How are the hypothesis classified? My posted question is related with Research Methodology

Hypothesis are classified in four broad
categories:

• Relational
  Hypothesis


• Causal Hypothesis
  


• Null Hypothesis


• Alternate
  Hypothesis

Relational Hypothesis states an
assumptions that describes the relationship between two variables. The relationship
suggested may be positive, negative or causal relationship. For example the hypothesis
may state that customers tend to spend more time in stores with better
atmospherics.

Causal Hypothesis affirm that the existence
of or change in one variable causes or leads to an effect on another variable. The first
of the two variable is called the independent variable and the latter is the dependant
variable.

Null hypothesis is a causal hypothesis stated
negatively. It states that one variable makes no difference to or has no relationship
with another. For example the hypothesis may state that the store atmospheric has no
influence on the time customers spend in the
store.

Alternate hypothesis simply states the existence of
a relationship without predicting the nature of relationship. For example hypothesis may
state that there is a definite relationship between the time spent by customers in store
and the store atmospherics

What were the steps Madame and Monsieur Loisel took to return the necklace to Madame Forestier?

When Madame Loisel and Monsieur Loisel discover that the necklace is missing from her neck they begin to panic. Mr. Loisel went back to every place they had been to see if he could find it.  "He went to the police station,to the newspapers to post a reward, to the cab companies, and anywhere else he might find hope in finding the necklace."  To no avail, the couple could not find the necxklace and knew they had to replace it.  They wrote a letter to Madame Forestier asking for a week because the clasp had broken and they wanted to get it fixed.  They visited a jeweler with the case the necklace had come in.  He said he did not sell the necklace just the case. They continued to go from jeweler to jeweler until they found a necklace that looked exactly like the one they lost.  It was store in an area of Paris called, "Palais Royal."  The jeweler would sell it to them for thirty-six francs.  Mr. Loisel had eighteen thousand francs he inherited from his father and he "signed notes, made ruinous deals, and visited loan sharks."  They were then able to buy the necklace and give it to Madame Forestier.  She took the necklace and never opened the case.

From that point on Madame Loisel and Monsieur Loisel lived horrid lives for the next ten years trying to pay back all the debts only to find out that the truth is always the better route.

Reference:  The Literature and Language Book by McDouga Littell

Is the title of "Twelfth Night" related to the theme of the play?

This question has actually been in answered in a full length book by Dr. Leslie Hotson, 'The First Night of Twelfth Night' (1954). Dr. Hotson argues that Twelfth Night is the 'working title' of the play, as the play was written to be performed on Twelfth Night (that is Epiphany - the twelfth day of Christmas - and a day of huge festivity in Elizabethan times) at the court of Queen Elizabeth.

It is difficult to find any evidence within the body of the play itself that explains or even hints at the reason for calling it 'Twelfth Night' otherwise. Scholars, prompted by Dr. Hotson, largely agree now that its subtitle, 'What You Will' (meaning 'Whatever you like', or 'What you wish for') was probably the title it was known by in Shakespeare's day.

'What you will' fits far better with the theme within the play of wishing for something to happen (Viola wishes for Sebastian to be alive, Malvolio for Olivia's love, Orsino for Olivia's love, Maria for Toby's love... and so on) - it also makes far more sense within the pattern of some of Shakespeare's other comedy titles: 'As You Like It', 'Much Ado About Nothing', and 'All's Well That Ends Well'.

George find it easy to confide in Slim. How are Slim's eyes described?no

Slim is introduced to the reader as having a "gravity in his manner and a quiet so profound that all talk stopped when he spoke. His authority was so great that his word was taken on any subject, be it politics or love." Slim is both liked and respected by everyone on the ranch. As George confides in Slim about what happened in Weed, it says that Slim's eyes were "level and unwinking." He is concentrating on George's tale and his eyes proves that he is trustworthy.

Describe Prospero's residence.

The narrator describes Prospero's residence
thus:

But
first let me tell of the rooms in which it was held. There were seven -- an imperial
suite. In many palaces, however, such suites form a long and straight vista, while the
folding doors slide back nearly to the walls on either hand, so that the view of the
whole extent is scarcely impeded. Here the case was very different; as might have been
expected from the duke's love of the bizarre. The apartments were so irregularly
disposed that the vision embraced but little more than one at a time. There was a sharp
turn at every twenty or thirty yards, and at each turn a novel effect. To the right and
left, in the middle of each wall, a tall and narrow Gothic window looked out upon a
closed corridor which pursued the windings of the suite. These windows were of stained
glass whose color varied in accordance with the prevailing hue of the decorations of the
chamber into which it opened. That at the eastern extremity was hung, for example, in
blue -- and vividly blue were its windows. The second chamber was purple in its
ornaments and tapestries, and here the panes were purple. The third was green
throughout, and so were the casements. The fourth was furnished and lighted with orange
-- the fifth with white -- the sixth with violet. The seventh apartment was closely
shrouded in black velvet tapestries that hung all over the ceiling and down the walls,
falling in heavy folds upon a carpet of the same material and hue. But in this chamber
only, the color of the windows failed to correspond with the decorations. The panes here
were scarlet -- a deep blood color. Now in no one of the seven apartments was there any
lamp or candelabrum, amid the profusion of golden ornaments that lay scattered to and
fro or depended from the roof. There was no light of any kind emanating from lamp or
candle within the suite of chambers. But in the corridors that followed the suite, there
stood, opposite to each window, a heavy tripod, bearing a brazier of fire that protected
its rays through the tinted glass and so glaringly illumined the room. And thus were
produced a multitude of gaudy and fantastic appearances. But in the western or black
chamber the effect of the fire-light that streamed upon the dark hangings through the
blood-tinted panes, was ghastly in the extreme, and produced so wild a look upon the
countenances of those who entered, that there were few of the company bold enough to set
foot within its precincts at
all.

The key points to
remember are as follows:

1. There were seven rooms in
all.

2. The rooms were structured in a bizarre manner so
that "the vision embraced but little more than one at a
time."

3. All the rooms were of a different color: blue,
purple, green, orange, white, violet and black.

4. The
scheme of lighting for each of these rooms was even more bizarre especially for the last
room, so much so that no one wanted to enter this room.

Where is the climax of "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"?

There may be some disagreement as to where the precise
climax of this haunting and mysterious poem lies, but to my mind the climax occurs in
Part IV of the poem when the Mariner is finally able to rid himself of the sign of guilt
that has hung around his neck since he shot the albatross and killed it towards the
beginning of the narrative.

What occasions this reversal in
his fortunes is his noticing of some water snakes. The Mariner clearly admires their
beauty, their sense of life and their happiness, and as a result he feels love for them
and blesses them:

readability="18">

O happy, living things! no
tongue

Their beauty might
declare:

A spring of love gushed from my
heart,

And I blessed them
unaware:

Sure my kind saint took pity on
me,

And I blessed them
unaware.

Notice how this
action cancels out his act of destruction of Nature by killing the albatross. Having
blessed living things, the Mariner suddenly finds that he is able to pray again. As a
result, the albatross which symbolises his guilt and burden, falls away from his neck
and into the sea, where it sinks, never to return:

readability="8">

The selfsame moment I could
pray;

And from my neck so
free

The Albatross fell off, and
sank

Like lead into the
sea.

This is the major
resolution of the conflict that begins when the Mariner kills the albatross, which is
why I think it marks the climax of the poem. The rest of the narrative charts the
falling action and resolution of the story.

What role do groups play in a society’s social structure?Provide 2 examples of groups, describing how these groups are influenced by their norms...

I would say that the most important function of groups in
a society is to provide their members with a sense of belonging.  This allows people to
feel connected to one another and helps society cohere.

One
clear example of a group is a family.  Familes are influenced mainly by the norms that
are set by the family leaders (parents or grandparents, usually).  Sanctions vary, but
they are meant to keep the younger members (usually) from behaving in ways that are
unacceptable to the family.

Less intimate groups, such as
companies, have norms and sanctions as well.  Management can sanction workers for
failing to live up to the firm's norms.  This can take the form, for example, of
suspending a worker for breaking rules.

In The Giver, what is Jonas refering to when he says he may have the ''capacity to see beyond''?

Answer: As Jonas goes further with his training, he recieves memories. These memories include color, pain, sorrow, etc. The more and more memories Jonas recieves, the more he starts understanding that he can see beyond with these memories. These memories that The Giver gives are really important and Jonas soon finds that out later in the book.

If you still do not get this answer that i gave you, then you can go to www.google.com and type in The Giver or The Giver Notes. There they will tell you about every chapter in the book and may answer your question.

In Act 3, why does Macbeth invoke the night?

I'm gathering you're talking about Act 3 Scene 2:

Come, seeling night,
Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day;
And with thy bloody and invisible hand
Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond
Which keeps me pale!--Light thickens; and the crow
Makes wing to the rooky wood:
Good things of day begin to droop and drowse;
Whiles night's black agents to their preys do rouse.--
Thou marvell'st at my words: but hold thee still;
Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill:

 Night represents moral darkness, the spirits of darkness, and concealment. Macbeth is preparing to have Banquo murdered, and, just as Lady Macbeth earlier wished for the spirits to "unsex" her, Macbeth wishes for night to cover any possibility of pity (scarf up the tender night of pitiful day) and to give him the concealment necessary to do his deed without being caught. There's power in the darkness, both literally, and, for Macbeth, figuratively. By now he has completely crossed the line and he no longer wants to be in the sun.

