In the story "Thank You, M'am" by Langston Hughes, what was the boy's opportunity to escape?

Roger had a chance to run away when Mrs. Jones told him to wash his face.

Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones was walking home at night when Roger tried to steal her purse.  He didn’t succeed because he really wasn’t the purse-snatching type, and she saw that right away.  Feeling sorry for the scrawny Roger, she took him home.

When Mrs. Jones had Roger home, she gave him an opportunity to choose to stay or...

Roger had a chance to run away when Mrs. Jones told him to wash his face.

Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones was walking home at night when Roger tried to steal her purse.  He didn’t succeed because he really wasn’t the purse-snatching type, and she saw that right away.  Feeling sorry for the scrawny Roger, she took him home.

When Mrs. Jones had Roger home, she gave him an opportunity to choose to stay or to run.  She told him to wash his hands, and he chose to do so.

“Then, Roger, you go to that sink and wash your face,” said the woman, whereupon she turned him loose—at last. Roger looked at the door—looked at the woman—looked at the door—and went to the sink. 

Even though Roger didn’t run, he asked if she was going to take him to jail.  She told him that she wouldn’t take him anywhere unless he had washed his face.  She also told him that they would eat after he finished. 

The situation is usual.  Although Roger chose not to run, he still was not sure what to do after that.  She was sitting across the room, and he realized he could run.  However, she was talking to him, and she was sympathetic. 

The door was open. He could make a dash for it down the hall. He could run, run, run, run, run!  

The woman was sitting on the day-bed. After a while she said, “I were young once and I wanted things I could not get.” 

At home, Roger had no one.  He certainly did not have a lot of sympathetic motherly figures to talk to.  That is why he didn’t run.  He wanted to stay because he was curious, and because he was drawn to her.  Mrs. Jones showed him some tough love.  She also told him that if he wanted money, he should have just asked.

What can be an opening statement for the importance of memory with regard to a debate on The Giver?

A debate speech is not dissimilar to a persuasive essay once the student has defined the topic and provided the position on this topic that he/she will take.

Taking the position that memory is, indeed, important, the introduction can begin with a rhetorical question such as 

• Are our lives not bound in memory as so often we return in our thoughts to pleasurable--even sometimes painful--experiences, joyful hours with family, conversations with friends, enjoyable meals, and places we have been?

Now, let us take the premise that the student is taking the stance that the characters in The Giver, protected from disturbing emotions and experiences by their not having memories of the past, are missing much of what makes one human, as well as enriched from experiences. This student, then, can point to the fact that a person cannot truly know happiness and contentment without having had some troubling moments in his/her life. For, so often joy is in direct proportion to the sorrow one has experienced.

An example of this premise that without hardships, no one can feel pleasurable emotions, either, is the fact that Jonas's father, who purportedly feels tenderly for the infants under his care, has no problem "releasing" babies. In Chapter 19, Jonas witnesses a release. His father has no troubling emotion in killing the baby for whom he has cared, unlike Jonas who, as he watches,

...felt a ripping sensation inside himself, the feeling of terrible pain clawing its way forward to emerge in a cry. 

Likewise, the father does not feel love for the living babies; he merely "enjoys" his work. In addition, since people are limited by permissible vocabulary, too, it is almost impossible for them to express true emotion, even if they should actually feel it, and it is emotion that makes people human. 

Are there any strategies that could reduce the threat that the world's population may eventually not be able to sustain itself and its environment?

The issue you are concerned about was actually first raised by the English clergyman, the Reverend Thomas Malthus, who noted in the late eighteenth century that the population was growing geometrically but food supplies were only growing arithmetically, and predicted this would eventually lead to a crisis in which food supplies were inadequate to feed the world population. There are two possible solutions to this problem: reducing population or reducing the environmental impact of each...

The issue you are concerned about was actually first raised by the English clergyman, the Reverend Thomas Malthus, who noted in the late eighteenth century that the population was growing geometrically but food supplies were only growing arithmetically, and predicted this would eventually lead to a crisis in which food supplies were inadequate to feed the world population. There are two possible solutions to this problem: reducing population or reducing the environmental impact of each person.

There are several ways to reduce the population. The first is government incentives ranging from the authoritarian (China's one-child policies) to various more subtle incentives, such as eliminating tax breaks and other forms of subsidies for bearing children and increased incentives or tax breaks for not having children. Access to free birth control, abortion, and sterilization also allows people to choose not to have children. Another major step in reducing population growth is educating women, increasing gender equality, and reducing poverty, as better-educated women in countries with less poverty and more equality of opportunity tend to bear fewer children.

There are several ways to reduce the environmental impact of individuals, including recycling, using renewable energies, reducing use of fossil fuels, and implementing other green initiatives. There are several strategies to increase agricultural yields in a sustainable fashion. One of the most obvious ways to increase food supply is for people to follow vegetarian diets, as it takes 8 to 30 pounds of plant food to create a pound of meat; it is much more efficient for people simply to eat plants rather than feed plants to animals and then eat animals. 

What is the message of the poem "Death Came to See Me in Hot Pink Pants" by Heather Royes?

It is obvious that the poet has broken away from the conventional image one has of death as a dark force epitomized by a cloaked and hooded figure, carrying a scythe. Here, Death is personified as a young man attired in bright garments, as if he were out to have fun. Death is not some gloomy and disparaging figure that would frighten the wits out of its victim.

The speaker has encountered Death in a nightmare and its purpose is clear. It wants to take the speaker's life and seems to relish the task, for it has "a broad white smile." Furthermore, the exorbitant and flashy colors that Death wears suggests that it is there to celebrate, and its flamboyance suggests a carnival. Death is "beautiful" and a "saga boy," which is a West Indian expression for a smartly dressed young man. 

This image, as already mentioned, contrasts directly with the general view of Death and what it actually represents. Dying is not deemed a pleasant affair, and one who senses its cold grasp will definitely try and resist, which is exactly what the speaker does. She hits Death, but does not manage to stave him off since he reaches out to her once more. Fortunately, she wakes from her terrible nightmare, but the experience was so unsettling that she struggles to breathe after waking.

Clearly, the message has to be that Death can come in many guises and its victims can be easily fooled when it assumes a different image from the one we are accustomed to seeing. In this sense, the poem serves as a warning. We should not be misled by that which seems attractive and pleasant, for the ultimate danger may lurk behind its artificial exterior.

This poem, similar to Emily Dickinson's poem "Because I could not stop for Death," depicts Death as something pleasant and benign. The difference, however, lies in the fact that Emily Dickinson's poem is one of hope for an eternal life, whilst this poem's message is more direct and warns against the implicit dangers we may be confronted with when we are deceived by that which presents itself as good.

Which factors affects the reaction between magnesium oxide and zinc?

Magnesium is higher on the activity series than zinc, meaning that if these two chemicals are placed together the zinc will not replace the magnesium. Basically, these two are really products of a replacement reaction between zinc oxide and magnesium, and as such should not react again.

The full reaction would be 

zinc oxide + magnesium -> magnesium oxide + zinc

and is non reversible.

Replacement reactions like this are pretty easy to solve with...

Magnesium is higher on the activity series than zinc, meaning that if these two chemicals are placed together the zinc will not replace the magnesium. Basically, these two are really products of a replacement reaction between zinc oxide and magnesium, and as such should not react again.

The full reaction would be 

zinc oxide + magnesium -> magnesium oxide + zinc

and is non reversible.

Replacement reactions like this are pretty easy to solve with an activity series table. If you have a reaction in the form A + B-C -> A-C +B, even by looking at one side you can figure out where the reaction goes. If you see A + B-C -> ___, where A and B are metals or halogens, you can use an activity series to see if a reaction will occur. If A is of a higher activity than B, then the C will displace to combine with the A, leaving A + B-C -> A-C + B.

How does Paul know something goes wrong on Monday ? What do you think Paul hoped would happen ?

Paul Fisher and his brother Erik have never gotten along.  Until the end of the book, Paul can't quite remember why, but he has learned to stay away from his brother.  He considers him extremely dangerous, and often compares him to some kind of monster.  

Multiple times in the book, Erik is cruel to Paul's friends when they come to his house.  Because of this, Paul doesn't have friends over often.  However, he is...

Paul Fisher and his brother Erik have never gotten along.  Until the end of the book, Paul can't quite remember why, but he has learned to stay away from his brother.  He considers him extremely dangerous, and often compares him to some kind of monster.  

Multiple times in the book, Erik is cruel to Paul's friends when they come to his house.  Because of this, Paul doesn't have friends over often.  However, he is very excited when the members of his science project group from Tangerine Middle are coming over to work on their project.  They all are having a good time until Erik shows up.  When Erik drives up, Paul immediately panics, but he doesn't know what to do.  He describes later that he "just stared...paralyzed with fear, while the scene rolled on."  

Erik walks up to them and casually says, "Look at this. I think it's great that these farm-labor kids get to spend a day away from the fields."  Erik begs Tino to just let it go, but Tino throws a few insults back.  Erik then walks up and hits Tino so hard that he gets knocked back onto the grass and doesn't move.  It's important to remember that Erik is a lot older than Tino, which is what makes this attack especially revolting.  Paul tries to apologize and help Tino up once Erik has walked away, but Erik is disgusted with his weakness, and ignores him.

When Tino's older brother, Luis, finds out that Erik attacked Tino, he goes to find him on the football field and teach him a lesson.  However, on Erik's orders, Erik's friend Arthur hits Luis over the head with a Blackjack, which is a very heavy and very powerful old fashioned weapon.  Paul sees the whole thing, but again feels powerless to stop it.  When Paul sees Luis a few days later, he tries to apologize, but Luis assures him that he has a plan.  Luis and a few players on Erik's team are planning to attack Erik on the following Monday when all the players are handing in their football gear.  Paul is almost thrilled by the idea.

