Many critics and teachers believe that Beowulf contains themes that are relevant to modern life.

Since this is a statement, not a question, I am not sure
what information you need, but I'll attempt to answer based on what I see in the text.
Beowulf does contain universal themes that are still relevant
today. One of the key things Beowulf examines is the idea of
fellowship and loyalty to one's friends. It also deals with honor and keeping promises
in that Beowulf has come to a strange land with the express purpose of helping a group
of people that are not even from his own country. It looks at the importance of kinship
and the effect that has on one's actions.

Another relevant
themes that Beowulf explores is the idea of greed and its
consequences, partcularly through the story of the dragon and the treasure. I'm sure you
can find other themes that are also relevant, but these are some of the main
ones.

If the half life of C-14 is 5730 years, what is the radio-carbon estimate of the age of a fragment that has 21% the C-14 of the atmosphere it was in?

Radio carbon dating is based on the fact that C-14 changes
to N-14 due to beta decay. A live organism has the same percentage of C-14 as that in
the atmosphere due to an exchange of carbon when it consumes food and expels CO2. After
the organism dies, the accumulated C-14 reduces as it decays and there is no
replacement.

By measuring the percentage of C-14 and
comparing it to the percentage in the atmosphere it is possible to find the approximate
age of an organism.

The amount of C-14 becomes half in 5730
years which is the half life of C-14.

Let the age of the
fragment be N years. The amount of C-14 left is equal to (1/2)^(N/5730). As the fragment
has 21% of the C-14 as that in the atmosphere.

21/100 =
(1/2)^(N/5730)

=> N/5730 = log(0.21)/
log(0.5)

=> N = 5730* log(0.21) /
log(0.5)

=> N =
5730*2.2515

=> N =
12901

The fragment is 12901 years
old.

How are animals viewed in "The Ramanyana"?

In The Ramayana, animals possess a great deal of
importance in the epic retelling.  On one hand, the animals represent the realm of the
jungle, of lawlessness, of a world without order.  Valmiki might construct this setting
to indicate how important Rama is to all of humanity. He represents order, structure,
and a demarcation between the lawlessness or savagery of the jungle.  For example,
before Rama approaches the monkey army of Sugriva, they are uncontrolled and demonstrate
a propensity to act without order or a sense of justice.  Yet, when Rama appropriates
them, they become more civilized and committed to the ends of establishing justice and
order.  Another important role for the animals in the Ramayana is to display their
loyalty to Lord Ram.  There is no better display of this than Hanuman, the ardent monkey
devotee of Lord Ram.  Hanuman is the personification of devotion to his one and only
true master, Rama.  Jatayu, the vulture, sacrifices his life to save Sita, and with his
dying breath tells Rama of what happened to his beloved wife.  The monkey army, under
Hanuman's efforts as a chief engineer of sorts, help to build the bridge from
Rameshwaram to Lanka in order to allow Rama to fight Ravana and save Sita.  In this
process, even the small chipmunks or squirrels help Rama by rolling in sand and
providing the mortar to allow the rocks in the bridge to Lanka to remain cohesive. 
Valmiki uses animals to display the loyalty and honor to Rama that we humans need to
demonstrate to him.

What else can I write about an advertisement? It persuades viewers to not smoke, and shows a bloody hand holding a cigarette.

Without knowing exactly what anti-smoking
commercial/advertisement you are discussing, I will encourage you to analyze the
persuasive techniques used and how effective they
are.

There are common techniques used in advertising (both
print, audio, and film/TV) which you should look for in the example you must analyze. 
Use the list below:

1. Bandwagon: "everyone" is
   using (or not using) the product


2. Celebrity endorsement:
   is someone famous featured?  Consider in audio, is a famous voice
   used?


3. Emotional appeal or transference: the ad is
   designed to trigger a specific emotion which the audience may then transfer to the
   product.  (In this case, perhaps the emotional appeal is fear.  The ad is somewhat scary
   making the audience believe cigarettes are somewhat
   scary.)


4. Humor


5. Plain/average
   people: appeals to the everyday/common
   person.


6. Individuality/anti-bandwagon: sends the message
   that not everyone is doing it, therefore by doing it you will be
   unique.


7. Slogan: a catchy saying that sticks with the
   audience


8. Loaded words: uses words with very obvious
   positive or negative connotations


9. Product comparison:
   stacks one product against another to show obvious advantages over
   disadvantages

You could include one or more of
the above techniques in writing your advertisement analysis, and show whether they are
effective.

Describe how and why King Creon might be considered the tragic character.

From my notes:

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Tragic heroes are so much the highest points in
their human landscape that they seem the inevitable conductors of the power about them,
great trees more likely to be struck by lightning than a clump of grass. Conductors may
of course be instruments as well as victims of the divine lightning.  (Northrop
Frye)

According to this
definition, Creon, as king, is the "highest point" of the human landscape and the
greatest "conductor" of divine lightning.  All the tragic suffering is conducted by him
toward others.  He suffers first and makes others suffer by extension.  Haemon and
Eurydice are the lower points of the human landscape, the "clumps of grass," who are
also struck down by the strike.

Death is also a deciding
factor.  Although he doesn't die like Antigone, Creon suffers like Oedipus at the end of
Oedipus the King.  His wife, son, and would-be daughter-in-law die.
 It's a tragic cause and effect: hubris leads to bad law; hubris leads to stubborn
rebellion of bad law; hubris leads to stubborn punishment of rebellion; hubris leads to
hasty suicide.  Creon is left to clean up the pieces: his family's deaths, his subjects'
rebellion, his cursed, lonely rule.

Really, the play
involves two lightning strikes, two tragic heroes who present two extreme cases of
hubris in the exercise of and reaction to law and power.  Sophocles, as much as he wants
to be objective, sides with Antigone, I think.  He gives her the moral high ground, as
she upholds gods' law above man's.

For the function f(x)=(x+8)^2, find the equation of the tangent line to the graph of f at x=-2. if the equation of the tangent line is written as...

We'll write the equation of the tangent line
as:

y - f(-2) = m[x - (-2)]
(1)

m is the slope of the tangent line and it represents
the tangent line to the graph of the function f(x) = (x+8)^2, for x =
-2.

m = f'(-2)

For the
beginning, we'll calculate f'(x):

f'(x) =
2(x+8)

Now, we'll determine
f'(-2):

f'(-2) =
2*(-2+8)

f'(-2) = 12

We'll
calculate  the value of the function for x = -2:

f(-2) =
(-2+8)^2

f(-2) = 36

Now, we'll
substitute the found values into the equation (1):

y - 36 =
12(x+2)

We'll add 36 both
sides:

y = 12(x+2) + 36

We'll
remove the brackets:

y = 12x + 24 +
36

y = 12x +
60

The equation of the tangent line is: y =
12x + 60

In the Great Gatsby, chapter 5 page 57 contains some descriptions of facial expressions and physical posture--discuss what they suggest.F. Scott...

Chapter Five's arranged meeting of Daisy with Jay Gatsby
at Nick's house is strained and artificial from the beginning. After Daisy
arrives, Gatsby enters Nick's house "

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pale as death, with his hands plunged like
weights in his coat pockets...glaring tragically into [Nick's
eyes].

Dressed in a white
flannel suit with a silver shirt and gold shirt--symbolic of his new wealth-- he
positions himself in a "strained counterfeit of perfect ease, even of boredom...." It
is apparent that he, like Daisy who sits "frightened but graceful" on the edge of a
chair. Awkwardly, Gatsby leans against the clock that tilts "dangerously at the pressure
of his head," and Gatsby turns, catches it, and replaces it nervously on the mantle. 
Again like a young man, as Nick leaves the room, Jay Gatsby follows him "wildly" into
the kitchen; when the door closes, he whispers, "Oh, God!...This is a terrible mistake,"
acknowledging the appropriateness of this situation. Clearly, Gatsby and Daisy act like
teens on a first date out of their agitation, nervousness, and guilt as well as the
futility of trying to recapture the past.

Discuss the recurring theme of absent mothers and abusive fathers in To Kill a Mockingbird.

The first absent mother would be the mother of our main
character Scout Finch.  She died when Scout was two, so she never knew her.  However,
growing up in an era when girls wore dresses and practised their manners on a daily
basis, it is obvious that Scout did not have a female influence around the house.  Scout
did have Calpurnia around to help keep her in line, though, unlike our other motherless
character.

Mayella Ewell had no female influence
whatsoever.  No word is ever mentioned about her mother or where she was.  Instead, she
was in charge of seven other children/siblings and a father who was drunk most of the
time. Because of her lack of female influence, Mayella gets herself into a mess of
trouble by tempting a Negro and then accusing him of raping her when she gets caught
trying to kiss him.  Instead of coming clean, Mayella only proves to the court how
pathetic her life really is, and continues to point her finger at Tom
Robinson.