What are the complication and the resolution in Romeo and Juliet?

Romeo and Juliet is chockfull of complications, the most central one being the relationship between Romeo Montaque and Juliet Capulet.  The Montaques and the Capulets have been "at war" for years, yet it didn't stop Romeo and Juliet from falling in love.  Because of the situation between the families, Romeo and Juliet's relationship has very little chance of being accepted by the families, so they decide to sneak off and elope. Unfortunately, their plan backfires because of miscommunication, resulting in a double suicide. The one positive resolution stemming from this tragedy is the end of the long-standing war between the Montaques and the Capulets.  This "cease fire" paves the way for a future of peace between two families, a peace that most likely would never have happened without having the "wakeup call" resulting from this tragic event.  

In The Merchant of Venice, why does Jessica run away from Shylock and why does she take his money?

In Act II, Scene 3, we get an idea as to why Jessica is
going to leave her father and run off with Lorenzo.  She implies it is because he acts
in evil ways.  She'd rather run off and become a Christian than stay with her father who
does these things (presumably lending money at interest and being a Jew in
general).

I think she steals the money partly as a way to
get back at her father, partly as a way to prove her love for Lorenzo, and partly
because she's smart and it makes sense to have money when you run away from
home.

Please summarize "Sredni Vashtar."

Hope this can help
you...

A sickly ten-year-old boy lives a
miserable life in the house of his domineering cousin guardian. However, He would not
live another 5 years of his life because he is sick. He creates a fantasy religious cult
in a garden shed, where his idols are a hen and a ferret. He is a lonely and imaginative
young boy. One day he bought a polecat-ferret and named it Sredni Vashtar. Conradin
lived with Mrs De Ropp, his guardian. She is the one who took care of Conradin and
responsible to serve shelter, food and clothes for
conradin.

Although they lived together, Mrs De Ropp
dislikes Conradin. She never shows her concern toward Conradin. In the story, Conradin
keeps two animals in backyard shed which is a hen and a ferret. But, Mrs. De Ropp
discovers the hen and told to Conradin that she has sold the hen to the butcher. When
his guardian gets rids rid of his hen, he prays to the ferret for revenge. Then,
Conradin turn his devotion to the Sredni Vashtar, a great ferret. It gives happiness to
Conradin although he is sick. Sredni Vashtar is like a god for
Conradin.

One day, Mrs. De Ropp realized that Conradin was
keeping something else from her in the shed where Sredni Vashtar stayed. She goes the
shed again. At last she finds Sredni Vashtar while Conradin prays to his god for the
safety of his ferret. She went there to check it but she was been bitten in the throat
by the ferret and died. Sredni Vashtar bite Mrs. De Ropp. The maid went to the shed and
shocked. She screamed out loud as she discovers the dead body of Mrs. De Ropp while
Conradin enjoys toast in the kitchen.

What are two examples of foreshadowing in Act 2 of Romeo and Juliet?In what scene and lines are the examples? Summarize the example of foreshadowing.

In Act II, scene iii, Friar is speaking of the power of
plants when he notes that the plant has several powers. Plants can be medicinal, and
they can be poisonous. As he finishes he uses a metaphor that foreshadows the death of
lovers as they are products of kings:

readability="8">

Two such opposed kings encamp them
still
In man as well as herbs, grace and rude will;
And where the
worser is predominant,
Full soon the canker death eats up that
plant.

Later, in scene iv,
Mercutio and Benvolio are talking about Romeo when Mercutio notes that Romeo's love for
Rosaline is killing him. Little does Mercutio know that Romoe's love is not for
Rosaline, but for Juliet, and that her love will literally kill
him:

Alas poor
Romeo! he is already dead; stabbed with a
white wench's black eye; shot
through the ear with a
love-song; the very pin of his heart cleft with
the
blind bow-boy's
butt-shaft

Mercutio uses
language figuratively here as hyperbole or exaggeration, but the foreshadow is clear.
Love will kill Romeo.

What is the point of view in The Old Man and the Sea?

The narrator is a story teller.In novel everything is in the hand of the story teller and characters seem to be slave where as in drama the characters are let discuss freely and they are responsible of their actions.Drama is performd on the stage where as the novel is not.First of it ,it is dramatized and then is performed.So the narrator is always present there and tells the story.He is known the third person.So everything is to his approach.

This literary genre is very fruitful while travelling because one

gets a lot entertainment and instruction besides makes his 

travelling easier.So he narrates all characters with great spirit and technique.The reader understands every thing easily,that

Was Macbeth a good man turned evil or was he evil all along?

This is the ultimate Catch-22 question.  Every one of us has the potential to do good or evil deeds.  It is up to us to use our free will to make proper judgments as we see fit for each experience we encounter.

Having said that, Macbeth knows the witches' prophecies will come true. Two of the three are true when he decides to be persuaded by his wife to kill Duncan.  Part of his argument against killing Duncan is that he can wait for Fate to bring him the crown, yet he doesn't do that.  He hears that Duncan has bestowed this honor on Malcolm, and he loses his mind.  The witches plant a seed...the same seed...in both Macbeth and Banquo's mind.  Only Macbeth acts evilly on the information.

The potential for evil was there already.  It depended on Macbeth's choices--he chose to be swayed by the easy road to success than to wait for the right and honorable way to attain the third and final title in the prophecy: KING.

How do you draw a character map for literature?I'm reading The Cosmic Poachers by Philip K. Dick and need a character map for Captain Shure.

The principle behind creating a character
map of an existing character is that the reader analyzes the story to
find the elements of the character's life, the "backstory" that may or may not be
explicitly (directly) told in the story.

For instance, the
author or character may state that because s/he is an orphan, s/he was raised by Aunt
Willimetta in Nebraska after having been born in Montana. This would be directly told
information about the character that would go in a character
map.

As another instance, a character may speak crossly to
everyone reporting to him at work. The author may never state that the character is
obnoxious, but the reader can hear for themselves through the dialogue that the
character is obnoxious. This would be indirect information about the character that
would go in a character map.

There are specific questions
you'll want to answer about the character, in your case, Captain Shure. You'll put each
answer in your character map. You'll want to answer who the
character is: who the parents are, who raised the character, interests that define
her/im, etc. You'll want to ask what are her/is character
traits, attitudes, beliefs, and why does s/he have or hold
these traits, attitudes or beliefs. You'll want to ask
where the character is from: Did s/he grow up in the same
place where born? Does s/he work in the same place where raised? Etc.
When is usually also important to the story and, therefore,
to the characters in the story. You'll want to ask relevant
when-questions: born in 1950? working in 1929? Queen in
1560?

You'll want to ask how
is s/he involved in the story: the heroine, the best friend, the one in trouble, the one
causing the trouble, the one looking on and narrating? Etc. You'll also want to ask
if s/he is involved in the solution of the problem/conflict
in the story and if so, how? You'll also ask:
How does the resolution affect this character? Does s/he go
through any character development so that s/he is different in the end or has learned
something or has a changed belief or attitude?

A character
map is constructed in a couple of ways. You can make a sideways vector map that has
multiple branches out to the side from the character name, one for each answer to your
questions, or you can make it with branches extending downward from the name. Or you can
put the character name in the center and have branches encircling the name, going
clockwise or counterclockwise.

Each branch extending from
the name connects to a box, circle or space in which you write the briefest possible
answer to your questions, bearing in mind that answers may have branches also. For
instance, answering Who, you'd write Parents at the end of
one branch extending from the name. Then you'd add two more branches to your map
extending from Parents, one for mother's name and one father's name. Perhaps the mother
dies when the character is eight years old; this would require another branch, which
would extend  from mother's name. You'd continue like this, adding branches where and as
needed, until all your questions are answered. Bear in mind that character maps are for
brief answers.

In the play Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, what is the purpose/significance of the character "the boy"?

The boy is the messenger in Godot. There are two identical
boys in the two acts. They come to announce the fact that Godot will not arrive. The two
boys constitute yet another confusion in the form of the operation of the double, which
is a general pattern of the play.

The two boys are
important in the sense that they expound Beckett's un-knowing subjectivity quite
perfectly. Their patent answer is 'I do not know'. Beckett exploits a horrific as well
as comic flatness and mechanical quality through their
speech.

They also stand for an enigmatic innocence,
especially when Vladimir loses his cool and abuses them. As Vladimir's words clarify,
they also offer a subjectifying gaze for the two tramps to establish their
existence.

The two brothers are like Cain and Abel and
their dialogues about Godot's abode and his supposed treatment of them as well as their
respective professions under him--all point to a seductive Christian symbolism,
built into the play.

How old is Jem Finch at the beginning of the story To Kill A Mockingbird?I would like the age besides the fact that he is four years older than his...

In part one of To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout tells us that she was six and Jem was nearly ten. So at the beginning of the story, Jem is nine. The story is told to us by Scout, and goes to great lengths to describe the relationship between her and Jem. Although they are close in age, the two couldn't be more different. Jem is a serious boy, while Scout is not afraid to say whatever is on her mind. The story spans over a three year period in the lives of Jem and Scout. 

We learn early on all about the Ewells of Maycomb county. We also learn of Boo Radley and Dill. Scout details all of the people who are or will become important in her life. Over the course of the novel, we see the bother and sister bond between the two of them. They fight terribly, but what brother and sister don't fight? Although they fight and Scout can get on Jem's nerves, the two of them are extremely close and will always be there for each other. We see this bond by the end, when Jem and Scout are put to the ultimate test.

