What can you infer about Roger's parents?

Though Roger's parents are absent on the day he attempts to snatch Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones's purse, it is evident that they have tried to instill manners in their son.  When Mrs. Jones asks him questions, he answers them "Yes'm" and "No'm" (as a diminutive of ma'am) as a sign of respect for an older woman.  Once they have established some trust, he asks her if she needs him to go to the store...

Though Roger's parents are absent on the day he attempts to snatch Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones's purse, it is evident that they have tried to instill manners in their son.  When Mrs. Jones asks him questions, he answers them "Yes'm" and "No'm" (as a diminutive of ma'am) as a sign of respect for an older woman.  Once they have established some trust, he asks her if she needs him to go to the store for her. He does not want her to mistrust him, and he seems sincere. 

Roger's response to Mrs. Jones's insistence that he wash his face and eat some dinner is to comply.  He tells her that "there’s nobody home at my house."  Readers can infer that his parents are probably working and that he is on his own.  

After Mrs. Jones has given him ten dollars to buy the shoes that he wants, he thanks her.  His gratitude for her kindness is further evidence that though Roger's family is likely financially disadvantaged, they have raised him to behave civilly. They would likely be ashamed of his youthful mistake in trying to take Mrs. Jones's pocketbook.

What does bias mean in history?

Bias in this context refers to the absence of objectivity. In historical practice, bias exists on two levels. The first is our own bias as historians. Whenever we try to understand historical events, we bring our own assumptions and beliefs, and these are shaped by our own times. Sometimes called "presentism" by historians, it is not good history, because it can tend to hold historical actors accountable to the standards of our time, as opposed...

Bias in this context refers to the absence of objectivity. In historical practice, bias exists on two levels. The first is our own bias as historians. Whenever we try to understand historical events, we bring our own assumptions and beliefs, and these are shaped by our own times. Sometimes called "presentism" by historians, it is not good history, because it can tend to hold historical actors accountable to the standards of our time, as opposed to their own. We can see another level of bias when we read primary sources, which are the lifeblood of history. On the one hand, we depend on first-hand accounts and sources to make sense of the past. On the other hand, we have to remember that these accounts were generated by human beings, and that these humans brought their own biases to bear on the subject. For example, if we want to learn more about Native Americans, the writings and first-hand accounts of Europeans who came in contact with them are essential. But they are very problematic sources, because Europeans made assumptions about their own superiority, and in any case didn't really understand the culture of the people they were describing. Biases, both on the part of the historian and within the sources themselves, are unavoidable, and historians have to take them into account to do intellectually rigorous work.

Is Emma a coming-of-age novel?

The typical coming-of-age novel tends to focus on a person even younger than Miss Emma Woodhouse. She is only twenty-one, which is certainly plenty youthful, but she is not exactly a child in the world. Most novels that can be described as having a protagonist that comes of age deal with children who readers watch grow into adulthood, or at least young adulthood. In this respect, one might not refer to this text in this...

The typical coming-of-age novel tends to focus on a person even younger than Miss Emma Woodhouse. She is only twenty-one, which is certainly plenty youthful, but she is not exactly a child in the world. Most novels that can be described as having a protagonist that comes of age deal with children who readers watch grow into adulthood, or at least young adulthood. In this respect, one might not refer to this text in this way.

On the other hand, Emma is very childish initially, and she does mature a great deal during the course of the book. She gains a sense of her responsibility as a woman of means who is respected in the community. She learns that kindness and charity are more important than gossip; she also learns to be less officious and to stop meddling in others' affairs. In this way that she grows up, then, you could call the book a coming-of-age novel.

What was it like for Elie Wiesel after the war?

In 1945, Jewish man Elie Wiesel was liberated from the Buchenwald concentration camp.  He did not let his traumatizing concentration camp experiences keep him from living an active life.  He was a man with many accomplishments.  His hardships inspired him to help others and advocate for them.  

After the war, Wiesel went to France to study.  He took an interest in journalism.  He wrote a memoir about his experiences in the concentration camp.  The memoir...

In 1945, Jewish man Elie Wiesel was liberated from the Buchenwald concentration camp.  He did not let his traumatizing concentration camp experiences keep him from living an active life.  He was a man with many accomplishments.  His hardships inspired him to help others and advocate for them.  

After the war, Wiesel went to France to study.  He took an interest in journalism.  He wrote a memoir about his experiences in the concentration camp.  The memoir was in Yiddish.  He shortened the memoir and released it as La Nuit in France.  In English, the book was simply called Night.  This is his most popular work.  He wrote many other books, as well.

In the 1950s, Wiesel immigrated to the United States.  He met and married Marion Rose, who was also a Holocaust survivor.  Together, they had a son.

Wiesel became an activist.  He gave many speeches about peace in times of violence and turmoil.  His views and his activism were based based on his traumatizing experiences as a Jewish man living under Nazism.

Wiesel was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  In 1986, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.  In his later years, he became a college professor.

What scenes demonstrate Juliet's impulsivity?

As a 13-year-old girl, Juliet is predisposed to impulsivity. Specifically, however, we can see evidence of her impulsivity in three main areas.  First, Juliet shows impulsivity in her courtship of Romeo on the night of her party.  While she does not yet know that Romeo is a Montague, she is well aware that the man she has just met is NOT Paris, the man whom her parents would like her to marry.

Juliet also demonstrates...

As a 13-year-old girl, Juliet is predisposed to impulsivity. Specifically, however, we can see evidence of her impulsivity in three main areas.  First, Juliet shows impulsivity in her courtship of Romeo on the night of her party.  While she does not yet know that Romeo is a Montague, she is well aware that the man she has just met is NOT Paris, the man whom her parents would like her to marry.

Juliet also demonstrates impulsivity when she agrees to marry Romeo.  Again, not only has she just met him (as in hours ago), but she knows that she is intended to marry Paris.  To make such a decision, and to consent to a marriage that would occur less than 24 hours later, shows major impulsivity on her part.

Finally, Juliet shows impulsivity when hearing of Romeo's banishment.  Indeed, she threatens to end her own life when hearing the news, and demands that Friar Lawrence help her out of her predicament.  Had she waited, the plan they ultimately concocted might have been more thought out and might have been better executed.  In a way, it is Juliet's impulsivity that ultimately brings about her death.

Do you agree with General Zaroff that "life is for the strong"? Does the author agree with him? How do you know?

When General Zaroff explains to Rainsford why he feels justified in hunting men he is echoing the Social Darwinian theories of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Social Darwinists used the biological theories of Charles Darwin to claim that certain elements of society were inferior to others. They focused on Darwin's idea of natural selection and argued that since they were the fittest and the strongest they could basically do whatever they liked. Zaroff...

When General Zaroff explains to Rainsford why he feels justified in hunting men he is echoing the Social Darwinian theories of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Social Darwinists used the biological theories of Charles Darwin to claim that certain elements of society were inferior to others. They focused on Darwin's idea of natural selection and argued that since they were the fittest and the strongest they could basically do whatever they liked. Zaroff makes it clear that, because he grew up the rich son of Russian nobility, he believes himself to be superior to the men he hunts:

"Life is for the strong, to be lived by the strong, and, if needs be, taken by the strong. The weak of the world were put here to give the strong pleasure. I am strong. Why should I not use my gift? If I wish to hunt, why should I not? I hunt the scum of the earth: sailors from tramp ships—lassars, blacks, Chinese, whites, mongrels—a thoroughbred horse or hound is worth more than a score of them."

In most circles Social Darwinism has been totally discredited, especially after the Holocaust in which the Nazis used Darwinian theory as the rationale for exterminating six million Jews. To believe that any race of people is superior to another seems sheer folly and quite dangerous in today's world. It is evident that all humans have something to contribute and even the physically weakest sometimes prove to have the largest contributions (think of Mother Teresa or Stephen Hawking).

In the end, it must be argued that the author of "The Most Dangerous Game," Richard Connell, rejects the idea that life is for the strong. Some critics have suggested that Rainsford, since he is sleeping in Zaroff's bed in the story's last sentence, will become another Zaroff. This idea fails to consider that Rainsford thought of himself as a "beast at bay" and had internalized the struggle which any hunted animal experiences. It is quite likely that Rainsford will never hunt again and will deny, as he did at dinner with Zaroff the first night on the island, that hunting men could ever be justified.

What is the climax of Hope was Here by Joan Bauer?

Joan Bauer's Hope was Here follows the story of Hope Yancey, a teenager who was abandoned by her birth mother, Deena, and is now being raised by her Aunt Addie in Brooklyn. After the diner Hope and Addie work at closes down, the pair moves to Mulhoney, Wisconsin, to work at the Welcome Stairways Diner. Although the restaurant itself contains many lovely, friendly people, Mulhoney is riddled by political corruption.

The climax of the book...

Joan Bauer's Hope was Here follows the story of Hope Yancey, a teenager who was abandoned by her birth mother, Deena, and is now being raised by her Aunt Addie in Brooklyn. After the diner Hope and Addie work at closes down, the pair moves to Mulhoney, Wisconsin, to work at the Welcome Stairways Diner. Although the restaurant itself contains many lovely, friendly people, Mulhoney is riddled by political corruption.

The climax of the book occurs when G.T., the owner of Welcome Stairways, loses the race to become mayor of the city because Eli Millstone, the incumbent mayor, has rigged the election by 1) lying to the town and telling them G.T.'s cancer has spread to his brain, and 2) faking the votes under the names of townspeople who did not vote. Addie reveals this information, which results in the electoral decision being overturned and G.T. becoming the new mayor. G.T. marries Addie and adopts Hope, emotionally satisfying her lifelong search for her father.

