In
playwright 's , the entrance of Blanche DuBois signifies the end of Stella
and Stanley's relationship as they have known it, and Belle Reve, the palatial southern estate
once owned by Blanche and Stella's family, looms like a dark cloud over the
proceedings.
As Williams's play opens, the viewer is given a quick glimpse
into the lives of Stanley Kowalski and his beautiful, pregnant wife Stella. We do not yet know
the details of these two characters' lives, and Stanley's playful toss of a package of raw meat
to his wife while on his way to the bowling alley indicates, along with the setting, that this
is a family of limited meansand equally limited expectations. With the arrival of Stella's
sister, Blanche, who has clearly come for an extended stay, the stability of Stanley and
Stella's world is upset, and the consequences will be tragic.
When Blanche
enters the scene, neither Stella nor Stanley is available, both being at the bowling alley, a
fact conveyed by the Kowalskis' neighbor Eunice. Eunice soon reveals that Blanche and Stella's
aristocratic roots are no secret:
EUNICE: She [Stella] showed me a picture of your home-place, the
plantation.BLANCHE: Belle Reve?
EUNICE: A great big place
with white columns.BLANCHE: Yes...
EUNICE: A place like
that must be awful hard to keep up.
With this opening
reference to Belle Reve, the scene is set for the gradual realization of the plantation's
significance to each of the play's three main characters. Blanche, it will be revealed, has lost
the estate due to financial difficulties that she initially blames on the costs associated with
her parents' funerals and the recurring expenses of maintaining the property. Only later, due in
no small part to Stanley's inquiries, is it made clear that Belle Reve's loss was due to
Blanche's alcoholism and a series of sexual improprieties--the exposure of which will help push
her over the psychological edge. For Blanche, Belle Reve will always serve as a reminder of her
aristocratic roots, but it will also serve as a constant source of friction between the two
sisters, evident when Blanche states to Stella, "You know I haven't put on one ounce in ten
years, Stella? I weigh what I weighed the summer you left Belle Reve. The summer Dad died and
you left us...." With this comment, Blanche is throwing in her sister's face the latter's
failure to remain in Mississippi and help out with the plantation. Belle Reve represents a past
to which Blanche wishes she could return.
For Stella, Belle Reve is a part of
the past that is subordinated to the sexual satisfaction she enjoys from her marriage to the
physically powerful and obviously virile Stanley. When Blanche informs Stella that she has
brought fine clothes with which to meet Stella's friends, it is even more clear that Stella has
left that part of her past behind: she replies that Stanley's friends are a little less than
sophisticated. And when Blanche informs Stella of the loss of Belle Reve, the former again
attempts to put the blame on the latter ("...you left! I stayed and struggled! You came to
New Orleans and looked out for yourself. I stayed at Belle Reve and tried to hold it
together!") to no avail. Stella is stunned by the revelation, but only because the loss of
the estate represents the finalto that part of her life.
For Stanley, Belle
Reve represents snobbishness that he is determined to bring down to his level. Stanley's first
reaction to the news of the plantation's loss is to inquire suspiciously of the details, as
though looking to secure a share of any proceeds from the estate's sale. His references to
"the Napoleanic code" according to which he would be entitled to a share of the
proceeds of the sale of property clearly indicate his motives in pressing Stella for details.
Stanley's pride in representing the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum is piqued with the
ammunition Blanche has brought him. He now has the opportunity to ensure that Blanche is aware
that the moral authority has shifted in his direction, and that the "treasures"
Blanche has stored in her trunk are indicative of the gulf separating these two families' roots,
whether the furs and jewelry are authentic or not: "The Kowalskis and the DuBois have
different notions."
From the opening of the play, a war has been fought
between Blanche and Stanley, with the former openly contemptuous of the latter's place on that
socioeconomic spectrum. Blanche looks down on Stanley, and Stanley is determined to level the
playing field, even if comes at the expense of his wife's relationship with her sister. Lest
there be any doubt about Stanley's reverse-snobbishness, observe in the following passage his
comments to Stella and how Belle Reve's loss fits neatly into his view of Stella's
background:
"When
we first met, me and you, you thought I was common. How right you was, baby. I was common as
dirt. You showed me the snapshot of the place with the columns. I pulled you down off them
columns and how you loved it, having them colored lights going! And wasn't we happy together,
wasn't it all okay till she showed here?"
Belle
Reve is not just the place from which Stella and Blanche entered the world; it is a symbol of a
past now long gone. For Stella, that's okay; for Blanche, it was the death of a dream. For
Stanley, it was the symbol of wealth and manners that it was his pleasure to help
destroy.
Sunday, 29 November 2015
What kinds of figurative language are used in the poem "Annabel Lee," by Edgar Allan Poe?
In Poe's
"," the author uses a great deal of figurative language. Figurative language is often
used in poetry. Figurative language, by definition, is not to be taken literally.
There are a great many examples of literary devices. For example,
note the use of repetition below, a device used many times in Poe's
poem:
She was a child and I was a
child... (7)
Literary devices dealing with sound are
easily recognized when the poem is read aloud. Refer to the stanza below:
It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the
sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of Annabel
Lee;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved
by me. (1-6)
End rhyme is
apparent in lines 2, 4 and 6 with the words "sea," "Lee" and "me."
Internal rhyme is found in the sixth stanza; note the use of
"beams" in the middle of the line that rhymes with "dreams" at the line's
end:
For the moon never beams without bringing me
dreams...
It occurs two lines later (using
"rise" and "eyes") with:
And the stars
never rise but I see the bright eyes
Assonance is found in line 5 with the words
"this," "lived" and "with." (The short "i" sound is the
same.) (the repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of a
group of words) is found with the repetition of the words "many" (in line 1) and
"loved" (in line 6).
In identifying figurative language, the reader
first recognizes the use of , used to create a picture in the reader's mind. Imagery is found,
for example, in .
Hyperbole is present in lines
11 and 12:
With a love that the winged seraphs of
heaven
Coveted her and me.
It can only be an exaggeration of the depth of their love to note that the angels covet
it, for there is no way to know this for certain; however, the speaker is using hyperbole to
show how deep and wonderful is the love the two share.
The reader sees it
again in the lines:
The angels, not half so happy in
heaven,
Went envying her and me
The lines above
almost seem paradoxical in their exaggeration. It is impossible, based upon our
definitions/perceptions of angels, to believe that angels would envy anything on earth when
compared to their heavenly existence. This is more evident in trying to conceptualize that the
angels would envy the love of humansespecially to the point that they would send a chilling wind
to kill the young womanan evil act.
First used in the late 16th Century,
"Once upon a time" has become a phrase generally associated with a fairytale. Often
this kind of story has mystical or magical elements (magic beans, a fairy godmother, etc.).
After using this introductory phrase, Poe continues establishing this mood with words such as
"kingdom" and "maiden," which are also associated with these kinds of tales.
Poe may well use this introduction to create a mood of something
supernatural, i.e., something beyond our natural world. However, unlike
most fairytales shared with youngsters before bedtime, this story goes beyond magical and
becomes haunting, with its sad ending at the loss of Annabel Lee.
If Annabel Lee has become one of Poes most popular poems, its popularity is probably
attributable to its haunting rhythm, its lulling repetition.
The lilting movement of the poem is yet another element of the poem that gives the
reader the sense of being in a fairytale. Except for theof the speaker's loss, this might well
serve as a bedtime story that would bring about easy sleep for the listener, as Poe creates a
haunting story, very much like a melody, using sound and imagery to capture the reader's
imagination.
The sound of the poem, then, is quiet,
rhythmic, hypnotic. It is this haunting sound, not the story itself, that causes most readers to
remember Annabel Lee.
