What advice does the Nurse give to Juliet in Act III when Juliet says she doesn't want to marry Paris?

At the end of Act III, Scene 5, after being chastised by her father over refusing to agree to the arranged marriage with Count Paris, Juliet seeks comfort and advice from her mother and then the Nurse. When Lord Capulet storms from the room Juliet pleads with her mother to delay the marriage and ambiguously threatens suicide, which could be interpreted as foreshadowing:

O sweet my mother, cast me not away.Delay this marriage for...

At the end of Act III, Scene 5, after being chastised by her father over refusing to agree to the arranged marriage with Count Paris, Juliet seeks comfort and advice from her mother and then the Nurse. When Lord Capulet storms from the room Juliet pleads with her mother to delay the marriage and ambiguously threatens suicide, which could be interpreted as foreshadowing:

O sweet my mother, cast me not away.
Delay this marriage for a month, a week,
Or, if you do not, make the bridal bed
In that dim monument where Tybalt lies.

Her mother will not help her, saying, 

Talk not to me, for I’ll not speak a word.
Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee.

With no sympathy from her parents, who are totally unaware of Juliet's relationship with Romeo, Juliet turns to the Nurse, who does know about Romeo, asking for "some comfort." The Nurse surprises Juliet by telling the girl to forget Romeo and go through with the marriage to Paris. She now claims, in contradiction to her earlier statements, that Paris is a better match for Juliet and that Romeo is nothing compared to the Count. She argues that since Romeo is banished Juliet should forget him. Moreover, Romeo will never be able to return to Verona to claim Juliet. She should simply consider Romeo dead. The Nurse says,

Romeo is banished, and all the world to nothing
That he dares ne’er come back to challenge you,
Or, if he do, it needs must be by stealth.
Then, since the case so stands as now it doth,
I think it best you married with the County.
O, he’s a lovely gentleman!
Romeo’s a dishclout to him. An eagle, madam,
Hath not so green, so quick, so fair an eye
As Paris hath. Beshrew my very heart,
I think you are happy in this second match,
For it excels your first, or, if it did not,
Your first is dead, or ’twere as good he were
As living here and you no use of him.

After this statement, a shocked Juliet vows never to listen to the Nurse again. Even though the Nurse had been an extremely close confidant and friend, Juliet basically ends the relationship with her in an aside at the close of the scene:

Ancient damnation, O most wicked fiend!
Is it more sin to wish me thus forsworn
Or to dispraise my lord with that same tongue
Which she hath praised him with above compare
So many thousand times? Go, counselor.
Thou and my bosom henceforth shall be twain.

Which area of the world is the most prone to volcanoes?

A volcano is an opening in the surface of planet Earth (or any other planet). Through this opening, molten rocks and gases emerge from deep interiors of the planet. The volcanic eruption can be gradual or violent, depending on the pressure built up underneath it. 

Volcanoes are typically found at the edge of the tectonic plates. That is, at the plate boundaries.Earth's core is composed of a number of fragments, each called a tectonic...

A volcano is an opening in the surface of planet Earth (or any other planet). Through this opening, molten rocks and gases emerge from deep interiors of the planet. The volcanic eruption can be gradual or violent, depending on the pressure built up underneath it. 

Volcanoes are typically found at the edge of the tectonic plates. That is, at the plate boundaries. Earth's core is composed of a number of fragments, each called a tectonic plate, all of which float over a liquid layer underneath them. Volcanoes are generally found at the diverging and converging boundaries of these tectonic plates. 

Volcanoes can also be found in the middle of the tectonic plates due to volcanic hotspots. These are fixed regions of hot material discharge from the core-mantle boundaries. As the tectonic plates move over them, we get new volcanoes while old ones become dormant. The Hawaiian islands are an example of these volcanoes.

Thus, regions where plate boundaries or hotspots exist are more likely to have volcanoes. An example of this is The Ring of Fire, an area with an especially high amount of volcanoes. The Ring of Fire mostly follows the perimeter of the Pacific Plate.

Hope this helps.

Anne writes strong opinions about Mrs. Frank and Peter van Daan. How well does she get along with each Peter and Mrs. Frank?

Mrs. Frank and Anne's relationship is as full of misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and strife as any young teenager's relationship with her mother. Anne often feels that her parents prefer the mature, quiet Margot over her. She is especially hurt by instances where she feels her mother is mocking her or leaving her out. She recalls with fury and despair slights like not being invited out with Margot and her mother before the war. Even though it seems that Mrs. Frank suffers from the struggles with her daughter, Anne often sees that emotion as manipulative:

"Yesterday Mother and I had another run-in and she really kicked up a fuss. She told Daddy all of my sins and started to cry, which made me cry too, and I already had such an awful headache. I finally told Daddy that I love "him" more than I do Mother, to which he replied that it was just a passing phase, but I don’t think so. I simply can’t stand Mother, and I have to force myself not to snap at her all the time, and to stay calm, when I’d rather slap her across the face." (10/3/1942.2)

Despite their strife, it does seem that Anne and her mother have a lot in common. They are both strong women who speak their mind and rarely hold back. This is likely a source of their conflict, but also a strong point of connection for them. 

When it comes to Peter, Anne goes through a big change in the novel. At first, she thinks he is too quiet and boring to make an interesting companion. As the months go on, though, Anne's lack of other friend options, loneliness, and maybe a bit of teenage hormones help to drive her and Peter together, first as friends and later as romantic lover interests. Anne writes about Peter in passionate terms often. However, she also notes that:

"I now know well that he was my conquest, and not the other way around. I created an image of him in my mind, pictured him as a quiet, sweet, sensitive boy badly in need of friendship and love! I needed to pour my heart out to a living person. I wanted a friend who could help me find my way again" (7/15/1944.9)

Anne seems to know that her and Peter's relationship stems mostly from necessity and not from compatibility and shared interests. 

What is the theme of insanity in general? What does it teach us?

Insanity in The Pearl is linked to ideas of stability and continuity. Despite Kino’s poverty at the story’s outset, we can see that as long as his life remains undisturbed he has a chance at being happy (and sane). Only when his circumstances change drastically does Kino begin to suffer in lasting ways, both from his poverty and from a loss of stability.

Steinbeck scholar Peter Lisca summarizes Kino’s plight succinctly, suggesting that Kino's newfound ambition to send his son to school is accompanied by disaster.

"[Lisca] sees that Kino finds himself possessed of the means to buy into that world but he also finds his house burned down, his wife physically beaten, his only son killed, and the lives of three men on his soul." (qtd. in )

If sanity is derived from a sense of continuity and stability, we can see quite graphically in the story of Kino what happens when these essential factors are disturbed.

As much as we can agree with Kino’s motivations to raise his family from a poverty that denies them access to schools and basic health care and doctor’s visits, we can see too a commentary on unmooring, uprooting, and divorcing from the past.

There are costs to great change. This may be one of the messages we see in The Pearl, and it is a rather disturbing one given the fact that Kino’s hoped-for change seems so natural and humble.

Sanity then becomes associated with one of the novel’s central conflicts, which is a desire for positive change and the costs that are associated with such change. Does Kino lose himself in his (understandable) desire to raise his family out of poverty? Does he fall into a sort of insanity wherein he is blinded to certain realities, preferring to recognize only the potential for achieving his desires and nothing more? If the answer to these questions is yes, should we then judge Kino or commiserate with him instead?

If this novel plays into Steinbeck's non-teleological bent of his Sea of Cortez period (where the parable of the pearl is first mentioned), we have reason to wonder if the author is suggesting that the attempted leap from one system of thought to another can be seen as a kind of hubris that fails to recognize the natural course of human development.

While this reading presumes a borderline condescension from Steinbeck, it is in keeping with his comments in Sea of Cortez. In that book, Steinbeck rejects teleological thinking (a mode of thought that presumes order and purposeful, conscious directionality) in favor of a view that accepts the natural world as being driven by unconscious systems. In doing so, he suggests at times that the populations he encounters around the Sea of Cortez belong to a world that is different than the one he (Steinbeck) comes from. No "mind" can bridge the gap, it would seem, and so an attempt to straddle these different worlds might lead to insanity.

There is no easy way to square the ethics of a view that suggests people should be accepted as they are (and so also accept for themselves their place in the world) with Steinbeck's view of the desire for change.

If "a dissatisfaction with the status quo of which Steinbeck approves" is "'one of the greatest talents the species has and one that has made it superior to animals that are satisfied with what they have,'” how can we properly resolve the story of Kino's tragedy with this championed view of ambition?

Is Kino insane to try to leave his past behind? Is he denying something essential about his very nature (according to the non-teleological view)? These questions are troubling echoes of the themes in the text.

Whats' the difference between the Trapezoidal Rule and Simpon's Rule for approximating integrals? What're the advantages/disadvantages of each...

Trapezoidal Rule and Simpson's rule are both numerical method in approximating values of a definite integrals. They both use a tabulated data of the function values for each subinterval. The primary difference is the formula for each rule.

Trapezoidal rule follows the formula for average of the left-hand Riemann Sum  and the right-hand Riemann sum .  It uses trapezoids or similar to a rectangle that has straight line segments with slanted top to approximate the area under the graph of the function.  The integral will be evaluated as:

`int_a^b f(x)dx = Deltax/2 [f(x_0)+f(x_1)]+Deltax/2 [f(x_1)+f(x_2)]+...

`+Deltax/2 [f(x_(n-1))+f(x_n)].`

Factoring out the `Deltax/2` and adding duplicated functions, we may simplify it as:

`int_a^b f(x)dx = Deltax/2 * [f(x_0)+2f(x_1)+2f(x_2)+2f(x_3)+...

