`f(x)=2/(6-x) ,c=-2` Find a power series for the function, centered at c and determine the interval of convergence.

To determine the power series centered at c, we may apply the formula for Taylor series:

`f(x) = sum_(n=0)^oo (f^n(c))/(n!) (x-c)^n`

or

`f(x) =f(c)+f'(c)(x-c) +(f''(c))/(2!)(x-c)^2 +(f^3(c))/(3!)(x-c)^3 +(f'^4(c))/(4!)(x-c)^4 +...`

To list the ` f^n(x)` for the given function `f(x)=2/(6-x) ` centered at `c=-2` , we may apply Law of Exponent: `1/x^n = x^-n`  and  Power rule for derivative: `d/(dx) x^n= n *x^(n-1)` .

`f(x) =2/(6-x)`

      `=2(6-x)^(-1)`

Let `u =6-x` then `(du)/(dx) = -1`

`d/(dx) c*(6-x)^n = c *d/(dx) (6-x)^n`

                         `= c *(n* (6-x)^(n-1)*(-1)`

                        ` = -cn(6-x)^(n-1)`

`f'(x) =d/(dx)2(6-x)^(-1)`

           `=-2*(-1)(6-x)^(-1-1)`

           ` =2(6-x)^(-2) or 2/(6-x)^2`

`f^2(x) =d/(dx) 2(6-x)^(-2)`

            `=-2(-2)(6-x)^(-2-1)`

            `=4(6-x)^(-3) or 4/(6-x)^3`

`f^3(x) =d/(dx)4(6-x)^(-3)`

            `=-4(-3)(6-x)^(-3-1)`

            `=12(6-x)^(-4) or 12/(6-x)^4`

`f^4(x) =d/(dx)12(6-x)^(-4)`

            `=-12(-4)(6-x)^(-4-1)`

            `=48(6-x)^(-5) or 48/(6-x)^5`

Plug-in `x=-2` for each `f^n(x)` , we get:

`f(-2)=2/(6-(-2))`

            `=2/ 8`

            `=1/4`

`f'(-2)=2/(6-(-2))^2`

              `=2/8^2`

              `= 1/32`

`f^2(-2)=4/(6-(-2))^3 `

              `=4/8^3`

              `=1/128`

`f^3(-2)=12/(6-(-2))^4 `

               `=12/8^4`

               `= 3/1024`

`f^4(-2)=48/(6-(-2))^5 `

               `=48/8^5`

               `= 3/2048`

Plug-in the values on the formula for Taylor series, we get:

`2/(6-x) = sum_(n=0)^oo (f^n(-2))/(n!) (x-(-2))^n`

` = sum_(n=0)^oo (f^n(-2))/(n!) (x+2)^n`

` =1/4+1/32(x+2) +(1/128)/(2!)(x+2)^2 +(3/1024)/(3!)(x+2)^3 +(3/2048)/(4!)(x+2)^4 +...`

` =1/4+1/32(x+2) +(1/128)/2(x+2)^2 +(3/1024)/6(x+2)^3 +(3/2048)/24(x+2)^4 +...`

` =1/4+1/32(x+2) + 1/256(x+2)^2 +1/2048(x+2)^3 + 1/16384(x+2)^4 +...`

` =1/2^2+1/2^5(x+2) + 1/2^8(x+2)^2 +1/2^11(x+2)^3 + 1/2^14(x+2)^4 +...`

` =sum_(n=1)^oo (x+2)^(n-1)/2^(3n-1)`

` =sum_(n=1)^oo( (x+2)^n*(x+2)^(-1))/(2^(3n)2^(-1))`

` =sum_(n=1)^oo (2(x+2)^n)/(2^(3n)(x+2))`

` =sum_(n=1)^oo (2/(x+2))((x+2)/2^3)^n`

` =sum_(n=1)^oo (2/(x+2))((x+2)/8)^n`

Note: Exponents of 2 as 2,5,8,11,14,... follows arithmetic sequence `a_n=a_0+(n-1)d.`

`a_n = 2 +(n-1)3`

      `=2+3n-3`

      ` =3n-1`

To determine the interval of convergence, we may apply geometric series test wherein the series `sum_(n=0)^oo a*r^n`  is convergent if `|r|lt1 or -1 ltrlt 1` . If `|r|gt=1` then the geometric series diverges.

By comparing `sum_(n=1)^oo (2/(x+2))((x+2)/8)^n` with  `sum_(n=0)^oo a*r^n` , we determine: `r = (x+2)/8.`

Apply the condition for convergence of geometric series: `|r|lt1` .

`|((x+2)/8)|lt1`

`-1lt(x+2)/8lt1`

Multiply each sides by 8:

`-1*8lt(x+2)/8*8lt1*8`

`-8ltx+2lt8`

Subtract `2` from each sides:

`-8-2ltx+2-2lt8-2`

`-10ltxlt6`

Thus, the power series  of the function `f(x) = 2/(6-x) ` centered at `c=-2` is `sum_(n=1)^oo (x+2)^(n-1)/2^(3n-1)`  with an interval of convergence: `-10ltxlt6` .

How does the pressure of a gas relate to the concentration of its particles?

The ideal gas law provides a relationship between the pressure, temperature, volume, and number of particles of gases in a system in accordance to the kinetic theory of gases. This is founded on four assumptions:

1) The particles of gases are negligibly small compared to the distance between them,

2) The particles of gases are not interacting and are not affected by each other other than during collision (which are always elastic) which happens instantaneously,

...

The ideal gas law provides a relationship between the pressure, temperature, volume, and number of particles of gases in a system in accordance to the kinetic theory of gases. This is founded on four assumptions:

1) The particles of gases are negligibly small compared to the distance between them,

2) The particles of gases are not interacting and are not affected by each other other than during collision (which are always elastic) which happens instantaneously,

3) Gases are in continuous random motion,

4) The average kinetic energy for all gases in the system is the same at a given temperature regardless of the type of gas.

The ideal gas law states that:

`PV = nRT` where P is the pressure, V is the volume, n is the moles of gases, R is the ideal gas constant, and T is the temperature.

As can be seen here, keeping all things equal, as the number of moles increases, pressure increases. This is because an increase in the number of particles in the same volume will increase the number of collisions to the walls of the container, which causes pressure to increase. Since concentration is dependent on the number of particles, an increase in concentration will lead to an increase in pressure.

This can also be seen directly from the ideal gas law. By dividing both sides of the equation by the volume, V:

`P = MRT` ,

where M is now the molarity, or the number of moles (n) over the volume of the system. An increase in the molarity results to an increase in pressure due to their direct relationship. (Also, an increase in molarity results from an increase in the number of moles, which was stated in the previous paragraph).

In short, since PV = nRT, an increase in concentration will result in an increase in pressure, assuming all other things remain the same.

In Macbeth, is Macbeth a victim or aggressor?

Both.  It does seem as though, in the beginning, the Weird Sisters plan to manipulate Macbeth.  When they meet in Act 1, scene 1, they chant, "Fair is foul and foul is fair / Hover through the fog and filthy air" (1.1.12-13).  They appear to imply that they are going to make good things seem bad and bad things seem good, and this is designed to trick Macbeth into believing that something is good when...

Both.  It does seem as though, in the beginning, the Weird Sisters plan to manipulate Macbeth.  When they meet in Act 1, scene 1, they chant, "Fair is foul and foul is fair / Hover through the fog and filthy air" (1.1.12-13).  They appear to imply that they are going to make good things seem bad and bad things seem good, and this is designed to trick Macbeth into believing that something is good when it will really lead to his ruin.  In this sense, then, he is a victim.

On the other hand, once Macbeth's terrible ambition is sparked by the Weird Sisters' "prophecies," he becomes an aggressor.  He not only murders the king, Duncan, but he also plans the murder of his former best friend, Banquo, as well as Banquo's young son, and Macduff's innocent wife, children, and servants.  Once Macbeth starts on his path of destruction, he continues to become worse and worse, changing from a somewhat sympathetic figure to an awful and ruthless tyrant. 

How does the first paragraph of chapter 13 in The French Lieutenant's Woman relate to the thematic, poetic, and ideological concerns of the novel...

The first paragraph of chapter 13 of The French Lieutenant's Woman signifies many of the thematic, poetic, and ideological concerns of the novel. In doing so, the paragraph also signifies the broader concerns associated with Postmodernism. In its entirety, the paragraph reads,

I do not know. This story I am telling is all imagination. These characters I create never existed outside my own mind. If I have pretended until now to know my characters’ minds...

The first paragraph of chapter 13 of The French Lieutenant's Woman signifies many of the thematic, poetic, and ideological concerns of the novel. In doing so, the paragraph also signifies the broader concerns associated with Postmodernism. In its entirety, the paragraph reads,

I do not know. This story I am telling is all imagination. These characters I create never existed outside my own mind. If I have pretended until now to know my characters’ minds and innermost thoughts, it is because I am writing in (just as I have assumed some of the vocabulary and “voice” of) a convention universally accepted at the time of my story: that the novelist stands next to God. He may not know all, yet he tries to pretend that he does. But I live in the age of Alain Robbe-Grillet and Roland Barthes; if this is a novel, it cannot be a novel in the modern sense of the word.

The passage cited above is telling because the narrator not only directly addresses the reader but also admits that he has very little actual knowledge of the characters and their “minds and innermost thoughts.” This is significant because The French Lieutenant's Woman thematically plays on the Victorian romantic novel, which typically features an all-knowing narrator who does have insights into the minds and thoughts of individual characters. John Fowles hence draws the reader’s attention to a literary convention typical of the Victorian novel and subverts it by presenting a narrator who not only doubts his own knowledge but also emerges as a character of the novel. Even more importantly, the narrator also acknowledges that he mimics the voice, vocabulary, and poetics of the Victorian novel but falls short of pretending to be invisible and all-knowing.