In Lord of the Flies, why does Jack refuse to give Piggy meat? And how is this tactic beneficial to Jack's campaign for leadership?

From the beginning of the story, we see the power struggle between Ralph and Jack. Jack wants to be seen as the one who is the leader. By Jack asserting his power over Piggy, he is showing the rest of the group that he is in control and that he has all the power. When Jack feels like his authority is being questioned, he reacts by hitting Piggy. He knows he can pick on someone weaker than he is, and no one will question it. Jack knows that deep down, Ralph is the true leader, but Jack has to prove to the others that it is him, not Ralph, that can take care of them.

When Jack allows Piggy to have some of the meat, he is showing that he has the say of who eats and who doesn't. He is once again asserting his authority over the group. The boys are terrified of being stranded on the island, and Jack steps up and uses that to his advantage. He makes it look like he is their salvation. Jack realizes that Piggy and Ralph are smarter and thinking clearly about their situation, so Jack uses his ability to give food or to take away food to keep the group dependent on him.

Explain what Simon does at night that is a bit out of the ordinary in Chapter 5 of Lord of the Flies.

In William Golding's allegory, Lord of the
Flies, Simon is the most symbolic of characters, and this symbolism is
evident in Chapter Five.  Jack attempts

readability="10">

..."to talk about this fear and decide and
decide there's nothing in it.  I'm frightened myself, sometimes; only that's nonsense! 
Like bogies.  Then, when we've decided, we can start again and be careful about things
like the fire."

He wants to
give the problem a definitive answer that will satisfy the boys and quiet their
anxities.  However, the intuitive Simon knows that this anxiety cannot be given a name. 
In this pivotal chapter, Simon withdraws from this useless conversation in which Jack
summarily declares, "there is no beast in the forest," and does what no one else would
dare:  He goes "out in the darkness."  When Simon returns, even Ralph questions him with
astonishment, "What were you mucking about in the dark
for?"

Like the prophet that he is, Simon tries to explain
"the place I know,"--his retreat in the forest where he can quietly listen to his
intuitive spirit--but Jack ridicules him.  Little Percival, whose ancient name suggests
man's atavistic need to give troubling elements a name is placed in front of the group
and says that the beast is in the sea, Simon, the prophet, grabs the conch and makes
efforts to tell the boys the truth he has discovered. 
However,

Simon
became inarticulate in his effort to express mankind's essential illness. Inspiration
came to him.

But, Jack
reduces his effort to ridicule again, and Simon's
effort

fell
about him in ruins; the laughter beat him cruelly and he shrank away defenseless to his
seat.

Also symbolically,
Ralph "peered into the gloom."  When he tries to understand, he cannot, just as so many
cannot intuitively understand as does Simon that the evil is not in the forest, but is
within them and is emerging as the vestiges of civilization are cast off by Jack and the
hunters.  This pivotal moment of Chapter Five is expressed in Golding's concluding
paragraph:

A
thin wail out of the darkness chilled them and set them grabbing for each other. Then
the wail rose, remote and unearthly, and turned to an inarticulate gibbering.  Percival
Wemys Madison, of the Vicarage, harcourt St. Anthony [civilization] lying in the long
grass, was living through circumstances in which the incantation of his address was
powerless to help him.

In Paul's Case, what exactly is wrong with Paul? Please explain as much as possible.

This is a debatable question, but there have been many
consistent arguments on what could be possibly wrong with him. I am going to go with the
theory that he is Narcissistic and that such is the disorder he
has.

Paul is disgusted at everyone, at people's bodies, at
the lower classes, looks down on everyone, and cannot make any realistic human
connection.

He sees himself as a Dandy who deserves
everything. He centers everything around himself and even the trouble he causes is
caused by his lack of interest in school and terrible relationship with his peers and
teachers. He is obviously unwilling to change, not even for the sake of his parents, and
his presence causes such anger among people that you can tell he is not a "normal" or
mentally healthy human being.

His narcissismand
self-absortion led him to commit robbery just to self-gratify with a trip to New York
and a stay at the Waldorf Astoria, to enact his Dandyism and fantasies against the norm,
and against the law.

Paul is seriously selfish, immature,
and fastidiously antisocial on the psychological side.  The fact that he committed
suicide puts him in the psychotic side as well. This why he fits the narcissistic bill
quite well. 

I don't understand what a literature allusion is. Can someone please explain it to me?

readability="10">

An allusion is a passing
reference, without explicit identification, to historical or fictional characters,
places or events or to other works that the writer assumes the reader would recognize. -
(NTC's Dictionary of Literary
Terms)

Allusions
may refer to mythology, religion,art, literature and history. An allusion
suggests always a connotative meaning. Allusion conveys meaning concisely
or indirectly. Often in poetry, an allusion plays a greater role in reader's response
and understanding.

Literary
allusions are used to refer to certain literary characters or texts or even famous
speeches that could be generally identified; some are put to use aimed at specific
"coterie" (M. H. Abrams). Allusions from Shakespeare are most commonly
used.

Examples will make the idea
clearer:

Example 1:

In T. S.
Eliot's "The Love song of J. Alfred Prufrock", there is a line where Prufrock utters-
"No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be; / Am an attendant
lord.../Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse../ Almost ridiculous- /
Almost, at times, the Fool." Here, the speaker who is a very confused, indecisive and
alienated person, compares himself with Polonius of
Hamlet who appears to be a spineless, passive and
stupid character, more cowardly than Hamlet. Through this reference to the attendant
lord, Polonius, Prufrock conveys his mental state easily. This is an allusion. Since it
refers to a literary character, it is a literary
allusion.

Example 2:

Robert
frost's famous poem "Out, Out-" is about an accidental
death of a young boy; the theme is unpredictability of life. The title of the poem is an
allusion to the key phrase of a legendary Shakespearean speech in
Macbeth: "Out, out, brief candle" (Act v, scene
v). In that scene, Macbeth mourns as his wife dies thinking of the
uncertainty and meaninglessness of life. This is also a literary allusion for it refers
to a famous literary speech.

Similarly, if the
allusions would have referred to historical or mythological or biblical work, they would
have been historical or mythological or biblical allusions as
well.

What is the meaning of "Tyranny and anarchy are never far asunder" and how does it relate to this play?the quote is by Jeremy Bentham a philosopher

Interesting quote.  The quote means that tyranny and anarchy are always related.  This applies to the play in a few different ways.  First, it could easily apply to Brutus.  Remember, he only decides to help kill Caesar because he thinks Caesar is starting to become a tyrant.  He believes he is saving Rome from anarchy because he believes when the conspirators seize control they will rule honestly and fairly, thereby, saving Rome from the tyranny of a corrupt Caesar and from the anarchy that would inevitably arise to topple him.  Second, it applies to the fact that Caesar is killed because the conspirators think he might become a tyrant.  Out of their decision to kill him arises anarchy as the conspirators decide who should seize control with Cassuis wanting one thing and Brutus wanting another.  Third, it applies to Cassuis, who longs after the power that Caesar had and who would himself become a tyrant, is instrumental in tricking Brutus to join the plot kill Caesar and throwing Rome into anarchy.  You could also analyze Antony's funeral speech and how he makes the conspirators seem like tyrants to the citizens of Rome and works them up so that they bring anarchy down upon Rome.

What is a possible interpretation of Shakespeare's sonnet 31?

Brendawn's line by line analysis is excellent. I'd add a slightly different interpretation.

I find more hope and renewal than disappointment and bitterness here. My reading hinges on several points. First, he says he has found all Love, everything he thought was lost or dead to him, in the bosom of the person he writes this poem to. He has found a lover with a capital "L", and his connection with the person has allowed him to reconnect with all of the love he has felt in the past. He says he finds (in her) that which he "[lacked] and have supposed dead"; because he lacked those feelings, he thought they were dead to him or gone forever, but that does not mean that they are gone now. He finds that although he cried as if he had lost all love, it now appears that it was not gone, but that it was merely removed and hidden within her(4-8). The next part is the section that makes many read this poem as bitter--his metaphor is that she is a grave, a keeper of dead love, all of his dead loves. Here's where my reading diverges:

He does not say that she kills love or destroys it, but that it lives within her. Consequently, though he uses a metaphor of death, death functions to remind us of life. He thought he could never love again; he thought all love he felt in the past was dead and buried. However, if they were buried, they were buried within her. Now whatever love he would have given to others he can only give to her, and he gives her his all.

How does the character of Gabriel in "The Dead" change throughout the course of the story; that is, how does his role change?

Before the narrator provides the beautiful image of the falling snow, he tells us that Gabriel’s “own identity was fading.” One reason his identity “fades” is that he understands his wife a good deal more after she tells him her story about the man who had “died for her sake.”  His compassion enables him to merge with her rather than understand her only in relation to himself.  In other words, he learns empathy.  In this context, his “role” in their marriage changes (we surmise0 so that in the future he will be more humble and understanding.  In the context of the short story, he experiences an epiphany, enabling him to “see” more than he did before—this, too, suggests a change in role, from that of one who does not understand (which the reader perceives through dramatic irony) to one who does

In "Winter Dreams," how do Dexter's "winter dreams" reflect discontent? Does this discontent subside when he becomes rich and respected?