This moment is a particularly poignant one, because Paul shows absolutely no concern or feeling for his brother. Rather, he is extremely excited.  On Monday, he stays home from school and waits anxiously for his brother to return home, hoping that he will be covered in bruises.  Instead, Erik returns home without a scratch.  Paul knows immediately that something has gone wrong.  He trie to convince himself that they must have just changed the plans for another day.  Instead, devastatingly, he finds out that Luis has died.  It doesn't take him long to realize that it was the hit over the head from Arthur's blackjack that killed him.  He knows that his brother and his friend are murderers, but again, he feels completely powerless to do anything about it.  

How is Eli Sisters' character affected/changed by the personal, constructed, and psychological landscapes in Patrick deWitt's novel The Sisters...

Patrick deWitt's western novel The Sisters Brothers is a tale of a battle between an evil and a moral nature. At the start of the story, the two brothers of the last name Sisters, Charlie Sisters and Eli Sisters, are caught up in the world of evil by working as hired assassins for the Commodore. Eli in particular is caught up in this evil world because his fierce temper makes him more savage than most men. However, as they continue witnessing evil throughout the novel, Eli grows disgusted with the evil he sees and is ready to let go of it.

Eli's vicious temper is seen in such incidents as him using his boot to crush the skull of a prospector Charlie had just shot because the prospector held Eli at gunpoint. The prospector was already dead and his skull had already been disfigured by Charlie's gunshot; however, filled with rage at having been held at gunpoint, Eli was unable to quench his desire to continue mutilating the deceased prospector. Yet, after that moment, many events happen to change Eli emotionally.

One of those events is meeting Mayfield's beautiful hotel bookkeeper, who is dying of tuberculosis, yet still has a very positive outlook. Her outlook makes him feel ashamed of his violent rages and of his job as an assassin, especially since the man they are after, Warm, may be completely innocent. Eli begins to change most when he and Charlie read Warm's diary and determine that he truly is innocent. All the men the Commodore had sent them after before had been guilty of double-crossing the Commodore, but Warm hasn't done anything of the sort; he is only guilty of devising an ingenious chemical method of discovering gold in streams, a method the Commodore is eager to get his hands on. Instead of killing Warm and Morris, another man of the Commodore's who has betrayed the him to become Warm's partner, Charlie and Eli prove their loyalty to them by defending them against bandits and becoming their partners until both Warm and Morris are killed in a chemical accident. During their partnership, Warm says something insightful that particularly influences Eli to begin thinking about change:

Most people will continue on, dissatisfied but never attempting to understand why, or how they might change things for the better, and they die with nothing in their hearts but dirt and old, thin blood--weak blood, diluted--and their memories aren't worth a goddamned thing. (p. 295)

After Warm and Morris's deaths, Eli conquers the evil he has been battling throughout the whole novel by strangling the Commodore to death. Then, they return home to their mother, promising that they are done with all the violence they have been involved in. Eli even speaks of his new vision of opening up a trading post. Yet, despite Eli conquering evil by killing the Commodore, by the end of the novel, we know that Eli's change is not a complete, miraculous change; instead, it is a very realistic change. His change is realistic because he confesses to his mother that he still has his violent urges and still tries to use his calming technique. Yet, though he still has his violent urges and probably always will, at least he has conquered evil by no longer wanting to succumb to the evil within him; instead, he wants to succumb to the desire to behave morally.

What did Baudelaire mean when he wrote that modernity refers to the ephemeral, the fugitive, or the contingent?

The full quotation to which you are referring is taken from Charles Baudelaire's "The Painter of Modern Life." It reads:

By ‘modernity’ I mean the ephemeral, the fugitive, the contingent, the half of art whose other half is the eternal and immutable…

The statement describes the work of Constantin Guys, who is referenced in Baudelaire's essay simply as "Monsieur G." Guys (December 3, 1802 – December 13, 1892) was a journalist and illustrator best known for his...

The full quotation to which you are referring is taken from Charles Baudelaire's "The Painter of Modern Life." It reads:

By ‘modernity’ I mean the ephemeral, the fugitive, the contingent, the half of art whose other half is the eternal and immutable…

The statement describes the work of Constantin Guys, who is referenced in Baudelaire's essay simply as "Monsieur G." Guys (December 3, 1802 – December 13, 1892) was a journalist and illustrator best known for his reporting on the Crimean War. The essay, while overtly focusing on the work of Guys, also defends the work of Impressionist and Symbolist painters that Baudelaire admired.

In this essay, Baudelaire is arguing that "modern" art must move behind the classical ideals of grandeur and timelessness to capture the fleeting impressions of everyday life, even at its most squalid. Unlike the Naturalists, he is not arguing for realism so much as artistic vision, which he says is transformative, creating beauty from fleeting impressions. He is also arguing for casting off the straight jacket of artistic tradition and embracing the modern world, rather than imitating ancient models. 

Guys' work, in its simple technique and response to the details of immediate experience, represents Baudelaire's ideal of the flâneur, strolling through the city and observing its varied inhabitants. 

I'm reading Plato Theaetetus translated by M. J. Levett and I need to find literary devices throughout the dialogue. Can you help with providing...

As your assignment is to read the book yourself, and as you are reading the book to note literary devices, giving you the precise page numbers of the literary devices in your translation would be unethical, as it would undermine the point of the assignment, which is to ensure that you read the dialogue in its entirety yourself. Instead, this answer will focus on helping you complete your assignment rather than completing it for you.

...

As your assignment is to read the book yourself, and as you are reading the book to note literary devices, giving you the precise page numbers of the literary devices in your translation would be unethical, as it would undermine the point of the assignment, which is to ensure that you read the dialogue in its entirety yourself. Instead, this answer will focus on helping you complete your assignment rather than completing it for you.

One of the great paradoxes one encounters when studying Plato is that his condemnation of the poets in Republic and Ion contrasts strikingly with his own literary craftsmanship. He himself uses a wide range of literary devices with outstanding skill.

Perhaps the most common devices Plato uses are simile and metaphor, making complex philosophical points by comparing abstract concepts to concrete ones. This device is not just literary, but also reflects Plato's own understanding of the phenomenal world as a corporeal instantiation of the noumenal one. In a sense, for Plato a real apple is a metaphor for the idea or form of the apple, with the form being the tenor and the physical fruit the vehicle.

The first important metaphor we find in Theaetetus is that of Socrates himself as a midwife of ideas. The second metaphor crucial to the ontological discussion is that of the Heraclitean river as a metaphor for becoming.

Another quite common literary device in the dialogue is one known variously as epanorthosis, metanoia, or correctio. This is a rhetorical form of self-correction, in which a speaker explicitly corrects his previous statements (e.g. by stating "We must have been wrong in claiming ..."). This is something found throughout Plato's dialogues and crucial to the understanding of Theaetetus. One good example of this is the way Socrates repeatedly refines his own explications of the homo-mensura fragment. After each reductio ad absurdum, he then corrects himself by arguing that since Protagoras would not have held such an absurd viewpoint, Socrates' own interpretations must be at fault. Socrates will then offer up a new interpretation.

`int (sqrt(x)/(sqrt(x) - 3)) dx` Find the indefinite integral by u substitution. (let u be the denominator of the integral)

To apply u-substitution , we let `u = sqrt(x)-3` .

Then  ` du = 1/(2sqrt(x) dx` .

Rearrange  `du = 1/(2sqrt(x)) dx` into `dx =2sqrt(x) du`

Substituting `dx=2sqrt(x) du` and `u =sqrt(x)-3` :

`int sqrt(x)/(sqrt(x)-3)dx = int sqrt(x)/u*2sqrt(x) dx`        

Simplify: `sqrt(x)*sqrt(x) = x`

`int sqrt(x)/u *2sqrt(x) du = int (2x)/u du`

Rearrange `u=sqrt(x)-3` into `sqrt(x)=u+3`

Squaring both sides of`sqrt(x)=u+3` then

`x=u^2+6u+9`

`int (2x)/u du = 2 int (u^2+6u+9)/u du`

   ...

To apply u-substitution , we let `u = sqrt(x)-3` .

Then  ` du = 1/(2sqrt(x) dx` .

Rearrange  `du = 1/(2sqrt(x)) dx` into `dx =2sqrt(x) du`

Substituting `dx=2sqrt(x) du` and `u =sqrt(x)-3` :

`int sqrt(x)/(sqrt(x)-3)dx = int sqrt(x)/u*2sqrt(x) dx`        

Simplify: `sqrt(x)*sqrt(x) = x`

`int sqrt(x)/u *2sqrt(x) du = int (2x)/u du`

Rearrange `u=sqrt(x)-3` into `sqrt(x)=u+3`

Squaring both sides of`sqrt(x)=u+3` then

`x=u^2+6u+9`

`int (2x)/u du = 2 int (u^2+6u+9)/u du`

                   `= 2 int (u^2/u + 6u/u + 9/u) du`

                   `= 2 int (u + 6 + 9/u) du `

                   `=2 *(u^2/2+6u+9lnabs|u|) +C`

  Substitute u =sqrt(x)-3:

`2 *(u^2/2+6u+9ln|u|)+C =2 *((sqrt(x)-3)^2/2+6(sqrt(x)-3)+9ln|(sqrt(x)-3)|)+C`

                                   ` =(sqrt(x)-3)^2+12(sqrt(x)-3)+18ln|(sqrt(x)-3)| +C`

                                   ` = x-6sqrt(x)+9+12sqrt(x)-36 +18ln|sqrt(x)-3|+C`

                                  `= x + 6sqrt(x)-27 +18ln|sqrt(x)-3|+C`

What change did the Industrial Revolution bring about in English society?

The growth of the population was one of the most important and most visible changes in English society during the Industrial Revolution. In 1781, for example, the population of England and Wales was 7.5 million people but, by 1851, it had risen to almost 18 million people. This population boom continued throughout the nineteenth century, reaching 32.5 million people by 1901. (See the first reference link).

