`y = 1/2 (xsqrt(4-x^2) + 4arcsin(x/2))` Find the derivative of the function

The derivative of y in terms of x is denoted by  `d/(dx)y` or `y'` .

 For the given problem: `y =1/2[xsqrt(4-x^2)+4arcsin(x/2)]` , we apply the basic derivative property:

`d/(dx) c*f(x) = c d/(dx) f(x)` .

Then,

`d/(dx)y =d/(dx) 1/2[xsqrt(4-x^2)+4arcsin(x/2)]`

`y’ =1/2 d/(dx) [xsqrt(4-x^2)+4arcsin(x/2)]`

Apply the basic differentiation property: `d/(dx) (u+v) = d/(dx) (u) + d/(dx) (v)`

`y’ =1/2[d/(dx) (xsqrt(4-x^2))+ d/(dx) (4arcsin(x/2))]`

For the derivative of `d/(dx) (xsqrt(4-x^2))` , we apply the Product Rule: `d/(dx)(u*v) = u’*v =+u*v’` .

`d/(dx) (xsqrt(4-x^2))= d/(dx)(x) *sqrt(4-x^2)+ x * d/(dx) (sqrt(4-x^2))`

Let `u=x` then `u'= 1`

    `v= sqrt(4-x^2) ` then `v' =-x/ sqrt(4-x^2)`

Note: `d/(dx) sqrt(4-x^2) = d/(dx)(4-x^2)^(1/2)`

Applying the chain rule of derivative:

`d/(dx)(4-x^2)^(1/2)= 1/2(4-x^2)^(-1/2)*(-2x)`

                     ` =-x(4-x^2)^(-1/2)`

                    `=-x/(4-x^2)^(1/2)`  or - `–x/sqrt(4-x^2)`

 Following the Product Rule, we set-up the derivative as:

`d/(dx)(x) *sqrt(4-x^2)+ x * d/(dx) (sqrt(4-x^2))`

`= 1 * sqrt(4-x^2)+ x*(-x/sqrt(4-x^2))`

`= sqrt(4-x^2)-x^2/sqrt(4-x^2)`

 Express as one fraction:

`sqrt(4-x^2)* sqrt(4-x^2)/ sqrt(4-x^2)-x^2/sqrt(4-x^2)`

`=( sqrt(4-x^2))^2/ sqrt(4-x^2) –x^2/sqrt(4-x^2)`

`=( 4-x^2)/ sqrt(4-x^2) –x^2/sqrt(4-x^2)`

`=( 4-x^2-x^2)/ sqrt(4-x^2)`

`=( 4-2x^2)/ sqrt(4-x^2)`

Then, `d/(dx) (xsqrt(4-x^2))= ( 4-2x^2)/ sqrt(4-x^2)`

For the derivative of `d/(dx) (4arcsin(x/2))` , we apply the basic derivative property: `d/(dx) c*f(x) = c d/(dx) f(x)` .

`d/(dx) (4arcsin(x/2))= 4 d/(dx) (arcsin(x/2))`

Apply the basic derivative formula for inverse sine function: `d/(dx) (arcsin(u))= (du)/sqrt(1-u^2)` .

Let `u =x/2` then `du=1/2`

`4d/(dx) (4arcsin(x/2))]= 4*(1/2)/sqrt(1-(x/2)^2)`

                    `= 2/sqrt(1-(x^2/4))`

                    ` =2/sqrt(1*4/4-(x^2/4))`

                     ` = 2/sqrt((4-x^2)/4)`

                    ` = 2/ (sqrt(4-x^2)/sqrt(4))`

                   `=2/ (sqrt(4-x^2)/2)`

                   `=2*2/sqrt(4-x^2)`

                   `=4/sqrt(4-x^2)`

Combining the results, we get:

`y' = 1/2[d/(dx) (xsqrt(4-x^2))+ d/(dx) (4arcsin(x/2))]`

`=1/2[( 4-2x^2)/ sqrt(4-x^2)+4/sqrt(4-x^2)]`

`=1/2[( 4-2x^2+4)/ sqrt(4-x^2)]`

` =1/2[( -2x^2+8)/ sqrt(4-x^2)]`

` =1/2[( 2(-x^2+4))/ sqrt(4-x^2)]`

` =(-x^2+4)/ sqrt(4-x^2)]`

or `y'=(4-x^2)/ sqrt(4-x^2)]`

Applying Law of Exponents:  ` x^n/x^m= x^n-m` :

`y' =(4-x^2)/ sqrt(4-x^2)`

` =(4-x^2)^1/ (4-x^2)^(1/2)`

` =(4-x^2)^(1-1/2)`

`=(4-x^2)^(1/2)`

Final answer:

`y'=(4-x^2)^(1/2)`

 or

`y'=sqrt(4-x^2)`

How is parallelism used in Jonathan Edwards' "Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God"?

In order to understand how Jonathan Edwards uses parallelism, one must first understand the context of the piece.  First, this text is a sermon, an oral piece meant to be heard, not read.  So speakers use particular techniques to aid their listeners in remembering the message being presented.  Parallelism is one of those techniques (along with repetition and imagery).  

Second, Edwards uses parallelism for different purposes for his message.  For instance, Edwards proclaims to...

In order to understand how Jonathan Edwards uses parallelism, one must first understand the context of the piece.  First, this text is a sermon, an oral piece meant to be heard, not read.  So speakers use particular techniques to aid their listeners in remembering the message being presented.  Parallelism is one of those techniques (along with repetition and imagery).  

Second, Edwards uses parallelism for different purposes for his message.  For instance, Edwards proclaims to the church congregation: "The Wrath of God burns against [the unconverted], their Damnation don’t slumber, the Pit is prepared, the Fire is made ready, the Furnace is now hot, ready to receive them, the Flames do now rage and glow."  Here, Edwards is describing, metaphorically, to his audience about the imminent danger that is God's wrath and the fires of Hell.  By listing all the ways that the unconverted are nearing their doom, he is emphasizes the urgency for sinners to change their ways.

Another way that Edwards uses parallelism is through the logical appeal.  Because Edwards wants to convince his audience to convert immediately to a more Christian life, he must not just scare them into converting but also convince them through rationalization: "The bigger Part of those that heretofore have lived under the same Means of Grace, and are now dead, are undoubtedly gone to Hell: and it was not because they were not as wise as those that are now alive: it was not because they did not lay out Matters as well for themselves to secure their own escape."  In this example, Edwards gives evidence as to how those who appear on the outside to be good and holy are not necessarily saved from God's wrath.  This evidence may not be proven factually, but because the congregation is comprised of believers who invited Edwards to preach to them, then he will convince them with this logic.

What is considered to be the first written constitution in America?

There could be a few answers to this question. If you were referring to the United States of America, then the first written constitution would be the Articles of Confederation. After the colonists won their independence from Great Britain, they needed to have a plan of government. The colonists wanted to be sure that the new government wouldn’t be able to abuse its powers. This was one of the reasons why they fought for their...

There could be a few answers to this question. If you were referring to the United States of America, then the first written constitution would be the Articles of Confederation. After the colonists won their independence from Great Britain, they needed to have a plan of government. The colonists wanted to be sure that the new government wouldn’t be able to abuse its powers. This was one of the reasons why they fought for their freedom from Great Britain. They believed the King was abusing his power. Thus, the government created by the Articles of Confederation created a weak federal government. For example, the federal government couldn’t levy taxes or make people join the military. The states held most of the power during the time when the Articles of Confederation was our plan of government.

If you were referring to the first written constitution in the American colonies, it would be the Fundamental Orders that was written in Hartford, Connecticut mainly by Roger Ludlow. Representatives from several different Puritan settlements in Connecticut created a plan of government. This constitution lasted from 1639-1662 when the Charter of Connecticut replaced it.

What did Mr. Otis offer the ghost? Why did he offer it?

Mr. Otis offers Sir Simon's ghost some oil. Mr. Otis wants Sir Simon to oil his squeaky ghost chains, so the chains won't make so much noise at night.

Soon after the Otis family moves into Canterville Chase, Sir Simon begins his haunting antics. The ghost's goal is to frighten the Otis family into leaving the house. He has been successful at this kind of thing for hundreds of years. He has no reason to...

Mr. Otis offers Sir Simon's ghost some oil. Mr. Otis wants Sir Simon to oil his squeaky ghost chains, so the chains won't make so much noise at night.

Soon after the Otis family moves into Canterville Chase, Sir Simon begins his haunting antics. The ghost's goal is to frighten the Otis family into leaving the house. He has been successful at this kind of thing for hundreds of years. He has no reason to doubt his continued success.

On one particular night, the Otis family has all gone to bed. Sir Simon begins moving through the house quite noisily. He is dragging a set of chains and manacles with him. The noise wakes up Mr. Otis.

Some time after, Mr. Otis was awakened by a curious noise in the corridor, outside his room. It sounded like the clank of metal, and seemed to be coming nearer every moment.

Annoyed, Mr. Otis gets out of bed, grabs a bottle of oil, and greets Sir Simon by the bedroom door. Sir Simon looks terrifying. He's got red eyes and ragged clothing, but Mr. Otis isn't fazed at all. Mr. Otis politely hands Sir Simon the oil and kindly asks that the ghost use the oil. That way his chains won't make noises that wake people up.

"My dear sir," said Mr. Otis, "I really must insist on your oiling those chains, and have brought you for that purpose a small bottle of the Tammany Rising Sun Lubricator. It is said to be completely efficacious upon one application, and there are several testimonials to that effect on the wrapper from some of our most eminent native divines. I shall leave it here for you by the bedroom candles, and will be happy to supply you with more, should you require it."

Where does Meimei live in "Rules of the Game" by Amy Tan?

Meimei, the protagonist of Amy Tan's short story "The Rules of the Game," lives in the Chinatown area of San Francisco, California, with her strict mother, father, and two brothers, Vincent and Winston. Meimei's real name is Waverly Place Jong, and she is named for the street which the family lives on. The family dwells in a two-bedroom flat situated above a Chinese bakery which is best known for their dim sum and steamed pastries....