From the time he was a boy, Dexter was restless and
discontented, reaching for a larger life than the working middle-class life into which
he was born. He longed for a life of romance, beauty, and glamour; he wanted wealth and
the "glittering" lifestyle money could buy. When he was young, Dexter escaped his
limited personal circumstances through his dreams, imagining scenarios in which he was
the star, the hero--one who was admired by the same wealthy people he encountered while
working summers at the private and elite Sherry Island Golf Club. Dexter grew up as an
outsider who longed to be an insider.

After scrimping to
attend one of the "top" Eastern universities, Dexter built a fortune for himself through
hard work and ingenuity. He returned to Sherry Island as a guest, not an employee. He
had arrived, but in a substantial way, Dexter was still the outsider, and he was still
enchanted by Judy Jones and the glamorous world she represented for him. He fell into a
love affair with her, one that ended very painfully for
him.

Going on with his life, Dexter became engaged to
Irene, a fine young woman, but one who could not begin to compete with his memories of
Judy. When Judy came into Dexter's life again, he dropped Irene instantly to pursue Judy
anew, again with painful results.

Even as a wealthy,
successful young man, Dexter continued to display--and to make life choices--as the
result of his basic restlessness and discontent. It was his essential discontent, his
need to reach for a romantic and more vibrant existence, that fed Dexter's obsession
with Judy. She became the incarnation of all his fearly winter dreams, and he lived in
them and for them for the remainder of his life, until the day in New York when Dexter's
romantic dreams were destroyed by reality.

Describe in detail 'GM (genetically modified) crops' as an example of a current application of genetic engineering in the production of crops?

Crop refers to a large number of plants of any given kind
that are grown for human use.  Crops grown to produce food people and animals, fibres
for clothing for other use, raw material for medicines, and ornamental
material.

Genetic engineering has been used to produce new
varieties of crops that improve the crops in several ways like quality of the final
output produced, yield of farming, time required for harvesting, and adaptability to
different environment.

For thousands of years people across
the world have used breeding methods to produce favourable combinations of genes.  These
methods have produced most of the economically important varieties of flowers,
vegetables, grains, and animals.  In the 1970's and 1980's, scientists developed ways to
isolate individual genes and reintroduce them into cells or into plants, animals, or
other organisms.  Such techniques alter the heredity of the cells or
organisms.

Hundreds of genetically engineered plants have
been developed using such modern methods of genetic engineering. Some examples of
genetically modified crops are tomato plants to enable them to produce tomatoes with
increased flavour and shelf life; soybean, maize, and cotton plants resistant to
herbicides, plants to produce small amounts of a biodegradable plastic and plants to
produce material for potential use in medicines.

Why does Maurice feel guilty when he kicks sand into Percival's eyes?

You can find the answer to this fairly early in Chapter
4.  It is about 4 pages in to the chapter.

The reason that
Maurice feels guilty about this is that he has some remaning memories of civilization
and what civilized people are supposed to act like.  He remembers that he once got in
trouble for doing the same thing to a younger kid's eyes back in
England.

So it is a memory of what the rules are that make
Maurice guilty.  This shows that he still has a conscience and has not become a real
savage yet.

Where in Hamlet does it indicate that Hamlet is afraid of death?

What Hamlet actually says in Shakespeare's play of the
same name is:

readability="13">

A villain kills my father, and for
that,

I, his sole son, do this same villain
send

To Heaven.  (Act
3.4.76-78)

There is no
mention of Hamlet being afraid of death or hell, here.  He mentions his father's state,
a state similar to purgatory during which his sins must be burnt and purged, and he
compares this to sending Claudius to heaven by killing him while he's confessing his
sins.  But Hamlet doesn't talk about his own
fate. 

Furthermore, Hamlet's famous "To be or not to be"
speech (Act 3.1) is more of a rumination or contemplation on existence, an intellectual
process being revealed, than it is a speech about Hamlet being afraid of
death.  To be is to exist.  Hamlet is reasoning out the question of
whether existence is worth the trouble, when one considers all of its hardships and
trials.  He concludes that if one were absolutely sure about what waited on the other
side of death, existence would not be worth the trouble.  But since the afterlife is an
unknown, one might as well continue existing. 
 

Basically, I suggest Hamlet is not afraid of death.  In
fact, he suffers from depression or melancholy most of the play and he feels that death
might be welcome.  The main things that Hamlet is afraid of are acting before his
actions are completely and fully thought out, and killing an innocent
man. 

I'm not sure if Hamlet's handful of lines after the Ghost leaves at the end of Act I, scene 5, actually are his second soliloquy.

Remember that a soliloquy is a speech given by one character to himself.  In contrast, monologue is a speech given by one character to other characters.  Therefore, in Act I, scene v, Hamlet's lines are absolutely a soliloquy as there is no one with him after the Ghost exits. Hamlet delivers his soliloquy, "what else? / And shall I couple hell?" after the Ghost leaves, "Adieu, adieu! Hamlet, remember me. (Exit)," and before Horatio and Marcellus enter. Consequently, Hamlet is alone during this speech, there are no other characters present; therefore it is a soliloquy and his second one.

Here are the other major soliloquy's of the character Hamlet:

O, that this too too solid flesh would melt (1.2.131-61).           -- Hamlet expresses his grief over the events.

O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I! (2.2.555-612)            -- Hamlet criticizes himself for lack of action

To be, or not to be: that is the question (3.1.64-8).                 -- Hamlet ponders suicide

Tis now the very witching time of night (3.2.380-391)               -- Hamlet encourages himself to confront his mother

Now might I do it pat, now he is praying (3.3.77-100)                -- Hamlet watches the praying Claudius and considers action

How all occasions do inform against me (4.4.35-69)                   -- Hamlet complains that fate seems against his plan for revenge

Explain the sequence of events, the effect this has on the narrative,what are the sensory details and the effect they have on the narrative.

Concerning the sensory details in Orwell's "Shooting an
Elephant," you can look at the actual killing of the elephant.  Emotion is evoked in
this scene by the use of precise and insightful
description.  Orwell writes (I'll emboldened the images, or sensory
details):

In
that instant, in too short a time, one would have thought, even for the
bullet to get there, a mysterious, terrible
change had come over the elephant.  He neither stirred nor
fell, but every line on his body had altered.  He looked
suddenly stricken, shrunken, immensely old, as though the frightful impact of the bullet
had paralyzed him without knocking him down.  At last, after what seemed
a long time--it might have been five seconds, I dare say--he sagged
flabbily to his
knees.

Look at
the diction, or word choice, and the
phrasing: 

• mysterious,
  terrible change


• stricken, shrunken, immensely
  old


• frightful
  impact


• paralyzed, without knocking him
  down


• sagged flabbily to his
  knees

And notice the
image created by "paralyzed him without knocking him
down."  The description, diction, phrasing, imagery all present concrete
details that evoke powerful emotion in the
reader. 

And the elephant scene is, of course, central to
Orwell's ideas.  He is an outsider forced to do what he doesn't want to do by the crowd
of insiders surrounding him, and his action is loaded with ambiguity concerning
its consequences. 

Orwell tries to evoke pity, disgust,
righteous indignation.  He wants readers to decide that imperialism destroys both the
colonizers and the colonized.

What's the climax of "The Veldt"?

"The Veldt" is a parental horror story that ends, ironically, in horror dealt to the parents (ironically, because they are horrified by what they witness in the nursery not knowing that the nursery will give them their own horrifying end). The climax of this horror story wrapped in convenience and luxury is when the fates of the family members are irreversibly sealed behind the slammed door of the nursery: the children go their way to tea parties among lions and the parents go their way to the feast of lions.

As the emotional impact of the story mounts with every warning word George utters, the children become more and more assertive and more and more quietly aggressive. Their aggression builds as a quiet thunder because they know they have the ingenuity and power on their side: ingenuity, because they can manipulate the parents to their own will through wiles based on their parents' love and protectiveness; power, because they possess the mental keys to access the nursery's demonstrated ability to change reality; the nursery's power has been demonstrated in George's blood stained wallet and in Lydia's "bloody scarf":

"Hello." [McClean] bent and picked up a bloody scarf. "This yours?"
   "No." George Hadley's face was rigid. "It belongs to Lydia."

The climax to this mounting emotional tension and conflict comes when the door slams behind George and Lydia who are then trapped in the nursery behind a locked door and surrounded by lions: "The lions on three sides of them, in the yellow veldt grass, ... roaring in their throats." Leading up to this moment, Wendy and Peter have devised a plan. They call out to their mother and father as though in danger, "'Daddy,  Mommy, come quick - quick!'" With the children "nowhere in sight," George and Lydia naturally rush to the nursery, throwing open the door and dashing inside. Africa is in place. The lions are there, "waiting." The door slams behind them. The climax is ushered in to the screams of both as George yells "Open the door!" Peter tries one cold, chilling time to negotiate a victory for themselves and the nursery: "Don't let them switch off the nursery ...." George replies, "Now, don't be ridiculous...." And then, as the climax, the parents heard the waiting lions:

   And then they heard the sounds.
   The lions on three sides of them, in  the yellow veldt grass, ...rumbling and roaring....

The climactic fates of George and Lydia are sealed. The story resolves despite them. They have no more decisions to make. After this climax comes the falling action and the resolution wherein Wendy offers tea to McClean in the silence replacing her parents screams, and the lions feed quietly under "shady trees" in the background.