It was the "rapid economic growth" of the Industrial...

The growth of the population was one of the most important and most visible changes in English society during the Industrial Revolution. In 1781, for example, the population of England and Wales was 7.5 million people but, by 1851, it had risen to almost 18 million people. This population boom continued throughout the nineteenth century, reaching 32.5 million people by 1901. (See the first reference link).

It was the "rapid economic growth" of the Industrial Revolution which enabled the country to support such a large population. A range of public health initiatives, like better drainage, for example, improved living conditions in England's towns and cities while the rate of infant mortality decreased. Moreover, from the 1850s, living standards increased and food prices fell while the rate of infectious diseases, like typhus, also declined. These factors encouraged a healthier and more fertile population. 

For more information, please see the reference link provided. 

What percentage of people are able to afford a new home?

Determining how many people can afford to buy a new home depends on how you define “afford.” Generally speaking, most home buyers are expected to dedicate about 25% of their income to mortgage payments. Lenders are reluctant to make loans to potential buyers if they think they won't be able to make the payments, so they look at the income-to-mortgage percentage carefully. This is especially true now, after the disastrous role failed mortgages played in...

Determining how many people can afford to buy a new home depends on how you define “afford.” Generally speaking, most home buyers are expected to dedicate about 25% of their income to mortgage payments. Lenders are reluctant to make loans to potential buyers if they think they won't be able to make the payments, so they look at the income-to-mortgage percentage carefully. This is especially true now, after the disastrous role failed mortgages played in the recent recession.

Most home ownership, historically, has been driven by the middle class. In recent decades, middle class income has been more stagnant than it used to be. At the same time, fewer of the smaller, more affordable houses are being built, as builders have focused on larger, more expensive homes.

According to the website Businessinsider.com, only about 40% of American households make enough money to handle the average mortgage on a new house (if you use the 25% ratio explained above). This number could be higher if wages had not stagnated and/or if smaller houses, with smaller price tags, were being constructed.

What are Kevin's fears in Freak the Mighty?

Kevin ("Freak") doesn't fear anything in Freak the Mighty.  He has a birth defect that leaves him with a leg brace and crutches. Others judge and stare, but he isn't bothered by it in the slightest.  He ignores the comments and looks.  Kevin is confident enough to be who he truly is.  He may be physically small, but he is enormous in smarts.  He loves to read and learns an amazing amount of new...

Kevin ("Freak") doesn't fear anything in Freak the Mighty.  He has a birth defect that leaves him with a leg brace and crutches. Others judge and stare, but he isn't bothered by it in the slightest.  He ignores the comments and looks.  Kevin is confident enough to be who he truly is.  He may be physically small, but he is enormous in smarts.  He loves to read and learns an amazing amount of new and wonderful vocabulary.  He even creates his own dictionary.  Kevin is a genuine boy who is tough, feisty, and quite funny.  "Freak" is willing to share his intelligence with his new friend, Max, and he feels good about doing so.  Together they go on many fun-filled adventures, helping others along the way and enjoying life as different but kindred individuals.  Kevin is very aware of his looming illness and maybe that is why he doesn't have any true fears.  He is hopeful of getting a robotic transplant to extend his life.  But he knows his time is limited and is making the best of every day.  Living each day as if it were his last...as if each day were a gift.

How does the author portray the loss of innocence in chapter 3 of Lord of the Flies?

Although the fire on the mountain that kills the boy with the birthmark at the end of chapter 2 could be seen as the beginning of the boys' loss of innocence in Lord of the Flies, Golding uses chapter 3 to further develop the downward turn of life on the island. Jack's obsession with hunting, the growing conflict between Jack and Ralph, and the fear the boys experience all reflect the boys' loss of innocence.

At the beginning of the chapter, Jack is tracking a pig. Interestingly, Golding compares Jack to an animal, showing how he is beginning to lose his humanity. He tracks the pig "dog-like, uncomfortably on all fours," and when a loud bird's cry startles him, he becomes "less a hunter than a furtive thing, ape-like among the tangle of trees." Jack swears when the pig gets away from him. He tries to explain to Ralph "the compulsion to track down and kill that was swallowing him up." He even finds it hard to remember what rescue is. Jack's obsession with hunting reflects his loss of innocence.

Jack and Ralph seem to get along fairly well in the first two chapters, but in chapter 3 they become "two continents of experience and feeling, unable to communicate." This rift also reflects a loss of innocence among the boys. Ralph complains that the other boys haven't helped with the shelters, and he chides Jack for not getting any meat yet. Ralph wants to "explain how people were never quite what you thought they were," displaying new-found disillusionment.

Finally, the fears of the boys show a loss of innocence. In a perfect place, they should have no fear, yet the littluns, and even some older boys, "talk and scream" at night. They fear a "beastie" or a "snake-thing." Even Jack says that when he's hunting he sometimes feels like he is being hunted, as if something is there in the jungle. Snakes and fear are part of the Garden of Eden account in the Bible; the snake tempted Eve to sin, and after she and Adam sinned, they were afraid. 

Thus Golding uses Jack's obsession with hunting, the conflict between Jack and Ralph, and the boys' fear to portray the loss of innocence of the boys on the island.

What is the resolution for the book Anthem by Ayn Rand?

The resolution of a story usually comes at the end when the major conflict is resolved. In Anthem, the protagonist called Equality 7-2521 struggles against a society that prohibits individual freedoms. For example, Equality has a sincere desire to improve his education by studying with the scholars, own personal property, improve the quality of his life through scientific discovery, and live a private life with the woman he loves. All of these desires are denied...

The resolution of a story usually comes at the end when the major conflict is resolved. In Anthem, the protagonist called Equality 7-2521 struggles against a society that prohibits individual freedoms. For example, Equality has a sincere desire to improve his education by studying with the scholars, own personal property, improve the quality of his life through scientific discovery, and live a private life with the woman he loves. All of these desires are denied him by the government. Therefore, the resolution comes when these desires are satisfied. 

Of course, Equality must first fight his way through social and government obstacles that are also mentally and physically challenging. Ultimately, Equality is forced to flee the only society he knows and enter the Uncharted Forest in order to save his life. Because his girlfriend (Liberty) follows him, Equality is able to venture out into the wilderness with a companion. Fortunately, they find a house filled with books that he can learn from. He learns how to harness and use electricity, create a better life for himself and family, as well as find out more about all of the many things and ideas denied him from society. 

One of the most important discoveries that Equality makes, however, is when he learns the word "I." This word is not allowed in the society from which he flees; therefore, learning it empowers him to live a life fulfilling his personal desires. This realization means more to him than anything forced upon him previously, and it also sums up the resolution of the story. For Equality, the freedom to think, feel, act, and lead a life based on his own desires is the resolution that he achieves. Equality sums up his desires as follows:

"I shall live here, in my own house. I shall take my food from the earth by the toil of my own hands. I shall learn many secrets from my books. Through the years ahead, I shall rebuild the achievements of the past, and open the way to carry them further, the achievements which are open to me, but closed forever to my brothers, for their minds are shackled to the weakest and dullest ones among them . . . The word which can never die on this earth, for it is the heart of it and the meaning and the glory. The sacred word: Ego" (99-100 and 105).

Who are the main characters in Markus Zusak's The Book Thief and what are their goals and conflicts?

Two main characters are Liesel and Max, who both desire to belong and be free.

The protagonist of The Book Thiefis Liesel. Her first goal is to get parents. Because her father is gone and her mother seems to be a Communist, Liesel and her brother are sent to live with the Hubermanns as foster parents, but her brother dies on the train. Liesel’s second goal is to learn how to read, as she...

Two main characters are Liesel and Max, who both desire to belong and be free.

The protagonist of The Book Thief is Liesel. Her first goal is to get parents. Because her father is gone and her mother seems to be a Communist, Liesel and her brother are sent to live with the Hubermanns as foster parents, but her brother dies on the train. Liesel’s second goal is to learn how to read, as she finds refuge in words and books. She learns how to read by stealing books, which is the origin of her nickname Book Thief.

She hadn’t learned to speak too well, or even to read, as she had rarely frequented school. The reason for that she would find out in due course (Chapter 1).

Liesel finds belonging with the Hubermanns. She has a family at last. In Hans’s loving arms, Liesel learns how to read. Liesel’s other conflict is the individual vs. society conflict of World War II, especially since she has befriended a Jew hiding in her basement.

The individual vs. society conflict of World War II also affects Max, the Jew hiding in Liesel's basement. Max’s conflict is that he is fighting for his life. He is Jewish, and therefore outlawed. The Hubermanns are sheltering him in their basement, and he tries to keep a positive outlook. Max feels the conflict with Hitler is personal, which is why he imagines himself in fisticuffs with Hitler.

“Come on, Führer,” he said, and this time, when Adolf Hitler set upon his Jewish counterpart, Max stepped aside and plunged him into the corner. He punched him seven times, aiming on each occasion for only one thing.

The mustache (Chapter 34).

Max fulfilled his wish to live life on his own terms by going outside at night during air raids, and by leaving even though it was at great risk to himself. Even when caught, Max was still himself. Max was a survivor. He lived because he was creative and positive.

What problem did Mowgli have and how did he solve it?

Mowgli, the main character in The Jungle Book, faces many dangerous problems through Rudyard Kipling’s legendary tale. From facing down Shere Khan’s threats, to escaping the Bander-Log tribe of monkeys, to being ostracized from a human village, Mowgli’s conflicts mainly seem to sprout from the main problem that he does not know where he fits in the world. He is clearly not an animal, but he does not feel like a human either. As...