Meimei, the protagonist of Amy Tan's short story "The Rules of the Game," lives in the Chinatown area of San Francisco, California, with her strict mother, father, and two brothers, Vincent and Winston. Meimei's real name is Waverly Place Jong, and she is named for the street which the family lives on. The family dwells in a two-bedroom flat situated above a Chinese bakery which is best known for their dim sum and steamed pastries. Meimei describes the apartment as "warm" and clean" and likes that she can detect the scents drifting in from the bakery below: "fragrant red beans. . . cooked down to a pasty sweetness. . . fried sesame balls and sweet curried chicken crescents." The apartment is located on an alley that is two blocks long and which is close to a playground, and contains Ping Yuen Fish Market, Hong Sing's cafe, and the China Gem Company. Despite the poverty of the area, Meimei insists that she grew up never knowing that her family was poor. 

Why did John Steinbeck choose Of Mice and Men as the title for his novel?

The title of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Menforeshadows the tragic events of the novel. Steinbeck derived the title from the poem “To a Mouse” by Scottish poet Robert Burns. In the poem, a mouse carefully builds itself a nest in a field so that it will be protected from the frigid winter when it comes. Unfortunately, a farmer plows through the field, wrecking the nest and leaving the mouse exposed to the elements. Burns...

The title of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men foreshadows the tragic events of the novel. Steinbeck derived the title from the poem “To a Mouse” by Scottish poet Robert Burns. In the poem, a mouse carefully builds itself a nest in a field so that it will be protected from the frigid winter when it comes. Unfortunately, a farmer plows through the field, wrecking the nest and leaving the mouse exposed to the elements. Burns then comments:

The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men 

          Gang aft agley, 

An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain, 

          For promis’d joy!

In simple English, Burns is saying that our plans often go very wrong, even when we work hard to make sure they succeed. Understanding this, one can easily see how the title foreshadows the events of the novel. Throughout the story, Lennie and George wish and plan to have a farm of their own. Unfortunately, despite their hard work, their plans are crushed. The title Of Mice and Men truly encapsulates the theme of the story.

`sum_(n=1)^oo ln((n+1)/n)` Determine the convergence or divergence of the series.

To determine if the series `sum_(n=1)^oo ln((n+1)/n)` converges or diverges, we may apply the Direct Comparison Test.

Direct Comparison test is applicable when `sum a_n` and `sum b_n` are both positive series for all n where `a_n lt=b_n` .

If `sum b_n` converges then`sum a_n` converges.

If `sum a_n` diverges so does the `sum b_n` diverges.

For the given series `sum_(n=1)^oo ln((n+1)/n)` , we let `b_n= ln((n+1)/n)` .

  Let `a_n= ln(1/n)` since  `ln(1/n) lt= ln((n+1)/n)`...

To determine if the series `sum_(n=1)^oo ln((n+1)/n)` converges or diverges, we may apply the Direct Comparison Test.

Direct Comparison test is applicable when `sum a_n` and `sum b_n` are both positive series for all n where `a_n lt=b_n` .

If `sum b_n` converges then`sum a_n` converges.

If `sum a_n` diverges so does the `sum b_n` diverges.

For the given series `sum_(n=1)^oo ln((n+1)/n)` , we let `b_n= ln((n+1)/n)` .

  Let `a_n= ln(1/n)` since  `ln(1/n) lt= ln((n+1)/n)` .

To evaluate if the series `sum_(n=1)^oo ln(1/n)` converges or diverges, we may apply Divergence test:

`lim_(n-gtoo) a_n !=0` or does not exist then the series` sum a_n` diverges 

We set-up the limit as:

`lim_(n-gtoo)ln(1/n) =lim_(n-gtoo)ln(n^(-1))`

                         ` = (-1)lim_(n-gtoo) ln(n)`

                         ` = -oo`

With the limit value `L =-oo` , it satisfy `lim_(n-gtoo) a_n !=0` .``

Thus, the series `sum_(n=1)^oo ln(1/n)` diverges      

Conclusion based from Direct Comparison test:

The series`sum_(n=1)^oo a_n = sum_(n=1)^oo ln(1/n)`  diverges then it follows that `sum_(n=1)^oo b_n =sum_(n=1)^oo ln((n+1)/n)` also diverges.

what were the Indian relationships with the Jamestown colony

The short answer is troubled. The Jamestown colonists had trouble with American Indians from the outset. The colonists were perhaps seen as easy targets: They were unfamiliar with the environment, were struggling to grow crops, and did not have any allies in the region to rely on for help. There was likely ethnic animosity as well. The colonists looked physically different, spoke a strange language, wore strange costumes, and behaved in what was probably seen...

The short answer is troubled. The Jamestown colonists had trouble with American Indians from the outset. The colonists were perhaps seen as easy targets: They were unfamiliar with the environment, were struggling to grow crops, and did not have any allies in the region to rely on for help. There was likely ethnic animosity as well. The colonists looked physically different, spoke a strange language, wore strange costumes, and behaved in what was probably seen as an odd manner. To Indians for whom intermittent tribal warfare was a way of life, this new tribe with exotic tools was probably eyed with both suspicion, curiosity, and envy.

For the colonists, there was probably a similar view, although probably less animosity and more anxiety. They were strangers in a strange land and had to make contact with local tribes. The initial contacts with the Powhatan Indians were violent which likely set the stage for relationships between colonists and Indians for generations to come. Eventually, the colonists reached a peace in 1614 when John Rolfe married Pocahontas, daughter of Indian Chief Powhatan. This alliance maintained a peace for several years but eventually broke down after when the Indians launched an attack in 1622, killing 300-400 colonists. This resulted in increased military operations by the colony against local tribes.

By the 1640s, Jamestown had grown to a sufficient size and was able force the Powhatans to sign peace treaties. This effectively meant that the colonists had become the dominant tribe, so to speak, in the region. Therefore, we can conclude that the relationship between Indians and colonists followed a pattern similar to that followed by many groups around the world. Sadly, it was an uneasy relationship largely marked by violence, shaky peace deals, and mutual antipathy.

What is remarkable in the busybodies in the story "The Minister's Black Veil"?

The narrator says it is surprising that, with all the busybodies and impertinent people in the congregation, not a single one of them could bring himself or herself to come right out and ask Mr. Hooper why he has begun to wear the mysterious black veil.  Further, despite the fact that Mr. Hooper has, in the past, been somewhat prone to self-doubt and a willingness to follow the advice of his advisors, no one dares...

The narrator says it is surprising that, with all the busybodies and impertinent people in the congregation, not a single one of them could bring himself or herself to come right out and ask Mr. Hooper why he has begun to wear the mysterious black veil.  Further, despite the fact that Mr. Hooper has, in the past, been somewhat prone to self-doubt and a willingness to follow the advice of his advisors, no one dares to approach him to make a friendly comment about the effect the new veil has on the people in the parish.  Instead, everyone remains totally mum on the subject of the veil, and people begin to avoid him as much as possible.  He is still called on, of course, to preside over funerals and weddings, but there are no more invitations to Sunday dinner.

How does Katniss's early encounter with Peeta affect their relationship after they are chosen as tributes?

Katniss's childhood encounter with Peeta makes her more compassionate toward him than she would be otherwise. His kind act as a child also makes her more inclined to trust him, though she does question that impulse several times in The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. 

After Katniss's father dies in the mines, her family almost starves. One rainy night, she wanders by the bakery, and the bakery owner's wife screams at her to move on and threatens to call the Peacekeepers. As Katniss leaves, she notices Peeta hiding behind his mother. She's too worried and tired to go far; she sits down by an apple tree near the bakery.

Soon, she hears an uproar in the bakery and the sound of the baker's wife screaming. Katniss expects the woman to emerge to chase her away again. Instead, Peeta emerges and begins feeding a small amount of two loaves he slightly burned to the pig, at his mother's orders. Katniss watches as he checks to be sure his mother is gone, then throws Katniss the two loaves of bread. She says "it was good hearty bread, filled with raisins and nuts."

For his kindness, Peeta received a black eye and swollen cheek from his mother. 

When they're chosen as tributes for the Hunger Games, Katniss thinks that at least with 24 people competing, she won't have to be the one to kill Peeta. Someone else will. She's even worried when he reveals himself to be kind on the train. She thinks that "a kind Peeta Mellark is far more dangerous to me than an unkind one."

Even when they work together during training, Katniss doesn't entirely trust him. She continuously has to stop herself from trusting him because of their past and remind herself that he's playing a game where to win, he has to kill her. When he protects her from the Career pack early during the Games, however, she knows that his persona wasn't false; he really does want her to live. 

Still, Katniss is a pragmatist. She's unwilling to risk herself in a significant way for Peeta before the announcer says that two tributes from the same district can win the game together. Then she yells out his name and searches for him, finding him injured.

This is when their relationship really begins to bloom, and she slowly accepts that Peeta is the kind, generous boy who threw her bread that got her through the hardest time of her life. She battles the other players to get him medicine. She doesn't leave him behind even when doing so puts her in danger. Peeta isn't as skilled as Katniss at survival; however, their past and the popularity their relationship enjoys with the viewers of Panem are enough to keep her by his side.

Katniss tells herself that her feelings aren't real. She believes she's just play-acting for Panem so that they can get more gifts from sponsors enamored with their love story. Ultimately, though, Katniss comes to realize that some of the feelings she's been faking aren't entirely false. She thinks:

And while I was talking, the idea of actually losing Peeta hit me again and I realized how much I don’t want him to die. And it’s not about the sponsors. And it’s not about what will happen back home. And it’s not just that I don’t want to be alone. It’s him. I do not want to lose the boy with the bread.

Her feelings for him—both real and play-acted for Panem—contribute to both of them being allowed to win the Hunger Games, as well as what happens in the other two books in the trilogy. 

If Peeta had not helped Katniss when they were children, it's possible that she would never have trusted him or been willing to work with him as they trained. Without that foundation, their relationship would have never captured the viewers of the Hunger Games, and one of them may have died before the end of the Games.

What is a detailed summary of the poem "Phenomenal Woman" by Maya Angelou?

From the outset it is pertinently clear that the speaker in the poem has an overwhelming pride in who she is and what she represents. She is no ordinary woman who subscribes to a stereotype. She is different and amazing. She has to be seen to be believed. She is special, extraordinary and powerful. 