At a distance Mr. McClean saw the lions ... quieting down to feed in silence under the shady trees.
     [McClean] squinted at the lions with his hand tip to his eyes.
     Now the lions were done feeding. They moved to the water hole to drink.
     A shadow flickered over Mr. McClean's hot face. Many shadows flickered. The vultures were dropping down the blazing sky.
     "A cup of tea?" asked Wendy in the silence.

How are the characteristics of Julius Caesar relative today?Is there something in Caesar that we all have?

If you are looking just at the character of Caesar, I think his ambition is something that relates to today and to all people in general.  Brutus fears that Caesar's ambition will lead him to become corrupt and, eventually, a dictator of Rome.  I think people today can relate to being ambitious.  Who among us wouldn't like to make the most out of our station in life?  Is Caesar so different?  He is murdered because he might become corrupted by his power.  I think if you look around at politicians, leaders, and even celebrities, you can easily see corruption at work and how it can ruin a person.

Another interesting aspect of the play that really is applicable to our society today is the fickleness of the crowds.  One minute they are all for Brutus and the conspirators' decision to murder Caesar.  Then Anthony speaks to them after Brutus, and he quickly turns them against the conspirators and the crowd runs off in a mob.  Look at how quickly people are persuaded today via the media.  Before the war in Iraq, look at how many people thought there were really weapons of mass destruction there.  But the masses were deceived.  You could argue that the people today are even more fickle than the Romans in Shakespeare's play.

What are the exposition, rising action, climax, fallling action, personal conflict and resolution in "The Lottery"?

Exposition: It is a warm June day in a wholesome good natured town where the people are kind, polite, and happy.

Rising Action: Most the tombstones in the cemetery have the same date of death June 6 and the town is getting ready for its annual lottery that takes place on June 6th. The lottery begins to take place. The town gathers and the names are drawn as people take a piece of paper and wait to see who the "winner" is.

Climax: The drawing of the slips of paper is finished and the townspeople begin to unfold their papers with sighs of relief. the "winner" is declared as the Hutchinson family and ultimately after the second drawing Tessie is declared the "winner".

Falling Action: The townspeople gather around her and stone her to death, thus completing their tradition.

Resolution: Life resumes as normal, until the following year.

Personal conflict: Tessie has no problem with the town's tradition until it is her family who is faced to make the sacrifice, then she declares it unfair. Other townspeople might also struggle inwardly at their actions and whether or not it could be considered murder or custom.

In Lord of the Flies, there seems to be a motif of nightmares/dreams. What is the significance of dreams in the novel? For example, how does the...

Good question. Yes, dreams are a motif in the novel. The dream as an ideal is there from the beginning; this island is like a new Eden. After that, then, dreams are how and where the boys see and articulate the things they can't face in waking, which means mainly their fears. Dreams are also prophetic. They indicate when further violence, and, especially, further violent tragedy and decay of civilization will be coming. By the end of the book, it is as if the entire waking world has dissolved and the kids are living a dream (a nightmare), one that the adults must wake them from.

How is Charlotte Bronte's life reflected through Jane Eyre? How are they similar and how are they different?

There are actually quite a few similarities.  Jane was an orphan, and like her, Charlotte grew up without a mother (she died when Charlotte was five).  Both Jane and Charlotte were sent away to boarding schools where the conditions and staff were not always pleasant.  In both lives, an epidemic of typhus broke out.  In Charlotte's case, the epidemic claimed the lives of two of her sisters.  She was brought home immediately after.

Jane marries Mr. Rochester after his first and very crazy wife has set fire to the house and left him blinded and crippled.  She ends up caring for him as an invalid rather than as a wife.

Charlotte loses all her sisters to illnesses, is left to care for her father until his death, and then accepts a proposal from one of her father's friends who served as the headmaster at the school where she attended.  She contracts a fever and dies at the age of thirty-nine, pregnant with her first child.

Quite lives are full of bittersweet events and tragic stories.

What similarities in leadership qualities do you see between any of the characters in Act 1 of Julius Caesar?

I do not think any of the characters in Act 1 show similar styles of leadership for one thrust of this introduction to the main characters is to provide an array of styles of leadership as well as men. Cassius is shrewd and has the power to convince others. He immediately distinguishes himself from Brutus, right in their first conversation, when he shows concern about how “troubled” Brutus looks of late and offers to interpret his problems (1.2.43-52). Brutus says he is introspective and quiet (43-45), adding immediately “I love the name of honor more than I fear death” (95-96). Cassius would never say this, and neither would Casca, who does what Cassius tells him to do. Cassius talks about doing what is best for Rome, but his manipulation of Brutus indicates he is a more savvy politician than any other character on the stage. As for Caesar, we see him give orders, express valid worries about Cassius, talk to a soothsayer.  Antony so far appears to be a good friend and confidant of Caesar, showing, in this Act, no traits of leadership. Perhaps Cassius and Caesar resemble each other more than any two, for just as Caesar fears that “Cassius has a lean and hungry look” (204), so Cassius thinks Caesar is weak because of his disease (1.2.120-135) and ambitious (143-145). This distrust drives the plot forward, although Caesar ultimately does nothing to act on his intuition concerning Cassius for Antony, wrongly, says Cassius is harmless (1.2. 206-07)

Is Daisy, within The Great Gatsby, designed to be a "silly" or "ditsy" character? If not, why does she do "silly" or "ditsy" things?

Your question concerning The Great
Gatsby is a little difficult to interpret.  How is she
so silly?  Do you mean why?  I'll assume you do and answer
accordingly.

There are numerous answers to your question,
depending on one's interpretation of Daisy.  I believe Daisy has learned to appear silly
and ditzy in order to get along.  How else could she get along with Tom?  He would not
tolerate a woman thinking for herself.

The most important
piece of evidence that Daisy just acts silly and ditzy is what she tells Nick in chapter
one about her daughter.  She was hoping for a boy but had a girl instead.  She
sarcastically tells Nick that she was glad it was a girl, and that she hoped she was a
beautiful little fool, because that's what it takes for a woman to
succeed. 

The idea is that a woman's best hope for social
and economic advancement in a society dominated by men is to marry a wealthy man, and
the odds of doing that go up if one is a beautiful little fool. 
 

Of course, that's what Daisy has done--pretended to be a
beautiful little fool and "caught" a wealthy husband. 

And
that's why Daisy acts like a silly little fool.

What is the symbolic meaning of the Latin and Greek origins of Atticus's name?

I did not know what the Latin and Greek origins of Atticus
were, so I used an online baby book to look them up.  I am hoping the meanings I found
correspond to yours.  First, let's look at the Latin meaning.  In Latin, Atticus is a
form of the word "itself".  I believe this is symbolic to the character of Atticus,
because he always stands up for what is right, regardless of what everyone else thinks. 
If an idea or action compromises his morals, Atticus simply won't do it.  He is
constantly telling his children that they must stand up for what they believe in, even
if they stand alone.  Atticus is also a derivation of "Attica", who was an ancient Greek
philosopher and writer.  I think it can be argued that Atticus, from To Kill a
Mockingbird, is one of the wisest "philosophers" found in literature.  Like
any good philosopher, Atticus is not afraid to teach and show others about things such
as virtue and morals.  I hope this helped.

What is the allegory and irony of the story "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings"?

I think one of the joys of this short story is that it defies interpretation. You need to note how the villagers are often exposed as foolish and gullible in their beliefs, and also how they try to make sense of the world. They stick fast to "facts" even though they are clearly ridiculous, such as the fact that angels eat mothballs, and they jump to impossible conclusions, for example when some argue that the old man should be proclaimed "mayor of the world." It is almost as if once they have conceived of an idea they make reality "fit" to support that idea despite any protestations to the contrary - or until a "better" version of the "truth" comes along and then the process beings again. Of course, the villagers, although they can be said to be figures of fun in this sense, contain many characteristics which we can identify whatever our time or culture - for example the unquestioning belief in their own wisdom and their stubborn clinging to their own ideas are aspects which we can all identify.

It is clear though that while there are a few hints into this story as to the "meaning" or "allegory" there are no conclusive pointers that give one definitive explanation. We are left, much like the villagers therefore, to try and make some sort of meaning from these strange and bizarre events. The last laugh seems to be with Marquez, however, as we prove ourselves to be like the villagers trying to make sense of this story and coming up with very different and ridiculous answers. Therefore, if there is a "meaning", it is that there is no "meaning" - it is more about the process by which we make "meaning" and how we support our conclusions.

What is Hamlet's state of mind when the performance begins in Act 3 Scene 2 of Hamlet?

Such a loaded question!  For some reason, my mind spun
your question in a completely different way (so much so that I actually laughed when I
read it).  My first thought was, "People have been fighting about this since it was
written, . . . and they still don't know the answer!"  Namely, what
exactly is Hamlet's state of mind after he says
this:

As I
perchance hereafter shall think meet / To put an antic disposition on.
(1.5.171-172)

True, this is
said far before Act 3, Scene 2, but it is important because some critics argue that,
from that point on, Hamlet doesn't just act crazy, he actually
goes crazy.  This arguement is expecially significant because in
the scene previous to the one you mention, Hamlet says
this:

Go to,
I'll no more on't; it hath made me mad, I say we will have no moe marriage.
(3.1.148-150)

Mad in truth,
or mad in jest?