Mowgli, the main character in The Jungle Book, faces many dangerous problems through Rudyard Kipling’s legendary tale. From facing down Shere Khan’s threats, to escaping the Bander-Log tribe of monkeys, to being ostracized from a human village, Mowgli’s conflicts mainly seem to sprout from the main problem that he does not know where he fits in the world. He is clearly not an animal, but he does not feel like a human either. As he searches for who he really is and where he truly belongs, Mowgli learns lessons about what it means to be a kind, intelligent human and a caring friend. As he vacillates between the jungle and human society, Mowgli finally sees the solution to his inner turmoil: a young woman walking down a path in the jungle. By the end of the story, Mowgli understands that he will only be able to start a family in the human world. As he grows into a man, Mowgli accepts that his true home is with the humans, and he leaves his jungle past behind.

Is the multi-party system a threat to democracy?

On the contrary, multi-party systems are if anything more democratic.

Given the large number of people in a nation-state and the wide array of political issues people care about, from tax rates to women's rights to declarations of war, it would be wildly improbable for everyone's political views to be consistently aligned with one of only two parties. By having many parties, a democratic state can more accurately reflect the will of its diverse population.

For example, suppose there are three types of voters, A, B, and C, each comprising a third of the population, and they care about two issues: What flavor of ice cream to buy, and how wide the roads should be. (I'm choosing silly issues intentionally to avoid any preconceptions.)

A voters want chocolate ice cream and wide roads.

B voters want vanilla ice cream and wide roads.

C voters want vanilla ice cream and narrow roads.

Suppose everyone's preference for ice cream flavor is stronger than their preference for road width. Notice that most people want wide roads, and most people want vanilla ice cream.

Now suppose there are only two parties: Chocolatists support chocolate ice cream and wide roads, while Vanillists support vanilla ice cream and narrow roads.

Because everyone prioritizes ice cream flavor, A voters vote Chocolatist. B voters vote Vanillist. C voters will also vote Vanillist. Vanillists will win and we'll have vanilla ice cream and narrow roads, even though most people wanted wide roads.

But now if a third party came into play, the Wideroadists who support wide roads and vanilla ice cream, now A voters would still vote Chocolatist, but B voters would vote Wideroadist, and C voters would still vote Vanillist. If this is a legislature with voting coalitions, then we'd have wide roads (a Wideroadist-Chocolatist coalition) and vanilla ice cream (a Vanillist-Wideroadist coalition); this would best reflect popular will.

There are a few advantages to two-party systems: they are simple for voters to understand, and if public opinion is largely polarized they can protect the majority against the minority in certain cases. It's rare for extreme views to become represented in two-party states, but it's about as rare for extreme views to actually result in legislation in multi-party states.

In general these are outweighed by the advantages of multi-party states: Better expression of the public will, more opportunities for compromise, fewer opportunities to game the system with strategic voting or campaigning, and typically greater engagement and turnout among voters, who feel their opinions are really being represented.

As a result, a two-party system is really not so much a desirable system to try to achieve, as it is the all-but-inevitable outcome of a winner-takes-all plurality vote. There's also not much incentive for politicians who win in a two-party system to try to change to a multi-party system, whereas there can be incentives for politicians who win some seats in a multi-party system to try to make a two-party system to win even more seats.

What is the significance of Wounded knee? Where is it?

Wounded Knee refers to a location in the state of South Dakota as well as a massacre which occurred there in the year of 1890. There is a body of water called Wounded Knee Creek in what is now known as the Lakota Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, but prior to the establishment of Reservations in the United States, this was territory of the Oglala Nation. 

In 1889, the Pine Ridge Reservation was established out of territory previously part of the Great Sioux Reservation. There was much conflict surrounding the founding of reservations, and many First Nations (American Indian) people were slaughtered or uprooted from their homes. Lands were seized by the United States government and the American Bison (a very important resource for the First Nations) were killed in such large numbers by American settlers that they almost went extinct. Reservations were intended to be spaces where First Nations people could maintain their traditional lifeways independent from the United States government. Unfortunately, the government was the entity appointing the location of the reservations and forcing First Nations people to move onto them. 

A religious and political movement was founded in this time by the Paiute Nation (in the region of present-day Nevada) prophet Wovoka. Wovoka had a vision that the Christian messiah Jesus Christ would return to Earth as First Nations man, and believed that if every First Nations person were to practice the Ghost Dance, all of the white settlers would leave First Nations land and the reincarnated Christ would restore these territories to splendor. Wovoka's vision included the promise that traditional resources like the Bison would be restored and the spirits of dead ancestors would be risen from the grave to teach the living.

The Ghost Dance movement gained a following, and the last Ghost Dances were held on the Pine Ridge Reservation in 1890. The U.S. government wanted to suppress the practice of Ghost Dancing and tried to make negotiations with First Nations chiefs to prevent people from practicing the dance. When this failed to play out as the government had hoped, they resorted to coercion by violence. The government intended to surround disarm the Lakota people on the reservation so as to prevent any further uprising. On the 29th of December, during rounds to seize weapons from the Lakota camp, a deaf man named Black Coyote refused to give up his rifle. In the struggle to take Black Coyote's rifle from him, the gun went off and fighting broke out. 

After the initial, accidental gunshot, both United States troopers and Lakota men opened fire. Though women and children tried to take shelter in camp or flee the gunfire, the Lakota camp was surrounded and the United States soldiers fired directly into the camp. In the span of less than an hour, hundreds of First Nations people were killed, with estimates ranging between 150 and 300. Survivors were forced to move to the reservation. On the side of the United States, 25 men were killed and several more were injured during the fight. 

It is important to put these numbers into perspective by understanding the percentage of people who were killed or injured during the Massacre. Of the perhaps 350 Lakota who were camped at Wounded Knee, even the most conservative estimate of 150 deaths indicates that nearly half the group was killed. In contrast, of the 500 soldiers and troopers sent by the U.S. government, only 25 (or 5%) died. The Lakota people were outnumbered, surrounded, and indiscriminately killed. 

The Wounded Knee Massacre is historically significant not only for the intensity of violence which occurred there, but also as an archetypal event for the long legacy of the colonization of the Americas and the eradication of First Nations people and culture. The Wounded Knee Massacre was initially called the Wounded Knee Battle, but this was a gross misnomer. A battle implies two (or more) groups of an equal mind to engage in combat-- the Massacre at Wounded Knee was an attack committed by the United States government against the Lakota People. 

The conflict did not end in 1890. In 1973, around 200 members of the American Indian Movement staged a protest at Wounded Knee. The activists were there to protest the corrupt tribal president Richard Wilson and the United States government's failure to negotiate and uphold treaties with the First Nations. Again, the Lakota people were surrounded by U.S. law enforcement and though there was only a total of two deaths, the occupation lasted 71 days. During this time, electricity, water, and food were cut off from Wounded Knee in an attempt to starve out the protesters. The U.S. law enforcement officials repeatedly opened fire on the Lakota people and both of the two people who died during the Incident were First Nations protesters.

I encourage you to read up on the current Dakota Access Pipeline protest to learn more about the continuing legacy of the oppression of First Nations people in the United States.

Are Supreme Court Justices allowed to vote in presidential elections?

Supreme Court Justices have the right to vote in presidential elections. They also have the right to vote in any other election in which citizens are eligible to vote. This is a precious right that should not be taken away because a person is in the judiciary or has any other governmental position. The president, vice-president, members of the cabinet, senators, and representatives all have the right to vote. 

What Supreme Court Justices should not...

Supreme Court Justices have the right to vote in presidential elections. They also have the right to vote in any other election in which citizens are eligible to vote. This is a precious right that should not be taken away because a person is in the judiciary or has any other governmental position. The president, vice-president, members of the cabinet, senators, and representatives all have the right to vote. 

What Supreme Court Justices should not do is express their opinions publicly about presidential candidates, or for that matter, about presidents. They have been known to make remarks at private events from time to time, but they should be careful. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg realized this after she commented on Donald Trump and then apologized for her remarks. The Supreme Court should at least appear to be above the fray of politics, even if it is not.

What are examples of the conflicts (character vs. character, character vs. society, character vs. self) in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas?

An example of character vs. character in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is Bruno vs. Lieutenant Kotler. Bruno represents innocence and kindness whereas Kotler is a mean bully who abuses his power as a soldier by being rude or threatening. Bruno doesn't like Kotler specifically because of a few of the following reasons:

"There was the fact that he never smiled and always looked as if he was trying to find somebody to cut out of his will . . . Once when Bruno was watching the camp from his bedroom window he saw a dog approach the fence and start barking loudly, and when Lieutenant Kotler heard it he marched right over to the dog and shot it" (162).

Bruno wishes that he were older, taller, and stronger so he could confront Lieutenant Kotler. Unfortunately, Bruno is only ten and can only be sarcastic or verbally resistant when Kotler is around. 

Next, an example of character vs. society is exemplified in the story surrounding Pavel, the waiter. Bruno learns that Pavel once practiced medicine. Bruno doesn't understand the reason Pavel is now his family's waiter. However, it can be inferred from historical facts that since Pavel is a Jew, Nazis forced him to stop practicing medicine. Since society's acceptance of Jews changed when Hitler came to power, Pavel must now wrestle against prejudiced people every day. The worst part about Pavel' life is that he is a victim of society because he can't live the life he once had. It doesn't matter that he is an educated or experienced doctor. All that matters to society now is that he is a Jew and should be treated as less than human.

Finally, a conflict that demonstrates character vs. self is when Lieutenant Kotler asks Bruno if Shmuel is his friend. The battle fought between a character against himself happens inside, and it becomes evident in the character's mind. For example, the internal question that Bruno must answer is whether or not he will tell the truth about his friendship with Shmuel and risk getting in trouble. Bruno debates over what to do as follows:

"Bruno's mouth dropped open as he tried to remember the way you used your mouth if you wanted to say the word 'yes'. . . but then he realized that he couldn't; because he was feeling just as terrified himself . . . Bruno wished he could run away. He hated Lieutenant Kotler, but he was advancing on him now and all Bruno could think of was the afternoon when he had seen him shooting a dog . . ." (172).