The first stanza makes it clear that she does not deem herself "pretty." She does, however, exude a power and charisma that so-called pretty women want to learn about, for they want to know her secret. When she confirms that whatever she has is no secret, they don't believe her. It is clear that she deems everything about her special. It's not that she has any specific characteristic that makes her stand out. What makes her special is simple—she is a woman. It is being a woman that makes her remarkable. She asserts the fact by positively stating at the end of the stanza: "That's me."

In stanza two, the speaker emphasizes her greatness and continues in the same vein by confidently proclaiming that her entrance into a room immediately draws men's attention. She enters without making a fuss and they either stand up out of respect or, out of servile duty, bend their knees to her authority. It is as if these men have no choice—their reactions are automatic and each one, without exception, instinctively and simultaneously, reacts to her amazing presence. They then all surround her—she becomes the queen bee, surrounded by willing acolytes, ready to do her bidding. Once again, the speaker lists the qualities she has that make these "fellows" respond so obligingly to her: it's the fact that she exudes a supreme confidence through her eyes, her smile, the way she swings her waist and how she walks. The assertion is extended—she is a woman, an exceptional and extraordinary being. She has these attributes and this power because she is a woman, and that is what makes her so exceedingly special.

The third stanza is a couplet which repeats her earlier declaration that she is sensational. The fact that this statement stands on its own further accentuates the power she believes she has.

The fourth stanza suggests that men see her as an enigma. They don't know what it is about her that they find attractive. It is not something tangible and, therefore, it is out of their reach. Her power is a mysterious force that they cannot comprehend even when she tries to show them exactly what it is. Once again, the speaker exclaims that her grandness lies in a number of qualities that she possesses followed by the repetition that she is a woman and that her incredible stature lies therein.

The fifth and final stanza offers somewhat of a resolution to the enigma of who or what the speaker is. Here she explains why she does not behave in the stereotypical manner in which she may be expected to. She does not demurely bow her head, nor does she seek attention by jumping about or talking loudly. Her appearance and her stature should be enough to make anyone proud because she exudes, and is, the epitome of pride. The speaker again refers to a number of attributes which, in part, define her, the most significant of which is the fact that she is needed by those who seek care. The word "'cause" brings clarity, for it explains why the speaker is so supremely special—she is a woman and being one makes her an outstanding member of the human race.

One could say that the poem carries a universal message to all women. It is a positive and clear pronouncement that women should be proud of who and what they are. They should celebrate the fact that they are extraordinary in every way. Each part of what they have makes them who they are—it is for this reason that the speaker, throughout the poem, mentions certain feminine traits—each one a part of the whole. The speaker believes that women should walk with their heads held high and should not succumb to stereotypes and the expectations of others. They should not allow themselves to be judged on individual qualities but as a complete whole—a fact that they should repeatedly assert, just as the speaker does.

In the Gospels, Martha was one of two sisters. She devoted herself to housework while her sister Mary sat and listened to Jesus. What is the irony...

In the Bible, Martha is chastised by Jesus for worrying over things that are unimportant.  When Jesus comes, Martha chooses to try to prepare for him, busying herself about the house and fretting over all of the things that need to be done.  Her sister, Mary, however, chooses to sit and listen to Jesus's preaching instead.  Martha asks Jesus if he cares that her sister shirked her part of the household responsibilities, leaving her to...

In the Bible, Martha is chastised by Jesus for worrying over things that are unimportant.  When Jesus comes, Martha chooses to try to prepare for him, busying herself about the house and fretting over all of the things that need to be done.  Her sister, Mary, however, chooses to sit and listen to Jesus's preaching instead.  Martha asks Jesus if he cares that her sister shirked her part of the household responsibilities, leaving her to handle them all alone, and he says that Mary had actually chosen the better way to spend her time.  This is ironic because, in The Handmaid's Tale, many women are assigned the duties of a "Martha."  These are the women who clean and cook and keep house for the Commanders and their wives.  Jesus said that this is not a good way for a woman to spend her time, that it would be better spent listening to his teachings, and despite the fact that Gilead claims to be founded upon biblical precedent concerning handmaids, it is clear that no one cares that Jesus admonished Martha.  It's ironic that the leaders of the community would adopt one such precedent and then ignore another.

Even though The Other Side of Truth has a positive ending, Beverly Naidoo still succeeds in disturbing the reader. How does the author achieve this?

The entire premise of the story could be considered disturbing, even though the ending is a positive one. For example, the two children in the story become refugees after their mother's murder. Naidoo delves into the brutal experience and all the emotions and fears that accompany it for the children. Her description of the shooting that resulted in the death of the children's mother is disturbing on its own, especially since it is told from...

The entire premise of the story could be considered disturbing, even though the ending is a positive one. For example, the two children in the story become refugees after their mother's murder. Naidoo delves into the brutal experience and all the emotions and fears that accompany it for the children. Her description of the shooting that resulted in the death of the children's mother is disturbing on its own, especially since it is told from the perspective of young children. Immediately after learning that their mother will die from her gunshot wound, Sade receives a vague threat over the phone, increasing the tension in the story and creating an atmosphere of disturbing suspense.

Another disturbing element is introduced to the story when the children are forced to flee Nigeria to escape their father's political enemies with a woman who is already flying to London. Naidoo describes their pain and fear of leaving their father with heart-wrenching depth, making the story both disturbing and poignant. Sade and her brother are later abandoned at a cafe in London and they face the disturbing reality of being cold and alone in a strange place. They are treated unkindly and with suspicion by the locals, and face the harsh reality of being refugees without parents to care for them. After being taken into the foster care system, the children are assigned a kind social worker, but they have a frightening experience when immigration services gets involved. Throughout their experiences in the foster care system and at a strange school, Naidoo effectively showcases the emotional turmoil the children go through.

Later, after the children are reunited with their father in jail, they learn that he has been falsely accused of their mother's murder by Nigerian leaders. Dealing with the death of one parent and the incarceration of another is difficult enough, but the false accusation introduces another disturbing element to the story. While the story comes to an uplifting resolution in the end, with the children being permanently reunited with their father, the trauma they go through in order to get to their happy ending is significant. The author uses the gradual buildup of these traumatic experiences to create a tense and disturbing atmosphere throughout the story. Naidoo also uses the juxtaposition of the children's innocence and their horrific circumstances to disturb the reader.

What factors led to the Commercial Revolution in Europe?

The 15th Century saw a renewed interest in trading in Europe. One of the primary reasons for this was the contact that the Europeans experienced with the East during the Holy Crusades. The Crusaders brought back food goods such as spices, coffee, tea, and rice that were immediately in high demand. Porcelain, silks and perfumes were also introduced and there was a high demand for those goods in Europe. This interest in goods from the...

The 15th Century saw a renewed interest in trading in Europe. One of the primary reasons for this was the contact that the Europeans experienced with the East during the Holy Crusades. The Crusaders brought back food goods such as spices, coffee, tea, and rice that were immediately in high demand. Porcelain, silks and perfumes were also introduced and there was a high demand for those goods in Europe. This interest in goods from the East motivated nations to explore trade routes to India. These routes led to the expansion of trade and conquest along the coast of Africa and into the New World. The colonial conquests of Britain, Spain, and Portugal increased the wealth of these imperial powers which further expanded trade in Europe. The continent was introduced to new goods from both the east and west. This early form of capitalism, which was called mercantilism, motivated nations to trade. A nation achieved its economic and political strength by gaining trade surpluses over its neighbors under mercantilism.

`int x^3e^x dx` Find the indefinite integral

To evaluate the integral:` int x^3e^x dx` , we may apply "integration by parts": `int u *dv = uv- int vdu` .

Let: `u= x^3` then `du = 3x^2 dx`

     ` dv = e^x dx`  then `v = int e^x dx = e^x` .

Apply the formula for integration by parts, we get:

`int x^3e^x dx = x^3 e^x - int 3x^2e^xdx` .

               ...

To evaluate the integral:` int x^3e^x dx` , we may apply "integration by parts": `int u *dv = uv- int vdu` .

Let: `u= x^3` then `du = 3x^2 dx`

     ` dv = e^x dx`  then `v = int e^x dx = e^x` .

Apply the formula for integration by parts, we get:

`int x^3e^x dx = x^3 e^x - int 3x^2e^xdx` .

                   `= x^3 e^x - 3 int x^2e^xdx.`

 To evaluate` int x^2 e^x dx` , we apply another set of integration by parts.

Let:    `u = x^2` then `du = 2x dx`

        `v=e^x dx` then `dv = e^x`

The integral becomes: 

`int x^2 e^x dx =x^2e^x - int 2xe^x dx`

Another set of integration by parts by letting:

`u = 2x` then `du =2dx`

`v=e^x dx` then `dv = e^x`

`int 2xe^x dx = 2xe^x - int 2e^x dx`

                    `= 2xe^x -2 e^x +C`

 Using `int 2xe^x dx =2xe^x - 2e^x +C` , we get:

`int x^2 e^x dx =x^2e^x - int 2xe^x dx`

                    `=x^2e^x - [2xe^x - 2e^x ]+C`

                    `=x^2e^x - 2xe^x + 2e^x +C`

Then,

 `int x^3e^x dx = x^3 e^x - 3 int x^2e^xdx` .

                      ` = x^3 e^x - 3 [x^2e^x - 2xe^x + 2e^x] +C`

                     `= x^3 e^x - 3x^2e^x +6xe^x -6 e^x +C`

What are some important details about Francis Cabot Lowell and Lucretia Mott? How were these figures involved in reform?

Francis Cabot Lowell was a Massachusetts-based businessman who developed the textile industry by creating and leading the Boston Manufacturing Company. The town of Lowell, which became the center of textile manufacture in the United States, is named after him. Lowell opened his first textile mill in 1814, at Waltham in Massachusetts, and he specifically targeted women in his recruitment campaigns. This is significant because it created economic opportunities for women at a time when they...

Francis Cabot Lowell was a Massachusetts-based businessman who developed the textile industry by creating and leading the Boston Manufacturing Company. The town of Lowell, which became the center of textile manufacture in the United States, is named after him. Lowell opened his first textile mill in 1814, at Waltham in Massachusetts, and he specifically targeted women in his recruitment campaigns. This is significant because it created economic opportunities for women at a time when they were generally dependent upon (and subservient to) their fathers and husbands. While Lowell paid these mill girls less than men, he also offered them a host of educational and religious opportunities, as a means of self-betterment. Lowell died three years later, in 1817. (See the first reference link for more information).