Of the sounds and images
employed, perhaps the use of hyperbole is figurative language that most easily convinces the
reader that poetic license has been used in this poem. The presence of envious angels and
chilling winds that can be directed by one's will allow the reader to grasp that some elements
of the tale may be magical or like a fairytaleperhaps more so, giving us the feeling that the
love between the speaker and Annabel Lee was so amazing that the earth could not contain it, the
angels could not bear it and no one on earth (even those "older than we" or "far
wiser than we") could ever hope to experience anything like it.
Saturday, 28 November 2015
In 1984 what are the qualites that attract Winston to O'Brien and to Julia? Why?
The main,
defining quality that attractstoand tois his suspicion that they too, like himself, hate the
Party. He senses, based on looks from O'Brien, that O'Brien too hates the Party but cannot
speak openly about that. For this reason alone is Winston attracted to him; Winston is
desperate for validation of his own feelings of discontent, and miserable in his life. If there
is even one other person that feels the same way, then that is a bit of hope for him.
This same thing attracts him to Julia; she is obviously a rebel against the party, and
striving to make connections with people who feel the same way. It is her most attractive
feature, even though she is an attractive, young woman. He is most attracted to the fact that
she hates the Party, and is willing to rebel against it. In fact, when he learns that she has
been with multiple men in her life, this doesn't disgust or anger him, it makes her more
attractive, because, as he puts it,
"anything that
hinted at corruption always filled him with a wild hope."
Julia is also smart, well-versed in her opinions on the Party, and very coherent and
logical in dissecting the Party's motives. He learns a lot from her, and that is attractive
too.
The driving force behind Winston's attraction to these two key
characters is their united hatred for the Party, and their desire to live outside its
restrictive bonds. I hope that helped; good luck!
Why does Shelley use a frame story for Frankenstein, and what is the connection between Victor and Walton?
The
frame story serves to highlight the contrast between , the mad scientist, and normal, decent
society, as represented by . Though Walton has much in common with Frankenstein, as we shall
see, there's no way in a million years he would ever entertain the kind of deranged fantasies in
whichhas indulged. In that sense, Walton acts as a foil to Victor, and the use of a frame story
is an especially effective means of bringing out the personal characteristics that set him apart
from the crazed scientist.
The employment of a frame story also serves to
make Victor's actions and their disastrous consequences seem more real, less fantastical than
they otherwise would be were they to be related in a more conventional narrative
structure.
The main connection between Victor and Walton is that they are
both quite lonely souls, isolated from society by their singular personalities and their
single-minded pursuit of scientific truth. That is why they instantly connect...
What are examples of Greek values shown in Homer's epic, The Odyssey, and where are they found in the text?
There are
several Greek values shown in 's epic, .
First is the
custom of extending hospitality to a guest. This is a rule found in many ancient cultures (e.g.,
the Anglo Saxons, the Greeks, etc.) and passed down through the ages, and its importance is seen
in literature, e.g., Beowulf, Macbeth.
To the ancient Greeks, hospitality was a divine right. The host was
expected to make sure the needs of his guests were seen to.
One of the reasons that Macbeth's murder of Duncan was so shameful in Shakespeare's
Macbeth is because Duncan was enjoying Macbeth's hospitality, and so, too,
his protection.
The rules of hospitality also required certain behavior on
the part of the guest.
...guests also had
responsibilities, beyond reciprocating hospitality.
In
the story of Odysseus, the suitors break the rules of behavior expected of guests. They stay
much too long, imposing on Penelope, especially in that her husband is not there to force the
men to be respectful and take their leave....
Friday, 27 November 2015
Why are the other woman complaining about the work?
The
other women complain about the work in the factory mills because the work is dangerous. Bodily
injury from working the machines was not uncommon due to the number of moving parts in the
machines.
On top of that existing danger, men like Marsden see only potential
profits, and he cares very little for the well being of his workers. Part of the reason for that
is because so many girls are trying to get work that many of the girls are easily
replaced.
Whenstarts working in the factory, there is some complaining;
however, the women really start to voice their opinions after the speed up. Many of the girls
simply can't keep up with the increased pace, and injuries become more common. As the novel
progresses, Betsy actually goes so far as to compare factory girls to slaves in chapter 13.
Lyddie is adamant that she is not a slave because she is paid for her
work.
How could we analyse James Blunt's song "No Bravery?" What might be the themes and song-writing techniques used in it?
It is clear that this
song is designed to evoke the horrors of war by shocking the listeners into imagining the
pictures he sings about. Note too how the lyrics cut through popular impressions of war and
soldiers - there is now "no bravery", only "sadness". Apparently the war has
been so horrific that there is no room for thoughts of bravery or considerations of honour -
only sadness is the repeated refrain, emphasising the terror of war and the human cost. The
message seems to be let us learn from this horrendous chapter of human's history and let us not
repeat it.
What is a song with figurative language in it? What is a song with figurative language in it?
On a more
modern note, how about "The Reaper" sung by Blue Oyster Cult. The entire concept is
aof Death as the Grim Reaper. Other things are personified (brought to life), as well.
"Seasons don't fear the Reaper, nor do the wind and the sun and the rain. We can be like
they are." It's a rather depressing song, as it's essentially an invitation to die in a
suicide pact (like Romeo and Juliet, also mentioned in the song), but it does contain figurative
language.
Thursday, 26 November 2015
What does Goodman Browns decision to go into the forest suggest about his character? What does Goodman Browns decision to go into the forest...
Goodman Brown's
decision to go into the forest suggests that he does not really have a good understanding of
what it means to have faith. As he walks away from his wife, Faith, into the forest, he
thinks,
After this one night, I'll cling to her skirts and
follow her to Heaven.
However, this is not how faith
works. We do not pick and choose the moments when we want to live faithfully; we are supposed to
try to live faithfully all the time. Of course, we will make mistakes and commit sins because we
are human (and this is a typical Hawthorne theme), but we are not supposed to take time-outs
from...
In Walden, when are two times that Thoreau suggests people live too fast?
Thoreau writes that we
tend to behave
As if the main object were to talk fast and
not to talk sensibly. We are eager to tunnel under the Atlantic and bring the old world some
weeks nearer to the new; but perchance the first news that will leak through into the broad,
flapping American ear will be that the Princess Adelaide has the whooping cough. After all, the
man whose horse trots a mile in a minute does not carry the most important messages [. .
.].
Thoreau would rather have us focus on what we are
saying rather than the speed with which we are saying it. Why do things need to move faster? How
does this truly benefit us? We are in such a hurry to get where we are going and to say what we
are saying that we are not necessarily paying attention to the most important parts of life.
Moving fast does not mean that we are doing the...
What is the difference between strategic plan, tactical plan and operational plan? can you please give specific examples.
Strategic
plans, tactical plans, and operational plans all work together to move an organization forward.
The difference between them lies in the level of specificity and the level of management which
deals with them.
To provide specific examples for the purposes of this
question, I will consider the question from the point of view of an advertising
agency.
Strategic planning affects the whole company and is the
responsibility of top management. Strategic plans are broad and general and deal with the
mission of the company, as well as its future goals. So, for an advertising agency, a strategic
plan could be something like this: To gain new clients by providing innovative
service, having state-of-the-art technology at our disposal and staying on the cutting edge of
the industry.
Tactical planning relates to mid-level management
and offers specific actions as ways of working towards the strategic plan. These plans are less
general than strategic plans, but still do not include vast amounts...
In "A Rose for Emily," why does Emily kill Homer? In "A Rose for Emily," why does Emily kill Homer?
has a hard
time letting go of people she is close to. When her father died, she refused to admit he was
dead and kept people away from his body for three days. We're really can't say for certain that
she did kill . There's plenty of circumstantial evidence that would probably get her convicted
at trial. However, the narrator never comes right out and says that she poisoned him. The
narrator describes the body as having "once lain in the attitude of an embrace." Could
he have died of a heart attack? Regardless of how he died, by keeping the body, Emily can
continue to have a loved one close to her.
Wednesday, 25 November 2015
What is the effect Rev. Jonathon Edwards gives his audience?
