What are some ideas for a compare and contrast essay on the American dream in the short stories the great gatsby and Death of a salesman

First of all, The Great Gatsby is a
novel, and Death of a Salesman is a full-length drama.  Neither one
is a short story. 

For a compare and contrast essay, you
might try the following:

• Compare the corruption
  of the American Dream in both works


• Contrast the
  differences in the ways the two protagonists attempt to achieve the American
  Dream


• Compare or contrast the illusions the protagonists
  are under, depending on whether you find them similar or
  different


• Ditto the ways in which the pursuit of the
  American Dream leads to tragedy


• Contrast the motivation
  each protagonist has for pursuing the American
  Dream 

Since the Speaker of the House of Representatives sets the agenda, is there any way to unseat the Speaker ?

Curiously, there's nothing in the Constitution that requires the House to elect one of its own members as a Speaker (Article I, Section 26), so defeating a reigning Speaker in his/her district isn't necessarily a way to get him/her out.

According to the Rules of the House (which are based on Jefferson's Manual), a Speaker may be removed at the will of the House, and a Speaker pro tempore appointed. (Rules of the House, Sec. 315.)  The annotations to the Manual provided by the Office of the Clerk of the House note that the House has never removed a Speaker (although they have removed other sitting officers).  A resolution to remove an officer is a matter of privilege, meaning it has precedence over all other questions except a motion to adjourn. (Rules, Sec. 664 et seq.)

The "question of privilege" applies to your question, in that the Speaker cannot elect not to address a question of privilege, even if it involves him/herself being unseated.  The Clerk's commentary on the handling of questions of privilege notes that, "while under Rule IX a question of privileges of the House takes precedence over all other questions," the Speaker "may entertain unanimous consent requests for 'one-minute speeches' pending recognition for a question of privilege, since such requests . . . temporarily waive the standing rules of the House relating to the order of business" (Rules of the House, sec. 665).  The practical outcome of such a move would be a House-equivalent of a Senate filibuster -- if the Speaker can keep those one-minutes coming, he/she can postpone impending doom while his/her allies are out rounding up allies.

Informally, my colleagues are right -- unseating a sitting Speaker by defeating him/her in a district election is the most common way to achieve "involunary retirement."  You might find it interesting to read up on the life and times of Czar (or Uncle) Joe Cannon, who was a master at Speakership (1903-1911) and dominated the House, but was finally ousted by a change in the make-up of the Congress from Republican to Democrat.  By the way, that's another way to get a new Speaker -- change which party constitutes the majority in the House.

Other less direct means of getting him/her out is to promote the incumbent to Vice President or some other government position (which requires the Speaker to resign his/her position) or remove both the President and Vice President from office -- which would elevate the Speaker to the Presidency, again requiring resignation from other government positions.

So, the short answer to your question is, yes, there are ways to unseat the Speaker.

What are the thoughts that arise in the poet's mind as he enjoys the natural beauty of Tintern Abbey ?its a long answer type question for about 25...

the poem is a statement of wordsworth's attitude to nature and its development from his boyhood days to years of maturity.

wordsworth composed this poem a few miles above tintern abbey on july 1798. it was his second visit to the bank of the river wye after a gap of 5 years since his first visit.

the scenes and sounds were the same as he had experienced at the time of his first visit. he could recognize everything. he could here the sof mormur of the wye flowing throw the vally . in the dinstance there were lofty mountains which appeared to meet the sky. this added a sence of remotness of the place. he sat down to relax under the dark shady skymore tree and looked at cottage ground and orcheds. the fruit on the trees were yet unripe and green and was hardly ditinguishable from the ground. the hedges did not look like hedges . they had spread in all direction . he could see coulomb of smoke rising from among the trees . he could guess that there was either a camp of gypsies or a hermit in his cave. the long absence of five years had not erased the memory of this beautiful scene of nature but had a permanant source of relief and delight to him during the fevrish activity and noise and bustle in the city. ithey stimulated him to do acts of love and kindness.the poet was indebted to them for this sublime gift . in hours of dejection and agony he recalled the beauty of this beautiful scene of nature and was refreshed again.

What is a summary of "Dusk" by H. Munro, or Saki, and also what are elements of humour in this story?Special reference to element of humour in...

The story begins on a cynical note with the thoughts of a man in a very pessimistic mindset by the name of Norman Gortsby who is seated on a bench just as dusk had set. The cause behind Gortsby’s current mindset is because he is a man who has been unsuccessful in love. It is with this motive that he came out only in the dusk, the time which he regarded as the time of defeatists and disheartened men. This is why he preferred to be among the defeated, impecunious and the heartbroken instead of with the successful society which explains why he avoids the light and Hyde Park corner, which is where the successful dwell.

Beside Gortsby sat an impoverished elderly gentleman who looked dejected and despondent. As the gentleman rose to go, the seat was immediately shared with a moderately well dressed youth. He seemed disgruntled and did not bother to hide his discontent as he hurled himself into the seat with a loud invective. Gortsby, knowing that he was expected to acknowledge the youth’s discontent, inquired on his bad temper. The appealing bluntness of the youth as he turned aroused to Gortsby’s mind, the suspicion that the man was a trickster. In response, the youth told him the reason for his frustration. Being that he was an outsider, coming to stay in a hotel in Berkshire Square till he received the nasty surprise that the hotel had been pulled down recently and was replaced by a theatre. On being recommended to another hotel, he went there and sent a letter which enclosed his address to his folks. On realizing that he had completely forgotten to pack any soap, saying that he despised hotel soap, he had gone to buy some soap. He then had a drink and strolled around a bit when he realized that he had completely forgotten the address of his hotel. He proceeded by saying that he would be forced to spend the night on the streets unless a supportive person would lend him some money.

Gortsby responds that he had once done the same thing, only in a foreign country, to which the man rejoins that in a foreign land, one could go to the Consul for help, but here at home, there is no help to be had, unless "some decent chap" would believe his story and lend him some money. Gortsby says he will lend the man some money if he can produce the soap as proof that his story is true, but the man cannot, and walks away.

The youth, sensed defeat and briskly strode away. No sooner did the youth leave than Gortsby noticed a cake of soap under the bench. Seeing reality, he ran after the youth and not only returned the soap but also lent him money for the night. After retracing a few steps, Gortsby saw an elderly gentleman scrounging for something under the bench. On asking him what he had lost, he replied that he had lost a cake of soap.

This experience on the already heartbroken Gortsby would have disabled his capability to trust anyone. It would have shaped him into a distrustful and suspicious individual for the rest of his life.

Why does the month of February have 28 days and a 29th day in the leap year?

There are a couple parts to this question.

First of all, February has one more day in a leap year because in a leap year one day must be added to the calendar.  This is because the Earth actually orbits the sun in roughly 365.25 days.  So every 4 years we need an extra day.  Otherwise, the dates would stop corresponding to the right seasons and we would have, for example, Christmas in the middle of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere.  So, to keep the calendar date matching with the seasons, we have to have leap years.

The second part of this question is why February has so few days.  My understanding is that it used to have 30 days.  But then Julius Caesar wanted another day for "his" month of July.  So he took one from February.  Augustus Caesar didn't want Julius's month to be longer than "his" month of August so he took another day from February.

What is a drying agent?Please explain me in detail about drying agents along with examples of drying agents.

Generally, organic substances, that are liquid or solid, are insoluble in water because they are not as polar as water. Due to polarity, organic compounds can dissolve a certain amount of water, which varies from solvent to solvent. The more polar a substance is, the more easily it absorbs water. Every time an organic compound is in contact with water, a small amount of substance will be dissolved in it and also a quantity of water will be found in that organic compound. It is considered that water is hard to be removed from the compounds because they are forming strong bonds with water molecules (eg alcohols) or the compound is volatile.

For a solid organic compound, water can be easily removed by simple exposure to atmospheric pressure or at a reduced pressure. Sometimes, it can be used a low temperature oven to facilitate drying. With most liquids, vapor pressure is high and this thing prevents the use of any of the previous methods to remove water from their composition.

When a liquid organic compound has been exposed to water, a drying agent is frequently used. This is usually an inorganic and insoluble salt which fast absorbs water and it's becoming hydrated. Most of drying agents used in the laboratory of organic chemistry are: calcium chloride (CaCl2), sodium sulfate (Na2SO4), calcium sulfate (CaSO4) and magnesium sulphate (MgSO4), found in an anhydrous state.

What does Marx mean when he says the workers are exploited in capitalism? What is his formula of justice in fully developed communist society.whats...

According to Karl Marx, workers are exploited in
capitalism because they create value but they are not the ones who get the money that is
paid when that value is bought.

Let's say I own a factory. 
I give you wood and you make it into furniture in my factory.  I get paid more than you
do even though you are the one who actually did the work.  Thus, I am getting rich off
of your work.

Marx does not actually say that capitalism is
unjust.  He actually says it is not unjust.  As a website at Stanford University
says

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Capitalism's dirty secret is that it is not a
realm of harmony and mutual benefit but a system in which one class systematically
extracts profit from another. How could this fail to be unjust? Yet it is notable that
Marx never concludes this, and in Capital he goes as far as to say
that such exchange is ‘by no means an
injustice’.

So I am not sure
what you are asking about in terms of a formula of justice.  My best guess is that it is
"from each according to his abilities, to each according to his
needs."

In this formula, everyone works as hard as they can
and gets all that they need (and nothing more).

Can you explain both stanzas in Petrarch's "Sonnet II"?

A Petrarchan sonnet, which is the original form of sonnet as penned by Petrarch, is written in a two-stanza form with an octave followed by a sestet, as in Petrarch's "Sonnet II." As a point of comparison, the form called English or Shakespearean sonnet varies from the Petrarchan by having three quatrains and a couplet. All sonnets comprise fourteen lines.

Petrarch's "Sonnet II" talks about Cupid's surprise attack of love arrows in a Classical allusion to the Greek god of love, Cupid. The attack is so fierce that it feels like punishment for all the love sins the speaker has committed. He laments that he has no weapons to defend himself nor uneven rising ground to hide behind to shield himself from the attack of Cupid's arrows.