In contrast, Lucretia Mott was a Massachusetts-born Quaker who pioneered the abolition of slavery. Supported by her husband, James, Lucretia spoke at anti-slavery events across the United States throughout the 1820s and 1830s and was a founding member of the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society. She was also a delegate to the World Anti-Slavery Convention, held in London in 1840, but was only admitted as a visitor after the all-male panel refused to allow her attendance in such a capacity. This blatant sexism propelled Mott into the world of women's rights and, alongside Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Mott organized the first convention for women's rights which took place in Seneca Falls in 1848. According to American National Biography, Mott believed that giving women the right to vote was crucial in achieving equality and she actively encouraged the reform of laws to improve women's education, property access and admission into the professions. (See the second reference link provided). She died in 1880.

Wall St Journal, March 29, 2016 page A3, “Major Test of $15 Base Pay.” Questions: Who may be hurt by an increase to $15 in the minimum wage? If...

1. The attached article gives a fairly balanced view of the proposed increase of the minimum wage in California to $15/hr. It cites an economist, Michael Reich, as suggesting the minimum wage increase would have no negative effect, because the increase in wages would be paid for by increasing prices for consumers—in a small enough way not to be damaging for the consumer. However, the Congressional Budget Office believes that increasing the minimum wage could have...

1. The attached article gives a fairly balanced view of the proposed increase of the minimum wage in California to $15/hr. It cites an economist, Michael Reich, as suggesting the minimum wage increase would have no negative effect, because the increase in wages would be paid for by increasing prices for consumers—in a small enough way not to be damaging for the consumer. However, the Congressional Budget Office believes that increasing the minimum wage could have a negative effect on low-wage workers themselves, causing mass unemployment. The report found that "the least experienced, least skilled, and lowest-wage workers" would be most affected by hiring freezes. However, Democratic Governor Jerry Brown believes the pay rise must be implemented over a couple of years to prevent low-paid workers from being "left behind."  

2. The answer to this part of the question depends, to a certain extent, on your personal view towards the provision of welfare and social support. However, in this instance, the assumption is that the government's actions will have been the direct cause of job loss and unemployment: if a change in state legislation causes job losses and corporate bankruptcy, then it is arguably the direct responsibility of the state to ensure these people are still able to live. How the government could pay for this is a different matter—it could also be argued that it should not be the burden of the rest of "society," who did not vote to make the damaging changes, to support those who were affected by them. Perhaps the most reasonable option would be to pass a vote as to whether to make these changes. In that circumstance, if society votes for the changes, it too will be responsible for any negative consequences, and it might be better expected to pay for any ensuing damage from the poor decision.

`int (x^2-1)/(x^3+x) dx` Use partial fractions to find the indefinite integral

`int(x^2-1)/(x^3+x)dx`

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

Now let's create partial fraction template,

`(x^2-1)/(x(x^2+1))=A/x+(Bx+C)/(x^2+1)`

Multiply equation by the denominator,

`(x^2-1)=A(x^2+1)+(Bx+C)x`

`(x^2-1)=Ax^2+A+Bx^2+Cx`

`x^2-1=(A+B)x^2+Cx+A`

Comparing the coefficients of the like terms,

`A+B=1`  ----------------(1)

`C=0`

`A=-1`

Plug the value of A in equation 1,

`-1+B=1`

`B=2`

Plug in the values of A,B and C in the partial fraction template,

`(x^2-1)/(x(x^2+1))=-1/x+(2x)/(x^2+1)`

`int(x^2-1)/(x^3+x)dx=int(-1/x+(2x)/(x^2+1))dx`

Apply the sum rule,

`=int-1/xdx+int(2x)/(x^2+1)dx`

Take the constant out,

`=-1int1/xdx+2intx/(x^2+1)dx`

Now evaluate both the integrals separately,

`int1/xdx=ln|x|`

Now let's evaluate second integral,

...

`int(x^2-1)/(x^3+x)dx`

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

Now let's create partial fraction template,

`(x^2-1)/(x(x^2+1))=A/x+(Bx+C)/(x^2+1)`

Multiply equation by the denominator,

`(x^2-1)=A(x^2+1)+(Bx+C)x`

`(x^2-1)=Ax^2+A+Bx^2+Cx`

`x^2-1=(A+B)x^2+Cx+A`

Comparing the coefficients of the like terms,

`A+B=1`  ----------------(1)

`C=0`

`A=-1`

Plug the value of A in equation 1,

`-1+B=1`

`B=2`

Plug in the values of A,B and C in the partial fraction template,

`(x^2-1)/(x(x^2+1))=-1/x+(2x)/(x^2+1)`

`int(x^2-1)/(x^3+x)dx=int(-1/x+(2x)/(x^2+1))dx`

Apply the sum rule,

`=int-1/xdx+int(2x)/(x^2+1)dx`

Take the constant out,

`=-1int1/xdx+2intx/(x^2+1)dx`

Now evaluate both the integrals separately,

`int1/xdx=ln|x|`

Now let's evaluate second integral,

`intx/(x^2+1)dx`

Apply integral substitution: `u=x^2+1`

`du=2xdx`

`=int1/u(du)/2`

`=1/2int1/udu`

`=1/2ln|u|`

Substitute back `u=x^2+1`

`=1/2ln|x^2+1|`

`int(x^2-1)/(x^3+x)dx=-ln|x|+2(1/2ln|x^2+1|)`

Simplify and add a constant C to the solution,

`=-ln|x|+ln|x^2+1|+C`

`int_0^1 e^(-x^2) dx` Use a power series to approximate the value of the integral with an error of less than 0.0001.

From the table of power series, we have:

`e^x = sum_(n=0)^oo x^n/n! `

     `= 1+x+x^2/(2!)+x^3/(3!)+x^4/(4!)+x^5/(5!)+` ...

 To apply this on the given integral `int_0^1 e^(-x^2)dx` ,

we replace the "`x` " with "`-x^2` ".

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

          ` =sum_(n=0)^oo ((-1)^n*x^(2n))/(n!) `

          `= 1/(0!) -x^2/(1!)+x^4/(2!) - x^6/(3!) +x^8/4!-x^(10)/(5!)+x^(12)/(6!)` -...

          `= 1 -x^2 +x^4/2-x^6/6 +x^8/24-x^(10)/120+x^(12)/(6!)-` ...

The integral becomes:

`int_0^1...

From the table of power series, we have:

`e^x = sum_(n=0)^oo x^n/n! `

     `= 1+x+x^2/(2!)+x^3/(3!)+x^4/(4!)+x^5/(5!)+` ...

 To apply this on the given integral `int_0^1 e^(-x^2)dx` ,

we replace the "`x` " with "`-x^2` ".

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

          ` =sum_(n=0)^oo ((-1)^n*x^(2n))/(n!) `

          `= 1/(0!) -x^2/(1!)+x^4/(2!) - x^6/(3!) +x^8/4!-x^(10)/(5!)+x^(12)/(6!)` -...

          `= 1 -x^2 +x^4/2-x^6/6 +x^8/24-x^(10)/120+x^(12)/(6!)-` ...

The integral becomes:

`int_0^1 e^(-x^2)dx =int_0^1 [1 -x^2 +x^4/2-x^6/6 +x^8/24-x^(10)/120+x^(12)/720-...]dx`

To determine the indefinite integral, we integrate each term using Power Rule for integration: `int x^ndx =x^(n+1)/(n+1)` .

`int_0^1 [1 -x^2 +x^4/2-x^6/6 +x^8/24-x^(10)/120+x^(12)/720-...]dx`

`=[x-x^3/3 +x^5/(2*5)-x^7/(6*7) +x^9/(24*9)-x^(11)/(120*11)+x^(13)/(720*13)-...]|_0^1`

` =[x-x^3/3 +x^5/10-x^7/42+x^9/216-x^(11)/1320+x^(13)/9360-...]|_0^1`

Apply definite integral formula: `F(x)|_a^b = F(b) - F(a)` .

`F(1) = 1-1^3/3 +1^5/10-1^7/42+1^9/216-1^(11)/1320+1^(13)/9360-` ...

         `= 1 -1/3 +1/10-1/42 +1/216-1/1320+1/9360-` ...

`F(0) = 0-0^3/3 +0^5/10-0^7/42+0^9/216-0^(11)/1320+0^(13)/9360-` ...

          `= 0 -0 +0 -0 +0-0+0- ` ...      

All the terms are 0 then `F(0)= 0` .

We can stop at 7th term `(1/9360 ~~0.0001068)` since we only need error less than 0.0001.

Then,

 `F(1)-F(0)=[1 -1/3 +1/10-1/42 +1/216-1/1320+1/9360] -[0]`

                      `= 0.7468360343`

Thus, the approximation of the integral will be:

`int _0^1 e^(-x^2)dx ~~0.7468`

This week we learned about the elements of property crimes that the prosecutor must prove at trial. Based on the following fact patterns what would...

The first issue for both cases is that laws and terminology vary from state to state. Thus the answer will vary depending on the state in which it occurred. 

Case 1: The law distinguishes between trespass and burglary. To prosecute the man for home invasion or residential burglary, one would require evidence that the man had entered the home with the intent to commit burglary. Not only is there no evidence of intent of burglary but...

The first issue for both cases is that laws and terminology vary from state to state. Thus the answer will vary depending on the state in which it occurred. 

Case 1: The law distinguishes between trespass and burglary. To prosecute the man for home invasion or residential burglary, one would require evidence that the man had entered the home with the intent to commit burglary. Not only is there no evidence of intent of burglary but no burglary has occurred. Although there is evidence of trespassing, as no harm or intent to harm is evident, the man did not commit the crime of home invasion. Although there is an element of unlawful entry, there is not solid evidence for a charge of forced entry. Thus this seems a fairly straightforward case of trespass. Given the man's cooperation with the police the next morning, this might be a case where mediation or arbitration would be more appropriate than traditional litigation.

