What does "pot of jam" mean in the short story "The Fly"?

In “The Fly,” the pot of jam is mentioned by old Woodifield as he tells of his girls traveling in Belgium: "’D'you know what the hotel made the girls pay for a pot of jam?’ he piped. ‘Ten francs! Robbery, I call it….Gertrude brought the pot away with her to teach 'em a lesson.’” What he means by this is really quite simple—a pot is just a small container in which jam is served. The...

In “The Fly,” the pot of jam is mentioned by old Woodifield as he tells of his girls traveling in Belgium: "’D'you know what the hotel made the girls pay for a pot of jam?’ he piped. ‘Ten francs! Robbery, I call it….Gertrude brought the pot away with her to teach 'em a lesson.’” What he means by this is really quite simple—a pot is just a small container in which jam is served. The term isn’t very popular nowadays, but a good comparison could be a honey pot, which is still in common usage. "Pot" is really just another way to refer to a small jar in this context.

Ten francs for a small container of jam—a container the size of a large coin—seems an exorbitant price to pay, and Gertrude is so disgusted at being ripped off for something as simple as jam that she steals the pot from the dining room.

What's a simile from the story "After Twenty Years"?

The only obvious simile in the story occurs when Bob is telling the policeman, whom he doesn't recognize as his old friend Jimmy Wells, about the strong friendship that had existed between the two youths until they parted company twenty years ago. Bob says,

He and I were raised here in New York, just like two brothers, together.

This helps to explain why Bob would have gone to so much trouble and expense to...

The only obvious simile in the story occurs when Bob is telling the policeman, whom he doesn't recognize as his old friend Jimmy Wells, about the strong friendship that had existed between the two youths until they parted company twenty years ago. Bob says,

He and I were raised here in New York, just like two brothers, together.

This helps to explain why Bob would have gone to so much trouble and expense to come all the way from Chicago to New York to keep a dinner date with Jimmy. They grew up together in New York but were not blood relatives. If Bob had actually been Jimmy's brother, the reader might wonder how Jimmy might have acted when he realized Bob was the man wanted by the Chicago police. Would Jimmy have turned his own brother in?

O. Henry is using the simile of "just like two brothers" for two reasons. One is to suggest that Bob's comparison will make a strong impression on the cop, which it apparently does, because Jimmy can't bring himself to make the arrest himself. The other reason O. Henry uses that simile is to impress on the reader as strongly as possible how close the two young men were twenty years ago. The reader has to understand how hard it must have been for Jimmy to double-cross his "brother," as well as to understand the emotional impact that deception and double-cross would have on Bob.

How can I analyze Funeral Blues by W.H. Auden with reference to stanza, repetition and rhyme?

“Funeral Blues” is commonly viewed as a dirge; a melancholy poem in which the speaker laments the passing of his loved one, ordering the world to recognize his death.

The poem is composed of four stanzas of four lines each, separated into rhyming couplets. This means that the last two words of every two lines rhyme with each other, like the first couplet, where Auden rhymes “telephone” and “bone”. There are no other repeated internal...

“Funeral Blues” is commonly viewed as a dirge; a melancholy poem in which the speaker laments the passing of his loved one, ordering the world to recognize his death.

The poem is composed of four stanzas of four lines each, separated into rhyming couplets. This means that the last two words of every two lines rhyme with each other, like the first couplet, where Auden rhymes “telephone” and “bone”. There are no other repeated internal rhymes.

The structural repetition in the poem is noteworthy, though. While Auden doesn’t repeat words (except in the third stanza), stanzas one, two and four follow a similar structural pattern. Each line is a different command to the world to take up some form of mourning (e.g. “Silence the pianos and with muffled drum / Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.”). This repetition emphasizes the depth of the speaker's mourning.

The third stanza breaks this pattern, causing a crescendo in the piece. (“Funeral Blues” was originally written to music and the third stanza still acts similarly to the musical “bridge” in songwriting.) Instead of following the pattern of the previous two stanzas, the third stanza speaks directly about the person who has died as the speaker says what he meant to him. Within the stanza there’s repetition in the phrasing: “He was my North, my South, my East, my West” and “My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song.”

Which character best serves as George Bernard Shaw's spokesperson in Arms and the Man? How?

One of the best ways to see who speaks for the playwright in Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw is to read the Preface. Shaw is notorious for writing long, entertaining essays as prefaces to his plays which explore many of the issues he is addressing and guide his audiences in interpreting his plays.

This play was first performed in 1894 and was written partly in response to the real, historical Serbo-Bulgarian War of...

One of the best ways to see who speaks for the playwright in Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw is to read the Preface. Shaw is notorious for writing long, entertaining essays as prefaces to his plays which explore many of the issues he is addressing and guide his audiences in interpreting his plays.

This play was first performed in 1894 and was written partly in response to the real, historical Serbo-Bulgarian War of 1885, a war deeply unpopular with the Serbians and eventually concluded by a treaty which actually changed very little.

Shaw's aim in the play was to show that war is not glamorous and heroic, but a grimly practical business. He makes fun of what he considers the silly romantic posturing of Sergius and uses the persona of Captain Bluntschli, a reluctant soldier with few illusions, to express his opinions. In one way, the marriage in the end is a triumph of the realism of the "chocolate cream soldier" over romantic ideals, but even more profoundly, it is a statement that real love and romance are not about verbal hyperbole and roleplaying, but about sharing ideas and goals in everyday life.

Why was Berlin the center of crisis in 1948-49 and again between 1958 and 1961?

Berlin was the center of crisis during these two time periods because of its history, its geographical location, and the geopolitical situation at the time.

To understand why crises arose over Berlin, we have to understand the geopolitics of the time mentioned in this question.  Both of these times were part of the Cold War era.  During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union faced one another in a competition to dominate...

Berlin was the center of crisis during these two time periods because of its history, its geographical location, and the geopolitical situation at the time.

To understand why crises arose over Berlin, we have to understand the geopolitics of the time mentioned in this question.  Both of these times were part of the Cold War era.  During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union faced one another in a competition to dominate the world.  Each side wanted its ideology (democracy/capitalism for the US and communism for the USSR) to be the ideology that most countries on earth adhered to.  Each side distrusted the other and wanted to prevent the other from expanding.  The two main superpowers each had a variety of countries that were on their side in the conflict.  This conflict was the main fact about geopolitics during this era.

So what did Berlin have to do with this?  First, it was a historically important city.  It had been the capital of Germany and that country’s most important city.  Therefore, it was a major symbol of Germany and whoever controlled it would look like they dominated what had been Germany.  This brings us to a second historical fact.  After WWII, the victorious Allies divided Germany up into zones of occupation.  The Soviets controlled the eastern part of Germany while the French, British, and US each controlled part of the west.  The three western allies soon combined their zones and so there were two main zones of occupied Germany.

This is where geographical location came into play.  Berlin is located in eastern Germany.  Therefore, the city was within the Soviet zone of occupation.  However, because of its historical importance, the Allies split it up as well when they split Germany up. Thus, there was a part of the city, called West Berlin, that was democratic and capitalist in the middle of communist-controlled East Germany.  The Soviets wanted the US and its allies out of Berlin.  The US felt that it was important for them to have control of part of Berlin so they could be in control of at least part of Germany’s most important city.  Because the Soviets wanted the US out and the US was determined to stay, Berlin was the center of crisis both in 1948-9 (the Berlin Airlift) and 1958-61 (the Berlin Crisis that ended with the building of the Berlin Wall). 

Suppose a worker went out of her way to help the boss complete a project on time. Some of her co-workers saw that behavior and thought she was...

There are many possible reasons for these differing interpretations. The two that come most immediately to mind are history and projection. 

First, the track record of this person's actions is bound to sway the opinions of co-workers.  This might be a person who helps only the boss and is otherwise a poor team player.  That would tend to cause people to interpret her actions as meant only to curry favor with management. On the other...

There are many possible reasons for these differing interpretations. The two that come most immediately to mind are history and projection. 

First, the track record of this person's actions is bound to sway the opinions of co-workers.  This might be a person who helps only the boss and is otherwise a poor team player.  That would tend to cause people to interpret her actions as meant only to curry favor with management. On the other hand, if this person has the deserved reputation as being helpful with everyone, the interpretation is more likely to be that she is simply a good team player. 

Second, we tend to judge other peoples' actions by thinking about what we would do in similar circumstances. This is a form of projection, meaning we project onto others our own thoughts and feelings.  A person whose usual motive for helping is to curry favor with someone is likely to project that idea onto this worker, believing that she has the same motivations.  But someone who wants to be a good helper to all is going to project that attitude onto this worker, feeling that she is similarly motivated. 

For either explanation, it is important to realize how our perceptions can be so easily influenced. They can be influenced by history, and they can just as easily be skewed by our own thoughts and feelings.  It makes it difficult to know sometimes what, exactly, is "truth." This helpful worker is performing the same actions, no matter how they are perceived.  Perhaps that is the only truth one can take away. 

Thomas Sizgorich, Violence and Belief in Late Antiquity. Chapter three: What has the Pious in Common with the Impious? Ambrose, Libanius and the...