The metaphor in the sonnet compares love, or what might have been called love sickness, to an ambush military attack waged by Cupid, with falling in love compared to mortal wounds in battle. The metaphor pictures the speaker as having escaped love before; as being punished for those escapes; and as defenseless against a foe. The stanzas follow the Petrarchan rhyme scheme with abbaabba in the octave (eight lines) and cdeced (a variation of the standard cdecde rhyme scheme) in the sestet (six lines).

Sometimes, the best way to understand the overt meaning of the text with a difficult poem is to write a paraphrase of, putting each line into your own words, while being very careful to attend to punctuation and look up the meanings of even familiar words that don't look like they're used quite in the right way.

Paraphrase:
Punished for a bunch of love crimes all at once,
Providing a means of vengeance for my transgressions,
Cupid took up his bow in secret,
Like someone who is a conniving coward;
My courage against love had positioned itself in my heart.
There it will defend my heart against loves who have bright eyes;
When Cupid's dread arrows are poured out against me
Hitting me where I had been weakened even before all Cupid's arrows were sent.

I was scared at the surprise attack, I found
I had neither time nor strength to repel the attack of Cupid's arrows
By using weapons suitable to fight against love arrows;
Nor had I protection from rough, rising ground.
Where can I go to speed away from defeat at Cupid's hand,
Which I want to do even now, but no method of escape do I know!

How does Benedick and Beatrice's behaviour challenge gender roles? Does the answer change according to whether we are thinking about Shakespeare's...

Beatrice's behaviour challenges gender roles, particularly for a Jacobean audience, from the very start of the play. Her outspokenness and witty banter with the messenger in 1.1 is contrasted with Hero's quiet submissiveness in this male world. At the start of 2.1, Leonato warns Beatrice that she will not get herself a husband if she 'is so shrewish [of her] tongue.'

Benedick challenges gender roles must less obviously in the first half of the play. He sees himself as attractive to women, but is resolutely a bachelor, a soldier and a 'lad'. He changes, though, as he's tricked into discovering his love for Beatrice. In the failed wedding scene, 4.1, he and the Friar are alone among the men in not condemning Hero. Hero is subjected to a torrent of misogynistic abuse, by Claudio, Don Pedro and, horrifyingly, by her own father. Benedick builds on the friar's suggestion that there is 'some misprision in the princes', and looks to Don John as its author.

Later, alone with Beatrice, Benedick must confront the stark choice that she has presented him: if he loves her, he must 'kill Claudio'. She in turn has railed against gender roles, wishing herself a man, that she might 'eat his heart in the market-place.' Initially, Benedick is horrified, but on hearing Beatrice confirm that she thinks 'in her soul that Count Claudio has wronged Hero', he accepts the truth of her instinctive, unshakeable and feminine faith in Hero and goes to challenge him.

Explain the law of diminishing returns and discuss how the law is illustrated by a total product curve.

The law of diminishing marginal returns refers to a situation where a firm is adding variable inputs to a fixed input as it increases production.  In such a situation, the firm will eventually reach a point where each new unit of the variable input starts to result in a smaller increase in output.  At first, for example, the firm might hire 1 extra worker and get 100 extra units of production.  But when diminishing returns set in, it might hire 1 extra worker and only get 50 extra units of production.  The next extra worker it hired would give even fewer extra units of production.

If the variable input were on the horizontal axis of a graph and marginal output were on the vertical axis, you would see that the line on the graph would start to flatten out (become less steep) as diminishing returns set in.

Can you explain kidnapping?

Kidnapping is knowingly restraining someone against their will. The most common type of kidnapping is known as custodial interference, or parental kidnapping. This occurs when a parent takes a child away from the custodial parent. Statistics have shown that approximately 350,000 children are kidnapped by family members every year.

Kidnapping carries very steep penalties, sometimes it is considered a felony. It depends on the particular circumstances. If the kidnapper has been in trouble with the law already, chances are they would end up serving prison time for a kidnapping offense, regardless of the circumstances.

Other reasons that kidnapping occurs is for ransom, sexual crimes, intent of forcing the victim to commit criminal behavior, or intent to harm.

China was able to avoid imperial control in the early 20th century becausea.britain and the u.s. was opposed to outright colonization b.europe was...

You might want to check your text to see what it says,
because many of these things could have played a role in keeping China from becoming a
colony of some European power.

But I would argue that A --
Great Britain and the United States were opposed to it -- is the best answer
here.

Both Great Britain and the United States wanted all
countries to have free access to the market in China.  It is not likely that either of
these countries would have stood idle while some other country took China as a colony. 
Because these were probably the two strongest countries in the world at that point,
people had to go with what they wanted.

Discuss the plot structure of Jane Eyre.

This novel doesn't have a particularly complex plot structure.  It is autobiographical in the sense that it is told in first person and follows Jane's life from her youth to her happy marriage and life with Mr. Rochester. The structure is simple--it follows the stages of Jane's life from age 10 to her contented adult life.

The story begins when Jane is young and orphaned and living with some distateful  relatives; she spends little time there, then she is transferred to an orphanage.  We see her early days there, then she leaves to make her own way as a governess.  We see her as a governess for a short time (although a lot happens in that short time, including a dramatic scene at the altar), then she leaves to do something, somewhere.  We see her as a lost soul taken in by apparent strangers (and nearly trapped in a loveless marriage of convenience), then she follows her instinct and heads toward Rochester.  She discovers him (in a pitiful state, of course), and she commits herself to him for the rest of their lives. 

There are no flashbacks, no changes in setting other than those few spots (not much, considering it's a long novel), and no dramatic plot twists other than one--the fact that Rochester is already maried to an obviously mentally impaired woman.  That one twist, however, sets Jane's course for the rest of her life.  It is the center of the only mysterious things in the novel (though many of the places are rather eerie and foreboding, since it's a gothic novel), and it is the crucible by which Jane's moral resolve is tested. 

In short, it is a coming-of-age novel, told in first person, following the life of a poor, orphaned girl.

Compare and contrast "A Scandal in Bohemia" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and "The Gold Bug" by Edgar Allan Poe.

Poe's "The Gold Bug" has some points similar to those in Doyle's "A Scandal in Bohemia," but in the main, there is more to contrast than to compare. The first point where they compare is that each tale is told by a first person narrator who is involved in the ensuing mystery as an assistant and as one to whom the main characters, Legrand and Holmes, can explain thought processes and activities.

Both stories are set in the 1800s. Poe's is mysteriously set in "October 18--," while Doyle's is set in a straightforward "March, 1888." The presentation of the dates adds to the mood of each story: to Poe's is added a mood of dark, secret mystery, while to Doyle's is added a mood of openness. Each principal character, Legrand and Holmes, has scientific enthusiasm. Legrand's is for entomology, the study of insects, "scarabaei," while Holmes's is for investigative technique, such as perfection in disguise: "he returned ... in the character of an amiable and simple-minded Nonconformist clergyman."

The contrasts between the stories are several, the most important ones are that the narrator and the principal in "The Gold Bug" are newly acquainted friends, while in "A Scandal in Bohemia," Watson and Holmes are old and close friends. The setting of Poe's is the U.S. in the South, while the setting of Doyle's is the U.K. in London. There is a decided religious background to Poe's: "Legrand ... was of an ancient Huguenot family." Holmes is a new scientific man of the Victorian age with no connection to religion: "I was half-dragged up to the altar, and before I knew where I was I found myself mumbling responses which were whispered in my ear, ...."

As the stories develop, Poe's emerges as a Gothic horror story about a gold bug, buried treasure, and skeletons of bludgeoned men: "What make him dream 'bout de goole so much, if 'taint cause he bit by de goole-bug? … a couple of blows with a mattock were sufficient ... in the pit." Doyle's develops into a successfully resolved detective mystery, albeit one in which Holmes meets his match in the person of Irene Adler: “Good-night, Mister Sherlock Holmes.” ... “I've heard that voice before,” said Holmes, staring down the dimly lit street. “Now, I wonder who the deuce that could have been.”

What is the primary message of the book Yvain, the Knight of the Lion?

The numerous texts in the medieval Arthurian cycle, whether they are French or German in origin, express many of the same ideas concerning chivalry as a social system.  Authors of these texts, however, typically do not offer the reader knights who are the picture of perfection.  Instead, they are knights who are perfectable.  As such, the quests on which the knights embark are less about tangible goals; the knights quest to become better knights.  Chretien de Troyes's four Arthurian romances certain fit into this category.

Chretien de Troyes's Yvain, the Knight of the Lion depicts a knight, Yvain, who hears the story of a knight, Calogrenant, who had been wronged.  Yvain vows to avenge Calogrenant, and hearing that King Arthur likewise promises to do so, leaves before anyone else can go.  After he avenges Calogrenant, he assumes control over the castle of the knight he defeated.  As the story progresses, Yvain finds other opportunities to demonstrate his fighting prowess in tournaments, but he also engages in a series of actions to uphold the honor of various maidens.  As such, the primary message of the text furthers the idea that women are virtually revered in the world of the medieval romance.  One of the knight's most coveted responsibilities is to uphold the honor of maidens, and Yvain does just that on numerous occasions.  In doing so, in the end the protagonist upholds the system of chivalry, regains any honor he has lost.   

How does this quote relate to events that occur in Lord of the Flies "Man is at bottom a wild and terrible animal....

In Chapter Four of The Lord of the Flies, there is a
passage that reiterates what the above quote conveys,

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Roger stooped, picked up a stone, aimed, and
threw it at Henry--threw it to miss.  The stone, that token of preposterous time,
bounced five yard's to Henry's right and fell in the water.  Roger gathered a handful of
stones and began to throw them.  Yet there was a space around Henry, perhaps six yeards
in diameter, into which he dare not throw.  Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of
the old life.  Round the squatting child was the protection of parents and school and
policemen and the law.  Roger's arm was conditioned by a civilization that knew nothing
of him and was in
ruins.