`+2f(x_(n-1))+f(x_n)]` 

Note that all the function values has a coefficient of 2 except` f(x_0)` and `f(x_n)` .

While Simpson's rule differs since it has "parabola" across a pair of subintervals. The integral will be evaluated as:

`int_a^b f(x)dx = Deltax/3* [f(x_0)+4f(x_1)+2f(x_2)+4f(x_3)+...

`+2f(x_(n-2))+4f(x_(n-1))+f(x_n)]` 

Note that all the function values  at `x_(odd)` has a coefficient of 4. Function values at `x_(even)` , except with` f(x_0)` and `f(x_n)` , has coefficient of 2.

For the advantages of Trapezoidal rule, it is more accurate integral approximation than a single Riemann sum. It can be used regardless if we have even or odd number of subintervals. Its concept and derivation of formula is easier than the Simpson's rule using average for two consecutive function values . As for its disadvantage, it is less accurate than the Simpson's rule. This method is preferred when you have odd numbers of subintervals

For the advantages of Simpson's rule, it is more accurate due to the use of "parabolic top". It also achieves higher level of accuracy faster using less number of subintervals. For its disadvantage, it is restricted to even subintervals since it has to consider a "pair" of subintervals for each parabolic top. Thus, we prefer this method when we have quadratic polynomial or even number of subintervals.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, what does Dill see on the Radley porch?

Dill, Scout, and Jem decide to spy on Boo Radley. They wait until it is dark outside and they quietly sneak onto the Radley property. They open the creaking gate and step inside the fenced area, which every other kid in Maycomb is terrified to do. Dill, Scout, and Jem walk around to the rear of the house and see the Radleys' back porch. The porch makes the house look abandoned:

The back of the...

Dill, Scout, and Jem decide to spy on Boo Radley. They wait until it is dark outside and they quietly sneak onto the Radley property. They open the creaking gate and step inside the fenced area, which every other kid in Maycomb is terrified to do. Dill, Scout, and Jem walk around to the rear of the house and see the Radleys' back porch. The porch makes the house look abandoned:

The back of the Radley house was less inviting than the front: a ramshackle porch ran the width of the house; there were two doors and two dark windows between the doors.  Instead of a column, a rough two-by-four supported one end of the roof.  An old Franklin stove sat in a corner of the porch; above it a hat-rack mirror caught the moon and shone eerily (To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 6).

The children run into some chickens as they prowl around the back yard. Dill peers into a window on the side of the house, but he cannot see anything except for curtains. Dill suggests looking through the back window, but Scout protests. He goes around to the back anyway with Scout and Jem following. Jem quietly climbs onto the run-down porch and looks through the window. Then Scout notices something:

Then I saw the shadow. It was the shadow of a man with a hat on. At first I thought it was a tree, but there was no wind blowing, and tree-trunks never walked. The back porch was bathed in moonlight, and the shadow, crisp as toast, moved across the porch toward Jem.

After this, Dill sees the shadow,too. Afraid, he covers his face with his hands. Jem is the last one to see the shadow. Terrified, the children run as fast as they can to escape.

Can you give me a summary of Matilda by Roald Dahl?

Matildaby Roald Dahl is the story of a gifted, extraordinarily talented girl born to boring, unimaginative parents. From the time she is born, Matilda is different than other children. She is a genius who finds an outlet from her parents when she teaches herself to read, and finds refuge in the local library. Her parents find her to be a trying child who they wish would vegetate in front of the television. Instead, Matilda...

Matilda by Roald Dahl is the story of a gifted, extraordinarily talented girl born to boring, unimaginative parents. From the time she is born, Matilda is different than other children. She is a genius who finds an outlet from her parents when she teaches herself to read, and finds refuge in the local library. Her parents find her to be a trying child who they wish would vegetate in front of the television. Instead, Matilda would rather read or do mathematical computations far above her years. Matilda applies her brilliance to trick her parents and she discovers that she has telekinetic abilities that allow her to move things with her mind.

Once Matilda goes to kindergarten, her teacher, Miss Honey, realizes that she is a genius but even Matilda is unaware of her hidden talent. Miss Honey takes Matilda under her wing and nurtures her. While they share time in Miss Honey’s modest cottage, Matilda finds out that Miss Trunchbull, the abusive headmistress of the school, is Miss Honey’s unscrupulous aunt. Matilda uses her telekinetic skills to scare off Miss Trunchbull. When the chalk independently writes a message on the classroom chalkboard, Miss Trunchbull leaves, never to return.

Matilda’s parents move away leaving her with Miss Honey, who challenges the child’s intellect.

What does Anne Frank mean when she says they have "freedom after five"?

The Diary of Anne Frank chronicles the experience of teenage girl, her family and a number of their acquaintances who spent months in hiding from the Nazis in a small apartment above a warehouse. The family had been living in Germany but were forced to flee to Amsterdam, and then were forced into hiding when the Nazis invaded Holland.

Hiding Jews was a crime and so the owners of the warehouse risked arrest as well....

The Diary of Anne Frank chronicles the experience of teenage girl, her family and a number of their acquaintances who spent months in hiding from the Nazis in a small apartment above a warehouse. The family had been living in Germany but were forced to flee to Amsterdam, and then were forced into hiding when the Nazis invaded Holland.

Hiding Jews was a crime and so the owners of the warehouse risked arrest as well. The family and the other people living with them in their hiding place had to be quiet during daytime working hours, so that they would not be discovered and turned over to the military police. Anne's comment that they had "freedom after five" means that once the warehouse workers were done working for that day (after five o'clock), the family in hiding could move about and even speak softly, because the risk of discovery was lessened greatly in the evening and overnight. They still could not use lights or make noise to attract attention to themselves, but unlike their daytime hours, they did not have to remain still and silent.

Although the literature of the Harlem Renaissance typically invokes urban themes, some writers situated their works in rural settings of the...

While the literature of the Harlem Renaissance at times included urban themes, rural themes from southern Black history also surfaced in the works of the Harlem Renaissance. For example, Langston Hughes's The Weary Blues (1926) was inspired by southern Black culture. Hughes's writing was heavily influenced by the rhythm of blues and jazz--cultural traditions that northern Blacks brought with them from the south during the Great Migration. The literature of the Harlem Renaissance focused on Black identity, and the rural south--its land, traditions, music, etc.--formed a large part of Black identity.

Zora Neal Hurston, an important figure in the Harlem Renaissance who based some of her novels in her native Florida, included the use of southern Black dialect and the re-telling of folk tales, such as that of Brer Rabbit. She believed in documenting the traditions and folk culture of Blacks, including their roots in the south, as a way of preserving these traditions. Even as Blacks went north in the Great Migration, they carried these traditions with them, so it formed part of their life in the north. In addition, Zora Neal Hurston did not believe in integration; she wanted to preserve Black folklore and tradition, and she thought that integration implied that Blacks could not operate without whites to guide them.

Jean Toomer, the author of the novel Cane, united rural Black culture and elite white culture into a single revered work. The narratives in Cane move from the south to the north and back to the south, much as the African-American experience in the 20th century also moved between south and north. Claude McKay's works are based in Harlem, in his native Jamaica, and elsewhere, as they also document the experience of Black migration in the 20th century. Finally, Richard Wright's works are about the lives of African-Americans in the rural south, in Chicago, and elsewhere. The varied location of the works of the Harlem Renaissance show that Blacks brought their rich traditions with them, and that the urban experience was only one of the traditions that made up their culture and literature. 

In Langston Hughes' poem "The Weary Blues," the line "Droning a drowsy syncopated tune," is an example of what literary device?

There are several literary devices at work in the first line of Langston Hughes' poem “The Weary Blues.”

Like most of Hughes' work, this poem isn't trying to be difficult to understand. Hughes usually comes right at his reader, creating a mood that envelopes his everyday message. That's why Hughes works so well at the high school level, it's great poetry but you don't need a masters degree to know what he's writing about.

“The Weary Blues” is about piano-playing bluesman who, like most blues artists, has a heavy heart. Hughes starts the poem with the lines

Droning a drowsy syncopated tune,

Rocking back and forth to a mellow croon,

     I heard a negro play.

Poetry isn't only about the meaning of the words we read, it is also about sound of the words we read. In the line “Droning a drowsy syncopated tune” Hughes is employing three different sound devices.

The first and easiest to discern is the alliteration created by the repetition of initial “d” sounds in “droning” and “drowsy.” He also uses assonance, which is the repetition of vowel sounds, with the “oh” and “ow” sounds in “droning,” “drowsy,” and “syncopated.” Finally, he creates consonance, the repetition of consonant sounds, with “syncopated tune.” The repeated consonant sounds in these two words are the “sy” (sounds like “see”) “p,” and “t.” Notice that the “t” sound appears twice.

If you aren't familiar with consonance, you may wonder how it differs from alliteration. Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds anywhere in a short space, not only at the beginning of words, as with alliteration.

The first line of the poem also establishes thematic diction (word choice) with the word “droning.” Hughes is going to use several words to describe how sounds are made in a blues song. Later in the poem we also get the words “croon,” "crooned," and “moaning.” This word choice helps establish the idea that the blues is a mournful musical genre.

How can I become financially secure?

There are many steps a person can take to become financially secure. One step is to start saving money as early as you can. Because of the multiplier effect of compound interest, the sooner you begin to save, the greater the likelihood you will have more money later in life. It is very hard to catch up when you delay the process of saving money.