To further the inquiry, at the beginning of
Scene 2, Hamlet says some things to Ophelia that are quite unbecoming of a gentleman: 
things like "Lady, shall I lie in your lap?" while he shows signs of nervous tension
like you've never seen.  On the other side is the idea that Hamlet is obviously "acting"
a bit nuts here, and his nervous tension is the result of the knowledge of The
Murder of Gonzago plot:  a plot that will surely reveal the truth behind
Claudius' actions.

Therefore I must concur with the first
answerer, the reader/watcher must infer Hamlet's state of mind; however, we may never
know exactly how Shakespeare wanted us to feel about it because, luckily, this scene can
be acted in completely different ways.  Thus, the bard and playwright of the Elizabethan
Age keeps things interesting for us centuries and centuries
later!

In The Crucible many people say that John Proctor's tragic flaw is lust, but as lust is a sin, to what extent can it be counted?Since lust is one...

There is no rule that states a tragic flaw can't also be a
sin. In fact, they often correlate.  Pride is a sin, and it is the tragic flaw of many
literary characters.  Lust definitely does play a role in Proctor's downfall; if not for
his lust for Abby and their resulting affair, then he and Elizabeth might have been
spared.

I mentioned pride above, and think that it also
applies to John Proctor.  He has a lot of self-pride, and strong opinions about things. 
This does not make him friends in the town.  He argues with their reverend, Parris,
continuously, and also with the Putnam family.  John's pride won't allow him to give in
to their points, and prompts him to point out the flaws in others.  His self-pride makes
him loathe himself; he knows he has sinned and is unworthy, and can't find his way
back.  To cover, he acts defensive, and almost signs a confession that is a lie, because
he feels he truly is a liar, and not a good man.

So, one of
Proctor's downfall is definitely his relationship with Abby; for flaws that are more
evident in his words and actions throughout the course of the play, you can look to
pride or other character traits.  I hope that helped; good luck!

How does Bilbo plan to free the dwarves from the elves, do Lake-men like elves, and why do dwarves cause such a stir in Lake-town?

Bilbo's plan is to use the ring to remain invisible, get the guards drunk, steal the keys, and smuggle the dwarves out in the barrels that are sent down the river.  

The Lake men and the Wood Elves have a business relationship, but they do not like each other or trust each other.  They just have an exchange of goods.

The dwarves' arrival is so exciting because the Lake men remember when the dwarves lived and worked near them.  The men believe that the dwarves will help them gain control again, and get rid of the dragon.

When Sammy comments in "A & P" about how "hard the world was going to be me hereafter," what do you understand?

I would also add that the magnitude of his decision finally hits Sammy when he realizes that the girls are already gone.  In that final moment he realizes what he just threw away.  It is not like he has any job opportunities knocking down his door.  Remember, Lengel gave Sammy that job as a favor to his family.  And since part of what Updike is trying to show us is the disparity between the social classes with Queenie and her friends and the store workers, part of Sammy's final realization is that he learned a hard lesson for the working class.  Also note that while Sammy is quick to criticize everyone from his co-worker, Stokesie, to the female customers, at least they all have roles and are serving purposes.  Sammy, though, is really serving no purpose other than criticizing others and being unhappy with his station in life.  Does he look back differently at his job, Stokesie, Lengel, and those customers when he is now out of work and realizes "how hard the world was going to be for me hereafter"?

What are the elements of the point of view expressed in "A Rose for Emily"?

The effectiveness of this point of view can be valued by imagining what the story would be if some of it, at least, were told from Emily's point of view, or maybe from that of Homer, Toby, or one of the town elders.  While the point of view is collective, it is the narrator who makes it so by the insistence on "we," making me wonder at times just how many people in that town would buy into the generous view that "we" offers.  I doubt if some of the ladies of the town would speak so sympathetically of Emily, for given the gender roles even in the traditions of the post-civil war south contemporary to the narrative voice, if a Jefferson lady saw that body in Emily's bed, the sight would forever color her attitude toward the rather uppity Miss Emily. 

Compare and contrast the fat man and the women: their appearence, mood, approach to life.what is their role in the story?

I would say that a very interesting contrast can take
place between the fat man and the mother.  The mother is relatively silent throughout
most of the story.  She appears inconsolable, and represents the fragmentation that
accompanies war, and was certainly present in the First World War.  In contrast, the fat
man enters the railroad car with purpose and intent.  He understands the guiding
structure and moral order that helps to fully help bring meaning into his own sense of
existence.  This transcendent vision is something that he is able to articulate to the
indecision and doubt that permeates the car.  When he is done, one actually is able to
embrace the fat man's vision of totality.  It is at this moment where we see a quick and
sudden role reversal, as the woman asks her question and the man's response is one of
inconsolable grief.  In the end, the roles that opened the story are inverted at the
story's end, only fragmentation and disorder being the sole
constants.

Chorus is reacting to Teiresias’s accusation of Oedipus. What opinion does the Chorus express here?

In Oedipus Rex, the Chorus acts as an
intermediary, much like Jocasta will later when she comes between Oedipus and Creon.
 They try to be the voice of "reason" (logos) in response to the
anger (pathos) of both Oedipus and
Teiresias.

To
us it seems that both the seer and thou,
O Oedipus, have spoken angry
words.
This is no time to wrangle but consult
How best we may
fulfill the oracle.

The
Chorus seems to be saying that anger makes both men blind: it clouds the truth by
placing emotion over logic.

The Chorus will end their song
with several rhetorical questions:

readability="10">

But that a mortal seer knows more than I
know—where
Hath this been proven? Or how without sign assured, can I
blame
Him who saved our State when the winged songstress
came,
Tested and tried in the light of us all, like gold
assayed?
How can I now assent when a crime is on Oedipus
laid?

They are acting as the
voice of the audience here, not sure who to trust, the young, brash King Oedipus or the
surly, experienced blind prophet Teiresias.  Overall, their role is to portray the ideal
audience, as they echo the play's themes throughout.

In Pride and Prejudice, what does Elizabeth learn about Mr. Darcy as a result of her visiting Pemberley?

Symbolically the chapter shows 'natural beauty'; not grandoise or OTT (compare this to Rosings, for example). The physical, subtle and understated nature of the grounds shows Darcy's ''inherent'' natural beauty. When she sees his statue this is a revelation of his ''true'' self encapsulated.

There was a sub-genre in the Regency period called 'Great Country House Literature' (Johnson, one of Austen's biggest influences, is included in this genre). It is based on the fact that a house is a 'microorganism' of the person who stays there. So despite his wealth and supposed snobbery he does relish natural, Enlightened beauty.

Also some critics say that when Lizzy crosses the 'simple' bridge this can be interepreted as her 'crossing' over and defeating class boundaries towards him, eventually bringing them both together.

Should the U.S continue to trade with china or should they stop trading until china fixes their human rights? why?

It would be wonderful to have a country in the world that
knows what is best for the world, wants to ensure that the world does what is best for
it, and is in a position to force the world to do this. If USA meets all the three of
the above criteria, it should definitely meddle in the way China or any other countries
governs itself and enforce its views and will on all of
them.

However, as things stand now, USA falls short of all
the three requirements. Most certainly is not right all its views of how to manage the
world. Many a times it is proven to be wrong in managing its own internal affairs also.
There are enough human right violation and practice of racial discrimination in USA
also. Also I am not sure to what extent USA is more interested in good of the entire
world rather than its own. Finally, USA has been quite unable to control other countries
the way it wants. One example that comes to my mind is its inability to to ensure that
some of the arms and other aids it gives to some of the countries are no used for
conducting terrorist attacks.

There is no harm if
selectively USA refuses to to trade in some of commodities with some of the countries in
the name of human right violation. However it is not going to be in the interest of the
USA to apply this rule too strictly.

In the book Maniac Magee, what does Maniac eat?

Because he is essentially homeless, Maniac Magee pretty
much eats whatever he can get his hands on. His most favorite food is Tastykake
butterscotch Krimpets, and, oddly, he is allergic to
pizza.

Among the things that Maniac eats in the book are
spaghetti at the Pickwells', "carrots, apples, and day-old hamburger buns" at the deer
shed at the Elmwood Park Zoo, and a bite of Mars Bar Thompson's candy bar which was
offered as a challenge. When he initially is living with the Beales, Maniac tries pizza
for the first time in his life, and breaks out in "round, red blotches" all over. At the
East End Fourth of July block party, he feasts on grilled chicken and ribs and
sweet-potato pie, and at Cobble's Corner, he has orange soda and is introduced to what
would become his favorite food, butterscotch Krimpets.

When
Maniac, near starvation, is rescued by Grayson at the zoo, the first thing he eats is
some chicken noodle Cup-a-Soup. He also has a zep, which is like a hero sandwich, and
more Krimpets. When Grayson takes the unbelievably hungry boy to a diner, Maniac
"wolf(s) down meatloaf and gravy, mashed potatoes, zucchini, salad, and coconut custard
pie," and one morning, in the bandshell, the old man brings him "an Egg McMuffin and a
large orange juice." On Thanksgiving, Grayson and Maniac cook a magnificent dinner on
two hotplates and a toaster oven. Their bill of fare is "a feast of roast chicken,
gravy, cranberry sauce, applesauce, SpaghettiOs, raising, pumpkin pie, and, of course,
butterscotch Krimpets."

Are Macbeth and Lady Macbeth equally tragic or is one more tragic the the other?