In Chapter 3, Sizgorich sets up the perceived  conflict between the devout believers in Christianity and early Islam and those of other faiths or a lack of faith altogether. The primary example of conflict is found in Ambrose and Libanius, men who both made appeals to the Emperor. While Ambrose appealed for benevolence towards non-Christian residents of the empire, Libanius appealed for preserving the tradition of violence against non-believers.

Chapter 3 is notable as it...

In Chapter 3, Sizgorich sets up the perceived  conflict between the devout believers in Christianity and early Islam and those of other faiths or a lack of faith altogether. The primary example of conflict is found in Ambrose and Libanius, men who both made appeals to the Emperor. While Ambrose appealed for benevolence towards non-Christian residents of the empire, Libanius appealed for preserving the tradition of violence against non-believers.

Chapter 3 is notable as it marks a shift from Sizgorich's focus on community identity as a factor in violence and places the focus on two individuals. Another conflict found in this chapter centers around Emperor Theodosius' approval of the persecution of pagans and heretics in his empire. Theodosius is portrayed as being co-opted into normalizing this treatment of non-believers within the empire, giving in to Libanius' opposition of traditional Roman leadership in favor of a Christianized version.

Why is Tituba not responsible for the tragedies in Salem?

Although Tituba was in some ways a catalyst for getting some of the young girls in Salem interested in magic and divination, she was not necessarily responsible for the hysteria that pervaded the village. The situation that allowed this to happen was related to a much larger context, and Tituba's role was a relatively minor one. She also confessed and wished to be forgiven for her sins and renounced her dealing with the devil (according...

Although Tituba was in some ways a catalyst for getting some of the young girls in Salem interested in magic and divination, she was not necessarily responsible for the hysteria that pervaded the village. The situation that allowed this to happen was related to a much larger context, and Tituba's role was a relatively minor one. She also confessed and wished to be forgiven for her sins and renounced her dealing with the devil (according to historical documents), showing she was willing to leave behind her pagan religious beliefs (as the villagers saw them) and accept Christianity. It may be she was merely telling the court officials what they wanted to hear in order to escape a harsh sentence. It is not known what her ethnic background was, other than "Indian" as stated in court records, but generally it is assumed she was from Barbados. Her ethnic difference made her an effective scapegoat, since her "otherness" made her stand out, and her status as a slave meant she was vulnerable to accusations. 

But with or without Tituba, Salem was ripe for such an event to occur. In addition to a superstitious belief system that led people to believe that financial ruin, illness, crop failure, impotence and various other problems could be caused by witchcraft, the people of Salem, like other Puritans living in Colonial New England, were living with many domestic and social challenges. Many people were having trouble making ends meet due to the harshness of the winter climate and the lack of resources. There was conflict about religion and leadership in many towns. The tensions surrounding daily life boiled up in some places and helped create an atmosphere where witchcraft accusations could flourish. 

How is the educational system in the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, compared with today's public and charter schools?

Harper Lee portrays the educational system in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird as rigid and meaningless. Scout's first-grade teacher, Miss Caroline, rebukes her for being able to read and write at such a young age. Instead of facilitating Scout's abilities, Miss Caroline attempts to stifle Scout's development by telling her not to read with her father. Miss Caroline also does not consider the interests of her students and continues to read stories which...

Harper Lee portrays the educational system in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird as rigid and meaningless. Scout's first-grade teacher, Miss Caroline, rebukes her for being able to read and write at such a young age. Instead of facilitating Scout's abilities, Miss Caroline attempts to stifle Scout's development by telling her not to read with her father. Miss Caroline also does not consider the interests of her students and continues to read stories which bore them. Scout even decides to write Dill a letter in the middle of an uninteresting flash card activity. Later on in the novel, Scout's third-grade teacher, Miss Gates, is portrayed as a hypocrite for commenting that persecution and prejudice does not exist in America. Harper Lee's cynical view of the educational system in the novel correlates with the negative aspects of public schools nationwide.

In today's society, standardized testing is the foremost concern of each public school. Ethics and morals are no longer taught in schools, and the predominant focus is directed towards mathematics, science, and English. Many students are uninterested in their classes, and the public school system is beginning to neglect the arts and humanities nationwide. However, charter schools do offer students a more flexible educational experience geared towards their specific interests. Charter schools are still considered public schools, but operate in a different manner. Many charter schools offer classes that focus on science, technology, or the arts. Students who are interested in pursuing careers that charters schools specialize in have the option to transfer from their home schools. Harper Lee would probably favor charter schools over public schools, but her underlying views of the educational system as a whole would remain negative.

In To Kill A Mockingbird, who helped Simon Finch create his homestead, Finch's Landing?

Scout's ancestor, Simon Finch, was from England. He left England and travelled to the United States. He eventually found himself in Alabama. It was there that he decided to abandon the religious teachings he had previously followed. Simon seemed to forget "his teacher’s dictum on the possession of human chattels" and "bought three slaves." It was "with their aid [that he] established a homestead on the banks of the Alabama River some forty miles above...

Scout's ancestor, Simon Finch, was from England. He left England and travelled to the United States. He eventually found himself in Alabama. It was there that he decided to abandon the religious teachings he had previously followed. Simon seemed to forget "his teacher’s dictum on the possession of human chattels" and "bought three slaves." It was "with their aid [that he] established a homestead on the banks of the Alabama River some forty miles above Saint Stephens" (To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 1).

The three slaves helped Simon to create a self-sufficient homestead. There was very little that the land did not produce. The items that did have to be brought in, such as blocks of ice and clothing, were shipped by river. These things would arrive by boat on the Alabama River. When they docked at Finch's Landing, the slaves would unload the items. If it were not for the hard work of slaves, Simon Finch would not have been able to build such a prosperous settlement along the Alabama River.

How do you advise consumers to spend wisely by using the concept of price elasticity of demand? What are some illustrations and examples?

The price elasticity of demand is, for a given product and a given consumer, how much the quantity they would like to purchase changes for any given change in price. For example, if a 1% increase in price causes them to want to buy 2% less of the good, their price elasticity of demand would be -2%.

If a good has a high elasticity, we say it is elastic; this means that consumers are very sensitive to changes in price, and a small increase in price will cause them to buy a lot less. The most elastic goods are usually things like movies and restaurant meals that are luxuries people can do without if they get too expensive.

If a good has a low elasticity, we say it is inelastic; this means that consumers are insensitive to changes in price, and a large increase in price will only cause them to buy a little less. The most inelastic goods are usually things like food and medicine that are necessities people need to have no matter what.

As far as advising consumers, a heuristic I try to teach most people is "cheap expensive things, expensive cheap things"; there's a tendency for people to think of a 1% increase in price as more or less the same thing across a wide class of goods---meaning that they essentially try to equalize their price elasticity of demand across different goods. But a 1% increase in the price of a car is a much larger financial commitment than a 1% increase in the price of a toothbrush---indeed, a 1% increase in the price of a car is a larger expenditure than a 1000% increase in the price of a toothbrush! By this heuristic I'm essentially trying to tell people to be more elastic about expensive goods like cars, and less elastic about cheap goods like toothbrushes.

Another heuristic one might use is to try to be more elastic in general, which will generally lead to you spending less money; but that's only optimal if you really aren't getting that much benefit from those goods and really should have avoided buying so many all along. If you artificially force yourself to purchase less than you really want, you'll spend less money, but ultimately harm yourself because you aren't using money for what it's for---which is to make people's lives better.

It's also important to understand that "more elastic" isn't the same as "buy less"; in the attached diagram, the green demand curve is much more elastic than the blue demand curve. Along the bright red supply curve, these two consumers purchase the same amount of goods at the same price. But as the supply curve moves up and down, the green consumer responds more strongly to price changes in both directions---as goods get more expensive, they buy a lot less, and as they get cheaper, they buy a lot more.

In the novel The Chrysalids what is the specific theme?

If I had to pick one, single theme that I feel is most prevalent in The Chrysalids, I would say that the theme of discrimination is most apparent.  The discrimination that the novel contains though is very interesting.  It is not racism, sexism, or even class discrimination.  It's something completely different.  The discrimination is "genoism."  That word was actually coined by Andrew Niccol for his 1997 film GATTACA.   There are a lotof...

If I had to pick one, single theme that I feel is most prevalent in The Chrysalids, I would say that the theme of discrimination is most apparent.  The discrimination that the novel contains though is very interesting.  It is not racism, sexism, or even class discrimination.  It's something completely different.  The discrimination is "genoism."  That word was actually coined by Andrew Niccol for his 1997 film GATTACA.   There are a lot of parallels between that movie and the The Chyrsalids.  

Genoism is present throughout the novel.  David Strorm is taught from birth to discriminate against and hate any kind of genetic change that Waknuk society doesn't deem "normal."  In fact, the Strorm household has framed sayings hanging up that remind David of that concept.  

WATCH THOU FOR THE MUTANT! . . . THE DEVIL IS THE FATHER OF DEVIATION. 

Despite the emphasis on hating genetic mutation, David doesn't behave that way.  For example, he doesn't turn Sophie into the authorities even though she has six toes.  Unfortunately, her secret is discovered and she is forced to flee to the Fringes.  Had she not done that, Sophie likely would have been killed just for having a genetic difference.  Once David and the other telepaths are discovered, they must escape to save their own lives as well.  Even when the Sealand woman shows up, she also helps perpetuate the novel's theme of discrimination through genoism.  She tells David that he is genetically superior to the Waknuks, and that they deserve to be eradicated.  