The other theme dealing with parenting is the
theme of abusive fathers.  Boo Radley's father was the first one introduced.  Although
not physically abusive, he forced Boo to remain indoors for the rest of his life,
turning him into a recluse and the town Bogeyman.  We finally get to see what time and
distance from others has done to Boo when we get a glimpse of Boo in the final
chapters.

The last abusive father is Bob Ewell.  He abuses
Mayella physically.  In fact, Atticus proves that Bob is responsible for the injuries
she blames on Tom.  Without a woman around, Bob not only abuses Mayella physically, but
also sexually.  In Tom's testimony he says that Mayella told him "what her papa do to
her don't count."

With these two themes, the contrast is
made between the type of fathers these men are to the kind, responsible character of
Atticus.  Alone, he is able to teach his children what true courage is as well as how to
really understand other people.  So these situations draw to light how great Atticus
truly is to his children.

How does the picture book The Arrival by Shaun Tan link to The free verse novel The Simple Gift by Steven Herrick?

Both of these unusual and creative works of literature are
linked in terms of theme and quest. Though they are different on many levels in that
The Arrival is what Tan calls a "silent narrative" while
The Simple Gift is a story told with multiple narrators and in
poetic form, both share a quest and both demonstrate at least one theme in
common.

In Tan's picture book (more aptly called a graphic
novel as it differs from a picture book through what Tan calls the " href="http://www.shauntan.net/books/the-arrival.html#arrival_comments">emphasis on
continuity"), the hero leaves his beloved wife and daughter in quest of a new
land and a new home to set up a safe refuge for them. In Herrick's free verse novel, the
hero, a sixteen-year-old named Billy, silently leaves his father's home in quest of a
new land and a new home where he can be free to live without the tyranny of an abusive
father and free to pursue his self-education through reading beloved
books.

In Tan's story, the theme of community and
friendship is central to the final outcome and to any measure of peace the hero has once
he arrives in his new land. He meets people who have similarly escaped hardship, people
with whom he shares facts and incidents through pictures they draw for each other. He
meets strange, interesting and helpful wildlife creatures who remind him of the love
that exists next to the dangers in life.

In Herrick's
story, the theme of community and friendship has the same import and significance while
serving the same function. Billy meets Old Bill and they forge a friendship. It is one
that is at first uneasy on Old Bill's part and one that later costs him a dear struggle
to honor. Caitlin and Jessie enter into the community that has Billy and Old Bill at its
center.

Another theme each shares is that of strangeness
and threat in a new land. The hero of Tan's book encounters strange sights, household
objects, animals, ways of doing things, foods to eat, and ways to live. He encounters
threatening things like the authorities who examine him and decide his fate: will he
stay or will he be sent away? Billy encounters strange ways of living, strange men, new
ways of meeting his needs, and new friendships. He encounters threatening things in the
presence of the Chief Librarian, though that threat soon melts into
friendship:

readability="6">

Her badge says
Irene Thompson--Chief
Librarian.
Trouble I'm sure. ...
"...we close for lunch in ten
minutes.
I'm sorry. But you can come back at
2."

He also encounters the
threat of town officials who are interested in his welfare and education; it is this
treat that precipitates Old Bill's ultimate gift and
reformation:

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When young Billy
tells me about the
cops
I know I have to do
something.

What is the absolute values of z is 3z-1 = z -i + 5

Q: What is the absolute value of z is 3z-1 = z -i +
5.

Solution:

If z = x+iy, then
the absolute value of z = |z| = (x^2+y^2)^(1/2), where x and y are
real.

We first solve for z from the given equation 3z-1 =
z-i+5.

Subtract z-1:

3z-z =
-i+5 +1

 2z = 6-i which is x+iy
form

So absilote  z = |z| = {6^+
(-1)^2}^(1/2)

|z| = (36+1}^(1/2) =
37^(1/2).

Therefore absolute value of z =
37^(1/2).

Discuss at least two characteristics of Romanticism in John Keat's poem "Ode toa Nightingale".

The poet in Ode To A Nightingale  is an escapist .He
escapes through imagination .On his way the bower of the bliss wher the nightingale is
singing in full-throated -ease , , and returning from the same , he employs Medieval
ism and Hellenism .The references of Ruth , emperors and clowns  and magic casement
opening in the foam , speak of Keats' love for the middle ages . Again Keats had
fascination to Greek arts and culture .The installations like , Flora and country green
festivals , Bacchus and his parade , light winged Dray ad of trees , etc vivify the
poet's love for the ancient Greek -life .

Medieval ism and
Hellenism are the two major branches of Romanticism .

In The Great Gatbsy, why does Tom date Myrtle?

We aren't actually given a reall explanation for why Tom
chooses to embark on a relationship with Myrtle. However, we can definitely infer a
number of reasons as to why he wishes to pursue it by examining his character. Tom,
throughout the novel, is presented as a man who likes power and wants to have power over
others. He is described as arrogant and a bit of a bully. He is also used to having
mistresses, presumably as a way of manifesting that power or arrogance or sense of
superiority over others. What is really interesting is that he picks a woman who is from
a working class background and is married to a weak an ineffectual husband, the exact
opposite of Tom. It seems that part of the attraction is that he can satisfy his need to
feel superior by giving Myrtle the taste of luxury and "owning" her whilst cuckolding
her husband without his knowledge. Likewise, I think we can safely infer that he doesn't
love Myrtle. To him, she is just another object for him to smash and use, as Nick says
about him, and he does definitely "smash" her when he breaks her nose. Thus we can argue
that the relationship is more about questions of power and superiority than
love.

In The Outsiders, how does Two-Bit get ready for a fight?

You can find the answer to this question in Chapter Nine,
which includes the lead-up to the rumble and the rumble itself. Ponyboy tells us that as
he and his brothers leave their house and make their way to the place where the rumble
is going to happen, Two-Bit imitates a Soc and, playing this part, is interrogated by
Ponyboy and the others as to what he does for fun. Note how Ponyboy describes Two-Bit in
this section:

readability="9">

Two-Bit was the only one wearing a jacket; he had
a couple of cans of beer stuffed in it. He always gets high before a rumble. Before
anything else, too, come to think of it. I shook my head. I'd hate to see the day when I
had to get my nerve from a
can.

Two-Bit therefore
prepares himself for fights by getting drunk, as Ponyboy puts it, getting his "nerve
from a can." Note how this indicates the fragility and insecurity of Two-Bit himself by
the way that he has to turn to alcohol to give him the courage and determination he
needs to participate in such urban brawls.

How was Rebeca Nurse treated in The Crucible?

In his poem, "The Second Coming,"
William Butler Yeats uses one line to truly evoke the idea of a world that has lost all
control, spiraling into chaos.  He writes, "The best lack all conviction, while the
worst are filled with passionate intensity."  The idea that comes from this is an idea
to show social fragmentation is a reality in any setting where the good and righteous
are not respected and the malevolent forces enjoy the power.  This is an apt description
of how Goody Rebecca Nurse is treated. When someone is accused of witchcraft after 26
grandchildren and 11 children, something is amiss.  A figure in the town that represents
nurturing, care, and utter devotion, Rebecca Nurse is subjected to the wild accusations
of Abigail as well as those in the position of power who seek to consolidate their
control.  A reflection of the goodness of people that becomes trampled when the worst
obtain power, she is treated in a manner that makes her almost a martyr.  Certainly, her
treatment becomes a catalyst for Proctor to resist the confession and stand for truth at
a horrific cost.

Why are the Sakanes being threatened in Journey to Topaz?Who is threatening the Sakanes and why are they being threatened?

The Sakanes are being threatened because of the atmosphere
of fear and anger in the aftermath of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The author of the
book, Yoshiko Uchida, sums up the causes of the mass relocation of 120,000 West Coast
Japanese Americans by pointing to "race prejudice, war hysteria and a failure of
leadership." Although the government claimed that the removal of all Japanese Americans
from the Pacific Coast area was necessary to ensure the security of the nation, history
proved that the move was completely unfounded. The Japanese Americans were victims of
racial profiling taken to its extreme; in essence, they
were

readability="8">

"imprisoned by (their) own country during World
War II, not because of anything (they) had done, but simply because (they) looked like
the enemy."

Interestingly, in
the narrative, the people who enforce the mass evacuations and relocation do not, for
the most part, appear to harbor hostility towards the Japanese Americans. The FBI agents
who come to arrest Yuki's father as an "enemy alien" are polite, if not almost
apologetic in carrying out the job they have been assigned to do, and Yuki's teacher at
school stresses to the children that "the Japanese born in America...must never be
confused with the Japanese militarists who attacked Pearl Harbor." The many Caucasian
friends and acquaintances the Sakanes have made in Berkeley are sympathetic to the
family's plight, but are powerless to do anything about it. Mrs. Jamieson in particular
is appalled at what is happening, and has written letters directly to President
Roosevelt to protest the injustice of the evacuations, but to no
avail.

