In the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, what does Crooks own?

John Steinbeck does not characterize most of his characters by what they own, but he chooses to characterize Crooks by describing most of this man's possessions. Crooks does not have a room of his own but sleeps in the harness room, a little lean-to shed beside the barn.

Crooks' bunk was a long box filled with straw, on which his blankets were flung.

Most of the paraphernalia in the harness room belong to the ranch...

John Steinbeck does not characterize most of his characters by what they own, but he chooses to characterize Crooks by describing most of this man's possessions. Crooks does not have a room of his own but sleeps in the harness room, a little lean-to shed beside the barn.

Crooks' bunk was a long box filled with straw, on which his blankets were flung.

Most of the paraphernalia in the harness room belong to the ranch and are used on the horses. Crooks has medicine bottles for himself mixed with medicine bottles for the animals. His personal possessions are scattered about the room. Steinbeck explains that Crooks has accumulated more personal possessions than the other men because he was more permanent. In one paragraph the author offers a fairly complete inventory of the things Crooks owns.

Crooks possessed several pairs of shoes, a pair of rubber boots, a big alarm clock and a single-barreled shotgun. And he had books, too; a tattered dictionary and a mauled copy of the California civil code for 1905. There were battered magazines and a few dirty books on a special shelf over his bunk. A pair of large gold-rimmed spectacles hung from a nail on the wall above his bed.

The reader gets the impression that Crooks collects things that other men have thrown away or left behind. The shoes and rubber boots probably belonged to others and may be in poor condition. A big wind-up, loud-ticking alarm clock could be purchased in a drugstore in those days for one dollar. No doubt Crooks got the magazines after everybody in the bunkhouse had read them. The "dirty books" were not pornographic but simply in dirty condition from much handling by workmen with unwashed hands. Many books could be purchased brand-new in Depression days for one dollar, but Crooks probably got these after they had been left behind or thrown away. They are important to him just because they are possessions. Everybody likes to have a few possessions in his or her home. Crooks evidently does a lot of reading because he is forced to spend so much of his time alone. The men will not even let him come inside the bunkhouse because of his race. There is no telling where Crooks got the single-barreled shotgun. Steinbeck may mention it only because the men commandeer it when they are getting ready to go after Lennie. The shotgun and the spectacles are the only items with any value. Crooks probably gets a small salary--but not fifty dollars a month like the other men. He probably bought the glasses of the display rack at a drugstore because his eyes were getting weak and the lighting in the harness-room is dim. He may have bought the shotgun just to have it on hand in case he should ever need it for self-protection. He not only leads a wretched but a somewhat precarious existence.

What role do visions and hallucinations play in the development of Macbeth's character in Macbeth?

Macbeth's visions and hallucinations play a pivotal role in his ambition for power and in his development as a character.

From Act I, Scene 3, in which Macbeth encounters the three witches, the "vaulting ambition" of Macbeth takes him into the phantasmagoric realm of visions and things imagined. These visions and hallucinations of Macbeth then become the objective correlatives of both his fears and his guilt.

Prior to his murder of King Duncan, for instance,...

Macbeth's visions and hallucinations play a pivotal role in his ambition for power and in his development as a character.

From Act I, Scene 3, in which Macbeth encounters the three witches, the "vaulting ambition" of Macbeth takes him into the phantasmagoric realm of visions and things imagined. These visions and hallucinations of Macbeth then become the objective correlatives of both his fears and his guilt.

Prior to his murder of King Duncan, for instance, in his troubled mind Macbeth knows that Duncan, who is his kinsman, is a virtuous man, having "borne his faculties so meek" (1.7.17). And because of his fears and twinges of conscience, Macbeth envisions a dagger before he commits his dastardly act of regicide. This dagger is the objective correlative of the emotions that Macbeth feels as he is about to commit the terrible crime:

Art thou but
A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain? (1.7.36-39)

Similarly, Macbeth's guilt tortures him as, after Banquo's murder, he envisions the ghost of this noble man. In Act III, Scene 4, in his guilt Macbeth feels confronted by the ghost of Banquo, and with trepidation he speaks to this ghost:

Thou canst not say I did it: never shake
Thy gory locks at me. (3.4.54-55)

After the ghost of Banquo reappears, Macbeth's paranoia grows as "nothing is but what is not" and he begins to lose his hold upon what is real and what is not. In this fear Macbeth tries to eliminate anyone who may be a threat to him. He revisits the witches for assurance that he will remain king. When he demands to know about the future, the witches summon apparitions to inform him. The first apparition is that of an armed head that tells him to be wary of Macduff; the second is a child, covered with blood, that states that no man born of a woman will cause harm to Macbeth; and the third vision is that of a child wearing a crown who is holding a tree. This apparition says,

Macbeth shall never vanquished be until

Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill

Shall come against him. (4.1.96-98)

So immersed in this realm of witchcraft and things seen and unseen is Macbeth that he believes himself safe from harm by heeding the words of these apparitions. Ironically, however, it is his increasingly delusional mind and the equivocations of the witches which bring about his demise. For it is only when he is confronted by the reality of these ambiguities that Macbeth realizes the deception of the preternatural world and its visions as well as the devastating consequences of the phantasmagoric realm in which he has dwelt.

How is the stranger's dream ironic in Hawthorne's "The Ambitious Guest"?

The guest's dream is ironic because he states that he does not want to die until he builds his monument. Little does he know that he will soon die, and it is precisely a monument that is built as a result of his visit, although it is a monument to the deaths of the cottagers, while he is unknown. 

It is ironic, too, that the young guest who stops at the lodge naturally feels that...

The guest's dream is ironic because he states that he does not want to die until he builds his monument. Little does he know that he will soon die, and it is precisely a monument that is built as a result of his visit, although it is a monument to the deaths of the cottagers, while he is unknown. 

It is ironic, too, that the young guest who stops at the lodge naturally feels that he has ample time in order to discover himself, achieve his goals, and acquire the renown he so optimistically anticipates. At first, his guests are skeptical of his ambitions, but soon the father tells his wife that the young man's talk has made him think of things that he would like to do. Then, this ambition becomes contagious as the other family members discuss what they have dreamed of doing. And, yet the mother has a strange premonition:

"We're in a strange way, tonight," said the wife, with tears in her eyes. "They say it's a sign of something, when folks' minds go a-wandering so. Hark to the children!"

In another irony, the guest's arrival prevents the family from paying attention to the weather outside as they speak of their silent ambitions. When they finally hear the sounds of the avalanche, they rush from the cottage to their place of refuge, only to be killed. And the monument that their guest wanted constructed for himself serves instead to recall only the family. 

What is the meaning of "golden mist" in The Story of My Life by Helen Keller?

Helen was hesitant when she began writing her autobiography.  Many years before, she had written a story and had been accused of intentional plagiarism.  Helen wrote a creative story called "The Frost King," but discovered that it was very similar to one which had been read to her years before.  When writing her story, she had no idea that she was creating a plot based on distant memories.  After this, Helen became a hesitant writer.

...

Helen was hesitant when she began writing her autobiography.  Many years before, she had written a story and had been accused of intentional plagiarism.  Helen wrote a creative story called "The Frost King," but discovered that it was very similar to one which had been read to her years before.  When writing her story, she had no idea that she was creating a plot based on distant memories.  After this, Helen became a hesitant writer.

In the opening paragraph of The Story of My Life, Helen wrote about her fear in starting her autobiography:

I have, as it were, a superstitious hesitation in lifting the veil that clings about my childhood like a golden mist (Chapter I).

Helen went on to explain that when recalling her childhood, she had trouble separating fact from fiction.  She noted the difficulties for adults as they recalled their childhoods.  In addition to this, Helen lived a life of silent darkness during her early childhood.  

Before Miss Sullivan arrived when Helen was six years old, she lived in a world where she was, in many ways, trapped inside her own body.  She could not see or hear.  She struggled to communicate.  She could communicate basic wants and needs to close friends and family.  She could not, however, communicate with any level of complexity.  In frustration, she often went into fits of rage.  Miss Sullivan came to be her teacher, and with her help Helen learned to communicate using the manual alphabet.  This changed her life.

Helen was hesitant to write about her childhood because of how vague some of the memories were.  She felt as though they were covered by a "golden mist" because of how distant they seemed.  She also did not want a repeat of her previous experience with plagiarism.  Helen did not want to be accused of writing a story that was not from her own mind.

In The Miracle Worker, what are the three things Annie tells Kate she (Annie) has going for her?

Kate is surprised by Annie's youth. She is also understandably concerned because Annie has never taught before. James suggests that Annie may end up being a burden on the family, and Captain Keller is shocked when he hears that Annie herself was once blind: "The blind teaching the blind?"

Annie seeks to reassure Katie that even though she (Annie) is young and relatively inexperienced, she has three important advantages over any other teacher.

1. She...

Kate is surprised by Annie's youth. She is also understandably concerned because Annie has never taught before. James suggests that Annie may end up being a burden on the family, and Captain Keller is shocked when he hears that Annie herself was once blind: "The blind teaching the blind?"

Annie seeks to reassure Katie that even though she (Annie) is young and relatively inexperienced, she has three important advantages over any other teacher.

1. She is young and has energy. This will be vital for dealing with a student with the emotional issues and physical strength of Helen.

2. She is smart and has studied the research. Annie was taught in one of the most progressive schools for the blind of the time. She has experienced the success of their techniques personally and has looked deep into the research behind the techniques.

3. Annie has been blind and has empathy for Helen. Annie understands the difficulties and emotional toll of being blind. She knows how to empathize without pitying. Helen has been spoiled by too much pity and indulgence. Annie knows that that kind of treatment is the worst thing for Helen.