Case 2: In the second case, if one can prove that the man entered the home with the intent to steal money, then he can be prosecuted for home invasion burglary. If one cannot prove intent, but only the act of taking the money, the charge would be the lesser one of theft. The main issue here is ability to prove intent beyond reasonable doubt. If the man broke into the house, took the money, and left, one would have a good case for home invasion burglary, the more serious charge. On the other hand, if the man broke in, passed out, slept for several hours, and then spotted the purse on a table when he woke up, one would have weaker evidence of intent, and might be advised to settle for the lesser charges of trespassing and theft. 

What are quotes from Okonkwo that give readers insight into his personality in Things Fall Apart?

Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart centers on the strong traditional warrior Okonkwo as he adjusts to an evolving Umuofian landscape. Though Okonkwo is a man of relatively few words, the novel contains some key quotes that enable readers to get a better sense of the man who drives Achebe's classic tale. One notable quote occurs early in the text when Okonkwo asks Nwakibie for yams in a difficult harvest year:

I know what it is to ask a man to trust another with his yams, especially these days when young men are afraid of hard work. I am not afraid of work. . . I began to fend for myself at an age when most people still suck at their mothers' breasts. If you give me some yam seeds I shall not fail you (21).

Here, Okonkwo succinctly lays out the kind of man that he is. He is driven to succeed; he has had to work harder than many of his colleagues because his father's laziness held his family in poverty. This is an admirable trait that Okonkwo shows.

Okonkwo's intense fear of failure and being perceived as weak and "feminine" dominates his life. He works hard because he fears becoming his father. He defines masculinity in a toxic, rigid way. Indeed, his fear of being perceived as weak causes him to murder his adoptive son Ikemefuna. Okonkwo later questions why he is so shaken by his actions:

When did you become a shivering old woman. . . you, who are known in all the nine villages for your valor in war? How can a man who has killed five men in battle fall to pieces because he has added a boy to their number? Okonkwo, you have become a woman indeed (65).

These two quotes give readers piercing insight into Okonkwo as a character. His words allow us to see what he values and how his values are a double-edged sword.

How did loyalists react to the Navigation Acts?

The Navigation Acts refers to many different laws regarding trade with foreign merchants.  These laws were made by the British to prevent trade by nearby countries and to promote exclusivity.  The Navigation Acts were passed in the middle of the 17th century, and they were not reversed until the 19th century.  Those living in the Thirteen British Colonies were prohibited from trading with Dutch, French, or Spanish merchants according to the laws.

In 1764, the...

The Navigation Acts refers to many different laws regarding trade with foreign merchants.  These laws were made by the British to prevent trade by nearby countries and to promote exclusivity.  The Navigation Acts were passed in the middle of the 17th century, and they were not reversed until the 19th century.  Those living in the Thirteen British Colonies were prohibited from trading with Dutch, French, or Spanish merchants according to the laws.

In 1764, the Sugar Act was passed.  It was passed to enforce a tax on molasses.  It also required that some goods could only be sold to Britain.  The economy was weak in the Thirteen Colonies at the time, and the Sugar Act caused feelings of unrest.  Many colonists disagreed with the law.  Colonists who would later become Patriots were vocal protestors of the Sugar Act.  

The Sugar Act most directly impacted merchants and those who were traders on ships.  Many loyalists who worked in these industries disagreed with the Sugar Act.  Though they were loyal to the King, they did not agree with the law.  The loyalists, however, were less vocal protestors.

How do lord Capulet a moods change throughout the play and why?

Lord Capulet first appears in the play as a gracious and merry host at his own family masque. He encourages the men and women to take to the floor and even orders Tybalt to overlook the fact that Romeo, a Montague, is in attendance. When Tybalt still desires to challenge Romeo to a fight we get the first look at Capulet's temper, which seems to be sparked whenever his will is not obeyed. He shouts...

Lord Capulet first appears in the play as a gracious and merry host at his own family masque. He encourages the men and women to take to the floor and even orders Tybalt to overlook the fact that Romeo, a Montague, is in attendance. When Tybalt still desires to challenge Romeo to a fight we get the first look at Capulet's temper, which seems to be sparked whenever his will is not obeyed. He shouts at Tybalt, "Am I the master here, or you?" This foreshadows his violent reaction when he discovers that Juliet is refusing to marry Paris according to his wishes. This is embarrassing to him, since Paris is the kinsman of the Prince. But she remains obstinate, and he berates her, calling her a "disobedient wretch" and threatening to disown her is she refused to marry. By the end of the play, he, like Montague, is grief-stricken and remorseful as he discovers what has happened to his daughter. It is he who first reaches out to his counterpart in order to seek peace. The two men agree to abandon their old feud, and to build monuments to the youngsters. 

What are some quotes from A Magnificent Catastrophe?

This book is about the fateful election of 1800 between John Adams, a Federalist from Massachusetts, and Thomas Jefferson, a Democratic-Republican from Virginia. The election, referred to as the "Revolution of 1800," was a watershed election that resulted in the ascendancy of the Democratic-Republicans at the federal level and the eventual extinction of the Federalists. It also ushered in a partisan politics. Here are some telling quotes from the book:

• "Prior to the coming of...

This book is about the fateful election of 1800 between John Adams, a Federalist from Massachusetts, and Thomas Jefferson, a Democratic-Republican from Virginia. The election, referred to as the "Revolution of 1800," was a watershed election that resulted in the ascendancy of the Democratic-Republicans at the federal level and the eventual extinction of the Federalists. It also ushered in a partisan politics. Here are some telling quotes from the book:

• "Prior to the coming of the American Revolution, the northern and southern colonies might as well have occupied separate continents" (page 10). This quote speaks about the immense differences between the northern and southern regions of the United States and the differences between Adams and Jefferson. In part, these sectional differences played into the increasing rancor between the two political parties. 


• "They could write like angels and scheme like demons" (page 1). This is the opening quote of the book, and it establishes the rancor that sometimes characterized the actions of the Founding Fathers.


• "Federalists warned that with Jefferson at the helm, the United States would become like Revolutionary France, where Jacobins overthrew the civil order and Christian religion" (page 94). This quote is about one of the divisions between the parties. The Democratic-Republicans supported France, while Federalists supported England.


• "Some Republicans saw the result as a vindication of their principled stand against Federalist restrictions on civil liberties" (page 106). This quote is about the result of the election in New York. Democratic-Republicans criticized Adams for cracking down on civil liberties during the "Quasi-War" with France.


• "The product of urban politics and a full generation younger than Washington, Adams, and Jefferson, Burr could not keep himself out of sight or above the fray" (page 112). Burr represented a new, overtly political generation of politicians, which was different from his elders.

What is a summary of the comic book series Kill Shakespeare by Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col?

Kill Shakespeare is a 12-issue comic book series created by Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col with the purpose of helping a large audience better appreciate Shakespeare and to learn more about humanity through Shakespeare's characters.In the series, all of Shakespeare's characters live in a kingdom ruled by Shakespeare as their creator-god. Good and evil characters battle each other to obtain Shakespeare's "mythical quill," which, as Darwyn Cooke, author of the forward to...

Kill Shakespeare is a 12-issue comic book series created by Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col with the purpose of helping a large audience better appreciate Shakespeare and to learn more about humanity through Shakespeare's characters.

In the series, all of Shakespeare's characters live in a kingdom ruled by Shakespeare as their creator-god. Good and evil characters battle each other to obtain Shakespeare's "mythical quill," which, as Darwyn Cooke, author of the forward to the series, describes is "the source of all power and life."

The first novel opens with Hamlet having already killed Polonius and being shipped off to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Prior to boarding the ship, Hamlet is surrounded by a mist that tells him to kill his uncle, King Claudius. Thinking it is a second appearance of the spirit of his dead father, Hamlet begs for forgiveness and continues to wrestle with the choice between committing murder and pleasing his father. However, on board the ship, Hamlet is again approached by the mist, which calls Hamlet the "Shadow King" and says Hamlet will "pass into the forbidden place" and "tread upon the globe's floor." The ship is then attacked by pirates, and after escaping the ship, Hamlet wakes up in the bedroom of King Richard III. Richard asks Hamlet to steal Shakespeare's quill in exchange for Richard bringing King Hamlet back to life. And, so begins a journey involving Hamlet, Iago, Falstaff, Richard, and Macbeth to find Shakespeare. Along the way, as Hamlet becomes entangled in misadventures, he also encounters other Shakespearean characters, who all join the quest to rebel against Shakespeare.

From the story "The Drover's Wife" by Henry Lawson, briefly describe the incident with the snake. What are the main points?

Simply summarized, "The Drover's Wife" is the story of a mother's encounter with a snake in a remote part of Australia. The snake incident is the main event of the story. 

Here's a brief summary of the events of the plot, all of which revolve around the incident with the snake:

A snake slithers under the isolated house of a mother and her children. Because the house is roughly built, the woman fears that...

Simply summarized, "The Drover's Wife" is the story of a mother's encounter with a snake in a remote part of Australia. The snake incident is the main event of the story. 

Here's a brief summary of the events of the plot, all of which revolve around the incident with the snake:

A snake slithers under the isolated house of a mother and her children. Because the house is roughly built, the woman fears that the snake can travel from under the house into the rooms of the house through cracks in the floorboards. If it comes inside, it will bite her young children, which would probably kill them. The woman keeps watch all night for the snake. Near dawn, the snake finally shows itself. The woman and her dog attack the snake, killing it. She tosses its dead body on the fire. 

Timeline of Events

Another simple way to outline the events of the story is with a timeline:

• A large snake slithers under the house of a woman and her family.


• The house is built roughly, so a snake under the house could come into the house through cracks in the floorboards.


• The woman is worried the snake will come into the house at night and bite her children.


• The woman stays up all night watching for the snake.


• Finally, near dawn, the dog becomes excited because the snake has finally shown itself inside the house.


• The woman and her dog attack the snake and kill it.


• When the snake is dead, the woman tosses the body of the snake onto the kitchen fire.

Trace the obstacles faced by old Phoenix in the valley.

Phoenix Jackson faces a number of obstacles in the valley as she travels to the doctor's office to procure the medicine needed by her grandson. Before she even reaches the bottom of the big hill that always seems to want her to stay, her skirts catch in a thorny bush, and it seems as though "before she could pull them free in one place they were caught in another." 