"For ours is a superior variant, and we are only just begin-ning."

How does the king determine justice and why do his subjects regard the system as perfectly fair in the short story "The Lady or the Tiger?"

The "semi-barbaric" king in Frank Stockton's short story "The Lady or the Tiger" develops a justice system which is based totally on the whims of fate. Accused prisoners are tried in the arena where they have the choice of two doors. Behind one door is a tiger which kills him, thus proving the man's guilt. Behind the other door is a woman who promptly marries him, proving his innocence. In reality, it is quite a...

The "semi-barbaric" king in Frank Stockton's short story "The Lady or the Tiger" develops a justice system which is based totally on the whims of fate. Accused prisoners are tried in the arena where they have the choice of two doors. Behind one door is a tiger which kills him, thus proving the man's guilt. Behind the other door is a woman who promptly marries him, proving his innocence. In reality, it is quite a fickle form of justice and not based on anything other than good or bad luck. 

Because of the sheer luck involved and the fact that the prisoner made his own choice made the institution appear completely impartial to the subjects of the kingdom. Stockton writes,

Its perfect fairness is obvious...Thus, the masses were entertained and pleased, and the thinking part of the community could bring no charge of unfairness against this plan, for did not the accused person have the whole matter in his own hands?

The perfect fairness of this justice comes under question, however, in the final part of the story when the princess discovers the secret of the doors when her lover is accused of a crime. The fact that someone could discover from which the tiger or from which the lady would emerge compromised the entire process and rendered the king's justice quite corrupt. 

How does Jem change physically throughout the book?

Throughout the novel, Jem matures and hits puberty as the story progresses. There are several scenes and comments that depict Jem's physical growth. In Chapter 14, Jem attempts to discipline Scout and tells her that he will spank her. Scout takes offense at her brother's threat and punches him in the face. The two begin to fight, and Atticus runs into Jem's room and breaks it up. After the scuffle, the two children go...

Throughout the novel, Jem matures and hits puberty as the story progresses. There are several scenes and comments that depict Jem's physical growth. In Chapter 14, Jem attempts to discipline Scout and tells her that he will spank her. Scout takes offense at her brother's threat and punches him in the face. The two begin to fight, and Atticus runs into Jem's room and breaks it up. After the scuffle, the two children go to bed and discover that Dill has been hiding underneath the bed. After Dill tells them a fascinating story about how he traveled from Meridian to Maycomb, Scout mentions,

"He had considered emerging and helping me beat Jem, as Jem had grown far taller, but he knew Mr. Finch would break it up soon, so he thought it best to stay where he was" (Lee 187).

Dill does not try to help Scout out during the struggle because Jem has grown a considerable amount. Jem is maturing and becoming a young man, and soon, Scout will think twice about trying to beat him up.

In Chapter 23, Jem takes Scout into his room to settle her down after Aunt Alexandra upsets her. Scout mentions,

"His eyebrows were becoming heavier, and I noticed a new slimness about his body. He was growing taller" (Lee 301).

Jem looks at Scout and says that he'll show her something if she promises not to tell anyone. He unbuttons his shirt and points to his chest. Scout is confused because she can't see anything. Jem smiles and tells her that he is getting hair on his chest, and that it is also growing underneath his armpits. Jem is excited about the fact that he is becoming a man and tells his sister that he will try out for football next year.

How does society shape and influence Scout in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird?

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, society attempts to shape and influence Scout (and all children, we can infer), and how she sees the changing world around her, while characters such as Atticus and Miss Maudie encourage her to view much of what happens with an unjaundiced eye, leading with her heart and not the prejudicial sentiments of many of Maycomb's residents.

For example, the menfolk from town have decided upon Tom Robinson's guilt, so much so that they come to the jail to lynch him. Atticus is prepared for this possibility and has parked his chair in front of the building's door. Out of curiosity, Scout follows Jem who is worried about Atticus. Scout does not comprehend what is going on, especially that the situation is extremely dangerous for Tom, Atticus and the children.

In this scene, the norm of this predominantly white community (that remembers the Civil War and the South's defeat all too clearly) is to take the law into their hands, regardless of the justice system that guarantees all men—including Tom—a fair trial. This incident demonstrates a majority—moreover, a mob mentality, of which Scout is unaware. Trying to sort things out, Scout searches for common ground in this unfamiliar landscape.

I sought once more for a familiar face, and at the center of the semi-circle I found one. “Hey, Mr. Cunningham.”

Scout strikes up a conversation with Mr. Cunningham, speaking to him with a child's innocence about former business between him and Atticus. She says to her father:

Well, Atticus, I was just sayin' to Mr. Cunningham that entailments are bad an' all that, but you said not to worry...that you all'd ride it out together....

It seems that Scout's perceptions, fostered by those who love her, lead her to not only connect with the older man, but also infer that things will be all right if they stick together. Then, inadvertently, Scout calls up the image of his son, who Scout goes to school with.

“Tell Walter hey for me, won't you?"

While the mob might try to set a tone of intolerance and division, Scout has been taught differently. She sees neighbors, while the men in the mob see an enemy, a threat. It is only in reminding Walter Cunningham of his relationship with Atticus and her relationship with his son that the man is able to pull himself together and reconnect with his humanity—creating a disconnect from the influence of the mob he is with.

While this society tries to teach Scout (and presumably all children in Maycomb) that men are dominant over all things (like nature) and that white men are the superior race, Scout learns that respect and tolerance are the moral choices to make, most especially in protection of those who do no harm—those needing protection. Specifically, when the kids receive their guns at Christmas, they are taught not to harm the mockingbird:

"Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird." That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it. "Your father’s right," she said. "Mockingbirds don’t do one thing except make music for us to enjoy...they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us."

This social guidance later allows Scout to apply the lesson with Boo Radley. He, too, does no harm (he is the essence of innocence), even though he is tormented by town rumors and fearfully oppressed by his brother. This attitude is exemplified for Scout in Chief Tate's decision to protect Boo at the novel's end.

Taking the one who’s done you and this town a great service an’ draggin’ him with his shy ways into the limelight—to me, that’s a sin. It’s a sin and I’m not about to have it on my head. If it was any other man it’d be different. But not this man, Mr. Finch.

Not only does Boo do no harm, he saves the lives of Scout and Jem, and protects society from further attacks by Bob Ewell. Scout chooses to protect him as well, talking with him quietly, with genuine care and regard, and walking him home after Bob Ewell's attack and death.

While a large segment of the people of fictitious Maycomb are harsh and cruel in many ways (Bob Ewell, Mrs. Dubose, etc.), other members of the community (Atticus, Miss Maudie, Rev. Sykes, Calpurnia, etc.) teach and shape Scout to understand and reflect (in her thinking and actions) a better and kinder segment of Maycomb society.

Describe the international and domestic issues of the Cold War with the Soviet Union.

There were domestic and international issues that we faced because of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. The international issues centered on the spread of communism. The Soviet Union tried to spread communism to various parts of the world. They tried to spread communism to Western Europe. We responded with the European Recovery Program, which offered aid to countries fighting the spread of communism. We organized the Berlin Airlift to respond to the Berlin...

There were domestic and international issues that we faced because of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. The international issues centered on the spread of communism. The Soviet Union tried to spread communism to various parts of the world. They tried to spread communism to Western Europe. We responded with the European Recovery Program, which offered aid to countries fighting the spread of communism. We organized the Berlin Airlift to respond to the Berlin Blockade. They also tried to spread communism in Asia. We went to the United Nations to get help to remove North Korea, supported by the Soviet Union, from noncommunist South Korea. Our goal was to prevent communism from spreading.

We also were concerned the Soviet Union wasn’t following through on agreements it made with the British and with us at the end of World War II. The new government in Poland had few pre-war members in it, and there didn’t appear to be free elections. The King of Romania said he was forced to have a communist government, which violated the Declaration of Liberated Europe.

There were domestic issues regarding the Cold War with the Soviet Union. Many Americans were concerned that communists had infiltrated our government. There was a concerted effort to hunt down the alleged communists in our government. Led by Senator Joseph McCarthy, many people were accused of being communist and had to fight to restore their reputation, which was no easy task to accomplish. Many people in our country were concerned that we had fallen behind the Soviet Union when the Soviet Union launched the first satellite into space. This led to the formation of NASA and led to an increased emphasis on math and science education in our schools. People in our country were also concerned about nuclear war. People began to build their own bomb shelters to hopefully protect themselves in the case of nuclear attack.

The Cold War had a significant impact on the United States domestically and internationally.

How might the people, animals, or objects depicted in this painting have responded to the essential question: How justifiable was U. S expansion in...

This painting is a clear visual expression of the ideology behind westward expansion in general. From the right (the east) we see frontier land converted into small family farms, railroads and stagecoaches bringing people and (it is implied) civilization into the west, and other figures moving into what is portrayed as wilderness to be brought under the control of white Americans. From the left, we see Native peoples fleeing before the advancing white settlers and...