Another thing you can do is to focus on your...

There are many steps a person can take to become financially secure. One step is to start saving money as early as you can. Because of the multiplier effect of compound interest, the sooner you begin to save, the greater the likelihood you will have more money later in life. It is very hard to catch up when you delay the process of saving money.

Another thing you can do is to focus on your education. The statistics are very clear. The more education a person has, the greater the chance that person will make more money. It is also important to get the most out of your education. Attending class, completing assignments, and studying a lot will help you get the most out of your educational experience. These characteristics will also help you to develop habits that will help you when you starting working.

A third factor is to work hard at your job. If you work hard, follow procedures, and do quality work, you will get noticed. This may lead to promotions. Promotions should bring more pay and more benefits.

Being a good investor can also help you make a lot of money and help you to become financially secure. Do your research before investing. Consult with a financial professional. Wise investing is a good way to become financially secure.

There are many things you can do to make a lot of money and become financially secure.

Throughout the play, Hamlet claims to be feigning madness. Do you think this true or is Hamlet actually insane?

Hamlet is upset, but not insane.  

Hamlet’s behavior is erratic, but calculated. Although his speeches do seem strange at times, and the way he behaves can sometimes seem bizarre, he is not actually insane.  One way you can tell this is that he goes through a great deal of trouble to make everyone think he is crazy until Rosencrantz and Guildenstern show up.  He lets them, and us, in on the secret. 

HAMLET

…You...

Hamlet is upset, but not insane.  

Hamlet’s behavior is erratic, but calculated. Although his speeches do seem strange at times, and the way he behaves can sometimes seem bizarre, he is not actually insane.  One way you can tell this is that he goes through a great deal of trouble to make everyone think he is crazy until Rosencrantz and Guildenstern show up.  He lets them, and us, in on the secret. 

HAMLET

…You are welcome: but my
uncle-father and aunt-mother are deceived.

GUILDENSTERN

In what, my dear lord?

HAMLET

I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is
southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw. (Act 2, Scene 2) 

Hamlet wants his childhood friends to know that he is not actually crazy, but just pretending.  His crazy act is part of the plan to get revenge on Claudius for his father's murder, but he feels that they should know the truth.  He either feels embarrassed because they are seeing him like this or trusts them enough to let them in on the secret. 

Hamlet's intelligent and heartfelt pondering of the meaning of life and death, his famous “to be or not to be” speech, is not the babble of a crazy person.  It is the introspection of a young man full of grief and self-doubt.  It is a person who is hurting, but still able to look into the abyss and ponder the meaning of our existence.

Another way you can tell that Hamlet is not crazy is his reaction to Polonius’s death.  While he definitely intends to make his mother continue to doubt him, there is some sincerity in his words.

Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell!
I took thee for thy better: take thy fortune;
Thou find'st to be too busy is some danger. (Act 3, Scene 4)

Hamlet feels bad about killing Polonius, despite the terrible mind games he plays with everyone else over his body.  He uses the untimely death of the man as a pawn, but he did not mean for it to happen and he grieves for Polonius.

What happens in Mission of Nuremberg by Tim Townsend? What are the moral implications of the trials?

Mission of Nuremberg: An American Army Chaplain and the Trial of the Nazis is a journalistic description of the Nuremberg Trials as written by author Tim Townsend. The book tells the story of Henry Gerecke, a chaplain in the U.S. Army and Lutheran minister who was sent to counsel twenty-one Nazi leaders imprisoned at Nuremberg. The objective of this mission was to save the souls of some of the most evil men to ever live--men who had committed horrific crimes of war against humanity. 

The Nuremberg Trials, more specifically, were military tribunals used to prosecute the leaders of the Nazi party and those who aided in the unspeakable atrocities of the Holocaust. Ultimately, out of the twenty-one men who were put on trial at these tribunals, eleven were sentenced to death (one of which committed suicide before this sentence could be carried out), three received life sentences in prison, four received sentences of ten to twenty years in prison, and three were acquitted. Gerecke's final assessment was that four of the twenty-one man managed to die "as penitent sinners trusting God's mercy for forgiveness." 

The ethical and moral implications of these trials--and of Gerecke's agreement to minister to these men--were largely concerned with the notions of good versus evil, the nature of the soul, and the role of compassion in the face of atrocity. Gerecke's actions, though pure in intention, were not always received kindly by many of the parties who were hurt most by the Holocaust and World War II. Many Jewish people believe that attempting to "save" the souls of these Nazis was an act of flagrant disrespect toward the Jews who had died at their hands and a signifier of Anti-Semitism. Others criticized this choice from a more patriotic or nationalistic perspective, claiming that this ministering resembled treason. For Gerecke himself, this was a matter of commitment to Christ over all else--even in the face of evil. 

More information on the Nuremberg trials and the book itself can be found in the article, "Would You Share the Gospel with Hitler's Worst Henchmen?" I have included the link to this piece below. 

What is the significance of Matt not knowing what "gift" means in the book Gathering Blue?

In Lois Lowry's book Gathering Blue, the fact that Matt does not know what "gift" means is significant is because it demonstrate Matt's background and upbringing (or, rather, the lack of it.) By showing where Matt come from, the author highlights the transformation Matt goes through to become the type of person he is at the end of Gathering Blue and in its sequel, The Messenger.

Matt and Kira, who is the main character in ...

In Lois Lowry's book Gathering Blue, the fact that Matt does not know what "gift" means is significant is because it demonstrate Matt's background and upbringing (or, rather, the lack of it.) By showing where Matt come from, the author highlights the transformation Matt goes through to become the type of person he is at the end of Gathering Blue and in its sequel, The Messenger.

Matt and Kira, who is the main character in Gathering Blue, live in a village in primitive conditions. The villagers have to work very hard to survive, to provide food and maintain shelter for themselves and their families. While sometimes they have to cooperate and work together to accomplish some tasks for everyone's benefit, ultimately the people in the village view each other as competitors, if not enemies - if one gets more, the other one gets less.

Matt comes from particularly impoverished section of the village, the Fen. Kira was raised by a loving mother who put her needs first, but in the Fen, even the parents compete with their children for food. There, the children are a burden, and relationships such as friendship are non-existent. Therefore, Matt has no clue what a "gift" is - he has never seen anyone giving to another without expecting something in return; he does not even know that such a concept exists. However, when Kira explains it to him, he is fascinated.

Because of the friendship that develops between Matt and Kira, who looks out for him, Matt's emotional needs, which he did not know he had, become fulfilled. Eventually, Matt travels all the way through the forest to look for another village where, he heard, "they know how to make blue" -  to bring Kira "the blue" as a gift.

What song in the last 50 years offers a similar argument to Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress?''

The song in the last 50 years that offers a similar argument to Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress'' is Jim Croce’s “Time in a Bottle.” Both the poem by Marvell, and this song by Croce deal with time and its ramifications on love relationships.

Fundamentally, both men are talking about how time passes quickly. They both talk of how time is essential to the building of quality love relationships. They both lament that time passes quite fast and hinders the goal of people desiring never-ending love relationships.

Andrew Marvell begins “To His Coy Mistress’ with this opening line:

“Had we but world enough and time,”

Jim Croce begins “Time in a Bottle” with this opening line:

“If I could save time in a bottle”

Therefore, both men talk of wanting more time – or at least saving the time they do have so they can continue inhabiting time with their paramours.

Andrew Marvell argues that he (or the narrator of the poem) and his lover must use wisely the time that they have to grow and enjoy their common love for each other. There is no time to be coy and reticent about this love. Time moving quickly demands that they engage fully and passionately in their love now, and in every day they are given. This is what Marvell is espousing here.

Jim Croce has a similar argument in his song. In his lyrics he writes that, “…you're the one I want to go through time with.” And so, he is saying that he loves this woman and wants to use his time to be with her as much as he can. He wants the woman and himself to enjoy the fruits of a loving relationship and to fill the time they have with loving hours where they really enjoy each other’s company and shared experiences.

Marvell says that he always hears behind him “Time’s wingèd chariot hurrying near.” In other words, Time is relentless in its moving forward and consuming days – days that the poet wishes could stand still and not waste away – days that he wishes could be never-ending so that he can spend time with his lover.

Croce says that “But there never seems to be enough time…” He is saying that to fulfill all his wishes for his lover, to serve her, and to enjoy a quality life with her he desires unending time so that their love can continually grow and become a real deep abiding love.

What is a short summary of Go Set a Watchman?

Currently living in New York City, Jean takes the train down south to Maycomb to visit her family for a few weeks. A lot of things are different now that she's grown up: her aunt Alexandra now lives with Jean's dad Atticus; Atticus has arthritis now and has trouble using his hands; and sadly, her brother Jem has died some time ago. Jean also has a boyfriend now who lives in Maycomb, but she doesn't...

Currently living in New York City, Jean takes the train down south to Maycomb to visit her family for a few weeks. A lot of things are different now that she's grown up: her aunt Alexandra now lives with Jean's dad Atticus; Atticus has arthritis now and has trouble using his hands; and sadly, her brother Jem has died some time ago. Jean also has a boyfriend now who lives in Maycomb, but she doesn't seem serious enough about him to marry him. The conflict begins when Jean finds a racist pamphlet that belongs to Atticus, and she gets furious at him for being part of a backwards-thinking, racist movement. Her boyfriend is in on it, too--the two men are part of a group that meets in the courthouse to talk about how to keep black people from earning equal treatment in society. Jean is disgusted by all of this and talks to a few others about this problem (including Calpurnia and her wise uncle), eventually deciding to forgive Atticus and accept that he's just a human capable of making mistakes.