Because the sadistic
Roger has only been isolated from the civilized world he knew for such a short time, he
yet feels the restrictions  of a civilized community formerly which has kept him from
striking poor Henry.  Roger has not yet felt free enough to be able to step outside the
bounds of civilization.

Later, when Jack picks up the clay
and smears it onto his face to mask his features from the pig, he shows his visage to
Roger, who "understood and nodded gravely."  Jack, "liberated from shame and
self-consciousness"--those restrictions placed by society, lets out bloodthirsty screams
and runs about.  Thus, the "locks and chains" are taken off and anarchy comes in as the
hunters, in their enthusiasm for playing at killing a pig, attack Simon and kill
him. 

Likewise, Roger, released from "the conditioning of a
civilization in ruins," gives full vent to his sadistic nature.  Given the opportunity,
he pushes a granite boulder that crashes onto Piggy's head, splitting it and projecting
the bleeding Piggy into the sea.  With the release of the evil side of their inherent
natures, Jack and Roger force the other boys to help them find Ralph and kill
him.

Regarding class and social status, which of the characters from Persuasion (Admiral Croft, Anne Elliot, Mrs. Smith, or Sir Walter) fares better?

The verb 'fare' means "to perform in a specified way in a particular situation or period." The question would mean whether there is an improvement in the class and social status of the characters.

There is no change in the class or  social status of Admiral Croft. Throughout the novel he is a  respectable retired naval officer.

Anne Elliot who is a member of the landed gentry marries Captain Wentworth a rich naval officer. Although at first sight it may seem that her class  and social status are lowered because of her marriage to Wentworth in reality there is an improvement, because her father's estate would  anyway be inherited by Mr.Elliot-a person whom she had decided againgst marrying. Anne is not at all perturbed that she is marrying someone below her class and social status  on the contrary  "She (Anne) gloried in being a sailor's wife."

In Mrs. Smith's case, the only improvement is the fact that Wentworth will be able to retrieve for her some of her late husband's assets from the West Indies.

Sir Walter, a baronet from the landed gentry remains one till the end; however his extravagant lifestyle lands him in all sort of financial difficulties and he is aware that Mr. Elliot will inherit his estate after his death. So, although there is no deterioration in social or class status, he fares very badly financially.

In Lord of the Flies, what did Jack do to make him seem the more popular choice for leader?

Jack organised a hunting party and promised the boys, in particular the young'uns food if they followed him.  Although the initial attempt at hunting a pig failed, it showed that he had strength and more importantly, that he could procure food for the group.

What are some examples of hubris shown by the Suitors?writing an essay on hubris in suitors, odysseus, and polyphemus.

In The Odyssey, the Greeks believed that man is responsible for his fate.  They believed in the sacredness in the guest-host relationship.  Just as Odysseus and his men violated this relationship in the episode of the Cicones, and just as Polyphemus violated it in the episode in which he is blinded, so too do the suitors violate this relationship on Ithaca.  They take advantage of custom to exploit the women, natural resources, and Telemachus' lack of manhood.

As such, the Greeks believed that recklessness and wrongdoing lead to punishment by the gods (or, in the case of the suitors, by Odysseus himself).  Proper treatment of fellow humans: receiving of foreigners and guests (compare the correct behavior shown by Nestor (book 3, 34-74), Telemachos (book 1, 113-143) and the Phaecians (book 7, 167-181) with the improper behavior of the Cyclops (book 9, 250-306). Also the guests themselves have obligations. The suitors in Odysseus palace clearly misbehave and even insult other guests such as Odysseus, who is disguised as a beggar (book 17, 445-487).

The suitors insult both youth and old age in Telemachus and Odysseus (disguised as beggar).  They insult women, Penelope and her maids, and they drain Ithaca of its natural resources (wine, food, sheep).  They do not necessarily want her to choose a husband among them.  In fact, they relish her indecision because it prolongs their stay and their festivity.

In the end, Odysseus punishes them in a bloody rampage because they overextend their stay and try to rob him of his position as king, father, and husband--the sacred trinity of manhood.

What kind of bacteria live on the nodules on the roots to plants fixing atmospheric nitrogen, making it available for their own metabolic activities?

I think the name of the bacteria you are looking for here
is rhizobia. Rhizobia live in the soil and
convert nitrogen. They live in the root nodules of legumes. The legume plant and the
rhizobia live in harmony and help each other out. The
rhizobia has an enzyme system that reduces the amount of nitrogen
to the plant and in return the plant furnishes all of the nutrients that the bacteria
needs.

The rhizobia is only able to
fix the nitrogen in the soil if it is fixated to the legume. They are able to survive as
a free living organism but in this way they cannot convert nitrogen. When they are free
living they feed on other dead organisms.

What are seven main events in chronological order in the whole act three?

That's a full question - I'll give it a shot.

1. Puck turns Bottom's head into that of an ass.

2. Bottom's return to the other workers scares them away, and Puck gets them lost in the woods.

3. In order to prove he isn't scared, Bottom sings at the top of his voice which awakens the sleeping Titania who instantly falls in love with him.

4. Hermia is upset with Demetrius about the disappearance of Lysander (a conversation Puck and Oberon overhear) and storms away from him.  After Demetrius falls asleep, Puck puts the drops in his eyes to try and correct his previous mistake.

5. Helena and Lysander's fighting awakens Demetrius who instantly falls in love with Helena also leading to an aggresive quarrel between the two men.

6. Lysander and Demetrius decide to duel for Helena's hand and leave the two women - which leads to Hermia threatening Helena and both women running away.

7. Puck gets the four lovers tired and in the same general place in the woods where he can annoint Lysander's eyes with the drops again to make everything right.

How can we prevent earthquake?in this question i am asking ways to prevent earthquake and damage caused by it.

Earthquake protection of buildings by a double concrete slab foundation.

by Charles Weber, MS

retired

1908 Country Club Road, Hendersonville, NC 28739

 

Abstract

Protection of buildings by double slab construction with lubricant in between and centered by springs.

Keywords: slab; concrete; earthquake; spring; oil; construction; base isolation

*Corresponding author. isoptera@att.net

Introduction

I have a suggestion that is applicable to earthquake damage control. Buildings are very strong in vertical compression. I believe it is side to side motion that is ruinous. So if a thick reinforced slab were first poured and covered with grease or oil before the actual building concrete basement floor were poured, I suspect it would eliminate side to side motion during an earthquake. Of course it would be necessary to have some kind of spring or air piston on the sides to prevent wind motion.

Construction as described in patents US6289640 B1 and US4599834 A work on the same principle of sliding surfaces as my invention but are elaborate and expensive to construct. JP2003301625 A is only for small light buildings.

Discussion

A building protected as above would have no covalent or valence bond links to the ground and no support from earth on the sides to support the building. So very tall buildings would seem to be vulnerable to toppling. However, in addition to the weight of the building and the weight of the upper slab, the atmosphere is pressing down with a pressure about one ton per square foot because the interface is effectively sealed. Thus there is no chance at all that a three story building would topple nor even a six story building. If the slabs were extended out to the sides and the upper one suitably thick and reinforced and buttressed, much greater than six story buildings should be safe as well. Even much higher buildings yet should be safe if the side retaining springs are attached high up.

Making the upper slab thick would give the structure desirable added inertia. This would be inexpensive to achieve because the upper slab would not have to be smooth on top. Therefore, boulders could be incorporated into it.

The primary consideration would be to use an oil with a very low viscosity, since viscosity of the oil is undoubtedly the primary resistance to the top slab trying to follow the bottom slab. A silicone oil is probably the oil of choice for most buildings because of its resistance to change from temperature. Silicone coated river sand might work well also for low buildings.

An advantage of this procedure is that it would require less skilled workers and less maintenance than other methods. One big advantage of this procedure is that it should be fairly easy to retrofit existing buildings, because it should be possible to underpin a few hundred square feet at a time. When building new, making the bottom slab a little concave upward would probably make less stiff side springs possible and somewhat easier to return the building to its original position. This is because as the building moves sidewise it would require energy to move slightly upward and less energy for the springs or other devices to move it back.

I had a patent pending for this procedure. However, it had to be abandoned in view of a similar patent awarded in France in 1987.

Discuss THREE ways that WWWII showed the problems of inequality, racism and sexism that was present in our society at that time.

Women were welcomed and encouraged by the government and
society to work long hours in the war factories, as long as they gave up those jobs when
the men returned.  They were kept from combat duty, almost always employed in an
auxiliary role, and rarely given promotions to higher
ranks.

African-Americans served in segregated units, meant
mostly to serve as supply units and graves details (with notable exceptions - see
Tuskegee Airmen and armored divisions), and again, were rarely given command ranks. 
African-American civilians in war factories were paid less than whites until FDR signed
an executive order ending the practice.  In civilian life, they were still paid less
tough, and segregated by Jim Crow laws.

What does the line, "Frailty thy name is woman," in Act 1 of Hamlet mean and how might it foreshadow events to come?

Renaissance thinking was that women were "hot," that is to say they were ruled by their passions (emotions) that would run amok if not kept in constant check (under constant control). 

What the phrase means is that women, to Hamlet's mind, represent all that is frail (breakable, delicate, weak) in human nature; all weakness is bound up in, epitomized in women, and Gertrude is the epitome of this womanly weakness and frailty.  So Hamlet is referring to his mother's weaknesses: morally, spiritually, and physically.  Morally she is "frail" because she betrayed her husband by marrying Claudius and had the indecency to do so a mere one month after King Hamlet's death: "and yet, within a month—". 

HAMLET. Within a month,
Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears
Had left the flushing in her galled eyes,
She married.

Spiritually she is frail because (in Hamlet's mind, as are all these judgments) she has committed an unforgivable sin by marrying Claudius.  Physically she is "frail" because she is a woman and less strong and robust than a man, though this obviously is the least of Hamlet's concerns.

If you could do some research on this Renaissance idea of women, it would help you to explain Gertrude's "frailness" and round out your paper.  I've included a link below to get you started. 