How does the external conflict between the Finches and Bob Ewell develop the theme the loss of innocence in a world filled with good and evil in To...

The Finches and the Ewells are in conflict as a result of the trial of Tom Robinson, and the experience demonstrates to the Finch children that the world can be a dangerous place because not all people are good.

Bob Ewell accused Tom Robinson of raping his daughter Mayella.  Atticus Finch was tasked with defending Robinson.  The problem was that Mayella was white, and Tom Robinson was black.  The Finch children discover that this makes the case very controversial.

Scout and Jem learned about racism through Tom Robinson’s case.  First of all, many people were angry at her father for defending Robinson and insulted the family.  Scout got into fights at school and with her cousin, and was harangued by her neighbor Mrs. Dubose.  She didn’t understand what the big deal was.  Her father told her that it was not a big deal. Defending Tom Robinson was important to him, and it was something he had to do no matter the outcome.

During the trial, Scout and Jem get another lesson about the cruelty of the world.  Atticus sufficiently proves that Mayella wasn’t raped, and that the injuries to her face were caused by her father.  Robinson had a lame arm, and physically could not have committed the crime, even if it had occurred.  However, a guilty verdict was still returned.  Jem could not understand this.

I shut my eyes. Judge Taylor was polling the jury: “Guilty… guilty… guilty… guilty…” I peeked at Jem: his hands were white from gripping the balcony rail, and his shoulders jerked as if each “guilty” was a separate stab between them. (Ch. 21)

Jem really did believe that To Robinson would be acquitted.  The extent of people's racism had not really sunk in for him yet.  He still had a child's naive view of the world.

The trouble did not end at the trial.  Bob Ewell’s vendetta against the Finches was a result of the shame he felt at his personal life being put on display, and also the fact that the jury deliberated a while before returning the guilty verdict.  Bob Ewell’s pride was hurt.

Ewell spit in Atticus’s face, but Atticus said he was too old to fight. Scout and Jem were worried. They thought their father should carry a gun.  He told them he was convinced Ewell was just words.

“Jem, see if you can stand in Bob Ewell’s shoes a minute. I destroyed his last shred of credibility at that trial, if he had any to begin with. The man had to have some kind of comeback, his kind always does. …” (Ch. 23) 

Ewell later made additional threats. When Tom Robinson was killed trying to escape prison, Ewell was heard stating “it made one down and about two more to go” (Ch. 25). 

Ewell acted on this threat.  He attacked Scout and Jem, and Boo Radley saved them. It was the end of their childhood in many ways.  The children were glad to finally meet Boo Radley, and Boo showed he was not the monster of their childhood.  However, the lost innocence comes both from the realization of racism so ingrained in society and the threat to their lives due to the anger of Bob Ewell.

Was giving Jack power in Golding's Lord of the Flies a mistake?

Giving Jack power was a mistake because it divided the boys from the beginning instead of uniting them, and did not give Jack any incentive to follow Ralph.

Ralph was elected leader because he was the one who blew the conch.  He found the special shell and blew it, and blowing it was what brought all of the boys together.  This and the fact that he was tall and dignified-looking was the reason that the boys voted him as their leader.

Jack started to protest but the clamor changed from the general wish for a chief to an election by acclaim of Ralph himself. None of the boys could have found good reason for this; what intelligence had been shown was traceable to Piggy while the most obvious leader was Jack. (Ch. 1) 

Jack is given the responsibility of leader of the hunters.  This means that there is division in the group from the beginning.  It also means that Jack has power.  He takes responsibility for leading the initial exploration of the island, knife in hand, because he feels like that falls under the responsibility of the hunters’ leader. 

A person like Jack should never have power.  Jack wants power in order to have power.  When the boys are creating their society, he is more interested in the fact that they get to punish people who break rules than the need for having rules in the first place.  Later, he ties a boy to a tree and has him beaten for apparently no reason.  Jack is a bully who likes power and violence for its own sake.

Like power being the more interesting part of leadership, Jack is more interested in the violence of hunting than the meat. The first time he sees a pig, he can't even stab it because he is so focused on the enormity of killing it.  Under Jack's leadership, pig hunting becomes more about war paint and a pig dance than the meat.

Then Maurice pretended to be the pig and ran squealing into the center, and the hunters, circling still, pretended to beat him. As they danced, they sang.
“Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Bash her in.” (Ch. 4)

After the schism, most of the older boys side with Jack at first because he has the hunters, and the pig dances.  Jack's brutal leadership makes it impossible for any compromise.  His civilization is all about him. It's not about order.  It's a commitment to savagery.

How would you describe Rachel's motion at nine minutes?

The attached graph presents the motion of two joggers: Rachel and Kathy. The y-axis represents the distance traveled (in m), while the x-axis represents the time (in min). Since speed is related to distance traveled and time according to the following relation:

speed = distance traveled / time taken

we can use the given data to determine the speed (and hence the motion) of the two joggers.

Kathy travels uniformly and covers a distance of...

The attached graph presents the motion of two joggers: Rachel and Kathy. The y-axis represents the distance traveled (in m), while the x-axis represents the time (in min). Since speed is related to distance traveled and time according to the following relation:

speed = distance traveled / time taken

we can use the given data to determine the speed (and hence the motion) of the two joggers.

Kathy travels uniformly and covers a distance of 1500 m in 10 min. This means that her speed during the jogging is 150 m/min (= 1500 m / 10 min). In comparison, Rachel starts jogging at t = 2 min and jogs uniformly for 600 m. She covers this distance in 5 min (= 7 - 2 min). Afterwards, she stops jogging and is at rest. This is the reason her graph is a horizontal line after t = 7 min. Since she does not cover any more distance at t = 9 min, her speed is 0 m/s and she is at rest.

In "Self-Reliance," how did Emerson view the prayers of the people?

Emerson complains that mainstream prayer practices are petty and self-serving. He also complains that they presuppose a patron-client relationship with God. People often use prayer as an opportunity to act or beg God for a favor. Emerson sees prayer as a letter asking an external benefactor for outside help:

Prayer looks abroad and asks for some foreign addition to come through some foreign virtue.

This sharply contrasts with Emerson's ideas of what true prayer should...

Emerson complains that mainstream prayer practices are petty and self-serving. He also complains that they presuppose a patron-client relationship with God. People often use prayer as an opportunity to act or beg God for a favor. Emerson sees prayer as a letter asking an external benefactor for outside help:

Prayer looks abroad and asks for some foreign addition to come through some foreign virtue.

This sharply contrasts with Emerson's ideas of what true prayer should be:

Prayer is the contemplation of the facts of life from the highest point of view. It is the soliloquy of a beholding and jubilant soul. It is the spirit of God pronouncing his works good.

If we unpack Emerson's words, we find several points. First, true prayer isn't supposed to be about registering personal dissatisfaction and asking for a remedy. It's supposed to be about contemplating the big picture and rising above one's immediate circumstances to appreciate the excellence of God's works in general. It's supposed to be an expression of joyful approval, not a letter of complaint or plea for help.

Second, the whole notion of God as a separate entity is wrong. When we pray, we should be turning inward to the part of ourselves that is part of God. We share God's spirit, see things from God's point of view, and rejoice in creation.

The common approach to prayer is entirely off the mark. It separates human beings from the spirit of God, and turns prayer into a petition for a bail-out.

What does the concept of “leadership” mean to Caesar and how did he lose his role as leader?

Caesar feels that no one should question his decisions, and he loses his role as leader when he is assassinated by a group of senators.

Julius Caesar believed that since he was the ruler of Rome, he was in charge.  No one should question his decisions.  His leadership style as presented by Shakespeare could best be described as arrogant.  This is why the senators became nervous.  They used as evidence the fact that Caesar marched...

Caesar feels that no one should question his decisions, and he loses his role as leader when he is assassinated by a group of senators.

Julius Caesar believed that since he was the ruler of Rome, he was in charge.  No one should question his decisions.  His leadership style as presented by Shakespeare could best be described as arrogant.  This is why the senators became nervous.  They used as evidence the fact that Caesar marched an army on Rome, which was illegal, and fought a civil war with Pompey, which was not uncommon but definitely unpopular.  He was considered too dangerous to leave in power by some of the senators who formed a conspiracy against him.

The incident in the senate building on the day Caesar is assassinated perfectly demonstrates Caesar’s leadership style.  Caesar has banished Publius Cimber, and he refuses to change his mind.  He seems confused and frustrated with the senators for even suggesting it, responding with arrogant determination.

CASSIUS

Pardon, Caesar; Caesar, pardon:
As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall,
To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber.

CAESAR

I could be well moved, if I were as you:
If I could pray to move, prayers would move me:
But I am constant as the northern star,
Of whose true-fix'd and resting quality
There is no fellow in the firmament. (Act 3, Scene 1) 

The plea to get Publius Cimber pardoned is actually just a ruse to get close to Caesar.  The senators gather around them, begging him to reconsider.  They then each stab him, ending with Brutus.  This is how Caesar loses his position as leader.  

If Caesar had not been so determined to get and keep power, and so insistent on maintaining complete control, he might not have met such an untimely end.  Even for ancient Rome, Caesar’s assassination was particularly violent and showy.

What is a thesis about Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Sojourner Truth's work for women's rights?

The most interesting possibility for a paper topic would involve the contemporary idea of "intersectionality."

Intersectionality is a concept developed by the legal scholar Kimberle Crenshaw to explain the ways in which the nature of discrimination changes, not based solely on one demographic attribute, but rather on several. For example, white women have experienced discrimination in different ways than black women. White women are also capable of exercising "white privilege" (see: Peggy McIntosh) while also...