If we understand the tragic hero in the traditional Aristotelian sense, I would argue that Lady Macbeth is a good deal less tragic than her husband. We do not see her as a complicated individual who is good, better than most, great in fact, but with a flaw that results from her greatness. We see her as flawed and evil from the first moment we meet her. Macbeth, however, is great: he is a courageous warrior, and those virtues which make him that are what bring him down: his violence in particular. That, and his ambition (which also makes him a great warrior), and other things--such as the temptation of the witches and being seduced by his wife. From the first moment we meet Lady Macbeth she seems evil--we have no exposition that she might have been a good person before the events of the play. We can not measure her "fall" as tragic unless she begins at a "height," and I do not think she does.

What is the multiplier effect? What is the expenditure multiplier?

In economic terms, a multiplier effect happens when
something like a tax decrease or a bank deposit has an effect on GDP or the money supply
(in these two cases) that is greater than the actual amount of the tax break or bank
deposit.  In other words, through the multiplier, a $100 billion tax cut might increase
GDP by $700 billion.

The expenditure multiplier is one that
measures the effect on aggregate production of some autonomous expenditure.  In other
words, it is supposed to allow an economist to know how much GDP will grow if, for
example, Microsoft spends $1 billion developing and creating a new operating
system.

This multiplier exists because Microsoft will pay
its employees.  They will go out and buy products from people who will in turn use the
money to go out and buy from others -- the money gets "recycled" causing a multiplier
effect.

In Chapter 8 of Lord of the Flies, what does Ralph think of as a solution, and how does Piggy respond to this emergency situation?

In the novel Lord of the Flies by
William Golding, the author presents Piggy as a boy whose qulaities are not at first
apparent - but rather disguised by his chubby bespectacled sweaty frame, which is
unappealing to some. Gradually, Golding shows us how Piggy's calmness, bravery and
logical reasoning are qualities of value - particularly in a crisis. The real sadness is
that Ralph does not realise the true magnitude of the gift of Piggy's friendship and
moral support until the end - even being disloyal to him and betraying the secrecy of
Piggy's nickname. When the other boys abandon Ralph and his rescue plan, compromising
the fire beacon effectiveness, Piggy does not cry over spilt milk but gets on with the
job of starting again. In normal circumstances, this would have worked but as the attack
shows, they are not dealing with reasonable people and the only option when threatened
and outnumbered would have been self-defence in the form of
attack.

What exactly is desired when asked to explain what a metaphor means?I have to give examples of metaphors in "Ode to the West Wind" and explain what...

Concerning your question on Shelley's "Ode to the West
Wind," to analyze the meaning of a metaphor you just break it down and tell what is
being described (the tenor) and what is being used to describe it (the
vehicle).

First, I believe the line you quote is actually
personification, rather than metaphor.  The wind is given breath
and Autumn is given being.  Don't feel badly about mixing the two
up.  Personification also involves comparison, as does metaphor.  Metaphor, in fact, is
actually an umbrella term that, when used broadly, covers all figurative language, since
all figurative language uses comparison. 

But for your
purposes we'll stick to the traditional definition of
metaphor. 

In line 54 of the poem, Shelley
writes:

I fall
upon the thorns of
life!...

This is a metaphor
in which falling on or meeting or facing the difficulties of life (the tenor) are
compared with falling on the thorns of a bush (the vehicle). 
Thorns or thorns of life form the metaphor. 
And experiencing the difficulties of life is like falling on
thorns. 

If you need more than the above for your writing
assignment, simply elaborate on the ways in which the two parts of the metaphor are
alike.  Or, to put it another way, elaborate on how experiencing life's difficulties is
like falling on a thorn bush.

What are the different aspects of words?

In English there are PARTS OF SPEECH: nouns, adjective,
adverbs, verbs, articles, etc...

There are ANGLO-SAXON
WORDS and GREEK & LATIN-ROOT WORDS: Anglo-Saxon words comprise 70% of our
vocabulary:"sing," "sang," "sung."  Greek and Latin-root words comprise a large portion
of the rest.  They are the language of academia, medicine, and law ("hemophiliac,"
"chloroform," etc...)

There are HIGH FREQUENCY and LOW
FREQUENCY words.  High frequency are words we use daily ("I," "the," "you," "is").  Low
frequency words are words we only use occasionally ("trident," "kumquat,"
"interdenominationalism").

What feminist issues are reveled in Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper"?

The Yellow Wallpaper is an allegory to the inner pressures
and entrapment of women when assigned by society to fulfill a specific
role.

The main character is a woman obviously stricken with
a tremendous case of PTSD or Post Partum Depression that is completely underrated by her
husband as the doctor. Society also ignores the situation of women in general afflicted
by illness as a mere case of ill nerves.

However, the
affliction she suffers is so intense that her brain begins to play tricks on her, making
her believe that there are figures wanting to come out of the Yellow Wallpaper because
they are (like her) trapped inside.

Meanwhile, as neither
the doctor nor the husband care to find a proper cure or treatment, her condition goes
unanswered, and society (as a whole) continues to vindicate women and their needs to an
empty, maddening, role of ignorance.

Conclusively, the
feminist issues revealed in the story include:  The needs of women being underrated, the
health of women being considered a secondary need, the psychological afflictions of
women not being taken in to consideration, and the inner battles of women and their
natures against the pre-established roles that society has established for
them.

What would Max Weber say about the relation between religion and capitalism in our society today?I am having trouble applying his thesis The...

I don't know if this will be helpful since I don't know
what exactly your essay topic is, but I think that Weber would say that his analysis
still holds true today.

Weber did not say that religion was
still the actual driving force behind capitalism in his day.  Instead, he said that
previous religious fervor had sort of shaped society.  By his day, he said, people had
the ideas (work for work's sake) without really connecting it to
religion.

I think he would say that the capitalist ethic
has spread now in a way that no longer has so much to do with religion.  He would point
out that it has spread, for example, to Japan and even to
China.

However, he might argue that a lack of Protestant
history is what holds back places like Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Latin
America.

Could you please explain the conflicts from chs. 18-22 of The Catcher in the Rye?

In chapters 18-22 of The Catcher in the
Rye, Holden's plummets toward self-destruction, but he wisely chooses not to
suicide like James Castle.  In these pivotal chapters, the book seems destined toward
tragedy, but Holden's conversations with Antolini and his sister move the resolution
(though open-ended) back toward comedy.

Holden is a sadist.
 He baits Carl Luce to beat him up just like he got Stradlater and Maurice to punch him.
 Holden wants someone to punish him for some unresolved guilt (possible survivor's guilt
over his brother's death).  Luckily, Luce leaves.

Then,
Holden goes to Mr. Antolini's, who, as a counter-culture spokesman, seems set up to be
the Deus ex Machina (savior) of the novel.  He gives Holden great
advice, and his voice seems to be that of the author's: he says Holden is “in for a
terrible fall.”

readability="7">

The mark of the immature man is that he wants to
die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly
for one.

Remember, Antolini
was the one who found and carried James Castle's body to protect him from the
rubber-necks.  This is want Holden wants: to commit suicide, and he's going to
Antolini's to see how it will play out.

You see, James
Castle (J. C. --“Jesus Christ”) is Holden’s martyred saint.  Castle fell to his death
rather than take back any of the words he said about others (He called them
"conceited").  Similarly, Holden doesn't want to take back calling people "phonies."  He
wants to die young, a misunderstood romantic hero like Mercutio (from Romeo
and Juliet), another non-phony.

After this,
Salinger discredits Antolini by having him make a pass at the boy.  So, the episode is
ironic, weird, and ultimately anti-climatic.  Holden continues his episodic journey
toward being a catcher in the rye.

Holden knows his role as
a catcher is doomed to fail.  He can't even protect Phoebe from the evils of the world
(the f-bomb).  Holden finally realizes that he must enter the adult world.  So, he goes
home to get mental health treatment.

Why does John Proctor choose to hang and what does he thereby accomplish?

John Proctor refuses to save his life by confessing and naming names. Hale tries to get those imprisoned to save their lives because the court is allowing them to live if they confess.

At first, Proctor agrees, and this is done to please Elizabeth. But, his soul is already tortured because of the affair with Abigail, and he wants his good name and dignity back. He decides it is better to die than to lie any further. He has been scornful of the proceedings all along, and does not want to be hypocritical anymore.

In choosing to hang, he regains his dignity and self-respect. For Proctor, this was a better choice.

In the poem "The Raven," what does the speaker mean by asking "is there balm in Gilead?"

Because the balm is typically viewed as a remedy for those with broken hearts, it would make sense that the narrator in The Raven would want such a remedy as he is lamenting Lenore.

The balm of Gilead was also viewed as something of great value and not necessarily easy to obtain. Poe includes this reference to indicate the narrator's desire for hope. Authors often include allusions to the balm of Gildead for this same reason. Think of it like this--if there can be a possibility of mending something you have badly broken (a heart in this case), wouldn't that give you some hope? Some desire to keep on living? That is what the narrator is looking for in this passage, as unlikely as it is.

In the epic Ramayana of Valmiki whose role displayed obedience or disobedience and why?

Ramayana is a book having scores of characters and most of
these characters display high degree of obedience. This Applies also to the demons. For
example, Kumbhakarna, younger brother of
Ravana, believes that it was unwise for Ravana
to act against Rama, yet obeying the orders of
Ravana, he joins him in his war against
Rama.