In the last sentence of the paragraph, Fowles uses intertextuality when he mentions Alain Robbe-Grillet (1922–2008) and Roland Barthes (1915–1980). Alain Robbe-Grillet was a writer and filmmaker who became known as a representative of the Nouveau Roman (new novel), whereas Roland Barthes was a French literary theorist. Both Robbe-Grillet and Barthes were significant figures in the cultural movement that is known as postmodernism. Intertextuality is one of the key characteristics of postmodernism; however, the fact that the narrator mentions Robbe-Grillet and Barthes also makes it unmistakably clear to the reader that the narrator has been deceptive and that this deception was intentional.

Overall, one could argue that Fowles’s use of Victorian themes and poetics is an instance of pastiche, which also is a common feature of postmodern literature. In doing so, Fowles seems to undermine and criticize many of the ideological assumptions about authorial intent, the role of literature in society, and gender.

In "The Umbrella Man," what do the girl and her mother find out about the gentleman after he enters the pub?

The mother and daughter learn they have both been deceived about the little old man with the umbrella.

The man's deception of the woman is rather cleverly accomplished: He tells the narrator's mother that he has forgotten his wallet and he needs the fare for a taxi because he has walked too far and his "old legs" are tired. He offers to sell his twenty-pound umbrella for just one pound for the taxi-fare.

The mother...

The mother and daughter learn they have both been deceived about the little old man with the umbrella.

The man's deception of the woman is rather cleverly accomplished: He tells the narrator's mother that he has forgotten his wallet and he needs the fare for a taxi because he has walked too far and his "old legs" are tired. He offers to sell his twenty-pound umbrella for just one pound for the taxi-fare.

The mother feels it wrong to purchase a silk umbrella for twenty pounds, so she suggests she just give the little man a pound. She tells the old gentleman that she does not feel right about taking his umbrella. The little old man insists that she take his umbrella, saying,

But now it’s of no importance so long as I can get home and rest these old legs of mine.

The mother provides the old gentleman with the pound he desires. Afterwards, the mother congratulates herself on judging the man's character correctly. Just then, her daughter sees the man scurrying down the street. The mother decides to follow him as he dodges in and out of places where people stand. Finally, the mother and daughter see him enter a pub where he lays down the pound note given him and orders a "treble whisky," a whisky that is three shots. The daughter and her mother realize the mother has been tricked. Then she watches as the man departs. He goes to the hook where his coat is hung, but while doing so, he grabs an umbrella. He then goes out of the building with his new prize.

What is familiar in Robert Frost's poems?

Because Frost is drawing sketches of the New England landscape as well as writing poems with large abstract ideas imbedded in the symbolism and metaphors, the reader recognizes the common everyday objects and scenery in Frost's own life.  While some of Frost's world is gone now (horse-and-carriage transportation, for instance), much of it is timeless -- stone walls, walking paths, woods, etc. The reader can strongly visual the setting of Frost's images.  But most familiar...

Because Frost is drawing sketches of the New England landscape as well as writing poems with large abstract ideas imbedded in the symbolism and metaphors, the reader recognizes the common everyday objects and scenery in Frost's own life.  While some of Frost's world is gone now (horse-and-carriage transportation, for instance), much of it is timeless -- stone walls, walking paths, woods, etc. The reader can strongly visual the setting of Frost's images.  But most familiar are universal "points of view" or "wisdoms" disseminated in his poems.  Every discipline, for example, has its moments of decision, at which time the entire enterprise takes a direction that "makes all the difference."  Consider, too, the observation that nature itself has a "personification" that allows it to "like" or "not like" man's constructions. The relatively simple vocabulary also gives a familiar tone to the constructions:  In the poem "I have been one acquainted with the night," the language allows us to share in the experience: "I have walked out in rain -- and back in rain. / I have outwalked the furthest city light." Or look at this stanza:

A voice said, Look me in the stars
And tell me truly, men of earth,
If all the soul-and-body scars
Were not too much to pay for birth.

This universal idea is familiar to all generations -- the beauty of existence itself, when confronted with the night sky. 

What was the connection between increased trade in the Mediterranean and artistic output during the Renaissance?

The short answer is: money! 

During the Renaissance, trade by sea and land brought luxury goods to Europe, which were then sold for a profit. Hauling the thousands of pounds necessary to meet market demand was very difficult to accomplish on land. Improvements in navigation and shipbuilding enabled traders to travel much more quickly to far off places with exotic goods (like spices, silk, and precious metals) and return with hardly any increase to their burden....

The short answer is: money! 

During the Renaissance, trade by sea and land brought luxury goods to Europe, which were then sold for a profit. Hauling the thousands of pounds necessary to meet market demand was very difficult to accomplish on land. Improvements in navigation and shipbuilding enabled traders to travel much more quickly to far off places with exotic goods (like spices, silk, and precious metals) and return with hardly any increase to their burden. Once they arrived in port, the people who had commissioned the journey (wealthy merchants) or the travelers themselves would in turn sell their goods at marked-up prices. The increase in trade not only brought wealth to the Mediterranean, "stimulating" the economy-- it also provided the wealthy with enough money to invest in the arts.

Patronizing the arts was a way for wealthy individuals to "build up" or invest in their own cities, and such conspicuous consumption drove competition among the elite. With regards to religious art of the Renaissance, many of the people to have such works completed did so as a way of improving their standing with the Church or perception in society. Especially in Italy, a wealthy man might drink, gamble, and visit sex workers, but he could essentially clear his name and moral slate by paying for a very expensive piece of religious art to be created. 

Explain how the attitudes toward Great Britain and France shaped American politics in the late eighteenth century.

By the late eighteenth century, Britain and France were fighting a war that would soon engulf Europe and ultimately the world.  The United States, following the presidency of George Washington, was beginning to form political parties.  These two parties were the Democratic-Republicans and the Federalists.  

The Democratic-Republicans, under the leadership of Thomas Jefferson, favored France in the war between Britain and France.  They saw the French Revolution as an extension of the American Revolution...

By the late eighteenth century, Britain and France were fighting a war that would soon engulf Europe and ultimately the world.  The United States, following the presidency of George Washington, was beginning to form political parties.  These two parties were the Democratic-Republicans and the Federalists.  

The Democratic-Republicans, under the leadership of Thomas Jefferson, favored France in the war between Britain and France.  They saw the French Revolution as an extension of the American Revolution and a demonstration of the principle that everyone desires freedom.  Even as the French Revolution grew bloody and anti-clerical, many in the party still had warm feelings toward France.  They also wanted to give France aid in the war, as France was the colonists' primary ally during the American Revolution.  

On the other hand, the Federalists favored Britain in their war with France.  The Federalists saw chaos in the Reign of Terror and thought that all of the killings would be the undoing of civilization.  They were also repulsed by the confiscation of church property in France and the killings of the clergy, even though many in the Federalist party were Protestant.  They saw in Britain a source of political stability and also the United States' main trading partner.  John Adams, president during this time period, even signed off on the Alien and Sedition Acts, which were an attempt to keep anti-British radicals out of the country and curtail anti-government sentiment.  

Both parties did not approve of the ship seizures by Britain and France after United States sailors tried to run the blockade and trade in Europe.  John Adams waged the "Quasi-War" with the French navy during this time period—it would continue until Napoleon came to power and agreed to stop seizing American shipping.  Britain would continue to do so and also pressed American sailors into its own merchant marine.  This would ultimately lead to the war of 1812.

How do Bill and Sam finally get rid of Red Chief?

Red Chief's real name is Johnny Dorset. Bill and Sam kidnapped the young boy from Ebenezer Dorset because they believed that the man would pay the big ransom demand to get his son back. Unfortunately for Bill and Sam, Johnny Dorset is more than a handful. The boy turns the tables on his captors, and Bill and Sam look for just about any opportunity to get rid of the kid.

The two kidnappers write the...

Red Chief's real name is Johnny Dorset. Bill and Sam kidnapped the young boy from Ebenezer Dorset because they believed that the man would pay the big ransom demand to get his son back. Unfortunately for Bill and Sam, Johnny Dorset is more than a handful. The boy turns the tables on his captors, and Bill and Sam look for just about any opportunity to get rid of the kid.

The two kidnappers write the ransom letter to Mr. Dorset, but instead of paying the ransom, Mr. Dorset offers the kidnappers an alternative proposal. He wants Bill and Sam to pay him $250 dollars to take his own son back. Bill and Sam think that is a great deal. 

"We’ll take him home, pay the ransom and make our get-away."

The two men return Johnny Dorset at midnight, pay Ebenezer the money, and run as fast as they can out of town.

It was just twelve o’clock when we knocked at Ebenezer’s front door. Just at the moment when I should have been abstracting the fifteen hundred dollars from the box under the tree, according to the original proposition, Bill was counting out two hundred and fifty dollars into Dorset’s hand.

How do story elements of character, setting, and plot contribute to the theme of "The Monkey's Paw"?

In literature, often the supernatural, though fiction, will tell us truths about our lives. A consistent method of identifying themes is to apply the supernatural concepts that make up the plot of the story, in this case fate, wishes, and magical fakirs, to our own lives and those of the real people around us. In The Monkey’s Paw, the Sergeant-Major states that the fakir cursed the paw to show people that they cannot change fate and punish them for trying. Applying that concept to the real world, we could conclude that the story is condemning our human folly, our selfishness, and our arrogance in what we know about the world, all of which Jacobs illustrates using not only plot but character and setting as well.

The opening scene shows Mr. White and his son playing chess.

The father, [Mr. White], whose ideas about the game involved some very unusual moves, putting his king into such sharp and unnecessary danger . . .

In the above quotation, Mr. White’s character is introduced upfront as a man who is comfortable taking risks. Another characteristic is revealed as well when, after taking one step too far and putting his king in a position to lose the game, Mr. White tries the tactic of obfuscation. In doing so he demonstrates his willingness to create problematic situations without wanting to face the consequences. This is repeated later when Mr. White makes a wish on the Monkey’s Paw with very little hesitation after repeated warnings from his friend.

In the descriptions of the settings, especially in Part 3, Jacobs often uses very cold and very hot imagery.