The line about frailty might be said to foreshadow coming events because, with Hamlet's emphasis on frailty, he is proved to be himself frail by his own inability to understand the nature of the Ghost (Is it his father's true ghost or a demon sent from hell to ensnare him in evil?) and his inability to understand the role of revenge regicide (king killing; Claudius is now King) in a Protestant Prince's royal role and personal choices. These inabilities preventing coming to an understanding of complex events around him is what causes his famous inaction, hesitation, indecision.

It also might be said to foreshadow the frailty shown later by Ophelia when she is dumbfounded and driven to madness by the combination of complex events around her that she is unable to understand starting with Hamlet's strange behavior and ending with Hamlet's blind-sighted murder of her father, Polonius.

What is the symbolism of a mockingbird and finch?

Both are songbirds who belong
to other songbird families.  Both make beautiful music and
do no harm to other birds or farmers' crops.  These are symbolic of the Finch family,
Dolphus, Tom, and Boo.  (See below)

They are contrasted by
the bluejays, who are considered pests.  They do not make music; instead, they harm
farmers' crops.  They travel alone.  This is symbolic of Bob Ewell in the
novel.

From my New Oxford American
Dictionary:

A finch is "a seed-eating
songbird that typically has a stout bill and
colorful plumage."  The true finches belong to the family Fringillidae
(the finch family), which includes chaffinches, canaries,
linnets, crossbills, etc. Many other finches belong to the bunting, waxbill, or
sparrow families.

A mockingbird is "a long-tailed
thrushlike songbird with grayish plumage, found mainly in
tropical America and noted for its mimicry of the calls and songs of other birds."  The
mockingbird family also includes the catbirds,
thrashers, and tremblers.

Besides thinking that Victor may have found someone else, why does Elizabeth believe that Victor may not really want to marry her?

In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein relates his history to Captain Walton in Chapter One.  There he tells the sea captain about his family of whom he was the only child.  On a holiday to Lake of Como in Italy, he kind mother who visited the poor noticed a poor peasant woman "distributing a scanty meal to five hungry babes," one of whom was strikingly different from the dark-eyed "little vagrants."  She was blond, blue-eyed, and of a visage of "sensibility and sweetness."  The peasant woman told Mrs. Frankenstein that the girl is "the daughter of a Milanese nobleman" who may have been imprisoned in Austria and the mother had died giving birth.  Thus, Elizabeth was left orphaned.  The tender-hearted Mrs. Frankenstein prevailed upon the guardians to "yield their charge to her."  So, Elizabeth and Victor grew up together in a loving relationship.  Fondly, the family refer to her as "cousin," but there is absolutely no blood relationship between Victor and Elizabeth!  His only blood relative is his young brother William.

It is because they were children together in the same household that Elizabeth wonders if Victor perceives her only as a sister:

We were affectionate playfellows during childhood, and, I believe, dear and valued friends to one another as we grew older.  But as brother and sister often entertain lively affection towards each other without desiring a more intimate union, may not such also be our case?

After having seen him last autumn when he returned home, but avoided contact with people, Elizabeth worries that Victor might "regret [their] connection" while feeling bound to the wishes of his parents.  She does not want Victor to marry her unless it is the "dictate of [his] free choice."  She is worried that Victor will feel bound by honour to marry her and stifle "all hope of that love and happiness which would alone restore you to yourself."

So, Elizabeth worries that Victor

1. May not wish to become more intimate than the relationship of brother to sister that they had as children


2. May feel honor-bound to fulfill the wishes of his parents and not choose her of his own free will.


3. If he does marry Elizabeth because of honor, he will not return to good health because only true love and happiness can do this.

In the story "Soldier's Home," why will Krebs not talk about the battles to the people at home?

Hemingway centers many of his stories novels around his personal experiences, especially those from WWI where he was wounded an ambulance driver.  He is one of the authors named "The Lost Generation." He could not cope with post-war America, and therefore he introduced a new type of character who struggles with, among other things, his surrounding post-war environment. In “Soldier’s Home,” Krebs' town does not understand the nature of war and continues to be preoccupied by things that no longer have meaning for him, because he does understand war--so thoroughly that he cannot speak about it for war is by nature “unspeakable.” This causes him to develop an attitude of “nada,” meaning “nothing.” For Hemingway, this attitude is an authentic reaction to the horror of war, and a true man recognizes this.  He also knows that to be a man he must be honest; he must not lie. Recognizing “That was all a lie,” Krebs tries to extricate himself from everything to at least be honest.  At the end, however, he succumbs to his mother, who makes him pray, and in praying, lie.  As a result, he fails as a “Hemingway hero.”  Weakening to the pressures of a woman, he loses his manhood, which he was holding onto only tenuously throughout the story. To the extent he does not lie, does not talk about the war, he maintains his integrity and manhood.

Lim arctg(x/x+1)= x->infinit

It is an elementary limit.

Let's see how could it be solved:

Lim arctg(x)/(x+1) =  arctg lim(x)/(x+1)

We'll write the ratio x/(x+1) = (x+1-1)/(x+1) = (x+1)/(x+1) + (-1)/(x+1)

lim(x)/(x+1) = lim[(x+1)/(x+1) + (-1)/(x+1)]

lim[(x+1)/(x+1) + (-1)/(x+1)] = lim[1 +  (-1)/(x+1)]

lim{[1 +  (-1)/(x+1)]^[-(x+1)]}^[(-1)/(x+1)]

But, lim{[1 +  (-1)/(x+1)]^[-(x+1)] = e, so:

lim{[1 +  (-1)/(x+1)]^[-(x+1)]}^[(-1)/(x+1)] = e^lim[(-1)/(x+1)], where lim[(-1)/(x+1)]  =-1/inf. = 0

 arctg lim(x)/(x+1)  = arctg e^0  =arctg 1 = pi/4

Where is there an example of stream of consciousness scenes in Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury?

Your best examples of the stream of consciousness technique will come from the first two sections:  Benjy's and Quentin's. Benjy is mentally challenged, and as such he has no true concept of time.  Present developments trigger past memories.  Accounts of Caddy's climbing the tree, her wedding, Benjy's name change, Quentin and Caddy fighting as children are interspersed with the present developments of golfers golfing and Luster hunting for his money in the grass.  The passages in italics would be good places to begin to search for examples. 

Quentin's section is no less difficult for the reader.  Quentin is a Harvard student, clearly intelligent, and unlike Benjy, very aware of time.  But his mind also races from past to present and back again, as this section records Quentin's thoughts a day before his suicide.  If you turn to this section, you will have no trouble finding examples of references to time, past, present, and his obsession with Caddy.  Quentin is clearly unbalanced, and Faulkner's style represents this mental instability.  Places to look in this section for examples are the lengthy paragraphs and italics that often contain Quentin's recollections of conversations he has had with his father--mainly Quentin's attempts to prevent Caddy's marriage-- and with his mother.   At the heart of this section, though, are Quentins' conversations with Caddy that are recounted in short phrases without quotation marks or punctuation of any kind, for that matter, echoing Quentin's recollection of their discussion of Caddy's sexual activities. 

Does "Everyday Use" suspend disbelief?

I agree with everything mentioned above, and will just
look at your question from a little different angle.

The
suspension of disbelief is what every work of art that attempts to be realistic tries to
create in the reader's mind.  In other words, a realistic story must get the reader to
believe that the story actually occurred in real time some time in the past. 
Consciously, any reader knows fiction is made up.  The writer's job is to make the
realistic story seem real. 

Writer's can do this in
numerous ways.  I'll just mention one important method Walker uses to accomplish this in
"Everyday Use."

Verisimilitude is the use of concrete
details to make a scene seem actual.  Sometimes numerous details are used, and sometimes
just the right one detail can accomplish verisimilitude.  Notice Walker's opening
paragraph:

I
will wait for her in the yard that Maggie and I made so clean and wavy yesterday
afternoon.  A yard like this is more comfortable than most people know.  It is not just
a yard.  It is like an extended living room.  When the hard clay is swept clean as a
floor and the fine sand around the edges lined with tiny, irregular grooves, anyone can
come and sit and look up into the elm tree and wait for the breezes that never come
inside the
house.

Technically, a writer
could have simply said something like:  I will wait for her in the
yard. 

But a writer must make her words be more than just
black ink on white paper, and a writer does this with
details.

The yard is not just a yard.  The speaker writes
that she and her daughter made it "clean and wavy yesterday," creating an image and
giving the action a time--yesterday.  Another image is created by the comparison:  "It
is like an extended living room."  The "hard clay is swept clean as a floor," and even
the sand on the edges is given grooves.  And people come sit in the yard and look up at
the tree and feel the breezes.

These details create images
and verisimilitude and lead to the suspension of
disbelief. 

That way, when Dee arrives at the house, it
will seem to the reader that she is really arriving, even though she herself does not
notice the yard that the mother enjoys so much.

What are five incidents that hinder Hank's progress as a protagonist in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court?

In Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Hank continually works toward specific goal:  if he cannot return to the nineteenth century, he will make the sixth century like the nineteenth century.  In the course of Hank's progression to this goal, he must face certain obstacles.

Five particular incidents present the greatest threat to Hank's attainment of his goal.  When King Arthur and Hank go on a journey through the countryside, the two of them are taken into slavery.  The loss of physical freedom provides a major hindrance to Hank's plans.  Furthermore, on the same journey, King Arthur and Hank are to be hanged.  If not for the efforts of Lancelot and his five hundred knights, Hank's plans would have ended at that point.  Once he returns to Camelot, Hank is presented with another potential obstacle.  He must fulfill his duty and duel with Sir Sagramor.  Ultimately, Hank succeeds, and his plans are not derailed.

Two other incidents are not specific incidents but much larger obstacles.  Perhaps the greatest hindrances to Hank's plans are the people themselves.  On Hank's journey through the countryside with Arthur, he notices the state of society in the sixth century, and he is appalled.  When he begins to take action to address the state of affairs, Hank finds that the people either are unaware of what is going on, or they are complacent.  They are satisfied with the way things are, and they have no ambition to strive to change it.  Since Hank is advocating change for the people, their attitude hinders his efforts a great deal.