In The Odyssey books 1-2 why do the suitors avoid going to Icarius's house?

It seems that the suitors wish to avoid going to the house belonging to Penelope's father, Icarius, because they do not want him to be the one to choose which of them she would marry.  (They assume she is a widow since her husband, Odysseus, has been gone for twenty years and missing for almost ten years since the end of the Trojan War).  Telemachus says,

"Suitors plague my mother — against her will —...

It seems that the suitors wish to avoid going to the house belonging to Penelope's father, Icarius, because they do not want him to be the one to choose which of them she would marry.  (They assume she is a widow since her husband, Odysseus, has been gone for twenty years and missing for almost ten years since the end of the Trojan War).  Telemachus says,

"Suitors plague my mother — against her will —
sons of the very men who are your finest here!
They'd sooner die than approach her father's house
so Icarius himself might see to his daughter's bridal,
hand her to whom he likes, whoever meets his fancy."

The suitors do not want Penelope's father to be in charge of the proceedings because then he will choose her husband from among them, not her.  Perhaps they each feel that they will be unable to impress him, and if he denies them her hand, they will have little recourse.  Further, the suitors have it really good at Odysseus's house: Penelope is powerless to affect their behavior, and Telemachus is too because he is so young.  They can basically drink up all Odysseus's wine, eat up all his livestock, and so forth, and such a happy situation is not likely to meet them at Icarius's house. 

Please explain "To Sleep," a poem by William Wordsworth.

Overall, someone who has been suffering from insomnia describes his difficulties in Wordsworth’s poem, “To Sleep.”

The title and the first two lines of the poem hint at the theme of sleeplessness even before it is clearly identified. For instance, the idea of counting sheep to put oneself to sleep is very common in the face of sleeplessness—even to a contemporary audience.

In the first four lines, Wordsworth describes the images that come into the speaker's mind as he tries to fall asleep.

A flock of sheep that leisurely pass by, 
One after one; the sound of rain, and bees 
Murmuring; the fall of rivers, winds and seas, 
Smooth fields, white sheets of water, and pure sky... (1-4)

The speaker lists the things he has laid awake imagining, in an attempt to sleep. "One by one" gives reference to the act of counting sheep. "Leisurely" refers to the rolling gait and relaxed pace of the moving sheep (1-2). The speaker refers to the soothing sounds of rain, "bees murmuring" and waterfalls—"fall of rivers" (2-3). He also describes the visions of "smooth fields" (perhaps a part of an afternoon nap in the country), as well as a "pure sky," with no hint of storm and nothing in it that would cause anything but a quiet calm within, conducive to falling asleep (3-4).

In lines 5-8, Wordsworth's speaker explains that he has done all he can think of to bring sleep upon himself (5). However, he has had no success—he has remained awake all night long—until he finally hears the sound of birds that utter in the orchard, breaking the silence with their song in the early morning, we imagine just before dawn (5-6). Even the first cuckoo makes a melancholy: we can assume it is because the speaker is still awake to hear it, having had no respite from the day before. Note that the bird does not sing, but cries—it is a sound of distress (7-8):

I have thought of all by turns, and yet do lie 
Sleepless! and soon the small birds' melodies 
Must hear, first uttered from my orchard trees; 
And the first cuckoo's melancholy cry. (5-8)

The theme of sleeplessness continues into the next three lines, giving the reader a deeper insight into the depth of the speaker's difficulty: for it is not just this one sleepless night, but the third in a row—

Even thus last night, and two nights more, I lay, 
And could not win thee, Sleep! by any stealth; 
So do not let me wear tonight away... (9-11)

With all the tricks he has tried to use, the insomniac has not been able to even steal—"Sleep! by any stealth..." (10)—any relief. In line 11 the speaker directly addresses sleep (as if it were a living, hearing thing), asking that it not allow him to remain in the same condition as he faces the approach of another night.

The poem's last three lines describe just how important sleep is:

Without Thee what is all the morning's wealth? 
Come, blessed barrier between day and day, 
Dear mother of fresh thoughts and joyous health! (12-14)

The "morning's wealth" (12) refers to all of the wonders of a new day. "Wealth" indicates that the morning is filled with things that are extremely valuable. He has already pointed out the sound of birds that welcome the day. They are a blessing at the beginning of the day, but only after a time of rest; the sound is very different when one has remained unable to experience rest, but instead has counted the long hours until the day breaks. What good, what joy is to be found in the coming of morning without rest from the night before?

The speaker praises sleep, referring to the "blessed barrier" (13), the thing that separates one day from another. He goes on to provide details of the benefits of a good night's sleep: "fresh thoughts" and "joyous health." (14)

Whereas the title might first lead the reader to believe the poem is about the pleasures of sleep, the content demonstrates that it is actually about the hardships created when one is unable to sleep; it points out the negative ramifications—most especially when the insomnia continues over subsequent nights.

 

How does Dahl describe Mary's characteristics?

Dahl describes Mary as a loving, loyal, and devoted wife in the story. He tells us that the highlight of Mary's day is her husband's arrival home from his day job as a police officer.

Mary is also described as an amiable, affectionate, and patient woman. Upon first seeing her husband, she takes his coat and then proceeds to make him a drink. She does not talk or try to rush him while he savors...

Dahl describes Mary as a loving, loyal, and devoted wife in the story. He tells us that the highlight of Mary's day is her husband's arrival home from his day job as a police officer.

Mary is also described as an amiable, affectionate, and patient woman. Upon first seeing her husband, she takes his coat and then proceeds to make him a drink. She does not talk or try to rush him while he savors his beverage. Mary is content to sit back and watch her husband admiringly.

Unfortunately, Mary's husband does not merit her loyalty nor her adulation. He soon informs her that he is planning to leave her. Mary's response and her subsequent action surprises the reader. At this point in the story, Dahl alerts us to a side of Mary that seems foreign to us: she is by equal measures shrewd, bold, and determined. She puts a plan in place to protect her unborn child and to make sure that her baby will not be bereft of both parents.

When the detectives and forensics officers arrive, Mary plays the part of the grieving wife to perfection. Her keen sense of human nature allows her to leverage her feminine wiles to her advantage. In all, Dahl describes Mary as loyal, devoted, affectionate, amiable, patient, and loving. She is also shrewd, daring, and tenacious. 

What was the significance of consumerism in the empire/colony relationship?

The consumerist lifestyle in the American colonies was fueled by increased manufacturing production in England (the mother country) and its export of British products to the colonies. The ready availability of imported quality products and the corresponding rising incomes among the colonists supported the consumerist culture in America. So, consumerism was significant in the empire/colony relationship in that it sustained the continued prosperity of the British empire for a time. The new consumerist culture also fueled the growth of the Triangular Trade, which benefited both the American colonies and the British empire, again for a time.

The Triangular Trade involved trade between three parties: shipments of munitions, hardware, and cloth from England would be shipped to Africa; in Africa, these goods would be traded for slaves to work on tobacco and cotton plantations in the American South or on sugar plantations in the Caribbean; in the American colonies or Caribbean, these slaves would be traded for sugar, rum, and tobacco to be shipped back to England. 

Ironically, the increasing consumerist culture in the colonies also inspired colonist rebellion against the mother country. Because of England's massive war debts after the French and Indian war, it unilaterally enforced the Navigation Acts, prohibiting the American colonies from trading with other European nations. For its part, England needed the colonies to help it meet its financial obligations. Meanwhile, the colonists chafed under such trade and economic constraints. The American appetite for exotic goods showed so signs of abating, and the rising middle classes in the colonies rebelled against trade restrictions that negatively affected economic prosperity and the availability of certain goods. Thus, the consumerist culture fueled the tax revolts that eventually brought about the American Revolution.

So, consumerism was significant in the empire/colony relationship in that it stimulated the slave trade (through the Triangular Trade), promoted economic prosperity in both the colonies and England, as well as provoked the tax revolts that eventually inspired the American Revolution.

Source: Sports in American History, 2E: From Colonization to Globalization by Gems, Gerald, Borish, Linda, Pfister, Gertrud.

Hello, I need help to analyze the story "A Good Man Is Hard to Find." Here are some questions to be answered:O'Connor was a devout Catholic....

As a literary device, foreshadowing is used by an author to give readers a hint of what is to happen later in the story. Foreshadowing creates suspense and makes the reader interested to know more. The story "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" exhibits some instances in which foreshadowing is evident.

Early on in the story, for example, the grandmother states, "I wouldn't take my children in any direction with a criminal like that aloose in it" after she had read an article about The Misfit having escaped from jail. Her reference foreshadows the family's later encounter with the very same criminal and his two associates. When she asks June Star, "Yes and what would you do if this fellow, The Misfit, caught you?" she is also predicting their eventual meeting with the ruthless criminals.

The grandmother dresses herself up because "In case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady." Her actions and her belief foreshadow her demise at the end of the story. The family's terrible fate is also foreshadowed when the grandmother draws attention to a graveyard during their journey: 

They passed a large cotton field with five or six graves fenced in the middle of it, like a small island. "Look at the graveyard!" the grandmother said, pointing it out. "That was the old family burying ground. That belonged to the plantation."

Bailey's remark that "this is the only time we're going to stop for anything like this. This is the one and only time" also foreshadows the fatal end of their journey. The criminals' approaching vehicle is described as "a big black battered hearse-like automobile" and also foreshadows the family's approaching doom.

Finally, the grandmother's death is foreshadowed when The Misfit tells her "Lady . . . there never was a body that give the undertaker a tip" when she offers to give him all the money she has.