The support offered by so many of the Caucasians
with whom the Sakanes deal raises the disturbing question of whether the evacuation had
more to do with racism than with fear. Yuki's classmate Garvis Dickerson,
expresses racial hatred, calling Yuki "a dirty Jap," and Ken points out
that

"there
are a lot of people in California who'd be very happy to be rid of the Japanese
competition in business and on the farms. They'd be glad to see us leave. It's people
like that who spread those false rumors about sabotage in Hawaii when there wasn't any
at all."

Mrs. Sakane,
however, is less condemning of the motives of society. She
says,

"People
can get hysterical when they are afraid...fear sometimes makes people do terrible
things."

I am looking for a definition of "the comedy of manners."I would like to know the pioneers of this genre, as well as writers and their work.

The genre "comedy of manners" was introduced in the 1600s
in England.

Dictionary.com defines "comedy of
manners" as...

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...a comedy satirizing the manners and customs of
a social class, especially one dealing with the amorous intrigues of fashionable
society.

The comedy of
manners genre is believed to have its roots in the works of Ben Jonson (an English
writer), and seventeenth-century French playwright,
Molière.

(An example of a comedy of manners "predecessor"
might be Moliere's play Tartuffe, a very funny
production that depicts a scam artist [Tartuffe] being welcomed into a wealthy man's
home; the entire family can see the con man for who he is, while the host (Orgon) is
clueless. The plot moves along quickly, presenting ridiculous difficulties for the
family to deal with, and a good deal of entertainment for the
audience.)

Some of the writers who are considered experts
at writing these satirical pieces of humor in the first generation of this literary
movement are: George Etherege, William Wycherley and John Vanbrugh, among
others.

Etherege is credited with launching this new genre
with his works Love in a Tub and The Comical
Revenge.

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[William] Congreve is considered by many critics
to have been the greatest wit of the dramatists writing in this
vein.

The characters in these
works had little depth: more often than not character types were
used—generally:

readability="8">

the fool, the schemer, the hypocrite, the jealous
husband...

Later, characters
would have more depth, being seen as individuals rather than just
"types."

While this form of comedy eventually made way for
sentimental comedies, the form was reintroduced by Richard Brinsley Sheridan (who
wrote The Rivals) and Oliver Goldsmith (author of She
Stoops to Conquer), writers who were able to bring about a renewed interest
in the genre.

What is Mother's reaction when she sees Gretel's room decorated with Nazi posters?

Mother's reaction clearly demonstrates fear. As an adult
and with her husband the commandant of a camp, she knows what Hitler and the Nazi party
really stand for and these are not values she wants her twelve year old daughter to
embody. It's also a realisation of just how powerful the Nazi party have become, that
they have been able to influence children through the Hitler Youth and through
education. On some level, Mother is also angry. Isolated from most of the world, Gretel
and Bruno only have limited influences and Mother observes that the indoctrination of
the Nazi agenda and ideas comes from the children's tutor.

What is unique about the Eoin Colfer's setting in Artemis Fowl?

In Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer, the
original setting is Ho Chi Min City, or what is now known as Saigon, a city that was
captured by the Communists during the Vietnam War. This might seem an unusual setting
for this fantastical story.

Fairy life thrives in Ireland,
and fairy stories and their history have their roots there, and of all the places in the
world, the magic surrounding the world of the fairies is the
strongest.

readability="5">

Eiriu is considered the origin of fairy life and
traditions and where magic is most
concentrated.

The dramatic
high points of the story also occur here, so this is an extremely important place with
regard to the development and movement of the plot.

Artemis
kidnaps an elf (Captain Holly Short) who he hopes to ransom for money, as the family's
wealth has been depleted. Artemis has all kinds of high-tech instruments, which he needs
as the fairy world and its underground (LEPrecon) attempt to save
Holly.

What is unique about the setting, of course, is that
it is comprised of humans and fairies—the world of humans and the world of fairies are
far removed from each other, with little crossing over. Each side has limitations
regarding the other world. A good deal of the action takes place in the fairy realm,
which provides a multitude of diverse characters that make this fantastical story much
more interesting, while providing some unexpected surprises fro the unusual cast of
characters.

Determine the quadratic ax^2+bx+c, if a,b,c are terms of arithmetic sequence. a=2t-3,b=5t+1,c=4t-7

If  2t-3, 5t+1, 4t-7, are the consecutive terms of an
arithmetical progression, then the middle term is the arithmetical mean of its neighbor
terms.

5t+1=(2t-3+4t-7)/2

We'll
combine like terms inside
brackets:

5t+1=(6t-10)/2

5t+1=2(3t-5)/2

5t+1=3t-5

We'll
move the terms in t to the left side and the numbers alone to the right
side:

5t-3t=-1-5

2t=-6

t=-6/2

t=-3

Since
the coefficients a,b,c are depending on t, we'll determine
them:

a = 2t - 3

a = -6 -
3

a = -9

b = 5t +
1

b = -15+1

b =
-14

c = 4t - 7

c = -12 -
7

c = -19

The quadratic
equation is: -9x^2 - 14x - 19 = 0

We'll multiply by -1 and
we'll get:

9x^2 + 14x + 19 =
0

What is the point of view in "A Jury of Her Peers"?is it a fixed point of view or does it change?

The story is told consistently in the third person,
although through the observations of each of the characters and their motivations the
audience develops a wider perspective of the crime and the implications of the
events.

An omniscient narrative like this directs the
reader to the pieces of evidence that are needed to piece together the key purpose if
the story. In this case, we are directed to piece together the clues which are uncovered
by the women, and to view the male characters with cynicism as they fumble through the
investigation and arrogantly dismiss the women's
observations.

Because of the view we are directed to form
of the men, we side more with the women in their methodical, sensitive approach to the
events leading up to the murder of Mr Wright.

Mrs Hale is
clear that the neglect of Minnie by those around her was as much a crime as Minnie
kiling her husband-

readability="9">

The picture of that girl, the fact that she had
lived neighbor to that girl for twenty years, and had let her die for lack of life, was
suddenly more than she could
bear.

Mrs Peters is more
indecisive as to whether justice will be served by the system in which her husband is
part, or whether another route should be provided for women who were not, at this time,
given a voice in the legal process. The third person narration directs us to consider
the women's final actions as, though criminal, in some way justified in the light of the
ignorance and insensitivity of the men involved.

The essay is written in two tenses: past and present. What effect does this have on its telling? "Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell

George Orwell's essay, "Shooting an Elephant" is an
addendum to his work, Burmese Days, a novel on the colonialism
of Great Britain.  As such, it is concerned with the incident in which Orwell felt
obligated to shoot a rogue elephant, while at the same time there are reflections on the
dilemmas of existing colonialism that continue to surround him.  For instance, in the
second paragraph, Orwell writes that he was in favor of " the wretched Burmese," but he
could get nothing into perspective:

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I did not even know that the British Empire is
dying, still less did I know that it is a great deal better than the younger empires
that are going to supplant
it.

This comment in the
present tense illustrates Orwell's connecting of his act of shooting the elephant with
problems that currently exist for England, thus making his essay a political piece. 
Later in this same paragraph, Orwell also comments about his thoughts of killing a
Buddhist monk as a consequence of becoming a
colonialist,

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Feelings like these are the normal byproducts of
imperialism; ask any Anglo-Indian official, if you can catch him off
duty.

Further, in the next
paragraph, Orwell again comments in present tense upon the nature of despotic
imperialism in critical words.  These reflections in the present tense contribute to the
tone of the author, George Orwell, and underscore the final statement of Orwell that he
had shot the elephant "solely to avoid looking a fool."  He was and is aware of the
tremendous effect that colonialism has had upon him.

Prove the identity f"(x)-f'(x)-2f(x)=0 f(x)=2e^2x-3e^-x

To prove the given identity, first we need to determine
the terms in identity, namely f"(x) and f'(x).

We'll begin
with f'(x):

f'(x) =
(2e^2x-3e^-x)'

f'(x) = 4e^2x +
3e^-x

f"(x) = [f'(x)]'

f"(x) =
(4e^2x + 3e^-x)

f"(x) = 8e^2x -
3e^-x

Now, we'll substitute the expressions of f"(x)
andf'(x) into the identity that has to be verified:

8e^2x -
3e^-x - 4e^2x - 3e^-x - 2(2e^2x-3e^-x)

We'll remove the
brackets and we'll combine like terms:

4e^2x - 6e^-x -
4e^2x + 6e^-x

We'll eliminate matching
terms:

4e^2x - 6e^-x - 4e^2x + 6e^-x =
0

4e^2x - 6e^-x - 4e^2x + 6e^-x = 0
<=> f"(x) - f'(x) - 2f(x) = 0
q.e.d.

How does The Crucible reflect Transcendentalist ideas?