The above passage shows Bruno struggling within himself to do the right thing, but he's terrified. Sadly, he doesn't claim Shmuel as his friend at this moment and must apologize later. 

In the poem "Exposure" by Wilfred Owen, why does the speaker use the pronouns "we" and "our" rather than "I" and "my"?

The speaker in this poem uses plural pronouns ("we," "us," and "our") instead of singular pronouns ("I," "me," or "my") because he is speaking not just for himself but for the entire group of soldiers experiencing the frigid cold as they remain trapped on the battlefield.

For example, when the speaker says "Our brains ache, in the merciless iced east winds that knive us," he means that it's not just his own brain that hurts:...

The speaker in this poem uses plural pronouns ("we," "us," and "our") instead of singular pronouns ("I," "me," or "my") because he is speaking not just for himself but for the entire group of soldiers experiencing the frigid cold as they remain trapped on the battlefield.

For example, when the speaker says "Our brains ache, in the merciless iced east winds that knive us," he means that it's not just his own brain that hurts: it's the brains of his comrades, too; and it's not just to him that the wind that feels like a knife: it feels that way to the others as well. 

By presenting the group of soldiers as a unified whole instead of speaking as an individual, the speaker of the poem emphasizes their communal sense of loyalty to one another as they endure the painful and horrifying exposure to the cold weather.

That sense of community, or comradeship, is important in this otherwise extremely bleak poem. The soldiers, as a group, are questioning why God is allowing them to suffer and die in this way, and the entire poem is about not only hopelessness but also the futility of suffering. Faced with this brutal situation, the speaker clings to the unity of his men and to his own sense of belonging to them by speaking in the plural. 

In "Eveline," what is the pattern or structure of the development of the plot?

There are two main sections that develop the plot in James Joyce's short story "Eveline." The first section (which also occupies the most physical "space" within the story) focuses on an interior study of Eveline herself, introducing us to her background, personal history, and inner thoughts and feelings. In this section, we learn that Eveline has to hold down a dead-end job to support her family, as her mother is dead. Eveline also has to...

There are two main sections that develop the plot in James Joyce's short story "Eveline." The first section (which also occupies the most physical "space" within the story) focuses on an interior study of Eveline herself, introducing us to her background, personal history, and inner thoughts and feelings. In this section, we learn that Eveline has to hold down a dead-end job to support her family, as her mother is dead. Eveline also has to do most of the housework, as her alcoholic and abusive father isn't prone to taking care of Eveline or her younger siblings. This section (which appropriately takes place entirely within Eveline's head) illustrates just how "stuck" the protagonist is, as it proves that Eveline has an unfulfilling life devoid of promise. 

The second section, which is much shorter, follows Eveline as she prepares to leave Ireland with Frank, a man she's been dating. However, though leaving with Frank ostensibly offers Eveline a chance to escape her miserable life, Eveline ultimately chooses to stay in Dublin. This section's primary purpose is to show that, despite her former desire to escape her oppressive existence, Eveline is either unwilling or unable to actually act, and so the conclusion of the short story displays just how tragically "stuck" Eveline truly is. 

Note this is a Physics/Calculus question. A particle is described by the wave function: `psi(x)={(ce^(x/L) if x=0mm):}` where L=2mm a) Sketch...

Hello!

The probability density is the square of the absolute value of a wave function, in our case it is `P_d(x)=|Psi(x)|^2=c^2 e^(-2x/L)` for positive x's and `c^2 e^(2x/L)` for negative x's.

The integral over the real axis of a probability density must be `1` (the total probability). From this statement we can find `c:`

`int_(RR) p_d(x) dx = 2 int_0^(+oo) c^2 e^(-2x/L) dx = -2c^2 L/2e^(-2x/L) |_(x=0)^(+oo) = c^2 L=1.`

So really `c = 1/sqrt(L) approx...

Hello!

The probability density is the square of the absolute value of a wave function, in our case it is `P_d(x)=|Psi(x)|^2=c^2 e^(-2x/L)` for positive x's and `c^2 e^(2x/L)` for negative x's.

The integral over the real axis of a probability density must be `1` (the total probability). From this statement we can find `c:`

`int_(RR) p_d(x) dx = 2 int_0^(+oo) c^2 e^(-2x/L) dx = -2c^2 L/2e^(-2x/L) |_(x=0)^(+oo) = c^2 L=1.`

So really `c = 1/sqrt(L) approx 0.707.` (b)

(c) the probability of finding the particle within 1 mm of the origin is the integral of the probability density from `-1` to `1.` It is evidently

`2 int_0^1 1/L e^(-2x/L) dx = -2/L L/2e^(-2x/L) |_(x=0)^1 = 1-e^(-2/L) = 1-e^(-1) approx 0.632,`

which is really 63.2%.

(a), (d) look at the graph at https://www.desmos.com/calculator/mmija615t1

You can click on the orange circles at the left to disable the shading.

Are there any examples of logos appearing in Into The Wild?

The way that I interpret this question is that it is asking if any company logos appear in the book.  I can provide two specific times when Krakauer comments on a specific logo within Into the Wild.

The first described logo is the logo found on Chris McCandless when he was discovered dead in the bus.  When McCandless was found, the Alaska State Troopers could not identify who he was.  McCandless didn't travel with any...

The way that I interpret this question is that it is asking if any company logos appear in the book.  I can provide two specific times when Krakauer comments on a specific logo within Into the Wild.

The first described logo is the logo found on Chris McCandless when he was discovered dead in the bus.  When McCandless was found, the Alaska State Troopers could not identify who he was.  McCandless didn't travel with any kind of identification.  McCandless happened to be wearing a shirt that had the logo of a towing company in Santa Barbara.  The law enforcement officers then contacted the towing company in hopes that they knew McCandless.  

The second specific logo mentioned in the book appears on a jacket being worn by Walt McCandless.  The jacket's logo is for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.  

If by "logos," you mean logic, then the best example from the book would be chapters 8 and 9.  In those chapters, Krakauer tries to convince readers that McCandless is not some singular crazy guy.  Chapter 8 focuses on Gene Rossellini, John Waterman, and Carl McGunn, and chapter 9 focuses on Everett Ruess.  During these chapters, Krakauer attempts to establish similarities between McCandless and the four men.  The arguments are presented in a logical format with supporting evidence, and those chapters did quite a bit to change my opinion of McCandless himself. 

How do you model a linear equation when there's no apparent pattern between x and y? For example x=30, y=134, x=31, y=155, x=33, y=165, x=35,...

Hello!

It is obvious that there is no linear formula exactly connecting these x's and y's, if we consider the slopes between neighbor points:

`(155 - 134)/(31 - 30) = 21,` `(165 - 155)/(33 - 31) = 5,` `(167 - 165)/(35 - 33) = 1.`

For a single line, all these slopes must be the same.

But this isn't the whole story. We may seek such a line `y=ax+b` that would be the closest to...

Hello!

It is obvious that there is no linear formula exactly connecting these x's and y's, if we consider the slopes between neighbor points:

`(155 - 134)/(31 - 30) = 21,` `(165 - 155)/(33 - 31) = 5,` `(167 - 165)/(35 - 33) = 1.`

For a single line, all these slopes must be the same.

But this isn't the whole story. We may seek such a line `y=ax+b` that would be the closest to all these points. The simplest criteria of such a proximity is the least squares one, which means we try to minimize

`sum_(k=1)^n (y_n-(ax_n+b))^2.`

This problem has the exact unique answer (see for example the link attached). We have to compute the numbers

`p=sum_(k=1)^n x_k^2,`  `q=sum_(k=1)^n x_k,`  `r=sum_(k=1)^n x_k y_k`  and  `s=sum_(k=1)^n y_k.`

In our case  `p=4175,` `q=129,` `r=20115` and `s=621.` Then we solve the linear system for the unknowns a and b,

`pa+qb=r,`  `qa+nb=s`  (here n=4).

I hope you know how to solve such systems, the solution for this is `a=351/59,` `b=-2160/59.`

What are some examples of when Hamlet acts insane?

Hamlet is experiencing some personal conflict as a result of the information he gets from his father (the ghost) that his uncle is a murderer.  His father wants to be avenged, and Hamlet wants to comply, but Hamlet is a complicated soul.  Just killing his uncle is not his style.  His mother married his uncle, a fact that makes him very angry.  He's conflicted about killing his uncle.

While Hamlet is trying to figure things...

Hamlet is experiencing some personal conflict as a result of the information he gets from his father (the ghost) that his uncle is a murderer.  His father wants to be avenged, and Hamlet wants to comply, but Hamlet is a complicated soul.  Just killing his uncle is not his style.  His mother married his uncle, a fact that makes him very angry.  He's conflicted about killing his uncle.

While Hamlet is trying to figure things out, he behaves in a very strange manner the many people would consider crazy.  To some people, the first sign of his insanity is seeing and speaking to ghosts.  Even if you accept that, there are other instances of Hamlet behaving irrationally and rudely.

One example is Hamlet’s behavior toward Ophelia.  By all accounts Ophelia is a sweet girl, and Hamlet was sweet on her.  Whatever the extent of the relationship, Hamlet’s treatment of Ophelia is beyond harsh.  It is uncalled for.

HAMLET

You should not have believed me; for virtue cannot
so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of
it: I loved you not.

OPHELIA

I was the more deceived.

HAMLET

Get thee to a nunnery: why wouldst thou be a
breeder of sinners? I am myself indifferent honest;
but yet I could accuse me of such things that it
were better my mother had not borne me … (Act 3, Scene 1)

Hamlet’s harsh and crude treatment of Ophelia is nothing compared to what he does to her father.  He kills him, more or less accidentally, and then when his uncle tries to get Hamlet to tell them where the body is, Hamlet uses it as another opportunity to prove that he is crazy. 