Of course, every reader's summary will be different, because we'll have different opinions on which events are the most important. 

And you can always squeeze in more information by creating longer sentences. Join two sentences that you already have by replacing the period between them with a semicolon, for example; this one right here could have been two sentences, but I made it one by using the semicolon instead of the period. That makes room for another sentence if you need it.

Why did Macbeth visit the witches a second time? Where did he find them this time and what were they doing?

In Act IV, Scene 1, Macbeth visits the witches for a second time because he is afraid he might lose his position as king. Now that he has become king, Macbeth is paranoid that others will discover that he killed Duncan and kill him or dethrone him in some other manner. Since the witches were the ones who told Macbeth that he would become king to begin with, he now returns to them to see...

In Act IV, Scene 1, Macbeth visits the witches for a second time because he is afraid he might lose his position as king. Now that he has become king, Macbeth is paranoid that others will discover that he killed Duncan and kill him or dethrone him in some other manner. Since the witches were the ones who told Macbeth that he would become king to begin with, he now returns to them to see if they can foresee whether he will lose the throne or who he should avoid or kill to ensure he remains king.

When Macbeth finds the witches the second time, they are standing over a cauldron to make a potion and cast a spell. This scene has a couple of the most famous lines in Macbeth: the witches say, "Double, double toil and trouble;/ Fire burn and cauldron bubble" over their potion, and when Macbeth is about to appear on stage, the Second Witch says, "By the pricking of my thumbs/ Something wicked this way comes." This indicates that the witches know Macbeth killed Duncan.

Once Macbeth is onstage, he asks the witches to tell him more about his future. To do this, the witches conjure three different apparitions. The first tells Macbeth to beware Macduff, who is Thane of Fife. Seemingly conversely, the second apparition tells Macbeth that no one "of woman born" can harm him. This causes Macbeth to think he does not need to fear Macduff after all, though he says he still plans to kill Macduff. The third and final apparition says that Macbeth will not be defeated until "Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill shall come against him." Macbeth takes this literally to mean his defeat will come when the trees in Birnam wood come against him, which he knows is not possible. Thus, Macbeth's conversation with the witches and the apparitions makes him feel far more secure about remaining king.

What were the three most significant persons, ideas, or events that led to the Renaissance in the south of Europe? Explain how and why the...

The most important cause of the Renaissance was the reintroduction of Classical Roman and Greek texts (especially the works of Plato and Aristotle) that had been largely lost to Europe for centuries. These texts had been preserved by scholars in the Middle East, and after the fall of Constantinople were reintroduced into Europe primarily due to increasing trade between Europe and the Middle East. Of course, Southern Europe is closer to the Middle East than...

The most important cause of the Renaissance was the reintroduction of Classical Roman and Greek texts (especially the works of Plato and Aristotle) that had been largely lost to Europe for centuries. These texts had been preserved by scholars in the Middle East, and after the fall of Constantinople were reintroduced into Europe primarily due to increasing trade between Europe and the Middle East. Of course, Southern Europe is closer to the Middle East than Northern Europe, and even more so than it may at first appear, because travel across water is generally faster than travel across land, so the Mediterranean Sea provided direct trade routes from places like Egypt and Morocco to places like Italy and Spain, while trade with Northern European countries like England and Sweden required crossing the continent.

The second major cause of the Renaissance was the invention of the movable-type printing press, for which Johannes Gutenberg is generally credited (he perfected it, but as usual with major inventions, other people had worked on similar inventions before). The printing press allowed texts to be copied endlessly far faster and cheaper than ever before, which allowed books to spread across Europe and created incentives for people to become literate---at last, there were books worth reading!

But ironically one major trigger for the Renaissance appears to have been the Black Death, the infamous devastating plague that killed as much as a third of Europe's population---millions of people even then. The spread of the Black Death began in the Middle East and spread to Southern Europe and then the rest of Europe, following those same trade routes as the Classical Greek texts. The turmoil created by the plague disrupted existing systems of society and government, opening more room for innovation; and the sudden loss in population actually triggered an increase in per capita wealth. With fewer mouths to feed, much of this wealth was used building educational institutions and funding large projects in art and architecture.

What are some character traits of Romeo and Juliet?

The first trait Juliet shows is that she is extremely sheltered. Consider where we first meet her: in her room (conversely, the first time we meet Romeo is on a street).

She is also inexperienced in romantic relationships. While her age is a good indication of that, we can also take the balcony scene as proof of this. Take this exchange:

Thou know'st the mask of night is on my face,

Else would a maiden...

The first trait Juliet shows is that she is extremely sheltered. Consider where we first meet her: in her room (conversely, the first time we meet Romeo is on a street).

She is also inexperienced in romantic relationships. While her age is a good indication of that, we can also take the balcony scene as proof of this. Take this exchange:

Thou know'st the mask of night is on my face,

Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek

For that which thou hast heard me speak to-night

Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny

What I have spoke: but farewell compliment!

Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say 'Ay,

'And I will take thy word: yet if thou swear'st

Thou mayst prove false; at lovers' perjuries

Then say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,

If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully:

Or if thou think'st I am too quickly won,

I'll frown and be perverse an say thee nay,

So thou wilt woo...

She is so uncertain of how to act in this situation, and so she gives Romeo a few options of how she should act. Her insecurity in this shows us a lack of confidence from which he can infer her lack of experience in this sort of situation.

How were the Communists able to take over Russia?

Russia was in very bad shape in the late 1910s. The economy was stagnant. Corruption in the government was rampant. There were severe food shortages, which exacerbated civil unrest around the country. The Czar was extremely unpopular. But the main triggering event for the revolution was World War I; for many Russians this was simply the last straw. The war killed thousands of Russians and crippled the already weak Russian economy; people finally just got...

Russia was in very bad shape in the late 1910s. The economy was stagnant. Corruption in the government was rampant. There were severe food shortages, which exacerbated civil unrest around the country. The Czar was extremely unpopular.

But the main triggering event for the revolution was World War I; for many Russians this was simply the last straw. The war killed thousands of Russians and crippled the already weak Russian economy; people finally just got fed up. It began with labor strikes, which escalated into riots, and finally it became a full-blown civil war.

There were really two revolutions; the February Revolution (actually in March because Russia was still on the Julian Calendar at the time) created a provisional government, but it was unable to stabilize Russia or end the food shortages, so it in turn was overthrown about six months later by the Bolsheviks, led by none other than Lenin, who promised an end to the turmoil and "peace, land, and bread" for everyone. Once the Bolsheviks consolidated power, Lenin became the first head of the Soviet Union.

How do the characters in Bernard Malamud's The Natural align with classical tragedy archetypes?

The Natural draws on classical sources, including Arthurian legend and Celtic mythology, to weave a story imbued throughout with archetypes and conventions of classical storytelling. The story centers on Roy Hobbs, "The Natural," who fits the classical archetype of the tragic hero through his engagement in a quest (making a comeback in professional baseball), use of a "magical" or lucky "weapon" (Wonderboy, his baseball bat, an analog of King Arthur's Excalibur), and his encounters with...

The Natural draws on classical sources, including Arthurian legend and Celtic mythology, to weave a story imbued throughout with archetypes and conventions of classical storytelling. The story centers on Roy Hobbs, "The Natural," who fits the classical archetype of the tragic hero through his engagement in a quest (making a comeback in professional baseball), use of a "magical" or lucky "weapon" (Wonderboy, his baseball bat, an analog of King Arthur's Excalibur), and his encounters with other archetypes during his movement through the stages of his personal hero's journey. It is notable that Hobbs experiences an unhealable wound, a classic situational archetype often representing a loss of innocence.

What particular archetypes the characters align with is open to interpretation, though some are less arguable than others. Pop Fisher, Hobbs' manager, is a prime example of the mentor archetype, giving knowledge and skills to the hero. Hobbs' baseball team, the Knights, represent the archetype of the companions, a loyal group to which the hero often belongs, devoted to one another and to their quest. More ambiguously, Sands the bookie could be seen as fulfilling the Temptress archetype, ultimately seducing Hobbs and bringing about his moral downfall; he could also be viewed as the villain, or the shadow self. An argument could also be made that Max Mercy or Harriet Bird is the true villain of the story.

For more information about and examples of archetypes, see the reference link.

What quotation show the difference between how adults and young people feel about marriage?

Until Tybalt's death changes his mind, Juliet's father's thoughts about marriage are very moderate (at least, for his time).  Although Paris is very anxious to marry her, Capulet considers her too young -- she's not quite fourteen -- to marry right now.  He encourages Paris to "Let two more summers wither in their pride / Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride" (1.2.10-11).  In other words, he wants Paris to wait at...

Until Tybalt's death changes his mind, Juliet's father's thoughts about marriage are very moderate (at least, for his time).  Although Paris is very anxious to marry her, Capulet considers her too young -- she's not quite fourteen -- to marry right now.  He encourages Paris to "Let two more summers wither in their pride / Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride" (1.2.10-11).  In other words, he wants Paris to wait at least two more years before he brings up marriage again.  It's pretty sound advice: he's concerned that Juliet could be "marred" if she is made a wife and mother too soon.  He wants to give her time to grow up a little bit and be more sure of what she wants (and he seems to want the same thing for Paris, too). 