He sat until he could no longer bear the cold . . .

The candle, which had almost burned to the bottom . . .

The old woman, with burning eyes . . .

These descriptors are creating, in addition to the drama from the plot, a different sort of battle: one of dark and light, good and evil, to wish or not to wish, all of which could represent the human condition, our constant indecisiveness, and our inability to know the difference between right and wrong.

What do Mangan's sister and Araby each represent for the narrator in "Araby"?

The narrator in James Joyce's "Araby" is a romantic, idealistic boy who is obsessed with the exotic. For the narrator, both Mangan's sister and the bazaar called Araby represent the exotic in some sense. For instance, the narrator has a considerable crush on Mangan's sister, and we get the sense that she is the first girl he's been attracted to. Like most boys who get their first crush, the narrator views Mangan's sister in idealistic...

The narrator in James Joyce's "Araby" is a romantic, idealistic boy who is obsessed with the exotic. For the narrator, both Mangan's sister and the bazaar called Araby represent the exotic in some sense. For instance, the narrator has a considerable crush on Mangan's sister, and we get the sense that she is the first girl he's been attracted to. Like most boys who get their first crush, the narrator views Mangan's sister in idealistic terms, and he immediately assumes that simply because she is new and different (exotic, in other words), that his simple crush is much more significant than it really is. Likewise, Araby is a bazaar that seems to evoke the Middle East, and for the boy such a location is unimaginably exotic and far away. Thus, his trip to Araby to buy a gift for Mangan's sister becomes more than a mere errand: it's a romantic adventure that gives him the chance to prove his undying devotion to his love. Of course, the exoticism of both Araby and Mangan's sister is deconstructed in the final scene, in which the boy understands his idealizations of both have been childish. Thus, much of the short story is about breaking down naive assumptions of an exotic "other," and this idea is represented by the narrator's relationship with both Mangan's sister and Araby. 

John considers confessing to witchcraft. What is he struggling with? How does he initially justify giving a false confession? How does his...

In “The Crucible,” John Proctor struggles with his decision to confess to witchcraft.  His internal conflict is whether to save his life and lose his good name and honor, or to die with his friends and remain honorable.  John’s initial justification for his false confession is that he is not a saint.  He wants to live, and because he has sinned in the past, he has convinced himself that lying to save his own life...

In “The Crucible,” John Proctor struggles with his decision to confess to witchcraft.  His internal conflict is whether to save his life and lose his good name and honor, or to die with his friends and remain honorable.  John’s initial justification for his false confession is that he is not a saint.  He wants to live, and because he has sinned in the past, he has convinced himself that lying to save his own life is just another sin.  “God in Heaven, what is John Proctor, what is John Proctor? He moves as an animal, and a fury is riding in him, a tantalized search. I think it is honest, I think so; I am no saint. As though she had denied this he calls angrily at her: Let Rebecca go like a saint; for me it is fraud!” (Act IV).  Through his discussion with his wife, he realizes that he is forgiven and that she no longer judges him.  Elizabeth’s belief that John is a good man allows him to tear up his confession and refuse to compromise his standards.  “His breast heaving, his eyes staring, Proctor tears the paper and crumples it, and he is weeping in fury, but erect” (Act IV).  Proctor resolves his inner conflict by choosing to keep his good name and refusing to admit to practicing witchcraft.

Why was 1942 the turning point of the war in Europe and the Pacific? What is meant by the term "turning point" (specifically related to German and...

In war, a "turning point" marks the period when the outcome of a conflict becomes more defined. In other words, the "turning point" provides some demonstration of which army will ultimately prevail. 

In WWII, two battles that mark turning points heralding the eventual Allied victory are:

1) Battle of Guadalcanal (Aug 1942-Feb 1943)

The Battle of Guadalcanal marked the first major offensive victory by Allied powers against the Axis power of Japan. After the Pearl...

In war, a "turning point" marks the period when the outcome of a conflict becomes more defined. In other words, the "turning point" provides some demonstration of which army will ultimately prevail. 

In WWII, two battles that mark turning points heralding the eventual Allied victory are:

1) Battle of Guadalcanal (Aug 1942-Feb 1943)

The Battle of Guadalcanal marked the first major offensive victory by Allied powers against the Axis power of Japan. After the Pearl Harbor attack, the Japanese moved swiftly to appropriate the Allied South Pacific route connecting Australia and the United States (July 1942). The Japanese army worked to accomplish this goal by setting up a base of operations on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. By August 1942, the Japanese had 8,400 men stationed on the island; they also had an airfield and artillery positions in the hills.

What the Japanese didn't bargain for was the determination of U.S. Marines to retake this extremely strategic location from them. On August 7th of 1942, U.S. Marines landed on the island, and on Oct 13th, the U.S. Army provided reinforcements for the Marine effort. The Marines and infantrymen managed to wrest control of the island from the Japanese in about six months. The Japanese never recovered from its loss of air superiority after the Battle of Guadalcanal. Overall, the Japanese lost almost two thirds of its 31,400 deployed troops, while the Americans lost about 2,000 men out of a deployed force of 60,000.

2) Battle of Stalingrad (July 1942-Feb 1943)

The Battle of Stalingrad was fought to cut off the German advance into the Soviet Union. It was the one battle that caused a death blow to Hitler's dreams of world domination. The Battle of Stalingrad is perhaps the most significant battle in WWII and constituted a major turning point on the Eastern Front. The Soviet generals (Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov, Alexandr Mikhailovich Vasilevsky, and Nikolay Nikolayevich Voronov) launched a modern-day Cannae offensive on the unsuspecting Germans.

The strategy involved picking off the weaker German flanks before penetrating deeper into the inner flanks. Hitler ordered the German Sixth Army under General Friedrich Paulus to stand and fight, despite the rise in German casualties. He maintained that the Luftwaffe would be able to resupply the Sixth Army with provisions and medical supplies, but Air Marshal Hermann Goring was unable to deliver on Hitler's promise. General Paulus' Sixth Army was eventually surrounded by seven Soviet armies.

The Germans never recovered their dominance after the Battle of Stalingrad. Total Axis casualties were estimated at around 800,000 men (150,000 of these were German casualties). When General Paulus surrendered, 91,000 German soldiers followed his example. However, of the 91,000 men, only about 5,000-6,000 managed to return home. The rest perished in Soviet labor camps.

What literary devices are used, and what is their effect in the last two paragraphs of the story?

The final two paragraphs of this story bring the events of the story to a crescendo, and this is reflected in the increasingly fragmented sentence structure and accompanying literary devices. The final paragraph itself is short, as are the sentences within it, suggesting a drumbeat-like rhythm of intensification, as if ultimate doom is drawing ever closer. Poe uses anaphora here, a common rhetorical device which can be heard in the speeches of politicians as a...

The final two paragraphs of this story bring the events of the story to a crescendo, and this is reflected in the increasingly fragmented sentence structure and accompanying literary devices. The final paragraph itself is short, as are the sentences within it, suggesting a drumbeat-like rhythm of intensification, as if ultimate doom is drawing ever closer. Poe uses anaphora here, a common rhetorical device which can be heard in the speeches of politicians as a means of heightening anticipation and audience response: "There was a discordant hum of human voices! There was. . . . There was . . ." and so on. (Anaphora refers to the repetition of the same phrase or sentence structure.) Having heightened anticipation in this way, the author then uses synecdoche to create a final jolt or shock: "an outstretched arm" grasps the narrator. The arm, naturally, represents the whole person to whom it is attached, but the anticipation grows until this person is revealed in the next sentence as General Lasalle. The final sentence of the story is a flat declaration that suggests the outcome was inevitable and cannot be changed: "The Inquisition was in the hands of its enemies."

The tone of the penultimate paragraph draws the reader toward the culmination of the story, but the key literary devices are found in the final paragraph itself. The longer sentences and significant amounts of descriptive detail in the prior paragraph help increase the effect of the devices used later. The devices rely upon the contrast between the preceding paragraph and the subsequent short, sharp sentences detailing revelations.

What is a summary of the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain, including key events, causes, effects, and key players?

The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain towards the end of the 18th century, when specialized machinery allowed companies to mass-produce goods. Previously, manufacturing was done by hand and was often accomplished by family-run businesses using basic tools at home. Along with new manufacturing techniques and machinery, the Industrial Revolution also led to the development of new strategies for transportation and finance.

Key Events

Changes in the textile industry served as a catalyst for Britain's...

The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain towards the end of the 18th century, when specialized machinery allowed companies to mass-produce goods. Previously, manufacturing was done by hand and was often accomplished by family-run businesses using basic tools at home. Along with new manufacturing techniques and machinery, the Industrial Revolution also led to the development of new strategies for transportation and finance.

Key Events

Changes in the textile industry served as a catalyst for Britain's Industrial Revolution. While textiles and garments had previously been handcrafted in the homes of artisans, machines made it possible to produce massive quantities of goods at a far more efficient pace. The spinning jenny produced multiple spools of thread at the same time, while the power loom allowed manufacturers to weave cloth at a much faster rate. The invention of the steam engine was another key event that made it possible to remove water from mines and transport goods more efficiently.

Causes and Effects of the Industrial Revolution

The Agricultural Revolution was one of the primary causes of the Industrial Revolution. With the increased production of food, it became cheaper than ever for Great Britain to feed its growing population. Families in turn spent their excess money on manufactured products, which led to a greater demand for goods produced at low prices and in high quantities. Industrial machinery made it possible to produce items that were once considered luxuries at a cost the average worker could afford.

The Industrial Revolution had both positive and negative effects on the quality of life in Britain. The demand for workers led to the mass integration of children into the workforce, and a significant number of factory workers were under the age of 15. Child laborers were often subjected to harsh hours and grueling working conditions. The abuse of workers in the Industrial Revolution laid the groundwork for modern child labor laws and union regulations designed to protect workers.