I had to pare down the question a bit.  I think that
Miller’s work does possess some direct Transcendentalist ideas.  The most dominant of
which is the idea that conformist and traditional social or religious orders might not
possess the “right path.”  Even before his railing against Abigail, Proctor confesses to
Hale that he and Abigail really do not trust Parris and his leadership of the formal
institution of the church. Certainly this is reminiscent of the Transcendentalist call
for individuals to find their own sense of spiritual identity away from that which is
established or accepted as “truth.”  Locating the seat of all awareness sin the
subjectivity, a Transcendentalist would accept Proctor’s stand against Parris and the
formal church. From this point, Proctor defines himself against social orders and social
norms.  When Elizabeth is arrested, Proctor declares that “vengeance is walking in
Salem,” a direct call to say that Salem society is wrong and that conformity to such a
notion is inherently bad.  It is in this belief that Proctor calls Hale a “broken
minister,” implying that one cannot be a part of something that is inherently wrong. 
This reflects the Transcendentalist idea of “knowing thyself” and breaking away from a
conformist setting that one knows is wrong.  In this idea of “know thyself,” Proctor’s
defense of his “name” is highly Transcendentalist.  Proctor rejects all ideas of social
good and what is the “accepted” path to take in demanding that the defense of his name
is the most important factor in his decision making calculations.  This is reminiscent
of how Transcendentalist thinkers like Thoreau and Emerson demanded that individuals
recognize their own sense of dignity and stand as voices of dissent when the situation
called for it.  Again, in this action, Proctor locates his sense of power in the
subjective, which is highly Transcendentalist.

How would you write a reflective essay?

Select a thesis that you would enjoy exploring more.
Remember, essays are an opportunity for you to discover 
yourself.

The best topics for reflective essays are things
that have changed you as a person. For example, The most meaningful thing that has
happened to me is: (I was one way before this event/thing, and now I am a different
way).

Once you have decided your thesis and created a
prewrite outline of points that you would like to include in your essay, move on to the
rough draft.

1st paragraph: Grab your reader's attention
with an interesting opening sentence. Then outline what the rest of your essay will be
about. State your thesis.

2nd-4th paragraphs: These are your body
paragraphs. Start each on off with a different supporting detail for your thesis.
Describe each supporting detail in that paragraph.

5th paragraph:
Concluding paragraph. Restate you thesis in a different way. Leave the reader with a
good feeling.

In what way does New York City affect the characters in The Great Gatsby?

There is a definite distinction in the novel between
Manhattan, "the city," and Long Island, the site of small villages (like East Egg and
West Egg) and extraordinary mansions (like those inhabited by Gatsby and the Buchanans).
Also located on Long Island is the impoverished industrial area where George and Myrtle
Wilson live above their gas station's garage, as well as the small gardener's cottage
where Nick lives on the estate adjacent to Gatsby's. These are the settings in the
novel, with the characters moving  between and among the various
locations.

It is interesting that during the course of the
novel, each of the main characters spends time in the city, but only two of them seem to
be strongly impacted by it: Nick Carraway and Myrtle
Wilson.

After he arrives in the East, Nick spends a great
deal of time in New York. He travels to the city each day from Long Island to pursue his
new career in the heart of New York's financial
district:

Most
of the time I worked. In the early morning the sun threw my shadow westward as I hurried
down the white chasms of lower New York to the Probity
Trust.'

After his usual
dinner at the Yale Club, Nick often walks through the
city,

I
strolled down Madison Avenue past the old Murray Hill Hotel and over Thirty-third Street
to the Pennsylvania
Station.

He develops definite
feelings about New York:

readability="8">

I began to like New York, the racy, adventurous
feel of it at night and the satisfaction that the constant flicker of men and women and
machines gives to the restless
eye.

For Nick, New York is a
far cry from his home in the Midwest, a place that seemed to him like "the ragged edge
of the universe" when he came home from World War I. The contrast appeals to him a great
deal.

After witnessing Tom and Daisy's amoral behavior and
Gatsby's destruction at their hands, however, Nick leaves the East forever. During his
final weeks in West Egg, New York exists for Nick only as a refuge, a place to escape
his memories of Gatsby's "gleaming, dazzling parties."

For
Myrtle Wilson, New York City is always a refuge. The beauty and excitement of it offer
an escape from the ugliness, poverty, and boredom of her life with George on Long
Island. When she experiences New York as Tom Buchanan's mistress, Myrtle enjoys for a
little while the kind of life she hungers for, one filled with a Fifth-Avenue apartment,
pretty clothes, new taxi cabs, drunken parties, and
adventure.

Myrtle's memory of why she married George
reveals a great deal about her:

readability="6">

I married him because I thought he was a
gentleman . . . I thought he knew something about breeding but he wasn't fit to lick my
shoe.

By "breeding," Myrtle
means money and sophistication, both of which she finds in Tom Buchanan and in New York
City. After living with George Wilson for eleven years over a gas station garage, the
city is irresistible in its affluence and romantic allure.

Who doesn't want Antony to speak at the funeral in Julius Caesar?(please include textual evidence).

Cassius does not want Antony to speak at Caesar's funeral.
This conversations takes place in Act III shortly after Caesar is assassinated. Antony
first sends his servant to Brutus and Cassius to inquire if they plan to kill him as
well. When Antony learns that Brutus would like to befriend him Antony meets up with
them to find out the reason why they murdered his good friend, Caesar. After Brutus
gives his explanation, very cunningly Antony acts as if he is not a threat to the
conspirators. All he wants to do is speak at the funeral. Brutus thinks this is a great
idea because he thinks it would only make the conspirators' cause look better giving
Caesar the proper burial and honors. However, Cassius pulls Brutus aside and says "You
know not what you do; do not consent/That Antony speak in his funeral./ Know you how
much the people may be moved/By that which he will utter?" (Act III scene i line 32-34)
Cassius obviously thinks that Antony IS a treat and that he will try to convince the
Roman citizens that what the conspirators did was not righteous.

Can Macbeth's state of mind in Macbeth be compared to Brutus in Julius Caesar? Is Lady Macbeth really a woman with all masculine characteristics?

Macbeth and Brutus, though both are guilty of regicide,
have more differences than similarities. Macbeth is motivated by the prophecies of the
witches and his own personal ambition. He essentially goes a on killing spree, becoming
a cold tyrant willing to sacrifice anyone for his own pursuit of power. Brutus is
motivated by doing what is best Rome, and tries his best to avoid looking like
cold-hearted murders by not killing Antony (though this decision proves to be foolish
and leads to his death).

Both tragic heroes are somewhat
manipulated into their respective situations though, Brutus by Cassius and Macbeth by
Lady Macbeth. Both also show signs of a guilty conscious by seeing ghosts of people they
have murdered (Julius Caesar and Banquo), so they are similar in those
ways.

As for Lady Macbeth, she prays to the gods to make
her have the harshness of a man, and to take away her womanly emotions, in order to do
what she believes her husband cannot do. In the beginning of the play, she is cold and
harsh, and is described as more manly than feminine. However, as Macbeth gets more and
more driven by power, Lady Macbeth succumbs more and more to her womanly emotions,
eventually breaking under the guilt and emotional burden and taking her own
life.

If the quadratic equation 6x^2 + nx + 18 = 0 has one root twice that of the other what is n?

The roots of the quadratic equation ax^2 + bx + c = 0 are
given by [-b + sqrt (b^2 - 4ac)]/2a and [-b - sqrt (b^2 -
4ac)]/2a.

If one root of 6x^2 + nx + 18 = 0 is twice the
other root the ratio [-b + sqrt (b^2 - 4ac)]/2a / [-b - sqrt (b^2 - 4ac)]/2a should be 2
or 0.5

[[-b + sqrt (b^2 - 4ac)]/2a] / [[-b - sqrt (b^2 -
4ac)]/2a]

=> [-b + sqrt (b^2 - 4ac)] / [-b - sqrt
(b^2 - 4ac)]

[-n + sqrt (n^2 - 18*6*4)] / [ -n - sqrt(n^2 -
4*6*18] = 2

=> -n + sqrt(n^2 - 4*6*18) = -2n -
2*sqrt(n^2 - 4*6*18)

=> n = -3*sqrt(n^2 -
4*6*18)

=> n^2 = 9*(n^2 -
4*6*18)

=> 8n^2 =
9*4*6*18

=> n^2 =
486

=> n = sqrt 486 or n = -sqrt
486

[-n + sqrt (n^2 - 18*6*4)] / [ -n - sqrt(n^2 - 4*6*18]
= 1/2

=> -2n + 2*sqrt(n^2 - 4*6*18) = -n - sqrt(n^2
- 4*6*18)

=> n = 3*sqrt(n^2 -
4*6*18)

=> n^2 = 9*(n^2 -
4*6*18)

=> n^2 =
486

=> n = sqrt 486 and n = -sqrt
486

The required values of n are sqrt 486 and
n = -sqrt 486

In The Taming of the Shrew, explain Petruchio's unconventional and almost ridiculous behaviour in Act III Scene ii.

We need to hold in mind Petruchio's overall purpose and
what he is trying to achieve to fully appreciate what he does in this hilarious act. He
is engaged in trying to "tame" the "shrew" that he is about to marry, and will stop at
no strategy in order to achieve this goal. This is why we see a marked shift in how he
treats Katharina. Note how before he attempted to use blandishments to soften her
character. Now he uses the technique of shame. He deliberately arrives late to his own
wedding and, as Biondello reports, he hardly comes dressed
appropriately:

readability="14">

Why, Petruchio is coming in a new hat and an old
jerkin; a pair of old breeches thrice turned; a pair of boots that have been
candle-cases, on buck-led, another laced; an old rusty sword ta'en out of the
town armoury, with a broken hilt, and chapeless; with two broken points; his horse
hipped, with an old mothy saddle and stirrups of no
kindred...

His behaviour
during the ceremony, which causes Gremio to refer to Katharina as a "lamb" and Petruchio
as "the devil," reverses the behaviour of Katharina suddenly. Petruchio's insistence
that he will not attend his own wedding banquet provokes a tantrum from Katharina, that
gives Petruchio the excuse he needs to lay down the
law:

I will
be master of what is mine own.

She is my goods, my
chattels; she is my house,

My household stuff, my field, my
barn,

My horse, my ox, my ass, my
anything...

Petruchio seems
to be deliberately provoking Katharina in this scene therefore to whittle down her
defences and "tame" her character to his "rightful" will as her husband. The ridiculous
behaviour and preposterous conduct he employs is all an act for this purpose, and as we
can see, it is beginning to have an effect.

In "The Things They Carried," how many different time periods are described?

You have done well to notice the way that time is used in
this chaotic narrative full of turmoil, which of course mirrors the disorientation of
the soldiers and particularly of Jimmy Cross, who feels so responsible for the death of
Lavender. We can helpfully group the different time periods into four separate groups:
before the war and their arrival in Vietnam, before Lavender's death, Lavender's death
and after Lavender's death. Of course, memories and flashbacks intrude, and Jimmy Cross
partly blames his "love for Martha" for Lavender's
death.

Let us note how flashbacks intrude into the
narrative:

readability="16">

Lieutenant Cross remembered touching that left
knee. A dark theatre, he remembered, and the movie was Bonnie and
Clyde, and Martha wore a tweed skirt, and during the final scene, when he
touched her knee, she turned and looked at him in a sad, sober way that made him pull
his hand back, but he would always remember the feel of the tweed skirt and the knee
beneath it and the sound of the gunfire that killed Bonnie and
Clyde.

These memories and
flashbacks give more chaos to time and, of course, become another thing to carry, along
with the guilt that Jimmy Cross will bear because of the way that he blames himself for
the death of Lavender. We are presented with an image of soldiers impossibly weighted
down by both physical belongings and also their mental and psychological
baggage.

Why does Dee change her name in Walker's "Everyday Use?

After going away to college, Dee creates a new life for
herself and tries to create a new personal identity. She changes her name in an attempt
to identify with her African heritage and to leave behind the life into which she had
been born. She rejects her own heritage as a black American and her mother's
daughter.

Dee's behavior reflects the social movement of
the 1960s and 1970s in which the ideas of  "black pride" or Black Nationalism, developed
from the struggle for civil rights, were adopted by some Americans of African descent.
Malcom X, one influential leader in the African-American community, encouraged his
followers to abandon their "slave names," in favor of African names that reflected pride
in their heritage. This theme is also found in A Raisin in the Sun
through the character of Beneatha.

Why does the author leave the narrative at Devon at this point and discuss the war as Gene later experienced it?

Remember that your are only allowed to ask ONE question -
five seems to be taking it somewhat to an extreme, so I will focus on your first
question, which refers to the last page of the novel where the action shifts from the
younger Gene to the older Gene looking back at himself and reflecting on what he learned
from the experience. 

To answer this question you need to
focus on the specific narrative style that is used in the story. It is called first
person retrospective narration, which means it is an older narrator looking back at his
or her younger self. This is a very specialised form of narration used in other novels
such as Great Expectations and Jane Eyre. What
is interesting about it is that we as readers need to remember that alongside the
youthful narrator explaining what is happening to him or her, we have the older, maturer
narrator who also comments on the action, sometimes with
disapproval.

What is fitting about this narrative departure
at the end of this novel is that it reflects what Gene has learned from his experience
and re-states the theme of the novel. Note how the older Gene does not share in the
other boys' disillusionment, because he is able to reflect more deeply on what has
happened. The older Gene reflects that the war is something far deeper and intrinsically
a part of the human condition. The older Gene suggests that war emerges from a kind of
ignorance deep within the human heart. It is this condition of ignorance that causes
people to seek out an enemy and envision the world as a dangerous, hostile environment.
The novel ends with the older Gene questioning the logic and worth of such an
approach:

All
of them, all except Phineas, constructed at infinite cost to themselves these Maginot
Lines against this enemy they thought they saw across the frontier, this enemy who never
attacked that way - if he ever attacked at all; if he was indeed the
enemy.

Thus the end of the
novel marks a narrative departure to give us this maturer ruminations - which would be
unrealistic for the younger Gene to present.

Why did Simon say going to the synagogue was "none too soon" in The Bronze Bow.

In Chapter 4 of The Bronze Bow we
find Daniel starting to wish he had never come down from the mountains.  His friend
Simon comes by and asks Daniel to come to the synagogue with him because it is the
Sabbath and he wants Daniel to hear a man speak.  Daniel tells Simon that he hasn't been
to the synagogue for five years.  He says that one more Sabbath won't
matter. 

"On
the contrary," Simon answered with a smile. "Today is none too
soon."

Simon is letting
Daniel know that it is about time he visit the synagogue exactly because it has been
five years.  Simon feels that because Daniel has avoided his spritual growth and the
laws of their religion it is time for Daniel to go to the synagogue without wasting
another Sabbath.

Describe Feste's character using what other characters say about him, his actions, and dialogue in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.

Feste, the Clown, has his character traits established by
other characters comments, action and dialogue from his first entrance in Act I, scene
v. He and Maria enter and she is admonishing him for being absent too long from Olivia's
court. Maria's admonitions reveal that Feste relies upon his fool's wit to save him from
trouble ("those
that are fools, let them use their talents"). This is
emphasized later when Olivia approaches. He says as an
aside:

Wit,
an't be thy will, put me into good fooling!
Those wits, that think they have
thee, do very oft
prove fools; ...'Better a witty fool, than a foolish
wit.'

His action of absenting
himself when it could risk Olivia's displeasure and lead to being dismissed from court
shows he is willing to act out of independence and take
risks:

MARIA:
[My] lady will hang thee for thy absence.
Clown: Let her hang me: he that is
well hanged in this
world needs to fear no
colours.

This is an important
trait as it helps prepare for and explain his bad behavior in the vicious trick played
against Malvolio.

The dialogues he engages in with Maria
and Olivia show that he is quick to turn a phrase to double meaning, as when he answers
Olivia's pronouncement that he is "a dry fool" (i.e., no longer amusing) with the words:
"for give the dry fool drink, then is the fool not dry." His dialogue with Malvolio
shows that not everyone is a fan of the Clown's commission to deliver clownish wit,
though Olivia defends the Clown's rights as court jester to reveal distasteful truth
through foolery:

readability="13">

Oh, you are sick of self-love, Malvolio, and
taste
with a distempered appetite. To be generous,
guiltless and of
free disposition, is to take those
things for bird-bolts that you deem
cannon-bullets:
there is no slander in an allowed fool, though he
do
nothing but
rail;

In addition, Feste's
dialogue with Olivia and Malvolio helps set up the upcoming wicked prank against the
vain Malvolio who is struck "sick of self-love."

How does the presentation of Elizabeth Bennet reflect the relationship between society and woman's identity in Pride and Prejudice?I'm focusing on...

Using Mr. Collins to illustrate how Elizabeth reflects the
relationship between woman's identity and society is a little difficult
because--essentially--Collins doesn't know what he is talking about! He therefore cannot
be trusted at all on any point, including how society views and defines woman's
identity. As Elizabeth says to Mr. Bennet:

readability="11">

He must be an oddity, I think, ... I cannot make
him out. There is something very pompous in his stile. And what can he mean by
apologizing for being next in the entail? We cannot suppose he would help it, if he
could. Can he be a sensible man,
sir?

Collins’ function is to
make everything that comes out of his mouth seem ridiculous, and Austen succeeds
admirably in doing just that. Yet let's suppose for a moment that Collins represents a
sector of society that is as ignorant as Collins and that has the same ridiculous ideas
as Collins has, which is right to do because Austen chose real types for her characters
and drew them authentically without Dickensian
caricature.

Collins represents a sector of society that
views women as empty-headed beautiful angels who are not only irrational but also like
to aimlessly toy with men's affections (perhaps like Dora in Dickens David
Copperfield). This idea agreed with a broader sector of society that
perceived women's identity as being bound up in the moral and physical management of the
home and household. Charlotte provides a good representation of this identity, which is
reinforced by Lady De Bourgh's continual instructions on how to do what when and how
much to buy where.

Collins is the counterpoint to Mr.
Bennet, who--despite his misguided ways and serious faults--who represents another small
sector of society that allows a woman, as he allows his daughters, the personal freedom
and psychological independence to embrace their autonomy and develop their humanity and
dignity (of course Mr. Bennet's approach to this high and admirable though limited
social trait worked out better for some daughters than others as guidance is always
needed for any child of either sex).

Please list ALL of the euphemisms in The Giver?

A euphemism is a word used in place of another word. 
Usually, a euphemism is used to use another word for a less pleasant word.  There are
many euphemisms in The Giver. I would argue that the most
significant one is Release.  Release sounds like a nice
simple thing, but it really means that someone is killed.  Connected to release is the
euphemism Elsewhere, which essentially means death.  By
contrast, Loss means unintentional
death.

You can identify the euphemisms because they are
unusual words or words not used as we would use them.  For example,
Stirrings is a euphemism for sexual feelings.  Usually,
they are capitalized.

Other euphemisms:
Community (dystopic world where everyone is tightly
controlled), discomfort (confusion of any
kind), Mother (female caretaker),
Father (male caretaker), Elder
(people in charge), Nurturer (cares for babies),
Receiver (stores the community’s memories),
Giver (transmits memory to the Receiver), each of the years
(Ones, Two,
Twelve and so on, there are 12 of these),
Precision of language (telling the truth), the
Old (elderly people waiting for release), Childless Adults
(adults not currently raising children), Replacement Child
(a child that the family takes after a loss), Feelings
(emotions to be suppressed), Animals (rough people or
imaginary creatures), Comfort
Object (stuffed animals),
Newchild (baby, under the age of one, who has no name),
Apology (public contrition).

Examples of allusions in Night chapter 5?

A literary allusion is a reference
within the text to something noteable outside of the text, often from other literature,
but also from science, history, or even pop culture.

The
book Night is full of allusions, most of which are religious
references.  At the very beginning of Section 5 Wiesel makes reference to Rosh Hashana
(the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).  There are several
religious allusions within this section including reference to God as "the Almighty,"
"Thou," and "Master of the Universe."  There is also reference to prayer and "bless[ing]
his name," as well as the "Kaddish" which is the Jewish prayer for the dead.  In
addition to these religious allusions, several Biblical allusions are made, including
the mention of Adam and Eve, Noah, the Flood, Sodom, and the "Last
Judgement."

In Wordsworth's "We are Seven," how is rhythm created in this poem as you read each line?

William Wordsworth's poem, "We are Seven," is verse
written in four-line stanzas about a discussion he has with a little child regarding the
number of children in her family.

Two things seem to
provide a sense of rhythm in Wordsworth's verse. He uses rhyme. Except for the first
stanza, the author uses an ABAB rhyme scheme, where the first and third lines rhyme, and
the second and fourth lines rhyme. The essence of rhyme seems to appear as the reader
moves to meet (find) each href="http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/lit_terms_E.html">end
rhyme.

The pattern of rhythm
that Wordsworth follows lends itself to a rhythmic 4-3-4-3 pattern of stressed beats per
line: in other words, except for the first stanza, the first line of a stanza has four
beats, the second line, three, and so on. This is the second method Wordsworth uses to
create the poem's rhythm.

The rhythm Wordsworth employs
provides the poem with a lilting or swaying motion, most obvious when the poem is read
aloud, the optimum "delivery" for which poetry is written. It is only by reading poetry
aloud that we can experience the many "musical" qualities the poet includes in his
verse.

How does Thorin say Bilbo's share of treasure will be determined in The Hobbit?

Thorin says that Biblo will get an equal share if Bilbo
the burglar helps Gandalf and the band of thirteen dwarves steal the treasure from the
dragon Smaug.  The dwarf Thorin wants the treasure because it belonged to his father,
and he promises Biblo a share of the treasure if they find it.  When they do, Bilbo can
sneak off because he has the ring.  Bilbo rescues the Arkenstone of Thrain, which he
thinks will make him a hero because this is a very important Dwarf jewel.  Thorin gets
angry when he finds out that Bilbo has it, because he thinks Bilbo is keeping it from
him.  Thorin refuses to share the treasure, but when he dies Biblo is given an equal
share.

In Life of Pi, how does Richard Parker ensure that Pi survives his ordeal at sea?I would like at least four reason why if possible. Quotes don't...

Richard Parker keeps Pi vigilant. Pi must always be on his
toes, always working to fish, collect water, and maintain his life raft for his own
survival and to keep Richard Parker happy. Pi keeps Richard Parker happy because if he
doesn’t, he believes Richard will eat him, which means sustaining the supply of food and
water.  Remember the passages where Pi talks about different species learning to live
together in the zoo. They do what they need to survive. I think he referred to this as
zoomorphism; when one animal sees an animal of another species (even a human) as a
member of its own species. Pi also appeases Richard Parker out of loneliness. A
relationship is a relationship even if it is based on fear and
uncertainty.

Earlier in the novel, Pi notes the danger of
seeing an animal as human-like. In an ironic twist, Pi does the opposite with the cook.
But he did so in order to maintain a zoomorphic relationship with him/Richard Parker.
Treating his relationship with Richard Parker as two different species living together
as if they were the same species allowed him to maintain a skeptical symbiotic
relationship. This is what allowed Pi to survive.

Pi’s love
of all religions is applicable here too. He saw the different religious narratives as
equally valid and applicable in different circumstances. Likewise, Pi created his own
narrative in order to survive. Real or not, Richard Parker was his religious allegory,
which gave him the right perspective on his situation in order to survive. Richard
Parker kept him company, kept him aware and forced him to structure his day
meticulously, which ensured his survival and really kept him from losing his mind. As
long as he was busy, he would not have time to dwell on the hopelessness of his
situation.

What is the most important feature in the poem "The Mother"?

I think that one of the most important features in Brooks'
poem is the vision of the subject.  The way in which the mother's character is developed
in the poem is a powerful one.  Brooks creates a character that fully grasps the
implications of loss in a larger scope of consciousness.  This is powerful and one of
the most important features because it helps bring out richness and depth to the
protagonist in the poem.  To explore the character in both social conditions of poverty
and psychological conditions of loss of loved ones helps bring out the salient elements
of the mother's character.  When we understand the closing line, there is a real sense
of powerful depth within the character, one that depicts her as a character that takes
ownership for her actions and her surroundings.  She is willing to accept the
psychological implications of her life and her state of being in the world, which is
something that constitutes as an important feature of the poem.

In your opinion, how can one predict the result of the relationship with a roommate? What are some potential challenges a person might face while...

In my experience, the roommates who get along the best are
not the ones who are best friends.  Ironically, roommates who have similar living
expectations in common but don't have a lot of social similarities seem to have the most
mutual respect for each other, the space, and each other's time and
privacy.

One situation that happens a lot with roommates
living with each other for the first time is crossing the boundary with sharing personal
information outside of the house.  If you live with roommates long enough, they almost
become like family.  But because they are NOT family, often disagreements and fights
take place because in sharing a small space you get to know very personal information
about each other, but because you haven't grown up together, often sensitive stuff is
not taken seriously - and people's feelings get hurt.

I was
a resident assistant in a women's dorm for two years in college.  Ironically, the
roommates who got along the best were the ones who saw each other the least.  Another
thing that helped many girls was making a "chore chart" - or at least having a plan of
who would do what and when when it came to housekeeping tasks (ie: cleaning, bills,
food, etc).

Please comment on the verbal irony of "The Lottery"Writing a discussion on the "Irony" of The Lottery.

Well, sorry to start my question with disagreeing with you
but actually I think you mean situational irony. Remember, when we think of irony there
are three types that we can identify and talk about: verbal, dramatic and situational.
Verbal is when something is said that is actually the opposite of what is meant.
Dramatic is when we know something that a character doesn't, and lastly situational
irony is a sudden reversal of fortunes that
occurs.

Clearly, when we consider this excellent short
story, it is the last type of irony that Jackson uses to great effect. The situational
irony of course begins when we realise the actual fate of Tessie Hutchinson once she has
"won" the lottery, but of course for you in your essay you need to identify why this
surprise ending is such a shock. You might like to start examining the setting and the
characters.

The setting it seems to me deliberately
misleads us by predicting a pleasant, happy community day. Note how the very first
sentence seems to achieve this:

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The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny,
with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and
the grass was richly
green.

There is nothing in
this setting to indicate the horrendous events that close this story. Likewise, the
majority of characters continue to behave quite normally, joking together and not acting
as if human sacrifice is just about to occur. Even Tessie Hutchinson, when she arrives
late, jokes with the organiser:

readability="13">

Mrs Hutchinson said, grinning, "Wouldn't have me
leave m'dishes in the sink, now, would you, Joe?," and soft laughter ran through the
crowd as the people stirred back into position after Mrs. Hutchinson's
arrival.

To me, it is a
combination of both of these aspects of the story--the physical description and the
actions of the characters--that help create the pleasant mood that then makes the
situational irony we experience in the final page so shocking. Of course, after reading
the story once, we can go back and identify the various ways that Jackson foreshadows
the grisly end, but it is testament to her great skill that we do not suspect something
until the final pages.

Find the exact solutions of the equation cos 2a=square root(1-sin^2 a), 0

We have to determine the solutions for cos 2a = sqrt( 1 -
sin a)^2, lying in the range 0<a<180

cos 2a =
sqrt( 1 - (sin a)^2)

=> cos 2a = sqrt ( (cos
a)^2)

=> cos 2a = cos
a

=> 2*(cos a)^2 - 1 = cos
a

=> 2*(cos a)^2 - cos a - 1 =
0

=> 2*(cos a)^2 - 2cos a + cos a - 1 =
0

=> 2*cos a ( cos a + 1) + 1(cos a + 1) =
0

=> (2cos a + 1)( cos a + 1) =
0

2*cos a + 1 = 0

=>
cos a = -1/2

=> a = arc cos
(-1/2)

=> 120
degrees

cos a = 1

=> a
= arc cos (1)

=> a = 0, but it does not lie in the
interval.

The required value of a is 120
degrees.

A synopsis of the theme, personification and imagery alluded to by Toru Dutt in 'Our Casuarina Tree'. Any inputs on these will be greatly appreciated!

The poem is in romantic suggestion and autobiographical
reminiscences. The very first line of it with its image " Like a huge python" conveys
the massiveness of the tree. Its grandeur is in its height and age " the rugged trunk
indented deep with scars upto its very summit the stars". The tree is a source of life
and "wears the scarf" of the creeper with casuarina flowers. Birds and bee gather here
and the song of bird at night is endless.

The second stanza
moves from the objective description of the tree to the impact it has on the
poet-narrator, whose "eyes delighted on its zest". Again, the power of observation and
the selection of detail instill the poem with interest---the gay baboon which sits "
statue like" while its puny offspring played, the kokilas hailing the day, sleepy cows
mending their way to pastures and water "like snow
enmassed".

The "delight"on sseing this sight makes the poet
nostalgic about her childhood. This may be taken as evidence of her romantic muse. While
the tree stands as a symbol of nature's magnificence, it is dear to the poet's soul
because of the sweet companions with whom she played beneath the tree. A "personal"
reading would justify the sadness of " hot tears" for her childhood playmates. So great
is the grief of loss that it seems the tree also laments with
her.

In Death of a Salesman, what action takes place on the apron of the stage?

Death of a Salesman's author Arthur
Miller originally wanted to entitle his landmark American tragedy The Inside
of His Head to reflect the time shifting from present to past of the
protagonist, Willy Loman. In his original conception, Miller envisioned "an enormous
face the height of the proscenium arch that would appear and open up, and we would see
the inside of a man's head"; the action of the play, therefore, would take place
exteriorly and interiorly.  Circumstances intervened and Miller
changed both the title and the staging of the play. Despite this change, however, the
play still contains two types of time and action: real and remembered. This time
shifting is the locus for Willy's tragic downfall. And it is still reflected in
the staging of the play. Miller uses both the Shakespearean stage and the modern
proscenium to symbolize the time shifting in Death of Salesman.
Events in the present take place on the domestic set framed by the proscenium, but
remembered events take place on the apron and the forestage. It can be said, therefore,
that Miller not only reconfigured the idea of tragedy, he also reconfigured stage time,
allowing it to symbolize the interior and exterior realities of the principal
character.

How does the King of Norway respond to his Nephew's plot against Denmark? What is young Fortinbras new plan of action?

You can find the answer to this in Act II, Scene 2.  It is
found in the passages where Voltemand is reporting to King Claudius the results of his
visit to Norway.

He says that the King of Norway was upset
to hear of Fortinbras's plans.  When he confirmed that Fortinbras was trying this, he
arrested him and made him swear that he would never attack
Denmark.

Instead of attacking Denmark, Fortinbras agrees to
take the soldiers he has gathered and use them to go attack Poland.  The King of Norway
asks Claudius to let Fortinbras and his troops pass through Denmark on their way to
Poland.

What is the difference between observational learning and operant conditioning theory?

The major difference between these two is that one is
experienced directly whereas the other is only experienced vicariously, or through
observation.

In operant conditioning, a person's behavior
is affected by reinforcements and punishments that the person experiences him or her
self.  The person behaves a certain way and then observes the responses of others to
that behavior.  The other people's responses help to shape the first person's
behavior.

In observational learning, a person's behavior is
influenced by what happens to other people when they behave
in certain ways.  The person who is learning does so by seeing responses are elicited by
others' behaviors.  The person then bases his or her behavior on the lessons learned by
watching what happens to the other people.

I need quotes and ideas from Part III in Fahrenheit 451 that focus on the themes below:Themes: the rights and responsibilites of being a citizen...

I think one place to start when considering these theme
ideas, is to look at the way characters turn on each other at the end of the
book.

Mildred turns on her husband in the name of the law,
but does so out of fear and ignorance.  Beatty turns on his co-worker and friend in the
name of justice, but he is neather fearful nor ignorant.  Montag turns on (and kills) a
once mentor and guide in the name of protection and enlightenment.  The prohibition of
free thinking in this dystopic society create an immediate
comparison to our world of democracy, knowledge, and
growth.

Mildred embodies the effects of mass media
(especially in large doses) by losing her own identity first, and giving up what
our society considers a very important relationship.  Ironically,
Beatty embodies the responsibilities of being a citizen in his own society (as he works
tirelessly at a job he believes is moral), presenting a clear contrast to the rights and
responsibilites our society often takes for granted by abuse or
neglect.  Finally, Montag, the character who seeks most to break out of his societal
mold, is also the most lonely and alienated.  Ironically, he feels this way both before
and after his own conversion to the enlightened side of
humanity.

Keeping these ideas in mind, I think you will
have an easy time finding proof in the form of quotes by looking for  characterization
of Montag, Beatty, and Mildred.

Can I have a brief summary of the poem "The Diameter of the Bomb" written by Yehuda Amichai?

The poem “The Diameter of the Bomb” written by Yehuda
Amichai is a commentary on the extensive sorrow that war causes. War is channeled down
to one of its destructive elements in this poem - a "bomb." The big topic or grand theme
of War is brought to light by examining closely what one of the implements or tools of
war can do.

Therefore, Yehuda Amichai ponders a mechanical
object, a bomb, and how it touches individual lives and society as a whole. He begins by
giving the reader the bomb’s diameter and the “diameter of its effective range.” This is
a matter-of-fact almost reportorial description of the bomb. This description is akin to
a student learning about the characteristics of a bomb in an engineering class or
something like that. This description is void of emotion or
preaching.

However, the power of this poem is not in the
physical description of the actual bomb. The poem’s power is in how the poet describes
the lives affected by the horrific force of the bomb.

He
talks of hospitals, a graveyard, a dead woman, and one who is mourning the death of the
women. Many lives are touched by this bomb and the havoc and pain it has wreaked on the
earth.

In addition, the poem talks of orphans. Children are
left fatherless and motherless due to war. This travesty can make one ask where God is
in times like this. The poet talks of God’s throne and also what he perceives as no
answers from God. Nonetheless, it is man who is responsible for his own terrible actions
against man.

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If x^2+ kx - 6 = (x - 2)(x + 3), then k = ?

Given that x^2 + kx - 6 =
(x-2)(x+3)

We need to find
k.

First we will need to open the brackets on the left side
and then compare the terms.

==> x^2 + kx -6 = x^2
-2x + 3x - 6

==> x^2 + kx -6 = x^2 + x
-6

Now we will add 6 to both
sides.

==> x^2 + kx = x^2 +
x

Now we will subtract
x^2

==> kx = x

Now we
will subtract x from both sides.

==> kx -x =
0

Now we will factor
x.

==> x (k-1) = 0

x
can not be zero.

Then k-1 = 0  ==> k=
1

Then the value of k is
1.

What does this quote mean? "Who in this town did one thing to help Tom Robinson, just who"What doe Jem mean by this and how is he reffering it to...

Jem was angry when Tom was killed trying to escape from
prison. He knew that Tom was convicted not on the evidencebut on the color of his skin.
No one in the town of Maycomb offered to help Tom besides Atticus Finch. When Tom was in
prison and not able to work, no one in the white community took food to his family or
tried to help them in any way. Atticus was the only man who stood guard to keep him from
being lynched. The newspaper editor who watched over Atticus at that did it for
Atticus's sake and those of his children, not out of concern for Tom. The missionary
society, of which Aunt Alexandra was a member, cared more about a far away African tribe
than the well-being of a member of their community. Only Atticus and his family paid
their respects to Tom's family after he died.

In A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, how does Francie change because of the death of Johnny; the working world; and meeting and breaking up with Lee? ...

As far as the working world is concerned, Francie learns
about seniority, fairness, and the importance of reputation.  Francie becomes
disillusioned with the world of work after she has to cross the Brooklyn Bridge to get
to work.  She previously thought that the trip would be exciting, but quickly learns
that the commute is draining.  Once at work, Francie is happy that she is getting paid
so much because she has never before earned such a high salary.  However, after talking
to the other girls, she realizes that she is the lowest paid reader and that she has not
been treated fairly.  She becomes especially bitter when she realizes that she is a much
faster worker than many of the highest paid workers.  Francie, even though she feels
used, has no voice in the company and must continue reading for her low salary.  She
often looks at the top reader, who has a relationship with the boss, and wishes that she
could have her position.  So the working world introduces Francie to the hardships of
the "dog-eat-dog" work mentality.

In Lord of the Flies, where does Ralph go after Piggy's death and the capture of the twins?

After Piggy's death and the complete unleashing of Roger's
sadism, Ralph flees into a covert in the jungle and hides.  He is now far from Castle
Rock, but Ralph perceives that he is save as the others are occupied with a feast.  In
his mind, Ralph goes over what has happened, desperately trying to convince himself that
the hunters will leave him alone, that they are not "as bad as that.  It was an
accident."  However the "fatal, unreasoning knowledge" comes to him, and he cannot deny
it.

Ralph finds fruit and eats it; when two littl'uns see
him, they scream.  Then, Ralph wanders into Simon's old hiding place where the Lord of
the Flies is impaled:  "The skull regarded Ralph like one who knows all the answers and
won't tell.  A sick fear and rage swept him."  Ralph strikes at the pig's head, then he
backs away while looking at the grinning skull.  He returns to the thicket and kneels in
the shadows, feeling the terribleness of his isolation.  As he edges forward he sees
Samneric guarding the Castle Rock again.  When he calls to them, the twins are
frightened and warn him to get away: 

readability="6">

"They hate you, Ralph.  They're going to do you.
They're going to hunt you
tomorrow."

Ralph lies in the
ferns and grass, as it is a place not far from the tribe in case "the horrors of the
supernatural emerged."  But, he hears cries of pain from Samneric.  Then, he digs
himself into the thicket; however, he hears voices in the morning. The hunters roll
rocks and nearly crush Ralph; they poke with spears and he strikes one with his spear,
but no one can reach him as he has burrowed into the
thicket. 

With the smell of smoke, Ralph realizes that the
hunters will burn him out of his refuge.  He wriggles free and runs, dodging a savage,
until he comes upon a British naval officer, who of course saves him from certain
death.

In what ways does Leslie Marmon Silko represent John Dewey's theory of "art as experience" in her work Ceremony?

Trying to link Dewey's analysis of art and experience to
any work will take much more than the space allotted here.  This should be stated on the
outset.  If we are looking for broad strokes, I think that one of the first locations to
be asserted would be the notion of how art represents nature as experienced by the
artist.  Silko's work picks up on Native American identity at a point in American
consciousness where erasure is a distinct possibility.  The events and themes brought
out in Silko's work helps to bring the idea that Native American identity in American
society has to be reasserted and revisited.  In this way, the construction of art is an
experience that has to resonate in the mind of the reader.  Silko's work and how it
reflects Native American society, in particular how different this is from what American
society has become, is something that the reader has to absorb and apply in a reciprocal
manner to their own setting.  For Dewey, this triadic relationship constitutes the basis
of how art is an experience in that the artist, the art, and the audience all share in
the communication experience.

Scene 3 At the beginning of the scene, Amanda is speaking to Ida Scott on the telephone. Examine the details of her speech.The Glass Menagerie by...

After learning that Laura has not been going to Rubicam's
Business College, in Scene 3 of The Glass Menagerie, Amanda is
convinced that Laura needs to be married.  So, getting a gentleman caller for Laura
takes precedence in Amanda's mind.  In order to redecorate the apartment, Laura's mother
takes a job selling subscriptions to The Home-maker's Companion. a
magazine that has "serialized sublimations," as Tom
narrates. 

When Amanda calls Ida Scott in order to get her
to renew her subscription to the magazine, she first acts as though the woman means much
to her personally:  "We missed you at the D.A.R. [Daughters of the
American Revolution]"  Then she speaks in exclamatory tones, asking about Ida's sinus
condition.  It is with hyperbole that Amanda tells Ida she is "a Christian matryr." 
After this show of personal concern, Amanda launches into her sales pitch, telling Mrs.
Scott that her subscription is going to run out just when Bessie Mae Hopper's story is
off to an exciting start.  But, Mrs. Scott pretends that something is on her stove and
hangs up on Amanda.  Nevertheless, Amanda must persevere--unlike Laura--as she is able
to add some new touches to the apartment. 

In Chapter 11, why is Helmholtz Watson sad when he listens to Bernard's boastings?(I had six girls last week) pp 156~157 Brave New World by...

In his satirizing of Bernard Marx, Huxley shows how
quickly people throw away their attempts to be authentic as soon as people start
treating them as of "outstanding importance."  When Bernard talks with Helmholtz of his
female conquests and growing popularity now that so many are after John, Helmholtz
listens to his boasting "in a silence so gloomily disapproving that Bernard was
offended":

readability="14">

"You're envious," he
said.

Helmholtz shook his head.  "I'm rather sad, that's
all," he answered.

Bernard went off in a huff. never, he
told himself, never would he speak to Helmholtz
again.

The man who was
insulted by the Director's lewd talk of Lenina now has many female partners now,
himself.  The man who wished to look at nature and enjoy the stars, now exploits the
natural man, John.  The man who wished to talk and have a meaningful conversation now
engages in sex with multiple, meaningless partners.  Helmholtz finds this behavior of
Bernard unauthentic and hypocritical since Bernard does
genuinely believe that there are things to
criticize.

However, Bernard is no Helmholtz.  He is weak;
he secretly has always desired to be accepted and respected, instead of having people
whisper behind his back about the alcohol that was accidentally put into his incubating
tube.  Bernard is also deluded:

readability="9">

Intoxicated, he was behaving as though, at the
very least, he were a visiting World Controller. Lighter than
air.

In his delusion, he
writes to Mustpha Mond, lecturing about the "Savage."  The idea of Bernard's lecturing
to him, gives Mond an idea about which he laughs.  Here, indeed, is foreshadowing of the
demise of Bernard.

In the play A Doll's House, what is the difference between Torvald's and Nora's definition of a "human being"?

Torvald does treat Nora as a doll.  Ibsen's A Doll's House
has often been used as a rallying cry for the feminist movement, especially during the
second wave when Betty Friedan's Feminine Mystique was a pivotal point in that part of
the movement.  While Ibsen has considered himself more of a humanist instead of a
feminist, there's no denying that he wanted Nora to be an equal to her
husband.

In the final act she says, "But our home's been
nothing but a playpen. I've been your doll-wife here, just as at home I was Papa's
doll-child. And in turn the children have been my dolls. I thought it fun when you
played with me, just as they thought it fun when I played with them. That's been our
marriage, Torvald. [. . .]If I'm ever to reach any understanding of myself and the
things around me, I must learn to stand alone. That's why I can't stay here with you any
longer."

Torvald does not consider his wife his equal, he
considers her more like a doll or a child.  Something to play with, feed macaroons, have
dance for him, and call his "little squirrel" and other diminutive names.  Most likely,
the only others that Torvald considers equal to him are other men of his status as a
businessman (or greater) in society.

Nora, as you can
probably tell, defines being human as someone who understands herself and someone who is
free.  It's not about status or gender to her.

Describe the basic principles of classical conditioning

The basic principle of classical conditioning is the idea
that a subject can be taught an "unnatural" behavior through repetition.  Typically, in
classical conditioning, a subject is taught to act in a given way when exposed to a
neutral stimulus that would not usually make the subject act in that
way.

The classic example of this is the experiment done by
Ivan Pavlov with his dogs.  This is the experiment from which we get the term "Pavlovian
response."  In this experiment, the gods were taught to act in a given way (to salivate)
when they were exposed to a stimulus (the bell) that would not usually have made them
salivate.

The principle behind this is that subjects can be
made (through reptetition) to respond reflexively to a stimulus that ought not to cause
that particular reaction.