Romeo and Juliet, on the other hand, are utterly immoderate and ready to rush into marriage, betrothing themselves to one another on the first night that they meet.  From her balcony, she says to him, "If that thy bent of love be honorable, / Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow [...]" (2.2.150-151).  She says that if Romeo's feelings for her are sincere, he should figure out where and when they can marry and then let her know.  At this point, knowing that he's the son of her father's enemy, having only known him herself for a few hours at most, Juliet is prepared to lay "all [her] fortunes at [his] foot [...] / And follow [him] throughout the world" (2.2.154-155).  She will give up everything, relinquishing family and fortune, just to be with him. 

What themes of alienation are in As for Me and My House?

Several characters experience alienation in As for Me and My House. Phillip Bentley feels alienated professionally because he has given up his dream of being an artist to take a series of positions as a minister. Because he is motivated solely by economical necessity and not spiritual devotion, Phillip feels alienated from his congregation, who are prone to close-mindedness and bigotry.

Mrs. Bentley feels alienated because she is forced to move frequently for her husband's...

Several characters experience alienation in As for Me and My House. Phillip Bentley feels alienated professionally because he has given up his dream of being an artist to take a series of positions as a minister. Because he is motivated solely by economical necessity and not spiritual devotion, Phillip feels alienated from his congregation, who are prone to close-mindedness and bigotry.

Mrs. Bentley feels alienated because she is forced to move frequently for her husband's job. Each time, she must leave what few friends she made and start over in a strange place where she knows no one. She and her husband are also alienated from each other. Unable to talk about their feelings, the couple alternate between complete silence and angry arguments.

Paul also suffers from emotional alienation when he falls in love with Mrs. Bentley and his feelings are not reciprocated. She sees Paul as merely a distraction from the monotony of her marriage, but Phillip still views Paul as a threat.

Judith feels alienated when she becomes pregnant out of wedlock, possibly from an affair with Phillip, so she leaves her community in disgrace. The Bentleys plan to adopt her baby without consulting her, and when she discovers their plans, she flees, leading to her baby's premature birth and her death. In Judith's case, her extreme alienation proves fatal.

What is Wordsworth's attitude towards the city of London in his poem "Composed upon Westminster Bridge?"

In the canon of English literature, few poets have eulogized nature as Wordsworth has. The poems expressing his love and wonder for the countryside and nature abound in the oeuvre of Wordsworth. However, his poem “Composed upon Westminster Bridge,” is all praise for the city of London. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, London was the center and pivotal point of industrial revolution. Therefore, when Wordsworth, the leading romantic poet of his age, sings the praises of the city of London, it takes his readers by surprise.

The very first sentence of the poem about London sets the tone of the sonnet:

Earth has not anything to show more fair:

It’s actually the sight of London at the time of dawn that has evoked such powerful lines from a worshiper of nature. The poem captures Wordsworth’s experience of witnessing the splendor of the industrial capital in a morning when he along with his sister Dorothy Wordsworth was on the way to France.

The “touching” sight of the city leaves him completely spellbound. Praising its beauty, he says, one must be devoid of any taste for beauty that would “pass by” Westminster Bridge without stopping for a while to appreciate the magnificent scene:

Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:

The city looks extremely beautiful chiefly because of the effect of the dawn. Personifying London, the poet says, “like a garment” it has worn “the beauty of the morning.” The first rays of the sun make the industrial town look dazzling and impressive.

Wordsworth, in a way quite unlikely of him, picks up man-made objects and structures to describe their elegance.

... silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky;

“Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples” are “silent” and “bare.” They are “all bright and glittering in the smokeless air.” The city air is unpolluted and fresh. When the rays of the rising sun fall on the city and its structures, he feels the joy and peace he had never experienced before. He claims,

Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!

He then goes on to describe the beautiful Thames that glides at its chosen slow pace. The houses “seem asleep” in the early hour of the day. In the final line, the poet describes London as “that mighty heart” now “lying still.” This implies that soon it would awaken to its hustle and bustle as the sun rises higher in the sky. 

This powerful sonnet rhapsodizing about the most powerful industrial city of its time takes Wordsworth’s readers by surprise. Consider the following hyperbolic statements about the city of London:

Earth has not anything to show more fair:

Never did sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;

 And,

Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!

It seems that the poet must have been surprised to discover the splendor of London in the early morning. The poem exaggerates his own experience of surprise.

However, it must not be forgotten that Wordsworth doesn’t praise London in the absence of nature. In the poem, the city is not in discord or disharmony with nature. Instead, it appears enthralling when it's seen against the backdrop of beautiful nature. It’s the morning sun that makes the city look so beautiful. The following line further expresses the effect of nature on the city:

silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky.

What does Juliet admit to the nurse about herself and Romeo?

Juliet tells her nurse that she and Romeo are in love. The nurse likely already suspects an attraction between them when she sees them talking at the Capulet party. Romeo asks the nurse about Juliet, and Juliet asks about Romeo’s identity. When the nurse tells Juliet that Romeo is a Montague, Juliet replies:

My only love sprung from my only hate!Too early seen unknown, and known too late!Prodigious birth of love it is...

Juliet tells her nurse that she and Romeo are in love. The nurse likely already suspects an attraction between them when she sees them talking at the Capulet party. Romeo asks the nurse about Juliet, and Juliet asks about Romeo’s identity. When the nurse tells Juliet that Romeo is a Montague, Juliet replies:

My only love sprung from my only hate!
Too early seen unknown, and known too late!
Prodigious birth of love it is to me,
That I must love a loathed enemy.

The nurse exclaims at these statements, but Juliet says it was a rhyme she learned “Of one I danced withal.” As Romeo confides in the friar, Juliet evidently reveals their love to her nurse. The nurse seeks out Romeo on Juliet’s behalf and asks him about his intentions. Romeo says that they plan to marry in secret.

Even though the nurse supports their relationship, she advises Juliet to marry Paris after Romeo is banished for killing Tybalt. She still defends Juliet against her father’s wrath and serves as a liaison between the two lovers, but the nurse sees that it is very unlikely for Juliet and Romeo to be reconciled. Because of this, she is not privy to Juliet’s final plans, and therefore is as heartbroken as Juliet’s parents when Juliet fakes her death.

Who loved Juliet more—Romeo or Paris?

Though the answer might seem obvious at first glance, debating whether Romeo or Paris loved Juliet more in William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet is a complicated question. Many may believe that Paris's love for Juliet cannot be greater than Romeo's because he wishes for an arranged marriage. Yet, in fact, Paris's love was greater than Romeo's.

Peel away the romance, and Romeo and Juliet is a story about family. Though the play informs the audience...

Though the answer might seem obvious at first glance, debating whether Romeo or Paris loved Juliet more in William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet is a complicated question. Many may believe that Paris's love for Juliet cannot be greater than Romeo's because he wishes for an arranged marriage. Yet, in fact, Paris's love was greater than Romeo's.

Peel away the romance, and Romeo and Juliet is a story about family. Though the play informs the audience of Romeo and Juliet's death in the very first scene, the marriage of the two 'star-crossed lovers' is a glimmer of hope that the feud between the Montagues and Capulets will end. Two warring families will become one. Yet Romeo kills Tybalt, his brother-in-law, spurring the story towards its deadly conclusion. Though it is understandable that Romeo would be in a rage over the murder of his friend, Mercutio, he makes no attempt to tell Tybalt about his marriage or spare Tybalt's life during the fight. If Romeo cannot love Juliet's family, just how strong is his love for Juliet? 

Though Paris appears only a handful of times throughout the play, his death at the hands of Romeo proves his love for Juliet. For starters, the scene begins with Paris visiting the Capulet tomb in order to see the body of Juliet. His soliloquy suggests that he will return each night to weep. When Romeo appears, Romeo instigates the violence that leads to Paris's death. Dying, Paris pleads that Romeo bury him with Juliet. Though this scene is overshadowed by the deaths of Romeo and Juliet moments later in the play, Paris's death gives us a clear view of the love he felt for Juliet.

What body systems are used when running and how do they work together?

A number of body systems are used when we are running. These systems include the nervous system, skeletal system, muscular system, respiratory system and the circulatory system. 

When we decide to run, a signal is sent from our brain to our muscles through the nervous system. Once the signal is received, our muscles starts to contract and we start running using our legs. The process of running uses a lot of energy and this energy...

A number of body systems are used when we are running. These systems include the nervous system, skeletal system, muscular system, respiratory system and the circulatory system. 

When we decide to run, a signal is sent from our brain to our muscles through the nervous system. Once the signal is received, our muscles starts to contract and we start running using our legs. The process of running uses a lot of energy and this energy is provided to us by cellular respiration. We use the respiratory system to bring oxygen into the body, where it interacts with food and generates energy. The carbon dioxide produced is removed by the respiratory system. The gases are transported throughout the body by our circulatory system.

Thus, a number of body systems work in conjunction to enable a simple activity like running.

Hope this helps. 

Europe's vast coastline and inland river system have had the GREATEST impact on A. the continent's fishing and shipping industries. B. the...

The best answer to this question is Option A. All of the other industries mentioned in this question have been affected by Europe’s long coastline and its many navigable rivers.  However, this geography has affected the fishing and shipping industries more than any of the other industries mentioned here.

Europe’s rivers and coasts have helped its mining, farming, technology, and manufacturing.  In early times, before railroads, they made many of these industries possible. They made...

The best answer to this question is Option A. All of the other industries mentioned in this question have been affected by Europe’s long coastline and its many navigable rivers.  However, this geography has affected the fishing and shipping industries more than any of the other industries mentioned here.