I can think of one significant
incident of disobeying described in Ramayana. But this is just an exceptional behaviour
of the character, rather than regular disobedient nature. In this incident,
Lakshmana instructs Seeta to not to cross a
line drawn by him, when he has to leave her alone in their hut in the forest, to rush in
aid of Rama. However Seeta is persuaded by
Ravana, disguised as a ascetic, to cross the line. This makes it
possible fro Ravana to abduct
Seeta.

If it is a matter of deciding
who among all the character was most obedient, I would choose Rama.
He has displayed obedience to his father, his mother and step mothers, and his
teachers.

Hanuman, definitely
represents the finest example of devotion to the all mighty Lord. However, devotion,
loyalty and obedience are not synonyms. While I cannot think of
Hanuman ever being disobedient to Rama.
However, I do not think Ramayana present any incident which emphasizes his obedience in
circumstances where it was difficult to decide the right course of
action..

What is Dickens' attitude toward law in A Tale of Two Cities?

Dickens had a very jaded view of the law and demonstrated this view in several ways in A Tale of Two Cities.  In the very first section of the book he comments on the lack of law and order in England as " Daring burglaries by armed men and highway robberies took place in the capital itself every night."  However, the law could not stop these burglaries but the hangman continued to hang "miscellaneous criminals," including a "wretched pilferer who had robbed a farmers boy of sixpence."  In France, the murder of a poor child by a member of the nobility was nothing, but the murder of the Marquis by the father of that child was harshly punished. 

He continues his to show the basic unfairness of the law in both England and France through the trials of Charles Darnay, first in England and then in France.  In both locations it is not truth that decides the trials, but theatrical performances on the part of the participants:  first Sidney's Carton's performance in Darney's treason trial in London decided the case rather than solid evidence (though the outcome was just).  Then Madame Defarge's dramatic testimony brought an unjust verdict in France.  Although France was worse than England, Dickens definitely saw injustice in both the French and England legal systems which he felt were biased against the poor.

In chapter 5, what does Gatsby offer Nick in return for Nick's cooperation in inviting Daisy to his house?

Gatsby wants to repay Nick for arranging the meeting with Daisy. Gatsby thinks Nick might be having some money troubles, so he offers for Nick to go into "business" with him. No one is sure what business this is, but Nick refuses the offer. Gatsby is so grateful to Nick, he wants to do something to repay him. On the day of the meeting with Daisy, it is raining pretty hard, but Gatsby sends a gardener over to Nick's, to have him cut his grass.

Gatsby has spent many years trying to improve his position in society, only so he can have a chance of getting back with Daisy. Now that the time has come for his meeting with Daisy, Gatsby feels indebted to Nick for arranging the meeting. He wants to show Nick his appreciation, but Nick doesn't want to be in business with Gatsby. 

Gatsby is not a bad person. He has just let his love of Daisy and his feelings of having to impress certain people. Money seems to be the root of all their troubles in the whole novel. Gatsby has become obsessed with having to have money. He thinks money will bring Daisy back. He thinks Nick will be thrilled to be able to make more money, however Nick seems to be the only one with the level head. 

Why does Crane repeat the passage "If I am going to be drowned..." What role does that passage play in the story as a whole?

“Perhaps an individual must consider his own death to be the final phenomenon of nature.” This line sums up the problem of human nature as far as Naturalists are concerned. The correspondent is grappling with his own mortality. He repeats, “If I am going to die….” in his frustrating inability to remedy his own situation. The shore is visible and close enough to row to, but the rollers by the shore prevent it. It seems like a cruel trick. He desires to see some sort of logic or sense to his predicament.

Naturalists stressed the notion of determinism. This is the inevitability of many aspects of our life. It is not attributed to fate, plan or destiny. There is no recourse by prayer or any capacity to change what is to come. The universe is portrayed as chaotic and random. This is shown by the death of the oiler who deserved to survive above all others. Naturalists like Crane believed we are born with the notion that we are indomitable and that our demise is a near impossibility.

Why do Proctor and Rebecca speak out against Hale

Rebecca and Proctor both realize that Hale's coming to Salem can only mean trouble.  They are well aware that his arrival may fuel the hysteria brewing in Salem.  Rebecca knows that it is just young girls either scared or playing a joke.  Proctor, of course, knows that it was Abigail with the other girls foolishly playing in the woods.  But once Hale arrives, the girls realize how dire their situation is, and they begin to invent the tales of witchcraft.

Proctor sets himself against Parris because he realizes Parris is greedy and self-serving.  He stopped going to church when Parris harped on the congregation until they relented and raised enough money to purchase gold candle holders.  For Proctor this is a waste and just serves to prove how greedy Parris really is.

How is Francie Nolan, the protagonist, a dynamic (changing) character, like how does she generally change in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn?

Since this book jumps back and forth from generation to generation, we can see how Francie grows up and matures if the book was placed in chronological order. She learned many things which allowed her to have her own beliefs, thus she becomes dynamic to her surroundings.

Examples are when she started off as a shy, lonley girl, weak, and innocent. At the end, she becomes independent, outgoing, brave and strong. She becomes a stronger woman through what she learned in her past.

The tree symbolizes Francie. If you haven't noticed, the tree is exactly like Francie. The tree liked poor people = Francie does not mind being poor. The tree grew in wherever possible = Francie perseveres and keeps strong like the tree.

Explain the significance of the statement "Now these are Sonny's Blues" and how he make the music his own?

Sonny uses the blues to soothe the suffering he feels.  Sonny feels the harshness of growing up in Harlem more intensely than his brother does. For the most part, Sonny's pain comes from the temptations in the streets of Harlem, the limited economic opportunities he has, and learning how his uncle died. At first, Sonny uses heroin to soothe his pain and gets sent to prison for using and selling it. His brother, the narrator of the story, has internalized the suffering he grew up with. Until the end of the story, the narrator doesn't understand why Sonny plays jazz or what the music does for him. The music offers Sonny freedom from his pain and suffering. When the narrator goes to hear Sonny play, he realizes that "he could help us to be free if we would just listen, that he would never be free until we did. I heard what he had gone through, and would continue to go through until he came to rest in earth." Because Sonny is able to put his own pain and suffering into the music, the audience can feel the pain and suffering. Sonny makes it his own when he personalizes it. The narrator finally realizes the darkness that consumes his brother and appreciates the music Sonny plays to calm his suffering.

Is Rainsford justified in his decision to kill General Zaroff? Why or why not?

As with all interpretive questions, your answer is based upon your own reading of the story and how you analyze the plot and characters.  Rainsford had escaped Zaroff, and won the game.  There was no reason to return to the masion and kill Zaroff except to exact revenge.  Consider that Rainsford himself is a hunter, used to being in power.  Although he had never considered doing something as inhumane as Zaroff in hunting humans, his choice to kill Zaroff reveals his need to be in control.  In this case, his killing of Zaroff isn't about justice, but about revenge.

On the other hand, there is nothing to suggest Zaroff would have quit hunting humans.  He was a static character, who didn't change even when he "lost" the hunt of Rainsford.  In this reading, the audience can interpret that Rainsford is doing his part for mankind by eliminating the threat of the murderer Zaroff.  After all, on this island, there is no justice system by which to prosecute him.

You will need to choose the answer that best supports your understanding of the characters. 

Discuss how the prisoners are treated like animals. Why do they eventually become animalistic and how do they show this? Give examplesgive example

Probably one of the best examples of how the prisoners were treated like animals (and there were many) was when the prisoners traveled in the cattle cars. They were literally treated like cattle. Elie uses words like "herded" to describe the way that they were loaded onto the cars. The trains would stop periodically to unload the dead without thought of who they were, just as if they were unloading the carcasses of animals. The soldiers would throw food into the cars and they would leave buckets of water in the cars as well and the soldiers left it to the prisoners to fight for it all.

Elie witnessed a son murder his father for a crust of bread and then two other men murder the son for the same crust of bread. He described the scene like these men were reduced to pure animal instinct where hunger and survival superseded relationships and social graces.

What are the shared features of firemen?

All the firemen have the same basic physical appearance. They all look slightly sun-burnt from spending their days starting fires and watching them burn. They all have "charcoal hair and soot-colored brows and bluish-ash-smeared cheeks where they has shaven close; but their heritage showed." Montag realizes as he's looking at a group of firemen that they all look the same, including himself and he's never really stopped to take note of it until now. It's as if they were all predestined to be firemen based on these characteristics.

How does the last name of "Finch" contradict the whole novel?Finch is Scout's last name and is as well a name for a type of bird, so I think it...

I’m not sure if “finch” as the last name of Scout and Atticus “contradicts” the novel, but it might complicate the attempt to contrast it with the mockingbird.  Interestingly, the finch is the species Darwin particularly studied in the Galapolos, which resulted in his theory about evolution.  He noticed how the finch had many different subspecies, that there must have been an original “finch” that had evolved into many different birds that were still finches.  Darwin wrote, “Seeing this gradation and diversity of structure in one small, intimately related group of birds, one might really fancy that from an original paucity of birds in this archipelago, one species had been taken and modified for different ends." In the world of birds, “finch” refers to many different kinds of birds; it is not unlike the frequency of the name “Smith” in regard to people—many different kinds of people bear this name. Some finches might be territorial, but most are not, just going about their business being birds, not bothering anyone.  If “finch” signifies complexity and diversity in development in the bird world, then its use in the novel, might suggest complexity in development in the human world.  Perhaps Lee used it because it is a rather generic term of a typical bird; perhaps she meant it to signify a commonality with mockingbirds, which also don’t bother others, although they, unlike the finch, make a distinctive song.