The most interesting possibility for a paper topic would involve the contemporary idea of "intersectionality."

Intersectionality is a concept developed by the legal scholar Kimberle Crenshaw to explain the ways in which the nature of discrimination changes, not based solely on one demographic attribute, but rather on several. For example, white women have experienced discrimination in different ways than black women. White women are also capable of exercising "white privilege" (see: Peggy McIntosh) while also experiencing gender discrimination.

Perhaps you could pursue an answer to the following question: What are the ways in which both the women's rights and abolitionist movements neglected black women? Consider Sojourner Truth's famous speech, "Ain't I a Woman?" in your response. 

You could also take on a less critical outlook and analyze the ways in which the abolitionist and suffrage movements worked together and reinforced one another. Frederick Douglass was a key figure in the fights for both abolition and suffrage. He argued that he could not fight for his right to vote as a black man while neglecting the right of women to vote. Thomas Wentworth Higginson, a former Civil War officer and Emily Dickinson's earliest reader, was another fighter for suffrage. 

With what literary movement is the book Red Scarf Girl by Ji-Li Jiang associated?

Red Scarf Girlis a form of literary memoir. The author, Ji-Li Jiang, is writing about her own experiences during the Cultural Revolution, which took place in China in the mid 1960s to mid 1970s. The story begins as the Cultural Revolution is starting in China, and the author narrates her experiences dealing with the events of the Cultural Revolution as they affect her. For example, the author is impressed with the dancers of the...

Red Scarf Girl is a form of literary memoir. The author, Ji-Li Jiang, is writing about her own experiences during the Cultural Revolution, which took place in China in the mid 1960s to mid 1970s. The story begins as the Cultural Revolution is starting in China, and the author narrates her experiences dealing with the events of the Cultural Revolution as they affect her. For example, the author is impressed with the dancers of the Liberation Army that come to her school, but she realizes over time that she cannot take part in the Liberation Army because of her relatively upper-class background. The book is a literary memoir because it follows the narrative of a story and contains the types of themes and literary devices that a fictional book does. The book could also be considered a form of historical memoir, as it discusses events in history and discusses how those events affected the author.

Other than Romeo and Juliet themselves, what three characters have contributed to their deaths in Romeo and Juliet?

Three characters who contribute to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet are Friar Lawrence, Tybalt, and Lord Capulet.

• Friar Lawrence

Initially, Friar Lawrence warns Romeo against impetuous behavior, but he himself acts impulsively as he abruptly decides to perform the marriage ceremony for Juliet and Romeo in the belief that their union will be a catalyst for the ending of the feud.

For this alliance may so happy prove,
To turn your households' rancour to pure love. (2.1.91-92)

However, his plan is flawed because he performs the marriage in secret and he does not consider the fact that the resurgence of the animosity may easily prevent the two families from considering any reconciliation at this time. Instead, he should perhaps have urged Romeo to wait so that he could, perhaps, meet with the parents and ameliorate their relationship.

Friar Lawrence has contributed further to the tragedy of Romeo's and Juliet's deaths with his surreptitious plan of faking Juliet's death. His deceptions have effected the tragedy of Romeo's suicide. In addition, even though Friar Lawrence is aware of Romeo's dead body in the tomb, he abandons Juliet because he fears arrest by the guards. Perhaps he should have waited for her.

The fiery and impulsive Tybalt is indirectly responsible for the death of Romeo. At the Capulet masque, he has ignored his uncle's words to "endure" Romeo's presence, harboring his hatred until he vents it in a public place in Act III where he slays Mercutio. This act enrages Romeo so much that he, in turn, kills Tybalt, a deed that leads to his banishment and all the other tragic consequences.

• Lord Capulet

Lord Capulet is also indirectly responsible for the deaths of Juliet and Romeo because his demand of Juliet that she marry Paris has led her to taking the desperate action of drinking the potion of Friar Lawrence. This action, in turn, has placed her in the Capulet tomb where Romeo has found her and, thinking she is dead, he has killed himself. 

Certainly, Prince Escalus, along with himself, lays blame upon the Capulets and the Montagues for the tragic deaths of Romeo and Juliet:

Where be these enemies? Capulet, Montage,
See what a scourge is laid upon your hate,
That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love!
And I, for winking at you, discords too,
Have lost a brace of kinsmen. All are punish'd. (5.3.301-305)

What are the advantages of banning computers?

Banning computers completely would surely be disastrous for any society. We would lose so much if we did so. We would lose the ability to have computer-controlled machines make things for us at low price. We would lose the ability to store huge numbers of records (including those at banks and hospitals) in easily accessible ways. We would lose the internet and, with it, our ability to access huge amounts of information easily and to contact people around the world via email. All of this would be terrible for our society.

I can come up with at least three potential benefits of banning computers, though. First, repressive governments would find it easier to prevent the spread of information and opinions. Without computers, people would have to spread opinions through actually talking to one another or printed materials. It is harder to spread information and ideas this way than through computers, making it is easier for the government to crack down on people spreading information. Thus, some repressive governments might like to ban computers.

Secondly, if we ban computers, we would open up many more jobs for people. If there were no computers, we would again need large numbers of secretaries, typists, and clerks in every office. They would be needed for filing papers and finding papers people needed. We would need more people to do the jobs of machines currently controlled by computers. There would be many more jobs in these areas than we have now. Of course, we would lose all the jobs that we have that depend on computers, so this might not be a net benefit.

Finally, we could argue banning computers would make our society more human once more. Today, people can avoid face-to-face interactions with other people more than ever before. They can also say horrible things anonymously through the internet. These behaviors make our society worse because they loosen the bonds between people. If we banned computers, we might have a more civil and polite society in which people interacted more with one another than we do now.

These are some possible benefits of banning computers, though such an idea is surely absurd in today’s world.

What is meant by "organs of government"?

This expression might be considered a bit of a metaphor.  We know we have organs in our body that do the work necessary to keep us alive.  Our hearts pump blood, our stomachs process our food, and our lungs make sure all of the body gets oxygen.  In the same way, the organs of government do the work of government to keep it alive and functioning.

In the United States, the three branches of government...

This expression might be considered a bit of a metaphor.  We know we have organs in our body that do the work necessary to keep us alive.  Our hearts pump blood, our stomachs process our food, and our lungs make sure all of the body gets oxygen.  In the same way, the organs of government do the work of government to keep it alive and functioning.

In the United States, the three branches of government set up by the Constitution are the three primary organs of government, the legislative branch (Article I), the executive branch (Article II), and the judicial branch (Article III). The legislative branch does the work of making laws to govern the nation. The executive branch appoints cabinet members and members of the judiciary, acts as commander in chief of the military, and sets policy and tone for the nation. The judicial branch rules on cases involving federal statutes and constitutional issues, as well as a few other kinds of cases.  

Other nations have somewhat different organs of government. For example, in the United Kingdom, there is a Parliament composed of a House of Lords and a House of Commons. A prime minister is elected by Parliament and has the power to make appointments, enter into treaties, and deploy the military. There is a judicial branch, and there is a monarch who is mostly a figurehead. Still other countries have somewhat different organs of government, as a theocracy will have a religious leader at its head and possibly an organ to enforce religious compliance. But all governments need organs of some sort or another.  Even a dictatorship needs to have entities that carry out functions.   

Why does W. B. Yeats use an ambivalent tone and attitude in his treatment of the political uprising in his poem "Easter, 1916"?

"Easter, 1916" is a poem in which Yeats expresses his feelings about the Irish uprising against British rule led by reactionaries he knew personally. The poet or speaker is trying to come to terms with both the revolutionaries' violence and subsequent executions by the British government. The poem's speaker struggles between his distaste for violence in general and his admiration for the ultimate sacrifice made by these rebels. Several lines in the poem are ambiguous in nature and serve to express these conflicted feelings. The first is "A terrible beauty is born." This line is mentioned at the end of the first, second, and final stanza. This line is preceded in each case with a mention of change

All changed, changed utterly

The first stanza describes the ordinary lives of the rebels and the poet's casual encounters with them before the uprising. He would often pass them with "a nod of the head" or an exchange of "polite meaningless words." Now, all this is changed. In what way and for better or worse, the poet does not say. He just knows a "terrible beauty" is born. This oxymoron reflects the poet's ambivalent tone, as the speaker seems to fear and admire the transformation of "meaningless words" to action.  

The second stanza contributes even more to this ambivalence, as the speaker compares the rebels to stones that remain steadfast in their cause in the midst of a world that seems to be vacillating or changing "minute by minute." The speaker cannot resolve for us whether this steadfastness is good or bad, but it does set the uprising's leaders apart from the world in which they live.  

The last stanza refers to the sacrifices made by these rebels. Is it enough to "know they dreamed and are dead"? Were they excessive in their love for a cause? Were their deaths "needless"? The poet will not say, but he does go on to name each of these reactionaries—MacDonagh, MacBride, Connolly, and Pearse, acknowledging with respect that their "excess of love" for their country led to their deaths, but questioning whether their sacrifices were necessary. Did these revolutionaries inspire others with their deaths? Will more "needless deaths" occur as a result? The impact of the uprising and the resulting executions has yet to be determined. Perhaps all that can be claimed at this point is the ambivalent declaration that the Irish people ("whenever green is worn") have "changed, changed utterly." 

I included some links below that provide a deeper and more thorough understanding of the events that led to the emotions expressed in the poem.  

What roles did the Indians play in the creation of the European colonies?