Key Players

Charles Wheatstone and William Cooke were two major players in the Industrial Revolution as the co-inventors of the telegraph. The electrical telegraph was used to aid communications across long distances, making it easier for businesses, governments, and individuals to communicate efficiently. An American named Robert Fulton built the first commercial steamboat during the height of the Industrial Revolution, allowing for faster transportation of cargo across the Atlantic Ocean. George Stephenson was another prominent figure of the Industrial Revolution, and he was commonly known as the "Father of Railways." His was the first commercial railway and locomotive system to be adopted across the world.

How would one map Maycomb using quotes in Chapter 1 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird?

Based on the information in Chapter 1 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, we know that the Finches live on the main street of Maycomb, and heading north, the main street takes you to the town square. In her narrative in Chapter 1, Scout also gives us a minimal description of the layout of her neighborhood though more details are uncovered in later chapters. One thing we know is that Mrs. Henry Lafayette...

Based on the information in Chapter 1 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, we know that the Finches live on the main street of Maycomb, and heading north, the main street takes you to the town square.

In her narrative in Chapter 1, Scout also gives us a minimal description of the layout of her neighborhood though more details are uncovered in later chapters. One thing we know is that Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose lives "two doors to the north" of the Finches, and the Radley Place is "three doors to the south." In addition, Miss Rachel Haveford is the Finches' immediate next-door neighbor though at this point in the story we can't tell if she is their northerly or southerly neighbor. We know Miss Rachel lives immediately next door to the Finches because we know the Finch children are able to look over Miss Rachel's wire fence into her yard from their own back yard, as Scout describes they did on the summer morning they first met Dill:

Early one morning as we were beginning our day's play in the back yard, Jem and I heard something next door in Miss Rachel Haverford's collard patch. We went to the wire fence to see if there was a puppy--Miss Rachel's rat terrier was expecting--instead we found someone sitting looking at us. (Ch. 1)

In this first chapter, Scout also gives a fuller description of the position of the Radley Place with respect to her own home. Scout describes that the Radley Place "jutted into a sharp curve beyond" the Finches' house so that "one faced its porch" as one walked south. A lamppost also stands just in front of the Radleys' gate.

What are the unique and interesting structural elements of the novel Fight Club? How does Chuck Palahniuk use sentence structure, sentence...

Chuck Palahniuk uses a number of structures to show the chaotic inner world of the narrator of Flight Club. The story is structured as a flashback; it begins as the narrator is with Tyler Durden on the top of the Parker-Morris Building as Tyler is putting a gun in his mouth. The narrator counts down from ten, interspersing the countdown, such as "five minutes," between paragraphs. The narrative then cuts to an earlier scene in...

Chuck Palahniuk uses a number of structures to show the chaotic inner world of the narrator of Flight Club. The story is structured as a flashback; it begins as the narrator is with Tyler Durden on the top of the Parker-Morris Building as Tyler is putting a gun in his mouth. The narrator counts down from ten, interspersing the countdown, such as "five minutes," between paragraphs. The narrative then cuts to an earlier scene in which the narrator is at a testicular cancer support group. In short, the reader is at first placed with Tyler and the narrator on the top of a building about to explode. When the narration begins the flashback to the support group, the reader has no idea what will happen to the narrator, who is stuck on the top of a building about to explode. These types of jumps in the narration leave the reader with the sense of shock and dislocation that the narrator himself feels.

Palahniuk uses short, abrupt sentences such as those in the following paragraph that begins the novel: 

"Tyler gets me a job as a waiter, after that Tyler's pushing a gun in my mouth and saying, the first step to eternal life is you have to die. For a long time though,Tyler and I were best friends. People are always asking, did I know about Tyler Durden."

The sentences are short and choppy, and they are not punctuated correctly. These types of sentences capture the randomness and disorientation of the narrator. Here is another example from the second chapter:

"Bob cries because six months ago, his testicles were removed. Then hormone support therapy. Bob has tits because his testosterone ration is too high. Raise the testosterone level too much, your body ups the estrogen to seek a balance."

Again, the sentences are short and end abruptly, and the narration is jumpy, conveying a nervous tone. There is a great deal of repetition in the novel, such as, "This is as close as I've been to sleeping in almost a week. This is how I met Marla Singer." The words "This is" or "This isn't" begin many sentences, conveying the narrator's attempts to define his world and his place in it--attempts that are largely futile.

`x=t^3-6t , y=t^2` Find the equations of the tangent lines at the point where the curve crosses itself.

The parametric equations are:

`x=t^3-6t`  ------------------(1)

`y=t^2`          -----------------(2)

From equation 2,

`t=+-sqrt(y)`

Substitute `t=sqrt(y)` in equation (1),

`x=(sqrt(y))^3-6sqrt(y)`

`=>x=ysqrt(y)-6sqrt(y)`  ----------------(3)

Now substitute `t=-sqrt(y)` in equation (1),

`x=-ysqrt(y)+6sqrt(y)`   ----------------(4)

The curve will cross itself at the point, where x and y values are same for different values of t.

So setting the equations 3 and 4 equal will give the point,

`ysqrt(y)-6sqrt(y)=-ysqrt(y)+6sqrt(y)`

`=>ysqrt(y)+ysqrt(y)=6sqrt(y)+6sqrt(y)`

`=>2ysqrt(y)=12sqrt(y)`

`=>2y=12`

`=>y=6`

Plug in the value of y...

The parametric equations are:

`x=t^3-6t`  ------------------(1)

`y=t^2`          -----------------(2)

From equation 2,

`t=+-sqrt(y)`

Substitute `t=sqrt(y)` in equation (1),

`x=(sqrt(y))^3-6sqrt(y)`

`=>x=ysqrt(y)-6sqrt(y)`  ----------------(3)

Now substitute `t=-sqrt(y)` in equation (1),

`x=-ysqrt(y)+6sqrt(y)`   ----------------(4)

The curve will cross itself at the point, where x and y values are same for different values of t.

So setting the equations 3 and 4 equal will give the point,

`ysqrt(y)-6sqrt(y)=-ysqrt(y)+6sqrt(y)`

`=>ysqrt(y)+ysqrt(y)=6sqrt(y)+6sqrt(y)`

`=>2ysqrt(y)=12sqrt(y)`

`=>2y=12`

`=>y=6`

Plug in the value of y in equation 4,

`x=-6sqrt(6)+6sqrt(6)`

`=>x=0`

So the curve crosses itself at the point (0,6). Note that,we can find this point by plotting the graph also. 

Now let's find t for this point,

`t=+-sqrt(y)=+-sqrt(6)`

The derivative `dy/dx` is the slope of the line tangent to the parametric graph `(x(t),y(t))`

`dy/dx=(dy/dt)/(dx/dt)`

`y=t^2`

`=>dy/dt=2t`

`x=t^3-6t`

`=>dx/dt=3t^2-6`

`dy/dx=(2t)/(3t^2-6)`

For `t=sqrt(6)` , `dy/dx=(2sqrt(6))/(3(sqrt(6))^2-6)=(2sqrt(6))/(18-6)=sqrt(6)/6`

Equation of the tangent line can be found by using point slope form of the line,

`y-6=sqrt(6)/6(x-0)`

`=>y=sqrt(6)/6x+6`

For `t=-sqrt(6)` , `dy/dx=(2(-sqrt(6)))/(3(-sqrt(6))^2-6)=(-2sqrt(6))/(18-6)=(-sqrt(6))/6`  

Equation of the tangent line will be:

`y-6=(-sqrt(6))/6(x-0)`

`=>y=(-sqrt(6))/6x+6`

Equations of the tangent line where the curve crosses itself are:

`y=sqrt(6)/6x+6`  and `y=-sqrt(6)/6x+6`

Why was Tom's trial delayed?

Atticus explains that Tom's trial was delayed "to make sure there's nothing to be uneasy about." It is likely that tempers were high after Mayella accused Tom Robinson of rape and Atticus wanted the trial postponed so that people would not attack his client.

Atticus first mentions the postponement to Scout when he is explaining to her that he is defending Tom Robinson. He says, "It’s a peculiar case—it won’t come to trial until summer...

Atticus explains that Tom's trial was delayed "to make sure there's nothing to be uneasy about." It is likely that tempers were high after Mayella accused Tom Robinson of rape and Atticus wanted the trial postponed so that people would not attack his client.

Atticus first mentions the postponement to Scout when he is explaining to her that he is defending Tom Robinson. He says, "It’s a peculiar case—it won’t come to trial until summer session. John Taylor was kind enough to give us a postponement." Scout says Judge Taylor "was a man learned in the law, and although he seemed to take his job casually, in reality he kept a firm grip on any proceedings that came before him."

Though Atticus doesn't say directly why he requested a postponement, he later says to Heck Tate that "we’ve gotten one postponement of this case just to make sure there’s nothing to be uneasy about." Since people are threatening Tom Robinson, it seems likely that Atticus was putting off the trial so that tempers could cool before Tom had to appear in court.

It's also possible that Atticus thought Tom would get a more fair trial by delaying until the summer session. Though it was unlikely from the beginning that Tom would be acquitted, Atticus had to do everything possible to help the innocent man go free. Ultimately, of course, he was found guilty and killed by prison guards. 

How did the British use the French and Indian War as a reason for why they felt entitled to tax the colonies?

The French and Indian War was one of a string of costly wars between the British and French.  Each war expanded the scope of the conflict and involved more logistical challenges.  Britain claimed (correctly) that the American colonist paid less in taxes than their counterparts in the British Isles.  Due to salutary neglect, British tax collectors in the colonies took a rather lax approach to their duties. The customs officers in the colonies also did...

