 

Foner goes to on say that his "approach to the history of freedom centers on three interrelated themes: the meaning of freedom; the social conditions that make freedom possible; and the boundaries of freedom—the definition, that is, of who is entitled to enjoy it." Understanding his approach to history can help a reader better approach the connections he makes between historical events and freedom throughout the book.

To set the stage for the American Revolution and to show that it was sparked by the desire for an American kind of freedom, Foner writes:

Of course, the idea of freedom as the natural condition of mankind was hardly unknown in a nation that had produced the writings of John Milton and John Locke. But British freedom was anything but universal. Nationalist, often xenophobic, it viewed nearly every other nation on earth as "enslaved"—to popery, tyranny, or barbarism. 

He also explains how the peerage system in England was incompatible with what came to be the American ideal of freedom. 

Foner says that freedom is an idea that shows "the contradictions between what America claims to be and what it actually is." For example, we claim to be a nation devoted to freedom, but many Americans owned slaved. In order to live up to the ideal, the Civil War had to occur. 

Forner also writes:

Americans have sometimes believed they enjoy the greatest freedom of all—freedom from history. No people can escape being bound, to some extent, by their past. But if history teaches anything, it is that the definitions of freedom and of the community entitled to enjoy it are never fixed or final. We may not have it in our power, as Thomas Paine proclaimed in 1776, "to begin the world over again." But we can decide for ourselves what freedom is. No one can predict the ultimate fate of current understandings of freedom, or whether alternative traditions now in eclipse—freedom as economic security, freedom as active participation in democratic governance, freedom as social justice for those long disadvantaged—will be rediscovered and reconfigured to meet the challenges of the new century. 

This is important for several reasons. First, it lays out the different definitions of freedom that Foner believes Americans have worked for at different times in history. It also shows that different forms of freedom can be cycles that reemerge when needed (instead of appearing once and disappearing forever). Foner admits that the quest for true freedom isn't complete but clearly believes that America will continue to work toward it, one way or another.