This painting is a clear visual expression of the ideology behind westward expansion in general. From the right (the east) we see frontier land converted into small family farms, railroads and stagecoaches bringing people and (it is implied) civilization into the west, and other figures moving into what is portrayed as wilderness to be brought under the control of white Americans. From the left, we see Native peoples fleeing before the advancing white settlers and buffalo, bears and other wildlife driven from their native habitats. Basically, what this assignment is calling for is for you to figure out how westward settlement and expansion affected various groups of people, and how they might have viewed it and responded to it. For the Native Americans in the painting, westward expansion was a disaster, one which saw them driven from their lands, confined to reservations, and for a time at least, stripped of their culture. For small farmers like the settlement on the right, as well as those moving west, it was a chance to achieve economic independence, what they would have called "competency." For the railroad and stagecoach companies, expansion brought incredible wealth, and the railroads in particular made expansion possible in the first place. Settlers and corporations also exploited the natural resources of the West, a fact which the fate of the buffalo, nearly exterminated by the end of the nineteenth century, clearly underscores. So in completing this assignment, keep these various perspectives in mind. 

The _________ system helps the body maintain homeostasis by giving it the nutrients it needs to perform different functions.

Homeostasis is the equilibrium or stability of the internal environment of a cell or a body. This is necessary for maintenance and growth of the cell or body, since the external environment may not be stable and favorable at all the times. Homeostasis requires the constant supply of nutrients and removal of waste from the body. In the body, the cardiovascularsystem helps in maintenance of homeostasis by supplying the nutrients to various parts of...

Homeostasis is the equilibrium or stability of the internal environment of a cell or a body. This is necessary for maintenance and growth of the cell or body, since the external environment may not be stable and favorable at all the times. Homeostasis requires the constant supply of nutrients and removal of waste from the body. In the body, the cardiovascular system helps in maintenance of homeostasis by supplying the nutrients to various parts of the body and removing the waste materials.

Cardiovascular system is also known as the circulatory system and consists of the heart, blood vessels and the blood. The nutrients and the waste materials are carried around the body by the blood. The nutrients are transported to the cells, while the waste materials (removed from the cells) are transported back. The heart acts as the pump for continuous blood flow and continuous nutrient/waste transport.

Hope this helps. 

The Old Woman's Message Poem

In the poem, the speaker is deeply grieved at her sons' indifference to her. The whole poem centers on a mother's appeal for reconciliation and connection with her sons before she dies.

But my sons, forgetful of me,

are like fruit borne by birds.

I see the sons of other women

returning. What is in their minds?

In her mind, the speaker cannot fathom the thoughtless apathy of her sons, so contrary to the filial...

In the poem, the speaker is deeply grieved at her sons' indifference to her. The whole poem centers on a mother's appeal for reconciliation and connection with her sons before she dies.

But my sons, forgetful of me,

are like fruit borne by birds.

I see the sons of other women

returning. What is in their minds?

In her mind, the speaker cannot fathom the thoughtless apathy of her sons, so contrary to the filial loyalty shown by other women's sons. She uses a simile to describe her sons' estrangement from her; perhaps they are like 'fruit borne by birds.' Birds digest the fruit they eat, but the seeds in their fecal matter often land in another area. The speaker laments that her sons have allowed themselves to set down roots far away from her.

Already I sway like a dry falling leaf

I see with my hands-

oh tell Polin and Manuai to hurry

and come to my death feast.

The use of enjambment in the lines above lends an immediacy to the speaker's appeal. She is desperate to see her sons and entreats them to attend her 'death feast.' The feast reference is an interesting one; the poet's Pacific Islander roots may account for this singular mention. Papua New Guinea (where the poet was originally from) is part of the Pacific Islands, where different customs are observed for the Festival of the Dead. Read a description of one such festival in northern New Ireland, Papua New Guinea.

Have attitudes to racism remained the same or have there been any changes (for better or worse) since the novel's publication in 1960?

The year 1960 was squarely in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement in the South. This movement challenged the institution of segregation and the racial attitudes that underpinned it. To Kill a Mockingbird, written by a Southern writer, directly addressed many of these attitudes. Scout's observation that "there is just one kind of folks. Folks." is pretty weighty in this context.

As for whether attitudes toward racism have changed, that is a question...

The year 1960 was squarely in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement in the South. This movement challenged the institution of segregation and the racial attitudes that underpinned it. To Kill a Mockingbird, written by a Southern writer, directly addressed many of these attitudes. Scout's observation that "there is just one kind of folks. Folks." is pretty weighty in this context.

As for whether attitudes toward racism have changed, that is a question that you will have to answer on your own. We have progressed since the days when a man like Tom Robinson could be found guilty of a crime because of the color of his skin. The legal segregation that existed in 1960 is a thing of the past as well. Despite these indications of progress, many might point to a number of issues, including income disparities between whites and minorities, the prevalence of de facto segregated schools, and, of course, issues relating to law enforcement and African-American communities as evidence that racial attitudes may not have changed as much as we may like to believe. But this question seems to be asking for your opinion, so you should give the issue some serious thought.

When did Romeo die in Romeo and Juliet?

Romeo dies in Act V, Scene 3 of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. His death and Juliet's is actually announced by Shakespeare in the sixth line of the Prologue:

A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life

In Act V, Scene 1 Romeo, who is exiled in Mantua, learns from his servant Balthasar that Juliet has died. In reality, she is only faking her death with a potion concocted by Friar Lawrence. Unfortunately, the message...

Romeo dies in Act V, Scene 3 of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. His death and Juliet's is actually announced by Shakespeare in the sixth line of the Prologue:

A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life

In Act V, Scene 1 Romeo, who is exiled in Mantua, learns from his servant Balthasar that Juliet has died. In reality, she is only faking her death with a potion concocted by Friar Lawrence. Unfortunately, the message to Romeo informing him of this news never arrives as Friar John is delayed by a plague threat in Verona. Romeo buys poison from an apothecary and plans to kill himself in the Capulet tomb next to Juliet. When he arrives at the tomb he is confronted by Count Paris, who is there to pay his respects to Juliet. Paris, of course, is unaware of Romeo and Juliet's relationship and also the Friar's plan. Romeo is not to be dissuaded from entering the tomb and he kills Paris. 

When he arrives inside the tomb he sees both Juliet and Tybalt. He comments that Juliet still looks very much alive: 

Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath,
Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty.
Thou art not conquered. Beauty’s ensign yet
Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks,
And death’s pale flag is not advancèd there.

He goes on a little more about Juliet's beauty and then kisses her before and then after drinking the vial of poison. His last words are:

Here’s to my love. [Drinking.] O true apothecary,
Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.

In some stage directions it then says "He falls" and yet others say "He dies." No matter, he is dead before Juliet awakens.

What is a passage from Jane Eyre that means more than it says? Does it have figurative language?

Well, I think the "means more than it says" part applies to most of the book. Part of what makes Jane Eyre so interesting is how Jane develops as a character over time, and how the reader's understanding of that is different than the story we get from the first person narrator. Take, for example, one of Jane's first interviews with Rochester:

“You examine me, Miss Eyre,” said he: “do you think me handsome?”

I should, if I had deliberated, have replied to this question by something conventionally vague and polite; but the answer somehow slipped from my tongue before I was aware— “No, sir.”

What the passage "says" is that Jane has replied rudely to her employer, but what it means is a little different. Rochester is, in fact, flirting with her; Jane, for her part, "says" that her answer "somehow slipped" out, but in fact she is simply repaying Rochester in kind. That is, Rochester knows he is flirting, and Jane, whatever she might say, knows that Rochester knows he is flirting. Her response means several things:

1. it is the truth -- Rochester is not handsome


2. it is sarcastic -- it is Jane's way of letting Rochester know she will not flatter him


3. it is defiant -- Jane, by saying it, is declaring her independence of mind.

So, the actual truth behind this interchange is much more complicated than it would seem. The fact that they both understand this unspoken subtext is nothing less than a tacit agreement between them. It is as if they are saying to each other, "I understand you" -- which is of course the secret place where their love begins.

The second half of your question, about figurative language, doesn't apply so much to that example. Bronte, however, does use figurative language extensively to describe the inner state of her characters. When Jane resolves to leave Rochester, in her last night at Thornfield, she sees the moon:

She broke forth as never moon yet burst from cloud: a hand first penetrated the sable folds and waved them away; then, not a moon, but a white human form shone in the azure, inclining a glorious brow earthward. It gazed and gazed on me. It spoke to my spirit: immeasurably distant was the tone, yet so near, it whispered in my heart—

“My daughter, flee temptation."

"Mother, I will."

This is an example of personification -- the moon is made into a human form, "speaking to Jane's spirit." But the point behind the personification is to show Jane's inner state -- she is utterly alone, and the moon figure here is a symbolic way of showing that although Jane may lack human company, she still has someone to guide her -- her missing mother. The passage also suggests something about the nature of Jane's faith, which is the source of her moral strength.

In Romeo and Juliet, why is the moon described as envious?

Romeo compares Juliet to the sun, and says the moon is envious because Juliet is prettier.

Romeo is quite lovestruck. He seems to believe in love at first sight, and is caught up in appearances. He is interested in Juliet for her looks more than her personality. He never really gets to know her for who she is. He is only attracted to her beauty.

Romeo sees Juliet at her family's party, and is fascinated...

Romeo compares Juliet to the sun, and says the moon is envious because Juliet is prettier.