First, it is extremely important to distinguish between Indians (people from India) and Native Americans. Indians did not migrate to the United States in significant numbers during the colonial period; in fact, immigration from India to the United States only became significant in the twentieth century, during which Indian-Americans became one of the ethnic groups with the highest educational levels and earnings in the US population. 

Native Americans, on the other hand, lived in North...

First, it is extremely important to distinguish between Indians (people from India) and Native Americans. Indians did not migrate to the United States in significant numbers during the colonial period; in fact, immigration from India to the United States only became significant in the twentieth century, during which Indian-Americans became one of the ethnic groups with the highest educational levels and earnings in the US population. 

Native Americans, on the other hand, lived in North America long before the advent of Europeans, and had a deep familiarity with local flora and fauna. The survival of many of the early colonies depended on trade with Native Americans and on European settlers acquiring local knowledge from Native Americans.

The relationships between Europeans and Native Americans varied from colony to colony, with some seeing trade, especially in furs, as a source of profit and cultivating alliances with individual tribes. Other colonies came into territorial conflict with Native Americans and even outright war, and deliberately attempted to eradicate their populations. As Native Americans had not been previously exposed to smallpox and other European epidemic diseases and had no biological immunity, epidemic diseases, whether introduced deliberately or accidentally, decimated Native American populations.  

Is there a flashback in "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"?

No. There is no flashback. The story unfolds in a straightforward fashion from the time Mitty is driving his wife into Waterbury, Connecticut, on a mundane shopping trip to the end when they are about ready to drive home and he is waiting for her outside a drugstore. The five episodes in which Mitty indulges in fantasies about being a much more important man than he is in reality are not flashbacks but precise excerpts...

No. There is no flashback. The story unfolds in a straightforward fashion from the time Mitty is driving his wife into Waterbury, Connecticut, on a mundane shopping trip to the end when they are about ready to drive home and he is waiting for her outside a drugstore. The five episodes in which Mitty indulges in fantasies about being a much more important man than he is in reality are not flashbacks but precise excerpts from his stream of consciousness. A flashback might seem out of place in this story because it would conflict with the fantasies. "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" is only easy to follow because James Thurber was such a gifted and dedicated writer. The reader quickly understands that there are two stories--one objective, and the other subjective; one mundane, and the other melodramatic. 

In what ways are the characters differentiated from one another, and why is Tessie Hutchinson singled out as the scapegoat in "The Lottery"?

In Shirley Jackson's disturbing story, the characters are differentiated from one another by their attitudes about the lottery. And, while there are some points that may be interpreted as suggestive of Tessie's being "singled out," the only substantial evidence for Tessie Hutchinson's selection as the scapegoat is the random drawing done by her husband, Bill Hutchinson.

On the day of the traditional lottery, the boys hurriedly fill their pockets with stones and some form huge piles of them, while the girls stand apart as they talk among themselves. The smallest children roll in the dust or hold tightly to the hand of an older sibling.
When the men gather, they talk quietly and uneasily among themselves; they merely smile at a joke, rather than laugh. The women exchange tidbits of gossip; then they call their children to them and take their place beside the head of their family.

Bringing with him an old black box, Mr. Summers, who directs the lottery, calls everyone to order and sets the box upon a stool. He asks someone to hold the box steady while he mixes the papers inside. As he turns to the assembled villagers, Mrs. Hutchinson scurries to her place in the crowd. She tells Mrs. Delacroix, "Clean forgot what day it was" (until she saw her family gone) "...then I remembered it was the twenty-seventh and came a-running." Quickly, she searches for her husband and children. She taps Mrs. Delacroix as a good-bye gesture and makes her way to her family, as Mr. Summers calls out "cheerfully,"

"Thought we were going to have to get on without you, Tessie."
"Wouldn't have me leave m'dishes in the sink, now, would you, Joe?" and soft laughter ran through the crowd as the people stirred back into position after Mrs. Hutchinson's arrival. 

Mr. Summers begins and calls out the names of the heads of the families. When "Hutchinson" is called, Tessie urges her husband to "Get up there" perhaps to not have another delay caused by her family. Still, "people near her laughed."
As others wait, they speak of the tradition of this lottery. Mr. Adams tells Old Man Warner that the people in the north village have discontinued it. Warner replies, "Pack of crazy fools." He derides these villagers, saying they must want to return to caves.

"Used to be a saying, 'Lottery in June, corn be heavy  soon....There's always been a lottery."

All the men select a white slip of folded paper which they keep folded until Mr. Summers gives them the word to open it. When they do, the women ask, "Who is it?" "Who's got it?" until voices say, "It's Hutchinson. It's Bill."
Hearing her husband's name, Tessie dissents,

"You didn't give him time enough to take any paper he wanted. I saw you. It wasn't fair!"

But, Mrs. Delacroix scolds her, "Be a good sport, Tessie....All of us took the same chance." Even her husband tells her to "Shut up," lest she draw attention to them.
After this, Mr. Sommers has Bill Hutchinson draw; Mrs. Hutchinson wants her daughter Eva and her husband Don to have their names added in this box, but she is told that daughters go with their husbands' families.

Again, Tessie grumbles and rebels, "It wasn't fair." She wants the lottery to start over,

"I tell you it wasn't fair. You didn't give him enough time to choose. Everybody saw that."

But, her words are ignored as Mr. Graves places the names of the Hutchinsons into the box that is now emptied of the others. Still, Tessie protests, "Listen, everybody...." But, no one says anything. So, one by one the Hutchinsons must draw from the box to learn which of them is the scapegoat. When it is her turn, Tessie hesitates, then looks around with defiance. Making a grimace, she marches up to the box and snatches a paper out and holds it behind her.

Having watched her carefully, Mr. Warner grumbles,

"It's not the way it used to be....People ain't the way they used to be."

Then, one by one, the Hutchinsons open their papers. After Mr. Hutchinson opens his and it is blank, Mr. Summers says in a hushed voice, "It's Tessie....Show us her paper, Bill." Bill has to force the paper from Tessie's hand, but he compliantly holds it up as the crowd stirs. Mr. Summers urges, "Let's finish quickly!"

Made to stand in a cleared space, Tessie pleads desperately as she holds out her hands, "It ain't fair, it isn't right." Stones whiz at her.

Tessie Hutchinson certainly rebels against the lottery and the unfairness of her having been randomly chosen to be slaughtered, thus raising the disapproval of Old Man Warner and others who blindly follow this tradition. Nevertheless, it seems that the drawing of her name as the scapegoat is purely random.

Based on The History of China, by David Curtis Wright (2011), how did the Chinese empire come about? What challenges did the rulers of this empire...

According to historian David Curtis Wright in his book The History of China, the Qin (221-206 BCE) and Han (202-220 CE) dynasties were responsible for building the Chinese empire through unification. Wright describes the Eastern Zhou period as "chaotic and divided" (45). Qin, a neighboring state to Zhou, created unity in China by dominating Zhou militarily. Hence, the factors that led to Qin's military victory are some of the most important factors that led to the establishment of the Chinese empire.

One factor contributing to military success is that Qin's geography served as a natural barrier preventing Qin's enemies from conquering the state. Qin was located in the Wei River valley, bordered by the Qin Mountains, also called the Szechuan Alps. A second factor contributing to Qin military success is that, as Wright phrases it, the "Qin government was also an aggressive recruiter of administrative and military talent" (46). Qin established Legalism as its ideology, a Chinese philosophy that focused on strictly applying laws to restrain mankind's inherently evil nature ("Legalism," Encyclopaedia Britannica). Qin Legalist administrators created a united state by doing away with feudalism so that the one, unified government could benefit from "all of the tax revenue from agriculture" (46). Legalist administrators also abolished aristocratic titles and replaced the system of aristocracy with a system in which civilians and military personnel were promoted based on their own merits, a system that created a very strong government and military. Dissolving feudalism and aristocratic titles was one step that leading to a unified China.

The dictatorial Emperor Qin Shihuang made huge strides in unifying China by eliminating cultural differences by opposing "Taoists and Confucians as subversive," by burning books that were not Legalist, by executing 400 highly educated persons who opposed Legalist thought, and by creating standard "coinage, weights, [and] measures" (46-47). Tyrannical Legalism soon naturally led to rebellion, which led to the fall of the Qin dynasty. The next dynasty, the Han dynasty, abandoned Legalism altogether.

During the Han dynasty Liu Bang ruled as "one of the only two commoners in Chinese history" to become emperor (50). Due to his empathy for the commoner, he lowered taxes and the number of capital offenses, helping create a happy, healthy, economically prosperous Chinese society that was unified because the Qin dynasty had already unified it through its Legalist and totalitarian government. Emperor Wudi, which translates, according to Wright, as "martial emperor," was Liu Bang's succeeding emperor and is recognized as the "greatest Han emperor" (51). Emperor Wudi took several steps to strengthen China into a unified empire. His first step was preventing excessively wealthy merchants from acquiring land, which he feared could lead to a return to the feudal system. His second step was conquering the Xiongnu, China's frequent enemy, leading to an expansion of China's borders. His third step, one of Emperor Wudi's greatest contributions to building the Chinese empire, was making Confucianism the "official state ideology," which unified and structured the Chinese government under a set of moral ideals and principles of social hierarchy; Confucianism would remain China's governing ideology until its overthrow in 1911.

How does Felix connect to the thesis of The Odd Couple?

In The Odd Couple, Felix connects to the thesis of interpersonal relationships that is so dominant in the drama.