The French and Indian War was one of a string of costly wars between the British and French.  Each war expanded the scope of the conflict and involved more logistical challenges.  Britain claimed (correctly) that the American colonist paid less in taxes than their counterparts in the British Isles.  Due to salutary neglect, British tax collectors in the colonies took a rather lax approach to their duties. The customs officers in the colonies also did not enforce the Navigation Acts carefully.  When British officials got a closer look at colonial government during the war, they were shocked by the level at which the colonists flouted British tax laws.  Since British troops were needed in the colonies to protect roaming colonists from the Native Americans in the West, Parliament decided to demand more payment from the colonists to pay for their own defense.  The first act prevented colonists from moving past the Appalachian Mountains. This would keep them from attacking the Indians and make tax collection easier.  Of course, land-hungry settlers bristled at this idea.  Parliament only insisted that they were getting more insistent about collecting taxes that they should have been collecting all along.  The colonists claimed that Parliament was demanding money without colonial consent. Moreover, they were having a hard time paying due to a recession after the French and Indian War.  This ultimately led to the Revolutionary War.  

what is the tone of the first chapter in the call of the wild?

The first chapter of The Call of the Wild, "Into the Primitive," sets the tone for the rest of the book. The central tension London explores is that between the supposedly primitive and civilized worlds. As the story opens, Buck lives a happy life in a nice, civilized part of the United States. Life on a Californian ranch is quite agreeable for a dog like Buck. He is thoroughly domesticated and good...

The first chapter of The Call of the Wild, "Into the Primitive," sets the tone for the rest of the book. The central tension London explores is that between the supposedly primitive and civilized worlds. As the story opens, Buck lives a happy life in a nice, civilized part of the United States. Life on a Californian ranch is quite agreeable for a dog like Buck. He is thoroughly domesticated and good with the kids; he really could not be further removed from his wolf ancestors.

Then it all goes terribly wrong. Poor Buck gets kidnapped by a devious Spanish gardener and ends up being loaded onto a ship headed north. Buck has been roped in (quite literally) to drag greedy prospectors across the snow-covered wastes of the Klondike in search of gold.

The first chapter sees the stirrings of a wolf-consciousness in Buck. Up until now, he has gotten along just fine with humans. They have fed him, played with him, given him a nice warm place to sleep, and given him the run of the ranch and its extensive grounds. But for the first time he is now starting to see the ugly side of man, the cruel, vicious, exploitative side that always seems to come to the fore when there is a stench of filthy lucre in the air. Maybe civilization is not all it is cracked up to be. Maybe the so-called primitive world is more conducive to leading a dog's life in a good way.

Describe the current US tax system relative to possible reform/alternatives.

What makes the US tax system so daunting and complex is that it actually consists of multiple different systems. As well as federal taxes, there are state and municipal taxes. Income taxes can be charged by both federal and state governments, and there is also a wide range of other taxes such as sales tax, property tax, and various special taxes, duties, and fees. The system is so complex that over 80 percent of Americans...

What makes the US tax system so daunting and complex is that it actually consists of multiple different systems. As well as federal taxes, there are state and municipal taxes. Income taxes can be charged by both federal and state governments, and there is also a wide range of other taxes such as sales tax, property tax, and various special taxes, duties, and fees. The system is so complex that over 80 percent of Americans use either professional tax preparers or tax preparation software.  What drives this complexity is that taxation serves multiple purposes. As well as being a tool to raise revenue, it can serve various ethical and political goals and also attempts to guide behavior. For example, so called "sin taxes" on cigarettes and alcohol are intended to reduce consumption of potentially harmful substances. Tax breaks may be designed to encourage corporate investment, the shift to renewable energy, or home ownership.

While almost everyone agrees on the need for some form of tax reform, there is little consensus on the type of reform needed. A position supported by many members of the Republican party is that the main priority in tax reform is to reduce taxes on corporations and the wealthy because, in theory, this would increase GDP and "trickle down" to everyone else, a theory that has little support from economists. Another potential type of tax reform, favored by Democrats, would aim to reduce the loopholes which allow the very rich and large, multinational corporations to pay extremely little in the way of taxes. The point of such reforms would be to reduce the deficit and increase tax revenue that could be used for infrastructure and social programs.

`y=12` Write the standard form of the equation of the parabola with the given directrix and vertex at (0,0)

A parabola with directrix at `y=k` implies that the parabola may opens up towards upward or downward direction.

The position of the directrix with respect to the vertex point can be used to determine in which side the parabola opens up.

If the directrix is above the vertex point then the parabola opens downward.

If the directrix is below the vertex point then the parabola opens upward.

The parabola indicated in the problem has directrix...

A parabola with directrix at `y=k` implies that the parabola may opens up towards upward or downward direction.

The position of the directrix with respect to the vertex point can be used to determine in which side the parabola opens up.

If the directrix is above the vertex point then the parabola opens downward.

If the directrix is below the vertex point then the parabola opens upward.

The parabola indicated in the problem has directrix of `y=12` which is located above the vertex `(0,0)` .

Thus, the parabola opens downward and follows the standard formula: `(x-h)^2=-4p(y-k)` . We consider the following properties:

vertex as `(h,k)`

 focus as `(h, k-p)`

 directrix as `y=k+p`

 Note: `p` is the distance of between focus and vertex or distance between directrix and vertex.

 From the given vertex point `(0,0)` , we determine `h =0` and `k=0` .

Applying directrix `y =12` and `k=0` on `y=k+p` we get:

`12 =0+p`

`12=p or p=12` .

Plug-in the values: `h=0` ,`k=0` , and `p=7` on the standard formula, we get:

` (x-0)^2=-4*12(y-0)`

`x^2=-48y`  as the standard form of the equation of the parabola with vertex `(0,0)` and directrix `y=12.`

How has low income caused many struggles within American families? I need help with my thesis and outline.

Families with low incomes face a chain reaction, as VanFleet (2002) documents (see the source below), meaning that their poverty affects them in many ways. They cannot afford proper health care, food, transportation, electricity, water, and phone service. VanFleet documents that poverty affects many generations, including children, and affects each aspect of a family's existence in a way that would be difficult for people not living in poverty to imagine. The thesis you produce for...

Families with low incomes face a chain reaction, as VanFleet (2002) documents (see the source below), meaning that their poverty affects them in many ways. They cannot afford proper health care, food, transportation, electricity, water, and phone service. VanFleet documents that poverty affects many generations, including children, and affects each aspect of a family's existence in a way that would be difficult for people not living in poverty to imagine. The thesis you produce for this paper might include how poverty affects each aspect of a family's life.

Using this thesis statement and conducting additional research, you can produce an outline. You might want to begin the paper with statistics about poverty in the United States. The link below from the organization Working Poor Families will provide you with more information, such as that one in three working families in the United States struggles to provide for its needs.

Each section of the outline might deal with one way in which poverty can affect the family. For example, the first section of your outline might deal with how poverty affects a family's access to proper health care for all its members and how their health suffers as a result. The next section of your outline could discuss the ways in which poverty affects a family's food resources, and the next section could be about other resources that are difficult for a family living in poverty to obtain (including housing, electricity, etc). For each section, you can do more research into the effects of poverty on that aspect of life. In your conclusion, you might think about why it is so difficult for children raised in poverty to obtain the education and resources to escape poverty when they grow up. 

Source:

VanFleet, Jennifer (2002) "The Struggles and Predicaments of Low-Income Families and Children in Poverty," Human Architecture: Journal of the Sociology of Self-Knowledge: Vol. 1 : Iss. 2 , Article 6. Available at: http://scholarworks.umb.edu/humanarchitecture/vol1/iss2/6.

What are 3 examples of either sarcasm, hyperbole, or understatement in "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathon Swift?

The question asks for three examples of either sarcasm, hyperbole or understatement in "A Modest Proposal." I have chosen three examples of sarcasm. Sarcasm means saying the opposite of what you mean. A common example of sarcasm is to say "graceful" or "great job" after somebody stumbles and falls. This is sarcasm because the speaker obviously intends to communicate the opposite of the literal meaning of the words.

Swift, filled with anger over the hard heartedness of the British toward the Irish poor, has created a narrator so clueless and without a moral compass that almost every "compassionate" statement he makes is actually meant by Swift to show the cruelty of treating the Irish as no more than objects that are only useful if they turn a profit.

Three examples of sarcasm are the following: 

"Thus the Squire will learn to be a good Landlord, and grow popular among his Tenants." This statement is in praise of a landlord buying and eating the year-old children of his tenants, something that would, in reality, be considered horrible and cruel to do. 

"And besides it is not improbable that some scrupulous People might be apt to Censure such a Practice, (although indeed very unjustly) as a little bordering upon Cruelty, which, I confess, hath always been with me the strongest objection against any Project, how well soever intended."

The narrator makes the above statement about selling 12-year-olds as food for the rich. This statement also includes understatement, as it is far more than bordering upon cruelty to eat a child, but the end of it, in which the narrator says cruelty has always been his strongest objection against any project, is clearly meant by Swift to be sarcastic, for all of the narrator's projects are unspeakably cruel.

Some Persons of a desponding Spirit are in great concern about that vast Number of poor People, who are aged, diseased, or maimed, and I have been desired to imploy my thoughts what Course may be taken, to ease the Nation of so grievous an Incumbrance. But I am not in the least pain upon that matter, because it is very well known, that they are every Day dying, and rotting, by cold, and famine, and filth, and vermin, as fast as can be reasonably expected. And as to the younger Labourers they are now in almost as hopeful a Condition. They cannot get Work, and consequently pine away from want of Nourishment, to a degree, that if at any time they are accidentally hired to common Labour, they have not strength to perform it, and thus the Country and themselves are happily delivered from the Evils to come.

Swift is being sarcastic in having his narrator praise as "hopeful" the fact that the poor, old and young, are dying off in horrible conditions as quickly as possible.

Describe the historical circumstances leading to French Revolution.

After the Enlightenment period swept through Europe, people in different societies began to question authority, government, and the meaning of life using logic and reason. The Enlightenment was a period of time between 1650 and 1800 where prominent thinkers emerged with new and intriguing ideas. For example, John Locke, a well known Enlightenment thinker, believed that all men are born with three natural rights: life, liberty, and property. He also believed that it was government's...