Romeo is quite lovestruck. He seems to believe in love at first sight, and is caught up in appearances. He is interested in Juliet for her looks more than her personality. He never really gets to know her for who she is. He is only attracted to her beauty.

Romeo sees Juliet at her family's party, and is fascinated with her beauty. He asks her name and doesn’t even care that she is a Capulet, meaning his family feuds with hers. As a Montague, he should not be interested in her. Juliet's parents will not let Romeo be with her, and Romeo's parents will not approve, either. 

Romeo doesn’t care. He follows Juliet, and then watches when she is at her window. He comments on her beauty, comparing her to the sun.

But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief,
That thou her maid art far more fair than she (Act II, Scene 2).

In Romeo's metaphor, he compares her to the sun because he thinks she is lovely and she warms him. He feels like nothing can compare to her. Everything else revolves around her. Romeo reasons that when the sun comes up, the moon goes down because it is jealous of the sun. The sun is too beautiful and the moon just has to leave. By comparing Juliet to the sun, Romeo is saying all the other girls might as well go because Juliet has them all beat.

Although this famous speech is beautiful, it is also superficial. Yes, Romeo does love Juliet, but he loves the image of Juliet that is in his mind more than Juliet herself. Romeo and Juliet never have a chance for a normal relationship, so they will never know if they actually would have loved each other.

How does Carnegie view charity? In what instances does Carnegie believe that charity is most beneficial?

Andrew Carnegie believed in the concept of Social Darwinism. This theory suggested that the strongest and fittest survive. While Andrew Carnegie believed in this concept, he felt those who were successful financially had an obligation to help people who needed help, especially if they were in a situation that wasn’t their fault.

Andrew Carnegie believed in a concept known as the Gospel of Wealth. He believed the wealthy needed to use their money to help...

Andrew Carnegie believed in the concept of Social Darwinism. This theory suggested that the strongest and fittest survive. While Andrew Carnegie believed in this concept, he felt those who were successful financially had an obligation to help people who needed help, especially if they were in a situation that wasn’t their fault.

Andrew Carnegie believed in a concept known as the Gospel of Wealth. He believed the wealthy needed to use their money to help the less fortunate. He was firmly against giving aid directly to the people. Instead, he believed that providing money to provide opportunities where people could help themselves would be very appropriate. Thus, Andrew Carnegie provided funds to build libraries, where people could go to increase their education. He also provided money to build universities. He believed if people were more educated, they would become more successful. He also provided money for communities to build concert halls, where the entire community could benefit from various performances.

Andrew Carnegie believed the wealthy should use their money to provide opportunities for people to better themselves and their position in life.

In what way was "The Waste Land" central to its time in both theme and technique? What examples illustrate this?

"The Waste Land" reflects T. S. Eliot's perception of the state of the world after World War I. He sees the warfare among the European nations as an emblem of the fragmentation of tradition in the face of modernity. Old beliefs and traditional art forms break down. This fragmentation is seen in the disintegration of iambic pentameter and the bricolage of fragmentary quotations ("These fragments I have shored against my ruins") that Eliot uses in assembling his poem. These fragments, ranging from quotations from Dante and the Upanishads through phrases from newspapers emphasize Eliot's vision of society which lacks a coherent central structure. 

For Eliot, who was an Anglo-Catholic, the moment of modernity is analogous to the moment when the fertility god has died and is buried in winter (as described in Weston's From Ritual to Romance, which he references in his notes), but has not yet been reborn in spring, or when Jesus has died on the Cross and has not yet returned. He illustrates this concept in the lines:

Over the tumbled graves, about the chapel

There is the empty chapel, only the wind’s home

It has no windows, and the door swings,

Dry bones can harm no one.

This is an image of death, sterility, and desolation which can only be cured if the Fisher King is made whole or Christ returns. For Eliot, modernity and secularism exist in this space of sterility. 

Why are flowers an important part of plants?

A flower is the reproductive organ of a plant. The anatomy of a flowercontains both male and female parts. Pollen is the male reproductive cell of a flower. Pollen is contained in the anther of a flower. An anther is located on top a stalk called a filament. In order for fertilization of the plant to occur, pollen must be transferred from the anther to the female part of a flower called the stigma....

A flower is the reproductive organ of a plant. The anatomy of a flower contains both male and female parts. Pollen is the male reproductive cell of a flower. Pollen is contained in the anther of a flower. An anther is located on top a stalk called a filament. In order for fertilization of the plant to occur, pollen must be transferred from the anther to the female part of a flower called the stigma. Insects or wind may aid in the transferring of pollen to the stigma of a plant. The transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma of a plant is called pollination. Once the pollen is on the stigma, a pollen tube forms down the style. Eventually, the pollen grain reaches the flower’s ovary and fertilization occurs. The fertilized egg becomes the embryo of the seed. The seed then germinates into another plant.

It should be noted that some flowers contain both male and female parts and are able to self-fertilize. Other species of plants have male plants and female plants. These types of plants cross-pollinate.

How do you get rid of an STD?

Multiple types of STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) exist.  An STD is a viral or bacterial infection that is obtained through sexual contact or skin-to-skin contact with someone else who is affected by an STD.

Gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis are STDs that are caused by bacteria. These illnesses are diagnosed by a medical professional via laboratory tests. Treatment includes a course of antibiotics and abstaining from sexual contact during the antibiotic course. 

Genital herpes, HPV...

Multiple types of STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) exist.  An STD is a viral or bacterial infection that is obtained through sexual contact or skin-to-skin contact with someone else who is affected by an STD.

Gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis are STDs that are caused by bacteria. These illnesses are diagnosed by a medical professional via laboratory tests. Treatment includes a course of antibiotics and abstaining from sexual contact during the antibiotic course. 

Genital herpes, HPV (Human Papillomavirus), HIV/AIDS, and Hepatitis are sexually transmitted diseases caused by a virus. Each can be diagnosed by a blood test and/or sample of the infected area. Currently, there is not a cure for genital herpes. Treatment includes antiviral medication on a regular basis, particularly during outbreaks. A vaccine has been developed for some strains of HPV. The CDC recommends that all boys and girls get vaccinated for HPV between 11 and 12 years old. HIV/AIDS is especially problematic because if someone with HIV/AIDS has an STD, the person is more likely to pass HIV onto someone else. Treatment includes a drug cocktail to treat the symptoms of HIV/AIDS, but a cure does not exist. There are five types of Hepatitis, Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. Hepatitis A and B can be prevented through vaccination. There are no vaccines currently for Hepatitis C, D, and E. 

Did all ancient civilizations share a common attitude about the nature of their divine beings and their relationship that these gods had with...

Absolutely not! Indeed, it's not clear that even within a civilization there was anything like a consensus on the nature of the gods.

Still, there are certain patterns we tend to find, and some interesting comparisons and contrasts we can make between these three different ancient texts. The hardest one to get an unbiased source on is of course the Old Testament; European and American culture is pretty heavily invested in the Bible and its interpretation. I decided to just link the full text.

All three texts appear to assume some form of polytheism. This is one of the things about the Old Testament that can be very controversial, so let me explain further: A number of passages in the Bible clearly indicate the existence of other gods, and simply place Yahweh on top---not the only god, but the best god. (This is sometimes called henotheism.)

For example, Psalm 95:3; "For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods." Another example is Deuteronomy 6:14; "Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;"

The Bible was written over a very long time by a lot of different people, so there are other passages that do insist that there is only one god, such as Isaiah 43:10; "before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me." These passages tend to be from books that were written later, suggesting that the Jews gradually transitioned from polytheism to monotheism over time.

The gods are clearly literal beings in the Bible and the Epic of Gilgamesh, but in the Iliad this is not quite as clear. One reading is that yes, they are literal gods which actually help or hinder each side; but another reading is that they are being used as metaphors for the properties that are associated with each god, so for example summoning an idea from "Athena" really means summoning it from wisdom, and acting based on the will of "Ares" really means acting out of warlike rage. There are a few passages in the Iliad where this second reading is a little harder to accept, but for the most part it actually holds up surprisingly well. It may be that Homer (or whoever wrote it; we really know next to nothing about Homer) did not actually believe in literal gods and simply used them as literary devices; or it may be that he actually believed in them and thought they interacted directly with human affairs.

Major characters in both the Iliad and Gilgamesh are depicted as the children of divine beings---namely Gilgamesh himself, the son of Ninsun, and Achilles, the son of the sea nymph Thetis. There is no such character in the Old Testament, though of course according to the New Testament written hundreds of years later, Jesus is the son of God.

The role of the gods varies a great deal between each text. In the Old Testament, Yahweh is the creator of, well, everything---the heavens and the earth. But in Greek myth, including the Iliad, Zeus didn't create anything in particular; the beings that created the universe were Titans, and they are long gone, defeated in a war against today's Olympian gods. The Sumerians did have creator gods, but in Gilgamesh, the creator gods don't get a lot of attention. There are a whole bunch of gods more directly responsible for administrating the universe, and they get a lot more "screen time" as it were (especially Ishtar, who attempts to seduce Gilgamesh and is scorned).

Yahweh in the Old Testament is a self-contained deity, a single being who acts upon the universe more or less unopposed; if other gods exist they are all much weaker. There are no apparent limits on his power. As said in Job 42:2; "I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee."