Felix is the countervailing force to Oscar.  Their relationship is predicated upon a balance.  Attributes of one offset the detriments of the other.  While Oscar spends money freely, Felix is financially controlling.  Oscar does not care about cleanliness, while Felix cares for little else.  Oscar cannot cook, yet Felix enjoys creating sumptuous meals in the kitchen....

In The Odd Couple, Felix connects to the thesis of interpersonal relationships that is so dominant in the drama.

Felix is the countervailing force to Oscar.  Their relationship is predicated upon a balance.  Attributes of one offset the detriments of the other.  While Oscar spends money freely, Felix is financially controlling.  Oscar does not care about cleanliness, while Felix cares for little else.  Oscar cannot cook, yet Felix enjoys creating sumptuous meals in the kitchen.  The disorder of one matches the order of another.  While each is incapable of being effective on their own, when they are together, they make a whole.  In this way, Felix connects to the drama's thesis that relationships can be formed when people complement one another, compensating for the weaknesses of one with the strengths of another.

Another aspect of the interpersonal thesis that Simon illuminates is that excessive love of self can destroy relationships.  Oscar and Felix are single because their self-indulgence drove away their spouses.  Both were unable to overcome their own narcissism.  This prevented them from validating the other person.  Felix was overbearing to Frances, insistent that he could do things like cooking and cleaning better than she could.  Oscar drove Blanche away because his voice crowded out hers. Felix and Oscar demonstrate the dangers of being in a relationship without paying attention to the needs and wants of another person.  Through Felix and Oscar, Simon argues that no relationship can survive if reciprocity and mutual respect is lacking.  Interestingly enough, this becomes the reason why Felix and Oscar have to separate.  Neither one is capable of allowing the other's voice to flourish because they are so insistent on their own being dominant.  Simon's thesis is a warning to those in relationships who cannot see past their own needs.

In Chapter 1 of Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, some readers find it counterproductive to the author Schlosser's argument...

Schlosser provides a somewhat sympathetic portrait of Carl Karcher to highlight the origins of the fast food industry.

Schlosser chooses Karcher to open his work because it demonstrates how the industry began with good intentions. Karcher was a self-made man. He struggled with poverty, worked very hard to achieve his dream, and saw an opportunity in California's changing dynamics to do so. Highlighting Karcher's rise demonstrates how those who started the fast food industry were...

Schlosser provides a somewhat sympathetic portrait of Carl Karcher to highlight the origins of the fast food industry.

Schlosser chooses Karcher to open his work because it demonstrates how the industry began with good intentions. Karcher was a self-made man. He struggled with poverty, worked very hard to achieve his dream, and saw an opportunity in California's changing dynamics to do so. Highlighting Karcher's rise demonstrates how those who started the fast food industry were instrumental in the preparation of its product. For example, Karcher opened the first Carl's Jr. in 1956. Karcher was not only the proprietor of the Carl's Jr. chain of restaurants. He was also a worker. Schlosser details how Karcher would work after hours to perfect his "secret sauce." Karcher was knowledgeable about every aspect of the operation because it was his dream. Schlosser's analysis shows how Karcher studied the patterns of his rivals and sought to integrate similar approaches in his food products. Karcher made decisions that enhanced the financial health and food quality in his restaurants.

Karcher's intimacy with his food products stands in vast contrast to the practices in today's industry. As his work progresses, Schlosser shows how financial gain motivates decisions. Poor food quality and its unsanitary preparation as well as kitchens abounding with rodents and insects are realities of the modern fast food industry. Given how close he was to his food products, Karcher would repudiate such conditions. Schlosser's sympathetic view of Karcher allows us to see how the origins of the industry are vastly different than what it is today. As a result of Schlosser's viewpoint, it is clear that inventors of the industry like Karcher would not stand by what it has become.

Is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald a love story that embraces American ideals, or a satire that comments on/critiques American ideals?

Based on the two choices you have, it would be most accurate to say that F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is a satire critiquing American ideals. On the one hand, F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby has many elements of a love story, as most of the plot focuses on the love affair between Gatsby and Daisy, but to say that the story embraces American ideals would be a mistake.

A large portion of Fitzgerald's...

Based on the two choices you have, it would be most accurate to say that F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is a satire critiquing American ideals. On the one hand, F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby has many elements of a love story, as most of the plot focuses on the love affair between Gatsby and Daisy, but to say that the story embraces American ideals would be a mistake.

A large portion of Fitzgerald's message is aimed at critiquing the myth of the American Dream (the belief that American citizens can get whatever they want, improve themselves, and achieve happiness simply by working as hard as possible), and Gatsby's tragic downfall can be seen as symbolic of this critique. Consider, for instance, that Gatsby is a materialistic man who's spent his whole life working to acquire possessions. In that case, one could argue his death is a repudiation of these values and evidence that Fitzgerald is critiquing them. As such, I think it would be most accurate to say that the novel is a satire critiquing American ideals. 

You need 14 kW of infrared laser light power with wavelength 1270 nm to bore a hole in a diamond. How many downward atomic transitions per second...

We know how much energy we need altogether: 14 kilowatts. So all we need to do is figure out the energy of each transition, and then that will tell us how many transitions we need.The energy of the photon emitted by the transition is given by its wavelength according to this equation:

`E = {h c}/lambda ` Plug that in, and we have:`E = (6.626 * 10^-34 J * s)(3.00 * 10^8 m/s)/(1.270...

We know how much energy we need altogether: 14 kilowatts. So all we need to do is figure out the energy of each transition, and then that will tell us how many transitions we need.

The energy of the photon emitted by the transition is given by its wavelength according to this equation:

`E = {h c}/lambda `

Plug that in, and we have:

`E = (6.626 * 10^-34 J * s)(3.00 * 10^8 m/s)/(1.270 *10^-9 m) = 1.565*10^-16 J`

So now, we just divide that into 14 kW:

`(1.4*10^4 W)/(1.565*10^-16 J) = 8.946*10^19 s^{-1}`

So we need `8.946*10^19` atomic transitions per second.

I do not know exactly what the public's role is in congressional decision-making in the modern House of Representatives. Does the public's role...

The role of the public in decision-making in the House of Representatives is generally meant to mean individuals, but certainly people in special interest groups are members of the public, too, so it would be accurate to say they are part of the "public." 

Individuals are at least superficially encouraged to get in touch with their representatives, all of whom must maintain a local presence in their respective districts with staff to respond to their...

The role of the public in decision-making in the House of Representatives is generally meant to mean individuals, but certainly people in special interest groups are members of the public, too, so it would be accurate to say they are part of the "public." 

Individuals are at least superficially encouraged to get in touch with their representatives, all of whom must maintain a local presence in their respective districts with staff to respond to their constituents.  Often in high school civics classes, students will be assigned to find out who their representatives are and to write letters about a problem of general concern in their district. It is the wise representative who writes back! When there are campaigns on various issues, the campaigners will almost always advise people to write to their senators and representatives to express their opinions on the matter, for matters such as environmental concerns or funding Planned Parenthood.  Most representatives get in touch with their constituents routinely, with mailings or emails to inform them of their latest efforts, and to encourage a dialogue.  And representatives do pay attention to what their constituents think, even though they don't always vote the way some want them to.  They also take polls on various issues and sometimes will vote on a bill in accordance with what the majority of their districts wants.  I don't think anyone should ever hesitate to get in touch with his or her representative on any matter that representative is going to be voting on.  It is part of their job description to listen to their public.  

Special interest groups are usually represented to interact with Congress by one person or a few people, whom we call lobbyists.  Nevertheless, they comprise individual members of the public.  These members of the public have banded together for some common cause, and the fact that they have banded together should by no means take away their right to try to influence what their representatives will do. People are troubled by lobbying, particularly when it is very wealthy interest groups who are trying to exert influence, but I don't think you can have a democracy in which some members of the public can try to exert influence while others cannot because they have more money and have joined together.  It is not reasonable for us to be able to pick and choose this way. 

So, individual members of the public can and do affect the decision-making in the House of Representatives.  But special interest groups do, too, and they are part of the public. 

What is the first trick Matilda plays on her parents?

The first trick that Matilda plays on her parents is putting Superglue inside her father's hat so that it sticks to his head and makes him look ridiculous when the hat finally has to be cut off.

We know that she's going to plan something as soon as the narrator tells us this:

She decided that every time her father or her mother was beastly to her, she would get her own back in some way or another. A small victory or two would help her to tolerate their idiocies and would stop her from going crazy.

Matilda is only five years old, but she's brilliant, and her parents mistreat her horribly. She decides to take revenge.

More specifically, her father has just called her an "ignorant little squirt," and her mother has told Matilda to keep her "nasty mouth" shut. These are terrible words to say to anyone, let alone a child. So you can understand why Matilda tries to fight back.

If you go to the chapter titled "The Hat and the Superglue," you can read about how Matilda reaches her father's hat, squeezes a neat line of Superglue all along the inner rim, then places it back on the peg it hangs on. Mr. Wormwood dons the hat without suspecting that anything is wrong, but then he suffers endless embarrassment at work that day when he can't take off his hat. The following morning, Mrs. Wormwood has to cut the hat off her husband's head, with the ridiculous result being that "he finished up with a bald white ring round his head, like some sort of a monk. And in the front, where the band had stuck directly to the bare skin, there remained a whole lot of small patches of brown leathery stuff that no amount of washing would get off."

Matilda's revenge is complete. She's made her father suffer, and her mother, too, has been inconvenienced and annoyed by the incident.

What literary techniques can be found in this quote from The Crucible by Arthur Miller?I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and...