Europe’s rivers and coasts have helped its mining, farming, technology, and manufacturing.  In early times, before railroads, they made many of these industries possible. They made it possible for people to move farm produce and manufactured goods from place to place relatively easily. This made it more likely that these kinds of industries would be able to arise and to develop. We can even say that the geography helped the investment and banking industries to develop.  The rivers and coasts made trade possible, which meant that banking was more important.  In all of these ways, the rivers and ports were important to all of these industries.

However, the rivers and ports were much more important to the fishing and shipping industries than they were to any of the other industries.  Because of all the ports and rivers, there was a need for a great deal of shipping. The ports and rivers also made it possible for many people to make a living by fishing. The other industries would have been possible without rivers and ports.  The shipping and fishing industries would not have.  Therefore, we can say that Option A is the best answer.

What are some examples of imagery (description that appeals to the 5 senses) in Romeo and Juliet?

Shakespeare loved using rich sensory imagery and does so lavishly in this play. For instance, when Romeo first sees Juliet, it's not enough for him to say she's beautiful. He describes her visually as bright like a jewel, brighter than a torch, a person who stands out in her brightness against others. The rest of the room seems like "the cheek of night" (dark) in contrast. This shows how, to Romeo, Juliet stands out and sparkles:

O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!

It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night

Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear ...
 (I, v)

Later Romeo dwells again on Juliet's brightness, wanting us to visualize her as much brighter than the stars in heaven, a person who would so light up the night sky that the birds would think it was morning and start to sing. This is a powerful image: we now associate Juliet with bright light and the sun:

The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,
As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were not night (II, ii)

Shakespeare uses a more complex set of images to convey Juliet's mixed emotions when she learns that Romeo, now her husband and the man she loves, has killed Tybalt, a cousin she loves. Juliet juxtaposes opposing images to show the mix of love and anger warring in her soul, calling Romeo

Dove-feather'd raven! wolvish-ravening lamb! (III, ii)

A dove is an emblem of love and peace--and Romeo is that to Juliet. A raven is a bird of prey--and now that Romeo has killed Tybalt, he is also that to her. Likewise, a wolf is an animal that preys on others, which is how Romeo seems to her for what he has down, but he is also a "lamb," to her, gentle and loving. (She will come down on Romeo's side when her first shock passes.)

She also likens Romeo to stars and offers a beautiful image of him, after death cut "out in little stars" that hang in the night sky and make heaven so beautiful that people fall in love with night:

Give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night (III, ii)

Does Huck Finn in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ever lie because he's scared? If so, when?

There are several places in the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn where Huck lies because he is scared for his own safety or the safety of Jim. One instance is when Huck gives Judge Thatcher the $6000.00 treasure he receives during The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Pap has unexpectedly shown up at the Widow Douglas’ home demanding money from Huck. Huck takes the money to Judge Thatcher to hopefully get rid of Pap. Huck won’t tell the judge why he is giving the money away (an omission of the truth, so to speak), but the judge figures it out and keeps the money “for consideration” by giving Huck $1.00.  Huck is so afraid of his abusive father that he lies and gives up his wealth to discourage Pap from harassing him.

An example of when Huck lies to save Jim is when Huck makes an attempt to go ashore in the skiff with the intentions of turning in Jim. Huck meets two slave hunters who want to board the raft to look for Jim, a runaway slave.  Huck acts elated that someone is finally going to help get the raft and his family to shore. Because of Huck’s enthusiasm, the slave hunters think Huck’s “family” must have smallpox. The slave hunters send some money over to Huck and quickly flee, afraid of contracting the disease. Huck’s love for Jim is shown when Huck fears for Jim and is pushed to make a moral decision in this episode. As readers, we know that Huck’s lie was the right thing to do, although Huck grapples with his decision.

In addition, Huck lies to the King and the Duke to save Jim when they ask him if Jim is a runaway slave. Huck lies and says he is an orphan, and Jim is a family slave. The fear of the King and Duke turning in Jim for the reward money, and thus losing his newfound friend, causes Huck to once again make up a “whopper” to get out of the situation.

When Pa says of Professor Herbert "He likes me and I like him," why might the two men like each other in "Split Cherry Tree"?

After becoming better acquainted as the day passes that Luster Sexton visits the school, Professor Herbert and Luster reach an amiable understanding of each other and earn each other's respect.

At the end of the school day, a day in which Dave's father has accompanied Professor Herbert around the school, sat in classes, and looked at germs through a microscope, Pa's attitude toward the teacher has completely changed. For instance, he willingly accompanies Herbert into...

After becoming better acquainted as the day passes that Luster Sexton visits the school, Professor Herbert and Luster reach an amiable understanding of each other and earn each other's respect.

At the end of the school day, a day in which Dave's father has accompanied Professor Herbert around the school, sat in classes, and looked at germs through a microscope, Pa's attitude toward the teacher has completely changed. For instance, he willingly accompanies Herbert into Dave's classes, and he becomes open to what the teacher says and demonstrates. Also, between classes, they speak to each other congenially in the hall.

Luster now realizes that Professor Herbert is an honest, forthright man, who is a good teacher. His hands-on teaching method is effective, Luster understands. And, when Luster reasons with Professor Herbert, whether it be about black snakes or why Dave must pay his debt, Professor Herbert recognizes the truth of what Luster says. In short, the two men respect each other. Thus, "He likes me, and I like him." Further, out of his respect for Professor Herbert, Luster tells his son,

"You are goin' to do as he [Prof. Herbert] says. He's a good man. School has changed from my day and time....I'm behind. I don't belong here."

At the same time, Luster realizes that Herbert has treated him with kindness because he has not reported him as having a firearm, an act which would bring the authorities upon him. Clearly, they have acquired a mutual respect.

What are some examples of local government spending that is different than federal government spending ?

In a sense, local government spending and federal government spending are exactly the same thing.  The government hires people to perform services.  The government buys goods from companies.  In each case, the government has to spend money.  This is how government spending works regardless of what level of government is spending the money.

The difference between federal and local government spending has to do with what the money is spent on.  There are some things...

In a sense, local government spending and federal government spending are exactly the same thing.  The government hires people to perform services.  The government buys goods from companies.  In each case, the government has to spend money.  This is how government spending works regardless of what level of government is spending the money.

The difference between federal and local government spending has to do with what the money is spent on.  There are some things that are the province of the federal government while other things are up to local (or state) governments.  For example, a local government might spend money to maintain a local park.  The federal government does spend money on national parks, but not on local parks.  A local government might spend money on its police force.  The federal government has law enforcement (like the FBI) but it does not hire local police officers.  A local government might spend money on streets.  The federal government spends money on national highways/freeways, but it does not spend on local streets.  A local government might pay to put pipes under the ground to new developments.  The federal government does not do this.

All of these are examples of local government spending.  The spending itself is done just the same way federal government spending is done.  The only difference is in the exact things on which the money is spent.

Bruno notices that Pavel pays a great deal of attention to the carrots. Why do you think that is? Does Bruno understand why?

Pavel seems to pay a great deal of attention to the carrots, but he only focuses his eyes on them because he concentrates his anxious thoughts on the possible consequences that might follow his act of having tended to the wounded leg of the Commandant's son.

After treating Bruno's leg (which was injured in a fall from the tire swing), Pavel allays Bruno's fears that he will bleed to death. Pavel then returns to the...

Pavel seems to pay a great deal of attention to the carrots, but he only focuses his eyes on them because he concentrates his anxious thoughts on the possible consequences that might follow his act of having tended to the wounded leg of the Commandant's son.

After treating Bruno's leg (which was injured in a fall from the tire swing), Pavel allays Bruno's fears that he will bleed to death. Pavel then returns to the sink and washes his hands thoroughly. But Bruno, not wanting his accident so quickly dismissed, suggests that his injury could be worse than it appears. Bruno thinks that Pavel is barely listening because the carrots he peels seem to absorb his attention. "You're not a doctor," Bruno insists.

Pavel stopped peeling the carrots for a moment and looked across the table at Bruno, his head held low, his eyes looking up, as if wondering what to say to such a thing....

Then he sighs and dares to say, "Yes I am." Naturally, the innocent Bruno does not understand why Pavel waits tables if he is a doctor. He looks closely at Pavel, and it appears that the man at one time had a beard. But Bruno is unaware that the men in the camp are juden--Jews who are imprisoned by the Nazis. Tragically, Pavel says that he thinks he has always been at Auschwitz (Out-With). Now, although his crime has only been an act of kindness, Pavel must worry that if his actions are revealed to Bruno's father, he will be severely punished. He has focused upon his act of peeling the carrots to keep from thinking of what horrific consequences may befall him.

What are three effects in the book The Miracle Worker?

Helen got a terrible fever in Act 1 when she was a little more than a year old, and the illness made her deaf and blind.  This changed the direction of her entire life.  The effect was that she became deaf and blind.

Annie Sullivan stood firm when Helen wanted to eat food off her plate in Act 2 and Helen eventually ate with her own spoon.  Mr. and Mrs. Keller pleaded with Annie to...

Helen got a terrible fever in Act 1 when she was a little more than a year old, and the illness made her deaf and blind.  This changed the direction of her entire life.  The effect was that she became deaf and blind.