The
highly-charged fire and brimstone sermon of Reverend Edwards strikes such fear into his audience
that many of the women cried and screamed; also, there were a number of terrified listeners who
actually fled from hearing more as they ran screaming out of the church.
" " is Edwards's most famous sermon. It was so highly charged and had such a
powerful effect that several times during this sermon, he had to stop and...
Tuesday, 24 November 2015
In 1984, why does the Party want power?
The key
scene, where we learn of the Party's true motivation, can be found in the third chapter of book
3. There we discover the true nihilistic calculus that drives the Party's policies of
suppression and domination.
Ultimately, the Party has no interest in
justifying its actions, nor does it see any need to. For , the party seeks to assert domination
over people simply because it can, and because it wishes to. This desire to dominate and
control: this is itself the motivation driving the Party to act as it does. This is an insight
which O'Brien expresses himself, when he tellsto "imagine a boot stamping on a human
faceforever." That image serves to express the true face of the Party (and more broadly
speaking, the nature of totalitarianism itself).
Monday, 23 November 2015
Calculate the expression: E=sin90*cos60-sin30+tg45*ctg135
E = sin90*cos60
- sin30 + tg45*ctg135
= 1 (1/2) -...
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME WRITE AN INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPH FOR THE ESSAY BELOW PLEASE? College is supposed to be one the best experience of our...
You have
some wonderful specifics in the body of your essay, where you provide concrete details about the
needs of the university. However, in your introduction, you fall back upon vague generalities
about how college is important. Apply to strategy to your introduction that you applied to your
body paragraphs. Rather than telling your audience college is important, include
something...
What is the purpose of the telescreen in the book 1984?
In 's
classic novel , the authoritarian government uses telescreens as a way to
closely monitor and spy on the citizens of Oceania. The government utilizes telescreens as a
means of constant surveillance and requires every citizen to have one in their home. A
telescreen is a device that functions as a television, microphone, and surveillance camera.and
the other citizens of Oceania listen to announcements/propaganda and take instructions from the
telescreen. They also have no idea of knowing whether or not government agents are spying on
them at any given moment, which dramatically affects their behavior, disposition, and
personality. Winston makes it a point to appear amicable and content anytime he faces the
telescreen and must pay close attention to what he says in its presence. Orwell created the
telescreen to illustrate how governments could use technology to oppress an entire population
and subject citizens to constant surveillance. Orwell's creation of the telescreen eerily
foreshadows many modern issues regarding internet privacy rights and the government's ability to
monitor citizens for national security purposes as discussed in the 2001 Patriot
Act.
In Book 9 of The Odyssey, why does Poseidon curse Odysseus for blinding his son, Polyphemus?
The Cyclops, Polyphemus,
was a bad host to Odysseus and his men. According to the ancient Greek rules concerning
hospitality, Polyphemus ought to have made them welcome and given them food and shelter and even
gifts. The ancient Greeks believed that Zeus protected all travelers, and so to honor them was
to honor him; likewise, to harm travelers was to dishonor him. When Polyphemus eats Odysseus's
men, arguing that he need not obey the gods because he is stronger than they, Odysseus is forced
to find a way to escape the monster. He even believes that Zeus would find his violent action
permissible given the circumstances. So, Odysseus and his men blind the Cyclops after getting
him quite drunk, and they make their clever escape tied to the bellies of sheep when the monster
rolls the stone away from the door to let his herds graze the next morning.
However, Odysseus had lied earlier about his name, telling Polyphemus that his name was
"Nobody" so that when other Cyclopes came to his aid, he could only tell them that
"Nobody" was hurting him. Once he has reached his ship and, he believes, safety, he
taunts the monster, telling Polyphemus his real name so that the monster will be able to tell
others who it was that bested him. The problem? This also allows Polyphemus to tell his powerful
father, Poseidon, god of the seas, who has harmed him, and since Odysseus must travel the seas
to get home, his pride is really responsible for making his journey longer and more difficult
than it otherwise would have been. Poseidon tries to exact revenge on Odysseus for blinding and
humiliating his son, Polyphemus, the Cyclops (who, frankly, sort of deserved it considering his
disregard for the rules of hospitality).
What are the strengths and weaknesses with sale orientation and marketing orientation?
Sales
orientation and product orientation are often
confused with each other. Sales orientation focuses on promoting
sales of a company's product or service through various methods, such as cold sales calling,
discount promotions and special marketing tactics designed to make quick sales. In contrast,
orientation focuses on producing a product that responds to shifts in
consumer demands, such as for grooming products without phthalates, or to improvements in the
product, such as improvements through technological advances as seen with Windows 10.
The greatest strength of a sales orientation
philosophy is the accumulation of immediate short-term sales and customers who
are presented the "best deal," as is familiar when buying an automobile. In contrast,
some strengths of the very different product orientation
philosophy are innovation and development of product
improvements.
Influence is important in
sales orientation. A company may promote a product in order to
create a demand for it. A convenient example is the auto industry where annual sales are regular
part of the sales orientation in that industry.
In contrast, innovation in
product orientation describes the introduction of a new product to
the marketplace, such as a holographic computer or new food product. Product orientation allows
creativity to flow from designers and inventors. Testing follows innovation in
product orientation and includes introducing an innovated product
to determine if the public will demand it.
One significant
weakness with sales orientation is
that this philosophy risks customer confidence and loyalty because often the focus is on
influencing or pressuring consumers into buying what they don't want. An example of this is
readily seen in the stocks and bonds industry where potential investors receive high-pressure
calls from brokers.
Other weaknesses in
sales orientation are cost and "backlash" reaction. Sales
costs are high to produce different campaigns in different media. Backlash refers to loss of
repeat or new customers due to mistakes in promotion approaches or resistance to the
product.
Market orientation also contrasts with
sales orientation. Market orientation focuses on identifying and
meeting the wants and needs of consumers. These wants and needs may be "hidden" or
"stated" needs, so identifying them can be as important as meeting them.
orientation philosophy is the most common orientation philosophy in business. Market
orientation has strength because the manufacturer is focused on
knowing and meeting the expectations of the consumer.
The biggest
strength in market orientation is that the consumer is the
motivating focus of this philosophical business orientation. Another
strength is that, since branding (brand planning and marketing) is
a significant element in market orientation, the company develops customer recognition,
confidence, trust and loyalty.
The most significant
weakness of market orientation is that it requires extensive
researching, planning and implementation, thus, a large budget and a large force of qualified
employees. This makes the totality of the market orientation a bit more difficult for small
businesses to develop.
Sunday, 22 November 2015
What gothic elements are present in "The Cask of Amontillado?"
Gothic
literature, also known as gothic fantasy or gothic horror, is an outgrowth of dark Romanticism
that developed in the late-eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The first use of the term in a
literary context was in 1764 in the title of Howard Walpole's novel The Castle of
Otranto: A Gothic Story. Other examples of nineteenth-century literature that were
considered Gothic included Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, The
Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, and
Dracula by Bram Stoker.
One of the first American
writers to employ Gothic elements was Washington Irving in his...
How does "The Scarlet Letter" relate to American history? How does "The Scarlet Letter" relate to American history?
The
austere Puritan community in Boston, Massachusetts during the 16th and 17th centuries is
depicted throughout Hawthorne's novel, . Puritans were essentially
religious fanatics, who established a theocracy and held a strict interpretation of the Bible.
The Puritan community in North America focused on conformity, humility, hard work, and religious
observance. A citizen's reputation was significant throughout the Puritan community, where a
person's personal life was virtually non-existent and sins were publicly announced.
In the novel,is forced to wear a scarlet letter, which represents her sin of adultery.
In the Puritan era, adultery was not only viewed as a sin, but it was also considered a crime.
Hester Prynne is forced to wear her badge of shame for life and is considered an outcast in the
community. Initially, the Puritans treat Hester with contempt for her sin, which prevents her
from developing meaningful relationships with other citizens....
For the poem "House of Changes," written by Jeni Couzyn, what is the meaning of the metaphor in the first stanza?
Thefound in the first line drives the extended metaphors in the rest of the poem:
"My Body is a wide house."
The speaker separates her voice (or
voices), which is recognizable in various personas throughout the poem from her actual
"Body." She capitalizes the word Body in the first line as a
proper noun. Together with the word house also found in that line, the
body has aof reverence and respect. Her body is worth honoring, yet it does
not capture her soul. That is found in the various voices that live within her.
The speaker asserts that the depths of her being do not rest on just being one woman.
Life demands that she play various roles in her life, and in each of these, she is prepared to
bring the needed tools to succeed. At times, she is Vulnerable, carefully painting her face and
making sure her hair is silken. At other times, she must be Mindful, constantly assessing debts
and distributing exam papers. She must also be Commendable, making sure her house is clean
and...
Saturday, 21 November 2015
What are the main points of Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond?
Diamonds book is meant to answer a simple question put to him by a politician from
Papua New Guinea: given than Europeans and New Guineans are equally smart, why is it that
Europeans have so much more stuff? Diamonds answer avoids the commonplace assertions about
culture or race (for instance, that science did not rise in China because Confucianism did not
value scientific inquiry) and instead focuses on geography and environment as determining
factors.
For Diamond, the rise of technologically sophisticated
civilizations in Eurasia can be traced to conditions that made the evolution of...
Friday, 20 November 2015
In what ways is Dante's trip to hell an allegory?
Dante's Inferno is an ,
which means it is a work that operates on both a literal and a symbolic level at once.
Take the firstof Inferno, for example. Dante wakes to find himself
in the "dark wood of error." His character is literally in a forest that has a path
(the "straight path") and a hill in the distance. On the symbolic level, the forest
represents a life of sin, while the path represents a path of redemption that takes the contrite
and forgiven sinner to heaven (the hill). In this canto, Dante is also ambushed by three beasts,
which represent temptations like greed, anger, and lust. He finds that he cannot continue on the
path while those beasts are in his way; this symbolizes how Dante does not feel able to overcome
his temptations yet. Luckily for him, Virgil appears and offers to take Dante on a journey
through all of the circles of hell as an alternate way to purgatory and then to
heaven.
During the journey, Dante witnesses the symbolic punishments of a
variety of sinners. For example, the sinners who are in the second circle, for "the
carnal," are swept up in a whirlwind for all eternity, like they were swept up in their
emotions during their lives. Each circle of hell punishes the sinners therein in appropriate
ways that reflect the sins for which they are being eternally damned. At the end of
Inferno, Dante climbs onto Virgil's back and together they literally
surmount Satan himself. The symbolism here is clear: Dante must overcome the most evil being of
all to move away from a life of sin.
Thursday, 19 November 2015
Select one of the causes you listed and explain how it contributed to the French Revolution.
Without
seeing your list, it is hard to select a particular cause of the French Revolution to explain.
However, let's briefly look at some of the major causes of this historic event.
Extreme Social Inequality
Before the
Revolution, France was divided into three Estates. The first two consisted of the clergy and the
nobility which had all the power and paid no taxes. However, the First and Second Estate
consisted of only two percent of the country's population. The vast majority, the Third Estate,
had few rights, no access to positions of political power, and were subjected to frequent abuse.
Such a system in which the majority are treated this way has proven untenable many times
throughout history. It should come as no surprise that the Third Estate unified to overthrow the
power structure that had subjugated them for so long.
Famine
A series of poor harvests
throughout the 1780s brought France to the brink of famine and mass starvation. The peasants,
who did all the farming but were still forced to feed the First and Second Estates, were hungry
and desperate. To make matters worse, the price of grain was skyrocketing due to recent changes
in the regulation of the market. Few French peasants could afford the limited supplies of food
available. In many ways, it was this desperation that drove them to revolt.
Royal Excess
Despite the extreme plight
of the peasantry, the nobility and monarchy appeared unconcerned. For generations, they built
lavish palaces across France and flaunted their wealth. Not only did this highlight the economic
chasm that existed between them and the peasantry, but it was also extremely wasteful. Fully
aware that there was enough wealth in the country to feed and care for the entire populace, the
Third Estate became fed up with the excessive and wasteful spending of the monarchy and rose in
revolt.
New Enlightened Ideas
This was also a time of revolutionary thinking. The century leading up to the French
Revolution gave birth to the ideas of Enlightenment philosophers. This intellectual movement
stressed the rights of the citizen and the consideration of the true source of political
legitimacy. Many of these thinkers, such as John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, questioned
whether class divisions were a natural and just way to organize and rule a society. Nations,
they argued, should be made up of free people whose government is committed to protecting their
natural rights. The United States had recently won a revolution and established itself along
these ideals. This was a huge inspiration to many of the revolutionaries of
France.
Wednesday, 18 November 2015
What is Steinbeck trying to say about human nature in Of Mice and Men?
Different
characters inOf Mice and Menreact to the harsh lifestyle of the itinerant worker in different
ways. Curley, compensating for his small stature and harsh job, acts braver and stronger than he
is. Slim seems adept at this life and is therefore able to contain Curley. Slim is also
thoughtful. He understands 's sadness whenis dead. Crooks realizes that even on the ranch,
removed from mainstream American society, racism still exists. He reacts to this discrimination
by keeping to himself. Candy, even though he's quite old, or perhaps because he's quite old and
desperate, is inspired by George and Lennie's dream of owning a farm and asks to be a part of
it. Prior to this, Candy's main companion and distraction from the reality of his harsh life was
his dog. With the dog gone, he needs some other crutch or some other idea to take his mind off
of the job.
George and Lennie feel that they are different than all these
other itinerant workers but they also represent this class of people. In , George explains this
to Lennie.
Guys like us, that work on the ranches, are the
loneliest guys in the world. They got no fambly. They don't belong no place.
With us it ain't like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a
damn about us.
This is a Naturalist or Social Realist
novella. That is, it depicts the social and economic forces acting on human beings. The novella
does call attention to the social and economic hardships of these workers during this period of
American history. The novella also shows how humans react in the face of adversity.
Each character reacts differently. Lennie is simple and the dream of the farm is more
than enough to keep him going from job to job. George is frustrated but generous with Lennie.
George also believes in the dream of the farm or at least tries to believe in it, for his sake
and for Lennie's. For George, Lennie is a friend but also a burden. He uses the dream,
impossible as it might seem, to keep his and Lennie's spirits up. With respect to human nature,
one conclusion is that humans find ways of dealing with harsh lifestyles. Human beings'
resiliency is admirable and can be tragic, considering the obstacles they might face. Some, like
Curley, react by becoming insecure and defensive. Some, like George and Lennie, dream of
something better even if they know, deep down, that it is virtually
impossible.
What are the characteristics of Victorian poetry?
The term
Victorian poetry refers to poetry written primarily during 1832€“1901, most of which was
during Queen Victorias reign. Victorian poems utilize , relying on the senses to get the poets
message across. The poets naturally depict a great deal of emotion and passion about their
subjects. Poets were interested in Medieval legends, which frequently became their topics of
discussion. The Victorian poets also show the struggle between religion and science, often
revealing their own skeptical feelings about the Church in opposition to the theory of
evolution. This type of poetry is known as being realistic, rather than showing an idealistic,
perfect world which cannot truly exist.
Realistic themes were important to
Victorian poets. For instance, Elizabeth Barrett Browning frequently wrote of womens role in
society. Her epic Aurora Leigh tells the story of a woman fighting to be accepted as a female
poet. She says My soul/ Let go conventions and sprang up...
Tuesday, 17 November 2015
What are the characteristics of African American literature from the period 1865-1912? What was this period's concerns?
The voices
that emerged after emancipation in 1863 and the end of the Civil War in 1865 concerned
themselves more specifically with capturing and developing a black aesthetic
tradition.
Initially, the poetry that develops is specific to the folk
traditions that were shared among black people during slavery (this genre is best captured in
the poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar and Fenton Johnson).
The short stories,
particularly those of Charles Chestnutt and Pauline Hopkins, used the domesticconventions of
nineteenth-century Victorian novelsthat is, they relied on sentimentalismto discuss the
difficulties of black people (usually, black people of mixed race who were light enough to pass)
in transitioning from the slave system to a post-Reconstruction society that would soon lead to
a system of segregation.
The themes of African American literature during
this period dealt with issues of identity and how to belong to a society that routinely
dehumanized and rejected black people....
Monday, 16 November 2015
What figure of speech is utilized by Edwards when he says "there are the black clouds of god's wrath now hanging directly over your heads?"
' sermon
'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God' was first heard in 1741. Known in U.S. history as
"The Great Awakening', it was a time when some Calvinist ministers felt that the
Calvinist doctrine of predestination was being questioned, challenged, or just plain ignored. It
was the lax of religious dedication among Calvinists' that Edwards responded to in his sermon.
There is no doubt that hisutilized the power of . The sermon is full of fire and brimstone
directed to everyone as a reminder of the consequences, but especially to those
Calvinists' who had 'lost their way'. The quote you refer to sent a clear message by Edwards to
those who sought to look elsewhere for spiritual peace. Look no further, God is just waiting to
lash out. Repent your idol ways or else pay the price. Damned to hell for all
eternity.
The Open Window Setting
The
setting is the living room of a big country manor house. The reader may never have seen such a
house, but they are frequently shown in movies, notably in adaptations of Sherlock Holmes
stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Characteristically, the males who live in these upper-class
homes like to hunt fowl and small game. They are stereotypical English country gentlemen. The
owners of these houses are usually owners of the surrounding land and derive their incomes from
rents paid by tenant farmers. The female occupants have liittle to do, since there are always
plenty of servants indoors and ourdoors. The women and girls lead sheltered domestic lives. They
wear long dresses with plenty of cumbersome undergarments. Their constricting clothing prevents
them from enjoying much activity, which is probably the intention. They read, play music, sing,
and engage in conversations. A visitor is a welcome change in their routines, as is the visit of
Framton Nuttel in "." His tormentor Vera probably would be less mischievous if she had
more to do with her time. Boys typically are sent off to school, but girls are typically kept at
home. Vera and Framton make good contrasting characters because they are so different in so many
respects. She is comfortable in the setting because she lives there, while he is uncomfortable
because he is a total stranger and has to force himself to present his letter of
introduction.had to invent a reason for Framton, a total stranger, to be
there.
Sunday, 15 November 2015
In Never Let Me Go, how does Ishiguro use Tommy to explore his ideas about love and loss?
One way
that Ishiguro is able to use Tommy to explore ideas of love and loss is in how Tommy strives to
find hope in both.
Ishiguro constructs Tommy as highly optimistic. He
strives for the confirmation that everything is going to be ok. This can be seen early on in
the story when he talks about how he felt after speaking with Miss Lucy: "Well... The thing
is, it might sound strange. It did to me at first. What she said was that if I didnt want to be
creative, if I really didnt feel like it, that was perfectly all right. Nothing wrong with it,
she said." It is clear that Tommy seeks hope. Part of the reason why he has his temper
tantrums and "short fuse" is because he wants everything to be fine. As a result, he
can be easily baited.
Tommy is not emotionally distant from restoration. His
natural response to hurt is to find hope. Whether it was in proving his artistic capacity or
appealing for a deferral because he is in love with Kathy, he displays optimism. Even if his
desire for hope might cause greater challenge, Tommy never loses it. Ishiguro might be
suggesting that the only potential way to deal with the harrowing conditions of love and loss is
holding onto hope and never letting go.
What is the plot of Hush by Jacqueline Woodson?
tells the story of an
African-American family that is placed in the witness protection program. It is narrated by
Evie, a thirteen-year-old girl who lives with her parents and older sister. As the novel opens,
the family is dealing with accepting their new lives and identities.
As Evie
narrates, we learn through flashbacks that her original name was Toswiah. She used to have a
good life in Denver, Colorado, where her father was a police officer in the mostly white city.
Toswiahs father witnessed two white cops gun down an African teenager who was unarmed. He was
pressured into lying about what happened, but he ultimately decided to testify against the cops.
This act put his family into the witness protection program.
Toswiah, who is
now known as Evie, and her family leave behind their identity and everything they know as they
move to an unknown town in the Northeast. Evie turns to running to help her cope, while her
mother turns to religion. Her older sister focuses heavily on her schoolwork and is accepted
into college early. Evies father spends his days staring out the window in a depressed
state.
Theof the story occurs when Evies father unsuccessfully attempts
suicide. He is taken to a mental health facility, where he is able to start acting like himself
again. This restores faith in Evie that their family will be okay and able to move
forward.
Saturday, 14 November 2015
Is Jonathan Edwards sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God effective? What is its purpose? How does Edwards achieve in his purpose?
In
preaching his legendary sermon Edwards wanted to put the fear of God into his audience. He
fervently believed that far too many Americans were becoming lax in their moral standards. What
they needed was a good old-fashioned dose of hellfire and brimstone to shake them up a bit, to
make them change their ways.
Just about everyone at that time believed in the
literal existence of Hell; that it was a fiery pit of torment, of endless screaming, wailing,
and gnashing of teeth. Most people also liked to believe that they were part of God's elect,
those who would be saved from the flames of Hell and ascend to Heaven instead. But they couldn't
be sure. So they spent a lot of time worrying about whether they had indeed been saved. Edwards
plays upon this fear in his sermon, warning his audience of the terrible fate that awaits them
if they should fail to heed his words and repent of their sins.
In immediate
terms, Edwards' sermon was devastatingly effective, with many of his audience actually fainting
in terror. It also proved its worth in the long-term, helping to facilitate the spread of the
national religious revival known as the Great Awakening.
Friday, 13 November 2015
How are Max and Kevin similar and different ?
I
believe that you are referring to Max Kane and Kevin (Freak) from Philbrick's book "Freak
the Mighty."
One similarity between the two boys is that they are both
judged by their outer appearance. Max is a big kid. Really big, but that's not the main
physical characteristic. Max looks just like his dad . . . the dad that murdered his mother.
Everywhere Max goes he feels people making that comparison. Freak is also judged by his looks.
He's freakishly small. Like 3 feet tall and has to walk around on crutches. Despite people's
best intentions, it would be almost impossible to not make a snap judgment about Freak based on
that. Max even does it. His initial description of him is a "crippled-up yellow haired
midget."
On a "deeper" level, both Max and Kevin are broken
characters. Kevin has serious health issues and eventually dies because of them. Max is broken
on an emotional/psychological level. He witnessed his father kill his mother, and Max has
retreated from everything since then. He distances himself from family. He has no real friends
(except Freak). He's dead on the inside for quite a bit in the novel.
As
for their differences. That's a bit easier. Freak is tiny; Max is huge. Freak is crazy smart.
Smart on the level of genius. Max isn't that smart and knows it about himself. He calls
himself dumb and brainless on more than one occasion. That's surface level stuff though. The
real difference between Kevin and Max though is their outlook on life. Kevin may be dying, but
he loves life. He has an attitude of carpe diem (seize the day) about everything. He's always
making up some cool adventure for him and Max, and he does it whether or not Max is in the mood
or not. Without Freak, Max would almost never leave the underground he calls home. Max wants
to distance himself from everyone and everything, and if it was up to Max, he'd probably never
go out.
What's wrong with Tom Robinson's arm in To Kill A Mockingbird?
During the
trial, the sheriff, Heck Tate, testified that Mayella was beaten basically on her right side.
This indicated, even to , a girl of nine, that someone who was left-handed would have done that
kind of damage. Whenproves that Bob Ewell is left-handed, Scout says,
"Atticus was trying to show, it seemed to me, that Mr. Ewell
could have beaten up Mayella.....If her right eye was blacked and she was beaten mostly on the
right side of the face, it would tend to show that a left-handed person did it." (pg
178)
However, at that point in time, she thought that
maybe Tom Robinson was left-handed. That is until Atticus asked Tom to stand up. Scout noticed
that something was definitely different about Tom Robinson physically, he seemed off
balance.
"His left arm was fully twelve inches
shorter than his right, and hung dead at his side. It ended in a small shriveled hand and from
as far away as the balcony I could see that it was no use to him." (pg 186)
Tom Robinson has no use of his left hand. Atticus was tryingto show
that Tom could not have done the damage to Mayella's face. also noted the crippled condition of
Tom's arm. Reverend Sykes, who had snuck the children into the balcony to watch the
proceedings, explained that
"He got it caught in a
cotton gin, caught it in Mr. Dolphin Raymond's cotton gin when he was a boy....like to bled to
death....tore all the muscles loose from his bones." (pg 186)
The point is emphasized again when Tom is called to testify and tries to take the oath
on the Bible. He has to lift his left hand with his right one, and then it won't stay in
place. Finally the judge tells him to just take the oath and not worry about placing his hand
on the Bible.
How did Greek geography help Greece in the Persian wars?
As
the fifth century B.C. opened, the Persian Empire was moving westward in a quest to consolidate
control over the whole of the Near East. Then, in 499 B.C., reacting against the demand for
taxes and tribute, the Greek city of Miletus rose up against Persian rule. This revolt spread
from Miletus to the other parts of Ionia. Athens sent a naval force from across the Aegean Sea
and led a small force that took the Persian provincial capital of Sardis in the same
year.
In order to gain vengeance against Athens, the Persians, who lacked a
substantial navy, would themselves have to cross the Aegean Sea. In 491 B.C., the Persian
emperor Darius sent envoys to Athens, demanding its submission to Persian rule. The Athenians
not only rejected Darius's offer but also killed the envoys. The Persian army landed at Marathon
in 490 B.C., where the Athenians waited five days to engage the Persian forces for fear of being
outflanked by the Persian force. There are different theories as to why the...
Thursday, 12 November 2015
What is the difference between a beneficial and an adverse supply shock? Macroeconomics
A supply
shock is a sudden change in supply that causes the equilibrium price and quantity of a good or
service to change. An adverse supply shock is one that causes supply to go down. This
is...
When the narrator opens the door and looks out in "The Raven," he half expects to find what?
When he
hears a "rapping, rapping" at his chamber door, the narrator says he thinks it is
"nothing more" than a visitor. However, as he stands in his room listening to what he
calls "the fantastic terrors," such as the rustling of his curtains, he begins to feel
afraid. The second time he says it is nothing more than a visitor, he sounds like he is trying
to convince himself that there is nothing behind the door that can hurt him. He doesn't say what
he expects, but when he opens the door to reveal nothing but darkness, he calls out the name
""the woman whose death the narrator seems to be mourning.
Later in
the poem, the narrator asks the raven whether he will be reunited with Lenore in
heaven.
Please explain the following from Miller's Death of a Salesman: "You can't eat the orange and throw the peel away. A man is not a piece of fruit."...
I'll take a
couple:
"you can't eat the orange and throw the peel away. A man is not
a piece of fruit.-WILLY"
This is one of the most telling quotes in the
play. Willy lives in the past, where relationships meant something in the workplace. In the
modern "people eat people" (I never understood why dogs get blammed for our behaviors)
world, you can take the best from someone (the fruit), and throw away what remains when it is no
longer of any use to you. Willy wants another world, in fact he "lives" in that other
world.
"after all the highways, and the trains,and the years, you end
upworth more dead than alive."-WILLY
Willy wants to leave something for
his sons; he thinks they'll be able to get ahead if they have some "seed" money, so he
comes to think that if they can collect on his insurance policy after he kills himself, he will
be "worth" more to them than he is alive. This is a sad commentary for two reasons.
No one is worth more dead than alive, and they probably won't be able to collect on the
insurance policy anyway since insurance policies usually don't cover suicides (thus the reason
for the comments on some of Willie's earlier "accidents.")
"he
had the wrong dreams. All, all wrong."-BIFF
This could be. Willy was
never a great salesman; he just managed to scratch out a living. We know that Willy was great
with his hands and that he enjoyed building things and growing things. Might he have been
happier working in these fields? Who knows. If we knew at the end of our lives what we know
earlier, all decisions would be easier.
Good luck with
the rest of your questions.
Recall a challenge Beowulf faced that did not directly involve a monstrous enemy. How did this event, presented as part of the linear narrative or...
The epic tale of Beowulf recounts the creation and development of a hero.
Beowulf would be a far less inspiring figure if he started out good and just stayed that way or
never had temptations thrown into his path to resist. The most important monsters he must face
are those he finds within. He is a great leader as well as a great warrior because power does
not ruin him with the evils of greed.
Beowulf benefits from the counsel of
Hrothgar, who cautions him about the damaging nature of tyranny not only to those under its yoke
but to the one abusing his role. When he returns victorious to Heartland, Beowulf could become
king and rest on his laurels. Believing he deserves the throne is a flaw of pride, which he
successfully sets aside. He does become king only after Higlac and Heredred both have passed
on.
As King Beowulf prepares for what proves to be his last battle, against
the fearsome dragon, he faces two related challenges. One is his pride and the other is his
awareness of his declining prowess as a warrior. On the one hand, he wants to fulfill his duties
and inspire his people's confidence in him: he takes pride in being the mighty warrior. On the
other hand, to be a truly good king means being realistic. He is getting old and is not as
strong as he used to be.
He must use his intellect and his accumulated wisdom
to resolve these last challenges. One way he does so is by accepting the limits of his
mortality. He is a man so his body does age and weaken, and he must devise adequate protection
against the dragon. He must also reconcile his mortality with his courage: he will fight bravely
but this time understanding that losing, if it brings death, is no
dishonor.
The audience of Tennysons Ulysses seems to change in each stanza. Why is this so?
I'm not
convinced that the audience of Tennyson's "" does change from stanza to stanza, merely
that the focus of the poem shifts.
The poem is a dramatic, spoken in the
voice of Odysseus (Tennyson uses the Latin form "Ulysses") long after the time period
of Homer's "Odyssey", when Odysseus, now an old man, has returned home to Ithaca and
grown old. He is bored and restless, comparing...
What are examples of indirect and direct characterization of Jem Finch?
characterizesas an intelligent young man who matures throughout the book .
Jems personality comes through not only in his words and actions but also in how others see
him.
By the end of the novel, Jem no longer sees events and people as a young
child would; he sees truth about his hometown and the people he has grown up with. For instance,
Jem understands what is happening at Toms trial, and he recognizes the danger thatfaces in
defending Tom. He tells his sister hes scared about Atticus. Somebody might hurt him. It is a
hard truth to accept that some of Maycombs citizens might turn against Atticus and his
family.
Jem is revealed to be a compassionate and caring young man who does
not merely accept the status quo. He cries after he hears the verdict of the trial, saying, It
aint right. He understands what the verdict means for Tom and his family, who will have to
survive without him. Jem questions the morality of the situation and wonders why the jury
decided on a death sentence. Jem brings up the injustice of the court system and promises to do
the right thingto fight injusticewhen he grows up.
He proves to be quite
reliable and motivated as well. For instance, when he does not qualify for the football team
because he is too thin and too young, Jem carries water for the team members. He approaches his
job enthusiastically and spends a lot of time with the team. Jem knows that no job is too small
and that everyone matters. He knows that hard work is noticed and that, eventually, it will pay
off.
Jem protects others and acts in a mature fashion. We see this when he is
walking his sister home after the play and he does not want to alarm her that someone is
following them. Jem is worried, but he pretends that their friend is playing a joke on them. He
remains calm so thatwill not panic. Jem also acts maturely when Dill runs away. He does not hide
Dill but instead lets Atticus know so that they can contact Dills mother. He faces a difficult
decision, knowing that his sister and his friend will be angry, but he knows what the right
thing to do is.
Others see Jem in a positive light. No matter what happens,
Scout respects and loves her brother. She might become upset with him at times, but ultimately,
she knows he is growing up and that he cares about her. Dill also looks up to Jem as an older
brother. Atticus respects Jems words and engages in conversations with him on legal and moral
subjects. Overall, Jem is painted as a good, strong individual who deserves
respect.
Tuesday, 10 November 2015
What is the main conflict of "Marriage Is a Private Affair"?
The
primary conflict concerns Nnaemeka's struggle against his father's will and the traditional Igbo
marriage custom, which prohibits him from marrying the love of his life, Nene. Nnaemeka embraces
the modern concept of love and willingly disobeys the traditional Igbo marriage custom by
proposing to Nene without his father's consent. Nnaemeka foregoes the traditional Igbo marriage
custom, which requires his father to choose his bride. Nnaemeka's father, Okeke, is portrayed as
a staunch traditionalist and arrogant man, who disowns his son after he discovers that Nnaemeka
has married Nene. For many years, Okeke refuses to acknowledge his son's marriage and shuns him
for life. Nnaemeka's decision to marry Nene is initially met with skepticism, but the Igbo
members living in Lagos eventually accept them. Despite Okeke's proud demeanor and refusal to
acknowledge his son's marriage, he receives a letter from Nene regarding his grandchildren and
begins to entertain the idea of making amends with his son.
What is the mood in "The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe?
The prevailing mood in "" byis one of unease and, later, disgust. Even at the
beginning of Poe's story when the narrator is detailing his happy life and hasn't committed any
violent acts, Poe shows that there's something rotten simmering under the surface. When the
reader begins to understand what that narrator has done, disgust joins unease in creating the
mood of the story.
Poe sets the scene by having the narrator address the
audience before beginning his tale. He says that "Tomorrow I die, and today I would
unburden my soul" which already shows that something is wrong; either the narrator has
committed a terrible...
What are some quotes from Lord of the Flies that best demonstrate Ralph's abilities as an order-seeking leader?
By
chapter 2,is establishing himself as a leader when some members of the group become worried
about the "beastie." First, Ralph assures the group that "we shall be
rescued," and this immediately lifts the spirits of the group with the "weight of
Ralph's new authority." He goes on to explain to them:
My father's in the Navy. He said there aren't any unknown islands left. He says the
Queen has a big room full of maps and all the islands in the world are drawn there ... And
sooner or later a ship will put in here ... So you see, sooner or later, we shall be
rescued.
Ralph speaks with authority, and the group
listens. With the help of a couple of supportive and fairly wise (for their ages) voices, he
begins to develop plans to sustain the group on the island, prioritizing shelter and
fire:
We can help them to find us. If a ship comes near
the island they may not notice us. So we must make smoke on top of the mountain. We must make a
fire.
This immediately motivates the boys, and quickly
"half the boys were on their feet." This quote both shows that Ralph can effectively
lead the group into action and that he understands the ultimate priority:
getting rescued. He is not lost in the fantasies of make-believe that some of the boys become
focused on.
Later, Ralph andgo with some of the older boys to try to find the
beast. While out exploring, some of Jack's group gets off task with exploring a rocky cliff and
even suggest moving camp to this area. It is Ralph's voice of reason that once again leads the
group back to an organized and sensible plan:
There's no
food here ... and no shelter. Not much fresh water. I say we'll go on! We've got to make
certain.
Ralph both stays focused on the primary needs of
the group without becoming distracted by Jack's primal needs for lawlessness
and remains focused on the most important goals of the momentthis time, to
determine where the beast is and what exactly they are up against.
In many
situations (though not all), Ralph proves his ability to lead the group with organization and
with clear thinking.
What were the typical methods of progressive reformers? (US history: era of progressive reform 1890-1920.)
The
progressive movement was born out of the emerging middle class in America. Reform by definition
is to make something better. In this case rais the quality of life for many Americans. The
industrial Revolution in America was met face to face with a seemingly endless suply of
unskilled laborers in the form of immigrants. Essentially those who were lowest on the economic
scale were pushed upward because of the influx of immigrants. The new middle class people who
didn't have to work seven days a...
Why did Roger try to steal Mrs. Jones's purse in "Thank You, M'am" by Langston Hughes?
Roger claims that the
immediate reason for which he tried to steal Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones's purse is that
he wanted to buy himself a pair of blue suede shoes. However, she quickly ascertains the larger
issues that affect Roger's behavior. She says to him,
You
ought to be my son. I would teach you right from wrong. Least I can do right now is to wash your
face. Are you hungry?
Although the boy replies in the
negative, she makes Roger wash his face (giving him a clean towel and warm water with which to
do it), and she asks him again if he has had his dinner. Tellingly, he replies that there is
"'nobody home'" at his house. She tells him, then, that they are going to eat, no
longer offering him a chance to respond because, as she says,
I believe you're hungryor been hungryto try to snatch my pocketbook.
In other words, Mrs. Jones believes that Roger
really tried to steal her purse...
Monday, 9 November 2015
Between acts 1 and 2, identify two character traits for Hamlet. Provide a quote to support each. Identify one trait as described by other characters...
has been described by various scholars as melancholy, bitter, brooding, cynical, indecisive,
judgmental, harsh, dark, impulsive, and suicidal. Instead of trying to characterizein the most
theatrical, sensational, and dramatic frames of reference, let's look at Hamlet as a real person
caught up in extraordinary circumstancescircumstances that might easily overwhelm any of
us if we found ourselves in Hamlet's place.
Hamlet might
well have been moping around the castle dressed in black, but does that necessarily make him
"melancholy"?
QUEEN: Good Hamlet, cast thy
nighted colour off . . . (1.2.70)
We learn that Hamlet is
still wearing black mourning clothes, while everybody else is dressed up like they just came
from a wedding.
QUEEN: . . . Do not for ever with thy
vailed lids
Seek for thy noble father in the dust . . . (1.2.72€“73)
Hamlet was walking around with his head down. So what? Maybe he
was just thinking. Maybe he was thinking about his dead father. Maybe he was
thinking...
Sunday, 8 November 2015
How does Kazuo Ishiguro use the character Tommy to explore ideas about being an outsider in the novel Never Let Me Go?
From the
beginning of the novel, Tommy is a character who is out of step with his Hailsham peers. In the
early pages of the book, Ishiguro uses the character of Tommy to illustrate two ways a young
person can interpret the experience of being an outsider.
Tommy is a boy who
feels his emotions deeply, and the others treat his outbursts as commonplace and amusing. From a
young age, Tommy is taunted and baited by the other boys, and most of the girls find his
humiliation entertaining. Though he is known to be a sensitive soul, prone to temper tantrums
since he was very small, he is considered to be the source of his own problems, which is a
common interpretation of negative situations many outsiders face even today. This comment on the
state of being an outsider is the first one Ishiguro makes through the character of Tommy: to be
an outsider is to be vulnerable and worse, to be subject of blame by the mainstream party as
the...
In The Scarlet Letter, what was an example of Hester Prynne's penance?
does penance for her
sin by simply remaining in the colony in the first place. She could simply leave, go home or go
elsewhere in the colonies, and begin life anew with her daughter, but she chooses to
remain.
Here, she said to herself, had been the scene of
her guilt, and here should be the scene of her earthly punishment; and so perchance, the torture
of her daily shame would at length purge her soul, and work out another purity than that which
she had lost; more saint-like, because the result of martyrdom.
Hester hopes that, by remaining in Boston, the process of atonement through the torture
of her shame and public punishment and humiliation will be more complete, so she will acquire a
certain kind of purity as a result. She's conscious it is her choice to stay, and she does so
with intention and purpose. She feels her daily shame in this place will eventually wipe clean
the sin from her soul, and though she can never be innocent of sin again, her choice to remain
will bring her a different kind of clarity and goodness.
Saturday, 7 November 2015
Why is Santiago suspicious of the old fortune teller?
Santiago
has heard all kinds of nasty rumors about gypsiesabout how they cheat people, how they kidnap
children, and how they worship the devil. It's all nonsense, of course, but that kind of
prejudice against gypsies wasand to some extent, still iswidely held. Nevertheless, Santiago
puts aside his prejudices and seeks out the gypsy fortune-teller, because he needs to interpret
his dream.
Unfortunately, the fortune-teller is not much help. She pretty
much tells him what he already knows: that his dream is the same as his Personal Legend. But he
still doesn't know what it all means; he was kind of hoping that the fortune-teller would be
able to tell him. In her defense, the old gypsy argues that the simplest things in life are
always the most difficult to interpret. It takes wisdom and experience to understand simplicity,
and only Santiago can do that for himself, on his forthcoming journey to the
pyramids.
Friday, 6 November 2015
Explain the different reactions of Ruth and Walter to Mama's announcement that she has bought a house in A Raisin in the Sun.
This
important part of the play comes at the end of Act Two Scene 1 and we can clearly see the
various hopes of dreams of theinvolved. For , the news that Mama has bought a house for them all
comes as a godsend. Note the way she responds:
HALLELUJAH! AND GOOD-BYE
MISERY... I DON'T EVER WANT TO SEE YOUR UGLY FACE AGAIN!
For her, their present abode is a source of oppression for them and is a great stress. It is
infested with cockroaches and there is not enough room for them all. Especially...
Thursday, 5 November 2015
What are some major themes of The Bronze Bow?
The most
important theme is that of forgiveness and love. Daniel is entirely ruled by his emotions and
his need for revenge; he is driven by anger and not thinking about the larger consequences of
his actions. For example, when he and Rosh's bandits attack Roman forces, the Romans take it out
on the villagers because they cannot find Rosh and his people. Over the course of the novel,
both through his friendship with Joel and Thacia and through the teachings of the...
What does the young hunter imply when he says to Phoenix Jackson: "I know you old colored people! wouldnt miss goin to town to see Santa Claus!" How...
This is a
contemptuous dismissal of Phoenix and of all African-Americans. It suggests that they wouldn't
miss a spectacle, and/ora chance to see something impressive...
Wednesday, 4 November 2015
Contrast the claims of Big Brother concerning the standard of living in Oceania with Winston Smith's actual observations in 1984.
's world
is aof the abundance and prosperity trumpeted daily, hourly from every telescreen. Under Big
Brother's beneficent rule, so the Party proclaims, all comrades each year have more and
better. But, in reality, it is less and worse, a fact Winston knows but cannot prove. London,
his home and the capital of Airstrip One, is a vast crumbling ruin, daily pummeled by
rocket...
In the Broadway musical The Phantom Of The Opera, why does Christine die? Why does the Phantom let Christine and Raoul go in his lair? Does Meg Giry...
That's a lot of
questions--I'll try my best to help!
First of all, Christine doesn't die in
either the musical or the book. (She does meet her end in Love Never Dies, Andrew Lloyd
Webber's sequel to Phantom that has no basis in Leroux's original work, but that musical was
widely panned.) I don't believe the musical explains what happens to Christine and Raoul after
they leave the Phantom's lair, but in the book, they leave Paris. Leroux presumes they've
stolen away and gotten married.
The Phantom ultimately lets Christine and
Raoul leave his lair because Christine shows him compassion, the first time he's been on the
receiving end of any kindness at all. She also kisses him, which almost certainly contributes
to his more charitable mood, but in the end it's Christine's kindness that enables him to find
that scrap of kindness in himself.
As for the question of the Giry women and
the Phantom... given that Meg leads the angry mob to search for the Phantom after Christine's
kidnapping, I find it a little hard to believe she would have secretly fallen in love with him,
though it's worth mentioning that the comic strip Little Meg envisions a world in which a
considerably younger Meg has an almost Calvin-and-Hobbes-like rapport with the Phantom. You
raise a good point regarding Mme. Giry; her history with the Phantom is an invention of the
musical and wasn't in the original book, so that would seem to lay some groundwork for future
romance. Ultimately, though, this story is very much in the Gothic tradition, and one hallmark
of Gothic stories is the innocent, virtuous heroine to whom many unimaginable, horrible things
happen. Christine fits that mold to a T--she's na¯ve enough to believe in the Angel of Music,
she's very young, and she's presented as the virginal counterpart to Carlotta, to say nothing
of her manipulation and kidnapping at the hands of the Phantom. Mme. Giry, on the other hand,
is considerably older and also a mother. In many ways, the Phantom is preying on Christine, and
she's simply far more attractive prey than Mme. Giry.
Monday, 2 November 2015
"""Time is important in roundabout production but not in direct production." Is this statement true or false? Explain. Why does the demand curve for...""
The supply
and demand curves for loanable funds slope in the way that they do for the same reason that all
supply and demand curves slope in those ways. This is because the people who are buying and
selling loanable funds want to make the best possible deal for themselves.
To understand why these curves are sloped as they are, simply look at the labels for the axes.
The x-axis is the quantity of loanable funds while the...
How did Europeans change the Americas?
The Americas
have been drastically changed through colonization and conquest by European peoples, but I will
do my best to address this widespread and complex transformation.
Before the
arrival of Europeans in the 15th and 16th centuries, First Nations peoples throughout the
Americas had a subsistence lifestyle primarily composed of hunting, gathering, and small-scale
farming. They practiced their indigenous faiths, experienced a diversity of linguistic and
material culture, and while most were rather egalitarian, some were heavily stratified and were
lead by god-kings. Though sometimes at the whim of nature, they had successful economies and
produced rich material culture, some of which survives today.
When European
explorers and colonialists journeyed to the Americas, they captured many slaves, forced
conversions, and killed First Nations people through violence and disease. Indigenous life-ways
were almost entirely eradicated. The land which First Nations people lived on was taken as
property by Europeans and cultivated for the purpose of exporting resources. The Europeans
believed that it was their duty to "civilize" and shepherd the indigenous populations
of the New World so that they could be saved in heaven after death. This religious ideology was
used to promote the economic exploitation of land and people in the Americas, including people
captured in Africa and transported as a source of labor.
The colonization of
the Americas has almost entirely eliminated the culture, language, and people who are native to
these places. European culture and people were transplanted to effectively replace the
indigenous cultures. A great diversity of blended cultures exist today, many with influence from
the First Nations populations who once lived on the same land. Though the Americas have been
developed into many beautiful and thriving societies, it cannot make up for the genocide which
began over five hundred years ago. The diversity which once existed was quickly replaced by a
rather small selection of European (primarily Italian, Iberian, and English) culture, language,
religion, and industry.
What arguments can be raised regarding whether Abraham Lincoln should have been impeached for his actions during the Civil War?
Basically,
the issue here concerns whether the things that Lincoln did were justified by the fact that
there was a war going on. There were a number of things that Lincoln did that would surely have
been impeachable offenses if there had not been a war but which were arguably permissible and
justifiable because of the emergency.
Lincoln did many things that were
either clearly outside of his legal powers or at least possibly outside of those powers. He
arrested pro-slavery leaders in Maryland to prevent the state from joining the Confederacy. He
suspended the writ of habeas corpus and persisted in that action even after the Chief Justice of
the Supreme Court had ruled that this was illegal. He unilaterally took various actions
regarding the military, such as instituting a naval blockade and enlarging the army, that were
not supposed to be done without Congressional approval. It is certainly possible to argue that
Lincoln could have been impeached for any of these actions.
On the other
hand, Lincoln was governing in the middle of a war. Furthermore, it was a civil war where many
in his own country might be more likely to side with the enemy than would be the case in a war
like WWII. You can argue that such extreme circumstances make it permissible for a president to
take extreme actions than at other times.