Next, Phoenix comes to a creek,...

Phoenix Jackson faces a number of obstacles in the valley as she travels to the doctor's office to procure the medicine needed by her grandson. Before she even reaches the bottom of the big hill that always seems to want her to stay, her skirts catch in a thorny bush, and it seems as though "before she could pull them free in one place they were caught in another." 

Next, Phoenix comes to a creek, and she must walk across a log to reach the other side. She lifts up her skirts, closes her eyes, and walks across. After sitting for a short rest, she has to make her way through a barbwire fence. Phoenix, an old woman, must get down on her hands and knees and crawl like a baby in order to avoid getting her clothes or skin snagged in the barbs. After this, she has to walk through the old cotton fields and a field of dead corn; there is no longer a path for this part, and she refers to it as a maze. As she makes her way from the valley, even more things happen to delay her, but she continues her plodding way forward, letting her feet remember the way.

"We are creatures of outside influences; as a rule we do not think, we only imitate" - Mark Twain. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

In Corn-Pone Opinions, Mark Twain makes the comment “We are creatures of outside influences; as a rule, we do not think, we only imitate”. The statement highlights the issue of conformity, and how it dictates most aspects of human life. I think that this statement is partially, but not wholly true. Here is my argument.

“Outside influences” mentioned in the statement may refer to the environment in which we live. It is true that the...

In Corn-Pone Opinions, Mark Twain makes the comment “We are creatures of outside influences; as a rule, we do not think, we only imitate”. The statement highlights the issue of conformity, and how it dictates most aspects of human life. I think that this statement is partially, but not wholly true. Here is my argument.

“Outside influences” mentioned in the statement may refer to the environment in which we live. It is true that the environment does shape most things in our life, such as our identity and culture. Consider the example given by Twain in his essay, that “Mohammedans are Mohammedans because they are born and raised among that sect, not because they have thought it out, and so are Catholics, Catholics, and Presbyterians, Presbyterians”. Personally, I am a Christian because I was brought up by my parents in this particular sect. I grew up going to churches, and I have never had the occasion to say visit a mosque or a temple. Actually, the thought has never even occurred to me, perhaps because my mind is busy thinking through other more pressing issues. I would then want to propose that one reason why I may not have critically analyzed my religious inclination is that I lack the time to do so, or maybe, I am too lazy to dedicate time to thinking about this aspect of my life. After all, my parents already ‘helped’ me with making the “right” decision in this regard. This then brings me to Immanuel Kant’s assertion in the essay “What is Enlightenment” that, people are slow at engaging in self-thinking because there exist self-appointed guardians who are willing to think for them. He goes on to say that enlightenment is achieved when a person is able to analyze and understand events without the need for another’s guidance. I would then want to say that yes, humans are a product of their environment.

On the other hand, there are exceptional people, what Kant would classify as the “enlightened” people, who are a product of their thinking. Take for instance inventors, such as Chester Carlson. He invented electrophotography out of a motivation to make document reproduction easier at his place of work. This is a man who was not content with the way the environment worked and used this to change things in his life through an invention. Most inventions, be they in science, fashion, the arts or whatever field, come about as a result of individuals who decide not to conform to the environment, paving a new path for themselves.

Humans are thinking creatures – this is what differentiates them from other animals. Conformity happens when we choose not to think about our own unique ways of addressing a problem.

What are some quotes about the hands of the main characters in Of Mice and Men? Why are they important?

John Steinbeck does seem to spend a good deal of his narrative describing hands in his novella Of Mice and Men. The description of these hands seems to be a method of indirect characterization and a character's hands have much to do with their overall personalities. In Chapter One, in his physical description of George, Steinbeck notes that he has "small, strong hands." George's hands are those of an ordinary man who is both strong and capable. After all, George hopes one day to use his hands to build up his farm. In contrast to George's small hands are Lennie's "big paws." That his hands are linked to an animal symbolizes both Lennie's primitive nature but also his innocence and playfulness. Unfortunately, the strength of his hands prove fatal to mice, puppies and eventually Curley's wife. In Chapter One, Lennie's hands are both lethal and playful. He is carrying a mouse which he has probably killed with his hands, but he also uses his hands to make rings in the water:

Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water and wriggled his fingers so the water arose in little splashes; rings widened across the pool to the other side and came back again. Lennie watched them go. "Look George, look what I done."

Later in the novel, the brutal strength of Lennie's hands will be used to crush Curley's hand and to kill Curley's wife.

In Chapter Two, the reader is introduced to four characters and Steinbeck makes sure to mention their hands. Candy, the old swamper, is missing one of his hands ("stick-like wrist"), symbolizing not only that he is crippled but also that he is at the mercy of a society which has no room for those who cannot hold their own. The skinner Slim has "large and lean" hands that are "as delicate...as those of a temple dancer." Slim can use those hands to kill "a fly on the wheeler's butt with a bull whip without touching the mule." Slim is like royalty and his hands reveal a capable man who is not only strong but also sensitive.

Curley is described as a fighter who fought in the "Golden Gloves" and so has the hands of a boxer, both strong and skilled. According to Candy, on one hand Curley wears a glove with vaseline "for his wife." This symbolizes Curley's manhood and his sexual prowess. Later, his hand, and metaphorically his masculinity, will be crushed in the bunkhouse fight with Lennie. Curley's wife is described with "full, rouged lips" and her "fingernails were red." These characteristics enhance the girl's lurid sexuality. Later in Chapter Four she is portrayed as "rubbing the nails of one hand with the thumb and forefinger of the other" as if she is out to impress the men who have gathered in Crooks's room.

Finally, in Chapter Four, the black stable buck Crooks has a "pink palmed hand" as he rubs his back with liniment. This pink is usually concealed but the reader is witness to it in the beginning of the chapter when Crooks is alone in his room. He is described as "proud and aloof" and does not often reveal his true feelings to the world because he is segregated on a ranch which is predominantly white. When Crooks does let his guard down and offer to go to the dream farm with Candy and Lennie, he is quickly rebuked by the racism of Curley's wife.

What do the birds symbolize in "The Birds" by Daphne du Maurier?

In "The Birds," the birds symbolize the uninhibited and unbridled power of nature. This is shown most clearly in their violent and repeated attacks on humans. In one incident, the birds attack Nat Hocken's house in the middle of the night, and Nat is forced to fight them off using a blanket:

He felt the thud of bodies, heard the fluttering of wings, but they were not yet defeated, for again and again they...

In "The Birds," the birds symbolize the uninhibited and unbridled power of nature. This is shown most clearly in their violent and repeated attacks on humans. In one incident, the birds attack Nat Hocken's house in the middle of the night, and Nat is forced to fight them off using a blanket:

He felt the thud of bodies, heard the fluttering of wings, but they were not yet defeated, for again and again they returned to the assault, jabbing his hands, his head, the little stabbing beaks sharp as pointed forks.

What is most terrifying about these attacks is how sudden and unexpected they are. Moreover, the human population is completely incapable of fending off the birds. The BBC news broadcasts offer little in the way of practical advice, and the government appears to have no clear strategy. To exacerbate the problem, guns do not provide an effective defense against the birds, as we see through the tragic deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Trigg.

By employing this symbol, Du Maurier sends a very bleak reminder that nature can dominate humans (and their technology) very easily.

How does the mongoose show persistence in "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi"?

In the story “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi,” the mongoose after whom the story is named shows persistence in at least two places.  In both cases, he shows it as he protects “his” family from the cobras that want to kill them. 

In the first instance, Nag (the male cobra) wants to kill the man of the family in the house’s bathroom. The mongoose shows persistence by waiting patiently for Nag to go to sleep. The story says that...

In the story “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi,” the mongoose after whom the story is named shows persistence in at least two places.  In both cases, he shows it as he protects “his” family from the cobras that want to kill them. 

In the first instance, Nag (the male cobra) wants to kill the man of the family in the house’s bathroom. The mongoose shows persistence by waiting patiently for Nag to go to sleep. The story says that Rikki-Tikki “stayed still as death” for more than an hour before he struck and tried to kill the snake. Once he bit Nag, he showed persistence again. He held on as Nag whipped his head back and forth, battering him against walls and various other hard things. Rikki-Tikki “was dizzy, aching, and felt shaken to pieces” before the man came and shot Nag with a gun. This shows real persistence.

At the end of the story, the mongoose shows persistence again. He kills all but one of Nagaina’s eggs and brings the last one to distract her and prevent her from killing the young boy of the family. He dances around for a long time, avoiding her strikes. Then, when she grabs the egg and makes off, he chases her down. He knows that he has to kill her and the last egg so that there will be no more snakes to threaten the family. He follows Nagaina into her burrow (a very dangerous thing to do) and kills her. In both of these instances, Rikki-Tikki shows persistence because he refuses to give up until he has done everything he can to protect his people.

What is the summary of Part Two of Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie?

In Part Two of her novel , Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie introduces Obinze's perspective and begins to tell Ifemelu's life story. The section begins in Lagos, Nigeria, where Ifemelu’s ex-boyfriend Obinze receives the email Ifemelu sent him in Part I. Obinze, who is now married and a father, is flooded with old memories. Adichie then shifts her focus to Ifemelu’s past.

Ifemelu is born near Nsukka in Nigeria, where she and her parents live in...

In Part Two of her novel , Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie introduces Obinze's perspective and begins to tell Ifemelu's life story. The section begins in Lagos, Nigeria, where Ifemelu’s ex-boyfriend Obinze receives the email Ifemelu sent him in Part I. Obinze, who is now married and a father, is flooded with old memories. Adichie then shifts her focus to Ifemelu’s past.