Annie Sullivan stood firm when Helen wanted to eat food off her plate in Act 2 and Helen eventually ate with her own spoon.  Mr. and Mrs. Keller pleaded with Annie to give in and let Helen eat off her plate just for that one meal.  They told her it was the only way they could have "adult conversation."  Annie refused to back down, even though Helen threw a tantrum and stubbornly refused to cooperate.  In the end, Annie guided Helen's hand as she used the spoon to put food "into her open mouth."  She even "folded her napkin."  The effect was that Helen ate almost on her own, from her own plate

Annie Sullivan finger spelled into Helen's palm repeatedly, and eventually Helen learned to communicate.  She tried spelling many things, but Helen was unable to make a connection between the letters and their meanings.  Finally, Helen had a breakthrough moment at the water pump.  She understood that the letters "w-a-t-e-r" meant the cool liquid on her hand.  She finally could understand words and communicate them.  The effect was that Helen learned that each thing had a name and she soon learned to communicate.

What is the reason for the plague in Thebes in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex?

At the beginning of Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, there is sterility and a plague at Thebes. This is presented to the audience through the dialogue between Oedipus, the king, and the Priest (1–67). Oedipus has already sent his brother-in-law, Creon, to the Oracle of Delphi in order to ask Apollo why this is the case. According to the Oracle, Apollo regards religious or moral pollution (miasma) resulting from the murder of the former king, Laius, to...

At the beginning of Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, there is sterility and a plague at Thebes. This is presented to the audience through the dialogue between Oedipus, the king, and the Priest (1–67). Oedipus has already sent his brother-in-law, Creon, to the Oracle of Delphi in order to ask Apollo why this is the case. According to the Oracle, Apollo regards religious or moral pollution (miasma) resulting from the murder of the former king, Laius, to be the cause of the plague and that the cause of it (i.e. Laius' murderer) must be killed or expelled from Theban territory. Later in the play (300), Oedipus summons the blind prophet Tiresias so that he may discover the murderer.  Tiresias tragically reveals to Oedipus that the king himself is the cause (since he had killed King Laius). Oedipus doesn't believe him — since he did not know who Laius was when he killed him — and sends him away.

So the tragic truth is that Oedipus, who unwittingly killed his father, the previous king, is the cause of the Theban plague.

What would a character sketch of Mr. & Mrs. Hutton look like?

While living in New York City, Helen and Miss Sullivan befriended Mr. and Mrs. Hutton.  Mr. Hutton was a writer and literary critic, and because of this he knew many writers.  He lived in his New York City home with his wife, Mrs. Hutton.  Helen spent a great deal of time at the Hutton house, and was able to meet several famous writers there.  

Mr. Laurence Hutton was a kind person.  Helen described her...

While living in New York City, Helen and Miss Sullivan befriended Mr. and Mrs. Hutton.  Mr. Hutton was a writer and literary critic, and because of this he knew many writers.  He lived in his New York City home with his wife, Mrs. Hutton.  Helen spent a great deal of time at the Hutton house, and was able to meet several famous writers there.  

Mr. Laurence Hutton was a kind person.  Helen described her friend as being able to "[bring] out in every one the best thoughts and kindest sentiments" (The Story of My Life, Chapter XXIII).  

Mrs. Hutton showed a great deal of kindness to Helen.  Helen described her as being a true friend.  While Helen was at school, Mrs. Hutton offered her advice when needed.  When Helen was challenged or discouraged with school, Mrs. Hutton wrote her "letters that [made her] feel glad and brave."

While at the Hutton house, Helen was able to meet many famous writers.  The most famous one she met was Mark Twain.  She found him to be a tenderhearted person and an excellent storyteller.

What was Jefferson's vision for the new republic?

Jefferson envisioned a nation of self-sufficient yeoman farmers who were all civic minded, guiding the decisions of the government by a direct form of democracy. It should be pointed out that the only people in the country who were considered citizens were Anglo landowners, so that should be understood when considering whose civic participation the government was supposed to follow. Also, his vision did not include enslaved Africans as having the same opportunities as the...

Jefferson envisioned a nation of self-sufficient yeoman farmers who were all civic minded, guiding the decisions of the government by a direct form of democracy. It should be pointed out that the only people in the country who were considered citizens were Anglo landowners, so that should be understood when considering whose civic participation the government was supposed to follow. Also, his vision did not include enslaved Africans as having the same opportunities as the Anglo farmers.

Most Anglo Americans in the United States at the time earned their living from operating small farms in the countryside, and the United States at the time was only beginning to cross over into the Ohio Valley west of the Appalachians (the current Midwest). To accomplish his goal, he wanted every head of household to have access to a small plot of land that they could cultivate and make a living from. Jefferson saw the vast expanse of "open" land to the West as a good opportunity to be able to continue providing new land for farmers to obtain cheaply in order to sustain this economic model.

I put "open" in quotes because of course the land he saw as the means by which to continue to provide this opportunity to Anglo farmers was already occupied by Native peoples, which needed to be displaced in order for this model to work. He expected the Native peoples occupying said land to adopt the same model as the Anglos, thereby making it possible to contain them and thus make the needed land available to future generations of yeoman farmers.

Jefferson saw this model as a solution to avoid what was going on in Europe at the time, particularly England, where regular people were being displaced from their land by the wealthy elite and forced to work in terrible conditions in factories as England underwent industrialization. Jefferson did favor industrial development and international trade, but he mainly wanted it to benefit small farmers.

Here is a good article that further explains Jefferson's ideology.

What can you predict from an element's location on the periodic table?

The periodic table of the elements places the elements according to their atomic number, electronic configuration and chemical properties.

Thus, depending on the location of an element in the periodic table, we can guess its electronic configuration and more importantly, its properties.For example, if an element belongs to the group of halogens, we can determine that it needs 1 more electron to fill its outer orbital and achieve a fully-filled electronic configuration. We can...

The periodic table of the elements places the elements according to their atomic number, electronic configuration and chemical properties.

Thus, depending on the location of an element in the periodic table, we can guess its electronic configuration and more importantly, its properties. For example, if an element belongs to the group of halogens, we can determine that it needs 1 more electron to fill its outer orbital and achieve a fully-filled electronic configuration. We can also tell that it is a non-metal and readily accepts an electron. Additionally, we can predict the type of reactions it will undergo with other elements. For example, halogens react very readily with alkali metals (such as potassium, sodium, etc.). We can also gain some idea about the properties of the compounds an element will form by knowing its location in the periodic table.

Hope this helps.

Please point out the language devices used in the Lord Byron poem "She Walks in Beauty."

Lord Byron starts the poem "She Walks in Beauty" with a figurative language device called a simile, with:

She walks in beauty, like the night

of cloudless climes and starry skies.

This simile characterizes the subject of the poem by comparing her to a beautiful, cloudless, starry night. These two lines also use the poetic sound device of alliteration with the repetitive “cl” sound in “cloudless climes” and the “s” sound in "starry skies."

The...

Lord Byron starts the poem "She Walks in Beauty" with a figurative language device called a simile, with:

She walks in beauty, like the night

of cloudless climes and starry skies.

This simile characterizes the subject of the poem by comparing her to a beautiful, cloudless, starry night. These two lines also use the poetic sound device of alliteration with the repetitive “cl” sound in “cloudless climes” and the “s” sound in "starry skies."

The entire poem uses a rhyme scheme of ababab. In other words, the first line of each stanza rhymes with the third and the fifth, while the second line of each stanza rhymes with the fourth and sixth.

The fifth line in stanza two is an example of a sound device called consonance. The line reads,

Where thoughts serenely sweet express

Consonance is similar to alliteration in that it contains repetitive consonant sounds. However, in consonance the repeated sound occurs not only at the beginning of words (as in alliteration), but also in the middle and/or end. The lines above highlight the "s" sound by repeating it four times in the space of four words. 

In the third stanza, the lines

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

are an example of parallel structure. Writers create parallel structure when they repeat specific patterns, as with the word “so” above, and “the –- that win” in the next line.

What was the Columbian Exchange?

The Columbian Exchange was the biological exchange that took place between the Old and New Worlds during the Age of Discovery. From the Old World, the New World received vegetables such as potatoes, tomatoes, and corn. These crops increased longevity and birth rates in the Old World and helped to create the surplus population that would later go to the New World. The Old World also received tobacco from the Caribbean and Virginia. This cash...

The Columbian Exchange was the biological exchange that took place between the Old and New Worlds during the Age of Discovery. From the Old World, the New World received vegetables such as potatoes, tomatoes, and corn. These crops increased longevity and birth rates in the Old World and helped to create the surplus population that would later go to the New World. The Old World also received tobacco from the Caribbean and Virginia. This cash crop would be quite valuable and soon became both a scourge (in terms of health benefits) and benefit (as currency) worldwide.  

The New World received wheat from the Old World—a few grains of wheat at a Spanish mission would grow into a multi-million dollar granary for feeding the Spanish Empire. Cattle and hogs from the Old World destroyed native garden plots, leading to war between natives and whites. The New World also received diseases such as smallpox and diphtheria which would kill up to ninety percent of the Pre-Columbian population.  

What are some examples of transverse waves?

Waves can be classified as either longitudinal or transverse, depending upon the relative direction of medium displacement and wave propagation. If the wave propagation is perpendicular to the direction of medium displacement, the wave can be termed as transverse wave. If the direction of wave propagation is parallel to the direction of medium displacement, such waves can be termed longitudinal waves. Some examples of transverse waves include:

• Waves generated when we move a rope, tied...

Waves can be classified as either longitudinal or transverse, depending upon the relative direction of medium displacement and wave propagation. If the wave propagation is perpendicular to the direction of medium displacement, the wave can be termed as transverse wave. If the direction of wave propagation is parallel to the direction of medium displacement, such waves can be termed longitudinal waves. Some examples of transverse waves include:

• Waves generated when we move a rope, tied at one end, up and down or sideways. 