But in the Iliad, most of the gods are fairly evenly matched, and they take sides; Athena and Aphrodite are on opposite sides in the war, and it's not clear from the outset which one will prevail. Zeus seems to be more powerful than the others, but it's unclear how much, and he certainly does seem to be limited in what he can do by himself. He often acts as a kind of judge or arbitrator between the other gods.

In the epic of Gilgamesh, on the other hand, there are many gods that seem evenly matched, but they don't take sides in the same way. When all the gods want something, it happens---including, importantly, the death of Enkidu. In some ways the gods seem like a sort of court or legislature for the universe; they vote or reach consensus on what is supposed to happen, and then it happens. This is particularly true of the "seven gods" who make the decrees of fate (of which Ishtar is one).

In general, I think these ancient texts are most informative about what their authors thought about the gods, and what they thought their readers would relate to---and not necessarily the views of their entire civilization. Just as today there are different sects and denominations with different interpretations of religion, in ancient times there were as well, if anything more fragmented because transportation was so difficult and literacy was so low. It was quite common for particular villages to have their own gods, and often have little or no knowledge of the "Greek gods" or "Sumerian gods" that ostensibly held sway in the region. (Very few people at the time even thought of themselves as "Greek" or "Sumerian"; the Iliad is actually historically important because it is one of the first texts to really link various city-states such as Athens and Sparta into some kind of united "Greece".)

In Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, what things does the Friar do that are illegal or frowned upon?

The most important thing the Friar does is the central event of the play: he marries Romeo and Juliet. The two lovers are from feuding families, the Montagues and the Capulets, and thus their parents would never approve of their relationship. This is why the act of marrying the two is illegal. Lord Capulet would have to agree to allow his daughter to marry Romeo for the wedding to be legal. In fact, Lord Capulet...

The most important thing the Friar does is the central event of the play: he marries Romeo and Juliet. The two lovers are from feuding families, the Montagues and the Capulets, and thus their parents would never approve of their relationship. This is why the act of marrying the two is illegal. Lord Capulet would have to agree to allow his daughter to marry Romeo for the wedding to be legal. In fact, Lord Capulet is involved in negotiations with Paris to marry Juliet even as she marries Romeo behind his back. The Friar agrees to undertake this fateful marriage because he hopes, as he tells Romeo in Act II, to turn "your households' rancour to pure love." In other words, he hopes that he might end the feud between the Capulets and Montagues through the marriage. In a sense, this illegal act works, because the two families are reconciled when they find their children dead. The Friar also acts illegally when he gives Juliet the sleeping potion, and possibly when he sends a message to Romeo, who has been banished for the death of Tybalt. He confesses all of this after Romeo, Juliet, and Paris are found dead at the Capulet family crypt. The Friar acts illegally in the hopes that his actions might end the bloody feud that has gripped Verona.

Who is Mr. Vining in The Story of My Life?

Because Miss Sullivan was not allowed to read the examination papers for her entrance into Radcliffe to Helen, Mr. Eugene C. Vining, who (like Miss Sullivan) is from the Perkins Institute, was hired to copy the test papers into braille. 

Because Mr. Vining was a stranger and could only communicate with Helen in braille, the authorities felt that he would be a more objective conduit to Helen than Miss Sullivan would. The proctor of the...

Because Miss Sullivan was not allowed to read the examination papers for her entrance into Radcliffe to Helen, Mr. Eugene C. Vining, who (like Miss Sullivan) is from the Perkins Institute, was hired to copy the test papers into braille. 

Because Mr. Vining was a stranger and could only communicate with Helen in braille, the authorities felt that he would be a more objective conduit to Helen than Miss Sullivan would. The proctor of the exam was also a stranger.

When Helen studied for the exams, such as the algebra exam, she found herself wasting much time on the practice tests because she only learned the English braille in mathematics and they were in the American. So she notified Mr. Vining and he found some examples in American notation, which he forwarded to her. However, she still struggled with some very complicated examples.

Anxious about the exams the following day, Helen and Mr. Keith went to the college a little before the examination began and Mr. Vining clarified the symbols more fully to her. Nevertheless, Helen struggled with the algebra and geometry exams, although she did pass.

After receiving the results stating that she passed, Helen wrote a letter of explanation to Mr. John Hitz, telling him of the difficulties she experienced with the signs on the mathematics exams, as well as some parts of other exams because she had to type on a typewriter and was not able to read back what she had typed. She did this in order to help future blind students. 

Perhaps, if you would send a copy of this to the head of the Cambridge School, it might enlighten his mind on a few subjects, on which he seems to be in total darkness just now....

How are honor and duty reflected in The Bronze Bow?

In The Bronze Bowthe character traits of honor and devotion to one's duty are portrayed both positively and negatively by Daniel and Rosh, respectively. Daniel shows his devotion to his duty in several ways. When his grandmother dies, he knows he must take care of his sister Leah, so he leaves his home on the mountain and lives in the village with her. This is a great sacrifice to him because he has devoted...

In The Bronze Bow the character traits of honor and devotion to one's duty are portrayed both positively and negatively by Daniel and Rosh, respectively. Daniel shows his devotion to his duty in several ways. When his grandmother dies, he knows he must take care of his sister Leah, so he leaves his home on the mountain and lives in the village with her. This is a great sacrifice to him because he has devoted his life to the overthrow of Rome, and fulfilling his duty toward Leah interferes with his personal goals. As much as Daniel hates Romans, he still serves them in the blacksmith shop. Simon told him that a condition of taking over his shop was that he would need to serve Romans sometimes, and although Daniel balked at the thought, he complies as part of his duty to Simon, his village, and Leah. Daniel dutifully takes care of Samson on the mountain and Leah in the village. When Joel is captured, Daniel feels it is his duty to rescue him. All of these ways that Daniel performs his duty show that he is honorable, but especially his unflagging and dangerous efforts to release Joel from the Romans. Putting one's own life at risk goes beyond performing a duty into the realm of displaying honor.

Rosh, on the other hand, does not have the same sense of duty or honor. He does not consider it his duty to pay his own way or provide for his followers; rather, he steals from the local farmers and from travelers to maintain his band. He repeatedly calls Daniel's honorable behavior—such as sparing the old man's life—"soft," showing he has no honor himself. And when Joel is captured by the Romans while performing an assignment for Rosh, Rosh feels no sense of duty to attempt to free him. This lack of honor in Rosh, so opposed to Daniel's own convictions, is what spurs Daniel to finally renounce Rosh as his leader.

Daniel's display of honor and devotion to duty is made more obvious by the contrast with Rosh, who lacks these important qualities.

Who is Hillary Clinton and where does she stand on important political issues?

Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton  was born on October 26, 1947 in Chicago and raised in Illinois. She was raised in a Republican family, and was politically active even as a high school student, but during her years as a student at Wellesley College, began to shift towards the Democratic party, a position she has maintained throughout her adult life. In college, she became active in supporting the movement against the Vietnam War and became involved with the Civil Rights Movement. She graduated in 1969 with departmental honors and enrolled in Yale Law School, where she met Bill Clinton (her soon to be husband). She graduated from law school in 1973. During her time at Yale, she began her work on children's issues, including serving as a lawyer for the Children's Defense Fund.

Moving to Arkansas with her husband Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton continued to practice as a lawyer, teach law, and work on advocacy projects, especially those benefiting children, including being part of such organizations as Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, and Arkansas Children's Hospital, Legal Services, and the Children's Defense Fund. When her husband became President, Clinton continued to take an active role in politics, including advocating for health care reform. 

After the end of her husband's two-term presidency, Hillary Clinton was elected United States Senator from New York in 2000 and served two terms. In 2008 she ran against Obama for President in the Democrat primaries; although she did not succeed in being nominated, she served the Obama administration as U.S. Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013. With her return to private life in 2013, she continued to advocate for women's and children's rights as well as writing her memoirs and becoming a popular lecturer. On April 12, 2015, she formally became a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President.

Her political positions are usually described as mainstream center left, advocating for gradual change based on a technocratic approach to policy and a belief in making necessary compromises to get legislation passed.  

Clinton supports for equality for minorities, women, and members of the LBGT community. She wants to improve the Affordable Care Act to make insurance increasingly affordable and accessible and ensure adequate parental and medical leave for all workers; she believes that all people have the right to adequate medical care. She supports a federal minimum wage increase to $12 per hour. Clinton supports immigration reform and education reform. In foreign policy, she is moderately hawkish, believing that the United States must stay engaged with the rest of the world but work multilaterally rather than unilaterally. She wants to act to moderate climate change, improve infrastructure, and reduce gun violence in the United States. 

Looking at literary conflicts and characters, what connections can you make between "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker and "Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid?

Alice Walker's "Everyday Use" and Jamaica Kincaid's "Girl" make for an interesting pairing. We notice a few surface similarities right away: there's a conflict between the mother and daughter, with one character believing the other is utterly helpless and utterly wrong about how to approach life. Each of the mothers is struggling, perhaps unsuccessfully, to teach the daughter how to live correctly and how to skillfully adapt to everyday life and culture.

But there are some important differences between those conflicts. 