Abigail says that quote after John Proctor ends their affair, which Abigail does not want to end. Although John has not touched Abigail for seven months, she claims he still wants her and she wants him. John replies that he thinks of her from time to time but the affair must be over. He tells Abigail to pretend they never had an affair in the first place. 

John is older, making him at fault for...

Abigail says that quote after John Proctor ends their affair, which Abigail does not want to end. Although John has not touched Abigail for seven months, she claims he still wants her and she wants him. John replies that he thinks of her from time to time but the affair must be over. He tells Abigail to pretend they never had an affair in the first place. 

John is older, making him at fault for taking advantage of the younger, vulnerable Abigail. When she says he "put knowledge in my heart," this is a metaphor about love and experience. Usually, knowledge is said to be in the mind. Since this experience of love is a mixture of knowledge and emotion, though, Abigail says this knowledge is in her heart. It is a way of saying her heart cannot unlearn the affection John showed her. Her heart cannot simply forget. 

The "light" in Abigail's eyes represents the passion she feels for John. Although he started the affair, John now expects Abigail to stop having feelings for him. Abigail is still so taken with John, however, that she cannot do this. Her need for affection shines out of her. This is symbolized by the light in her eyes.

What larger, universal truth is presented in Golding's Lord of the Flies through the themes of power, the personal price of conformity, and the...

The universal truth presented by Golding through these themes is a sobering one. It is that mankind, despite what we might like to believe, is not fundamentally good. Rather, we are fundamentally evil, and left totally to our own devices, without some kind of institution to regulate us, we are always subject to reverting to our base instincts, what Sigmund Freud called the "id," that will overcome whatever sense of morality that exists within us. There is much in the novel that supports this pessimistic view.

As for the theme of power, we can see that as the novel goes on, the basis for power is contested and indeed changes over time. At first, the boys seek to replicate, at least somewhat, the order that existed at their school. Piggy and Ralph, in their attempts to establish this order, base their efforts on reason and intellect, which Piggy, in many ways, represents. The conch, for example, becomes an emblem of power, one which summons the boys to the beach. When asked where the "man" who blew the "trumpet" had gone, Ralph answers that "there's no man with a trumpet. Only me" (25). Later, he lifts the conch to assert his qualifications to be leader, saying "seems to me we ought to have a chief to decide things" (28). Jack, on the other hand, bases his authority on his leadership of the chorus, which gives him, as Golding describes it, a sort of "offhand authority," a point he makes explicit before losing the election for "chief" to Ralph (26). Ralph and Piggy continue to appeal to reason, rationality, and legitimate authority as a basis for power throughout the book, but Jack begins to appeal to baser instincts--his ability to hunt, exemplified by the pig he killed, and his ability as a hunter to protect the "littluns" from the supposed "beast" on the island.

Eventually Jack declares his "independence" from the power represented by the conch, and we see that many of his band, most of whom have not left his side since the days he served as their leader in the choir, continue to follow him more or less blindly. Jack is charismatic and he appeals, like demagogues do, to the baser instincts of the boys, both their fears and the fun of the hunt. Whereas Ralph attempts to maintain order, Jack wants the boys to embrace disorder, and they follow him, conforming despite the fact that his leadership more or less abandons the idea that they will ever be rescued. But his flouting of the rules appeals to some of the other kids, who take to him when he whoops, "[b]ollocks to the rules! We’re strong—we hunt! If there’s a beast, we’ll hunt it down!" (130). This line demonstrates Jack's contempt for authority as well as his appeal to the fears of the other boys, who conform to his vision and to his leadership.

As the book advances, it becomes clear that there is no "beast." In fact, this is Golding's major theme--the "beast" is the inherent evil that lies within people, unleashed in this story by the absence of adults, structure, and rationality. Simon (who is later killed by the boys) actually makes this point fairly early in the book, when the boys are debating the existence of the beast:  "What I mean is. . . maybe it’s only us" (126). As it turns out, he is right. Jack is not protecting the boys from anything, he is in fact representative of the beast itself. The death of Piggy (and Simon) at the hands of Jack and his followers demonstrates the power of evil to overcome rationality, intellect, and human decency. 

How would I write a diary entry for Julia based on Chapter 23 of The Shakespeare Stealer?

To write a diary entry for Julia's experiences, thoughts, feelings and reactions as narrated by Widge in Chapter 23, you will need to think about what you know of Julia as she is during that chapter and to think about the conventions of diary writing. For example, according to how Julia's eyes and words say differing things in Chapter 23 ("her eyes spoke of sorrow") and according to the diary convention of writing in first person about feelings and emotions, you might start an entry with: "I harbor no ill will toward Widge," following that with how she does feel or what she does experience.

The conventions of diary writing specify informal, first person entries that are reflexive, showing personal thoughts, feelings, reactions and emotions expressive of the writer's personality during key moments in life (GCSE English Prep). Each entry has a stated date, and often a time and place, at the top of the entry and is addressed to "Dear Diary," often concluding with the writer's signature. 

We know some things about Julia as she is in Chapter 23. For instance, we know that Julia makes "no complaint" against coaching Widge in his role, that she says she "was glad it was" Widge to whom she had to "surrender" the role and that she showed him a "cheerful acceptance." Yet Widge saw that her eyes "shone with tears" in her "unguarded moments" and that her "cheerful acceptance was itself a disguise."

We also know that Julia originally refused the invitation to accompany the players to Whitehall, since the invitation was on "condition that she dress as a girl," but that at the last moment she dashed out "clothed in her costume from Love's Labour's Lost, her skirts lifted so high [they] could see her ankles." She says that she changed her mind about coming dressed as a girl, choosing instead to come "along in order to meet the queen." She laughs when Widge challenges her reason with "You lie."

For Julia's diary entry, the date might be "Summer, 1601." Since she is so attached to the Globe, she might write her date designation as "Globe Theatre, Eventide. Summer, 1601." To determine a date for an entry, look at what the story tells and at what history states if the story narrative is imprecise.

• We know that the Lord Chamberlain's company performed the Thomas Dekker satire Satiromastix, aimed at Ben Jonson, in 1601.


• In the novel, the company performs Satiromastix just before leaving to go to Whitehall to perform Hamlet for Queen Elizabeth I (it is not historically certain that Hamlet was performed for Elizabeth I).


• We know that, in the story, the company had performed "Richard III" [sic] (p. 156) for the Earl of Essex "a few months" before getting their call to Whitehall to perform Hamlet; Richard II is historically confirmed as having been performed for the Earl of Essex in February of 1601.


• We know that Widge and the company had "a fortnight," or fourteen nights, to prepare for their command performance.


• This puts Widge's performance as Ophelia in Hamlet sometime around mid-summer.


• So a chapter 23 diary entry, a chapter during which Julia coaches Widge to play Ophelia, could be dated loosely as "Summer."

It's the bits of information narrated by Widge, helping us understand Julia, that you can use to determine Julia's thoughts, feelings, reactions and emotions. You can use this to reveal her personality as it is framed in the experiences of Chapter 23: you can record in a diary entry these key moments in Julia's life. Remember to stay within the conventions of diary writing, others of which are to use correct grammar and punctuation, to use varied sentence types to increase interest and to use time and sequence referencing words such as, then, during, before, after, originally, finally and following.

What does the author persuade his reader to think, feel, or do?

First, one should note that the author of Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen, was a woman. The work itself is a novel, not a polemical tract, and thus is not really intended to persuade anyone of anything. Its purpose was primarily to entertain its readers and earn money for its author.

That being said, the narrative voice of the novel does have a fairly strong point of view, as does the protagonist Elizabeth Bennett....

First, one should note that the author of Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen, was a woman. The work itself is a novel, not a polemical tract, and thus is not really intended to persuade anyone of anything. Its purpose was primarily to entertain its readers and earn money for its author.

That being said, the narrative voice of the novel does have a fairly strong point of view, as does the protagonist Elizabeth Bennett. In this period, arranged marriages were considered normal among the gentry. While there is no indication that the narrator believes in marrying on a whim or rebelling against social conventions, as we see in the disaster of Lydia's impulsive behavior, nonetheless the narrator and Elizabeth both advocate mutual respect and friendship as essential parts of a married relationship, and thus justify Elizabeth's refusal to marry Mr. Collins, although both are eventually reconciled to Charlotte Lucas' rather different decision. 

Austen's narrator values intelligence, self-discipline, and taking time to develop genuine knowledge rather than acting on the basis of superficial prejudices. 

Compare and contrast the characters of Lord Henry and Basil, and their relationship to Dorian Gray.

In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Basil and Lord Henry have very different relationships with Dorian because they are contrasting characters. Basil's relationship is based on his obsession with Dorian's beauty. This beauty has a practical importance because it enables Basil to develop a new and improved style of art. As such, Basil wants to protect and preserve Dorian and takes it upon himself to be concerned in his welfare. When Lord Henry announces...

In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Basil and Lord Henry have very different relationships with Dorian because they are contrasting characters. Basil's relationship is based on his obsession with Dorian's beauty. This beauty has a practical importance because it enables Basil to develop a new and improved style of art. As such, Basil wants to protect and preserve Dorian and takes it upon himself to be concerned in his welfare. When Lord Henry announces Dorian's engagement in Chapter Six, Basil is concerned that Dorian might marry someone who does not deserve him. This shows that Basil is truly devoted to Dorian and regards himself as a positive influence in his life.

In contrast, Lord Henry's chief concern in life is the pursuit of pleasure and this becomes the defining characteristic of his relationship with Dorian. Initially, Dorian does not know how to interpret Lord Henry and his hedonistic attitude to life:

"Stop!" faltered Dorian Gray, "stop, you bewilder me. I don't know what to say."