Foreshadowing, in this instance, establishes the inevitability of death. Death is the fate of all living things. O'Connor also indicates the perverse nature of those who are truly evil. The reader is continually made aware that this simple, somewhat dysfunctional family cannot escape its destiny. Not even the grandmother's desperate attempts at getting The Misfit to reconsider his actions and become repentant are enough to save her and her family.

The Misfit has decided to adopt this name, as he says, "because I can't make what all I done wrong fit what all I gone through in punishment." O'Connor's detailed description of his past serves to indicate just what a confused and messed-up wreck he has been since his earliest years. He never seemed to take any responsibility for his actions and blamed the system for punishing him, because they had the papers to prove his crimes. He, instead, just forgot about what he had done. In the end, he became a career criminal. None of the normal activities of life seemed to appeal much to him. Furthermore, his matter-of-fact references to some of the atrocities he witnessed and his denial of having caused his father's death show just how much he has been criminalized. The Misfit rather sees himself as a Christ-like figure who has been wrongly accused and punished. He displays a perverse awareness of himself.

Red Sammy and Hiram are described in much the same terms. They are mere acolytes and follow The Misfit's every command. They lack the character and insight their leader has. The Misfit has adopted a careless attitude and does not seem to want redemption. He believes that whatever he does does not matter since it will not make any difference. He obviously believes that he has already been judged and feels that seeking redemption or changing his ways will not make any difference.

Humanist revival of Greek and Roman texts and the promotion of secular models for individual and political behavior became an apparent trend during...

There are really two parts to this question. The first deals with the concept of humanism that gained sway during the Renaissance in Italy and beyond. The second addresses the related issue of secularism. Let us look at each part.

Machiavelli was a humanist through and through. Like most of his peers, he looked to antiquity for guidance and wisdom. The Prince, like all of his works, is full of classical references, allusions, and...

There are really two parts to this question. The first deals with the concept of humanism that gained sway during the Renaissance in Italy and beyond. The second addresses the related issue of secularism. Let us look at each part.

Machiavelli was a humanist through and through. Like most of his peers, he looked to antiquity for guidance and wisdom. The Prince, like all of his works, is full of classical references, allusions, and examples. In chapter 3, for example, he uses the history of the Roman Empire to demonstrate what happens when foreigners occupy a territory. In the next chapter, he points to Alexander the Great's rule over Persia in order to examine another aspect of the same issue. He then uses many other leaders from antiquity to demonstrate the uses of armed power. Like all humanists, Machiavelli used the past to inform the present. The Greeks and Romans offered a trove of examples that could be exploited for the benefit of Machiavelli's readers. 

When addressing the issue of secularism, Machiavelli's core message is that a ruler cannot be guided by abstract notions of morality, including Christian justice. Rather, he must make decisions based on what is most likely to preserve and expand his power. Machiavelli essentially argues that the ends (the preservation of power) justify the means (cruelty, treachery, or other methods). No message could be further from the idea of a "Christian king," who would govern according to God's will. As a result, Machiavelli's secularism was as pronounced as his reliance on classical texts.

How has a global energy crisis impacted Wade's world? Are there any options that will allow us to avoid the same catastrophic events that Cline...

Cline paints a devastating picture of Wade's world, one in which a global energy crisis has fueled massive unemployment, homelessness, famine, and war. To salvage faltering economies, nations have resorted to war to gain access to dwindling oil reserves. Wade tells us that the burning of fossil fuels has led to rising temperatures, melting polar ice caps, and rising sea levels. These changes have in turn negatively affected fragile ecosystems.

Wade's world is experiencing what...

Cline paints a devastating picture of Wade's world, one in which a global energy crisis has fueled massive unemployment, homelessness, famine, and war. To salvage faltering economies, nations have resorted to war to gain access to dwindling oil reserves. Wade tells us that the burning of fossil fuels has led to rising temperatures, melting polar ice caps, and rising sea levels. These changes have in turn negatively affected fragile ecosystems.

Wade's world is experiencing what some experts call a Malthusian post–Peak Oil crisis, where consumer demand for oil far outstrips its supply. In such a scenario, only the wealthy can afford to travel. Because the price of gasoline is prohibitive, even travel by automobiles is impossible for average civilians. Cline reiterates this fact by highlighting the stacks of abandoned cars, trucks, and vans around the perimeter of Wade's settlement.

Because oil powers economic growth, its scarcity creates monumental problems. Oil is intrinsic to any economy's agricultural, commercial, industrial, and technological viability. On a basic level, fossil fuels power computers, cellphones, laptops, washers, stoves, fridges, and heating systems. Without oil, the mass production of food effectively stalls, exacerbating the problem of world hunger. Correspondingly, crime becomes a concern in neighborhoods like Wade's because desperate people are willing to kill to obtain food.

It must be noted that although there are options that may allow us to avoid the catastrophic events described in the novel, there is little political consensus regarding climate change or energy consumption.

Proponents of alternative fuels favor biotech and renewable solutions. They support full electrification of the transportation sector and favor harnessing the power of low-carbon energy resources such as nuclear power. On the other hand, proponents of the abiotic theory maintain that oil can be formed from non-organic sources and that crude oil is routinely produced by geological processes in the earth's mantle. At issue is whether NASA's recent discovery of hydrocarbon lakes on Titan (one of Saturn’s moons) is meaningful to the debate. It remains to be seen whether scientists, world leaders, and economists can reach any consensus on these options.

In Ray Bradbury's Fahrinheit 451, what are the comments that Mildred and her friends made on the presidential race?

In Ray Bradbury's fictional depiction of a futuristic, dystopian society governed by an autocratic regime that has banned books and strictly controls all forms and sources of information, Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag is a fireman-turned-critic of that dictatorial regime. While he has been a loyal servant of the government, dutifully burning books, and the homes in which they are discovered, his observations and encounters -- for example, the woman who burns herself to death along with her books in defiance of the system and his conversations with Clarisse, the vibrant young teenager whose family lives nearby -- have caused him to reconsider his views. As his evolution from automaton to independent-thinking radical continues, his disgust with his wife, Mildred, continues to grow. He has suffered silently as his marriage turned into a passionless relationship between two adults, but he is growing more impatient with the idiocy he observes from, among others, Mildred and her friends. Sitting among these women as they resond to his suggestion that they converse, he initially listens as they chatter on about children, only to have Mildred turn the discussion towards politics, "to please Guy." The following exchange reveals the full measure of Montag's disgust with the superficial and entirely uninformed nature of dialogue in the society he has served:

"Sounds fine," said Mrs. Bowles. "I voted last election, same as everyone, and I laid it on the line for President Noble. I think he's one of the nicest-looking men who ever became president."

"Oh, but the man they ran against him!"

"He wasn't much, was he? Kind of small and homely and he didn't shave too close or comb his hair very well."

"What possessed the 'Outs' to run him? You just don't go running a little short man like that against a tall man. Besides -he mumbled. Half the time I couldn't hear a word he said. And the words I did hear I didn't understand!"

"Fat, too, and didn't dress to hide it. No wonder the landslide was for Winston Noble. Even their names helped. Compare Winston Noble to Hubert Hoag for ten seconds and you can almost figure the results."

"Damn it!" cried Montag. "What do you know about Hoag and Noble?"

"Why, they were right in that parlour wall, not six months ago. One was always picking his nose; it drove me wild."

"Well, Mr. Montag," said Mrs. Phelps, "do you want us to vote for a man like that?"

Mildred beamed. "You just run away from the door, Guy, and don't make us nervous."

One could argue that Bradbury's depiction of this fictional society was, at least in some ways, a little too prescient. The women in this scene, including Montag's wife, are reflective of much of the electorate in today's society, with an emphasis on superficial characteristics like physical appearance rather than substance. It is also, apparently, a fixed election, as the reference to "the Outs" and their dismal choice of a candidate appears designed to ensure that the more physically-attractive of the two candidates, President Noble (note the manipulative use of names: "Noble" versus "Hoag," the former complementary, the latter derogatory) prevails with little difficulty. Totalitarian and other autocratic regimes routinely arrange sham elections to provide the imprimatur of legitimacy, despite the obvious corruption of the electoral process. This seemingly minor passage in Bradbury's novel is actually one of the more interesting for its implications for a society reduced to making important decisions on the basis of limited information while incorporating meaningless, superficial factors into those decisions.

Why is it important to include an awareness of gender experiences in order to understand slavery?

Harriet Jacobs's Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girlwas the first major American slave narrative by a woman. Her work was mainly addressed to white, middle- to upper-class American women. Those women were bound by a very strict code of conduct and morality in their own lives, especially in terms of sexual behavior. It is well-known now that slave women were often sexually assaulted and raped by their masters and even bore their...

Harriet Jacobs's Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl was the first major American slave narrative by a woman. Her work was mainly addressed to white, middle- to upper-class American women. Those women were bound by a very strict code of conduct and morality in their own lives, especially in terms of sexual behavior. It is well-known now that slave women were often sexually assaulted and raped by their masters and even bore their children. However, at the time, this information would have been new and shocking to readers with very sheltered and limited experiences. In trying to win the sympathy of her readers, Jacobs had to be very careful to describe the wrongs done to her in a way that would lead the readers to identify with her rather than blame her for the crimes of her master. She did this by portraying her relationship with her children and by referencing her faith. Jacobs knew that her readers were Christians and mothers, so she tapped into these commonalities to bond with her audience. Readers could then see how she was taken advantage of by the slave master rather than find reason to label her a temptress and sinner. Again, Jacobs's subject was very sensitive, and she had to carefully craft her narrative to achieve her purpose. 