KING CLAUDIUS

Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius?

HAMLET

At supper.

KING CLAUDIUS

At supper! where?

HAMLET

Not where he eats, but where he is eaten … (Act 4, Scene 3) 

It’s funny in a completely morbid way.  Hamlet doesn’t want anyone to guess his intentions regarding his uncle, so he wants to make everyone think he is crazy.  He tells his friends Rosencrantz and Guidenstern that he knows " a hawk from a handsaw," and he is wily enough to avoid his uncle's plot to murder him.

Tom had discovered the great law of human action. What was it?

In Chapter Two of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Tom is forced to whitewash a fence. The fence is thirty yards long and made of boards nine feet high. Since it is a Saturday, all the other boys would be going off to have fun. Tom is smarter than the other boys and manages to get them to do his work for him by pretending that whitewashing a fence is not really work but...

In Chapter Two of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Tom is forced to whitewash a fence. The fence is thirty yards long and made of boards nine feet high. Since it is a Saturday, all the other boys would be going off to have fun. Tom is smarter than the other boys and manages to get them to do his work for him by pretending that whitewashing a fence is not really work but pleasure. He soon has the boys asking him to let them share in his pretended enjoyment. But he refuses at first on the grounds that it takes special skill. In the end they not only do the whole job but actually pay him for the privilege with marbles, toys, and all sorts of whatnots. 

He had discovered a great law of human action, without knowing it—namely, that in order to make a man or a boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to attain.

The narrator goes on to explain that work is something that a person is obliged to do, while play is something a person is not obliged to do. Proof of this assertion is the fact that a number of boys get pleasure out of whitewashing 270 square feet of board fence. They actually apply three coats of whitewash, so the total area painted would amount to a little over 700 square feet. Tom's Aunt Polly is amazed when she comes outside to inspect the job.

When she found the entire fence whitewashed, and not only whitewashed but elaborately coated and recoated, and even a streak added to the ground, her astonishment was almost unspeakable. 

This is perhaps the best-known episode in all of Mark Twain's writings. Most editions of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer contain at least one color picture or sketch of a small barefoot boy painting a fence with a big brush. It seems symbolic of small-town boyhood in America of the nineteenth century.

What quotes from The Crucible indicate Danforth is ignorant, biased, and cares more about his reputation than his personal integrity?

Danforth most apparently reveals his ignorance at the beginning of act 3, when he is approached by Giles Corey. Giles's wife, Martha, has been arrested on a charge of witchcraft and the old man wishes to testify in the hope that she may be released. When he tells Judge Danforth about the circumstances which he believes may have led to her arrest, the judge's response proves that he is not entirely au fait with the facts. He asks the distraught Giles:

And how do you imagine to help her cause with such contemptuous riot? Now be gone. Your old age alone keeps you out of jail for this.

He haughtily dismisses Giles and accuses him of disrupting the proceedings. Danforth does not present an iota of compassion or understanding for Giles's dilemma. He refuses to believe that the old codger only has his wife's best interests at heart. Instead, he allows his overblown ego to demand that Giles be silent or else charged with contempt. His actions further prove his ignorance about the Salem community, how deeply its residents care about family, and how much its citizens are willing to do to protect those they love. Judge Danforth is more interested in procedure than the real facts.

When Reverend Hale tells him that Giles is there to present hard facts, he declares dismissively:

Then let him submit his evidence in proper affidavit. You are certainly aware of our procedure here, Mr. Hale.

The judge's bias is abundantly clear when he says that he believes the girls are God's agents, used to deliver Salem from the Devil's pernicious evil. He first tells Reverend Hale that, "I have until this moment not the slightest reason to suspect that the children may be deceiving me." He then makes it clear that the testimony of those accused of witchcraft should be dismissed while that of the children should be believed for, as he mentions, they are victims and, "we must rely upon her victims—and they do testify, the children certainly do testify."

He makes his prejudice even more apparent when he intimidates Mary Warren by speaking of lying when she wants to tell the truth. He asks her, "Do you not know that God damns all liars? (She cannot speak). Or is it now that you lie?"

Judge Danforth is obviously proud of his reputation. He has earned a name for himself for being harsh. In act 3, he takes much pride in informing Francis Nurse of this fact.

And do you know that near to four hundred are in the jails from Marblehead to Lynn, and upon my signature?

And seventy-two condemned to hang by that signature?

Throughout the trial, the judge assumes a dictatorial stance. He rejects whatever evidence may favor the accused and, alternatively, goes about condemning them and those who testify on their behalf. He is adamant about maintaining his reputation as one who does not bend to reason and does not have much integrity. He relies on the rumors and untruths of those such as Reverend Parris and the Putnams, even though the accused have presented evidence showing these individuals' corruption. An excellent example of his lack of integrity is shown when he tries to persuade John Proctor to withdraw his appeal by stating that Elizabeth is pregnant and won't face execution during her confinement.

. . . if she begin to show her natural signs, you shall have her living yet another year until she is delivered—what say you to that? (John Proctor is struck silent ). Come now. You say your only purpose is to save your wife. Good, then, she is saved at least this year, and a year is long. What say you, sir? It is done now.

Judge Danforth's lack of integrity speaks of one who is determined to prove a point. He is not one to be messed with. He and he alone will determine the guilt of those accused and, as far as he is concerned, they are guilty purely because of the charges against them. 

How are we supposed to answer if the question asks for the theme of the poem?

In literature, whether it be a novel, a story, or a poem, there is not necessarily just one correct answer to the question of what the theme is. A literary text can have more than one theme, and many do. What I think might be helpful is for you to have a better understanding of what a theme is.

A theme is a timeless and/or universal message that the author wants you to come away...

In literature, whether it be a novel, a story, or a poem, there is not necessarily just one correct answer to the question of what the theme is. A literary text can have more than one theme, and many do. What I think might be helpful is for you to have a better understanding of what a theme is.

A theme is a timeless and/or universal message that the author wants you to come away with after reading the literary work. A successful author will be able to put you in a frame of mind to keep thinking about that message and its importance. Authors seldom state directly what that message is, so it is up to you to figure it out from your reading. We do this by looking at the setting, the characters, and the plot. We do this by noticing symbols and by examining the point of view in the text. We take note of the kinds of words and imagery the writer uses. All of this can add up to a theme.

For instance, when I read the novel The Kite Runner (Hosseini), I see a few themes. I see the theme of redemption. I see what is called a "coming of age" novel, which has a theme of the main character gaining maturity. I see the timeless conflict between fathers and sons. There is a theme of ethnic and religious injustice. Notice that these are all ideas that are important to most people in most times and places. All of them are themes that I see by nature of my analyzing the text itself, finding examples of each in the story.

I do not know what poem you are expected to name a theme for, so read it carefully and ask yourself what message or messages you think the author wants you to understand after your reading. Read the poem more than once, to be sure you understand every line, and if you do not understand something in the poem, get some help, from or perhaps from a teacher. Try to paraphrase the poem in everyday language that you would use to share the ideas in the poem with a friend if it is written in an old-fashioned way. Once the poem is yours this way, it will be much easier for you to see what themes there might be.

Why do Tybalt and Benvolio fight?

In the first scene of the play, Sampson and Gregory (Capulets) encounter Abram and another servant of the house of Montague, and they begin a fight over whose master is better.  Benvolio enters the scene, sees the fight, and he draws his sword in order to stop it.  He says, "Part, fools! / Put up your swords.  You know not what you do" (1.1.65-66).  As the root of his name (bene) implies, Benvolio...

In the first scene of the play, Sampson and Gregory (Capulets) encounter Abram and another servant of the house of Montague, and they begin a fight over whose master is better.  Benvolio enters the scene, sees the fight, and he draws his sword in order to stop it.  He says, "Part, fools! / Put up your swords.  You know not what you do" (1.1.65-66).  As the root of his name (bene) implies, Benvolio is good and peace-loving.  He only draws his weapon in order to restore peace.

However, when Tybalt enters the scene and sees that Benvolio's weapon is out, he tells Benvolio to "Turn [...]; [and] look upon [his] death" (1.1.68).  Benvolio insists that he only wants to "keep the peace" and encourages Tybalt to put away his own weapon or use it to help him to part the fighting men.  Instead, Tybalt says he hates peace, the Montague family in general, and Benvolio specifically.  He shouts, "Have at thee, coward!" and presumably lunges toward Benvolio, and so the two fight until they are broken apart by other club-wielding citizens.  Essentially, then, Benvolio and Tybalt's fight is Tybalt's fault; he wanted to fight, and Benvolio did not.

What is the turning point of The Fighting Ground by Avi?

There are arguably many turning points in Avi's young adult novel The Fighting Ground, which follows twenty-four hours in the life of thirteen-year-old Jonathan, a boy who joins the military forces in the fight for American Independence from the British. 

The first turning point happens when Jonathan--who was previously very eager to fight in the war--sees horrific carnage and the death of a family friend during battle, causing him to flee to the woods...

There are arguably many turning points in Avi's young adult novel The Fighting Ground, which follows twenty-four hours in the life of thirteen-year-old Jonathan, a boy who joins the military forces in the fight for American Independence from the British. 

The first turning point happens when Jonathan--who was previously very eager to fight in the war--sees horrific carnage and the death of a family friend during battle, causing him to flee to the woods in fright. It is at this time that another turning point occurs: Jonathan is captured by three Hessian soldiers, who take him to a cabin in the woods. Jonathan doesn't exactly like these men, but he learns to tolerate them. 