After the Enlightenment period swept through Europe, people in different societies began to question authority, government, and the meaning of life using logic and reason. The Enlightenment was a period of time between 1650 and 1800 where prominent thinkers emerged with new and intriguing ideas. For example, John Locke, a well known Enlightenment thinker, believed that all men are born with three natural rights: life, liberty, and property. He also believed that it was government's job to preserve those natural rights and that people agree to give up certain rights for the sake of the common good (society). Another famous Enlightenment thinker, Rousseau, believed that the government is a social contract between the people and the ruler, and rulers must preserve virtue and liberty or else the people will overthrow them. Other ideas about the separation of powers (Montesquieu) emerged as well as the concept of "checks and balances," meaning that no one branch of government should become more powerful than the others. 

With these new ideas emerging, people in European societies, such as France, began to question their own circumstances. To contextualize France prior to the French Revolution, one must understand the system of government that was in place. France was split into three classes called "Estates." The First Estate was comprised of the clergy (The Church). There was just a tiny population of France that made up the First Estate, yet they had most of the power and influence in the country and did not have to pay taxes, even though they were the wealthiest. The Second Estate was comprised of the nobles. The nobles were also just a very small proportion of the population of France and, like the First Estate, were well respected, had high paying jobs, and did not have to pay taxes. The Third Estate was comprised of everyone else in France. More than 90% of the population belonged to the Third Estate, yet they had very little political power. People in the Third Estate had a wide range of wealth and status. At the top of the Third Estate was the Bourgeoisie or middle class. This group of people were typically well-respected members of society and had decent jobs (doctors, lawyers, merchants, etc.). The rest of the Third Estate was made up of poor peasants or city workers who typically lived in very poor conditions. Despite being the poorest class, the Third Estate was required to pay all of the taxes in France. 

Also, the way the political system in France worked was that each Estate was represented by one vote. Therefore, any time the Third Estate would try to dissent or change aspects of society, they would be outnumbered two votes to one, as the First and Second Estate would often vote together to ensure things remained status quo. 

The people of the Third Estate were inspired by the Enlightenment ideals and began to discuss and challenge the way society was operating. They found their circumstances to be very unfair and demanded individual rights and liberties, as well as a reworking of the political system to ensure a more representative voting system. When these demands were not met by the government, the Third Estate rebelled and the French Revolution began. 

Since Mama is the protagonist in "Everyday Use," what is it that she wants?

It is apparent from the outset that Mama wants just the best for her family. When she speaks about her children, Dee and Maggie, her tone is one of love and care. She is, however, cynical about Dee's attitude. Although she does not directly criticize Dee's rejection of her culture and heritage, she does suggest her displeasure. The somewhat mocking tone she adopts when she speaks about Dee's hairstyle, her clothes, her new name, and...

It is apparent from the outset that Mama wants just the best for her family. When she speaks about her children, Dee and Maggie, her tone is one of love and care. She is, however, cynical about Dee's attitude. Although she does not directly criticize Dee's rejection of her culture and heritage, she does suggest her displeasure. The somewhat mocking tone she adopts when she speaks about Dee's hairstyle, her clothes, her new name, and her partner, makes it evident that she is not at all happy with her oldest child.

From this one can infer that Mama wants Dee to be more respectful of her heritage. Although she is proud of Dee's success, she would be grateful if her daughter were appreciative of her culture and their simple lifestyle. What she gets though is a supercilious attitude. Dee sees her mother and sister as backward, while she deems herself and her partner as progressive.  

Mama also wants Dee to be less materialistic and to appreciate their household items for their history and usefulness. When Dee claims the churn and two quilts as items for display Mama unusually rejects her demand for the quilts in particular. She does something that she has probably never done before. She takes the quilts from Dee and gives them to Maggie who has been promised the items as wedding gifts. This act also indicates that Mama wants Maggie to be happy. She apparently does not want her shy and introverted younger to feel second to Dee, as has been her habit throughout their lives.

It is also apparent that Mama wants to continue enjoying a comfortable, peaceful existence. She does not much enjoy the kind of disruption that Dee's visit has brought. This desire for calm and harmony is clearly indicated in her closing remark.

After we watched the car dust settle I asked Maggie to bring me a dip of snuff. And then the two of us sat there just enjoying, until it was time to go in the house and go to bed.

What is it called when a liquid has released enough energy?

This question is somewhat ambiguous as the phrase “enough energy” can have various meanings.  We are left to ask “enough energy for what?”  Perhaps the most likely answer is that, when a liquid releases enough energy, it is called freezing.

Scientifically speaking, heat is a type of energy.  Everything in the universe has this energy to some extent.  Heat is created when molecules and atoms vibrate and move.  The more movement there is, the hotter...

This question is somewhat ambiguous as the phrase “enough energy” can have various meanings.  We are left to ask “enough energy for what?”  Perhaps the most likely answer is that, when a liquid releases enough energy, it is called freezing.

Scientifically speaking, heat is a type of energy.  Everything in the universe has this energy to some extent.  Heat is created when molecules and atoms vibrate and move.  The more movement there is, the hotter the substance will be.

The three main states of matter are gasses, liquids, and solids.  Gases generally have the highest amount of energy, which means that they are the hottest forms of matter.  When they release enough energy, they cool down and become liquids.  The molecules and atoms in liquids are moving and vibrating, but with less energy than those in gasses.  When liquids lose enough energy, their molecules and atoms move around less and less.  Eventually, they lose enough energy that they become a solid.  When they do that, we say that the liquid has frozen.

Thus, one possible answer is to say that that, when a liquid has lost “enough energy” is has frozen.

How would I find the author's purpose and prove it using text evidence with a simile? In addition, how would I connect this to the theme of the book?

Huckleberry Finn is a satire from the very first word. The book opens with a "Notice" in which the reader is warned that "persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot." This notice is issued "BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR." Like the story that follows, however, this opening is not to be read literally. The "warning" satirizes similar strongly-worded public orders such as those pinned by farmers to their gates and is signed by GG, the "Chief of Ordnance." The tone is thus set for the novel to come, simultaneously authoritative and slightly ridiculous. But Twain is not finished: after the "Notice" comes a further "Explanation," which introduces a major theme of the story: that of divisions within society, caused by race or class differences and represented by Twain in the novel by varying orthography when writing dialogue. These differences in orthography, the "Explanation" says, are not "haphazard . . . or by guesswork" but have been done "painstakingly." Twain jokes that he gives this explanation in case readers might otherwise think "that these characters were trying to speak alike but not succeeding"; the truth, however, is hidden in the preceding statement that he is representing these dialects "from personal familiarity"—that is, he is personally familiar with the existence of people across different levels of society, like the people in the book, and although he warns readers not to seek a "moral" in the story, at the same time he indicates that it is a representation of how things really are, albeit overblown and satirical.

In terms of identifying a simile to connect the author's purpose to the theme of the book, there are several examples in Huck's dialogue—why not use the simile "sweat like an Injun," as Huck does? The fact that he would compare himself to someone from a culture he is unfamiliar with, and yet feels he has knowledge of, is telling. It is a frequent pattern in Huck's speech, however, to describe one living thing as being like another: people are variously described as being "like a duck" or "like a frog." Huck recognizes things based upon his own understanding of the world, and it is notable that Jim is never described as being "like" anything other than himself: to Huck, he is simply a man, although the patterns of his speech make clear that to the rest of the world, he is perceived very differently because of his race.

How does Cecilia manage to survive her captivity, and how is her survival connected with the book's theme of imagination?

In Imagining Argentina, American author Lawrence Thornton dips into the Latin American literary tradition of magical realism (pioneered by such literary giants as Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Isabel Allende, and Jorge Luis Borges) to create cultural meaning from depictions of the fantastic—specifically, Carlos's uncanny ability to fight the government with his wondrous imagination. Carlos is in many ways the antithesis of the oppressive military government—defined by his love of theatre, art, children, and so on. And...

In Imagining Argentina, American author Lawrence Thornton dips into the Latin American literary tradition of magical realism (pioneered by such literary giants as Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Isabel Allende, and Jorge Luis Borges) to create cultural meaning from depictions of the fantastic—specifically, Carlos's uncanny ability to fight the government with his wondrous imagination. Carlos is in many ways the antithesis of the oppressive military government—defined by his love of theatre, art, children, and so on. And (possibly) because of this identity of cultural resistance, he provides his community with the gift of knowledge at a time when, historically, Argentina's people were in the dark as loved ones disappeared in the night without a trace. 

Cecilia uses her own imagination and faith from the inside of her prison as means of survival. For instance, without any means to record what was being done to her, she made use of the patterns etched into the walls as mnemonic devices (which she eventually collected in a book, The Wall). Following Teresa’s death, Carlos notes that the generals “assumed I would follow Teresa into the whiteness, give up on myself as well as Cecilia, and they were very close to being right. But as I was thinking about letting myself go I understood that Cecilia would drown too, that she lived only because I remained to know she lived" (Thornton 172). 

Roughly 30,000 people disappeared between 1976 and 1983 in Argentina's Dirty War. Imagining Argentina suggests that, when the government can take everything away from you and your family in the night, the only power left to you is your imagination, and you must wield it as fiercely as a weapon. 

Why were the Americans justified in fighting the British?

The Americans were justified in fighting the British. There are several reasons why this is true. One reason was that the British began to violate the rights of the colonists. When the British passed the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts, the colonists didn’t have representatives in Parliament that could speak about and vote on these taxes. This is a right all British citizens have. However, the Parliament still passed these laws without the colonists having...

The Americans were justified in fighting the British. There are several reasons why this is true. One reason was that the British began to violate the rights of the colonists. When the British passed the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts, the colonists didn’t have representatives in Parliament that could speak about and vote on these taxes. This is a right all British citizens have. However, the Parliament still passed these laws without the colonists having representation in Parliament.

The colonists were concerned that the British were trying to control them. The Proclamation of 1763 restricted the colonists from moving to the new lands that the British had gained from France in the French and Indian War. The British also required the colonists to provide housing for the British troops that were enforcing this unpopular law.