In the closing chapters of the novel, Hank gets it into his mind to challenge to prevailing social order and specifically the power of the knights.  Though Hank is successful against the knights, when the Church comes in during the aftermath of the series of battles, the people, in their superstition, abandon Hank when threatened with excommunication.  Ultimately, it is this incident that proves Hank's undoing.

On page 41, the Brickmaker refers Marlow as a part of the "new gang of virtue". What does he mean?

By referring to Marlow as being a part of a 'new gang of virtue', he is connecting Marlow with Kurtz.  The 'new gang of virtue' also refers to a new type of European sent out to re-analyse colonization.  They are not missionaries in the religious sense but are sent to take another look at the natives and the system in general.  That is why the Brickmaker lumps Kurtz and Marlow together as being two such men. 

The Brickmaker is suspicious of Marlow and thinks he is lying through out their whole conversation. He also indicates with this statement that the same people who sent Kurtz out to Africa in the first place, have now sent Marlow in to remove Kurtz.  The reader knows this is not the case, however it is what the Brickmaker thinks.  Marlow also does not do anything to clear up the Brickmaker's impression of him.  This connection between the two is essential to the plot as it helps the reader understand that Marlow himself not only identifies with Kurtz but others also saw 'Kurtz' in Marlow.  

What does the quote, "I love Caesar but I love Rome more," mean?

This quote is powerful because it really demonstrates that Brutus is a man of integrity and honor. Although one might not think of murdering someone as being an act of integrity or honor, his reasoning shows that his intentions behind the murder were good.

Brutus was good friends with Caesar and it was not easy for him to decide to be part of the conspiracy to kill him. He did so, however, because he recognized that his friend posed a great threat to Rome and in order to save Rome, Caesar's death was a necessary evil. When he says that he loved Rome more, he is also saying that the needs of the many were more important than his needs or the needs of Caesar. So, as difficult as it was for him to kill Caesar, he felt that the morally right thing to do for his city was to kill him.

This passage also demonstrates how hard this choice was for Brutus and reminds us again of his own inner conflict.

Dicuss how the theme of "The American Dream" in The Great Gatsby makes it a great piece of American fiction. Please answer in detail and with...

Thank you for conceding that this is an essay question of yours. We do not write answer for you but give you insight and you seem to understand that. Having said that, I will give you a few ideas to consider.

The American Dream is seen in home ownership, success, and freedom. Another perception is that it means having it all. I think if you were to check out chapter 6, when we see a flashback of Daisy and Gatsby's previous relationship, we understand that for Gatsby, having it all means that now that he has the cash he can get the girl. Check the last few pages for this flashback, and you can use a quote to support this.

Another aspect worth considering is that Gatsby essentially failed. He worked really hard and did so likely illegally. This is the way that many people pursue their American Dreams. It's good to see that Gatsby reaped what he had sown because it teaches us to go about living our lives honestly and by making decisions with a moral conscience. As I watched Gatsby in chapter 7 have no compassion for the passing of Myrtle, I concluded that this is not okay. What he had done to recapture a lost love was not worth it. A quote from the end of chapter 7 when Gatsby is spying on Daisy and Tom would illustrate this problem.

Hope these ideas help you get started!

In regards to Lord of the Flies, do you think that it is ever advisable to act against the inner voice of reason?

I, too, agree that sometimes one's inner voice of reason must be ignored--I do it every time I get on a roller coaster, in fact.  Since you placed this question in The Lord of the Flies group, though, I think I'll give you a more literary discussion for a moment.

This is an allegorical novel, one in which each of the four main characters represent one aspect of what makes us human and whole.  Ralph is our physical nature, Simon is our spiritual self (or soul), Jack is the inherent sin nature we all have, and Piggy is our reason or sense.  Taking that into account, the question is whether or not the boys should have ignored Piggy.  They did, and look where it got them.

Piggy's was the lone voice of reason; we often heard his ideas out of Ralph's mouth, but the ideas were all Piggy's.  He's the only one who had the capacity for fire (his specs), the element which both killed and rescued them.  He was the keeper of the conch, knowing the island was better off with order and structure.  He wanted to makes lists and be organized, but no one thought that was particularly fun or worthwhile. 

 They ignored him and they eventually destroyed (killed) him; and we know how things turned out after that.  Despite his death, Piggy was able to save them through the fire they so misused. The voice of reason did prevail, but at what cost.

So, should one listen to the voice of reason?  In The Lord of the Flies, the answer is yes--it must at least be considered rather than consistently dismissed.  In life, admittedly the answer is less well defined. 

What happens in Chapter 5 of In the Time of the Butterflies?

Dede' reflects on events from just after her sisters' deaths. The deaths have caused things to go out of control with respect to the attention it garners. Fela, the servant, erects a shrine and claims to communicate with their spirits. Minou gets angry with Minerva for firing Fela and goes to visit her often.

Dede' talks about how she met Virgilio and how the trouble with Trujillo began.Dede' was in the store one day pondering a possible marriage to her cousin when two men come in. One of them is Virgilio. Minerva talks easily with him, and they all go to Mario's uncle's house to swim and play volleyball, where Dede' runs into her cousin.

Weeks go by, and they learn that Virgilio is a revolutionary. There is some connection going on with Minerva and Virgilio, as Dede' catches them in the bushes together. Dede' reads in the paper daily the political situation and begins to question her own political beliefs. She changes her opinion of revolutionaries, as she gets to know Virgilio. Dede' also realizes her position as a woman limits her ability to act on her beliefs.

I need some ideas of religous concepts in William Wordsworth's works throughout his life?

There is no traditional religious manifestation of idea in Wordsworth's poetry.He often seems spiritual with philosophic  bend of mind .He may be considered as a nature mystic .In his two poems ,-Tintern Abbey and Immortality Ode , we find him in between spirituality and philosophy .

Tin-tern Abbey is the poet's spiritual autobiography .Here he clearly states his feeling of an all pervading spirit , and assures us that he has felt a mystic feeling of a blessed mood in which the burden of mystery no longer remains , and in that state one can see life into things .It is the poet's pantheistic creed .Again Nature to him became the emblem of the Vast Unconscious .It simply proved to him , as a link to be one with the universe .

Once again , Wordsworth follows Henry Vaughan's The Rea teat in the theme of his great poem ,-Immortality Ode .Here he imagines that a child during its infancy remains with its heavenly glory .It retains those glory up to a certain age of childhood .Then the child becomes habituated with the earthly imitations and shades of prision house of conventions make the child forgetful of his prenatal spirituality .Yet , in old age , when we grow wise with the suffering of life , we often have the glimpse of that heavenly glory .For , the mind becomes free from the troubled passion , and hence the immortal sea flahhes in our inward mind .A survey of Wordsworth's poem , enables us to know the poet's  in between axes of spirituality and philosophy .

What is the contribution (importance) of Wordsworth, Coleridge, Keats and Shelley to the Romanticism?

Wordworth and Coleridge set the ball rolling as far as Romanticism was concerned by publishing Lyrical Ballads in 1798. Wordsworth's articulations in the 1800 Preface to the collection, contained the important Romantic definition of poetry as "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" born out of "emotions recollected in tranquility", de-elitized the language of poetry and the poet too, as a 'man talking to men'.

Wordsworth is primarily known for his metaphysical figurations of nature, development of Romantic sensibility and imagination and a kind of philosophical poetry of love, man and god.

Coleridge is more in tune with the macabre and the Gothic as in Kubla Khan or Christabel and so on. His is also a divine, transcendental quest, but one that is bound to end in frustration and impossibility.

Shelley is a mythic prophet of the indestructible powers of nature from the West Wind to the clouds in the sky. He is the most radical revolutionary thinkers among the Romantics, who has the faith that poetry can change the shape of the world.

Keats is the most private, the most serene and the most lyrically and sensually Romantic of the lot, perhaps the most tragically existential too. A grinding feeling about transience, the stasis of eternity, the impossible quest for the transcendental at the edge of imagination and an inimitable mysticism are the Keatsian markers in poetry.

What's the poem's tone up until the last line?"Richard Cory" by Edward Arlington Robinson

In Edward Arlington Robinson's poem "Richard Cory," the tone of the poem is both admiring in the first and second stanzas:  The speaker describes how perfect Richard Cory seems as he is a "gentleman" who is "Clean favored and imperially slim."  Yet, he was "human"--not pretentious--when he talked.

In the third stanza, the admiring tone continues, but it has an edge of envy:

In fine we thought that he was everything

To make us wish that we were in his place.

Even the first two lines of the fourth stanza indicate this envy, an envy which would naturally come as the poem recalls the 1893 economic depression when many a person suffered from malnutrition and want:

So on we worked, and waited for the light,

And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;

Then, the poem's tone changes to one of impersonal reporting followed in the last line with a rather bemused shock:

And, Richard Cory, one calm summer night,

Went home and put a bullet through his head.

This impersonal tone and rather distant admiring and envy do not prepare the reader for the final line, which is, indeed, shocking.

How do race and gender form the novel "Love"?a short summary, analysis of the novel

One aspect of gender that is an integral element to this novel is the relationship between Christine and Heed. They begin as friends, children who play together and share a special bond, but when Bill chooses Heed as his child bride instead of Christine their friendship turns to animosity. This is a common trend among women and is tied to a societally perceived need (especially in the 1950s) to procure a man. Even today, women break apart from one another if a man comes between them. Thus the theme of "love" in a novel by the same name is not about the beautiful aspects of love, the close bonds between women that are often evidenced in Morrison's work, but a love that turns to hatred.

In her intoduction to the novel, Morrison writes:

People tell me that I am always writing about love. I nod, yes, but it isn't true - not exactly. In fact, I am always writing about betrayal. Love is the weather. Betrayal is the lightning that cleaves and reveals it (p. ix).

I think this quote, more than anything, is integral to an understanding of the role that love plays in shaping the novel. Examine the work from the aspect of betrayal, and you will get to the heart of love.