Later on, Jonathan manages to escape and returns to the American side of the battle, where he is asked by the Corporal to reveal information about the enemy's location. In the third turning point, Jonathan sneaks to the cabin where the Hessians are resting, wakes them, and encourages them to escape before the Americans reach them. Unfortunately, one of the soldiers tries to use him as a human shield, and the Hessians are killed by the American minutemen.

The result of all these turning points is a huge change of heart for young Jonathan; he realizes that the violence of war is senseless and destroys the gun that he has borrowed for battle.

What is the central idea of the sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"?

Puritan theologian Jonathan Edwards delivered the "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" sermon as a visiting minister to a congregation in Enfield, Connecticut in 1741 during the religious revival movement known as The Great Awakening.  Puritans had traditionally been taught that people were predestined for heaven or hell, thus it was a religion that produced uncertainty and anxiety in its followers as they searched themselves for signs of being among God's "elect." Notably,...

Puritan theologian Jonathan Edwards delivered the "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" sermon as a visiting minister to a congregation in Enfield, Connecticut in 1741 during the religious revival movement known as The Great Awakening.  Puritans had traditionally been taught that people were predestined for heaven or hell, thus it was a religion that produced uncertainty and anxiety in its followers as they searched themselves for signs of being among God's "elect." Notably, Edwards's sermon rejects the idea of predestination and offers the hope of salvation that can be earned.

Edwards lectures at length on the horror that unredeemed sinners will face: "The Wrath of God burns against them, their Damnation don’t slumber, the Pit is prepared, the Fire is made ready, the Furnace is now hot, ready to receive them, the Flames do now rage and glow".

But because the purpose of the Great Awakening and Edwards's sermon was to bring lapsed Christians back to their faith and convert the rest, his tone changes toward the conclusion of the sermon: "And now you have an extraordinary Opportunity, a Day wherein Christ has flung the Door of Mercy wide open, and stands in the Door calling and crying with a loud Voice to poor Sinners".

http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1053&context=etas

In what ways might Vedantic Hinduism’s vision of Brahman and Non-duality help some of the world’s problems today (e.g., crime, conflicts and...

The Vedas are the recorded revelations of the earliest thinkers who were at one in mind and soul with the essence of the cosmos and the essential truths of the cosmos. Their thoughts and teachings on these essential truths were recorded by the sage Vyasa hundreds of years later in book form known now as the four Vedas.

The Brahmana are the exposition sections in each of the four Vedas. Each of the four Vedas is comprised of four parts: hymns (Samhita), prose exposition (Brahmana), appendices, and the concluding theological discussions (Upanishads, or vedanta). The Brahmana are followed by the vedanta, which provide theological discussion of the Vedantic idea of Brahman (Encyclopedia Britannica).

Brahman is the name of the essential cosmological force and origin of the Vedantic truths. This essential origin and truth, this Brahman, is described as "impersonal, transcendent reality. . . the divine ground of being" (Vedanta Society). Brahman is said to have a formless, impersonal existence of purity and perfection as well as a personal existence, taking a human form as and when needed, such as in the persons of Sri Krishna (3220 B.C.) and Jesus.

Vedantic non-dualism asserts an impersonal, formless nature for Brahman. Non-dualism further asserts that the essence of the individual human soul is identical to the essence of Brahman—"The universe of beings and things is merely an appearance of Brahman in time and space. The individual soul and Brahman are absolutely non-different"—and that destructive tendencies ("bondage") stem from human ignorance of this truth while peaceful, harmonious tendencies ("liberation") stem from unfettered communion with Brahman (Johnson and McGee).

An extensive application by humankind of these precepts to today's problems may result in significant changes in action, perception and outcomes since, according to the Vedantic idea of Brahman non-duality, the problems today originate in our ignorance of the true nature of our souls. Brahmanic oneness in humankind may result in some of the following changes:

Economic: greed would be liberated from human actions resulting in the cessation of economic oppression and deprivation; those in want and need would want and need in oppression and deprivation no longer.

Environmental: ecological degradation would cease since the degradation of ecosystems, in forms such as deforestation, ocean pollution, and encroaching carbon footprints, is motivated by greed and ignorance.

War and Crime: peaceful and harmonious feelings would prevail so that impulses toward the building up of relationships and toward implementing solutions of fairness would dominate.

How does Lady Macbeth manage to stiffen Macbeth's courage and determination? What arguments does she use to force Macbeth to kill Duncan?

Lady Macbeth strengthens Macbeth's resolve to kill Duncan in Act 1, scene 7, when he's told her that "We will proceed no further in this business" (1.7.34).  She does so by insulting his masculinity and implying that he will not be a real man if he does not go forward with the murder.  She asks him, "Was the hope drunk / Wherein you dressed yourself?  Hath it slept since? / And wakes it now, to...

Lady Macbeth strengthens Macbeth's resolve to kill Duncan in Act 1, scene 7, when he's told her that "We will proceed no further in this business" (1.7.34).  She does so by insulting his masculinity and implying that he will not be a real man if he does not go forward with the murder.  She asks him, "Was the hope drunk / Wherein you dressed yourself?  Hath it slept since? / And wakes it now, to look so green and pale / At what it did so freely?  From this time / Such I account thy love" (1.7.39-43).  She asks if Macbeth's earlier hope was simply drunk and how it can wake now and seem too be afraid of what it would have dared before.  She says that, from now on, she'll think the same way about his love: that both he and it lack commitment and resolve.  Further, she implies that he'll have to think of himself as a "coward" forever if he will not pursue the crown now (1.7.47).  Lady Macbeth says that when he dared to do it, "then [he was] a man," and that he would be "more the man" now if he will (1.7.56, 1.7.58).  She even claims that she would rather kill her own baby, had she promised him she would do so, than to go back on her word to him.  She wounds his pride over and over, tearing down his manhood and even insisting that she is stronger and more committed than he.

Further, Lady Macbeth argues that no one will be able to suspect them when "[they] shall make [their] griefs and clamor roar / Upon his death" (1.7.90-91).  She plans to get Duncan's grooms so drunk that they won't be able to remember anything about the night before, so she and Macbeth can basically do whatever they want to the sleeping king.  Then, the couple will seem to grieve and mourn so much that no one will think they had anything to do with the murder.  After insisting that Macbeth will not be a man unless he takes the throne by force, she assures him that he is safe to do so because no one will suspect them.

What did the poet wish to do when he took the path that he had not been able to choose in "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost?

The speaker says he wishes he could go back and take the other road after having chosen one.

"The Road Not Taken" is about a person who comes to a fork in a road and has to choose between two roads. He comments in the beginning that he wishes he could travel both. Since he can only choose one road, the speaker stops and thinks about his choice for a while. He notices one of the roads is grassier than the other one. It is fall, so leaves cover the road.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth 

Eventually, the speaker chooses one path, and says he will come back for the other one. He also comments that, given how life usually turns out, he doubts he will ever be back again to take that other path. 

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

The speaker tells us his decision to take the less-traveled path made all the difference for him. We can assume this means he never went back to try the other one. He seems to be pleased with the less-traveled path, though.

The poem can be seen as a metaphor for life. In life, you cannot make two decisions simultaneously. You might make a decision and then try to go back and make the other choice, but that option is often no longer open to you.

What is Montag's plan for the extra copies of the books on page 82-83?

When Montag meets with Faber and earns his trust, they begin to collaborate on a plan to upend the elements of society that have led them to that point. Faber is the more practical and cynical of the two, and tends to vacillate between his deep love of culture, knowledge and learning, and his convictions that society is, at this point, too far gone, and will require years, if not generations, to restore itself to...

When Montag meets with Faber and earns his trust, they begin to collaborate on a plan to upend the elements of society that have led them to that point. Faber is the more practical and cynical of the two, and tends to vacillate between his deep love of culture, knowledge and learning, and his convictions that society is, at this point, too far gone, and will require years, if not generations, to restore itself to a point where it might begin to even consider restoring itself to its former state. Montag is more interested in taking immediate action. 

Montag suggests printing up extra copies of books, though not necessarily with any intended purpose in the first place; this is simply to keep entire works from being destroyed through attrition. Faber makes a half-hearted joke about planting some of the books in the homes of firemen. Montag either already had this in mind, or latches onto the idea immediately. He has a list of the homes of firemen, and could plant the books himself. Once the scope and scale of the scandal is publicly revealed, the entire fire system would appear to be corrupt, either casting doubt upon its integrity, or upon the integrity of the ideology that drives it. 

Is the excerpt from Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club titled "Two Kinds" considered narrative poetry, nonfiction, or a fictionalized autobiography?

“Two Kinds” is a fictional autobiography because it tells the story of the little girl Jing-mei, who doesn’t really exist.

An autobiography is a nonfiction, or true, account of a person’s life written from that person’s perspective.  A person writes an autobiography when he or she feels that her story is interesting and worthy of being told.  In this case, Jing-Mei is the daughter of a Chinese immigrant.

In this fictional autobiographical incident, Jing-Mei describes...

“Two Kinds” is a fictional autobiography because it tells the story of the little girl Jing-mei, who doesn’t really exist.

An autobiography is a nonfiction, or true, account of a person’s life written from that person’s perspective.  A person writes an autobiography when he or she feels that her story is interesting and worthy of being told.  In this case, Jing-Mei is the daughter of a Chinese immigrant.

In this fictional autobiographical incident, Jing-Mei describes how her mother desperately tries to turn her into a prodigy.  She tries everything, hoping that her daughter will have a natural talent for something.  She doesn’t.

Waverly actually does have a talent.  She is "Chinatown's Littlest Chinese Chess Champion."  Ths makes Jing-mei jealous.  It's one thing to be compared to Shirley Temple or the kids on TV.  She doesn’t like being compared to Waverly.

And my mother squared her shoulders and bragged: "our problem worser than yours. If we ask Jing-mei wash dish, she hear nothing but music. It's like you can't stop this natural talent." And right then I was determined to put a stop to her foolish pride.