Notice how Mrs. Johnson from "Everyday Use" allows her daughter Dee to speak freely and to express herself. "You ought to try to make something of yourself, too, Maggie. It's really a new day for us. But from the way you and Mama still live you'd never know it," Dee says, as her mother is practically silent. But the daughter from "Girl" barely gets in a few words of protest in the endless stream of instructions from her mother. Mrs. Johnson just wants Dee to appreciate the value of quilts as a useful everyday object: "God knows I been saving 'em for long enough with nobody using 'em. I hope she will [put them to everyday use]!"

But the mother from "Girl" seems bent on forcing her daughter to follow every rule for effective cooking, cleaning, and proper social behavior: "this is how you set a table; this is how you set a table for dinner with an important guest," etc.

The chief worry of the mothers seems to be the kind of person that her daughter is turning out to be--but Mrs. Johnson worries that Dee doesn't appreciate where she came from, while the mother from "Girl" worries that her daughter will behave disgracefully ("try to walk like a lady and not like the slut you are so bent on becoming").

Ultimately, Mrs. Johnson succeeds perhaps too well in making Dee a strong girl who asserts herself in social situations, while the mother from "Girl" is still worried that she's raising the kind of daughter who can't even stand her ground with a baker so that she can squeeze the bread before purchasing it.

Which part of the microscope controls the amount of illumination used to view a specimen?

A microscope is used to view small objects or features by magnifying them. A compound microscope, commonly found in laboratories, consists of an eyepiece (one or two lenses, for peering down), an objective (lens closer to the sample), a source of illumination (for illuminating the sample), and a stage (to hold the sample on a slide), among other parts. A number of light sources may be used, however a standard compound microscope uses an external...

A microscope is used to view small objects or features by magnifying them. A compound microscope, commonly found in laboratories, consists of an eyepiece (one or two lenses, for peering down), an objective (lens closer to the sample), a source of illumination (for illuminating the sample), and a stage (to hold the sample on a slide), among other parts. A number of light sources may be used, however a standard compound microscope uses an external source of light placed underneath the sample. The amount of light passing through the sample can be adjusted by using the adjustable diaphragm. By opening or closing the diaphragm, we can allow or prevent the illumination and by changing the opening size, we can adjust the level of illumination.

Such an arrangement is also available in other devices, such as a camera, where the level of illumination is controlled by the same mechanism. 

Hope this helps. 

According to Edwards, what do his listeners mistakenly feel keeps them from falling into hell?

"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" is a sermon in which Edwards instills fear into his congregation to persuade them to experience a conversion of faith. The premise of his sermon lies in one of his many metaphors to show that the only reason they have not died and gone to Hell is because of God’s “power and pleasure” to keep them alive. In one section, he says:

The bow of God’s wrath...

"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" is a sermon in which Edwards instills fear into his congregation to persuade them to experience a conversion of faith. The premise of his sermon lies in one of his many metaphors to show that the only reason they have not died and gone to Hell is because of God’s “power and pleasure” to keep them alive. In one section, he says:

The bow of God’s wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood.

In other words, God is ready at any moment, without warning, to strike a person down to Hell. There is nothing that a person who has not been “born again” can say or do to keep this from happening; God is completely in control. Therefore, people mistakenly believe that a person can keep himself from falling by his own actions, rather than God’s pleasure. Even if a person has “reformed (his) life in many things” and goes about the motion of being a Christian, they cannot truly be safe from Hell unless they experience a change of heart and convert. According to Edwards, a person cannot merely act like a Christian; they have to truly experience a conversion of faith.

What, exactly, is the nature of the friendship between George and Lennie in Of Mice and Men? What makes it so unusual?

George looks out for Lennie, while Lennie provides companionship for George.

Although George and Lennie are not related, they each get something out of the relationship.  George looks out for Lennie, and he likes having someone there for him.  If George didn’t have Lennie, his life would be easier, but it would be lonely.

George complains about how difficult life is for him since he has to take care of Lennie all the time.

"Whatever...

George looks out for Lennie, while Lennie provides companionship for George.

Although George and Lennie are not related, they each get something out of the relationship.  George looks out for Lennie, and he likes having someone there for him.  If George didn’t have Lennie, his life would be easier, but it would be lonely.

George complains about how difficult life is for him since he has to take care of Lennie all the time.

"Whatever we ain't got, that's what you want. God a'mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an' work, an' no trouble. No mess at all, and when the end of the month come I could take my fifty bucks and go into town and get whatever I want….” (Ch. 1)

However, despite this speech, George continues to go around with Lennie.  This is because despite the hassles Lennie causes, George would still rather have someone there than not.  George tells Slim it is “a lot nicer to go around with a guy you know.”  Slim is impressed that George and Lennie travel together.

"We kinda look after each other." He indicated Lennie with his thumb. "He ain't bright. Hell of a good worker, though. Hell of a nice fella, but he ain't bright. I've knew him for a long time." (Ch. 2)

Lennie is a hard worker, so George and Lennie can get jobs.  They can keep them too, as long as Lennie behaves himself. Sometimes Lennie gets into trouble without meaning to.  This is another reason why he needs George.  He looks to George for guidance, but when he gets in trouble George gets him out.  

George tells Slim that he used to tease Lennie out of frustration until he realized that Lennie would be loyal to him no matter what.  Lennie may be dumb, but that kind of loyalty means something to George.  He doesn't have the heart to be mean to him.  He yells at him sometimes, but he is never cruel.

Slim is impressed with Geroge and Lennie's relationship because most guys do not travel in pairs.  They look out for themselves and no one else.  They do not stay in one place very long, and it is a lonely and isolated life.  There is no consistency.  Having someone with you gives you something to count on.  Most guys have not found someone they can trust.  George and Lennie have found that.

What is a close reading of Henry Longfellow's "A Gleam of Sunshine"?

Henry Longfellow's "A Gleam of Sunshine" is a poem consisting of fourteen four-line stanzas written in what is called "common" or "hymn" meter. The lines alternate between iambic tetrameter and iambic trimeter, with occasional metrical substitutions and are rhymed ABCB.

The poem appeared in Longfellow's book, The Belfry of Bruges and Other Poems, which was published in 1845. Two important life events that probably influenced the poem were the death of the poet's first wife...

Henry Longfellow's "A Gleam of Sunshine" is a poem consisting of fourteen four-line stanzas written in what is called "common" or "hymn" meter. The lines alternate between iambic tetrameter and iambic trimeter, with occasional metrical substitutions and are rhymed ABCB.

The poem appeared in Longfellow's book, The Belfry of Bruges and Other Poems, which was published in 1845. Two important life events that probably influenced the poem were the death of the poet's first wife Mary in 1835 and his subsequent courtship of Fanny Appleton that began in 1839 with her rejecting him and concluded successfully in 1843. 

The poem is written in the first person and describes the poet stopping and looking down on a path leading to a church. As he thinks back on the service, he remembers someone who has died (probably Mary) and describes how memories of the departed made him unable to concentrate on the subject of the prayers or sermon:

Long was the good man's sermon,

Yet it seemed not so to me;

For he spake of Ruth the beautiful,

And still I thought of thee.

Significantly, the topic of the sermon he remembers is Ruth, an Old Testament figure who is widowed, remains steadfast in her faith, and remarries happily. 

The poet compares her death to the departure of the sun, leaving the world dark and gloomy, but then finds some solace in the thought that memory of her is like the gleam of a ray of sunshine from behind a cloud. 

What was the daily life of a child during World War I?

World War I was a traumatic experience for even the most hardened adults. As you can imagine, this trauma was even more profound for children. Children's daily lives were disrupted during the war. This includes their schooling which was transformed to prepare students to become active participants in the war as adults. A number of children could not even attend school.  Children were forced to say goodbye to their fathers as they were sent off...

World War I was a traumatic experience for even the most hardened adults. As you can imagine, this trauma was even more profound for children. Children's daily lives were disrupted during the war. This includes their schooling which was transformed to prepare students to become active participants in the war as adults. A number of children could not even attend school.  Children were forced to say goodbye to their fathers as they were sent off to war. Millions of these same children would never see their father again which led to extreme grief that would impact the rest of their lives. Children were also traumatized by the sounds of bombs and artillery throughout the war.

Despite the trauma associated with warfare, many children helped the war effort on the home front. They were expected to help where labor shortages occurred. This could be in the war industries or out in the fields for farming. Many children helped with fundraising for the war. The Boy Scouts and Girl Guides in England helped with the war in a more direct fashion. Boy Scouts could be used to guard important positions as scouts while girls helped to package items for soldiers on the battlefield. It seems that the burden of World War I had a daily effect on children.

Discuss the theme of freedom and forgiveness in The Tempest.

Freedom and forgiveness are both important themes in the play. The theme of freedom is best exemplified through the characters of Ariel and Caliban. Both characters are essentially enslaved by Prospero. Prospero uses Caliban to learn the island, then turns him into a slave when Caliban tries to rape Miranda. Propsero says,

Thou most lying slave,

Whom stripes may move, not kindness! I have used thee,

Filth as thou art, with human care, and lodged thee

In mine own cell, till thou didst seek to violate

The honour of my child (Act I, Scene 1).

Prospero releases Ariel from his captivity in the tree, but also forces him to serve. When Ariel mentions his freedom, Prospero says, “If thou more murmur'st, I will rend an oak/ And peg thee in his knotty entrails till/ Thou hast howl'd away twelve winters” (Act I, Scene 2). Prospero enslaves Caliban by torture and Ariel by threats.

