How would you contrast Nick's relationship with his father to his relationship with his young son in "Fathers and Sons"?(It seems that there is a...

While Nick Adams drives along the highway as the day
darkens, Hemingway writes that he

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was all through thinking about his father.  The
end of the day never made him think of
him.

Nonetheless, the memory
of Nick's father returns to him in the fall when he travels to hunt quail where,
suddenly, as he is in a deserted orchard or field, the memory of his hunting outings
with this father strike him.  At the same time, Nick recalls when he lost the rifle that
his father had given him and he was whipped for losing it.  Afterwards, in his anger at
being punished, Nick considered killing his father.  However, once the anger was "out of
him," he felt sick about thinking such thoughts.

It seems,
therefore, that Nick has ambivalent feelings about his father. Perhaps, like his father,
he is both "cruel and abused" emotionally.  At any rate, the only positive emotion seems
to be Nick's detached admiration for his father's eyesight and shooting skill, detached
because even this admiration is somewhat negated as he tells his son, "He was always
disappointed in the way I shot." However, this is the only negative statement that Nick
makes when his young so asks about his grandfather. Instead, he commiserates with his
son that they should, indeed, visit his father's tomb, and encourages his son in the
continuation of family.  His act of fatherly love, inspired by the beauty of nature and
the positive memories of his father, indicate his paternal love for his sensitive
son.

What would be a Barthian analysis to a tv commercial showing a young woman in fashion using a new washing machine and a new washing powder?

Roland Barthes is famous as a semiotician, so there are a
few ways one could give a Barthian twist to a TV commercial about a fashionable young
woman using a washing machine and washing powder. Since semiotics deals with symbol
systems, one would have to look at what the commercial symbolizes, or, in Barthian
terms, what does it signify. Just as the map is not the territory, but a signifier for
that territory within the limitations of the medium, the commercial itself is a
signifier for consumerism, but the specific details of the commercial can be separate
signifiers. The fashionable woman, the washing machine, and the soap are all separate
signifiers, each with its own significance within the larger framework of the
commercial. So... it could signify our obsession with the newest and latest products;
consumer culture in general; society's attitude toward women's role as the one who
cleans up; our relationship with technology; or any of a number of other
interpretations, each of which would be valid within the context of the Barthian
universe.

What does the following quote from Benjamin Franklin mean?When the people find that they could vote themselves money, that will herald end of...

First of all, I would point out that this quote is not
definitively attributed to Franklin.  For example, I have seen this quote attributed to
Poor Richard's Almanack and it is certainly not
there.

Be that as it may, the meaning of this quote is that
people will, if they are given the chance, vote to give themselves money even if it
means ruining their society.  This thought is somewhat consistent with the thinking of
many of the Framers of the Constitution.  They worried that the common people would use
democracy to pass laws that would help them financially even if those laws would hurt
the country as a whole.

In modern times, you could argue
that American attitudes towards Social Security and Medicare bear this idea out. 
Americans seem unwilling to tolerate the idea of cuts in either of these programs even
though the programs are the major reason for the financial problems that the government
will face in the long term.

What were Stalin's goals in Eastern Europe?

In my opinion, Stalin's main goal in Eastern Europe was to
create a buffer zone that would protect the Soviet Union from the
West.

I suppose some people would say that Stalin wanted
most to spread communism, since that is what communists are supposed to do.  But I think
that Stalin was really more interested in creating space between the enemies in the west
and Russia.

Russia had been endangered by invasions from
the west in 1812 and in 1941.  Both times, the size of Russia saved them.  Stalin wanted
to have even more space so that it would be that much harder for enemies to invade from
the west.

In Tangerine, who does Paul like at the carnival?

Paul likes Kerri Gardner at the
carnival.

Kerri is a friend of Cara Clifton, who apparently
is in a relationship of sorts with Paul's friend Joey. At Mike Costello's viewing and
rosary, Cara comes over to Joey and gives him "a big hug right in front of everybody."
Kerri later comes up to comfort Cara, who is "crying uncontrollably" after the ceremony,
and looks over at Paul, saying, "Hi...I hear you're a great soccer player." Paul, who
does not receive a lot of attention from girls because of his thick glasses, is stunned,
and does not know what to say.

At the carnival, which Paul
attends with Joey, Cara and Kerri are hanging out with some guys. When Cara sees Paul,
she again comes up and puts her arm around Joey right away. Paul, however, who had been
hoping to run into the girls, is disappointed to find that Kerri does not pay much
attention to him this time. She is busy socializing with the other guys, and ends up
going on "the big double Ferris wheel" with "one of the guys from the group...a guy
named Adam...a guy who doesn't wear glasses and who knows how to
talk."

Do you think that the book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be taught to 11th graders? Why or why not?

I teach 11th grade English, and have taught The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn for years now.  Kids at that age do struggle
with it, for a couple reasons.  First of all, the dialect is very difficult to
understand, and kids have a hard time working their way through it and comprehending
what is being said and done, because it is in a slang and style that they are entirely
unused to.  The second reason that kids struggle with it is that its format isn't very
traditional; they are used to stories with clear-cut beginnings, middles, ends, and
points or lessons to be learned throughout.  Huck's rather random and haphazard journey
through America in the 1800's is hard to follow and find a point to.  I have kids ask,
"What was the point of this book?"  So, that is a struggle for that age group.  With
some more maturity, both the dialect and style might go easier for
students.

All of that being said, most of my kids really
enjoy the book for a couple reasons.  First of all, it's fun.  Huck is a hugely likable
character, is super clever and funny, and has some pretty fantastic adventures that are
interesting and suspenseful.  Students like him, and like the fun stories.  Secondly,
because it IS fun and there isn't a lot of in-depth haranging over theme and deeper
meaning, it is a much more laid-back and pleasurable experience for them.  They actually
enjoy it a lot, and have a postive experience.

A lot,
however, depends on the teacher and how they teach it. When I teach it, I don't have
kids read it straight through; instead, I pick out the best segments of the novel, and
through a lot of explanation, activies, games, and hands-on instruction, we just have
fun with it.  We bring out fortune cookies to talk about Jim's predictions with the oxen
hairball, we draw pictures of Huck's escape from his father, and we laugh and moan over
Tom's ridiculous exploits to make Jim's escape more "dramatic."  I don't take it super
seriously, help them a lot with the dialogue, and make sure the kids have fun with
it.

So, it can be taught to 11th graders, but carefully,
with a lot of help and activity.  I hope that those thoughts helped; good
luck!

In A Streetcar Named Desire, how does Blanche's world of illusion compare to Stanley's world of reality?

In Blanche's world of illusions, she is an aristocrat,
still enjoying the benefits and popularity of a Southern Belle from a prestigious
family, and from the gorgeous Southern estate of Belle Reve. In her fantasy world, she
is still surrounded by gentlemen callers, has friends in all high places, and enjoys the
admiration and protection of them. Also, in her world, she is an instructor of English,
a respectable woman, an elegant and beautiful younger woman, and with the world ahead of
her.

Stanley's world is dirty, ugly, and sweaty. He lives
on the bare minimums with his wife and he is happy to beat her up each time she gets on
his nerves. He enjoys lots of drink, poker with his pals, and smoking in the house. He
demands full attention from his wife, and his co-dependence to her shows the nimbleness
of his character. He knows what is going on with Blanche and he detests her. He is more
than willing to rape and commit her than to have her rule over his
wife.