• light waves


• seismic waves: S waves


• waves generated in a string


• radio waves


• microwaves


• waves generated on the surface of a liquid, when we throw a small particle in it. An example is a wave generated when we throw a stone in a pond.

Some examples of longitudinal waves include sound waves, seismic P-waves, waves in a slinky, etc.

Hope this helps. 

Why does Daisy cry when she sees Gatsby's shirts?

Daisy is representative of the upper class. One of her upper-class traits is that she does not show her feelings. We sense, however, that she has very strong feelings and is extremely sensitive. During her visit to Gatsby's mansion, Daisy gradually realizes how important she is to him. All of this material splendor has been gathered for her sake. Because she is truly upper class, she clearly sees the "new money" tastes represented by everything...

Daisy is representative of the upper class. One of her upper-class traits is that she does not show her feelings. We sense, however, that she has very strong feelings and is extremely sensitive. During her visit to Gatsby's mansion, Daisy gradually realizes how important she is to him. All of this material splendor has been gathered for her sake. Because she is truly upper class, she clearly sees the "new money" tastes represented by everything Gatsby has acquired.

When she buries her face in Gatsby's beautiful shirts and starts to sob, it is like a culmination of her feelings about everything Gatsby has shown her up to that point, including his pretentious mansion itself with its Marie Antoinette music rooms and Restoration salons. She is sobbing because she knows he has only been thinking of pleasing her but lacks the style, tastes, manners, and everything else people of her social class take for granted. The shirts are excellent symbols of Gatsby's naïveté and gaucherie. They are not only gaudy, expensive, and superfluous, but it is in ridiculously bad taste for Gatsby to display them to her like a grand finale.

He took out a pile of shirts and began throwing them, one by one, before us, shirts of sheer linen and thick silk and fine flannel, which lost their folds as they fell and covered the table in many-colored disarray.

Daisy's feelings are too complicated to describe. She loves Gatsby but can see his shortcomings, including the fact that he couldn't possibly understand how she feels about his display of his shirt collection. Her feelings overwhelm her, and she bursts into tears, attributing them to being overwhelmed by the spectacular display of shirts. 

In "The Cask of Amontillado," how does Montresor chain Fortunato up?

Montresor describes his chaining of Fortunato in fairly precise detail. There is a very narrow niche in the granite wall of the catacombs. 

Within the wall thus exposed by the displacing of the bones, we perceived a still interior crypt or recess, in depth about four feet, in width three, in height six or seven. . . . In its surface were two iron staples, distant from each other about two feet, horizontally. From one of these depended a short chain, from the other a padlock. Throwing the links about his waist, it was but the work of a few seconds to secure it.

Montresor did not install these chains. They had been there for centuries and used by feudal lords to dispose of disobedient vassals, who would simply disappear and never be heard from again. Montresor must have gotten the idea of killing Fortunato this way while exploring the catacombs. Concealing the crypt or recess with a stone wall was his own innovation. Since it is only three feet wide and six or seven feet high, it will be easy to build the wall.

One chain is only two feet long. The other is only a stub of a chain with a padlock. Montresor only has to draw the longer chain across Fortunato's body and secure it with the padlock. The recess is four feet deep, so the victim will be unable to interfere with the construction of the wall or knock it down after it is finished but still damp. His arms would only be about three feet long, so the wall would be a full foot beyond his reach.

He is pinned tightly to the wall. He has no chance of slipping out from under the chains or of climbing over them. Montresor has specified that Fortunato is wearing a tight-fitting jester's costume. He has no flexibility in such an outfit, and he probably doesn't even have any pockets. He has no weapon and nothing he could use as a tool to try to file a chain or pick the padlock. The padlock is old-fashioned. It is locked with a key rather than snapping shut like our modern padlocks.

Withdrawing the key I stepped back from the recess.

Fortunato would find it impossible to pick such a padlock even if he had some sort of tool. His death will be agonizing because he will have to stand in one upright position until he dies of starvation. Montresor repeatedly specifies that there is a lot of dripping water, so Fortunato will be able to lick drops off his hands and off the rock wall. It takes much longer for a man to die of starvation than of thirst.

Montresor has an easy time chaining Fortunato because of the simplicity. He also has an easy time building the stone wall because it only needs to be three feet wide. He is not using bricks but stones. The stones are heavy and may be almost a full foot long, so three or four stones would make up a whole tier. He has already prepared the mortar (because Poe wants this part of the story to end quickly); and the mortar stays damp because of all the dripping water. Montresor keeps the trowel on his person because he doesn't want it to rust. At the same time, he doesn't want to have to go someplace to fetch it when he brings Fortunato home. He uses the remaining mortar he has mixed in the trough to "plaster over" the entire stone wall and make it look like part of the catacomb wall itself. Then he covers the fake wall with what he calls a "rampart" of human bones. He is writing or telling this story fifty years after the event, and in all that time no one has discovered what is left of Fortunato.

Where does the title of To Kill a Mockingbird come from?

The title of To Kill a Mockingbird refers to a passage from the book in which Atticus tells Scout that "it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." When Scout asks Ms. Maudie why her father would say it's "a sin," Ms. Maudie explains that mockingbirds do nothing but sing and make music for people to enjoy, which is why killing them would be cruel and sinful.

In a broader sense, Lee is using the mockingbird...

The title of To Kill a Mockingbird refers to a passage from the book in which Atticus tells Scout that "it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." When Scout asks Ms. Maudie why her father would say it's "a sin," Ms. Maudie explains that mockingbirds do nothing but sing and make music for people to enjoy, which is why killing them would be cruel and sinful.

In a broader sense, Lee is using the mockingbird as a metaphor for innocence and goodness. In that way, "to kill a mockingbird" becomes a major theme throughout the novel. Scout's coming of age and the realization that people can be racist or prejudiced is one of the themes of the book, and it easily fits the mockingbird metaphor. In the early chapters, Scout is the picture of innocence and she sees things in a very rigid way, generally believing that people are good. By the end of the book, however, her innocence has been significantly chipped away at by the realities of adult life (like racism and classism), and she'll never be that innocent again.

Boo Radley is another character who fits the title. Boo is an emotionally fragile person who ostensibly wants to be left alone. After he saves Jem and Scout by killing Mr. Ewell, Atticus and the sheriff put together a story that will allow Boo to avoid any attention from the townspeople. For Boo to be thrust into the spotlight and have his life examined would be cruel, particularly since he has just saved the children.

What are some analogies used in Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None?

Agatha Christie uses a number of analogies throughout her mystery novel And Then There Were None. In chapter 9, part I, Lombard says to Blore: "We're all in the same boat. We've got to pull together." This analogy compares the people on the island to rowers in a boat. Just as cooperation with the oars is necessary for a boat to make its way across the water, so the accused people must cooperate with each other to deal with the strange situation they find themselves in. In the same section, Blore makes another analogy, suggesting that Mr. Owen has lured the people onto the island with incentives, just as someone baits a mousetrap with cheese. The payment Blore was offered was "Mr. Owen's little bit of cheese." 

In chapter 9, section VII, Christie creates an analogy of a courtroom when Justice Wargrave conducts interviews of each of the guests. First, "Rogers, summoned before the court, had very little to tell." The narrative refers to swearing and evidence, and the chapter concludes with Lombard muttering, "The court will now adjourn." 

In chapter 10, when Lombard explains why he believes Wargrave is the murderer, he creates an analogy between the judge and God, saying, "He's played God Almighty for a good many months every year." He explains that the judge thinks he is omnipotent, like God, and wields the power of life and death, also like God.

In chapter 12, a bee sting is the analogy for Miss Brent's death by a hypodermic needle. A bee sting consists of poison and a prick. Miss Brent is poisoned--she was given something to make her dizzy and giddy, and then a chloroformed handkerchief was placed under her nose so that she would not resist or cry out when the hypodermic needle stung her, injecting poison.

The nursery rhyme and china figures work together to make the sequential murders analogous to a child's game. In chapter 15, Vera says, "Dressing up the judge ... drugging Mrs. Rogers so she overslept herself--arranging for a bumblebee when Miss Brent died! It's like some horrible child playing a game."

In the epilogue, Wargrave's confession, he compares his dastardly series of murders with the work of an artist. He created something quite original, but then he found that he had a "craving for recognition" like an artist would have, which caused him to write the note explaining his genius and his masterpiece. 

Christie weaves these analogies skillfully throughout the novel, creating deeper interest and deeper levels of emotion in her readers.

Why is mercury used in measuring blood pressure?

Mercury has been used, for quite some time, in blood pressure measurement. The device used for this application is also known as sphygmomanometer. The pressure measurement is based on the rise of measuring fluid in a vertical column. The ideal fluid for such an application is something that should be stable at room temperature and rises to a manageable height (so as to have a compact device). Mercury is an ideal choice for this application....

Mercury has been used, for quite some time, in blood pressure measurement. The device used for this application is also known as sphygmomanometer. The pressure measurement is based on the rise of measuring fluid in a vertical column. The ideal fluid for such an application is something that should be stable at room temperature and rises to a manageable height (so as to have a compact device). Mercury is an ideal choice for this application. Mercury has a specific gravity of 13.6. That is, its density is 13.6 times that of water. Thus, it only rises to a certain height and keeps the equipment portable (imagine the height of the vertical column if water was used instead of mercury). Thus, mercury is commonly used in blood pressure monitors and a number of other pressure measurement devices.

Nowadays, alternate devices that do not use mercury are also available. An example is the battery powered digital blood monitor that can be easily used at home.

Hope this helps.