Eventually, events became more violent. Five colonists were killed in the Boston Massacre in March 1770. When the colonists destroyed the tea that was on the ships in Boston Harbor by throwing the tea into the harbor, the British responded with the Intolerable Acts. The Intolerable Acts were designed to punish the colonists, mainly those in Massachusetts, for the Boston Tea Party. The colonists began to form their own militias. When the British marched to Lexington and to Concord in April 1775, fighting occurred with both sides suffering casualties. After this event, many colonists believed it was only a matter of time before they would declare their independence from Great Britain. This would lead to the Revolutionary War.

The colonists were justified in fighting the British.

What did the Victorians think about the book Dracula?

The ancient stories of werewolves and vampires already existed in the psyche of Victorian society. Even twenty-six years before Dracula's 1897 publication, Victorians had already met Carmilla in the novel of the same name by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. Carmilla, or Mircalla, which was her real name, was a female vampire in pursuit of a young woman named Laura. What Bram Stoker did was take that same idea of a pursuing vampire and add his own social commentary by creating characters and situations that were very representative of his time.

These characters and situations in Dracula drove conversations that connected the novel to the newsworthy events taking place in those days, ranging from the boom of psychology to Darwin to the Industrial Revolution, and even the Jack the Ripper murders of 1888.

Also very prevalent was the topic of the incoming Aliens Act, which was officially approved in 1905. This was an Act that restricted immigration from Eastern Europe. This part of the world was once the land of Vlad the Impaler, who inspired the character of Dracula.

Judging by what critics said of the novel at the time, we can safely argue that people gave less importance to the vampire figure and focused more on the collateral things taking place in the novel. This is the reason why, upon reception, Dracula drew negative and positive opinion just like any other novel.

Remember also that Victorians, unlike us, did not possess the pre-conception that we, as modern readers, have of the iconic "Dracula." Being new to the idea of Count Dracula, Victorians embraced the character as another welcome addition to other newly-created mysterious characters that would become icons throughout the next 120 years in novels like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, H.G. Wells’s Invisible Man, and Oscar Wilde’s Picture of Dorian Gray, among others.

The Manchester Guardian published one of the first reviews of Dracula on June 15, 1897. We can argue that the critic represented the mainstream Victorian opinion about the novel:

The plot is too complicated for reproduction . . . In spite of its absurdities, the reader can follow the story with interest until the end.

The reviewer also said that Stoker made a mistake in filling the entire novel with "horrors" from start to finish. The review even suggests that, if Stoker had toned the horror down a bit, the novel would have been believable. This may seem comical to the twenty-first-century modern reader, who has seen Dracula in a variety of settings and automatically recognizes him as a scary fictional character.

The Spectator also published a review in July, 1897. This one also states that the novel was rather lackluster and that Stoker should have considered a more historical and less “modern” setting for his novel, by Victorian standards.

Mr Stoker has shown considerable ability in the use . . . of all the available traditions of vampirology, but we think his story would have been all the more effective if he had chosen an earlier period.

The up-to-dateness of the book—the phonograph diaries, typewriters . . . hardly fits in with the mediaeval methods which ultimately secure the victory for Count Dracula’s foes.

This is an amazing observation, because we draw our modern fascination for Dracula partly from its Victorian setting. What they considered too "up to date," we consider perfectly "antique," so to speak.

Therefore, Victorians did not see Dracula from our perspective, as readers who have gone as far as romanticizing vampire stories. We love the idea of the gothic vampire because it is so distant from our current reality.

To Victorians, however, this may have been yet another story about vampires that touched on social commentary. Interestingly, Dracula has survived the passing of time and seems to be more popular with readers almost 120 years after its publication than it was when it was first published.

Step 1 Research the "20-Factor Test." Through Internet research, review the "20-Factor Test" that courts and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)...

The IRS has developed the "20-Factor Test" (see the link below) to determine whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor. Employers must provide certain benefits to their employees, including honoring workers' compensation requirements, withholding FICA (Federal Insurance Contribution Act) taxes (including Social Security and Medicare) and paying a portion of FICA taxes, and giving employees time off to vote. Some employers also provide employees with medical, dental, and other plans. 

The "20-Factor...

The IRS has developed the "20-Factor Test" (see the link below) to determine whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor. Employers must provide certain benefits to their employees, including honoring workers' compensation requirements, withholding FICA (Federal Insurance Contribution Act) taxes (including Social Security and Medicare) and paying a portion of FICA taxes, and giving employees time off to vote. Some employers also provide employees with medical, dental, and other plans. 

The "20-Factor Test" includes such measures as whether a worker can choose his or her hours or has control over his or her work. Generally speaking, an independent contractor can choose his or her hours, while an employee cannot, and an employee is subject to direct control of the employer, while an independent contractor is not. In addition, workers who are trained by the employer are usually employees, while independent contractors do not require additional training. In addition, employees usually have set hours and often complete their work at the employment site, in addition to other requirements.

A hypothetical situation in which the "20 Factor Test" might come up is a company's use of salespeople. For example, a medical devices company decides to employ people to sell their medical devices to doctors' offices and hospitals. If the salespeople need training before they can sell, they might be employees. However, if the salespeople already have this expertise and do not need additional training, they are likely independent contractors. In addition, if the employer allows the salespeople to determine their own hours, the salespeople are more likely to be independent contractors. If the salespeople are required to work certain set hours each week, they are likely employees. If the salespeople can largely work off site, visiting doctors' offices and hospitals and not usually working at the medical device company, they are more likely to be classified as independent contractors than are people who must work from the office. If the salespeople are independent contractors, they would likely not receive reimbursement for traveling expenses and might make a profit or loss from their work. Employees are generally reimbursed for travel expenses and are paid by the hour, week, or month. These factors will determine whether the salespeople are employees or independent contractors. 

What clues do you have that people were not kind to the narrator?

The narrator in Rodman Philbrick's novel Freak The Mighty is Maxwell Kane. He is a learning disabled kid who is a gentle giant. He lives with his grandmother and grandfather because his mother is dead and his father is in jail. 

One example that people are not kind to Max is the example of Tony D. and his gang. Also known as "Blade," Tony D. and his gang confront Max and Kevin at the Fourth...

The narrator in Rodman Philbrick's novel Freak The Mighty is Maxwell Kane. He is a learning disabled kid who is a gentle giant. He lives with his grandmother and grandfather because his mother is dead and his father is in jail. 

One example that people are not kind to Max is the example of Tony D. and his gang. Also known as "Blade," Tony D. and his gang confront Max and Kevin at the Fourth of July festivities. The gang pursues Max and Kevin to do them harm, and Max puts Kevin on his back in order to run away. This is how they became "Freak the Mighty." 

In the chapter entitled "The Damsel in Distress," Loretta Lee and Iggy are not very kind to Max. Loretta recognizes him as "Killer Kane's" kid. Loretta says, "He's some kinda retard, Ig. He don't even know how big and strong he is, I'll bet." 

In the chapter entitled "Killer Kane, Killer Kane, Had A Kid Who Got No Brain," when Max's teacher Mrs. Donelli asks him to stand and tell the students about his summer, kids in the class begin taunting, saying, "Forget it, Mrs. Donelli! His brain is in his tail!" They also shout, "Ask him to count! He can paw the ground!" and "Maxi Pad, Maxi Pad, ask him quick about his dad!" 

What should be the goal of any society?

"Harrison Bergeron" puts forth the notion that it is not absolute equality that we must desire in our society. As we are humans, each one of us will be different from everyone else, and it is this difference that adds color and creativity to the world. If it is absolute equality we seek, Vonnegut warns that a dystopian society like the Bergerons' is what we are going to get. 

Instead of equality, we must pursue ...

"Harrison Bergeron" puts forth the notion that it is not absolute equality that we must desire in our society. As we are humans, each one of us will be different from everyone else, and it is this difference that adds color and creativity to the world. If it is absolute equality we seek, Vonnegut warns that a dystopian society like the Bergerons' is what we are going to get. 

Instead of equality, we must pursue equity, which is the idea that people need different things in order to be successful. For example, a school with a low attendance rate in a crime-infested suburb should get more resources than a school in a comfortable, crime-free suburb. 

I think Albert Einstein said it best: 

But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.

True fairness should not mean that everyone is the same. True fairness is treating everyone with the same concern and support so that they can become successful in their own way. 

How do I use textual evidence to describe Rainsford as a hunter?

The fact that Sanger Rainsford is a real hunter is indicated in the exposition of "The Most Dangerous Game" as he talks with his friend Whitney; later, Rainsford's status as an experienced hunter is evinced in his knowledge of how animals hide their paths and in his skill in making three different traps. At the end of the narrative, Rainsford is again in control as the hunter and victor of a duel between Zaroff and him.

In the exposition of the story, as Rainsford and Whitney travel on the yacht through the night, Whitney reflects on how the jaguar they soon will hunt must feel as it is pursued. Rainsford dismisses his friend's comment:

Don't talk rot, Whitney. . . . You're a big game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?. . . Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes—the hunters and the hunted. Luckily, you and I are hunters.

Later in the narrative, Rainsford finds himself the unwitting prey of the jaded General Zaroff, who now hunts humans as the most dangerous game because they can reason and are more of a challenge. Nevertheless, the experienced hunter calls upon his knowledge of how to disguise one's trail by doubling back on it and creating other diversions. He creates a complicated path through the jungle, and he thinks that "only the devil himself" could follow such a trail. Because he is exhausted, Rainsford climbs a nearby tree to rest and watch for the general. The general succeeds in finding him but returns to his chateau, leaving Rainsford for the next day.

On the second day, Rainsford calls upon his knowledge as a hunter as he creates three traps. The first is a Malay man-catcher. The trap springs at General Zaroff, but he is knowledgeable of such a trap and jumps back in time, only receiving a minor wound. Then, on the third day, Rainsford makes a Burmese tiger pit, a trap for capturing the big cat. First, he digs a hole in the area of Death Swamp and fills it with stakes, which he hides in woven grass. This time only one of Zaroff's dogs is impaled in this trap. Finally, Rainsford runs from the dogs and recalls a native trick that he learned in Uganda. Creating another trap, he fastens his hunting knife to a "springy young sapling." With the blade of the knife pointing downward, Rainsford ties it back with green vines. As he listens, Rainsford does not hear anything but the rushing dogs and the men running. After climbing a tree, Rainsford observes that General Zaroff is still upright. However, Ivan is dead.