Ifemelu is born near Nsukka in Nigeria, where she and her parents live in poverty after her father loses his job. Her mother, meanwhile, joins an evangelical Christian church and begins religiously fasting to the point of making herself ill. Ifemelu’s parents sometimes borrow money from her Aunty Uju, the mistress of a wealthy, important man called the General. As a teenager, Ifemelu meets and begins dating Obinze, who shares her studiousness and love of literature. Obinze originally intends to study at Ibadan University but enrolls at Nsukka University after his mother, who is a professor at Nsukka, falls ill. Ifemelu joins him, but a series of teacher strikes prompts her to transfer to a college in Philadelphia with her friend Ginika. She plans to reunite with Obinze after he obtains a visa. After graduating, Ifemelu moves to New York, where she has difficulty finding a job. She becomes so desperate that she sleeps with a tennis coach for $100, an incident that leaves her feeling so ashamed that she breaks off all contact with Obinze. Shortly afterward, things begin to improve: a woman named Kimberly hires Ifemelu as a nanny for her two children, and Aunty Uju—with whom Ifemelu stayed the summer before starting college—moves from New York to Massachusetts with her son, Dike, to work as a doctor. Ifemelu eventually starts dating Kimberly’s cousin Curt, who is white and well-connected. With Curt’s help, Ifemelu finds a public relations job in Baltimore. One day she runs into her old friend Kayode and learns that Kayode recently heard from Obinze, with whom Ifemelu hasn’t spoken since the incident with the tennis coach.

What are the themes of Lincoln in the Bardo?

George Saunders, known for his short stories, won the Man Booker Prize for his first novel, Lincoln in the Bardo. There are several themes to this ambitious work, but for our purposes here, we'll discuss a few of the principle ones: life and death, loss and grief, regret, familial love, and public versus private spheres.

First, the book is about life and death. Though Saunders' book is fictional, it's based, in part, on real-life events in...

George Saunders, known for his short stories, won the Man Booker Prize for his first novel, Lincoln in the Bardo. There are several themes to this ambitious work, but for our purposes here, we'll discuss a few of the principle ones: life and death, loss and grief, regret, familial love, and public versus private spheres.

First, the book is about life and death. Though Saunders' book is fictional, it's based, in part, on real-life events in the life of President Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln lost his eleven-year-old son, Willie, unexpectedly in 1862 after the boy fell ill with typhoid fever. His body was temporarily laid to rest at a nearby cemetery. Lincoln, according to historical texts, paid nighttime visits to the crypt so that he could grieve alone and hold his son's body.

It's important to define the word "bardo." It's a Tibetan Buddhist concept referring to a state of existence between death and rebirth. It's something like the Roman Catholic concept of purgatory. Immediately after Willie's death, it seems that he's trapped in the bardo; his father, when he comes to visit him there, also seems caught in an eerie space between life and death.

But they're not alone. In Saunders' story, the ghosts that Lincoln encounters in the crypt are all adrift in the bardo. They don't realize they're dead: they think that they're sick and will return to regular life. They talk about their personal regrets and the things they wanted to do but didn't. (Their discussion of regret reads almost like a cautionary tale to the living and is a major theme.)

Finally, the themes of familial love and the differences between public and private life are key to the book. Lincoln in the Bardo offers an intimate portrait of a public figure. We know Lincoln for his political achievements, but most don't know a lot about his role as a father and husband. This novel not only focuses on the deep love he felt for his son; it offers another perspective on a famous figure, showing him as a human being, father, and husband in addition to one of our nation's most influential presidents.

Please discuss the role Executive branch agencies of the federal government play in regulating business and industry, and then discuss the role...

The Warning, producer Michael Kirk's documentary on the failure of senior level economic officials to listen to prescient warnings about the dangers to the U.S. economy from an unregulated derivatives market, reaffirms the vital necessity of properly regulating complex financial arrangements and ensuring that government agencies responsible for regulating industries are performing their missions as required.

Having spent six years as a senior staffer on the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, I had an interesting perspective on the issue of regulation of business and industry. From that perspective, as well as from the vantage of other positions I held in the United States Congress, there was no question that Executive Branch agencies were frequently delinquent in their responsibilities for policing businesses. Their failure to do so can adversely affect the entire economy and/ or the nation's security. The Executive Branch of the federal government is responsible for regulating business when it is determined that such oversight is warranted. The financial services industry certainly qualifies for such scrutiny. As important, however, is the role of Congress in overseeing those federal agencies--a responsibility that also too often falls to the wayside. As depicted in The Warning, the derivatives market qualifies on both counts.

The U.S. economy, as in most countries, reflects the interactions of a myriad of variables, including the private sector, government, international developments, and more. One of the federal government's primary responsibilities, needless to say, is protecting the public it serves from criminal or potentially dangerous influences. The financial services industry is vital to the welfare of the entire country, and it is supposed to be regulated and, for the most part, it is. Financial experts are smart, though, and tend to be clever in their conceptualization of complex financial instruments that fall outside the boundaries of regulatory structures intended to protect the economy and the public from catastrophic failures. As the documentary illuminates, derivatives provided a classic example of such instruments that were little-understood and insufficiently regulated. Derivatives were not an unknown instrument; on the contrary, everybody who dealt with finances knew they existed, and many understood how they functioned. To most of the public, however, they were arcane business models that eluded easy comprehension. Still, their importance to the national and global economy cannot be overstated. According the Bank for International Settlements in Basel, Switzerland, the global value of over-the-counter derivatives at the end of 2007--the time frame in which the global economy melted-down--was around $15 trillion. That was, coincidentally, the size of the United States' gross domestic product that year. In short, the little-understood and little-regulated derivatives industry was a dagger pointing at the heart of the U.S. economy.

The Warning uses Brooksley Born as its principle protagonist. At the time, Born was the chairperson of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the federal regulatory agency responsible for the trade in commodities such as oil and gas--a pretty important responsibility for a relatively obscure agency. Born's warnings about the fragility of the derivatives market, went unheeded by the Federal Reserve, White House, Congress, and virtually every agency and department tasked with protecting the public from precisely the type of catastrophic development that occurred. This is where the regulatory role of Executive Branch agencies comes into play. Had those agencies responsible for regulating the financial services industry fully understood their responsibilities, there is a very good chance the crisis could have been averted, at least in part (the housing market played a large role in the crisis as well). Additionally, if Congressional committees, like the Senate Banking and Finance Committees and their counterparts in the House of Representatives (mainly the Financial Services Committee), had been doing their jobs and overseeing the Executive Branch regulatory agencies, then sufficient attention might have been focused on the derivatives market, and necessary laws and regulations could have been passed and implemented. Derivatives, however, were allowed to slip through the regulatory net.

A key problem, as Kirk's documentary further highlights, is the power of the financial services industry to lobby against regulations it believes will hinder its ability to function. Sometimes, those lobbying efforts are warranted; sometimes, they are not. Industry, especially financial services, want the minimum level of regulatory structure they can get, and it is, as noted, a powerful sector of the national economy. Not for nothing, in fact, have the chairmanships of key congressional committees been held by senators and congressmen from areas like New England. Connecticut in particular is home to a vast financial services sector. Industry should have a say when it comes to the regulatory environment in which it must operate, but it is incumbent upon its government overseers to ensure the regulatory structure is sufficiently robust to prevent major disruptions to the economy caused by malfeasance on the part of business. This is why relationships between business and government, in both the Executive and Legislative Branch, is so difficult to regulate.

The Warning provides the unique perspective of a key figure, Brooksley Born, who was able to analyze the derivatives market and assess its dangers to the national economy. That her warnings were ignored is not surprising, as intelligence failures have invariably resulted in nasty surprises for the nation. The failure of key officials to accept and act upon important information is the underlying cause of most man-made catastrophic developments. The case of the derivatives market was one such example, but it won't be the last.

What are the reasons behind each rule in The Giver?

The answer to this question could go two ways, so I'll attempt to answer both.

In general, the reasons behind each rule are the same. Rules are a very important part of the society in The Giver. To the members of the society, rules are good because they make life manageable. Everything is neat and orderly. The rules make life predictable and simple, which is what the people wanted when they adopted the Sameness. Of...

The answer to this question could go two ways, so I'll attempt to answer both.

In general, the reasons behind each rule are the same. Rules are a very important part of the society in The Giver. To the members of the society, rules are good because they make life manageable. Everything is neat and orderly. The rules make life predictable and simple, which is what the people wanted when they adopted the Sameness. Of course The Giver is a dystopian story. The society might like the rules, but readers come to see the rules as devices that take away any individuality and freedom of choice. No matter what the rule is, it still functions to limit a person, a family, and/or the society in some way.

The question might be asking for a brief explanation of each rule in the book. There are a lot of rules in Jonas's society, so here are a few rules with some possible explanations for why that particular rule exists.

• Families are limited to four people: a mother, father, son, and daughter. This rule serves two functions. First, it serves as population control. Two parents that eventually die are replaced by two children. The population size neither grows nor shrinks. Second, the rule ensures a gender-equal society. There should be the same number of men and women in the society.


• Fighting and lying are prohibited. This rule helps maintain peace and order.


• Strong feelings are not to be experienced. This helps maintain the Sameness.


• Modesty is to be maintained at all times. Nakedness is forbidden for everybody except the very young and very old. This rule is likely there to help control the Stirrings.


• Adolescents are required to report when the Stirrings begin and then take medication for it. This rule is tied to the rule about not being allowed to have strong feelings.


• Each family member must share his/her dreams in the morning and share their feelings in the evening. This rule sounds like it exists to encourage family bonding; however, it is more likely that the rule is there so each family can monitor whether or not any of its members are becoming abnormally emotional.


• Children's comfort objects are taken away at age 8. This is probably to help the child realize that they are getting closer to being a contributing member of society. This rule can be seen as a form of oppression: what the child wants or feels is irrelevant.


• Objects cannot be removed from designated areas. This rule sounds like it helps people not misplace or lose objects. On the surface, it seems like a simple, non-invasive rule. However, this rule also sounds like a rule that helps keep everything in its place. That's what all of these rules are geared to do: keep people in their place.

Please explain and analyze the poem "Barbie Doll" by Marge Piercy.

Marge Piercey's poem "Barbie Doll" is an indictment of the socially constructed values of beauty which are forced upon women from the time that they are young.

In the first stanza of the poem, we are introduced to the female character, the "girlchild," who is provided with stereotypically "feminine" toys which imply her inherited responsibilities as a future mother ("dolls that did pee-pee"), homemaker ("miniature GE stoves and irons"), and debutante presented for the visual...

Marge Piercey's poem "Barbie Doll" is an indictment of the socially constructed values of beauty which are forced upon women from the time that they are young.