Forgiveness is also an important theme in the play. Although his original intention was revenge, at the end of the play, Prospero forgives his brother for the suffering he has endured. Prospero says,

For you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother

Would even infect my mouth, I do forgive

Thy rankest fault; all of them; and require

My dukedom of thee, which perforce, I know,

Thou must restore (Act V, Scene 1).

Once he forgives everyone, Prospero realizes he should also forgive Caliban. When he says, "this thing of darkness!/ Acknowledge mine“ (Act V, Scene 1), he is admitting that Caliban belongs to him, and he forgives him for trying to rape Miranda. Prospero also realizes it is time to free Ariel. "My Ariel, chick,/ That is thy charge: then to the elements/ Be free, and fare thou well" (Act V, Scene 1). The play also ends with Prospero asking forgiveness of the audience: “As you from crimes would pardon'd be,/ Let your indulgence set me free” (Act V, Scene 1).

Provide a brief sketch of the governor of Glubbdubdrib.

Glubbdubdrib is an extremely prosperous island full of magicians.  The governor is the head and eldest of a specific tribe of sorcerers that only marries one another.  The governor is a skillful necromancer, meaning that he can conjure the spirits of the dead, and it is these spirits who serve him and his family at his great palace and large estate.  He can only command a spirit's presence for one day, and he may not...

Glubbdubdrib is an extremely prosperous island full of magicians.  The governor is the head and eldest of a specific tribe of sorcerers that only marries one another.  The governor is a skillful necromancer, meaning that he can conjure the spirits of the dead, and it is these spirits who serve him and his family at his great palace and large estate.  He can only command a spirit's presence for one day, and he may not call up the same spirit for three months after.

He longs to learn about Gulliver's home, and Gulliver stays for about ten days so that they might learn from each other.  During this time, the governor generously allowed Gulliver to "call up whatever Persons [he] would chuse to name" from any place or time in history.  He assures Gulliver that these spirits will tell him the truth about anything he wants to know, and so Gulliver chooses a number of very interesting personages: Alexander the Great, Hannibal, Caesar, and more.  Unlike many of the other leaders Gulliver meets on his travels, the governor of Glubbdubdrib is actually pretty decent: he doesn't try to exploit Gulliver as a worker or an entertainer, and he does not judge him for his native country's customs.  

What do the Eights receive in The Giver?

Eights receive a jacket with pockets for the first time.

Each year, Jonas’s community has a series of ceremonies.  All children under twelve that are born in the same year turn the same age at the same time.  At each ceremony they are given a special gift unique to that year.  It might be clothing, a bicycle, or even a job in the case of the Twelves.

When Jonas becomes a Twelve, his sister Lily...

Eights receive a jacket with pockets for the first time.

Each year, Jonas’s community has a series of ceremonies.  All children under twelve that are born in the same year turn the same age at the same time.  At each ceremony they are given a special gift unique to that year.  It might be clothing, a bicycle, or even a job in the case of the Twelves.

When Jonas becomes a Twelve, his sister Lily becomes an Eight.  She gets a gift of clothing.

Jonas watched and cheered as Lily marched proudly to the stage, became an Eight and received the identifying jacket that she would wear this year, this one with smaller buttons and, for the first time, pockets, indicating that she was mature enough now to keep track of her own small belongings. (Ch. 6) 

Everyone wears the same clothes, and the clothing is symbolic.  For example, younger children wear jackets with buttons down the back to learn interdependence.  At Seven, the buttons switch to the front.  Then the jackets get closer and closer to the adult version.  The Eights get pockets for the first time because they are starting to grow up, and it is a symbol of independence.

In addition to getting something, Eights also lose something.  All children in the community get a comfort object when they are born.  This is a stuffed animal, which the community thinks is an imaginary animal.

"Lily," her mother said fondly, "you're very dose to being an Eight, and when you're an Eight, your comfort object will be taken away. It will be recycled to the younger children. You should be starting to go off to sleep without it." (Ch. 2) 

It makes sense in a way that the community would want to help wean children off of their security animals.  However, it is kind of odd that they would take the animals and give them to other children.  Perhaps it is a way of keeping children connected to one another.  Maybe the community is just being frugal.

Clearly Eight is the age when children are being prepared for adulthood.  Eight year olds start volunteer hours. This means that they begin to go out into the community and help out at various places.  They will be watched until they are Twelves, and this information will be used to help determine which assignment they are given.

I would really appreciate it if someone could tell me how slavery affected religion in the south? Not how religion was at the time of slavery in...

The most direct effect of slavery on religion you've already mentioned: Most slaves taken from Africa were forced to convert to Christianity.

But there were other, more complex effects that slavery and its surrounding culture and institutions influenced the development of religion in the South; the Baptist and Methodist denominations we know now largely grew out of that milieu.

Many African-Americans preserved traditions from the African religions they were forced to leave behind, which is another reason why singing and dancing are such an important part of many Baptist religious ceremonies today. European Christianity generally frowned upon dancing and singing, but in the most difficult of circumstances people fought to preserve what they could of the culture they left behind thousands of miles away.

Perhaps in response to the extreme inequality exemplified by slavery, a new vein of Christian religion formed in the mid 18th century during what was called the Great Awakening (and then the Second Great Awakening); where previously religion had been focused upon hierarchy and ritual (similar to Catholic and Orthodox churches today), this new approach focused upon personal belief, salvation, and equality in the eyes of God.

The effect of this new egalitarian religion upon slaves was somewhat mixed; while some used it to argue for ending slavery, for others it actually seemed to placate them, making them more willing to accept their current plight in the hopes of a reward in Heaven. Perhaps because of this, slaveowners were also mixed in their willingness to allow their slaves to learn about religion; some actively resisted it, fearing the slaves might try to revolt, while others considered it their holy duty to spread Christianity to their slaves.

Many of the churches that were formed during this period carried on for centuries afterward, and formed the origins of modern churches today. We can still see many differences between the practices of predominantly White churches in the North and predominantly African-American churches in the South that ultimately derive from this period and the integration of African traditions with Christian beliefs.

What does Jem first find in the knothole of the oak tree in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird?

In Chapter 4 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout is the first to find something in the knothole of an oak tree on the Radley lot. After that, walking home together, Scout and Jem jointly find another item in the knothole. Walking home from school by herself soon before the start of summer, Scout sees some tinfoilshining in the knothole. When she goes to investigate, she discovers "two pieces of chewing...

In Chapter 4 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout is the first to find something in the knothole of an oak tree on the Radley lot. After that, walking home together, Scout and Jem jointly find another item in the knothole.

Walking home from school by herself soon before the start of summer, Scout sees some tinfoil shining in the knothole. When she goes to investigate, she discovers "two pieces of chewing gum minus their outer wrappers" and crams them in her mouth as quickly as possible. When she tells Jem about her discovery, he is aghast that she chewed the gum and reminds her, "Don't you know you're not supposed to even touch the trees over there? You'll get killed if you do!" (Ch. 4). Though Scout disagrees that there is any danger in her chewing the gum, she eventually obediently gargles for Jem.

Later, while walking home together on the last day of school, Scout and Jem both simultaneously see some more tinfoil shining in the knothole of the oak tree, as we can tell when Jem says, "I see it, Scout! I see it—" (Ch. 4). Disregarding his own advice, "Jem looked around, reached up, and gingerly pocketed a tiny shiny package." Once the children get home, they find they are holding a small jewelry box wrapped in "chewing-gum wrappers." Inside of the box are two very polished pennies dated 1906. Jem realizes they are somebody's treasures and must have been stored in the tree for safekeeping. He plans to hold on to them until they can find out who they belong to once school starts up again.

What are the similarities and differences between Temple Grandin and Stephen Wiltshire?

Temple Grandin and Stephen Wiltshire share a neurology and a means of expression, however, their lives also differ significantly. Both Grandin and Wiltshire were diagnosed early with autism and needed to be taught skills and behaviors that people not on the autism spectrum take for granted. For example, both had to be taught social skills. Because of autism, both share having strong interests in very particular things and learning a lot about their special interests....

Temple Grandin and Stephen Wiltshire share a neurology and a means of expression, however, their lives also differ significantly. Both Grandin and Wiltshire were diagnosed early with autism and needed to be taught skills and behaviors that people not on the autism spectrum take for granted. For example, both had to be taught social skills. Because of autism, both share having strong interests in very particular things and learning a lot about their special interests. In fact, they share an interest in drawing, although they use their prodigious skills in very different ways.

Temple Grandin wrote a book called Thinking in Pictures in which she compares her mind to a CAD program on a computer. She is a visual thinker, almost to the exclusion of language, and she has used this skill to design animal handling facilities; when she designs, she can see the entire building in her mind. She uses her enhanced fight or flight feelings, common in autism, as a means for understanding the animals as they move from one place to another and experience various events.

Stephen Wiltshire is also a visual thinker but his interest has been in automobiles and cityscapes. Like Grandin, he can visualize extremely well in his mind and make very complex, detailed drawings from just brief encounters, such as riding over a city in a helicopter.

Both Wiltshire and Grandin are examples of people who have constructed positive lives for themselves despite struggles to cope with social settings in which their ways of thinking are not understood by other people.