With the dogs in pursuit of him, Rainsford jumps twenty feet into the sea and is able to swim and reach the chateau. Rainsford hides behind the curtains of the bed in Zaroff's room and waits. When the general comes into his bedroom, Rainsford presents himself. He is again the hunter as he slays his victim.

In "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings", how is there a theme of isolation?

There is a theme of isolation in "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings." Since no one knows exactly what or who "that nightmare" is after he appears at the home of Pelayo and Elisenda, the old man, "impeded by his enormous wings," becomes isolated as an oddity. He then later becomes a mere inconvenience. 

At first, Pelayo and Elisenda overcome their surprise, and they "find him familiar." However, when they speak to him, he...

There is a theme of isolation in "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings." Since no one knows exactly what or who "that nightmare" is after he appears at the home of Pelayo and Elisenda, the old man, "impeded by his enormous wings," becomes isolated as an oddity. He then later becomes a mere inconvenience. 

At first, Pelayo and Elisenda overcome their surprise, and they "find him familiar." However, when they speak to him, he answers in "an incomprehensible dialect with a strong sailor's voice." They then conclude that the winged old man is a castaway from a foreign ship that has been wrecked in a storm. However, when onlookers arrive, numerous conjectures are made about this winged man. The priest, Father Gonzaga, promises to write to the Supreme Pontiff for the final decision on the determination of the old man's identity. However, others interpret his identity in their own ways.

Not long after the old man's appearance, other oddities come to Pelayo's home; it becomes a virtual circus. This demonstrates that the irrational is a real part of life and that it should be accepted as such without futile attempts to assign definitive limits to what is in the world. Moreover, by trying to define the old man with enormous wings, people have stripped him of his fantastic elements that are inexplicable but real. 

How does the concept of the labyrinth fit into “The Garden of the Forking Paths"?

Intriguing question! Borges's story is at its heart a labyrinthine enigma. We all know what a physical labyrinth is: it's basically a maze, a network of intricate passages, one of which leads to the center. The Greek mythological labyrinth (built by Daedalus to confine the Minotaur) was of a multicursal (or bifurcating) design. In other words, the labyrinth had branched passages that either converged with or diverged from other passages as they meandered along their paths. 

The concept of the labyrinth fits into the story in the sense that it epitomizes or symbolizes the bifurcating or multicursal nature of time in Borges's narrative. Here's a passage that explains this idea of time:

In the work of Ts'ui Pen, all possible outcomes occur; each one is the point of departure for other forkings. Sometimes the paths of this labyrinth converge: for example, you arrive at this house, but in one of the possible paths, you are my enemy; in another, my friend.

In the passage above, Stephen Albert, the Sinologist, explains to Yu Tsun the idea behind Ts'ui Pen's work. Ts'ui Pen's "indeterminate heap of contradictory drafts" appears on the surface to be the elements of a "chaotic novel." However, Stephen Albert hypothesizes that the drafts symbolize the bifurcating nature of time, which consists of "diverse futures" that "proliferate and fork." Ts'ui Pen's work (and Borges's as well) is an abstract conception of the physical labyrinth: all paths are possible, and each path can converge into or diverge from other paths. 

Anyone who has ever been trapped in a labyrinth will eventually experience some level of confusion or disequilibrium. Yet if we look at the labyrinth from above, the view is markedly different. Among the intricate and meandering passages, there is at least one that leads to the center. From above, we can see the purpose and design of the labyrinth, a privileged view that is denied the one trapped in it. Additionally, there may even be parallel paths leading to the center, a fact that will not be evident to anyone on ground level.

Borges makes this point clear in his story. Yu Tsun believes that his spy colleague has either been murdered or arrested. However, the "Editor's note" proclaims that Captain Richard Madden killed Runeberg in self-defense. This means that Runeberg must have attacked Madden, causing the latter to fire his weapon in self-defense. At this point, the reader may ask: Who is the "editor"? Is it Yu Tsun or Borges? Can both perspectives of Runeberg's fate be true? The labyrinth concept says yes, it can. Remember that the perspective of someone trapped in a labyrinth at ground level will differ from that of someone who has a panoramic view from above.

The labyrinth concept explains our dilemma in life. Hindsight is 20/20, as the saying goes, but how many of us have it in all the circumstances of our lives? To summarize, here are the two ways that the concept of the labyrinth fits into the story:

a) As a symbol of the multiple universe theory, where alternate universes demonstrate a multiplicity of possible outcomes.

I told myself that the duel had already begun and that I had won the first encounter by frustrating, even if for forty minutes, even if by a stroke of fate, the attack of my adversary. I argued that this slightest of victories foreshadowed a total victory. [I argued that the victory] was not so slight, since without this precious difference that the train schedule provided me I would be imprisoned, or dead....

In an alternate universe, Yu Tsun escapes capture and imprisonment. In the universe Yu Tsun is currently in, he's not so lucky. He must tell his story in prison, while he awaits execution.

b) As a symbol of the multiplicity of perspectives regarding the same situation/circumstance.

In the first, an army marches to a battle across a lonely mountain; the horror of the rocks and shadows makes the men undervalue their lives and they gain an easy victory. In the second, the same army traverses a palace where a great festival is taking place; the resplendent battle seems to them a continuation of the celebration and they win the victory.

In the above, Stephen Albert reads to Yu Tsun from Ts'ui Pen's work; they are essentially two versions of the same chapter. The perspectives are different, but the outcome is the same. 

What do the boys have that is a symbol of authority in the society system?

The conch shell symbolically represents civilization, order, and structure throughout the novel. It is also considered a symbol of authority because everyone must assemble when it is blown, and any person holding the conch shell during the assemblies has the right to speak without being interrupted.

At the beginning of the novel, Ralph and Piggy discover a conch shell in the lagoon and immediately retrieve it. Ralph then blows into the conch, which summons the...

The conch shell symbolically represents civilization, order, and structure throughout the novel. It is also considered a symbol of authority because everyone must assemble when it is blown, and any person holding the conch shell during the assemblies has the right to speak without being interrupted.

At the beginning of the novel, Ralph and Piggy discover a conch shell in the lagoon and immediately retrieve it. Ralph then blows into the conch, which summons the boys to assemble on the platform. The boys are mesmerized by the beauty of the conch, which symbolically represents their initial affinity for civilization. Ralph is also elected leader of the group simply because he possesses the conch while the boys are voting. Rules are then established, and it is decided that whoever is holding the conch has the right to speak without being interrupted. Also, every time the conch is blown, the boys must assemble for a meeting. Being that the conch summons the boys to assemble and gives any boy the right to address the group, it is considered a symbol of authority throughout the novel.

How does predestination relate to The Crucible?

Before the Great Awakening of the 1730s and 40s, orthodox Puritan belief about predestination was that salvation could not be earned; it was God's privilege to determine who would be among the elect and who would be consigned to eternal damnation. Puritans could only continually search themselves for outward signs to try to ascertain what their fate would be.  

In "The Crucible," Rebecca Nurse seems to be a character with unassailable belief that she was among the elect.  With no demonstrated sins to count, she approaches her execution calmly, secure in the belief that she would soon be with God. In this sense, she is above the fray of those struggling in the trials. One could view Giles Corey's refusal to validate the trials by entering a plea in the same way.  Giles is simply beyond the squabbles of Salem.

John Proctor, on the other hand, is a Puritan who does not believe himself to be among the elect, thus it is understandable why he cherishes his earthly life and initially agrees to confess. He has no hope of salvation and so takes the only moral stand left to him: to communicate his disdain for the corruption of the lies and delusions of the trials. Proctor enacts a measure of personal redemption by not denouncing his faith in something higher than the broken theocracy of Salem. 

What are the pros and cons of voting in the November elections within the American political system?

2016 seems to be a watershed year, and the spotlight is definitely on the presidential election.

Whatever the outcome may be, the focus is centered on the two major candidates for the presidency: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. The pros and cons for voting may boil down to the national mood. According to Forbes, the six top issues for voters in 2016 are the economy (84%), terrorism (80%), foreign policy (75%), health care (74%),...

2016 seems to be a watershed year, and the spotlight is definitely on the presidential election.

Whatever the outcome may be, the focus is centered on the two major candidates for the presidency: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. The pros and cons for voting may boil down to the national mood. According to Forbes, the six top issues for voters in 2016 are the economy (84%), terrorism (80%), foreign policy (75%), health care (74%), gun policy (72%), and immigration (70%).

One benefit of voting is that voters can decide the nation's course for the next four years. Voters will decide America's foreign policy and her attitude towards race relations, illegal immigration, gun rights, the Affordable Care Act, and terrorism.

Half the country may not like who the new president will be. Supporters of Hillary Clinton will be irretrievably disappointed if Donald Trump becomes president, while supporters of Donald Trump will be similarly frustrated if Hillary Clinton becomes Commander-in-Chief. For those who support the losing candidate, the emotional upheaval may be devastating.

Yet, a real benefit of voting is that the process itself highlights America's nature as a democratic or constitutional republic. In participating in the time-honored tradition of choosing a president every four years, voters do their part in upholding the democratic process; this is a good thing. Another benefit of voting is that voters may see future changes that they welcome.

In the meantime, voters of peripheral candidates like Jill Stein (Green Party) and Gary Johnson (Libertarian Party) may conclude that the possibility of their candidate becoming president is little to nil. For them, the disadvantages of voting may outweigh the benefits.

For voters who are considering the pros and cons of voting in the American presidential elections in November, I include two links below that document the advantages and disadvantages of voting for either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. Included is also a link documenting the candidates' positions on a variety of topics.