In the first stanza of the poem, we are introduced to the female character, the "girlchild," who is provided with stereotypically "feminine" toys which imply her inherited responsibilities as a future mother ("dolls that did pee-pee"), homemaker ("miniature GE stoves and irons"), and debutante presented for the visual consumption of others ("wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy").

While the girl is able to survive this childhood and live into puberty, she is soon cut down by the cruelty of a classmate, who comments on her changing body: "You have a great big nose and fat legs."

This is a deeply ironic moment; although the girl has been pushed toward womanhood for the entirety of her life, she is greeted with objectification and disgust the very moment she arrives there. Despite her many wonderful qualities--her health, intelligence, strength, and appetites--all those who are framing her as an object can see are those physical features which they deem unsuitable. 

In the third stanza, the girl is now subjected to the advice of those who wish to shape her into a more easily digested being--a "beautiful" woman. They urge her to "exercise, diet, smile and wheedle," and thereby invert all of her natural qualities. The exhaustion of this playacting wears the girl down until she finally resorts to drastic measures: cutting off her nose and legs to please those around her. 

This, of course, results in the death of the girl. Yet, as she lays in her casket, painted with makeup by the undertaker, she has finally achieved what the rest of the world has desired for her: beauty. It was only in destroying her personhood--her life--that she was able to obtain the approval of others.

This is a disgusting reflection of the kind of subversive thinking that is socialized in young women; girls are brought up to believe that their sole value lies in their appearance and ability to perform as a "feminine" woman. Thus, the last two lines of the poem ("Consummation at last. / To every woman a happy ending.") are sarcastic ones, said with the knowledge that the social systems constructed around women are ones that profit off the death of their dignity. 

What is a plot diagram for the short story "The Sniper" by Liam O'Flaherty?

The setting of the short story "The Sniper" is the Irish Civil War, a conflict between the Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and the British security forces in Ireland. This war for Irish independence lasted over two years. Certainly, civil wars such as this one have sometimes pitted families against families, and brother against brother, and this is the case in Liam O'Flaherty's stunning short story.

Here is how the plot is arranged in "The Sniper" (the words in bold are the key points):

• Exposition/Introduction

There is very little exposition in this story. The reader simply reads that the city of Dublin, Ireland, "lay enveloped in darkness but for the dim light of the moon," and in the early morning the reports of machine guns and rifles are heard. On the top of the roof of some building near O'Connell Bridge lies a young man who is a Republican sniper; he is quietly watching and listening.

• Rising Action/Conflict

This Irish Republican sniper is engaged in war with those who support English rule in Ireland. After having a sandwich and a couple of swallows of whisky, the young soldier craves a cigarette. He debates whether he should light a match as the spark may be seen, but he gives in to his desire. When he does so, a bullet "whizzed" over his head. Quickly, he puts out the cigarette and tries to discover from where the bullet has come.

Then, this sniper sees that a woman on the street who stands by an armored vehicle points up to the roof where he is. A bullet tears into his arm, fracturing the bone. He knows that he must do something to flush out the sniper on the other building. So, he places his cap on the end of his rifle and waves it. Then, he lets his rifle drop so that the other sniper will think that he has fallen off the roof. His plan works because the other soldier stands and looks across as his head is "silhouetted against the sky."

The wounded sniper takes as steady an aim as he can.

His hand trembled with eagerness. Pressing his lips together, he took a deep breath through his nostrils and fired. He was almost deafened with the report and his arm shook with the recoil.... His enemy had been hit.

• Falling Action

The dying man doubles over and tumbles through the air and lands in the street with a dull thud. Watching this, the sniper loses the "lust of battle" and feels remorse.

He revolted from the sight of the shattered mass of his dead enemy. His teeth chattered, he began to gibber to himself, cursing the war, cursing himself, cursing everybody.

The sniper decides to meet with his company commander, so he climbs down from the top of the building.

• Resolution/Conclusion

Once in the street, the sniper feels a curiosity about the identity of the man he has shot. He risks going over to see him since the shooting is not near him. He dashes across the street.

A machine gun tore up the ground around him with a hail of bullets, but he escaped. He threw himself face downward beside the corpse.

When the machine gun stops, the sniper turns the body over and finds himself looking at the face of his own brother. 

What is radical, new, or innovative in D. F. McKenzie’s description of bibliography as "a sociology of texts"?

McKenzie opened up bibliography as a field by incorporating what he called the "social processes" of how texts are produced and disseminated. He argued that the way texts are produced and distributed—and which texts are printed and reprinted—documents larger changes in a society and that these texts, in turn, influence social change. He allowed the field of bibliography to open in new ways to encompass how economic, social, and political factors impact publishing and how publishing...

McKenzie opened up bibliography as a field by incorporating what he called the "social processes" of how texts are produced and disseminated. He argued that the way texts are produced and distributed—and which texts are printed and reprinted—documents larger changes in a society and that these texts, in turn, influence social change. He allowed the field of bibliography to open in new ways to encompass how economic, social, and political factors impact publishing and how publishing exerts an influence over them. 

McKenzie looked at how various social forces determined what format a book or text appeared in and how it was distributed through a culture. He studied why certain texts were written or produced, why they were rewritten and reproduced in particular ways, and why some books were allowed to quietly fade into obscurity. He was innovative in asserting that book publishing—and republishing—does not occur in a vacuum divorced from other cultural influences. It is not simply the "best" or the most marketable books that get printed or reprinted, but the books that reflect, reproduce, and reinforce certain perceived social needs. As a case in point, McKenzie examined how the production of two texts in New Zealand, the 1835 Declaration of Independence and 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, helped authorize the transfer of sovereign power from the Maori to the British. 

McKenzie was also an innovator in other forms of media; he integrated film, music, and video into the the field of bibliography.

How could judges be influenced by political pressure?

Judges can be influenced by political pressures because they occupy political positions. This is, perhaps, less true of justices in the federal court system, who enjoy lifetime appointments, but they receive these appointments from Presidents who share their ideological and political perspectives. Also, with the exception of the Supreme Court's nine justices, judges in the federal court system may have designs on promotion through the levels of the courts, so they might be inclined to...

Judges can be influenced by political pressures because they occupy political positions. This is, perhaps, less true of justices in the federal court system, who enjoy lifetime appointments, but they receive these appointments from Presidents who share their ideological and political perspectives. Also, with the exception of the Supreme Court's nine justices, judges in the federal court system may have designs on promotion through the levels of the courts, so they might be inclined to consider their own ambitions (which are closely related to political realities) when they make decisions. At the level of the states, many judges are popularly elected, so it is more obvious how they might be affected by politics in reaching their decisions. If judges reach decisions that run contrary to the views of the electorate, they might be voted out of office in their next election. As a result, judges who face reelection campaigns have an interest in keeping an eye on the political realities they face. For this reason, some have recommended lifetime terms for state judges, and a few states allow judges to have very long terms. Massachusetts and New Hampshire, for example, both allow judges to serve until the age of 70, and Rhode Island justices are appointed for life. 

In The Old Man and the Sea, Hemingway includes many references to baseball players and managers, particularly to the Yankee slugger Joe...

Today’s student is probably not familiar with the 1967 film “The Graduate.” The music for that film was written, as many know, by Paul Simon and performed by Simon and Garfunkel. One of the more memorable songs from the film is titled “Mrs. Robinson,” one of the film’s two key characters (a married middle-aged woman who seduces a younger man into an affair). Simon included in the lyrics to “Mrs. Robinson” a homage to the late baseball great Joe DiMaggio, centerfielder for the New York Yankees. DiMaggio took umbrage at the use of his name in the lines from the song, “Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio? Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you.” Later, Simon explained that the lyrics were intended to honor this revered athlete. In an interview, the songwriter/performer said,

In the 50's and 60's, it was fashionable to refer to baseball as a metaphor for America, and DiMaggio represented the values of that America: excellence and fulfillment of duty (he often played in pain), combined with a grace that implied a purity of spirit, an off-the-field dignity and a jealously guarded private life.

Baseball has been used as a metaphor for American greatness in many films, including “Field of Dreams.” Baseball is also extremely popular throughout the Western Hemisphere, including in many Caribbean islands like Cuba and Dominican Republic. It was common for Cubans (and Venezuelans, Hondurans, and so on) to avidly follow American baseball every summer.

This lengthy preface to the question regarding Santiago’s affinity for baseball and for Joe DiMaggio in Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea is offered to illuminate the depth to which baseball was absorbed into the psyche and culture of millions of Hispanics. Early in Hemingway’s novel, the titular “old man,” Santiago, is discussing fishing with Manolin, his young apprentice. As they discuss the day’s agenda, the subject of baseball and Santiago’s reverence for DiMaggio is on display. In the following passage, the boy is departing on an errand, but, before he leaves, he asks Santiago to talk about baseball when he returns. The “old man” immediately trumpets his beloved Yankees:

“When I come back you can tell me about the baseball.”

“The Yankees cannot lose.”

“But I fear the Indians of Cleveland.”

“Have faith in the Yankees my son. Think of the great DiMaggio.”

Later, after Manolin returns, he wastes no time asking for a conversation about baseball:

“Tell me about the baseball,” the boy asked him.

“In the American League it is the Yankees as I said,” the old man said happily.”

“They lost today,” the boy told him.

“That means nothing. The great DiMaggio is himself again.”

“They have other men on the team.”

“Naturally. But he makes the difference.”

. . .

“I would like to take the great DiMaggio fishing,” the old man said. “They say his father was a fisherman. Maybe he was as poor as we are and would understand.”

Joe DiMaggio, in stark contrast to many of today’s professional sports stars, was a model of quiet dignity and grace. He was also one of the greatest to ever play the game. If one loved baseball, as does the main protagonist in The Old Man and the Sea, then one must respect the New York Yankees. In the era in which Hemingway’s story takes place, respecting the Yankees means respecting DiMaggio.

Santiago is desperately poor. His pursuit of the marlin defines him. He views himself as similar to his idol DiMaggio in his own quiet dignity and in his pursuit of perfection. Manolin could enjoy greater success as an apprentice to other fishermen, but his love for Santiago keeps him loyal to the old man. Their conversations about baseball helps define their relationship. Baseball, as it often does (or did), serves as a metaphor for innocence and greatness—precisely the qualities the boy sees in the man.