As to the element of race, consider the setting. Race, for Morrison, is never far from her frame of reference. As a black woman who began her career during the black arts movement, the issue of racial identity is closely tied to the issue of female identity. The relationships that women form in her works are complicated by the dividing lines that have existed and continue to exist between male and female, black and white, socio-economically powerful and socio-economically weak. Consider the relationship between the two women in this light, and you will have your answers!

Years later, how was the Parisienne'streatment of the "natives" like the Germans' treatment of the starving jews?

This is not made clear in the novel NIGHT, but many people in Europe did not believe such atrocities occurred.  This is not due to a lack of proof, but because people were in denial that something so horrific could take place in their backyards and they did nothing to stop it.

In Paris, and in other cities, when the Jews who survived returned to their family homes, they found that others had moved in and felt little sympathy toward the survivors.  Comments like, "Hey, we thought you died in the war" were offered as excuses for why they had moved in and claimed all that was left (which wasn't already plundered by the Germans or other thieves).

Many Jews whose families were deportd and killed in the war are still trying to claim family money that was in Swiss bank accounts, paintings, silver, jewelry, and other valuables which were confiscated during the war even today.

Hope this helps you understand...Good Luck!  For more information on the subject, you might do a Google search on Holocaust issues.

Why does talking about the war help O'Brien, and should more veterans have talked or written about their experiences?Please make citations from the...

In The Things They Carried, most of
the men and women refuse to talk about the war, either during or after the war.  Martha
refuses to listen to Cross' letters; the lady at the reading doesn't understand a "war
story" from a "love story"; the "dumb cooze" refuses to listen; Lemon's sister never
writes back; Bowker drives around in circles: he can't talk to his father, his old
girlfriend, or even O'Brien.  He kills himself because of his inability to
communicate.

Mary Anne, after she kills, refuses to talk to
Mark Fossie: Mary Anne tells her boyfriend, "Not a word"..."We'll talk later," a
pre-emptive communication strike usually reserved for a tired male coming home to a
chatty wife. That "later" never comes, as Mary Anne only "mumble[s] out a vague word or
two," and by the end her last words are "impassive," resigned, "not trying to persuade"
(O'Brien 112). Soon, she does not speak at all, choosing to "disappear inside herself"
(O'Brien 105). Like the earlier six-man patrol who "don't got tongues," (O'Brien 72).
 In the end, Mary Anne becomes a non-human, forsaking communication for the law of the
jungle.

All of these soldiers become animals, more of less,
in the jungles of Vietnam.  Mary Anne goes out on ambush with the Greenies, who were not
"social animals," but simply "animals" (O'Brien 92). They are the equivalent of the VC
enemy since they are from the jungle and do not speak a discernable language. In fact,
the Greenies "did not speak" at all, using only non-verbal cues. After Mary Anne’s long
absence, the Greenies are confronted by the medics, and instead of dialogue, the
Greenies only nod and stare. Ironically, the medics expect as much, as they do not even
engage in argument. Both parties avoid verbal communication, like two groups of animals
sizing up each other.

O'Brien is the only one, it seems,
who can talk about the war, but only long after the war (20 years).  But even his talk
has lies in it.  He tells his daughter that he didn't kill anybody.  He says he killed
the man he killed and then he says he didn't.  In the novel, O'Brien subverts
communication: he chooses lies to tell the truth.  Fiction is his only outlet for
telling a true war story.  But, it takes 20 years for the truth to be
told.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, where is there evidence of Scout being brave and naive at Tom's trial?

Page numbers will differ depending on the version of the work you have, but I can give you some chapters where Scout displays these qualities.  In chapter 17, when Bob Ewell is testifying about the supposed rape, Rev. Sykes tells Jem to take Scout home.  Jem instead orders Scout to leave, but Scout refuses telling him to 'make her'.  Jem then declares that Scout doesn't know what is going on, but Scout replies that she does even though as a reader we know she doesn't.

What talent did Hester use to support herself and Pearl?from The Scarlet Letter, Chapter 5

Hester possessed talent in the art of needlework, which she used to support herself and Pearl.  In Chapter 5, the narration says that she

"...incurred...no risk of want.  She possessed an art that sufficed, even in a land that afforded comparatively little scope for its exercise, to supply food for her thriving infant and herself.  It was the art - then, as now, almost the only one within a woman's grasp - of needlework."

The demand for her work included vestments for public ceremonies, funerals, and baby linen.  And of course, she wore at all times on her own bodice a delicately embroidered scarlet "A".

Where did the Right to Privacy originate?

I agree with the above posters in that what we call Americans' "Right to privacy" is strongly suggested by the Constitution in the 1st, 4th and 14th Amendments, but it is never clearly or explicitly stated.

It was the court system in the United States, and especially the Supreme Court, that interpreted the Constitution in such a way that a reasonable expectation of privacy was the right of our citizenry.  There have been literally thousands of cases where evidence obtained by illegal search was deemed inadmissible in court, upholding our right to both privacy and due process, unless the government can prove reasonable suspicion that a person has committed or is going to commit a crime.

The Supreme Court has ruled on numerous occasions upholding those same lower court rulings on evidence, then expanding privacy rights into both marriage and pregnancy, ruling first in Griswold vs. Connecticut that contraception and family planning were private matters, and could not be prohibited by the State, then in Roe vs. Wade that a woman had a right to medical privacy in making decisions about her own body with regards to abortion (though they did allow for second and third trimester restrictions to stand, thus offering only limited privacy rights).

So I would have to give the nod to the Judicial Branch for defining and expanding Americans' right to privacy.

Discuss the method BUNYAN employs in The Pilgrim's Progress to advance his moral thesis?JOHN BUNYAN PILGRIMS PROGRESS

Even though Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress is an evangelical Protestant allegory written three hundred years ago, its "heroic image of militant Puritanism" embodies the tenets of Calvinism and Baptist theology. As Roger Sharrock says:

...like a modern political prisoner, he [Bunyan] was put to the supreme existential test; isolated among people who believed his conduct was foolish or criminal or both, he had to give a reason for the faith that was in him.

Moral themes present in the allegory are man's uncertain and dangerous spiritual journey, his burdened freedom of choice, the roles of suffering and faith as means of attaining that freedom, the limitations of both rational thought and conventional morality, the nonconformist distrust of outside groups (namely the established Church of the land), and the willingness to suffer imprisonment and persecution to attain spiritual and artistic freedoms.

To understand the The Pilgrim's Progress, we must understand Bunyan, or Christian incarnate.  The young Bunyan suffered from recurring nightmares where he was tormented by demons, dragons, monsters, wicked spirits, and the prospect of eternal damnation.  He wrote, in Grace Abounding, that God did "scare and affright" him with "fearful dreams" and "dreadful visions."  According to Ola Elizabeth Winslow, "'The agonized conscience of Calvinism' needs no clearer illustration than the monstrous sense of guilt which matched these nighttime horrors in a small boy's thought and suggested to him so childish a way of escape."  She concludes that the "pulpit was usually responsible" for instilling these dreams in the boy, and this "way of escape" was salvation.  These dreams helped shape his vivid imaginitive writing style and became a source of inspiration for framing Pilgrim's Progress.

At the age of twenty, Bunyan, according to Sharrock, "...was plunged into a religious crisis which lasted for several years which brought him to the brink of despair."  Winslow, however, accounts a definitive "conversion," akin to Saul's on the road to Damascus, which meant "acceptance of an authority which guaranteed the truth of something incomprehensible to man".  She concludes that his conversion was salvation, and salvation meant "escape from a literal hell" to "achieve a literal heaven."

Why is Willy annoyed at Biff? How does he describe Biff?What does this tell us about Willy in Death of a Salesman?

Willy thought of himself as a man who could succeed by simply "being liked." In truth, his arrogance of thinking that he was liked did not help him see that he was, in fact, not that very well liked. He talked down to people in his heyday, he held a mistress, and he would make himself look bigger than what he was. He passed down on Biff the same gospel. Biff, in turn, lived it. He went into the football team, and saw his Dad as his idol...until he found out his Dad was having an affair.

After that moment, Biff became lost, and was not doing anymore anything his Dad expected him to do. He was no longer a football player, nor a good student, nor a loving son. Willy, who saw himself cathartically through Biff, thought that Biff was a massive underachiever with lots of potential. However, how could Biff have been motivated to pursue the dreams his father had for him when his father had fallen violently out of the throne Biff had built for Willy?

Biff's only choice was to stay away to try to find his true self. Albeit, Willy continues to vicariously live through Biff in his memories. We know, from those same memories, that Willy really saw Biff as an extension of his imaginary self. When Biff went away, Willy felt that Biff was not living up to the supposed potential that he had as a result of being the son of Willy (in his successful alter ego). What this tells us about Willy is that he really saw himself under a higher light than he really was. It also shows  that he expected Biff to follow suit, and that Biff's turnaround was a symbol of Biff's weakness in Willy's mind. In fact,Biff's reaction may actually have been a symbol of Biff's inner strength in finding himself away from his father, and in coming back to the reality that Willy, as well as himself (thanks to Willy) had placed themselves in pedestals to which they do not belong.

What is the effect of Banquo's ghost on Macbeth?

Macbeth is thrown completely for a loop at the appearance of Banquo's ghost. Only he can see the ghost, and the entire time he is babbling, Lady Macbeth tells him to be a man thinking that Macbeth is still blubbering about Duncan's murder. He becomes unhinged because every time he toasts Banquo or mentions his name, the ghost reappears and takes HIS seat...the seat that Fleance and Fleance's sons are prophesied by the witches to take at some point in the future.

Everyone leaves thinking that Macbeth is touched in the head, and now new suspicion of foul play is cast on him.

Why does Toby disappear at the end of "A Rose for Emily"?

In addition, it is important to note that both Emily and Toby have only known the role assigned to them--she is the aristocratic and priviledged southern lady who is accustomed to servants.  He is the servant and has been groomed for that purpose.  Once Emily is dead, she no longer requires Toby's services.  Emily is freed from her bonds, and likewise, so is Toby.

Extract the figures of speech in "The Sun Rising" by John Donne.

Figures of speech are a great many different uses of language -- allegories and similes, hyperbole and metonymy, and alliteration and onomatopeia are all included under this heading (as are many others.)

But the most dominant figure of speech in "The Sunne Rising" is personification.  Immediately the poet addresses the sun as a human being -- and he takes issue with the sun's behavior (he is angry that the sun has risen, because it ends his time in bed with his beloved)!

Busie old fool, unruly Sunne
Why dost thou thus,
Through windowes, and through curtaines call on us?
Must to thy motions lovers seasons run? (1-4)

This trope (another name for certain kinds of figures of speech) continues through the entire poem.  This is also an example of apostrophe (the same word as for the ' mark used for contractions and possessions, but in this case the word is used to describe a kind of poetry in which the poet addresses inanimate objects -- such as here, the sun).   The personification of the sun is shown when the poet gives the Sun human qualities (calling it, for example, "busy" and a "fool", or that the Sun can "Goe tell Court-huntsmen, that the King will ride" (7)); the apostrophe is that the poet addresses, or pretends to speak to, the Sun at all.  So, in this poem, Donne is using both personification and apostrophe. The poet uses other figures of speech in this poem, as we will see, but the personification and the apostrophe are the dominant ones, and the rebuke of the sun is the idea which contains Donne's claims about the glories of his beloved and himself.

Donne uses hyperbole, also -- a form of poetic exaggeration.

Thy beames, so reverend, and strong
Why shouldst thou think?
I could eclipse and cloud them with a winke,
But that I would not lose her sight so long; (11-14)

Of course, Donne, no matter what he says, cannot "eclipse" the beams of the sun.  He is saying that the brightness and the beauty of the eyes of his beloved, and the importance and grandness of their love makes sunlight dim in comparison.  It's a broad, daring, and expansive hyperbole, and it implies not only the poet's strength of love-ardour, but also, perhaps, his foolhardy youthfulness.  These superlatives (another kind of figurative language) continue all the way to the end of the poem -- his beloved, and his love for her, are the greatest and most important things on earth -- in fact, in the end, the poet says that they are the whole earth.  A superlative, indeed!

These superlative ideas are all a kind of metaphor, extending and increasing in importance from the beginning to the end of the poem (a form of climax) -- the end, in which all of existence is contained within the bed of the two lovers.  The ruling trope of the personification of the sun is brought to a close near the end of the poem, when the poet directs the sun to only warm the lovers, because they are, contained in themselves, the entire world.  "...and since thy duties be/To warme the world, that's done in warming us." (27-28) It is bold, audacious writing, typical of Donne, and these are only some of the figures of speech he employs in this famous poem. 

Who are the characters from the book The Shepherd of the Hills?

The preacher: the shepherd who goes to the woods, hills, and streams to find peace

Matt: intelligent, fearless, kind man

Sammy Lane: understands that what's inside a woman is what makes her a lady

the "bad guys": drunk, dirty, rude

the "good guys": have concern for others

For a more complete description, follow the link below.

How is As You Like It a romantic pastoral comedy? Give reasons for each part.

As You Like It is considered to be a romantic pastoral comedy, one of Shakespeare's most light-hearted plays. It is a romantic comedy in that it ends in multiple marriages: Rosalind and Orlando; Celia and Orlando's brother Oliver; the shepherd Silvius and the maid Phebe; and Touchstone and his milkmaid Audrey. It is pastoral because it extols the virtues of life in the country, in the peace of Nature, as opposed to the life of the courtier. Shakespeare's party of royals, banished to the Forest of Arden, surrounded by farms and happy, simple folk, discover that they are much happier in these simpler surroundings than they ever were at court.  The pastoral was a kind of nostalgic, sentimental representation of country life that really did not reflect reality, but was set up to be a kind of ideal.  Shakespeare plays with this ideal in As You Like It.

Can you please explain each line in "On His Blindness" by John Milton's?

Poem
analysis

Line
1

The poem starts with the speaker who is
the poet himself John Milton, reflecting upon his blindness and how God expects him to
make full use of his ability as a writer, if he cannot even see the paper on which he
writes. The talent of the poet is useless now that he is losing his sight The poet
considers how his “light” is used up or wasted . “light” for this deeply religious poet
it mean an inner light or spiritual capacity. So He uses the word "light" to refer to
his blindness and also his inner light.

Line
2

The poet assumes that his life is not yet
over. The phrase “in this dark world and wide” is a very honest
image.

Line
3

This line as I read refer to a story in
the Bible .which speaks of a bad servant who neglected his master’s talent "a talent was
a kind of coin" instead of using it. He is "cast into outer darkness.". It can also mean
Milton’s talent as a writer.

Lines
4-6

"Lodged with me useless" means that his
talent as a poet is useless now that he is losing his sight. Line 5 expresses the
speaker’s desire to serve God through his poetry, to use his talents for the glory of
God."Though my soul more bent/ to serve therewith my Maker" , here the poet is saying
that although my soul is even more inclined to serve God with that talent, I want to
serve God with my writing , but he feels that his talent will be wasted as he becomes
blind. He wishes to "present his true account," or give a good account of himself and
his service to God. The sixth line may refer to the second coming of prophet Jesus peace
be upon him "Lest he returning chide", as a Christian poet he didn't  won’t to be blamed
or rebuke when Jesus
returns.

Lines
7-8

Milton asked if God just wants lesser
tasks since his blindness denies him from using his
talents.

Patience is capitalized in the eighth line and
becomes more clearly personified when answering Milton's
question.

Line
9

Patience speaks, to prevent that "murmur,"
Milton’s questioning of God’s will in previous
line.

Lines
10-14

Patience’s reply explains the nature
of God. First of all God does not need man’s work.

"Who
best / bear his mild yoke" means the people who are most respectful to God's will. These
people are the ones who serve God best. The image of the yoke is also Biblical. " yoke "
was a kind of harness put on oxen but in other bible it is an image for God's
will.

God's greatness "His state is kingly" was explained
here .

At God’s bidding or will, thousands of people "speed
and post" all over the world all the time. This line mean that the whole world are
servants to God. There is more than one way to serve God, and patience is telling the
poet that even his waiting caused by his blindness can be a kind of service
.

How is irony used in "The Garden Party"?

The third-person-limited point of view immediately establishes the irony because of the distance between information and subject matter.The narrator withholds information in favor of limiting what she says to what Laura thinks and experiences. She generally does not understand the import of what she undergoes that day, at least not until the very end, when she says "isn't life, isn't life?" only for her brother to interrupt her, misinterpret her, and silence the knowledge about death she had just obtained from visiting the cottage of the man who had died.  But right at the beginning the setting offers irony, for the day is "ideal, could not have been more perfect for a garden party," but the real significance of the day is the death of the man, and the beauty of that day and the tragedy of that even have little to do with each other. Laura's innocence and light-heartedness at the beginning of the story in interacting with the workmen, her mother, and her brother are also ironic in relation to the death that concludes the story. And, finally, it is ironic that Laura wants deperately to be like her mother, which is why she even tries to copy her mother's voice when she speaks to the workmen, when the mother in fact is superficial, lacking the moral grounding that Laura needs.

Is Donne an intellectual realist?DiscussDONNE SELECTIONS FROM GRIERSON'S METAPHYSICAL POETRY?

It depends upon which Donne.  There are two: the early Donne focuses on the physical union of the male and female, while the late Donne focuses on the spiritual union of man and God.

Both Donnes are intellectual.  Neither are realistic, really.  The early Donne is definitely not realistic: he uses metaphysical conceits, a harsh meter, and a complex tone.  In "The Flea," for example, he urges society to leave he and his lover alone because he thinks the world is coming to an end.  This is highly emotional and not realistic.

At age 43, Donne became a minister for socio-economic means more than any real spiritual or artistic conversion (the Church of England thanked him kindly).  His intellectual correspondence with his parishioners was not realistically achieved: he still used the complex metaphorical language of a poet in his homilies.  He intrudes and digresses in his highly stylized sermons and poetry of this period.

In what ways are the pigs beginning to behave like humans?

In chapter six, the pigs move into the farmhouse. They sleep in beds, as well. Since there was a commandment about this, they explain that while they are sleeping in beds, they are not using any sheets, and that was what the commandment was, notthe banning of  beds. They further say that it is not any different than stalls, which of course, all the other animals are sleeping in. The pigs take on the human habits of habitation, while the other animals remain outside.

What images and detail establish the horse's feeling of anxiety?

I think your question is slightly confused - the horse
itself, as an inanimate object, does not have any feelings, but it definitely does
produce feelings of anxiety in us as readers and in the other characters in this
masterful short story. Think about the description of Paul as he rides on his rocking
horse, looking for "luck":

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When the two girls were playing dolls in the
nursery, he would sit on his big rocking horse, charging madly into space, with a frenzy
that made the little girls peer at him uneasily. Wildly the horse careered, the waving
dark hair of the boy tossed, his eyes had a strage glare in them. The little girls dared
not speak to him.

Such
descriptions make us anxious for Paul because of the effect that riding on his rocking
horse is having on him. Notice how this anxiety continues to be conveyed, with the
concern of other characters at his state:

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He would speak to nobody when he was in full
tilt. His mother watched him with an anxious expressin on her
face.

Even his self-absorbed
and greedy mother is concerned at his intensity, though she can't understand what is
happening. However, it is the last ride that Paul takes on his rocking horse that is by
far the most disturbing:

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"It's Malabar!" he screamed in a powerful,
strange voice. "It's
Malabar!"

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His eyes blazed at her for one strange and
seneless second, as he ceased urging his wooden horse. Then he fell with a crash to the
ground, and she, all her tormented motherhood flooding upon her, rushed to gather him
up.

The description of the
sound of his voice and the way his eyes "blazed" suggests that somehow Paul is being
possessed by some kind of spirit that comes from the horse, and obviously causes his
mother to wonder and panic over what has happened.

In Othello, how is Iago's control of Roderigo demonstrated?

Roderigo is a natural patsy. He is very gullible and easily manipulated by Iago. Iago makes great use of Roderigo's gullibility when he earns Roderigo's loyalty in stating a mutual dislike for Othello.

Roderigo was in love with Desdemona, but  Brabantio forbade him to court her. He is devastated to learn that Desdemona had eloped with Othello. Iago uses this too his benefit. Iago is jealous of the power and position of Othello, and he finds it infuriating that he was not given the promotion that went to Cassius.

Iago prompts Roderigo to wake Brabantio with the news of Desdemona and Othello's departure. He is then able to implant insecurities and worries into Brabantio's mind about the dire consequences of Othello and Desdemona's relationship.

Solve for x :- log[base 4](x-1) = log[base 2](x-3)

We'll change the base 4 of the logarithm into the base 2:

 log[base 4](x-1) = log[base 2](x-3)

 log 2 (x-1) = log 4 (x-1)*log 2 (4)

But log 2 (4) = log 2 (2^2)

We'll apply the power property of logarithms and we'll get:

 log 2 (2^2) = 2*log 2 (2)

But log 2 (2) = 1

 log 2 (2^2) = 2

log[base 4](x-1) = log[base 2](x-1)/2

The equation will become:

{log[base 2](x-1)}/2 = log[base 2](x-3)

log[base 2](x-1) = 2*log[base 2](x-3)

log[base 2](x-1) = log[base 2][(x-3)^2]

We'll apply one to one property:

x-1 = (x-3)^2

We'll expand the square:

x-1 = x^2 - 6x + 9

We'llmove all terms to one side:

x^2 - 7x + 10 = 0

We'll apply the quadratic formula:

x1 = [7+sqrt(49-40)]/2

x1 = (7+3)/2

x1 = 5

x2 = (7-3)/2

x2 = 2

Now, we'll check if the found solutions are convenient and respect the constraints of existence of logarithms above:

The constraints of existence of logarithms are:

x-1>0

x>1

x-3>0

x>3

So, all solutions have to be more than the value 3.

Because the second solution, x2=2<3, is not acceptable, so the only solution of the equation is x=5.

What is the poem "Richard Cory" about, and what is the theme of the poem?Can you personally relate to the poem, and why or why not?

The poem "Richard Cory" by Edward Arlington Robinson is about two types of isolation:  isolation from others, and isolation from physical comfort.  Written in 1897, Robinson's poem recalls the economic depression when the citizens of America had to subsist on bread, often day-old bread. These are the people "on the pavement" who work and "curse the bread" in their miserable lives.  They view Richard Cory, who is above them socially, as almost royalty:

He was a gentleman from sole to crown,

Clean favored, and imperially slim.

But, he, too, is discontented, for he ventures into town and speaks to people--"Good morning"--but no one talks with him; instead, he is perceived as glittering like a king and watched with envy:

In fine, we thought that he was everything

To make us wish that we were in his place.

Sadly, the people's envy is unjustified as Richard Cory is desperately lonely, so lonely that he kills himself.  It seems that social isolation is the greater burden.

Sarah Margaret Ferguson, the Duchess of York, wrote how lonely it was when she was married to Prince Andrew.  She was confined to one floor of Windsor castle with little lighting, and could only come to other rooms at certain times.  Much like Richard Cory, she was isolated from the communion of others, one of the basic needs of all humans beings.  Hers is not an unusual situation for those who are wealthy and famous. 

How did decentralization beneift other members of Ottoman society?

The Ottoman Empire, like a number of the world empires that preceded it, governed a vast range of territory.  For this reason, it had to devise a system of government that matched the demands of such an expanse of land.  The resulting governmental structure was highly decentralized, relying on the rule of territorial entities and the payment of tribute/taxes to the Ottoman government.  This system certainly benefited members of the populations under Ottoman rule.  Since there was no direct oversight by Ottoman rulers, different societies under Ottoman control could more or less govern themselves as long as they paid tribute to the Ottoman government.

This decentralization also resulted in a degree of religious toleration as well.  Ottoman rulers would encourage conversion for those who were not Muslim, but in a larger sense they respected the religious practices of their population.  On a larger level, the Ottoman populations could live their own lives as long as they demonstrated their loyalty when it was required of them. 

“The circle shivered with dread” is an example of what rhetorical device?The question is found in Chapter 8 of Lord of the Flies

In Chapter 8 of Lord of the Flies by
William Golding, a meeting is called because the beast is near where the signal fire is
located; in addition, there is a challenge for Ralph's authority by Jack.  But, when he
calls for a vote, the boys do not respond, looking uncomfortably at the ground instead. 
Jack announces that he is going off by himself, and runs away, tears stinging his
cheeks.

Then, Piggy starts to chide Ralph, but decides
against doing so.  Instead, he tells Ralph,

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We can do without Jack Merridew.  But now we
really got a beast,....we really need to stay close to the platform; there'll be less
need of him and his
hunting....

Ralph replies,
"There's no help, Piggy.  Nothing to be done." And, the boys sit in "depressed silence"
for a while until Simon appears and suggests climbing the
mountain.

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The circle shivered with
dread.  Simon broke off and turned to Piggy who was looking at him with
an expression of derisive
incomprehension.

The circle
represents the boys who sit in a circle at the meetings. They are frightened of the
sight of what they think is the "beast" and do not want to venture up the
mountain.

The figurative term for the use of the circle to
represent the group of boys is called metonymy.  Metonymy
is another form of metaphor, very similar to synecdoche in which the person(s) or
thing(s) cchosen for the metaphorical image is closely associated with the subject to
which it is compared.  (e.g. referring to a king or queen as "the crown.")  In Chapter 8
the boys are referred to as the circle since they have assembled several times and sit
in a circle. Also, as a group,their feelings of fear are in unison:  They shiver all
together--hence, "the circle shivered."

Why do some readers find the story "A & P" offensively sexist?

From a feminist stand point, the young girls in A&P are objectified by the men in the store.   The narrator looks at them as in need of protection.  He bases this opinion on what they wear rather than who they are.  The story is told through a limited point of view, so the reader is not aware of the thoughts and beliefs of the young girls.  The reader can only see and hear what they say, thus relying on the unreliable point of view of the narrator. 

Is Hamlet really insane or is he pretending to have gone mad?

This is one of the key issues of the play.  After seeing the Ghost in Act I, Hamlet has resolved to seek revenge against Claudius.  He swears his friends, who know only that he has spoken with the Ghost, to secrecy and then asks them to stay silent, no matter "how strange or odd some'er I bear myself (as I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on."  He warns them not to give away, by a knowing nod or a smile or a word, that he is implementing an unusual plan.

By Act II, Hamlet has been acting sufficiently "crazy" that others are questioning his sanity.  Hamlet reveals to his former friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that he is "but mad north-northwest; when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw." He's just told them he's not actually crazy, but they're too insensible to reason to recognize his revelation.

The next reference Hamlet makes to his feigned (or real) madness is is Act III when he has a confrontation with his mother.  He tells her he is "essentially...not in madness but mad in craft"--of course he has just had a murderous outburst in which he stabs the man behind the arras (Polonius),  Here, perhaps, we begin to wonder if he has somehow placed at least a toe across the line of sanity.

Immediately afterwards, in Act IV, Gertrude announces to Claudius that her son is "mad as the sea and the wind when both contend which is the mightier."  Is that because she believes he is insane or to keep the King guessing about Hamlet's mental state?  Probably the latter, as she immediately looks at the King with blame when she realizes she has been poisoned in Act V.  Possibly the former, as she does nothing to help Hamlet until she reasons that her husband is the crazier one for having plotted and schemed in such a way.

Act IV is where Hamlet may move from feigned insanity to the real thing in his grief for Ophelia.  He literally lashes out in his grief and even jumps into Ophelia's grave.  After that, his spirit seems to be resigned to his fate, as exhibited in his last major conversation with Horatio.  In any case, he is able to fight with Laertes and fulfill his promise to his father. 

A case can be made for both mad and mad in craft. though it's certain madness in craft was a plan from the beginning.

What does "Nothing is but what is not" mean in Act 1, Scene 3 of Macbeth?

I'm new to this, nothing, discussion and, doubtless, many others may have said something along the same lines as I'm about to. If so, please forgive.

We know that Mr Shakespeare was quite a witty chap and so might it not be that, in exercising his mind, he may have been wont to indulge in a little public philosophising, for his own gratification?

The concept of "nothing" surely occurs to us all as being ultimately absurd, when we think about it. Perhaps he was pointing out that; if we accept that "nothing" exists, even though, by definition, it can't. Indeed, it absolutely must not exist. If so, what exactly is that thing that we mean when we say "nothing"?

Or rather, what is it not?

A wee jape, possibly a mere musing, just to see if we are paying attention to, receptive to, the otherside of existence.

Could this be so?

Find the vertex,fcus, ad directrix of the parabola (x+2)to the scond power = -24(y-1)

To find the vertex, focus and directrix of the parabola:

(x+2)^2 = -24(y-1)

Solution:

The standard equation of the parabola is y ^2 = 4ax with x axis as a symmetriacal axis having (0,0) as vertex, (a,o) as the focus, and  a as focal length, and x = -a as directrix.

A similar parobola is  X^2 = 4a *Y...............(1), which is a parabola, symmetrical about y axis with (0,0) as vertex, (0,a) as focus and Y = -a as directrix and  a as focal length.

Now compare  (x+2)^2 = -24(y-1) Or

(x+2)^2 = 4*(-6)(y-1) ... ....(2), the given parabola,  with the standard parabola at eq(1).

We get for (X,Y)  = (0,0),  (x+2, y-1) = (0,0). So  (x,y)  =   (-2,1) is the vertex of the given parabola.

Focal length:  4a = 4*(-6) or a = -6 is the focal length implies the focal length is below the origin  by  6 units on y axis.

The focus:  (X,Y) = (0,a) is the focus of the standard parabola. Corresponding to this,  we get (x+2, y) = (0, -6) Or

(x,y) = (-2,-6) is the coordinate position of the focus  for the given parabola.

The directrix :  X = -a. Or x+2 = -(-6).  Or for the given equation of the parabola, x+2 = 6  is the directrix. Or

x = 6-2. Or

x = 4 is the directrix of the parabola.