Jing-mei is not actually a musical prodigy.  Her mother is exaggerating and doesn’t realize the true state of her daughter's skill.  When she finds out that Jing-mei has been lying to her, she is surprised.  Jing-mei seems almost as surprised as everyone else that she does so badly at her recital.  She was daydreaming so much that she never practiced.

While it is a common assumption that Moses wrote the Torah, most scholars argue that the Torah was compiled from different documentary sources many...

According to the Documentary Hypothesis, also called the Wellhausen Hypothesis, the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) were drawn from four separate narratives and were later combined into a whole by redactors, or editors. The evidence for this hypothesis comes from the literary analysis of the Torah, including an analysis of the different names used in the Torah for God ("YHWH" or "Yahweh" or "Elohim") and repeated stories, or "doublets." Many scholars have...

According to the Documentary Hypothesis, also called the Wellhausen Hypothesis, the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) were drawn from four separate narratives and were later combined into a whole by redactors, or editors. The evidence for this hypothesis comes from the literary analysis of the Torah, including an analysis of the different names used in the Torah for God ("YHWH" or "Yahweh" or "Elohim") and repeated stories, or "doublets." Many scholars have come to believe that there were four sources of the Torah--"J" or the "Yahwist" source; "E" or the "Elohist" source; "D" or the Deuteronomist; and "P," or the Priestly source. These sources are thought to have written in order, from "J" to "P," in the period c. 950 BCE to c. 500 BCE. Each source is thought to have a different style. One of the doublets in Genesis is the creation story in Genesis 1 and the repeated story of creation along different lines in Genesis 2. In Genesis 1, the story of creation is described in seven days, but in Genesis 2, the story of creation is described with Adam and Eve's fall from grace in the Garden of Eden. In addition, the narrative of the flood, in Genesis 6-9, is given in different and at times contradictory accounts and described in repetitive ways.

Genesis 1-11, therefore, cannot be read as a coherent narrative, as it has many contradictions and duplications. The benefit of literary analysis applied to the Torah is that it allows scholars to understand the history of Judaism, including its changing nature. For example, many scholars have hypothesized that there was a growth in priestly power over the course of time, as "P" is thought to be the last source. However, many religious figures and institutions continue to believe in Mosaic authorship of the Torah--that is, that Moses wrote the Torah when he received it by God. Believing otherwise is contrary to Orthodox Jewish faith and to the beliefs of some Christian churches. 

Why does Steinbeck include Slim in the novella?

Slim is a revered character throughout the novella and is viewed with respect and admiration on the ranch. Slim is described as an experienced jerk-line skinner who is portrayed as the voice of reason throughout the story. Slim understands each man's individual struggles and personalities on the ranch and freely gives advice to the other men. Slim's character is significant throughout the novella because Steinbeck contextualizes other characters and contrasts them against Slim. Slim's morally...

Slim is a revered character throughout the novella and is viewed with respect and admiration on the ranch. Slim is described as an experienced jerk-line skinner who is portrayed as the voice of reason throughout the story. Slim understands each man's individual struggles and personalities on the ranch and freely gives advice to the other men. Slim's character is significant throughout the novella because Steinbeck contextualizes other characters and contrasts them against Slim. Slim's morally upright character provides a standard which other individuals can be compared to. Curley's reckless, superficial personality contrasts greatly with Slim's confident, tolerant attitude. Steinbeck also uses Slim's character to make accurate, fair judgments of other characters. He comments to George that Lennie isn't a mean person and justifies George's decision to shoot Lennie by mentioning how it would not be good for Lennie to rot in jail. Slim's character illuminates other individuals' strengths and weaknesses throughout the novella. His authority also grants him the ability to make accurate judgments regarding right and wrong.

Why does the prisoner tell Elie to say that he is eighteen and not fifteen?

The prisoner tells Elie to lie and say that he is eighteen, instead of giving his true age of fifteen, so that Elie will be counted as an adult and will be able to stay with his father.

This exchange takes place about a third of the way into the novel. Recall that Nightdoesn't have chapter divisions exactly, but rather sections; this conversion occurs in the section that begins with the phrase "The beloved...

The prisoner tells Elie to lie and say that he is eighteen, instead of giving his true age of fifteen, so that Elie will be counted as an adult and will be able to stay with his father.

This exchange takes place about a third of the way into the novel. Recall that Night doesn't have chapter divisions exactly, but rather sections; this conversion occurs in the section that begins with the phrase "The beloved objects."

Although the narration doesn't say so explicitly, it's clear that the prisoner with the "weary and warm" voice is anxious to help Elie and his father. He has already seen how the SS officer is asking for everyone's age, then directing adults to the left and children to the right, separating the children forever from their parents and, as it's strongly implied, sentencing the children to an immediate death. Although it's only a few years' difference, an eighteen-year-old is considered an adult while a fifteen-year-old is considered a child. And so with his kind insistence that Elie lie, the prisoner essentially saved Elie's life and extended the time Elie had left to spend with his father.

What is a characteristic that best describes Phillip Enright in The Cay by Theodore Taylor?

At the beginning of the book, Phillip is spoiled and naive. For example, after German submarines have blown up tankers in the neighboring island of Aruba, he asks his father, "Why can't we go out and fight them?" (page 16). He treats the war as if it were a lark until the boat he is on is sunk by a German submarine.

After Phillip is rescued by Timothy, a black man, Phillip treats Timothy with...

At the beginning of the book, Phillip is spoiled and naive. For example, after German submarines have blown up tankers in the neighboring island of Aruba, he asks his father, "Why can't we go out and fight them?" (page 16). He treats the war as if it were a lark until the boat he is on is sunk by a German submarine.

After Phillip is rescued by Timothy, a black man, Phillip treats Timothy with a great deal of disrespect. When Phillip keeps asking for water, though there is only a limited supply, Timothy does not allow him to have any. Phillip thinks, "It was then that I began to learn what a stubborn old man he could be. I began to dislike Timothy" (page 36). Part of what Phillip dislikes is that Timothy does not give him what he wants, and Phillip is too naive to understand that Timothy is rationing water for their own mutual good. In addition, Phillip is spoiled and racist, and he does not like that a black man is not giving into his demands. He recalls that his mother said that black people were "different" than he was, and he seems to agree at this point in the book. Phillip maintains that a schooner will find him, though Timothy is not sure, because Phillip believes that he is more important than others and that his family is more powerful than the German subs. Over time, Phillip will change to become more respectful of others, less spoiled, and less naive. 

What is the message of "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant?

De Maupassant's "The Necklace" has at least a few messages a reader can take from it. Madame Loisel is a good example of how not to conduct one's life. She has a sense of entitlement based upon nothing, cares too much about appearances, and lacks the courage to be honest with others. 

Although Madame Loisel is from a family that is not wealthy, she believes she is entitled to live a life of great ease and luxury. This belief is not based upon any sterling quality she possesses, such as industriousness, kindness, or intelligence. It is premised upon her appearance. Madame Loisel thinks her face should be her fortune. Her downfall at the end of the story, in which she must live in even greater poverty than she had at the beginning of the story, is largely attributable to this sense of entitlement. Thus, the story has a message about the dangers of a sense of entitlement. We are meant to earn what we get, not rely upon superficial appearances to make gains.

Madame Loisel also cares a great deal about what others think of her. She does not care about others' thoughts on her character, though — just her appearance. This leads her to borrow what she believes to be a diamond necklace so she can present herself as a wealthy woman at the event she and her husband attend. She refuses the flowers her husband suggests as an adornment, believing this would label her as poor. She does not don her outer garments until after they leave so no one can see those garments are not the very best. Her very short-lived sense of triumph at the dance is based upon the admiration of others, admiration based solely on appearances. The lesson here is that appearances are not important in the long run. Being the belle of the ball does not pay the rent or save the world, and it is incumbent upon us to focus on our characters.

Madame Loisel is even dishonest to her friends. This story would have had a very different ending if Madame Loisel revealed to Madame Forestier that she lost the necklace. She would have learned the necklace was not made of real diamonds, and, while her friend might have been briefly annoyed, it certainly would not take years of hard labor for Madame Loisel to pay for an acceptable replacement. Another message in this story, then, is that honesty is the best policy. 

While a reader can perhaps empathize a bit with Madame Loisel, who is young, pretty, and a little bored, she is not a very sympathetic character to most people. Her sense of entitlement, concern about appearances, and dishonesty lead to her downfall, and most readers seem to feel it is a deserved comeuppance for her.  

What do you think of the fashion industry's approach to target young consumers at Fashion Week? Should designers be creating brands aimed at this...

Fashion Week (which is held London, Paris, Milan, and New York) and fashion labels target young consumers in several ways. First, Fashion Week uses social media, including Instagram, to capture images of the models on the runways. They also feature photos of the models behind the scenes, and they make the life of a fashion model seem glamorous and festive, like a party teens would want to attend. Fashion labels like Prada use celebrities, such...

Fashion Week (which is held London, Paris, Milan, and New York) and fashion labels target young consumers in several ways. First, Fashion Week uses social media, including Instagram, to capture images of the models on the runways. They also feature photos of the models behind the scenes, and they make the life of a fashion model seem glamorous and festive, like a party teens would want to attend. Fashion labels like Prada use celebrities, such as Kim Kardashian, to pose for ads. In these ads, Kardashian appeared semi-nude or nude and in very suggestive poses. By targeting teenagers, Fashion Week and fashion labels suggest teens are ready for the suggestive clothing and adult lifestyle they are marketing. They are marketing a lifestyle that is based on expensive, revealing clothing that many would argue is more appropriate for adults who have the money and discretion to choose what they want to wear. While fashion labels are trying to cultivate teenage followers so these young consumers will be faithful to their brand in the coming years, I believe what they are doing is not in the best interest of teenagers.