Very quickly, however, it becomes clear that Dorian is like a pupil of Lord Henry's, keen to learn the art of hedonism. Unlike Basil, Lord Henry encourages Dorian's dark side, a side which will eventually lead to Dorian's own demise.

What is spectrum emission?

Spectrum emission is when an excited body releases radiation in a variety of wavelengths.

In this case, the body can be anything: a table, a star, a hot piece of metal, or a cloud of gas. Any matter can be considered a body in this definition. As an easy example, I prefer a hot bar of metal as it is easy to visualize.

When you heat up a bar of metal, it begins the...

Spectrum emission is when an excited body releases radiation in a variety of wavelengths.

In this case, the body can be anything: a table, a star, a hot piece of metal, or a cloud of gas. Any matter can be considered a body in this definition. As an easy example, I prefer a hot bar of metal as it is easy to visualize.

When you heat up a bar of metal, it begins the color of the metal; for iron this is grey, for gold the color is yellow. As it heats, however, the colors change. Iron will progress from a deep red to a yellow, and eventually a bright white. These colors are important, as these emitted photons are in decreasing wavelengths.

The color you see is the peak wavelength of the light in your visual range. When the bar is cool, the grey light you see is only being reflected by the bar. There is light you do not see, however, in much longer wavelengths being emitted by the bar as radiation. When the bar is white, there are photons being emitted in shorter wavelengths than you can see.

This means that the bar is emitting light in a range of frequencies, or a spectrum.

All elements release photons in specific wavelengths more than others, on what are called emission lines. For example, the first spectrum line for hydrogen is called h-alpha, and is at 656.2 nm, and is used in astronomy frequently. 

What is the difference between a plan, a project and a program?

The basic difference between plan, project and program is that a plan details a course of action; a project is short-term and designed to deliver a specified output within time, cost and quality parameters; and a program is a long-term managed portfolio of multiple projects designed to produce outcomes.  Plan: A plan provides a comprehensive detailed course of action directed at achieving a specified end result. A plan may be re-evaluated as goals and...

The basic difference between plan, project and program is that a plan details a course of action; a project is short-term and designed to deliver a specified output within time, cost and quality parameters; and a program is a long-term managed portfolio of multiple projects designed to produce outcomes.  

Plan: A plan provides a comprehensive detailed course of action directed at achieving a specified end result. A plan may be re-evaluated as goals and milestones are accomplished or as information or circumstances change. There therefore may be some degree of flexibility to a plan.

Project: A project is comprised of individual tasks that aim at specified outputs or deliverable products. Milestones and goals are defined and measured against the output objective, costs and timetable. Projects are well defined, short-term, with manageable risk, and resource needs that can be estimated with reasonable accuracy.

Program: A program contrasts with a project. A program is comprised of multiple projects that aim at outcomes and benefits (not outputs). Objectives are comprehensive and encompass change within the corporation such as in terms of a change in production capabilities or a change in organizational structure or culture. Programs are defined in fluid terms, are long-term, with significant risks, and resource costs that are tied to quarterly results.

If the father is A- and mother is A+ then what will the child's blood group be?

The phenotype of type A blood can be produced by the following genotypes-- homozygous AA or heterozygous AO. Since the gene for A is dominant to O, the combination of AO will still result in a person with type A blood. Since we only know the parents blood type is A, if each parent is AA, then the offspring will be type A also. However, if each is type A with the genotype of AO,...

The phenotype of type A blood can be produced by the following genotypes-- homozygous AA or heterozygous AO. Since the gene for A is dominant to O, the combination of AO will still result in a person with type A blood. Since we only know the parents blood type is A, if each parent is AA, then the offspring will be type A also. However, if each is type A with the genotype of AO, there is a 1 in 4 chance of producing a child with type O blood. The phenotype of O is produced when two O genes are inherited by the child.

Because the father has Rh negative blood, the only genotype that will produce that phenotype is two Rh negative genes. This is a recessive trait.

The mother has Rh positive blood. This can be produced by either two Rh positive genes, or one Rh positive and one Rh negative gene. Therefore, in this couple, if the father is (--) and the mother is (++), the child will be heterozygous but Rh positive(+-). Or, another possibility is that if the mother is heterozygous (+-) and the father is (--), the offspring will have a 50% chance of being Rh positive (+ ) and a 50% chance of being Rh negative ( -).

If we take into account the blood type and the Rh factor, the offspring of this couple can be type A or O and Rh positive or negative. 

How does Holden from The Catcher in the Rye go against the American dream?

Throughout The Catcher in the Rye, Holden rejects the consumerism that makes up much of the post-World War II "American dream." He makes several comments throughout the novel in which he rejects the American need for things like cars, suits, and suitcases. He explains his dislike for these material good concisely to Sally Hayes:

I hate living in New York and all. Taxicabs, and Madison Avenue buses, with the drivers and all always yelling...

Throughout The Catcher in the Rye, Holden rejects the consumerism that makes up much of the post-World War II "American dream." He makes several comments throughout the novel in which he rejects the American need for things like cars, suits, and suitcases. He explains his dislike for these material good concisely to Sally Hayes:

I hate living in New York and all. Taxicabs, and Madison Avenue buses, with the drivers and all always yelling at you to get out at the rear door, and being introduced to phony guys that call the Lunts angels, and going up and down in elevators when you just want to go outside, and guys fitting your pants all the time at Brooks.

Holden does not want to be like his father, who is a "corporation lawyer" making enough money to live in an apartment near Central Park and "always investing money in shows on Broadway."

Despite the financial success of his father and brother, who has gone from literary author to screenwriter, the Caulfields aren't necessarily living this American dream. Their second youngest son died. Holden is telling the story from a hospital. Even Holden's mother "hasn't felt too healthy" since Allie died and is "very nervous."

All of these factors contribute to Holden's rejection of the consumer-driver "American dream" of post-World War II America.

I am doing a summer assignment, and I need to answer questions in MLA format. How do I do that? Do I write it in essay form, or do I write the...

Your instructor refers you to the following very helpful site:

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

This site, called OWL (Online Writing Lab), created by Purdue University, will help you cite (or provide a reference) to each source you use. At the end of your article, you should include a "Works Cited" section. Basically, the citation format is as follows (with a made-up book):

Jones, Emily. The Book Title. Wiley, 1990. 

You should list your sources in alphabetical order...

Your instructor refers you to the following very helpful site:

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

This site, called OWL (Online Writing Lab), created by Purdue University, will help you cite (or provide a reference) to each source you use. At the end of your article, you should include a "Works Cited" section. Basically, the citation format is as follows (with a made-up book):

Jones, Emily. The Book Title. Wiley, 1990. 

You should list your sources in alphabetical order (with the last name of the author first). The OWL site will lead you through how to cite electronic and other types of sources (at the link above).

In addition, within your article, you need to cite sources. For example, if you refer to or quote Thomas Friedman's article, you need to put his name after what you cite. For example, you might write, "The world has been becoming flatter for a long time" (Friedman). Generally, you include the page number of the article or book in which you received that information, but page numbers are not given in your handout. You need to cite (or provide the source of) information that you quote directly and information that you paraphrase.

With regard to whether you should answer in essay form or another form, the instructions ask you to contact your instructors (their names are on the link) with specific types of questions. 

What tone does McCourt use as he characterizes the conditions of his youth in Angela's Ashes?

McCourt uses a wry, sardonic tone as he outlines the miseries of his poor Irish youth with a stereotypically drunken father and a defeated, pious mother, and the miseries of his family's wet journey back to a rainy country. He calls a miserable Irish Catholic childhood the most miserable of all childhoods, but notes as well that a happy childhood is not worth having. He says that in Limerick, where his family ends up, clothes...

McCourt uses a wry, sardonic tone as he outlines the miseries of his poor Irish youth with a stereotypically drunken father and a defeated, pious mother, and the miseries of his family's wet journey back to a rainy country. He calls a miserable Irish Catholic childhood the most miserable of all childhoods, but notes as well that a happy childhood is not worth having. He says that in Limerick, where his family ends up, clothes never dry and that people flock to church not out of religious impulses, but to avoid the rain. It is a perpetually gray, rainy place where people are chronically sick with colds and hacking coughs.

The dry, humorous, self-mocking tone McCourt adopts creates a distance from his suffering that allows him to describe the childhood miseries he endured in a way an audience can bear. He had a truly impoverished childhood in a repressed society, but he manages to find bleak humor in his situation that sustains both him and the reader. 

How is the title of The Wednesday Wars significant to the plot?

The title of the book is significant to the story because it references what has to happen to Holling Hoodhood every Wednesday afternoon.  

Holling is a Protestant. That's important because he is the only Protestant who attends his school. Everybody else is either Catholic or Jewish. On Wednesday afternoons, all the Catholic students go to Catechism, and all the Jewish students go to Hebrew studies. The administration has to figure out something to do...

The title of the book is significant to the story because it references what has to happen to Holling Hoodhood every Wednesday afternoon.  

Holling is a Protestant. That's important because he is the only Protestant who attends his school. Everybody else is either Catholic or Jewish. On Wednesday afternoons, all the Catholic students go to Catechism, and all the Jewish students go to Hebrew studies. The administration has to figure out something to do with Holling. Their solution is to put him in a study hall-type class with Mrs. Baker.  

