What do Johnny and Ponyboy do when they know the children are in the church? Are they scared?

The chapter that you are asking about is chapter 6.  Ponyboy and Johnny see the church burning, and they think that one of their cigarettes must have started the fire.  The two boys quickly realize that there are kids all around the building, and they can hear kids screaming from within the church as well.  

Then we all froze. Faintly, just faintly, you could hear someone yelling. And it sounded like it was coming...

The chapter that you are asking about is chapter 6.  Ponyboy and Johnny see the church burning, and they think that one of their cigarettes must have started the fire.  The two boys quickly realize that there are kids all around the building, and they can hear kids screaming from within the church as well.  

Then we all froze. Faintly, just faintly, you could hear someone yelling. And it sounded like it was coming from inside the church.

Johnny and Ponyboy do not hesitate.  The fling themselves headlong at the church.  They break through a window and climb through in order to find and rescue any children inside the church.  The two boys quickly locate the children and begin hustling them out of the church.  

No, Ponyboy and Johnny are not scared.  Physiologically, their adrenaline is on overdrive.  They know that they have to act quickly, or the kids will die.  Johnny and Ponyboy simply do not have time to be scared.  What's interesting about the text is that Ponyboy recalls thinking about the danger he is in and wondering why he is not scared.  

I should be scared, I thought with an odd detached feeling, but I'm not. The cinders and embers began falling on us, stinging and smarting like ants. Suddenly, in the red glow and the haze, I remembered wondering what it was like in a burning ember, and I thought: Now I know, it's a red hell. Why aren't I scared?

What are sleep cycles? |

The term "sleep cycle" refers to the sequence of stages we pass through as we sleep. Typically, a sleeper repeats the cycle several times each night.

Sleep cycles have been observed in many species of mammal and birds. They have also been detected in some reptiles, like the lizard called the "Australian dragon." But here I will focus my discussion on sleep cycles in human adults. Sleep cycles in other species -- and in human infants -- look somewhat different.

The stages of sleep have been defined primarily by electrical brain activity detected via electroencephalograms, or EEGs. If you want to understand what a sleep cycle is, it's helpful to know a little about this electrical activity.

The EEG measures changes in voltage caused by patterns of neural firing in the brain. When we're awake, most of our neurons fire according to their own, varied rhythms. But as we fall asleep, more neurons begin to fire in synchrony with each other. This gives rise to a distinctive EEG pattern: It produces electrical waves with higher peaks and valleys, or higher amplitude. In addition, as we sink into deeper stages of sleep, neurons also fire at a slower rate. This gives rise to another characteristic that we can see on an EEG readout-- the brain waves have a lower frequency.

When we pass out of the deepest stage of sleep (slow-wave sleep), we typically move into a strange stage called "rapid eye movement" (REM) sleep, so-named because the sleeper's eyes shift back and forth rapidly under the lids. During REM, the muscles slacken, and the body undergoes a temporary paralysis. But what's really odd or paradoxical about REM is the EEG pattern: The neurons become less synchronized, much as they do when we're awake. REM is one of the ongoing scientific puzzles of sleep, but there is no doubt this is a form of sleep. And it's important to realize that not all parts of the brain look active during REM. Some parts of the brain are characterized by slow waves.

What exactly does the typical sleep cycle look like?

In an adult sleeper settling down for the night, a single cycle is composed of 3 stages of non-REM sleep (in older texts, you may see reference to 4 stages) and REM. The whole cycle takes an average of 70-100 minutes the first time through, at which point the sleeper either awakens or begins the cycle again. Subsequent cycles can be longer -- between 90-120 minutes. And each time you repeat a cycle, things aren't exactly the same. You usually spend more time in the third stage of sleep during your first sleep cycle. In subsequent cycles, you spend less time in that stage and more time in REM. In addition, individuals vary in how much time they spend in each stage. Most adults experience between 3-5 cycles each night.

Let's take a closer look at each stage. I will abbreviate non-REM sleep as "NREM."

NREM1 

This is the lightest stage of sleep, and in some cases people in NREM1 maintain a sense of awareness of their surroundings. You are very easily awakened from NREM1. For instance, you will likely awaken if someone speaks your name. But scientists can identify this as sleep because your brain waves are a bit slower than during waking. Typically, the stage lasts between 1-7 minutes.

NREM2

This is still considered light sleep, but the waves have slowed further, which indicates that you are sleeping more deeply than before. Occasionally your EEG shows brief bursts of slower, high amplitude waves (k-complexes). These may function, in part, to keep you from awakening to environmental sounds. This stage lasts about 10-25 minutes.

NREM3 (formerly divided into two stages, NREM 3 and 4)

This is the stage where brain waves become the slowest. Such sleep is therefore called slow-wave sleep. This is when you are least likely to be awakened by environmental noise. The stage lasts between 20-40 minutes.

NREM 2 (again)

People usually return to this stage for a few minutes before transitioning to REM.

REM

The length of REM varies a great deal depending on how many times the cycle has been repeated. The first time through, a sleeper might spend little or no time in REM. In later cycles, the sleeper might spend much more time in REM than in NREM3. Overall, adults spend between 20-25% of the night in REM.

Explain the voice of the main characters of Kaffir Boy. What positions are they taking? What is the larger commentary that is being made by the...

Mark Mathabane narrates this story to give voice to his experience as a Black South African. He writes at the beginning of the book, "The white man of South Africa certainly does not know me" (page 3) and explains that he wrote his story to give voice to what it was like to grow up black in South Africa under apartheid.

His story explains what it's like to grow up crushed by fear, as he is when the white authorities show up outside his door when he is a child. The reader understands the fear that Mark and his family feel as the police raid their house, and the reader also hears the callous and brutal voices of the police, who refer to the scared children as "bastards."

The reader also gains insight into the thoughts and voices of other characters. For example, despite this brutality, Mark's mother still prays to her ancestors, though he feels that "no amount of prayer could stop the police from violating our lives at will" (page 30). Mark's father, on the other hand, "existed under the illusion...that one day all white people would disappear from South Africa" (pages 31-32). As a result, Mark's father rules his family, according to tribal law, with an iron fist. The parents have different ways of dealing with apartheid--the mother takes a position of prayer and passive resistance, while the father uses brutality and force within his own family to maintain a sense of control. Later, Mark learns about apartheid, in part from his Granny, who tells him about white people: "We're their servants, they're our masters" (page 201). Mark's grandmother takes the position of hoping that one day, a new generation of Blacks will wrest control from the whites, even though the whites have all the guns. 

The larger commentary made by the author though the voices of these different characters is that there are different ways to resist a brutal system such as apartheid. Mark eventually resists the system and finds a way out by being a good student and becoming a great tennis player. Inspired by Arthur Ashe, Mark proves himself as a black man in a white world. The other characters, including his parents and grandmother, deal with oppression in different ways. It was ultimately through resistance, which Mark's grandmother advocates, that apartheid was destroyed. 

What are the properties of cohesion and adhesion and why are they important for living things?

Adhesion and cohesion are water properties that affect living and non-living things on earth through water molecules.

Cohesion: Water is attracted to waterAdhesion: Water is attracted to other things

Water is very cohesive in that it "sticks" to itself. Cohesion is what allows a water droplet to form, for example. When water molecules surround one another, they settle toward a low energy state. For water molecules, they are most stable when they form a...

Adhesion and cohesion are water properties that affect living and non-living things on earth through water molecules.

Cohesion: Water is attracted to water
Adhesion: Water is attracted to other things

Water is very cohesive in that it "sticks" to itself. Cohesion is what allows a water droplet to form, for example. When water molecules surround one another, they settle toward a low energy state. For water molecules, they are most stable when they form a ball surrounded by other water molecules. As the molecules "pull" together, the surface tension acts like a casing for the group of water molecules. If it weren't for cohesion, water molecules would behave very differently and we would not expect to see water droplets.

Although water likes to stick to itself, it sometimes prefers to adhere to other things. The adhesive property of water allows water allows water molecules to stick to non-water molecules, which results in some common water behaviors. For example, if you fill a glass tube with water, a meniscus will form. The meniscus is the result of water molecules being more attracted to the polarized glass rather than to their neighboring water molecules.

Cohesive and adhesive properties of water impact living things in many ways:

• Water droplets form on plants, allowing the plants to soak up the water over time rather than all at once.


• Water striders (insects) glide across water surfaces owing to the cohesive property of water.


• Adhesion allows for water to move against gravity through plant cells.


• Capillary action owing to adhesion allows blood to move through tiny vessels in some animal bodies.

`y = arctan(x/2) , (2, pi/4)` Find an equation of the tangent line to the graph of the function at the given point

Equation of a tangent line to the graph of function `f`  at point `(x_0,y_0)` is given by `y=y_0+f'(x_0)(x-x_0).`

The first step to finding equation of tangent line is to calculate the derivative of the given function. To calculate this derivative we will have to use the chain rule  `(u(v))'=u'(v)cdot v'` 

`y'=1/(1+(x/2)^2)cdot1/2`

Now we calculate the value of the derivative at the given point.

`y'(2)=1/(2(1+(2/2)^2))=1/2(1+1)=1/4`

We now have everything needed to write the equation of the tangent line.

`y=pi/4+1/4(x-2)`

`y=x/4+(pi-2)/4`

...

Equation of a tangent line to the graph of function `f`  at point `(x_0,y_0)` is given by `y=y_0+f'(x_0)(x-x_0).`

The first step to finding equation of tangent line is to calculate the derivative of the given function. To calculate this derivative we will have to use the chain rule  `(u(v))'=u'(v)cdot v'` 

`y'=1/(1+(x/2)^2)cdot1/2`

Now we calculate the value of the derivative at the given point.

`y'(2)=1/(2(1+(2/2)^2))=1/2(1+1)=1/4`

We now have everything needed to write the equation of the tangent line.

`y=pi/4+1/4(x-2)`

`y=x/4+(pi-2)/4`

Graph of the function along with the tangent line can be seen in the image below.                                              

Are United States military interventions and wars absolutely necessary to preserve democracy and freedom?

I believe it is fair to say that, in most cases, the United States needs to be involved in military interventions or in wars to preserve democracy and freedom. There are several examples that support this position. During the 1920s and the 1930s, the United States and other European countries actively followed an isolationist foreign policy for various reasons. This backfired as aggressive countries, led by dictators such as Hitler and Mussolini, began to take...

I believe it is fair to say that, in most cases, the United States needs to be involved in military interventions or in wars to preserve democracy and freedom. There are several examples that support this position. During the 1920s and the 1930s, the United States and other European countries actively followed an isolationist foreign policy for various reasons. This backfired as aggressive countries, led by dictators such as Hitler and Mussolini, began to take over other countries. One message this whole set of events suggested is that aggression cannot be ignored.

After World War II, the United States, our allies, and, at times, the United Nations took an active role to prevent the spread of communism to non-communist countries. It is fair to say that if the United States, France, and Great Britain did not organize the Berlin Airlift, West Berlin would have fallen into communist hands. The same case can be made in South Korea in 1950. Even with help from the United Nations, South Korea nearly was conquered by communist North Korea. With the help of forces from the United Nations, led by the United States, South Korea remained free and does so to this day. Currently, there is a growing threat from North Korea with its development of nuclear weapons, and the United States is supporting South Korea.

The United States developed the European Recovery Program to help nations that were fighting the spread of communism in Europe after World War II. The United States gave aid to Greece and Turkey to help them avoid being taken over by communist forces. The Cuban Missile Crisis is another example where American involvement was needed. The United States could not allow the Cuban government and the Soviet Union to put missiles with offensive capabilities in Cuba. The United States needed to act to protect the American people and other countries in the Western Hemisphere.

In each of these cases, the United States was acting to preserve freedom and democracy in countries where it already existed and was being threatened by the actions of other countries. It is reasonable to conclude that the United States needs to be involved when threats are made to democratic governments and to freedom.

First complete this sentence with appropriate names/words of your choice: "As [name of character] awoke one morning from uneasy dreams, he found...

It sounds like you've been given a creative assignment as a response to reading Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis! The Metamorphosisis a novella which follows the transformation of Gregor Samsa, a traveling salesman who morphs into a "monstrous vermin" (sometimes represented as a cockroach or beetle). Gregor struggles to deal with this change, especially since it has inspired revulsion in his family; the novella closes with his death, which at long last restores some...

It sounds like you've been given a creative assignment as a response to reading Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis! The Metamorphosis is a novella which follows the transformation of Gregor Samsa, a traveling salesman who morphs into a "monstrous vermin" (sometimes represented as a cockroach or beetle). Gregor struggles to deal with this change, especially since it has inspired revulsion in his family; the novella closes with his death, which at long last restores some peace and relief to the household. It is ultimately an absurd story which remarks upon the nature of estrangement and the limits of human sympathy. 

The assignment you have been given--with the direction to have a character find him or herself changed in his or her bed into an "[adjective][creature]" and to then have him/her go about her his/her daily activities  and encounter another person--absolutely mirrors the plot of The Metamorphosis. I can't complete your creative writing assignment for you, as that would involve you committing an act of plagiarism, which I'm sure your school and teacher would not be pleased with! However, I can help give you some sample ideas to get you creative juices flowing:

• 
  "As Montana awoke one morning from uneasy dreams, she found herself  transformed in her bed into a purple hamster." You could then explore how some of Montana's former habits--brushing her long, blonde hair one hundred strokes before bed, putting on her fuzzy slippers, sipping a cup of tea--are no longer possible. When Montana tries to go to work as a real estate agent that afternoon to sell a single story mid-century home recently placed on the market, her potential buyers leave in a huff because they don't recognize her in her new hamster form.


• 
  "As Cristiano awoke one morning from uneasy dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a fat anteater." You could then follow up with the harrowing tale of how this destroys Cristiano's underwear modeling career. He no longer has an interest in drinking his morning protein shake, in attending his CrossFit session with his trainer, Julio, or in showing up on time to his 10:00 AM spray tan appointment. When Cristiano finally manages to drag himself to his photo shoot that afternoon--which was to be staged at a local park--he ends up blowing the whole thing by scarfing down the ants which have invaded the picnic basket instead of posing in his boxer briefs. 

Kafka's work is surreal and strange, and I would not hesitate to mimic those qualities in your own assignment. Get quirky or funny--the weirder, the better!

How did the Progressives respond the the myriad of issues they saw in early 20th century America?

The Progressive Era ushered in many changes to American society. Progressives rejected Social Darwinism and believed government should be used as a way to counteract the problems faced by society.

In urban locations, political machines had become a source of corruption and deceit. These organizations offered jobs to immigrants in exchange for votes. They were propped up by local businesses who supported them in exchange for kickbacks. Political Progressives fought these machines and advocated for...

The Progressive Era ushered in many changes to American society. Progressives rejected Social Darwinism and believed government should be used as a way to counteract the problems faced by society.

In urban locations, political machines had become a source of corruption and deceit. These organizations offered jobs to immigrants in exchange for votes. They were propped up by local businesses who supported them in exchange for kickbacks. Political Progressives fought these machines and advocated for change in local government in an effort to improve efficiency. Initiatives, referendums and recall were all political reforms supported by Progressives. 

Social evils of the day were attacked as well. Journalists known as "muckrakers" exposed the public to the plight of life in the slums. These investigative journalists published stories of poverty, unsafe labor conditions and corruption in government.  Upton Sinclair exposed the vile meatpacking industry in his book, "The Jungle." 

Progressives sought to enforce prostitution laws and improve sanitation. The tragedy of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911 sparked a movement toward better safety laws in the workplace. 

Alcohol was blamed as the influence behind many of the domestic problems of the day and found itself in the cross-hair of the Progressives. The Temperance movement led to the passage of the 18th amendment which banned alcohol.  

Other Progressive Era amendments include the 16th amendment which gave Congress the power to tax income, the 17th amendment which provided for the direct election of Senators, and the 19th amendment which finally gave women the right to vote across the entire nation.

Progressives attacked the problems they saw in society. They aggressively sought to improve life for the poor by using the power of the government to force social change. Improvements in education, regulation in the marketplace and food and water sanitation were gained by the Progressives. There is no doubt the lives of many Americans were improved by this era in American History.

What strategies did Martin Luther King Jr. use to convey his ideas in "Letter From Birmingham Jail"?

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" is a masterpiece containing rhetorical strategies almost too numerous to identify and analyze.  Here are just four:

Early in the letter, King uses refutationwhen he addresses being called an "outside agitator" by the Birmingham authorities.  King asserts that "anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds."  With regard to oppression based on race, King does not...

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" is a masterpiece containing rhetorical strategies almost too numerous to identify and analyze.  Here are just four:

Early in the letter, King uses refutation when he addresses being called an "outside agitator" by the Birmingham authorities.  King asserts that "anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds."  With regard to oppression based on race, King does not see geographic boundaries in the United States.

King also uses concession when he asks the rhetorical question, "Isn't negotiation a better path?" This is something his opponents might ask, and he then answers, "You are quite right in calling for negotiation." King emphasizes that he and his supporters prefer nonviolence in addressing the institutionalized racism that plagues the country.

King uses a metaphor to contrast the social and political backwardness of the United States with the progressiveness of other nations when he writes "the nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jetlike speed toward gaining political independence, but we still creep at horse and buggy pace toward gaining a cup of coffee at a lunch counter." This is also an appeal to pathos; the United States looks pathetic in its inability to recognize its citizens' essential humanity.

What would you say is the climax of "The Tell Tale Heart"? Why?

In literature, the climax is the name given to the most dramatic and intense moment of a story. If we relate this to "The Tell-Tale Heart," then we see that the climax happens when the narrator breaks into the old man's bedroom and murders him.

All of the events preceding the murder have been used by Poe to build tension in the story. The narrator tells us that he has to murder the old man...

In literature, the climax is the name given to the most dramatic and intense moment of a story. If we relate this to "The Tell-Tale Heart," then we see that the climax happens when the narrator breaks into the old man's bedroom and murders him.

All of the events preceding the murder have been used by Poe to build tension in the story. The narrator tells us that he has to murder the old man because of the "evil eye," for example, and that he has spent seven nights waiting for the moment to strike. Finally, on the eighth night, he seizes the moment and successfully carries out his murderous plan. The tension in the story has, therefore, reached its peak.

After the murder, Poe sets the scene for the falling action (when the narrator tries to cover up the murder) and the resolution (when he lifts the floorboards to reveal his crime).

Alternately, we might interpret the narrator's confession as the climax of the story; the moments leading up to it are full of tension as the narrator imagines he hears the old man's heartbeat and begins to act increasingly suspicious in front of the police officers. In this interpretation, the story cuts off before any kind of resolution or falling action; we are left to infer from the beginning of the story that the narrator has most likely been arrested (after which he recounts his story).

What does the crop of wheat represent for Martha in "A Field of Wheat"?

The crop of wheat represents for Martha a promise of financial security and material well-being. Unfortunately for her, it cannot provide her with what she really wants in life, which is love and emotional security. Trapped in a rapidly deteriorating marriage to John, Martha feels increasingly unloved and neglected. The wheat field is an extension of John, and Martha is an extension of John. As the annual harvest is at the mercy of nature, so...

The crop of wheat represents for Martha a promise of financial security and material well-being. Unfortunately for her, it cannot provide her with what she really wants in life, which is love and emotional security. Trapped in a rapidly deteriorating marriage to John, Martha feels increasingly unloved and neglected. The wheat field is an extension of John, and Martha is an extension of John. As the annual harvest is at the mercy of nature, so too is Martha's sense of worth as a wife and mother; the vulnerability of the wheat crop to the uncontrollable forces of nature is paralleled by the chronic insecurity of Martha's existence. She has no control of her life, no way in which she can take control of her own destiny. It's notable that when she does finally break free, the consequences are tragic. We are left with the abiding impression that the identities of rural dwellers are forged by the landscape to such an extent that they cannot truly escape, and that in attempting to do, they are defying the nature by which their whole lives are organized and given shape. 

Is Iago "honest" in Shakespeare's Othello? Explain why or why not.

The question speaks to Iago's morality. Is his 'honesty' a measure of his moral turpitude or his moral supremacy? Yes, he is honest to the audience throughout the play and speaks of his devious nature and makes a declaration of intent, without apologising for what he does and what he intends doing. His sole desire is to destroy those by whom he feels wronged or threatened, by whatever means possible. His devious machinations are purposeful and a means to an end: He follows Othello to 'serve my turn upon him.' Iago, for all his honesty, does not care about how his actions would affect innocent victims, they become mere residual damage in his journey of destruction.

In reality, the fact that Iago is honest in his declarations to Roderigo further emphasises his evil, for he does this only to gain Roderigo's support and the gullible fool realises too late that he had also been manipulated and had been a mere tool in Iago's devious plan.

Added to this, we the audience, are impressed by the fact that Iago is honest to himself and does not make excuses for who he is. But this does not make him a better person, for the audience has no influence on his actions and therefore his honesty, in this regard, has no merit whatsoever. Shakespeare cleverly uses Iago's honesty with the audience as a device to add to the dramatic irony and therefore the tension. The more Iago confesses to us, the greater the impact. We wait in expectation for his next act of evil and its resultant effect on the unfortunate characters toward whom his perfidy is directed.

Furthermore, Iago at times, functions as a narrator and his glee in confessing his evil makes him a more pernicious individual, for he takes pride in the fact that he can manipulate others so easily and make them believe his every word. He comes across as arrogant and psychotic, not admirable.

With the exception of Roderigo, Iago does not confide in anyone else about his intentions, for he fears that they could turn against him. This makes him a coward. In effect, he does not admit his cowardice for he deems it a weakness, whereas his exploitation and manipulation is seen as a strength, something to brag about to those from whom he can expect no intervention. His 'honesty' is therefore selective. When he does discover a threat to his machinations, when Roderigo for example rebels against him, he kills him and blames others for his murder.

The fact that others trust him and believe in his honesty, is a source of great pride and satisfaction to Iago and this is where the measure of his character is grandly displayed. His malice becomes more evident for he uses this belief in him and his goodness to drag them further into his web of lies and devastation. He carries this through right to the end and never admits to his wrongdoing. When he is finally caught out, he like the coward he is, declares:

Demand me nothing: what you know, you know:
From this time forth I never will speak word.

So, no, Iago is not honest. The superficial and meaningless confessions he makes when addressing the audience and Roderigo, is not honesty at all. It merely displays the depth of his evil, for he realises that such 'honesty' does not present him with any threat. He can freely execute his malicious and vindictive plot.  

In Shakespeare's Macbeth, why is Macduff's plan effective?

I assume you are referring to Macduff's plan to leave Scotland at his earliest convenience and seek assistance for Macbeth's overthrow.

The plan is effective in the sense that firstly, Macduff, in leaving in such a hurry, denies Macbeth the opportunity to assassinate him as he had done with Banquo. Macbeth has been aware of Macduff's sentiments and knows where his loyalties lie and wants him dead. In fact, the murderers who kill Macduff's entire...

I assume you are referring to Macduff's plan to leave Scotland at his earliest convenience and seek assistance for Macbeth's overthrow.

The plan is effective in the sense that firstly, Macduff, in leaving in such a hurry, denies Macbeth the opportunity to assassinate him as he had done with Banquo. Macbeth has been aware of Macduff's sentiments and knows where his loyalties lie and wants him dead. In fact, the murderers who kill Macduff's entire family come looking for him for, on their arrival, the first murderer asks Lady Macduff, "Where is your husband?"

The murder of Macduff's entire family and his servants indicates how ruthless and bloodthirsty the tyrant has become. With his rushed escape Macduff had, essentially, abandoned his family and left them vulnerable and open to Macbeth's malice. In this regard, the plan was not entirely effective. In his defense, though, one can argue that he had no choice but to leave. If he had tarried, he would have been killed as well. His escape ensured that he would be able to acquire support for what has become a desperate cause—the survival of his beloved Scotland.

Macduff meets up with Malcolm in England, where he is informed that Edward, the English king, has promised support for their cause in the form of "goodly thousands"—experienced and battle-hardened soldiers. Macduff also later learns that Siward, "with ten thousand warlike men, / Already at a point, was setting forth."

He and Malcolm eventually meet up with the troops as they approach Macbeth's castle from Birnam wood. They later overrun his castle, and Macduff is brought face to face with the evil tyrant. He kills him in a sword fight and decapitates him. The bloody tyrant has come to an ignominious end, and Macduff has had his revenge.

What happened at the end of the book Hoot by Carl Hiaasen?

Carl Hiaasen's novel Hoot consists of twenty-one chapters and an epilogue. In chapter twenty, the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Mother Paula's pancake house is taking place. Mullet Fingers, whose real name is Napolean Bridger Leep, has been trying to stop construction through various tricks. He wants to stop construction in order to save the burrowing owls on the property. During the groundbreaking ceremony, Mullet Fingers has buried himself in one of the owl dens with only his head sticking out. He has a bucket of "snakes" with him that he threatens to let out if they go forward with construction. Chuck Muckle, the vice president of the Mother Paula's organization, calls his bluff by taking his gold-painted shovel and hacking the snakes to pieces. They are made out of rubber. 

Roy tells the crowd that there are owls on the property and the pancake house will destroy their habitat. He tries to prove his point, but the pictures they took to prove the owls lived on the property were grainy and dark. The students who are at the groundbreaking ceremony join hands to prevent the bulldozers from beginning the groundbreaking. At the end of chapter twenty, a burrowing owl lands on Mullet Fingers's head, proving their existence. 

In chapter twenty-one, the press, present for the groundbreaking ceremony, reports the entire story in the newspaper the next day. Roy's family meets Kelly Colfax, a reporter Chuck Muckle assaulted during the groundbreaking. Roy's dad gives Kelly Colfax an envelope that contains the file for the Mother Paula's project. Roy's father got the file from the courthouse and had it examined by lawyers who were experts in environmental law. The file was missing the environmental impact statement, which proves Chuck Muckle and Curly Branitt knew about the owls and tried to cover it up. 

In the epilogue, the Gazette reports that the environmental impact statement turned up in the golf bag of Councilman Grandy, along with an envelope containing $4,500. This scandal permanently shuts down construction of the restaurant on the property at East Oriole and Woodbury. Chuck Muckle was demoted to Assistant Junior Vice President and was court-ordered to take an anger management class. Mother Paula's company pledges to create an owl sanctuary on the property. 

Mullet Fingers ends up in juvenile detention when his mother reports that he stole her valuable toe ring. He manages to escape juvenile detention by using his cell mate, Dana Matherson, as a decoy.

In the play Antigone, which characters have hamartia and hubris?

In Antigone, Creon has hamartia and exhibits hubris.  Creon is a new king in Thebes, so he is a bit insecure regarding his position among the people.  As a result, Creon gets wrapped up in proving to the people of Thebes that he is worthy of his position.  So even if he thinks that Antigone should be pardoned, he maintains that he cannot appear weak in front of the people of Thebes, and thus he...

In Antigone, Creon has hamartia and exhibits hubris.  Creon is a new king in Thebes, so he is a bit insecure regarding his position among the people.  As a result, Creon gets wrapped up in proving to the people of Thebes that he is worthy of his position.  So even if he thinks that Antigone should be pardoned, he maintains that he cannot appear weak in front of the people of Thebes, and thus he maintains his position.  Eventually, his own son Haemon comes to appeal to him and tells Creon that the popular opinion is that Antigone be set free; however, Creon will not be swayed.  He is so proud of his decision to maintain his ruling even in the face of doubt, and this decision lands him in the realm of having hubris--too much pride that blinds his better judgment.  Creon's hubris is his hamartia--the quality which leads to his ultimate downfall in the play.

`f(x) = cosh(8x+1)` Find the derivative of the function

`f(x)=cosh(8x+ 1)`

Take note that the derivative formula of cosh is

`d/dx[cosh(u)] = sinh(u) *(du)/dx`

Applying this formula, the derivative of the function will be

`f'(x) = d/dx [cosh(8x+1)]`

`f'(x) = sinh(8x + 1)*d/dx(8x+1)`

`f'(x)=sinh(8x + 1) * 8`

`f'(x) = 8sinh(8x +1)`

Therefore, the derivative of the function is `f'(x) =8sinh(8x+1)` .

`f(x)=cosh(8x+ 1)`

Take note that the derivative formula of cosh is

`d/dx[cosh(u)] = sinh(u) *(du)/dx`

Applying this formula, the derivative of the function will be

`f'(x) = d/dx [cosh(8x+1)]`

`f'(x) = sinh(8x + 1)*d/dx(8x+1)`

`f'(x)=sinh(8x + 1) * 8`

`f'(x) = 8sinh(8x +1)`

Therefore, the derivative of the function is `f'(x) =8sinh(8x+1)` .

Describe the manservant who stays with Emily. What is significant about him?

Tobe, the manservant in Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily," is perhaps the only character in the story who is more mysterious than Emily. Because he has such an intimate relationship with Emily, living with her and serving her every day, he is also the only character who might have the answers to some of the mysteries surrounding Emily. 

Tobe also is a subtle glimpse into the racist political underpinnings and history of the South, where...

Tobe, the manservant in Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily," is perhaps the only character in the story who is more mysterious than Emily. Because he has such an intimate relationship with Emily, living with her and serving her every day, he is also the only character who might have the answers to some of the mysteries surrounding Emily. 

Tobe also is a subtle glimpse into the racist political underpinnings and history of the South, where this story takes place. As an older man, Tobe has most likely been with Emily's family for a long time. As an older black man, he is connected to the South's violent history of slavery, and was most likely born a slave, perhaps on a plantation that Emily's father owned. Thus, Tobe represents the ways in which Emily is hanging on to this past and refusing to change along with the times. 

The fact that Tobe is mostly silent throughout the story, even though he is such an important character, speaks to the ways in which the white townspeople consider Tobe to be invisible, and to the South's deeply rooted racism. Faulkner writes, "We had long since given up trying to get any information from the Negro," despite the glaring fact that Tobe most likely was the person who alerted the town to Emily's death.

Tobe disappears at the end of the story. Faulkner writes, "He walked right through the house and out the back and was not seen again." Tobe may have felt loyalty for Emily and loved her, or he may have despised her. Has Tobe been waiting for Emily to die this whole time so that he can leave and finally be free from her family's history of power and slavery? This is one of the questions Faulkner leaves us with, and this question makes Tobe one of the most interesting characters in the story.

What impact did America joining the war have on Allied troops?

In 1917, the Allied powers were very happy that the Americans had finally joined the war. Prior to the Americans joining, the French army had been pushed to the breaking point, and the French soldiers were starting to mutiny in the trenches. While the situation was partially helped with more troop furloughs home and less time in the front trenches, the situation still looked bleak for France.

Britain was happy as well because the British...

In 1917, the Allied powers were very happy that the Americans had finally joined the war. Prior to the Americans joining, the French army had been pushed to the breaking point, and the French soldiers were starting to mutiny in the trenches. While the situation was partially helped with more troop furloughs home and less time in the front trenches, the situation still looked bleak for France.

Britain was happy as well because the British military leadership knew that the war could not go on indefinitely, given the kind of casualties the Allied armies were withstanding in each campaign.

The initial hope in Britain and France was that the Americans would serve in the trenches as fill-ins for British and French troops. When the American Expeditionary Force commander Jack Pershing insisted on his troops serving as an independent army, the rest of the Allied leadership was taken aback because it appeared as though the United States would not be a "team player."

When the Americans joined the fight and served admirably in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in 1918, the British and French troops admired their bravery but were shocked by the heavy casualties the Americans took in a few months of fighting. While American munitions were more prevalent in the four years of World War I, it was the American serviceman who provided the valuable boost to morale at the end of the war that allowed the Allies to win.

If the answer to the Sphinx's riddle is not just man but Oedipus himself, may the answer to Oedipus's question "Who am I?" pertain not only to...

The answer that Oedipus gives to the Sphinx is indeed a universal one. All humans start out as babies completely dependent upon their elders for their very survival, mature and develop strength and independence, and then age and become more feeble, reduced again to the state of dependence. 

This generic account of humanity is even more pertinent to Oedipus than to most people. As an infant, he was condemned to be exposed on a mountain...

The answer that Oedipus gives to the Sphinx is indeed a universal one. All humans start out as babies completely dependent upon their elders for their very survival, mature and develop strength and independence, and then age and become more feeble, reduced again to the state of dependence. 

This generic account of humanity is even more pertinent to Oedipus than to most people. As an infant, he was condemned to be exposed on a mountain and his feet pierced. Through the kindness of a servant, he was placed in a loving and nurturing household and grew into a strong and powerful man. After he blinds himself, he is instantly reduced again to a state of dependency. 

This cycle of human life applies to all of us to a degree, as does our having some special relationships with our parents that form us. The notion of a curse suggests that we are brought into a world in which much of our fate is determined by things external to us. Sophocles seems to be suggesting that we cannot escape our fate no matter how much we struggle. Oedipus only finds peace in another play by Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus, after he has embraced his fate and seen how even his curse can be turned to something beneficial. 

What is the role of confidence in the context of masculinity in Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms?

In A Farewell To Arms, Lieutenant Henry often operates under the belief that confidence and masculinity go hand in hand. Henry escapes being executed by the Italians through his own bravery and self-confidence.

Henry also takes particular notice of Dr. Valentini's mustache, his starred-uniform, and his status as a Major (all of which symbolize traditional masculinity), as well as his confidence in being able to operate properly. In contrast, the previous doctors who looked...

In A Farewell To Arms, Lieutenant Henry often operates under the belief that confidence and masculinity go hand in hand. Henry escapes being executed by the Italians through his own bravery and self-confidence.

Henry also takes particular notice of Dr. Valentini's mustache, his starred-uniform, and his status as a Major (all of which symbolize traditional masculinity), as well as his confidence in being able to operate properly. In contrast, the previous doctors who looked at Henry's leg lacked the confidence—and, thus, the masculinity—that Valentini had. They suggest waiting to operate, "three months, six months, probably" (96) but immediately highly recommend Valentini when Henry seems dissatisfied. They kiss Henry "delicately on the forehead" (98) and refuse a drink offered by Henry, (Valentini gladly accepts a drink). Hemingway's vision of A Farewell to Arms tightly intertwines masculinity and confidence; the confident surgeon possesses many traits of classical masculinity (his mustache, his status as a Major,  his appreciation for alcohol, and so on), while the more meek and unconfident surgeons do not.

How does '"Do not go gentle into that good night" show the inherent closeness and relation of humans and nature?

First, the poem makes use of a central metaphor comparing death to night. Conversely, light is associated with life so that the "dying of the light" that occurs when night sets in is another way of describing death. In this way, our life is connected to nature's light, and our death is connected to nature's night; the span of a human life is connected to the span of one day. The narrator says that "Old age should burn and rave at close of day" (line 2). This means that old people ought to fight when it comes to the end of their lives. In this way, then, the author depicts a strong relationship between our lives and nature.

The speaker says that "Because [wise men's] words had forked no lightning they / Do not go gentle into that good night" (5-6). He compares the power of their words to the power of lightning via another metaphor, suggesting that they believe they've had no impact and so they refuse to die quietly.

In the third stanza, the speaker says that good men cry and he compares, via another metaphor, youth to a green bay in the line: "how bright / Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay" (7-8). These good men feel that they might have been able to do so much more good than they did in their youths and so they fight against death.  

In the fourth stanza, the speaker compares living fully to catching and singing "the sun in flight" (line 10). He says that even wild men do not die quietly because they feel they haven't lived as fully as they could have.

In the final stanza, the speaker uses a simile to compare the literal blind eyes of old people to "meteors" that blaze (line 13). When these "Grave men" realize that they could have been happier in life, they regret that they weren't more happy when they had the chance.

In every stanza, there is a comparison that likens some aspect of human experience, especially our experience of death, to some aspect of nature. And these occur in addition to the central metaphor comparing death to night. Taken together, these comparisons, which are key to understanding the work, link our life experience to nature.

Why and in what way does China Achebe present society in Things Fall Apart?

Achebe's description of Igbo society paints a picture of a fully functional system in which inhabitants are comfortable with what they have. It is clear that the Igbo have an extended history and their way of life has been developed over a substantial period of time. He describes their traditions, laws, customs, religious beliefs, laws and the hierarchy existent within their society. It is evident from his explanations that, just as in any society, the majority obey its rules and meet its requirements but that there are also others who are rebellious and do, at times, oppose laws and tradition.

The Igbo have, in this regard, rules, laws and traditions by which those who display opposition, recalcitrance or disrespect are sanctioned. It was, for example, so with Okonkwo when he assaulted his wife during The Week of Peace. He was severely sanctioned and paid a hefty price for his disobedience. On another occasion, he accidentally killed a youngster during a funeral. The punishment here, even though it was an accident, was harsh. Okonkwo was banished to his mother's village for seven years.

Within this structure, Igbo society was generally peaceful. Some laws and traditions were extremely harsh, such as the punishment for twins who, at birth,  are banished to and abandoned in the Evil Forest. Disputes between villages were normally resolved amicably and were the result of complicated negotiations. The purpose of these was to ensure fairness to all parties involved and so it was when Ikemefuna, from another village, was placed in Okonkwo's custody as compensation for the murder of a citizen. The boy's life was later taken with Okonkwo being the executioner.

The presentation of Igbo society in this way is to contrast its generally peaceful existence with that which was introduced by the British colonialists after their arrival. The imperialists introduced new laws and a new religion which was in opposition to those of the Igbo. The imposition of these created conflict not only against the invaders, but also between members within Igbo society. Some members of Igbo society (such as Okonkwo) most vehemently resisted the colonialists' influence, whilst others adopted their heritage, as Okonkwo's son, Nwoye, did.

The obvious point that Achebe makes is that the introduction of a foreign power and the violent imposition of its laws and religion, is what leads to the eventual destruction of native heritage. Once a foreign culture makes its presence felt and imposes itself by severely punishing those who fight it, the indigenous culture does not stand a chance. Igbo customs, for example, were eroded and created internal strife. Members became enemies of one another and that sounded the death knell for Igbo society. In the end, its own culture had been corrupted, destroyed and then replaced by that of the imperialist.

How old are you supposed to be to become an artist?

While being an artist can be seen as an “occupation,” it is most importantly a way of seeing the world, a visual (or auditory or verbal) sensitivity to the outside world, coupled with a desire to create something new, and a “work ethic” that prioritizes creativity over profit and fame. Art is “looking at things carefully,” as William Saroyan says, and an artist is someone who is sensitive to details more deeply than mere surface...

While being an artist can be seen as an “occupation,” it is most importantly a way of seeing the world, a visual (or auditory or verbal) sensitivity to the outside world, coupled with a desire to create something new, and a “work ethic” that prioritizes creativity over profit and fame. Art is “looking at things carefully,” as William Saroyan says, and an artist is someone who is sensitive to details more deeply than mere surface textures, shapes, colors, etc. (In music, the same things are true—rhythms, harmonies, and backgrounds; in verbal art, subtleties in sound, cadence, metaphor, figurative language). To your question, an artist is an “amateur” (literally "a lover of"), usually during youth and adolescence, often well into his/ her adult years. Of course, there are many exceptions (Mozart, for example), and young visual artists sometimes produce sellable work. The essence of your question speaks to the timetable for becoming a “successful” artist, one who devotes his/ her life to making something new, striking, and/ or memorable. In many cases, that concentration on one’s art results in some “commodity,” a sellable, remunerative “product” allowing the artist to make a living at it (Shakespeare, for all his artistic genius, was actually selling a commodity: live theatre). The age for this to happen can be any time.

How does capitalism affect industry?

The system of capitalism affects industries in several ways. In a capitalist economy, businesses and industries are relatively free to make their own decisions with little interference from the government. As a result, the owners of business and industry know the government won’t interfere much in the decisions they make. Under the capitalist system, the laws of supply and demand determine prices and wages. Business owners are free to take risks in the hope of...

The system of capitalism affects industries in several ways. In a capitalist economy, businesses and industries are relatively free to make their own decisions with little interference from the government. As a result, the owners of business and industry know the government won’t interfere much in the decisions they make. Under the capitalist system, the laws of supply and demand determine prices and wages. Business owners are free to take risks in the hope of making a lot of money. By being free of government control and/or many government restrictions, businesses and industries are willing to invest money in order to expand and to try new techniques. They are willing to try new, innovative ideas knowing that if they are successful, they may be able to reap significant profits. They also know there won’t be many artificial barriers to running the business. This will allow the business or the industry owner to maximize profits. This profit incentive is very strong in a capitalist economy. This is one factor that encourages economic and business growth, development, and innovation, and it has a very significant impact on the businesses and industries within the economy.

Discuss how agriculture changed the course of human development in terms of cities, government and military power.

The development of agriculture was a turning point in the human experience. The transformation from hunter/gatherer groups to agriculturally-based societies occurred during the transition from the Paleolithic era to the Neolithic era. 

The Paleolithic (2.5mil–20,000 years ago) was marked by the use of stone tools, which is why it was once called the “stone age.”

The Neolithic (circa 9,000–800 BCE), is marked by the use of bronze tools and weapons, which led to advancements in...

The development of agriculture was a turning point in the human experience. The transformation from hunter/gatherer groups to agriculturally-based societies occurred during the transition from the Paleolithic era to the Neolithic era. 

The Paleolithic (2.5mil–20,000 years ago) was marked by the use of stone tools, which is why it was once called the “stone age.”

The Neolithic (circa 9,000–800 BCE), is marked by the use of bronze tools and weapons, which led to advancements in farming along with the domestication of crops and animals. Humans no longer had to depend on hunting and gathering for their main source of food. Instead, humans intentionally began planting crops, which meant that the group had to remain in a specific location. Due to these changes in lifestyle, the human population exploded, mainly due to the increase of food supplies. With more time on their hands, humans focused on other endeavors, such as labor specialization and city planning. In order to develop cities or city-states, a labor force needed to be organized and directed by some form of leading authority. This labor force would construct roads, markets, water/sanitation systems, and monuments, which would expand the power of a city-state. As this happened, a military force became necessary in order to protect the people and their accumulated riches from greedy invaders.

What is the most important event in "Torn Thread"?

There are a number of important events in “Torn Thread,” but I would venture to suggest that the most important one of all concerns Eva’s decision not to escape the labor camp with Kayla and a few other girls but to stay behind and care for her older sister Rachel.

Kayla is older than both Eva and Rachel. She’s also much worldlier, more politically aware. Having already experienced the horrors of Auschwitz, she’s under no...

There are a number of important events in “Torn Thread,” but I would venture to suggest that the most important one of all concerns Eva’s decision not to escape the labor camp with Kayla and a few other girls but to stay behind and care for her older sister Rachel.

Kayla is older than both Eva and Rachel. She’s also much worldlier, more politically aware. Having already experienced the horrors of Auschwitz, she’s under no illusions about the fate that the Nazis have in store for the Jews of occupied Europe.

She admires the Czech partisans for standing up to their German overlords and has been working with them in the shipping room at the factory. They plan to add chemicals to the fabric they are forced to make for German army uniforms so that they will quickly disintegrate.

But Eva wants no part of it. She simply wants to survive and by doing so help Rachel to survive too. Her decision to stay behind in the camp is hugely significant for a number of reasons. First of all, it demonstrates arguably the most important element in the story: the incredible bond of sisterhood between Eva and Rachel, which nothing, not even the most inhuman, degrading treatment imaginable, can break.

It also demonstrates her unshakeable faith in God. Despite the unimaginable suffering she and the other slave laborers have to endure on a daily basis, Eva remains a committed and (where possible) observant Jew.

In staying true to her sister and her God, Eva is also honoring the memory of her father. For just before they part for the last time, Eva’s father makes her promise that she will do everything she possibly can to help Rachel survive. He also urges her to trust in God. And so Eva makes the choice to stay; in doing so, she forces us to consider how the bonds of family and religion transcend the evils of this world and can never truly perish.

What are some vocabulary terms from Stardust?

Here are a few quotes from Stardust with some vocabulary words:

The inhabitants of Wall are a taciturn breed, falling into two distinct types: the native Wall-folk, as grey and tall and stocky as the granite outcrop their town was built upon; and the others, who have made Wall their home over the years, and their descendants.

Taciturn means hesitant to communicate or unwilling to talk. In this context, it sets up the Wall-folk...

Here are a few quotes from Stardust with some vocabulary words:

The inhabitants of Wall are a taciturn breed, falling into two distinct types: the native Wall-folk, as grey and tall and stocky as the granite outcrop their town was built upon; and the others, who have made Wall their home over the years, and their descendants.

Taciturn means hesitant to communicate or unwilling to talk. In this context, it sets up the Wall-folk as unfriendly and quiet.

It was festooned with flowers: bluebells and foxgloves and harebells and daffodils, but also with violets and lilies, with tiny crimson dog-roses, pale snowdrops, blue forget-me-nots and a profusion of other flowers Dunstan could not name. 

To festoon means to decorate, typically with hanging or dangling things such as ribbons, tinsel, or (in this case) garlands of flowers.

Tristran read it to himself, looking for something about which he could begin to talk: a conversational gambit of some kind—any kind.

A gambit is a risky strategy, action, or move used to gain advantage or to open up opportunity. Here, it means an icebreaker or a topic for small talk, a way for Tristan to naturally initiate conversation. Despite the similar sound and meaning, it is not etymologically related to the word "gamble."

“Redcap. They’ll keep their distance, but don’t you go scrutinizin’ ’em or looking for trouble, ’cos you’ll find it with those buggers.”

To scrutinize means to look at closely or carefully. In this case, the speaker is warning Tristan not to stare.

How does Calvin fit in with the Murry family?

Calvin, the gangling, orange-haired, blue-eyed teenager who accompanies Meg and Charles Wallace on their journey to rescue Mr. Murray, fits in well with the Murry family, almost as if he is one of them. At their first meeting, he tells Charles Wallace and Meg that he once in awhile feels a "compulsion" to do things and that he obeys the compulsion. He had a feeling on that day that he should go over to the...

Calvin, the gangling, orange-haired, blue-eyed teenager who accompanies Meg and Charles Wallace on their journey to rescue Mr. Murray, fits in well with the Murry family, almost as if he is one of them. At their first meeting, he tells Charles Wallace and Meg that he once in awhile feels a "compulsion" to do things and that he obeys the compulsion. He had a feeling on that day that he should go over to the haunted house near the Murrys' home, and in doing so, he encountered Meg and Charles Wallace. After some initial sparring, Charles Wallace invites him to dinner, saying he wants to trust him. For Calvin, the Murrys provide a warm and nurturing environment that is different from his own large and overburdened family.

What were some of the answers that the knight received when he asked the question about what women most desire?

As punishment for violating a young maiden, a knight at the court of King Arthur is given a quest. He must find out what, in all the world, women most desire. If he returns in a year's time without having found it, or if he gives the wrong answer, then he will receive his original sentence of death.

As the knight travels the land in search of the answer, he encounters many women on the...

As punishment for violating a young maiden, a knight at the court of King Arthur is given a quest. He must find out what, in all the world, women most desire. If he returns in a year's time without having found it, or if he gives the wrong answer, then he will receive his original sentence of death.

As the knight travels the land in search of the answer, he encounters many women on the way. Each one seems to have a different answer to his question. Some say that what women desire most of all is riches; others say happiness. Some women say that good sex is most important—others, that women should be flattered and pleased. Some say that what women most desire is remarriage. In this case it would appear that the Wife of Bath is introducing an element of autobiography into the story here.

To boil the water in the kettle, 2400 Coulombs of charge pass through the heating element in 200 seconds. Calculate the current flowing through...

By definition, electric current is the amount of electric charge that flows through the cross-section of a conductor in a given unit of time:

`I = (Delta Q)/(Delta t)`

In SI (International System of units) the charge (Q) is measured in Coulombs, and the time is measured in seconds. The unit for current then equals 1 Coulomb/second, and it is called 1 Ampere, or, sometimes, 1 amp.

In this question, the amount of...

By definition, electric current is the amount of electric charge that flows through the cross-section of a conductor in a given unit of time:

`I = (Delta Q)/(Delta t)`

In SI (International System of units) the charge (Q) is measured in Coulombs, and the time is measured in seconds. The unit for current then equals 1 Coulomb/second, and it is called 1 Ampere, or, sometimes, 1 amp.

In this question, the amount of charge flowing through the heating element is

`Delta Q = 2400 C` in `Delta t = 200 s` . This means the current flowing through the heating element is

`I = 2400/200 A = 12 A` .

Please check out the reference website for the further discussion of the definition and units of measurement of electric current.

The current flowing through heating element is 12 A (Amps)

Pick a specific passage from "Yellow Woman," and describe how it demonstrates the theme and culture.

"'What story?' He smiled and pulled me close to him as he said this.  I was afraid lying there on the red blanket.  All I could know was the way he felt, warm, damp, his body beside me.  This is the way it happens in the stories, I was thinking, with no thought beyond the moment she meets the Ka’tsina spirit and they go.

'I don’t have to go. What they tell in stories was real only then, back in time immemorial, like they say.'"

In this passage from "Yellow Woman" by Leslie Marmon Silko, we see the thoughts and feelings of the narrator, a Native American woman, with regards to a man she has just met the day before. In the story, the author gives the impression that the narrator has made the choice to sleep with the man, though she just met him and she has a family at home. In order to justify this, she relates herself to the “Yellow Woman,” a character that she has heard of many times in traditional stories told by her grandfather.  

In the stories, the Yellow Woman left her family when she was visited by spirits (ka'tsina) in the night.  She returned much later, with twin children.  The description of the Yellow Woman is somewhat vague, but we get the impression that the narrator feels some sort of kinship with her.  Not only is the Yellow Woman one of her people, of her own culture, but she is also a woman who dreamed of leaving tradition behind, of going somewhere else, of fulfilling desires which would be considered unhealthy, perhaps even unnatural. It fits nicely with what I see to be one of the main themes of this story: one’s culture and traditions can also suppress one’s innermost desires, leading to the necessity to do something out of the ordinary in order to reclaim one’s own agency over one’s life.

In the passage, she says that she is “afraid,” and we feel at first that she may be afraid of the man.  Upon further examination, we realize that she is afraid because she does not know what will happen next.  She reflects upon her own situation and is able to see how the Yellow Woman could have gone away from her family for so long; she left because she did what felt right in the moment.  However, this action prompts several questions.  For example, what would be there for her afterwards?  How much longer could this go on?  The narrator knows that the only thing that she knows is how this man feels next to her; she does not know him, his people, or where he comes from. Tradition provides security, and breaking from tradition provides insecurity.

Still, she tells him that she really does not have to leave, even if the stories tell her to be cautious.  After all, these stories were only true in a different time, a time when culture and tradition reigned supreme.  In a sense, the narrator uses her culture and its stories to justify her behavior when it suits her, but she feels that she may reject them when their messages clash with her own actions.  She speaks of them as if she believes them completely because they are such a part of her past.

At the same time, we get the impression that she feels trapped by them, as though she does not want to have to be defined by them anymore.  In a sense, these stories are a symbol of her culture; to her, it is something which must change with the current demands of the world.  Anything which happened long ago was for someone else, for people who did not have cars, trucks, or university educations.  Our narrator is stuck somewhere in the middle, a product of both the past and future, and she is very uncertain of the present.

`int sqrt(9+16x^2) dx` Find the indefinite integral

Given to solve,

`int sqrt(9+16x^2) dx`

by using the trig substitution , we can solve the integral

for `sqrt(a +bx^2)` ` dx ` the `x` is given as

`x= sqrt(a/b) tan(u)`

so,

for the integral

`int sqrt(9+16x^2) dx`

let` x=sqrt(9/16) tan(u) = (3/4) tan(u)`

=>` dx = (3/4) sec^2(u) du`

so,

`int sqrt(9+16x^2) dx`

=`int [sqrt(9(1+16/9 x^2))] ((3/4) sec^2(u) du)`

= `3 int [sqrt(1+(16/9)x^2)] ((3/4) sec^2(u) du)`

= `3 int sqrt(1+(16/9)((3/4) tan(u))^2) ((3/4) sec^2(u) du)`

...

Given to solve,

`int sqrt(9+16x^2) dx`

by using the trig substitution , we can solve the integral

for `sqrt(a +bx^2)` ` dx ` the `x` is given as

`x= sqrt(a/b) tan(u)`

so,

for the integral

`int sqrt(9+16x^2) dx`

let` x=sqrt(9/16) tan(u) = (3/4) tan(u)`

=>` dx = (3/4) sec^2(u) du`

so,

`int sqrt(9+16x^2) dx`

=`int [sqrt(9(1+16/9 x^2))] ((3/4) sec^2(u) du)`

= `3 int [sqrt(1+(16/9)x^2)] ((3/4) sec^2(u) du)`

= `3 int sqrt(1+(16/9)((3/4) tan(u))^2) ((3/4) sec^2(u) du)`

= `3 int [sqrt(1+(16/9)(9/16)(tan^2 u))] ((3/4) sec^2(u) du)`

= `(9/4) int sqrt(1+tan^2 u) (sec^2(u) du)`

= `(9/4) int sqrt(sec^2 u) (sec^2(u) du)`

`= (9/4) int sec u (sec^2(u) du)`

`= (9/4) int (sec^3(u) du)`

by applying the Integral Reduction

`int sec^(n) (x) dx`

`= (sec^(n-1) (x) sin(x))/(n-1) + ((n-2)/(n-1)) int sec^(n-2) (x) dx`

so ,

`(9/4)int sec^(3) (u) du`

= `(9/4)[(sec^(3-1) (u) sin(u))/(3-1) + ((3-2)/(3-1)) int sec^(3-2) (u)du]`

= `(9/4)[(sec^(2) (u) sin(u))/(2) + ((1)/(2)) int sec (u)du]`

=`(9/4)[(sec^(2) (u) sin(u))/(2) + (1/2) (ln(tan(u)+sec(u)))]`

but we know

`x= (3/4) tan(u)`

= > `4x/3 = tan(u)`

=> `u =arctan(4x/3)`

so,

=`(9/4)[(sec^(2) (u) sin(u))/(2) + (1/2) (ln(tan(u)+sec(u)))]`

=`(9/4)[(sec^(2) (arctan(4x/3)) sin(arctan(4x/3)))/(2) + (1/2) (ln(tan(arctan(4x/3))+sec(arctan(4x/3))))]`

=`(9/4)[(sec^(2) (arctan(4x/3)) sin(arctan(4x/3)))/(2) + (1/2) (ln((4x/3))+sec(arctan(4x/3)))]+c`

The following questions are in reference to chapters 5-9 of Ian Haney López's Dog Whistle Politics: How Coded Racial Appeals Have Reinvented...

Dog Whistle Politics: How Coded Racial Appeals Have Reinvented Racism and Wrecked the Middle Class addresses numerous aspects of racial tensions in the United States as they relate to the actions (or inaction) of those in positions of political power, including President Obama.

What are the author’s criticisms of Obama’s policies during his first term?

In Chapter 9, the author focuses on what he terms President Obama's post-racial strategy. He explains his views that Obama...

Dog Whistle Politics: How Coded Racial Appeals Have Reinvented Racism and Wrecked the Middle Class addresses numerous aspects of racial tensions in the United States as they relate to the actions (or inaction) of those in positions of political power, including President Obama.

What are the author’s criticisms of Obama’s policies during his first term?

In Chapter 9, the author focuses on what he terms President Obama's post-racial strategy. He explains his views that Obama "sidestepped" the issue of race with his first-term policies, thus tacitly reinforcing the so-called dog whistle politics being perpetuated by Republican politicians and many Democrats. Haney-López's primary argument is that by not doing enough to address the issues underlying dog whistle politics in his first term, Obama himself became complicit in reinforcing that narrative. Throughout the book, the author takes the view that if someone is in a position of power, he or she has the responsibility not only to refrain from actively participating in dog whistling but to stop it wherever possible as well.

In addition to a lack of active participation in decoding racial appeals made by other politicians, Haney-López also criticizes the President's lack of intervention in racialized mass incarceration during his first term. He view's Obama's post-racial policies as a hindrance to addressing issues such as the mass incarceration of racial minorities. The author also addresses the various ways in which the public and media fed into the post-racial narrative with belief that the election of an African-American President would mean an end to racism. In this sense, the author argues that Obama's first term led to complacency among those who believed that racial tensions in the country would be solved simply through his election and without the need for direct policy changes

The Gates Affair

The Gates Affair refers to the arrest of a well-known African American Harvard professor named Henry Louis Gates, Jr.. Gates was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct at his home after returning from a trip in 2009. After being unable to enter his own home, the police were called by a neighbor who saw Gates trying to enter the house and believed he was breaking in. Gates was questioned and there was an argument between the professor and the arresting officer that led to allegations of misconduct on both sides. The matter drew national media attention when Gates was taken to the police station in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Although the charges against him were later dropped, the matter gained media traction when it became known that Gates and the President were friends. While Obama made a statement to the press regarding the incident, Haney-López criticized him for not directly condemning the police for approaching members of minority groups with what he described in a subsequent article as "an aggressive disrespect and a quick resort to physical domination."

Who or what is the protagonist and antagonist of the story, "The Lottery"?

The protagonist is the most prominent, or central, character in a story. The protagonist of the short story "The Lottery" is Tessie, but she is a representative of the whole village. All the villagers, just like Tessie, are equally bound to, and affected by, the lottery. They all have the same chance as Tessie of being picked as "winners," which entails that each villager lives, albeit obliviously, with the terrifying thought of death in...

The protagonist is the most prominent, or central, character in a story. The protagonist of the short story "The Lottery" is Tessie, but she is a representative of the whole village. All the villagers, just like Tessie, are equally bound to, and affected by, the lottery. They all have the same chance as Tessie of being picked as "winners," which entails that each villager lives, albeit obliviously, with the terrifying thought of death in the back of their minds.

While Tessie is the selected villager in this particular celebration of the lottery, the reality is that it could have been any of them, by rule of probability. Therefore, the whole village is truly the protagonist of the story but, in this particular version of the lottery, the protagonist would be Tessie because she stands out even further by being the selected one to die.

This being said, the antagonist is the opponent of the protagonist. It is the person, place, force of nature, spiritual intervention, or thing that prevents the protagonist from accomplishing his or her purpose in the story.

From the very moment that Tess enters the story, she has had a problem with the lottery being conducted. She was doing her dishes, and had to stop her duties as a housewife, because of the lottery.

"Wouldn't have me leave m'dishes in the sink, now, would you. Joe?,

When her family is picked, she realizes that the end is coming.

"You didn't give him time

enough to take any paper he wanted. I saw you. It wasn't fair!"

When her name is finally pulled, she knows her death is impending. Therefore, the fact that the lottery brings death, and thus the end to all the purpose of anyone who is selected, makes it the antagonist of the story.

What does the name of Diana Moon Glampers suggest?

The name "Diana Moon Glampers" is full of allusion and allows a great deal of interpretation that can enrich the meaning of Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron." 

First, the name as a whole sounds funny and presents a stark contrast within itself. Diana is a lovely, flowing name that means heavenly, divine, or perfect. But Glampers is a clumsy, ordinary, even ugly name. The contrast corresponds to the society the Handicapper General works for; it is ostensibly...

The name "Diana Moon Glampers" is full of allusion and allows a great deal of interpretation that can enrich the meaning of Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron." 

First, the name as a whole sounds funny and presents a stark contrast within itself. Diana is a lovely, flowing name that means heavenly, divine, or perfect. But Glampers is a clumsy, ordinary, even ugly name. The contrast corresponds to the society the Handicapper General works for; it is ostensibly perfect because all people are finally equal. In reality, it is a very ugly society that removes everything beautiful its citizens are capable of. The wry humor of the name is menacing in the way that the final joke of the story is more sickening than cheering.

The name Diana is an allusion to the ancient Roman goddess of the moon and the hunt. Diana Moon Glampers is a goddess in the sense that she has supreme power over the subjects of the United States in 2081. She also proves to be an excellent hunter when she takes down Harrison and the ballerina with her "double-barreled ten-gauge shotgun." 

The use of "Moon" as the character's middle name also allows some interpretation. Because the middle name repeats the idea of the first name in a "dumbed down" version, it represents the dumbing down of the society in order to ensure equality. To moon can also have the meaning, as a verb, of pining after someone or something sentimentally. This would be ironic if applied to the Handicapper General because she is anything but sentimental. It could refer to the idea that the society aimed high--aimed for the moon, so to speak--in wanting to create an equal society. 

Finally, Glampers may call to mind the word "clamper." Diana Moon Glampers is the one who must clamp down on those who violate the laws of equality. Because of its inelegant sound, it sounds like someone who runs roughshod over the feelings and rights of others. 

One can read many things into the simple name chosen by Vonnegut for the Handicapper General: Diana Moon Glampers.

How does Miller's assertion "there were no witches then" affect your view of the children in the play? Why does Miller tell us this outright?

Miller's assertion is, obviously, that the children were lying. They saw, in the witch trials, not only an opportunity to get back at those who they despised, but also as an opportunity to legitimately rebel against the harshly constrictive society in which they lived. The court gave them powers they had never had before. They could now abuse those powers with gusto, free from the persecution that was the lot of those whom they accused.

Furthermore, the witch trials also afforded them an opportunity to appease their guilt and transfer it to others. The girls had, in fact, performed rituals with Tituba and would have faced severe sanction if they had not pointed out that they were not entirely responsible but that others, mainly adults, were the ones who introduced them to, or forced them to, indulge in such wicked practices. When Tituba was blamed, she, to avoid persecution and torture, started blaming others, which opened the door for the anxious girls to follow suit. The girls played the blame game perfectly and their pernicious actions led to the arrest, incarceration, conviction and eventual execution of many innocents.

In addition, the girls' hands were strengthened because they enjoyed the patronage of the court and were practically freed from persecution. As long as they were unified in what they did, no one could question the veracity of their claims. They were beyond suspicion because they did not act as individuals, but as a group, and the court could not fathom why they would all share the same experiences if those experiences were not, in fact, real.

Added to that, the society in which they lived could not accept the fact that it had raised children who would do evil. If so, it was damned, and therefore it resisted the idea that there could even be the remotest possibility that the girls were acting on their own. There had to be an evil force that had corrupted them. The mindset was that the children were innocent and if they claimed that they had been influenced, it had to be true.

It was Salem society's refusal to acknowledge and accept its own shortcomings that further empowered the girls. They realised that they had free rein and abused the authority that they were granted. Since Salem was a theocracy, religious belief was the foremost test of its moral strength and the battle against turpitude. Acknowledging that it was flawed would be the death knell for its survival. Therein lies the irony, though, for it was exactly this belief that created the conflict and paranoia introduced by the girls.

Miller makes this outright assertion because he wants to emphasize the depth of the girls' corruption and their malice. Their behaviour was actually the tangible proof of how paranoid, anxious and corrupt Salem society must have been. A society which suppresses most of what is natural, condemns it, and limits the freedom of its members will, eventually, explode in anarchy once its members are given an opportunity to vent their frustrations and punish, as it were, those they feel are most responsible for their struggles. Typically ironic, though, is that they target the most vulnerable and not the ones who are, in fact, really responsible for their misery.

What is John Green arguing in Paper Towns?

In Paper Towns, John Green is arguing that we often misinterpret other people and that identity (particularly in adolescence) is a fluid, ever-changing phenomenon in a person's life. 

This is quite apparent in the book with Quentin's changing ideas about Margo. In Quentin's mind, Margo continues to exist, much unchanged, as she did when they were children. The "love" that he feels for her is really love towards a perception he has of her that...

In Paper Towns, John Green is arguing that we often misinterpret other people and that identity (particularly in adolescence) is a fluid, ever-changing phenomenon in a person's life. 

This is quite apparent in the book with Quentin's changing ideas about Margo. In Quentin's mind, Margo continues to exist, much unchanged, as she did when they were children. The "love" that he feels for her is really love towards a perception he has of her that isn't real. Quentin realizes this at the end of the novel and gives up his relentless pursuit of her. 

This idea about the divide between reality and perception is further encapsulated in the title and one of the motifs throughout the book: paper towns. Paper towns are fake towns printed on maps to prevent plagiarism; they seem to exist when you are looking at the map but are, in fact, not real. However, that part of the map still exists; it's just that you won't find what you expected when you get there. 

Quentin spends the entire book chasing an idea of Margo that is constructed from his fantasy, and he ultimately chases her to a paper town. In doing so, he realizes that his idea of her is also a paper town. It exists in his personal "map" of the world but not in reality. 

In sum, John Green is arguing that our perceptions of others are subjective, and he is imploring us to look past the paper town we construct of someone and understand who they really are. Additionally, he is exploring the manner in which a person's identity is formed throughout adolescence. Quentin still imagines Margo as she existed when they were children. She is, in fact, an entirely different person now, one that he doesn't know at all. 

Key quotes:

“What a treacherous thing to believe that a person is more than a person.” 

“It is easy to forget how full the world is of people, full to bursting, and each of them imaginable and consistently misimagined.” 

What are some race-related events that are foreshadowed throughout Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird and really remind the reader the underbelly...

One race-related event in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is the outcome of Tom Robinson's trial. Robinson's innocence in the crime he's being accused of is made evident the moment during the trial we learn that Mayella Ewell had been bruised on the right side of her face, which could only have been accomplished by a left-handed man facing her, whereas Robinson has been crippled in his left arm and hand since he was a boy and got his arm caught in a cotton gin. What also convinces the reader of Robinson's innocence is the fact that Atticus proves to the court that Bob Ewell is ambidextrous. Since Robinson is innocent, it is clear he has been brought to trial and declared guilty by the jury simply because of the color of his skin.

Robinson's guilty verdict, despite his innocence, is foreshadowed in the book's title and the scene in which the meaning of the title is explained to the reader. In Chapter 9, Scout and Jem are given air rifles for Christmas. In Chapter 10, Atticus expresses his wish that Scout and Jem would only shoot "tin cans in the back yard" but, knowing they'll shoot birds, gives the the following warning:

Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird (Chapter 10).

When asked, Miss Maudie explains to Scout that Atticus is correct in saying the above because mockingbirds don't cause mischief like other birds; all they do is "sing their hearts out" all day long (Chapter 10). Therefore, the mockingbird symbolizes all innocent beings in the story, such as Robinson, and Atticus's warning not to kill them foreshadows Robinson's defeat in his trial despite his innocence, a defeat incited by racial hatred.

In this same chapter, the death of the rabid dog named Tim Johnson foreshadows Robinson's death after his trial, a second race-related event. Though Robinson would be on death row for quite a while and Atticus had hoped to overturn his sentence—possibly even his conviction, upon appeal—Robinson gave up all hope of being served justice by white men and, immediately after his trial, decided to try to take justice into his own hands by attempting to escape prison. He was shot to death while trying to escape and shot far more times than really necessary, which shows he was shot and killed out of racial hatred, not out of the guards' necessity. Just as Robinson was shot to death as an innocent man, Tim Johnson was shot to death as a helpless, innocent dog. Dogs certainly don't become infected with rabies intentionally, nor do they mean to cause the harm and death they can cause once infected; therefore, Tim Johnson, though rabid, also symbolizes an innocent being, a being society thinks must be killed because the being has become violated by something evil, something like racism. The death of Tim Johnson foreshadows Robinson's upcoming death. We especially see what Tim Johnson's death foreshadows when Scout remembers his death just after the lynch mob scene. In bed that night, Scout reflects in her narration:

I was very tired, and was drifting into sleep when the memory of Atticus calmly folding his newspaper and pushing back his hat became Atticus standing in the middle of an empty waiting street, pushing up his glasses. The full meaning of the night's events hit me and I began crying (Chapter 16).

Standing, waiting, and pushing up his glasses in the middle of a street is exactly what Atticus did while waiting with Sheriff Tate for Tim Johnson to come within shooting distance. If Scout associates shooting Tim Johnson with Atticus guarding Robinson from a lynch mob, then we know Scout has realized the death of an innocent being is about to take place a second time, and Atticus is doing his best to prevent it, despite its inevitability, just as he at first refused to shoot Tim Johnson.

What would the advantages be of creating a space colony?

The specific advantages of a particular space colony will possibly change depending on where the space colony is located. That's one unknown variable in this question. Does "space colony" refer to some kind of station in the vacuum of space, or does it open up the possibility for a colony on a moon, planet, or asteroid? Another variable in the question would be how large the space colony would be. I'll try to provide some...

The specific advantages of a particular space colony will possibly change depending on where the space colony is located. That's one unknown variable in this question. Does "space colony" refer to some kind of station in the vacuum of space, or does it open up the possibility for a colony on a moon, planet, or asteroid? Another variable in the question would be how large the space colony would be. I'll try to provide some broad advantages that might cover multiple types of colonies.  

1. 
   Population control on Earth. Earth has a finite amount of space available for living, food production, etc. It also has a finite amount of energy providing substances. At some point, Earth is going to reach its human-carrying capacity. If large parts of the human population are moved off of Earth, the point at which we reach the carrying capacity could be delayed.  


2. 
   Provide resources that are lacking on Earth. More and more is being demanded of Earth's limited resources. A space colony could provide Earth with more of those resources. Plenty of asteroids are rich with materials that are in high demand on Earth. A space colony could function as an off-world mining facility to harvest those materials and send them to Earth.  


3. 
   Isolation protection for a group of humans. A space colony would be completely isolated from Earth. That means any species-ending catastrophe that happened to Earth (nuclear disaster, pandemic, etc.) wouldn't affect those humans that are on the space colony. The space colony would ensure that the survival of a species continues.  

Compare and contrast "The Age of Great Dreams" by David Farber and "The Sixties Unplugged" by Gerard DeGroot.

Both books are similar in that they acknowledge the major events and social developments of the 1960s; however, they differ in thematic focus. While The Sixties Unplugged focuses on the theme of perception versus reality, The Age of Great Dreams focuses on causative factors that led to major societal shifts in the 1960s.

In the fifteen chapters of his book The Sixties Unplugged, DeGroot debunks many of the myths that surrounded the 1960s. He argues that the idea of the Sixties as an era of peace, tolerance, and new beginnings was more idealistic naivety than reality. DeGroot's 65 separate vignettes may prove disjointed, but they powerfully debunk the widely held myths associated with the era. On the other hand, Farber chooses to focus on how events in the 1950s led to major social developments during the 1960s. The differing focus in both books can be seen most clearly in the authors' approach towards the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement.

In The Sixties Unplugged, the Vietnam War is a microcosmic representation of the social turbulence that encapsulated the 1960s; DeGroot uses the war as a basis for discussing Civil Rights issues, the anti-war movement, youthful discontent, economic instability, and the American music industry.

For example, DeGroot references Muhammad Ali's protest on being drafted. The famed pugilist eventually filed for CO (conscientious objector) status, arguing that he had been unfairly targeted because of his Muslim faith. DeGroot relates that Ali was exiled from boxing for three years for his refusal to fight in the Vietnam War. However, he also argues that Ali's plight brings to light two important issues: that the court ruling against Ali was harsh but indicative of the experiences of thousands who were forced to fight and that dismissing the justice system as corrupt demeaned the efforts of those whose conscientious objector status was genuine. Here, DeGroot chooses not to take sides but to focus on the conflicting arguments that surrounded the war draft.

Farber, on the other hand, devotes three chapters to discussing the Vietnam War. His first chapter on the subject, appropriately titled Vietnam, provides the reader with the causative factors that led to the Vietnam War. Farber relates that the Vietnam War actually began during WWII, when American OSS (Office of Strategic Services) agents joined forces with the Communist Vietminh against the Japanese. After Vietnam was liberated from Japanese control, President Truman began to modify his views regarding the South East Asian nation. In the aftermath of WWII, two powerful nations began to emerge as global power players: the United States and the USSR.

The United States began to fear that Russian hegemonic ambitions would deliver South East Asia to communist control. Farber argued that such a development would bode ill for American interests in the region. The United States had a vested interest in the resources and markets of the region, and Communist control would shut off its access to those regions. Essentially, in the 1950s, the United States began to view Ho Chih Minh's objective for an independent Vietnam as counterproductive to American economic and military interests.

Meanwhile, after the Geneva peace agreement in 1954, Vietnam was temporarily divided into two regions. The United States hoped that it could set up a South Vietnamese government (sympathetic to American interests) to challenge Ho Chih Minh's Communist North. The Cold War essentially began in the 1950s, with the United States on the side of South Vietnam and Russia (along with newly Communist China) on the side of the Viet Cong. Essentially, this 1950s power struggle between Russia and the United States propelled America into the Vietnam War in the 1960s. In A Nation At War, Farber discusses the anti-war sentiment fomenting across college campuses in light of the draft. Meanwhile, in the next chapter, aptly titled The War Within, Farber addresses how the Vietnam War birthed a national political divide that threatened the social stability of the United States in the late 60s and the 70s. Additionally, he discusses the emergence of a drug culture and a free love culture that descended on the United States in the aftermath of the Vietnamese War.

In his book, Farber also discusses the roots of the Civil Rights movement in the United States. He documents how the rise of moderate integrationist theories and the emergence of Black nationalism resulted in conflicts that haunted the Civil Rights Movement. 

As can be seen, both books differ in thematic focus. While DeGroot chooses to debunk the myths of the 1960s, Farber focuses on discussing the causative factors that fueled major societal changes in the 1960s.

What are the positive effects of religion?

Religion may have several positive effects. One effect is that religious beliefs may serve as a moral compass for a person. Religious teachings help people make decisions that differentiate right from wrong. The ideas expressed in the Ten Commandments would be an example of this.

Religious beliefs may help a person navigate difficult times when sad or tragic events occur. Many times people have stated that their faith has helped them navigate troubling times.

Religion...

Religion may have several positive effects. One effect is that religious beliefs may serve as a moral compass for a person. Religious teachings help people make decisions that differentiate right from wrong. The ideas expressed in the Ten Commandments would be an example of this.

Religious beliefs may help a person navigate difficult times when sad or tragic events occur. Many times people have stated that their faith has helped them navigate troubling times.

Religion may also provide structure in a person’s life. Some religions require daily prayer that must occur within a given time frame. Observing a day of rest, called the Sabbath, may allow a person to spend more time with family and friends, as well as participate in some form of religious study. Observing a day of rest may also help a person recharge for the upcoming week.

Being involved with religion and religious observance may allow a person to access community resources to help them if they need some kind of assistance. This could include help dealing with poverty, mental illness, or homelessness.

There are several positive effects of religion and religious observance.

Compare and contrast how Katherine Mansfield portrays suffering in Marriage A La Mode and Bliss.

Katherine Mansfield presents us with the demise (end) of love in these two short stories. In "Bliss," Bertha Young is ecstatically happy with her life as a young married mother; however, we sense her vulnerability from the outset. She is too happy, feeling that she had "swallowed a bright piece of …sun," and the discerning reader will quickly realize that this happiness won’t last, following the literary convention that a short story that starts in...

Katherine Mansfield presents us with the demise (end) of love in these two short stories. In "Bliss," Bertha Young is ecstatically happy with her life as a young married mother; however, we sense her vulnerability from the outset. She is too happy, feeling that she had "swallowed a bright piece of …sun," and the discerning reader will quickly realize that this happiness won’t last, following the literary convention that a short story that starts in peace will quickly be marred. Bertha is timid, allows her baby’s nurse (nanny) to dominate her, and regrets that her baby is nurtured in "another woman’s arms." Her suffering is psychological and Mansfield shows us how brusque her husband is towards her. He is a man who "rapped" out his answer (we note the aggressive onomatopoeic verb used).  We witness Bertha’s suffering as she watches her husband’s intimate moment with another woman and all her dreams are crushed. The natural world around her remains unchanged and unmoved, which only increases the reader’s pathos for Bertha.

"Marriage a la Mode" has a similar theme of the end of love in a marriage, but this time it is the husband who suffers as his wife has new fashionable friends and interests ‘a la mode’ and has no time for him. She continually belittles him, accusing him of being "dreadfully stuffy" until he "felt a stranger" in his own house, which she fills with weekend guests. Like Bertha in "Bliss," William lacks confidence and doesn’t stand up to this "new Isabel," feeling a "dull persistent gnawing in his breast" because his wife no longer appears to love him. We feel great sympathy for the sensitive William, as we do for delicate Bertha. Like Bertha, who takes "child-like pleasure" from any praise she receives from Harry, so William is still a "little boy" to his wife. Unlike in "Bliss," however, nature offers William a retreat of sorts, and his wife shows some regret for her behavior at the end of the story. However, Mansfield ends on a cynical note, for Isabel continues "laughing in the new way."