What argument does the French philosopher Montesquieu make regarding the three branches of government? What does Montesquieu advocate regarding...

What argument does Montesquieu make regarding the three branches of government?

The French philosopher Brède et de Montesquieu, later called Charles-Louis de Secondat, was the first to develop the idea of the "separation of powers." This separation of powers is the foundation for the three branches of government in the United States of America, including the executive, legislative and judicial branches. In his most famous work, Spirit of the Laws, Montesquieu makes the argument...

What argument does Montesquieu make regarding the three branches of government?

The French philosopher Brède et de Montesquieu, later called Charles-Louis de Secondat, was the first to develop the idea of the "separation of powers." This separation of powers is the foundation for the three branches of government in the United States of America, including the executive, legislative and judicial branches. In his most famous work, Spirit of the Laws, Montesquieu makes the argument that the three branches of government are necessary to maintain enough division in political power that no one person holds all authority. The three branches also maintain enough unity that the nation can function efficiently. He believed the three-branch government to be the most effective way to promote liberty and that each branch must act independently for this system to succeed.

What does Montesquieu advocate regarding the composition of these three branches? Why?

Montesquieu advocated for three separate branches of government with distinct responsibilities that prevent the other branches from overlapping in function. He believed this was the best possible composition of government because it allowed for each branch to provide checks and balances to the others. The composition of the legislative branch is a group of politicians responsible for creating laws of the state and allocating funds that allow the government to function. The executive branch is headed by the President in the context of the United States government, and it is responsible for implementing policy created by the legislative branch. The judicial branch is composed of judges who interpret the constitution of the nation and determine how it applies to relevant matters and controversies.

How does this argument inform United States government as outlined in the Constitution?

The Constitution of the United States was largely founded upon the idea of separation of governmental authority as put forth by Montesquieu. The Constitution itself is designed to moderate each branch of government and prevent any one branch from usurping the authority of another in its own domain. The Founding Fathers were heavily influenced by Montesquieu when they drafted the Constitution, particularly as it related to the three-branch system of checks and balances. It was Montesquieu's argument that led to the United States Constitution's allocation of government authority, which states that the legislative branch makes the laws, the executive branch enforces the laws, and the judicial branch interprets the laws. The United States Constitution further specifies that the legislative branch of government is composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate, both of which are designed to ensure that the will of the people is enacted in the legislative stage of government.

In the Herdelin cemetery, what do Mathilde and Sylvain notice on the tomb of Ange Bassignano?

Mathilde is with her uncle Sylvain at the Herdelin cemetery, visiting the grave where Manech is supposed be buried. She recalls the first time she visited the place, and saw the graves of Manech's co-condemned. She remembers seeing the little white crosses marking the final resting places of Jean Echevery and Kleber Bouquet. Finally, a few rows away, she saw the grave of Ange Bassignano. On his grave was a vase of flowers made of...

Mathilde is with her uncle Sylvain at the Herdelin cemetery, visiting the grave where Manech is supposed be buried. She recalls the first time she visited the place, and saw the graves of Manech's co-condemned. She remembers seeing the little white crosses marking the final resting places of Jean Echevery and Kleber Bouquet. Finally, a few rows away, she saw the grave of Ange Bassignano. On his grave was a vase of flowers made of colored beads, which spelled the name "Tina." This was Tina Lombardi, his prostitute girlfriend.

Mathilde remembers being rather annoyed to see a tribute left on the grave of such a disreputable character, this notorious pimp otherwise known as "Common Law." While she was still searching high and low for Marech, Tina, someone Mathilde dismisses as "a tart from the mean streets of Belle de Mai," had managed to track down her departed lover and adorn his grave with an appropriate memorial. The implication is that a tribute such as this is wasted on an unsavory character like Ange Bassignano.

What is Zinn's main argument in Chapter 2 of A People's History of the United States?

In "Chapter Two: Drawing the Color Line," Howard Zinn seeks to find answers to two questions: where did American racism originate and what--if anything--can end it. Zinn's main argument is that American racism originated in the political, economic, and social systems the colonial elites established in America and which still, to a great extent, remain today. He explains that colonial conditions were ripe for the enslavement of the African race:

We see now a complex...

In "Chapter Two: Drawing the Color Line," Howard Zinn seeks to find answers to two questions: where did American racism originate and what--if anything--can end it. Zinn's main argument is that American racism originated in the political, economic, and social systems the colonial elites established in America and which still, to a great extent, remain today. He explains that colonial conditions were ripe for the enslavement of the African race:

We see now a complex web of historical threads to ensnare blacks for slavery in America: the desperation of starving settlers, the special helplessness of the displaced African, the powerful incentive of profit for slave trader and planter, the temptation of superior status for poor whites, the elaborate controls against escape and rebellion, the legal and social punishment of black and white collaboration.

The colonial elites exploited these factors to their own advantage and profit, and the elites have continued to exploit them throughout the history of the United States. Zinn proposes that if the nation truly hopes to mend race relations, it must:

eliminat[e]...that class exploitation which has made poor whites desperate for small gifts of status, and has prevented that unity of black and white necessary for joint rebellion and reconstruction.

In plain terms, poor whites must recognize that their true enemy is not African-Americans, it is the powerful and wealthy elites who have used racism to distract the white lower class from recognizing the elites as the true source of their problems.

In Tim O'Brien's novel The Things They Carried, what is the effect of O'Brien's movement back and forth from pure story to commentary about...

As your question implies, Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried is an exercise in relating the truth of the Vietnam War experience and telling the reader how to interpret that truth.  Several literary critics have noted that O'Brien's novel is an example of metafiction, loosely defined as writing that explores the relationship between writing about experience--in this case, war--and telling the truth about that experience in such a way that the reader feels the experience.

O'Brien deftly weaves narrative and commentary on that narrative in order to make the reader understand the difference between literal truth--that is, the actual sequence of events--and how the soldier perceives the sequence of events, which, in O'Brien's view, can be vastly different:

In any war story, but especially a true one, it's difficult to separate what happened from what seemed to happen.  What seems to happen becomes its own happening and has to be told that way ("How To Tell A True War Story").

He illustrates this different "reality" by telling us how Curt Lemon dies and how those who observe  Lemon's death "tend to miss a lot," a situation that creates "that surreal seemingness . . .but which in fact represents the hard and exact truth as it seemed."  In other words, the lens through which soldiers observe the brutality of war creates a picture based on perceptions which, for the observers, become their reality, a reality that may seem completely at odds with the occurrence as it happened in linear time.

This kind of "truth," because it does not reflect what may have actually happened, requires what Samuel Taylor Coleridge (in a much different context) called "the willing suspension of disbelief."  In other words, to understand the truth of a soldier's experience, the reader must be willing to accept the "surreal seemingness" of O'Brien's war story.  

In order, then, for O'Brien to convince us that what seems to happen, as opposed to what actually happens, is a soldier's realty, he must tell us how to understand a "true war story."  Our conventional view tells us that war stories can be moral, uplifting, reflecting the goodness of the human spirit, but O'Brien must convince us instead that 

A true war story is never moral.  It does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior. . . . If it seems moral, do not believe it.

Without the constant interplay between narrative and O'Brien's instructions about how to interpret that narrative, we cannot understand--because most of us have not been in combat--that for soldiers whose daily life is haunted by brutality and sudden death, reality is perceived, felt, a truly visceral punch to the psyche.

How are Tom and Huck similar in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn?

Tom and Huck are similar in several ways.  Both boys love adventure, although while Tom experiences adventure through his imagination that comes from romantic novels, Huck, a realist, lives his adventures.  Tom and Huck are also seasoned liars.  Not only does Huck lie his way out of situations he finds himself in during his journey down the river, he also lies and becomes Tom Sawyer in the final episode of the novel.  Tom lies about...

Tom and Huck are similar in several ways.  Both boys love adventure, although while Tom experiences adventure through his imagination that comes from romantic novels, Huck, a realist, lives his adventures.  Tom and Huck are also seasoned liars.  Not only does Huck lie his way out of situations he finds himself in during his journey down the river, he also lies and becomes Tom Sawyer in the final episode of the novel.  Tom lies about Jim being a free man at the end of the novel as well. 

Another way they are similar is they like to play tricks or pranks on others.  Tom hangs Jim’s hat on a tree branch one night when he and Huck are sneaking out.  Jim later thinks that a witch hung it there.  Huck plays pranks on Jim all along the river.  He puts a snake skin under Jim’s blanket, he pretends to get lost in the fog, and he tricks Jim into thinking he’s going to shore to see where they are on the river but really intends on turning Jim in as a runaway slave.

Both boys also like to tell “whoppers,” as Twain would call them. They tell elaborate stories about pirates and highwaymen.

Tom and Huck are two boys who are typical for their age.  They want to experience adventure and have fun.  

In "The Haunted House in Royal Street" by George W. Cable, how would you describe the chain of events that led to Madame Lalaurie's eviction from...

According to New Orleans history, Madame Lalaurie was one of the most celebrated French-Creole socialites in the city during the 1800s. Her husband was a Dr. Louis Lalaurie. The couple was wealthy, influential, and widely admired.

However, the Lalaurie home held terrible secrets, and for generations after, came to be considered one of the most haunted houses in the French Quarter of New Orleans. It appeared that, upon discovery of her sadistic nature, Madame Lalaurie came to be hounded by enraged citizens and was eventually evicted from the city itself.

One of the first events to occur was the death of a young African American slave girl of about eight years old. According to a neighbor, Madame Lalaurie was chasing the girl with a cowhide whip, when in order to escape her cruel mistress, the girl ran up to the rooftop. The poor girl later lost her footing and fell to her death. The neighbor noted that a little later, the broken body of the child was buried in a hastily-made shallow grave. For her actions, it was said that Madame Lalaurie only incurred a fine. As the girl was a slave, not much was done to punish Madame Lalaurie for her actions. Although the sheriff made a show of selling the rest of her slaves, Madame Lalaurie's relatives managed to bid for them and to stealthily sell them back to her.

As the narrator proclaims, "to the people's credit...public suspicion and indignation steadily grew." In fact, not a few of the couple's friends began declining dinner invitations to the Lalaurie home. Public indignation still grew "when one day, the 10th of April, 1834, the aged cook,— she was seventy,— chained as she was, purposely set the house on fire." Rumor had it that Madame Lalaurie's chief cook was always kept chained to the stove. Meanwhile, the fire led to a discovery that was to so repulse certain influential people of the city that Madame Lalaurie never recovered her reputation again.

At the height of the fire, many men rushed into the Lalaurie mansion; their aim, of course, was to help anyone who might still be inside the house. However, the men soon discovered such horrific evidence of Madame Lalaurie's cruelty that before day's end, the people of New Orleans began to "hoot and groan and cry for satisfaction." The worst discovery was of a slave who "had a large hole in his head; his body from head to foot was covered with scars and filled with worms!" Others were found chained down with heavy irons, and some were already dead from their horrific injuries.

As the people of New Orleans clamored for justice and vengeance, Madame Lalaurie (with the help of her black coachman) managed to get into her carriage and to escape the clutches of the enraged crowd. Undaunted, the people chased Madame Lalaurie's carriage through the city and tried to overturn her carriage. However, the carriage was going too fast for the stampeding crowd. Madame Lalaurie eventually reached the shore of the lake and was able to escape in a rented schooner.

Maddened by its failure, the crowd chased down Madame Lalaurie's carriage, broke it to pieces, and then killed the coachman and the horses. For the rest of the day, the people of New Orleans ransacked, defaced, and destroyed the Lalaurie home in revenge for her cruel acts:

The place was rifled of jewelry and plate; china was smashed; the very stair-balusters were pulled piece from piece; hangings, bed-ding, and table linen were tossed into the streets; and the elegant furniture, bedsteads, wardrobes, buffets, tables, chairs, pictures, "pianos," says the newspaper, were taken with pains to the third-story windows, hurled out and broken...the debris was gathered into hot bonfires, feather beds were cut open, and the pavements covered with a thick snow of feathers.

Accordingly, neither Madame Lalaurie nor her husband ever showed their faces in New Orleans again. By the actions of the people, the infamous couple had been well and truly evicted from the city.

How do you think that most people in Edwards's audience responded to his "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" speech?

Johnathan Edwards, author of the sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, had the great fortune of living during the Great Awakening in America, when many people turned to religion for a personal conversion experience. Edwards did not have one congregation; rather, he was one of a group of circuit preachers who traveled all over the Northeast, and he had a great following. People in colonial times did not have electronic devices to...

Johnathan Edwards, author of the sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, had the great fortune of living during the Great Awakening in America, when many people turned to religion for a personal conversion experience. Edwards did not have one congregation; rather, he was one of a group of circuit preachers who traveled all over the Northeast, and he had a great following. People in colonial times did not have electronic devices to distract them, and they were used to paying attention to long sermons, which is good, because Edwards's sermon lasted two hours. During those two hours, people could actually visualize their lives hanging by a thread over a fiery Hell. Reports from the time actually had people crying and in fear for their souls. When Edwards asked people to repent of their sins and come to Jesus, many people hurried to do this for fear that they would not get to take their next breath. Edwards's imagery was so vivid that the message stayed with the listeners; even today, the sermon is still read not only as religious literature, but also for its descriptive qualities.

In "The Most Dangerous Game," what happens to the men if they choose not to be hunted?

In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, people who refuse to be hunted are beaten to death by Ivan, a giant of a man who used to whip people to death for the Czar of Russia.

In this story, the villain is a man named General Zaroff.  Zaroff lives on “Ship Trap Island,” which is somewhere in the Caribbean Sea. Zaroff’s life passion is hunting. During his career as a hunter,...

In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, people who refuse to be hunted are beaten to death by Ivan, a giant of a man who used to whip people to death for the Czar of Russia.

In this story, the villain is a man named General Zaroff.  Zaroff lives on “Ship Trap Island,” which is somewhere in the Caribbean Sea. Zaroff’s life passion is hunting. During his career as a hunter, he eventually became bored because hunting wild animals is too easy. He decided he wanted to hunt human beings since they are intelligent and would be more challenging to hunt. Humans are “the most dangerous game” to which the story’s title refers. Zaroff obtained Ship Trap Island and uses shipwrecked sailors (including some whose ships were wrecked thanks to false navigational lights that Zaroff rigged up at sea) as his prey.

When Zaroff tells Rainsford this, Rainsford wonders how he gets the men to agree to be hunted. Zaroff tells Rainsford that the men have the choice of possible death in the hunt or certain death at the hands of Ivan. When Rainsford asks, “Suppose he refuses to be hunted,” Zaroff replies,

"I give him his option, of course. He need not play that game if he doesn't wish to. If he does not wish to hunt, I turn him over to Ivan. Ivan once had the honor of serving as official knouter to the Great White Czar, and he has his own ideas of sport. Invariably, Mr. Rainsford, invariably they choose the hunt."

As you can see in this link, the knout was a brutal whip used in Russia to flog criminals. Very often, the criminal was beaten to death. Ivan performed this duty for the Czar and, Zaroff implies, enjoys inflicting pain on people.

The answer to your question, then, is that people who refuse to be hunted are handed over to Ivan to be beaten to death.

What significant outcomes did the War of 1812 have on the United States?

Though no territory changed hands during the War of 1812, the war was quite significant for the United States.  The most important development from the war was a new wave of nationalism in the United States.  The United States took on the largest empire in the world and survived without any territory being lost and with its trade networks intact.  The Federalist Party ceased to exist after its members tried to take the Northeast out...

Though no territory changed hands during the War of 1812, the war was quite significant for the United States.  The most important development from the war was a new wave of nationalism in the United States.  The United States took on the largest empire in the world and survived without any territory being lost and with its trade networks intact.  The Federalist Party ceased to exist after its members tried to take the Northeast out of the Union during the Hartford Convention.  When it became public that the Federalist Party tried to secede, they were considered disloyal Americans, and this led to the rise of the Democratic-Republican Party.  While the nation would always have political debates, they became less contentious and the period after the war was known as "The Era of Good Feelings."

In terms of diplomacy, the war brought about American superiority in the region around the Great Lakes.  Britain abandoned its forts there, and they stopped arming the Native Americans there.  Britain also agreed to stop impressment, which was the practice of taking American sailors for its own merchant marine.  The war also brought a new generation of heroes who would go on to achieve political fame, such as Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison, and Sam Houston.

Why do Squeaky and Gretchen smile genuinely at each other after the race?

Squeaky and Gretchen smile at each other after the race because they now respect each other. Before the race, both think little of the other.

For example, Squeaky initially thinks Gretchen is vain and arrogant. Additionally, Mary Louise (formerly a close friend of Squeaky's) now socializes with Gretchen and engages in spiteful gossip against her. Rosie, the other girl who befriended Gretchen, is also on shaky ground with Squeaky because Rosie is unkind to Raymond,...

Squeaky and Gretchen smile at each other after the race because they now respect each other. Before the race, both think little of the other.

For example, Squeaky initially thinks Gretchen is vain and arrogant. Additionally, Mary Louise (formerly a close friend of Squeaky's) now socializes with Gretchen and engages in spiteful gossip against her. Rosie, the other girl who befriended Gretchen, is also on shaky ground with Squeaky because Rosie is unkind to Raymond, Squeaky's brother. When they meet on the day of the race, the girls treat each other warily, keeping each other at arms length:

Gretchen smiles, but it’s not a smile, and I’m thinking that girls never really smile at each other because they don’t know how and don’t want to know how and there’s probably no one to teach us how, cause grown-up girls don’t know either.

Squeaky and Gretchen view each other as competition. Neither thinks the other deserves to win. By the end of the race, however, both girls view each other with newfound respect and regard. Squeaky notices that Gretchen isn't just another pretty girl: she really worked hard to win.

And I lean down to catch my breath and here comes Gretchen walking back, for she’s overshot the finish line too, huffing and puffing with her hands on her hips taking it slow, breathing in steady time like a real pro and I sort of like her a little for the first time.

For her part, Gretchen now realizes Squeaky really does run well. Both girls smile to demonstrate their new regard for each other.

How would the way you address colleagues at a youth club meeting that you will be chairing differ from how you would speak to your friends during a...

This is simply a matter of adjusting your tone and language choice to cater to your particular audience! Knowing the demographics of your target audience can help you sensitively and effectively convey your argument. 

If you are addressing colleagues at a youth club meeting that you will be chairing, you will want to adopt a formal tone and language to establish your credibility and authority. You will be responsible for leading this team, and will,...

This is simply a matter of adjusting your tone and language choice to cater to your particular audience! Knowing the demographics of your target audience can help you sensitively and effectively convey your argument. 

If you are addressing colleagues at a youth club meeting that you will be chairing, you will want to adopt a formal tone and language to establish your credibility and authority. You will be responsible for leading this team, and will, thus, also be responsible for presenting your ideas and yourself in a trustworthy light. In this situation, you would need to maintain a serious, professional tone, use formal and respectful language, and employ vernacular that is pertinent to your field. You would want to avoid slang, jargon, and humor that could be perceived as impertinent.

If you are talking to your friends during a tea break about teenage pregnancy in your community, you can afford to be much more informal in your tone, language, and approach. Although this is a serious topic, you may adopt a loose, conversational voice. Rather than giving a formal speech, you will find much more success in opening up a dialogue in which everyone participates, shares information, and articulates their opinions. In this instance, you could use slang or jargon as long as it is not inappropriate or disrespectful toward others.

Does talking help relieve stress?

Yes, talking does help to relieve stress. While it is one of a handful of measures typically prescribed to reduce levels of stress—others include meditation, immersion in pleasurable activities, and exercise—talking with others is a tried-and-true way to reduce the stresses that most people experience during various stages of life.

Stress is dangerous, especially prolonged stress. While it is a natural phenomenon experienced by almost all people at one point or another, prolonged periods of...

Yes, talking does help to relieve stress. While it is one of a handful of measures typically prescribed to reduce levels of stress—others include meditation, immersion in pleasurable activities, and exercise—talking with others is a tried-and-true way to reduce the stresses that most people experience during various stages of life.

Stress is dangerous, especially prolonged stress. While it is a natural phenomenon experienced by almost all people at one point or another, prolonged periods of stress, such as a difficult period at one's job or a prolonged illness, can have serious physiological ramifications. Serious levels of stress (and anxiety) can weaken human immune systems and exacerbate preexisting medical conditions. It can also result in the deterioration of personal and professional relationships if left unmanaged. There is, after all, a reason that there are an estimated 34 psychologists for every 100,000 people in the United States, not including other forms of mental health treatment. (Data is from the American Psychological Association, which extrapolated from data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.)

It is proven that engaging in a dialogue, especially with an individual trained to process patient information and to help construct approaches to resolve underlying difficulties and to manage stress, helps relieve the psychological burdens under which many individuals live. By divulging the problems, no matter how personal, to which an individual attributes his or her stress, the pressures from living with such information is reduced. Secrecy in-and-of-itself can be stressful. Unburdening oneself of personal information can greatly reduce stress.

Some careers have high levels of stress built into them; it is their nature. Policing high crime neighborhoods, fighting fires, operating aircraft, engaging in armed combat, and being responsible for the welfare or financial well-being of hundreds of people all involve high levels of stress. It literally comes with the job. In all of these examples, the availability of counseling is of paramount importance. Talking through one's problems can help relieve the psychological pressure that causes stress, whether the dialogue is with a professional, licensed therapist or with a close friend or family member. Holding painful information inside oneself is never healthy, and even the other forms of stress relief mentioned above do not address this kind of stress as well as talking with a trusted individual.

What is the tone of "there will come soft rains"

"There Will Come Soft Rains," a poem by Sara Teasdale, was published in the July 1918 issue of Harper's Magazine, several months before the armistice that ended World War I.

The narrator speaks of a landscape teeming with life: "swallows circling" and making "shimmering [sounds]," singing frogs, and the flowering of plum trees. Teasdale's verse does not only focus on the day, but also the passage of day into night and the passage of the...

"There Will Come Soft Rains," a poem by Sara Teasdale, was published in the July 1918 issue of Harper's Magazine, several months before the armistice that ended World War I.

The narrator speaks of a landscape teeming with life: "swallows circling" and making "shimmering [sounds]," singing frogs, and the flowering of plum trees. Teasdale's verse does not only focus on the day, but also the passage of day into night and the passage of the seasons. She signals these time changes with the actions of the animals ("And frogs singing in the pool at night") and the changes in both plant and animal life ("And wild plum trees in tremulous white, / Robins will wear their feathery fire").

The narrator makes a point of noticing the absence of human life in this territory that has been reclaimed by nature. Teasdale seems to distinguish human life and its efforts—specifically war—as something outside of nature, for nothing natural in the poem knows what had concerned humans for the last four years (e.g., "not one," "scarcely know").

The tone is one that signals nature's indifference to the presence of humans. Even if we were to bring on our own extinction, it would not create the slightest difference in the perpetuation of other forms of life. This is not meant to be negative or even to claim that human existence mars nature in someway. Instead, it is meant to illuminate the fact that we are not as significant as we would like to believe. Life can go on without us.

What is a summary of the the poem "Breaking Out" by Marge Piercy?

This powerful narrative poem expresses the speaker's first rebellious act. She introduces the subject as if in reply to the question: "What was your first political act?" In reply she states what she perceived and how she responded to the circumstances in which she found herself.

The first stanza, in the present continuous tense, effectively conveys the immediate nature of her recollection. She is reliving her memories as if they are happening at the time of recall. This suggests their power and the impact they have made on the speaker. The fact that she refers to two doors that are usually open suggests that they offer her an unrestricted escape route: a journey she is unable to undertake at the time since she is subjected to her parents' will.

Doors are commonly seen as symbols of either freedom or oppression, depending on whether they are open or shut. These doors are personified and compared to "gossips" almost as if they are leaning towards each other to whisper scandal and rumor, either about the household or the speaker. The fact that they form a closet enhances the element of secrecy and mystery. This is further emphasized by the use of the word "corner," which suggests something inappropriate and secretive.

It soon becomes evident why the speaker expresses suspicion of the doors. It is as if they, along with other objects around the house, are symbols of domestic oppression. The speaker refers to a number of instruments of domesticity. It becomes clear, though, that these objects are utilized to perform acts of overzealous domesticity. The mangle, for example, is used to iron items which ordinarily would not need such treatment. This powerfully conveys the idea of how much her mother takes to the commission of her housewifely duties.

The vacuum cleaner is also personified and seems to be clearly tired and exasperated by the repetitious and unending nature of domestic work. The speaker uses it as a symbol of herself—she has also grown tired of performing these duties. She expresses how much she hates the fact that her mother so willingly submits to the completion of her tasks and affirms that she has decided never to subject herself to such punishment once she finds independence (leaves home).

The allusion to Sisyphus, a character in Greek mythology who was sentenced to forever roll a huge boulder up a hill only to see it roll down again, reminds her of her mother, who, she believes, is suffering the same fate.

In the second part of the poem, from stanza 5 onward, the speaker relates the punishment she has to endure at the hands of both her parents. They use a yardstick to mete out punishment whenever they believe that she is disobedient. The stick, which her mother uses in her occupation as a dressmaker, becomes a reviled instrument of torture to the speaker. She cries out loudly when beaten, but the beatings continue.

The speaker states that her mother's beatings are much fiercer than those of her father, but that his punishment is prolonged and tougher. After such punishment she explores the welts from the blows in a mirror and sees in them blue and red mountains, which become symbols of her desire to be free of the harsh and restricted life she is subjected to. Her veins and arteries become tokens of the routes she will take once she has escaped her life of drudgery and abuse.

The speaker states that she has reached a turning point at age eleven—on the cusp of adolescence. She takes the despised object of torture and breaks it into little pieces—wood that can be used to start a fire. This act also becomes a metaphor for her rebellion. She is surprised that the object, which has been used to oppress and suppress her will, can break so easily. Its power has been diminished to nothing. It is at this point that the speaker, emotionally and intellectually, emancipates herself from the oppression that she has been enduring as a child. She has advanced into the first stages of adulthood and freedom. She has, symbolically, started a fire which will burn, fiercely and forever, within her.

This is strongly affirmed in the final stanza: 

This is not a tale of innocence lost but power
gained: I would not be Sisyphus, 
there were things that I should learn to break.

The speaker states that she has empowered herself when she commits this act. She proclaims that she will not be a slave to drudgery and hard labor and that she has to learn how to break from convention. Her freedom lies in the fact that she has started a journey in which she will shatter society's expectations and demands that she should be submissive, subservient, and obedient just because she is a woman. 

Who is Michelle Alexander in The New Jim Crow?

is a civil rights attorney and the author of The New Jim Crow. Before writing her book, Alexander was the director of the Racial Justice Project at the ACLU. Despite being an advocate for racial justice and civil rights, Alexander did not immediately make the connection between Jim Crow and the current epidemic of mass incarceration until later in her career. In the book’s preface, Alexander acknowledges that she is writing this...

is a civil rights attorney and the author of The New Jim Crow. Before writing her book, Alexander was the director of the Racial Justice Project at the ACLU. Despite being an advocate for racial justice and civil rights, Alexander did not immediately make the connection between Jim Crow and the current epidemic of mass incarceration until later in her career. In the book’s preface, Alexander acknowledges that she is writing this book for people like herself ten years ago; those who care about racial injustices but do not understand nor appreciate the magnitude of America’s race issues. Alexander describes how she began working at the ACLU thinking that racial bias in the criminal justice system was not much different than the racial bias that permeates nearly all social institutions. However, after several years, Alexander began to suspect that the racial injustice of mass incarceration was much more severe than she had initially thought. Eventually she, like many other lawyers and activists, began to connect the dots and discover the unsettling parallels between mass incarceration and Jim Crow. Ultimately, Alexander argues that, like slavery and Jim Crow, mass incarceration is yet another form of racial control.

What are quotes in To Kill A Mockingbird that are examples of racial segregation?

There are a number of quotations that can be found in To Kill a Mockingbird which exemplify racial segregation. 

• In Chapter 9 Scout comes home from school and asks Atticus if he defends "n*****s"; he tells her first not to say that word. Then he tells Scout that he does defend Negroes. Scout then asks him if all lawyers defend "Negroes." When Atticus replies that they do, Scout then asks, "Then why did Cecil say you defended n****s? He made it sound like you were runnin' a still."
  In this remark it is obvious that Scout is not acquainted with black people and that there is a separation of races.


• Tom Robinson, Atticus tells Scout, someone "lives in that little settlement beyond the town dump. He's a member of Calpurnia's church." These statements indicate that the area and churches are segregated.


• Francis, Scout's cousin, accuses her of loving Negroes when the Finch family gets together at Christmas. Later in the evening, Atticus talks with his brother Jack about the Robinson's case, saying that the evidence comes down to who said what. Atticus adds, "The jury couldn't possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson's word against the Ewells'." It is obvious that the area is segregated because a reprobate such as Bob Ewell is given more credence that the good Tom Robinson simply because Ewell is white and Robinson is black.


• Further in their conversation, Atticus tells Jack, "Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro comes up, is something I don't pretend to understand...." The white is believed in the segregated South regardless of the dubiousness of what is said.


• Mrs. Dubose's remark, "Your father's no better than the n*****s and trash he works for" places Atticus in the blacks' category, which is apart from that of the white.


• When Calpurnia takes the Finch children to her church, there is clearly segregation as Lula tells Calpurnia, 

"You ain't got no business bringin' white chillun here--they got their church, we got our'n. It is our church , ain't it? Miss Cal?"
Jem said, "Let's go home, Cal, they don't want us here--"

Further, Scout tells the reader that First Purchase African M.E. Church is in the Quarters outside the southern town limits. It is the only church in Maycomb with a steeple, and it is called First Purchase because it was paid for with the first earnings of freed slaves. "Negroes worshipped in it on Sundays."

• The Maycomb courthouse has seating for the "Negroes" only in the balcony. Mr. Underwood gives the children a disgusted look when he sees them with their black cousin.


• Dill cries when he hears the cruel way in which Mr. Gilmer examines Tom Robinson, even though he realizes that Mayella and Bob Ewell lie when they give their testimonies.


• Despite the fact that Atticus has exposed the testimony of Mayella and Bob Ewell as lies, and he has established the good character of Tom Robinson, while pointing out the difficulties of Tom's being able to hit Mayella in the eye with his withered right arm as Mayella has testified, added to the fact that there is no concrete evidence whatsoever, the all-white jury finds him guilty.


• The Reverend Sykes, having listened to all the testimony and Atticus's disproval of much of what the Ewells have said, tells Jem, who is confident that Tom will be exonerated,

Mr. "Now don't you be so confident, Mr. Jem, I ain't ever seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man...."

He clearly alludes to what Atticus does in his closing remarks,

[The Ewells had] the cynical confidence that their testimony would not be doubted, confident that you gentlemen [of the jury] would go along with them on the assumption--the evil assumption--that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber." 

• Mr. Raymond Dolphus pretends to be a drunkard so that the people of Maycomb will have a reason to give for his odd inclination to live with the black population.


• Mrs. Merriweather talks about the Negroes' becoming out of hand because there are "some good but misguided people in this town. Good, but misguided." Then she speaks of her maid Sophy's being "sulky" and "dissatisfied."


• After the trial, Scout overhears Miss Stephanie Crawford saying that "it is time someone taught them a lesson, they were gettin' way  gettin' way aove themselves, an' the next thing they think they can do is marry us."  

In "Two Kinds," how does the narrator prepare for the talent show?

The narrator prepares for the talent show with her teacher, Old Chong, who is deaf. She is supposed to play a song called "Pleading Child" by Schumann. Instead of memorizing the entire piece, she just plays a few bars and then daydreams. She never learns the whole piece. Mostly what she does to practice is curtsy in an elaborate way and smile to prepare for the talent show. Though she is very excited about the...

The narrator prepares for the talent show with her teacher, Old Chong, who is deaf. She is supposed to play a song called "Pleading Child" by Schumann. Instead of memorizing the entire piece, she just plays a few bars and then daydreams. She never learns the whole piece. Mostly what she does to practice is curtsy in an elaborate way and smile to prepare for the talent show. Though she is very excited about the show, she plays a series of wrong notes because she has not practiced thoroughly and is not prepared for the talent show. After the show, she decides not to play piano anymore because she is not a prodigy, and she doesn't realize that practice is what makes someone good at playing the piano. 

How do expectations play a role in the lives of the Socs and Greasers in The Outsiders?

The Greasers can't be seen as individuals, only as members of the Greasers. For example, when they walk down the street, "Greasers can't walk alone too much or they'll get jumped" (page 3). Members of the rival gang, Socs, only see Greasers as rivals who deserve to be jumped. Boys on the East Side become Greasers, while kids on the richer West-Side are "Socs," or Socials. People expect the Greasers to act in a way...

The Greasers can't be seen as individuals, only as members of the Greasers. For example, when they walk down the street, "Greasers can't walk alone too much or they'll get jumped" (page 3). Members of the rival gang, Socs, only see Greasers as rivals who deserve to be jumped. Boys on the East Side become Greasers, while kids on the richer West-Side are "Socs," or Socials. People expect the Greasers to act in a way that Ponyboy describes as "hoods." As he says, "we steal things and drive old souped-up cars and hold up gas stations and have a gang fight once in a while" (page 4). The Socs, on the other hand, "jump greasers and wreck houses" (page 4). The expectations that these gangs have of themselves and each other determine their behavior.

Though both groups engage in youthful misdeeds, the Socs have the capacity to go on to college, and people think they are capable of more. As Ponyboy says, the Socs "get editorials in the paper for being a public disgrace one day and an asset to society the next" (page 4). In other words, people still expect the Socs to contribute to society, but it's hard for Greasers to be taken seriously as anything other than hoods. Even though Ponyboy, a member of the Greasers, is smart, he has to prove himself as a writer and as a student--which he finally does at the end of the book. 

Why does Miss Emily tell the visiting ladies that her father is not dead in "A Rose for Emily"?

When Miss Emily tells her visitors that her father is not dead, she is doing several things. First, she is denying reality. She does this in different ways throughout the story.

A related point is that she denies her father's death because he played such a large role in her life and identity. It is almost as if she cannot accept that he is gone, or can't conceive of herself without her father.

Also related...

When Miss Emily tells her visitors that her father is not dead, she is doing several things. First, she is denying reality. She does this in different ways throughout the story.

A related point is that she denies her father's death because he played such a large role in her life and identity. It is almost as if she cannot accept that he is gone, or can't conceive of herself without her father.

Also related is the fact that with the death of her father, Miss Emily's status in the community changes. The longer he is alive, or that she can claim he is alive, the better her status.

A final reason is more subtle and pervasive. Emily's position in her community allows her to control the reality around her. Denying her father is dead is parallel with denying she owes taxes.

What rhetorical devices are used in "Speech in the Convention" by Benjamin Franklin?

A common rhetorical device in many speeches is the use of parallel structure, and Franklin is no different in this speech. In the third paragraph, Franklin states, "For when you assemble a Number of Men to have the Advantage of their joint Wisdom, you inevitably assemble with those Men all their Prejudices, their Passions, their Errors of Opinion, their local Interests, and their selfish Views." Franklin is arguing that this Constitution cannot be perfect because...

A common rhetorical device in many speeches is the use of parallel structure, and Franklin is no different in this speech. In the third paragraph, Franklin states, "For when you assemble a Number of Men to have the Advantage of their joint Wisdom, you inevitably assemble with those Men all their Prejudices, their Passions, their Errors of Opinion, their local Interests, and their selfish Views." Franklin is arguing that this Constitution cannot be perfect because imperfect men created it, and he then lists some of the men's imperfections.

However, he follows that line with another common feature of speeches, the rhetorical question: "From such an Assembly can a perfect Production be expected?" The purpose of a rhetorical question is to push the audience toward an answer (usually in the negative). In this case, the audience is ready for Franklin's response:

It therefore astonishes me, Sir, to find this System approaching so near to Perfection as it does; and I think it will astonish our Enemies, who are waiting with Confidence to hear that our Councils are confounded, like those of the Builders of Babel, and that our States are on the Point of Separation, only to meet hereafter for the Purpose of cutting one another's throats.

In this quote, one will find another rhetorical technique that sways the audience, the allusion (to the Builders of Babel). Because Franklin's audience would have been Christian, they would understand that the builders of the Tower of Babel were astonished when God made their different languages unintelligible to one another.

- Do you think it is a good idea to impose regulations on the export and use of minerals from the Congo? Why or why not?- What impact do you think...

It is a good idea to regulate the trade in minerals originating from the strife-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo. As with Sierra Leone and other countries and regions wars in which were funded, and despots enriched, by the trade in diamonds and other precious minerals, strict controls on the export of such minerals by other nations can help restrict the flow of money warlords use to finance their military activities. This form of economic sanctions, as with others, is not foolproof; on the contrary, smuggling in banned items and substances, like ivory and conflict diamonds, will continue as long as the market for these goods exists. Restricting trade in these goods, however, can have a beneficial impact on the conduct of the wars and insurgencies that are fueled by the proceeds from the sales of minerals.

There is no question that regulating the trade in minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) impacts the consumers of such items. By limiting the volume of precious metals and other items available on the open market, the value of those metals and items legitimately and illicitly available increases, often exponentially. It is the basic rule of supply and demand. When the latter exceeds the former, the price of the good or service in question goes up. Consumers in the United States, Europe, Asia and elsewhere will almost always, consequently, pay more for the controlled items. To the extent that these minerals are used in the manufacture of electronic goods, for example, the price to consumers of those goods will invariably increase.

All industries that utilize minerals from a country or region on which international sanctions have been imposed will feel the effects of limitations on the trade in those minerals. As mentioned, the consumer electronics industry is a major user of some of these minerals, as, obviously, is the jewelry industry. Manufacture of high-performance jet engines feel the pinch because of their utilization of cobalt, chromium and nickel. The gold market, which plays a major role in the stability of international economics, is impacted by the restriction on exports from the DRC, although other sources, including the United States, Australia, Russia and Indonesia are more important sources of gold than is the DRC, thereby mitigating the effects of sanctions on that central African country. If one had to select one industry as the hardest hit by restrictions on the export of minerals from the DRC, however, it would be the consumer electronics industry, which utilizes vast quantities of precious (including so-called “rare earth”) minerals.

The scale of bloodshed in the eastern region of the DRC and along its borders with Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda has been almost beyond comprehension. If a higher retail price for consumer goods is the price that must be paid to lessen that bloodshed, it is a price worth paying.

1939-1945: How did it get to the point where the world was split so the US and Russia had a half each?

During World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union were fighting together against Germany, Japan, and Italy. However, by the end of World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union emerged as chief rivals. Each country had a different political and economic system. The United States had a democratic form of government and a capitalist economy based on market forces and the freedom of individuals to make decisions. The Soviet Union...

During World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union were fighting together against Germany, Japan, and Italy. However, by the end of World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union emerged as chief rivals. Each country had a different political and economic system. The United States had a democratic form of government and a capitalist economy based on market forces and the freedom of individuals to make decisions. The Soviet Union had a communist political and economic system. The government had a lot of control over the economic and political system. There was little freedom of choice for the individual, both economically and politically.

When World War II ended, each side wanted to see its political and economic system in place throughout the world. In the areas that the Soviet Union controlled, the communist system was implemented. We were supporting countries that had more freedom of choice politically and economically. When the Soviet Union tried to spread communism in Europe and in Asia, we tried to prevent that from happening. We opposed the attempts of the Soviet Union to spread communism into Western Europe and into South Korea. This led to the start of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union.

`sum_(n=1)^oo n/((n+1)2^(n-1))` Use the Limit Comparison Test to determine the convergence or divergence of the series.

Limit comparison test is applicable when `suma_n` and `sumb_n` are series with positive terms . If `lim_(n->oo)a_n/b_n=L` where L is a finite number and `L>0` , then either both series converge or both diverge.

Given series is `sum_(n=1)^oon/((n+1)2^(n-1))`

Let the comparison series be `sum_(n=1)^oo1/2^n=sum_(n=1)^oo(1/2)^n`

The comparison series is a geometric series with ratio `r=1/2<1`

A geometric series with ratio r converges, if `0<|r|<1`

So, the comparison series `sum_(n=1)^oo(1/2)^n` converges.

Now ,let's apply the limit comparison test with `a_n=n/((n+1)2^(n-1))` and `b_n=1/2^n`

...

Limit comparison test is applicable when `suma_n` and `sumb_n` are series with positive terms . If `lim_(n->oo)a_n/b_n=L` where L is a finite number and `L>0` , then either both series converge or both diverge.

Given series is `sum_(n=1)^oon/((n+1)2^(n-1))`

Let the comparison series be `sum_(n=1)^oo1/2^n=sum_(n=1)^oo(1/2)^n`

The comparison series is a geometric series with ratio `r=1/2<1`

A geometric series with ratio r converges, if `0<|r|<1`

So, the comparison series `sum_(n=1)^oo(1/2)^n` converges.

Now ,let's apply the limit comparison test with `a_n=n/((n+1)2^(n-1))` and `b_n=1/2^n`

`a_n/b_n=(n/((n+1)2^(n-1)))/(1/2^n)`

`a_n/b_n=((2n)/((n+1)2^n))/(1/2^n)`

`a_n/b_n=(2n*2^n)/((n+1)2^n)`

`a_n/b_n=(2n)/(n+1)`

`lim_(n->oo)a_n/b_n=lim_(n->oo)(2n)/(n+1)`

`=lim_(n->oo)(2n)/(n(1+1/n))`

`=lim_(n->oo)2/(1+1/n)`

`=2>0`

Since the comparison series `sum_(n=1)^oo1/2^n` converges, so the series `sum_(n=1)^oon/((n+1)2^(n-1))` as well ,converges by the limit comparison test.

From the poem "Phenomenal Woman" by Maya Angelou, please explain the stanza beginning with, "Now you understand / Just why my head's not bowed."

The final stanza in Maya Angelou's poem "Phenomenal Woman" wraps up the poem's assertions about the speaker's status as a woman who exudes power and attracts men without artifice.

When Angelou states, "Now you understand / Just why my head's not bowed," she is asserting that she is proud of herself, her body, and her qualities. She doesn't have to resort to drastic means to get attention, and does not "shout," "jump about," or "talk...

The final stanza in Maya Angelou's poem "Phenomenal Woman" wraps up the poem's assertions about the speaker's status as a woman who exudes power and attracts men without artifice.

When Angelou states, "Now you understand / Just why my head's not bowed," she is asserting that she is proud of herself, her body, and her qualities. She doesn't have to resort to drastic means to get attention, and does not "shout," "jump about," or "talk real loud" in order to attract attention to herself. She has such a sense of self-worth that she is able to recognize that it is a privilege for others to see her pass by them. In this way, she defies the stereotypes attached to femininity and rejects the opinions of women who meet the beauty standards of the time and men who may usually expect those standards in the ladies they pursue.

Rather, Angelou continues to assert the natural characteristics that contribute to her extraordinary nature—the sound that her heels make when she walks, the texture of her hair, the appearance of her hands, and so on. These are qualities which no one can replicate and which occur innately to her. The stanza closes with the repetition of:

'Cause I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

This is Angelou's battle cry of pride, confidence, and security in her identity. It contains both amazement at her status as a woman and delight in how spectacular she is. This is ultimately the message of the poem—a call for all women to embrace themselves exactly as they are, regardless of the observations and opinions of the outside world.

What are examples of personification in "There Will Come Soft Rains" and how does that personification affect the story?

Bradbury makes frequent use of personification, attributing personal or human-like traits to a number of inanimate objects in the story.

In some cases, Bradbury describes inanimate objects as if they possess body parts, and he characterizes their physical actions and reactions in human terms. We can see this when the house is burning:

"The house shuddered, oak bone on bone, its bared skeleton cringing from the heat, its wire, its nerves revealed as if a...

Bradbury makes frequent use of personification, attributing personal or human-like traits to a number of inanimate objects in the story.

In some cases, Bradbury describes inanimate objects as if they possess body parts, and he characterizes their physical actions and reactions in human terms. We can see this when the house is burning:

"The house shuddered, oak bone on bone, its bared skeleton cringing from the heat, its wire, its nerves revealed as if a surgeon had torn the skin off to let the red veins and capillaries quiver in the scalded air."

In other cases, Bradbury attributes mental and emotional states to objects, as in this description:

"…it had shut up its windows and drawn shades in an old-maidenly preoccupation with self-protection which bordered on a mechanical paranoia."

How does personification affect the story?

A good way to approach this question is to ask how different the story would feel if Bradbury had portrayed his inanimate objects without making any reference to human traits.

Clearly, personification invites us to feel a certain empathy for these objects. It's one reason why this story evokes an emotional response in the reader.

But these elements of personification do more than lend immediate emotional color to an action. Psychologists argue that when we attribute human characteristics to an object, we are encouraging the mind to tap into our broader understanding of how human beings think, feel, and behave.

If the house is merely an automated house, then its behavior is simply a series of mechanical operations, and the story is just a tale of a machine left running because nobody turned it off. But if we think of the house as a person, then it has a psychology, and its behavior can be perceived in many other ways  --  as confused, irrational, or uncomprehending in the wake of abandonment. It keeps making meals that nobody eats; it reads poems that nobody hears. What kinds of human situations does this evoke? How do the events of the story relate to things we have experienced or witnessed?

So Bradbury's use of personification doesn't just make us respond to the immediate meaning of his metaphors ("the fire was clever"). It also leads us to go beyond the words he uses, and associate his objects with a wider range of thoughts, motives, and feelings.

What do the sandcastles represent in chapter 4 of Lord of the Flies?

One of the most important themes in Lord of the Flies is that man will inevitably descend into savagery in the absence of a structured civilization. In Chapter 4, "Painted Faces and Long Hair," Roger and Maurice are walking along the beach when they find littluns Johnny, Henry, and Percival making sandcastles. Through their play, the littluns are re-constructing something they saw back in civilization; as such, the sandcastles symbolize the civilization from which all...

One of the most important themes in Lord of the Flies is that man will inevitably descend into savagery in the absence of a structured civilization. In Chapter 4, "Painted Faces and Long Hair," Roger and Maurice are walking along the beach when they find littluns Johnny, Henry, and Percival making sandcastles. Through their play, the littluns are re-constructing something they saw back in civilization; as such, the sandcastles symbolize the civilization from which all the boys have come. The littluns cry as Roger walks through their sandcastles, "kicking them over, burying the flowers, scattering the chosen stones." As Maurice follows, he is "laughing" and Golding says he "added to the destruction." Golding's diction here, with use of the word "destruction," is a clear foreshadowing of the boys' ultimate descent into savagery—the ultimate destruction of the fledgling society they attempt to create while on the island. The chapter title also indicates that things are beginning to shift on the island. The boys' hair is growing, suggesting that as time has passed, the boys look less and less like they would have back in society; this change is something out of their control. However, they are also changing in ways that are within their control. Jack, the most vocal proponent of savagery, paints his face for the first time in this chapter, donning a "mask" that "compelled" the other boys to follow him in the hunt as he makes his first successful kill.