Mrs. Baker is not happy about the situation, and she initially makes Holling do menial tasks like clean desks and chalkboards. Holling doesn't enjoy it, and he believes Mrs. Baker hates his guts. After about a month, Mrs. Baker decides to use the time with Holling to teach him Shakespeare and have him read a play per month. Holling thinks that's just about the worst thing possible. He feels Wednesdays are essentially a battle between him and Mrs. Baker, hence the title The Wednesday Wars. As the novel progresses, Holling and Mrs. Baker grow to enjoy their time together.

Explain how currency depreciation can impact domestic output in the short and long term.

When a country's currency depreciates, it loses value relative to the currency of other nations. According to today's valuation, one Euro can purchase $1.09 in United States Dollars (USD).  If the USD were to further depreciate, the exchange rate would give a further advantage to the Euro because it could be used to purchase a larger amount of dollars.  Why is this relevant to trade?  There is a relationship between the value of currency and...

When a country's currency depreciates, it loses value relative to the currency of other nations.  According to today's valuation, one Euro can purchase $1.09 in United States Dollars (USD).  If the USD were to further depreciate, the exchange rate would give a further advantage to the Euro because it could be used to purchase a larger amount of dollars.  Why is this relevant to trade?  There is a relationship between the value of currency and the value of a nation's product for exportation.

When a entities in foreign countries seek to purchase goods, they seek the best value.  If their currency has a higher exchange rate compared to a second country, they will exchange currencies in order to make a purchase.  This higher exchange rate creates an incentive for the stronger nation to import goods, while the economy with the weaker currency has an incentive to export goods.

When an economy has a greater exportation rate, they will be producing more products to meet this demand.  Although this marks a short term increase in domestic output, the effects may not be the same in the long term.  If an item requires a commodity of foreign origin to complete the manufacturing process, the higher exchange rate required to purchase this commodity will eventually cause an increase in the price of the product.  The increase in price may decrease the demand for the product, leading to decreased production.

Why is it ironic that Bianca, a prostitute, is the only female who survives in Othello?

Brutal in many ways, Shakespeare's Othello is especially ruthless in its treatment of women. By the end of the play, Desdemona and Emilia are dead, both murdered in swift succession by their respective husbands. Ironically, it is Bianca, the courtesan (another term for prostitute) and Cassio's mistress, who survives the bloodbath. This detail is ironic because, during the time at which Othellois set, Bianca is regarded as "unclean" and is relatively shunned from polite...

Brutal in many ways, Shakespeare's Othello is especially ruthless in its treatment of women. By the end of the play, Desdemona and Emilia are dead, both murdered in swift succession by their respective husbands. Ironically, it is Bianca, the courtesan (another term for prostitute) and Cassio's mistress, who survives the bloodbath. This detail is ironic because, during the time at which Othello is set, Bianca is regarded as "unclean" and is relatively shunned from polite society. Emilia and Desdemona, however, are "respectable" women, and so one would assume, given their high status in society, that they would live long and prosperous lives. It is a cruel twist of fate — and an interesting social commentary — that Bianca, the shunned prostitute, is the only major female character to survive the play. It seems that, in Shakespeare's opinion, a high social status does not automatically translate to true happiness and prosperity. 

What does Chinua Achebe's story "Marriage is a Private Affair" say about the relationship between fathers and sons?

It is evident from the beginning of Chinua Achebe's short story "Marriage is a Private Affair" that the relationship between Nnaemeka and Okeke is quite amiable. Nnaemeka seems to be a faithful son who is very much aware of his father's opinion. Unfortunately for Nnaemeka, he falls in love with a woman who does not fit his father's expectations. It is a scenario which has played itself out many times in the history of father and son relationships. There is a generational and cultural conflict between father and son. Okeke lives in the traditional and prejudiced world of his small Nigerian village while Nnaemeka lives in the modern city of Lagos. Okeke fully expects his son to marry a woman of his own tribe and ethnic group. He has, in fact, already picked out a girl for his son. Nnaemeka, however, views the world in a different way. He no longer accepts the idea that his father should arrange his marriage and that he needs to live out his life married to someone who is socially and culturally appropriate, but whom he simply does not love. At one point in the story, Nnaemeka expresses his frustration with his father as he describes the girl he plans on marrying:

"Nene Atang from Calabar. She is the only girl I can marry." This was a very rash reply and Nnaemeka expected the storm to burst. But it did not. His father merely walked away into his room. This was most unexpected and perplexed Nnaemeka. His father's silence was infinitely more menacing than a flood of threatening speech. That night the old man did not eat. (Achebe 1347)

The reaction of Okeke reveals that he has been deeply disappointed by his son, who has probably never disappointed him before. Heretofore, the father and son relationship had been seemingly impeccable, most likely because Nnaemeka had always lived up to his father's expectations. Nnaemeka is simply not the rebellious son, and it is evident that he is distressed by his father's reaction. He hopes for the best and that his father will eventually accept his marriage. It takes eight years, but ultimately Okeke softens after hearing that he has two grandsons. In the end, love trumps stubbornness and it is suggested that Okeke will reunite with his son and his family.

MLA citations are very easy. A routine Google search should lead you in the right direction. I have used MLA style at the end of the quote, although the page number is for my particular anthology (World Literature, published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1993) and probably differs from yours. Also make sure to give a full citation of the story in your works cited section.

How does priming prompt consumers to think about a particular product? How can it help affirm biases about a product? What are three examples of...

Whenever an individual is presented with a stimulus, his or her brain will immediately activate neurons encoding related stimuli, and will for a short time find those related stimuli more salient. Seeing the word "snow" will make you recognize the word "cold" faster. Hearing the word "sadness" will make you better at reading the word "despair." This effect is called "priming," and it is believed to be quite fundamental to how the brain processes information.

Businesses often take advantage of priming in the design of advertising. By presenting and timing stimuli, they can draw consumers toward making positive associations with their product or negative associations with a competitor's product, often without the consumer even realizing they are being influenced. The effect is usually small, but it can be large enough to make a significant difference in a company's profit margin. Priming is often used to create a bias in the interpretation of ambiguous information—we're not sure whether something is true or not, so we tend to assume the prime is correct. In effect, we will think in terms of demanding proof that the prime is wrong, rather than a neutral assessment of whether the assertion is true.

Here's an interesting negative example, a commercial for the Microsoft Surface 2-in-1 laptop:

The commercial notably does not prime the name "Microsoft" or "Windows" because they know Microsoft has a somewhat negative reputation among some consumers. Instead, they show the product first, along with a diverse cast of users enjoying the product, and only use the name "Microsoft" at the end of the commercial. The diverse cast of users encourages consumers to identify themselves as one of the many types of people who would enjoy the product, and they are then primed to have positive associations with the product before they even learn it is a Surface made by Microsoft.

Other companies intentionally present their names first, and often have names designed to prime particular expectations. Here's a recent commercial for the Easy-Bake Oven that opens immediately with the name:

What does the name "Easy-Bake" prime us for? Clearly, the idea that baking with this product will be easy to do. In fact, its name is meaningless—it's just a name—but from the moment we hear it, we will form that expectation. As long as the rest of the commercial doesn't obviously contradict that assumption, we will continue to hold it, even if the commercial actually presents no real evidence that it is true. If a brand has positive connotations, often simply presenting the brand name repeatedly without any actual information about the product is enough to make customers more likely to buy the product.

When you go to HP.com, what is the first thing you see? It's a gigantic ad for the HP Spectre Laptop:
http://www.hp.com/
This is a bit strange, as anyone going to the site probably has something else in mind besides buying that particular laptop. It does serve a very important function for HP, though: it primes you to think about that laptop, and makes positive associations about its capabilities and visual appeal. You will probably not buy that laptop today, but the thought has been placed in your mind, and with enough repetition it may eventually motivate you to return to the site to purchase that laptop.

Grocery stores are laid out in a particular way to prime certain associations:
http://www.fastcompany.com/1779611/how-whole-foods-primes-you-shop
They put fresh flowers in front so the first thing you see is something fresh and beautiful, an association you will carry on to the rest of your shopping experience. As long as the produce is not obviously not fresh, you will assume it is fresh because you have been primed by something fresh.

What are the nerves present in the tongue called?

The nerve supply of the tongue is quite complex. It is understandably so because of the multiplicity of its functions. The tongue is a muscle mass occupying most of the oral cavity and it plays a very important role in taste. It is also involved in chewing, swallowing, speech and oral cleaning.

To perform these roles, the tongue is equipped with four intrinsic and four extrinsic muscles. The extrinsic muscles originate outside the tongue and...

The nerve supply of the tongue is quite complex. It is understandably so because of the multiplicity of its functions. The tongue is a muscle mass occupying most of the oral cavity and it plays a very important role in taste. It is also involved in chewing, swallowing, speech and oral cleaning.

To perform these roles, the tongue is equipped with four intrinsic and four extrinsic muscles. The extrinsic muscles originate outside the tongue and insert in the body of the organ while intrinsic muscles are exclusively located within the substance of the tongue.

The intrinsic muscles are the superior longitudinal, the inferior longitudinal, the transverse and the vertical. The extrinsic muscles are the genioglossus, the hyoglossus, the styloglossus and the palatoglossus. With the exception of the palatoglossus muscle, the motor function of the seven other intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the tongue is controlled by the hypoglossal nerve. The palatoglossus muscle is controlled by the pharyngeal plexus of the vagus nerve.

The sense of taste in the anterior two thirds of the tongue (excluding the vallate papillae) is controlled by the chordae tympani branch of the facial nerve while taste in the posterior one third (excluding the vallate papillae) is controlled by the lingual branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve.  

Touch and temperature sense in the anterior two thirds is controlled by the lingual branch of the trigeminal nerve while in the posterior one third, touch and temperature sense is controlled by the lingual branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve.