How did Simon Finch design his house to keep track of his daughters?

Simon Finch was the first person in the family to settle at Finch's Landing.  He built a "two-storied white house with porches circling it upstairs and downstairs" on the property to make his wife happy. This was the same house that Scout and her family spent every Christmas at. Simon Finch and his wife eventually had a large family of eight daughters and one son.  

The eight finch daughters stayed under the watchful eye...

Simon Finch was the first person in the family to settle at Finch's Landing.  He built a "two-storied white house with porches circling it upstairs and downstairs" on the property to make his wife happy. This was the same house that Scout and her family spent every Christmas at. Simon Finch and his wife eventually had a large family of eight daughters and one son.  

The eight finch daughters stayed under the watchful eye of their father. Simon Finch designed the interior of his beautiful white house so that he and his wife would know all the "comings and goings" of their eight daughters. On the second level of the house were six bedrooms. Four of these six bedrooms were for the daughters to share. Those four bedrooms could only be accessed "by one staircase." This staircase was called "The Daughters' Staircase," and from the first floor it was only accessible from the bedroom of Simon Finch and his wife. This was how Simon Finch "always knew the hours of his daughters’ nocturnal comings and goings."

In Macbeth, how does Shakespeare present Macbeth in Act One?

Banquo: Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your leisure.

King Duncan compliments Macbeth over and over on his defeat of Macdonwald; this is how much King Duncan respects and trusts Macbeth:

Scene IV

Duncan: O worthiest cousin!
The sin of my ingratitude even now
Was heavy on me: thou art so far before
That swiftest wing of recompense is slow
To overtake thee. Would thou hadst less deserved,
That the proportion both of thanks and payment
Might have been mine! only I have left to say,
More is thy due than more than all can pay.

Macbeth’s response is to shrug it off, to act as if it were just natural for any man to do as he had, and therefore, acknowledge that no compliments are necessary. This shows Macbeth as a modest and humble man.

Things begin to change after King Duncan announces while visiting Macbeth’s castle that his own son Malcolm will become the next heir to the throne. This means, that if Macbeth is to be king, he will now have to wait until not only Duncan's reign, but also Malcolm’s reign to end. Macbeth is not likely to be alive by that time, and if he is, he’ll be much older. He begins to wrestle with his thoughts between remaining loyal and committing murder. His greed for the throne and all it offers is beginning to get the best of Macbeth:

SceneVII

Macbeth: If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well

It were done quickly: if the assassination

Could trammel up the consequence, and catch

With his surcease success; 

He's here in double trust;

First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,

Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,

Who should against his murderer shut the door,

Not bear the knife myself.

He appears to have decided to remain loyal to the king. When Lady Macbeth questions him, his response is:

Macbeth: We will proceed no further in this business:

Unfortunately, because of a festering greed and his wife's talking down to him, Macbeth’s resolve begins to crumble, his greed gets the better of him, and he comes to a decision:

Macbeth: I am settled, and bend up        

Each corporal agent to this terrible feat.

Away, and mock the time with fairest show:

False face must hide what the false heart doth know.

Though Macbeth has not taken any criminal actions by the end of Act I, we can see how quickly his persona and his thoughts have changed in such a short time and how easily influenced he was by his status and people around him. Though his friends still see him as valiant and worthy, Macbeth has begun to act anything but.  

Please provide a quote about Macbeth's over-ambitiousness.

At the beginning of Act 1, Scene 7, Macbeth delivers a soliloquy in which he reveals the great many reasons he has to not kill Duncan: the violence could come back on him somehow, Duncan is his friend, his king, his kinsman, and his guest.  It is Macbeth's job to shut the door against the person who would harm Duncan, not do the harm himself, he says.  More than this, Duncan is a really just...

At the beginning of Act 1, Scene 7, Macbeth delivers a soliloquy in which he reveals the great many reasons he has to not kill Duncan: the violence could come back on him somehow, Duncan is his friend, his king, his kinsman, and his guest.  It is Macbeth's job to shut the door against the person who would harm Duncan, not do the harm himself, he says.  More than this, Duncan is a really just king and a genuinely good person; he seems like the last person in the world one would want to murder.  In short, Macbeth has myriad reasons why he should not kill his king, and only one reason to go through with it: his ambition.  He says, "I have no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself / And falls on th' other" (1.7.25-28).  In other words, his ambition is the only "spur" he has to push him to go on with the plan to kill the king, but he recognizes that ambition can make people behave rashly.

What are Ralph's reasons for wanting to build shelters in Lord of the Flies?

Ralph decides to build shelters so the boys have civilization on the island. 

Ralph does the best he can to create order on the island.  He wants to be a good leader.  He was elected because he blew the conch, and that created a sort of mystique the other boys respected.  He was a connection to the adult world, drawing them together.  However, he was never really able to get much done.  His goals...

Ralph decides to build shelters so the boys have civilization on the island. 

Ralph does the best he can to create order on the island.  He wants to be a good leader.  He was elected because he blew the conch, and that created a sort of mystique the other boys respected.  He was a connection to the adult world, drawing them together.  However, he was never really able to get much done.  His goals were to get a signal fire going and tended and shelters built.  Neither goal was well-accomplished. 

Ralph wants to recreate civilization.  He wants rules and order.  He is worried about bad weather, and what will happen to the boys then.  He decides that they need to build some shelters off the beach. 

Ralph is also concerned because so many of the little kids get afraid at night.  He thinks the shelters will make them feel safe, reminding them of the comforts of home and making them feel protected from the beastie. Building something also gives them an occupation and keeps them busy.

Building the shelters is a difficult task.  Ralph cannot get the boys to follow directions and accomplish any goal.  The younger children do not work, and the older ones don’t listen.  Nothing gets done.

“They’re hopeless. The older ones aren’t much better. D’you see? All day I’ve been working with Simon. No one else. They’re off bathing, or eating, or playing.” (Ch. 3) 

Ralph’s failure to get the shelters built is symbolic of his failure at leadership in general.  Ralph is not able to get the children motivated.  He can’t make them listen. It is symptomatic of a larger problem.

In The Sign of The Beaver, what made Matt change his approach to teaching Attean to read in Chapter 8?

In Chapter 8, the one thing that makes Matt change his approach to teaching Attean is that his original method fails to interest the Indian boy. Matt initially begins the English lessons by teaching Attean the letters of the alphabet. He starts with the letter 'A' and asks Attean to pick out all the letters 'A' in the book Robinson Crusoe.

Since Matt has told Attean that the letter 'A' is present in the word...

In Chapter 8, the one thing that makes Matt change his approach to teaching Attean is that his original method fails to interest the Indian boy. Matt initially begins the English lessons by teaching Attean the letters of the alphabet. He starts with the letter 'A' and asks Attean to pick out all the letters 'A' in the book Robinson Crusoe.

Since Matt has told Attean that the letter 'A' is present in the word 'arm,' Attean thinks that every 'A' stands for the word; as a consequence, he finds it ludicrous that the word 'arm' should be present throughout the book. Of course, this isn't the case, but Attean's lack of knowledge causes him to come to this conclusion. It is after this unfortunate first lesson that Matt decides to change the way he teaches Attean to read. In Chapter 8, he tries to make it clear to Attean that reading is about enjoying stories.

Cognizant of his own misadventures when he learned how to read, Matt decides to read to Attean the most interesting sections of Robinson Crusoe. At first, he is discouraged when Attean shows little emotion during the reading; eventually, Attean surprises Matt when he asks pertinent questions about key points of the story. The chapter ends with Matt coming to the realization that he must try to understand Attean's worldview before he can be successful in teaching him.

How have morals changed since Edgar Allan Poe published the Tell-Tale Heart?

Morals - individual and collective - are constructs used by societies to determine what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Although we tend to talk about them as though they are universal standards by which we all live, they are actually very specific to individual cultures at a particular point in history. This means that at any given time, what one culture considers morally acceptable, another might consider entirely unacceptable. For example, until the early-to-mid 20th...

Morals - individual and collective - are constructs used by societies to determine what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Although we tend to talk about them as though they are universal standards by which we all live, they are actually very specific to individual cultures at a particular point in history. This means that at any given time, what one culture considers morally acceptable, another might consider entirely unacceptable. For example, until the early-to-mid 20th century, there were still a few tribes in remote parts of the world that practiced cannibalism for spiritual purposes. In almost all other parts of the world this behavior would have been shocking and completely amoral, but for that tribal culture it was considered acceptable under certain circumstances.

Edgar Allan Poe was alive during the first half of the 19th century and the Tell-Tale Heart was published towards the end of his life in 1843. During this time, slavery was still legal in many parts of the country, women rarely worked outside the home, and immigrants or people of color were very often treated as though they were inferior to whites.

These are only a few of the major differences between the early-to-mid 19th century and today, but you'd probably agree that enslaving others, treating women as servants, and generally treating minorities as though they are inferior are, by contemporary standards, pretty amoral.

What does Banquo think about the witches' prophecies?

At first, Banquo is a bit in awe of the Weird women.  He remarks on their appearance and actions, wondering if they are truly earthly or supernatural in nature.  After the sisters tell Macbeth what his future will hold, Banquo requests some prediction for his life too: this implies that he might put somestock in their ability to tell the future.  They then tell him that he will father kings; so, he will never...

At first, Banquo is a bit in awe of the Weird women.  He remarks on their appearance and actions, wondering if they are truly earthly or supernatural in nature.  After the sisters tell Macbeth what his future will hold, Banquo requests some prediction for his life too: this implies that he might put some stock in their ability to tell the future.  They then tell him that he will father kings; so, he will never rule, but his progeny will.

After they've vanished, Banquo wonders if he and Macbeth have just seen something true or if they've taken some drug that caused them to hallucinate the women and their strange words.  Once Ross and Angus arrive to tell Macbeth that he's been awarded with the title Thane of Cawdor, just as the sisters said he would be, Banquo begins to think about how strange this seems, and he grows suspicious that things may not be exactly how they seem.  He warns Macbeth that

"oftentimes, to win us to our harm, / The instruments of darkness tell us truths, / Win us with honest trifles, to betray ’s / In deepest consequence" (1.3.125-129). 

In other words, he fears that perhaps the sisters are motivated by some evil purpose and have told Macbeth one small truth in order to compel Macbeth and Banquo to believe bigger lies so that the men can be lead more easily to their own destruction. 

The former territories of the Ottoman Empire were declared to be what class of League of Nations mandate? Designed by the Big Four and...

The territories that had been part of the Ottoman Empire before World War I were made into Class A mandates by the League of Nations after the war.  Therefore, Option A is the correct answer to this question.  Other territories were made into Class B and Class C mandates.  There were no one-year mandates.

After WWI, the victorious powers decided to take the territories of the losing countries.  To make it appear less as if...

The territories that had been part of the Ottoman Empire before World War I were made into Class A mandates by the League of Nations after the war.  Therefore, Option A is the correct answer to this question.  Other territories were made into Class B and Class C mandates.  There were no one-year mandates.

After WWI, the victorious powers decided to take the territories of the losing countries.  To make it appear less as if they had fought the war for territorial gain, they officially made these territories into League of Nations mandates.  In theory, these territories were given to allied countries not as new territory but as places that they would administer temporarily.   The mandates were divided into classes based on how close the League of Nations thought they were to being able to govern themselves.

The Class A mandates were judged to be closest to ready for self-rule.  The former Ottoman Territories were the only places that were placed in this category.  Class B mandates were all former German territories in Africa.  The League decided that the mandatory powers would need to control these places more closely because they were less ready to rule themselves.  Finally, there were Class C mandates, which were deemed very unready to govern themselves. The mandatory powers were told that it was best to administer these territories under their own laws as part of their own territory.  Class C mandates were mostly places in the Pacific Ocean like Samoa and Micronesia.

So, the answer to your question is Option A.  The former Ottoman territories were judged to be almost ready to rule themselves and were therefore classified as Class A mandates.

What is the relationship between the ideas of John Locke and those contained in the U.S. Declaration of Independence?

The relationship between the ideas of John Locke and those contained in the Declaration of Independence is that the main ideas in the second section of the Declaration come from Locke.  The people who wrote the Declaration had read Locke’s writings and Locke had influenced them greatly.  They borrowed almost directly from him in writing that part of the Declaration.

The first relevant part of the Declaration comes when the document says that

all men … are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

This comes fairly directly from Locke.  Locke says, in his Second Treatise on Government, that the “law of nature” says that “no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions.”  Locke then goes on to say that the reason why no one should do this is because all people were made by an “omnipotent, and infinitely wise maker” and that people had no right to take away what the maker had given.  We can see that Locke’s ideas and those of the Declaration are very similar here.  The only real difference is that the Declaration substitutes the phrase “pursuit of happiness” for “possessions.”

The second relevant part of the Declaration says that governments get “their just power from the consent of the governed.”  This, too, comes from Locke.  Locke says that no man can be “subjected to the political power of another, without his own consent.”  Once again, these ideas are practically identical.

Third, the Declaration says that the people have the right to change or to overthrow their government if it fails to protect their rights.  Locke says something very similar.  He says that, whenever the government tries

to take away, and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power

then the people no longer have to obey the government.  Instead, the people have the right to throw off the government and create a new one.

From all of this, we can see that the second section of the Declaration of Independence comes almost directly from the ideas of John Locke as set out in his Second Treatise.  This is the relationship between Locke’s ideas and those of the Declaration.

Why do Elie and his father decide to evacuate at Buna instead of staying behind in the hospital?

Two days after Eliezer’s operation, rumors emerged in the camp that the Red Army was advancing on Buna. At first, the rumors were received with much skepticism by the prisoners, who were used to such information about their imminent rescue. However, the rumors received substantial support after the prisoners heard the sound of canons. The Nazis were forced to evacuate the prisoners, who were given approximately 24hrs to prepare for the journey out of Buna.

...

Two days after Eliezer’s operation, rumors emerged in the camp that the Red Army was advancing on Buna. At first, the rumors were received with much skepticism by the prisoners, who were used to such information about their imminent rescue. However, the rumors received substantial support after the prisoners heard the sound of canons. The Nazis were forced to evacuate the prisoners, who were given approximately 24hrs to prepare for the journey out of Buna.

The patients in the infirmary feared for their lives. They were confident that the SS officers would not leave them alive. Eliezer was not worried about death but was unsettled by the thought of being separated from his father. They had the option to stay together in the infirmary, where Eliezer’s father would be admitted as a medic or a patient by Eliezer’s doctor. However, the two agreed to go on the journey. They wanted to stay together and also believed they had better chances of survival if they joined the evacuation out of Buna. Eliezer established after the war that their decision was a mistake because those left behind were simply liberated.

I had made up my mind to accompany my father wherever he went.

"Well, Father, what do we do?"

He was silent.

"Let's be evacuated with the others," I said.

He didn't answer. He was looking at my foot.

"You think you'll be able to walk?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Let's hope we won't regret it, Eliezer."

How does the influence of relationships change Katniss' identity positively?

Great question! In the book The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Katniss’ identity is positively transformed by relationships. Although numerous relationships transform Katniss’ identity, her relationships with Rue and Peeta offer profound examples of this transformation.

Beginning with Rue, Katniss’ identity transforms dramatically. Although Rue and Katniss are competitors in the Hunger Games, Rue and Katniss help each other survive. Unfortunately, Rue passes away during the competition. Katniss reveals:

“Now I am determined to avenge...

Great question! In the book The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Katniss’ identity is positively transformed by relationships. Although numerous relationships transform Katniss’ identity, her relationships with Rue and Peeta offer profound examples of this transformation.

Beginning with Rue, Katniss’ identity transforms dramatically. Although Rue and Katniss are competitors in the Hunger Games, Rue and Katniss help each other survive. Unfortunately, Rue passes away during the competition. Katniss reveals:

“Now I am determined to avenge her [Rue], to make her loss unforgettable, and I can only do that by winning and thereby making myself unforgettable.”

As a result of this friendship and compassion, Katniss’ identity appears kind and protective. Consequently, Rue’s district even supports Katniss by sending her bread during the Hunger Games.

Furthermore, Peeta’s relationship with Katniss also positively impacts Katniss’ identity. After Peeta’s declaration of love to Katniss, Katniss appears more attractive to the sponsors. As a result, she receives more support and has a better chance of surviving. As Haymitch explains to Katniss:

“That boy just gave you something you could never achieve on your own.”

Furthermore, Haymitch reveals:

“He made you look desirable! And let’s face it, you can use all the help you can get in that department.”

Therefore, throughout the book, Katniss’ relationships alter her identity. Although Katniss is a strong character, her relationships (especially with Rue and Peeta) give Katniss a better chance of survival.

Please provide five literary devices in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird.

Some of the literary devices used by Harper Lee in To Kill a Mockingbird include perspective, foreshadowing, irony, symbolism, and dialect. 

Perspectiverefers to the point of view from which a story is told. The perspective Lee uses in this novel is unique and accounts for its strong literary voice. Readers experience the action of the story through the eyes of Scout when she is between six and eight years old. Even though Scout is...

Some of the literary devices used by Harper Lee in To Kill a Mockingbird include perspective, foreshadowing, irony, symbolism, and dialect. 

Perspective refers to the point of view from which a story is told. The perspective Lee uses in this novel is unique and accounts for its strong literary voice. Readers experience the action of the story through the eyes of Scout when she is between six and eight years old. Even though Scout is the first-person narrator of the story, the adult Scout is actually telling the story, enabling the narrator to occasionally add in bits of information that the young Scout didn't quite understand or didn't find out until later. 

Foreshadowing predicts what will happen later in the book. One example Lee uses occurs at the end of chapter 27. When Aunt Alexandra makes excuses for not attending Scout's school pageant, she has a sense of foreboding. "Somebody just walked over my grave," she remarks. This sets up the danger that occurs in chapter 28 when Bob Ewell attacks Jem and Scout in the dark.

Irony occurs when the opposite of what is expected happens. One example of irony is the Maycomb missionary circle. The ladies seem very concerned about the black-skinned Mruna natives living in the African jungles, yet they want nothing to do with the black residents of Maycomb County. As Mrs. Merriweather says, "Down here we just say you live your way and we'll live ours."

Symbolism refers to objects or events in a story that represent other ideas or events. The mad dog that Atticus shoots is a symbol of the madness in the town. For example, Atticus faces a lynch mob at the jail when he sits outside the building protecting Tom Robinson. Atticus tells his children that there's something about race relations that turns their white neighbors into crazy, unthinking brutes. Just as Atticus bravely faces down the mad dog and kills it, so too does he stand up to the mob and, with Scout's help, neutralizes it. 

Finally, Lee uses the Southern dialect to add characterization to her novel. The children and most of the characters speak with improper grammar in the Southern style. Atticus, Alexandra, and Jack speak with proper grammar, showing their "gentle breeding." By writing the dialogue in dialect, Lee makes the Alabama setting come alive for readers.

Lee uses these literary devices and others masterfully to create her riveting tale.

Why is Mullet Fingers so passionate in Hoot?

Mullet Fingers, or Napoleon Bridger, is so passionate about saving the owls because he identifies strongly with nature. Being outside, barefoot, and spending time among the wildlife has been his favorite activity since childhood. The boy has special talent for handling wild creatures. He catches mullet fish in his bare hands as they swim in the creek—hence his nickname. He caught a wild baby raccoon and brought it home, resulting in his mother sending him...

Mullet Fingers, or Napoleon Bridger, is so passionate about saving the owls because he identifies strongly with nature. Being outside, barefoot, and spending time among the wildlife has been his favorite activity since childhood. The boy has special talent for handling wild creatures. He catches mullet fish in his bare hands as they swim in the creek—hence his nickname. He caught a wild baby raccoon and brought it home, resulting in his mother sending him away to boarding school. He is a skilled reptile wrangler even though he is so young. He manages to deposit six alligators in the portable latrines, and he captures nine cottonmouth snakes, paints their tails, and tapes their mouths shut.

When Roy goes to the junkyard to visit Mullet Fingers after the emergency room incident, Mullet Fingers explains that he has been watching the wild habitat in Florida shrink year by year, ever since he was little. He is distressed by the disappearance of more and more of "the piney woods, the scrub, the creeks, the glades." When Roy takes a trip to the Everglades with his family, he understands the running boy's passion even more. He realizes Mullet Fingers's crusade against the pancake house wasn't just about a few burrowing owls, although they are important. It was a larger effort on behalf of "all the birds and animals, all the wild places that were in danger of being wiped out." Roy realizes that is why Mullet Fingers is so angry, and so determined to foil the plans of the pancake house company.

In Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry how does Mama explain to Cassie what Mr. Simms did and how Big Ma handled the situation?

In Chapter 5 of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Mr. Simms forces Cassie to apologize to his daughter, Lillian Jean, for running into her. A rude man, Mr. Simms also pushes Cassie off the sidewalk. Cassie bumped into Lillian Jean accidentally when she was upset because Mr. Barnett would not wait on her in his store. Cassie does not want to apologize, but Big Ma forces her to do so. 

Later (in Chapter 6),...

In Chapter 5 of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Mr. Simms forces Cassie to apologize to his daughter, Lillian Jean, for running into her. A rude man, Mr. Simms also pushes Cassie off the sidewalk. Cassie bumped into Lillian Jean accidentally when she was upset because Mr. Barnett would not wait on her in his store. Cassie does not want to apologize, but Big Ma forces her to do so. 

Later (in Chapter 6), Mama tells Cassie that Big Ma had no choice but to force Cassie to apologize to Lillian Jean. Mama says to Cassie, "in the world outside this house, things are not always as we would have them to be" (page numbers vary by edition). Mama also explains that Mr. Simms thinks Lillian Jean is better than Cassie because Lillian Jean is white and Cassie is African-American. Mama explains that racism has its origins in slavery. She says to Cassie:

"The people who needed slaves to work in their fields and the people who were making money bringing slaves from Africa preached that black people weren't really people like white people were, so slavery was all right" (page numbers vary by edition).

Mama explains that even though slavery has ended, people like Mr. Simms still cling to the false idea that African-Americans are inferior to white people. 

What is the tone of the final paragraph, and how does it sum up the story's main themes?

The final paragraph, or really the last two paragraphs, reveal a change in the tone--so this is a great question to ask. It's where things become less breezy and more contemplative.

Throughout the rest of the story, the narration is informal and conversational; we understand that it conveys the thoughts of not just the baffled Marin but also the dismissive police who question her, filtered through the voice of a seemingly indifferent narrator.

Short, conversational...

The final paragraph, or really the last two paragraphs, reveal a change in the tone--so this is a great question to ask. It's where things become less breezy and more contemplative.

Throughout the rest of the story, the narration is informal and conversational; we understand that it conveys the thoughts of not just the baffled Marin but also the dismissive police who question her, filtered through the voice of a seemingly indifferent narrator.

Short, conversational statements characterize most of the story. "That's right." "She likes to dance." "Nothing in his pockets."

But then, those last few paragraphs of the story reveal a change: the tone becomes serious and sensitive as the narrator describes how Geraldo's family will never hear from him again and never find out why.

Longer, more dramatic sentences characterize this last paragraph, like this one: "The ones he left behind are far away, will wonder, shrug, remember."

To sum up, the tone in this very final paragraph is contemplative and mournful because it addresses the themes of the story--the sad fate of an undocumented worker in the US, the nature of a life of anonymity as an immigrant, the bleak indifference and open hostility exhibited in the US toward illegal immigrants-- while the rest of the story's tone is practically peppy in comparison.

What happens because Clyde Dunbar broke his leg in "The Lottery"?

Clyde Dunbar’s wife drew for him because he couldn’t attend.

Clyde Dunbar broke his leg and is not able to attend the village’s annual lottery.  This does not get him out of it, though.  There is a rule about who draws when a person can’t.

"Me. I guess," a woman said, and Mr. Summers turned to look at her. "Wife draws for her husband." Mr. Summers said. "Don't you have a grown boy to do...

Clyde Dunbar’s wife drew for him because he couldn’t attend.

Clyde Dunbar broke his leg and is not able to attend the village’s annual lottery.  This does not get him out of it, though.  There is a rule about who draws when a person can’t.

"Me. I guess," a woman said, and Mr. Summers turned to look at her. "Wife draws for her husband." Mr. Summers said. "Don't you have a grown boy to do it for you, Janey?" Although Mr. Summers and everyone else in the village knew the answer perfectly well, it was the business of the official of the lottery to ask such questions formally.

Mrs. Dunbar tells him that her son is “not but sixteen yet” and therefore cannot draw.  She will draw for her husband.  Asking about her son is just a technicality.  Everyone knows everyone in this small village.  They are fully aware of the fact that the Dunbars do not have an older boy.

Apparently, there are other boys who do draw for their family members.  The society seems to be patriarchal, giving precedence to men and older boys.  This is why the “Watson boy” steps forward to draw for his family.

A tall boy in the crowd raised his hand. "Here," he said. "I'm drawing for my mother and me." He blinked his eyes nervously and ducked his head as several voices in the crowd said things like "Good fellow, lack." and "Glad to see your mother's got a man to do it."

It is an interesting dynamic.  No one can escape the lottery.  Illness and old age do not matter, or any other kind of incapacitation.  There is a preference for men.  Maybe the patriarchal, man-centered society is a result of the village’s reliance on tradition.  They do not like change at all, or they would discontinue the barbaric lottery.

Why do all the scenes in "A Raisin in the Sun" take place in the family's house?

Firstly, "A Raisin in the Sun" is not unique in choosing to set the play in an apartment. 

From a technical perspective, it is just far easier to stage a play when all of the action is confined to a particular space. When there are changes in setting between acts, or even scenes, new props and backgrounds may be required. This is very labor intensive. 

However, in this play, the Younger family's confinement to their...

Firstly, "A Raisin in the Sun" is not unique in choosing to set the play in an apartment. 

From a technical perspective, it is just far easier to stage a play when all of the action is confined to a particular space. When there are changes in setting between acts, or even scenes, new props and backgrounds may be required. This is very labor intensive. 

However, in this play, the Younger family's confinement to their apartment also serves a symbolic purpose. They are a poor, black family struggling to improve their circumstances. Walter Younger is a chauffeur who wants to open a liquor store (a plan that is spoiled by his dishonest friend and partner, Willy) and put pearls on his wife's neck. Beneatha Younger, Walter's younger sister, is studying to be a doctor. The apartment is typical of what one would have seen in the Chicago projects: it is small, crowded, and likely to become more crowded after Ruth Younger's announcement of a pregnancy. 

The smallness of the space also fosters tension between those in the apartment: Walter snaps at Ruth; Beneatha belittles her older brother for his ignorance; and there is a clash of values between Beneatha and Mama Younger. Hansberry was able to use that tension to explore broader issues that threatened to divide black families and communities: marital discord (arguably the result of Walter's sexism), generational discord, the place of faith in black communities, access to education or the lack thereof, etc.

How is the censorship of "Game of Thrones" warranted in foreign countries? Please elaborate in depth and provide evidence to support the argument.

There are two main reasons why we can say that foreign countries ought to censor ”Game of Thrones” due to its excessive portrayals of violence, nudity, and sex.  First, we can say they ought to censor the show because it can help lead to higher levels of violence in their countries.  Second, we can say that they ought to censor it because (or if) it goes against traditional values in their country.

One reason to censor “Game of Thrones” would be because it is so violent.  Practically every episode features people being killed or tortured, often in graphic ways.  Studies have shown that it can be bad for people to watch depictions of violence on television.  The studies do not show that a person who sees a violent TV show will certainly go out and act violently.  However, they do show that people who see a lot of violence in the media will be more likely to behave in aggressive ways.  It is not good for societies to have a lot of people who are prone to committing acts of violence.  Many societies might look at US society, say that we have too much violence, and want to reject things like TV violence that would make them more likely to suffer from the problems that we suffer.

A second reason to censor “Game of Thrones” is to preserve the values of the particular country.  In addition to violence, “Game of Thrones” has a great deal of sexual content.  There is a lot of nudity.  There are many episodes in which people are shown engaging in sexual behavior.  Even many Americans argue that the nudity and sex in the series are excessive.  Some Americans think this even though the US is one of the most sexualized cultures in the world.

Even here in the US, “Game of Thrones” would not be able to air as it does on free TV.  If this show were on a network like NBC, it would not be able to show as much sex and nudity as it does because we think that children should be protected from seeing such things.  If a movie had as much sex as “Game of Thrones” it would at least have an R rating and would not be legal for young people to see.  In other words, we are willing to censor shows in order to protect our cherished values.

If we can censor TV shows to protect our values, so can other countries.  In many other countries (particularly in Asia and in the Muslim world), values are much more traditional than they are here.  Many people would be shocked and horrified to see the sex and nudity that appear on “Game of Thrones.”  Because the show would be offensive to many of their citizens, it is appropriate for foreign countries to censor it just as we would censor it if it were on free TV.  Every country has a right to prohibit things that are offensive to its values.

Thus, we can argue that it is appropriate for other countries to censor this show.  They should do so in part because it would make their citizens more likely to engage in violent behavior and they should do so because the show depicts things that would be offensive to the traditional values held by most of their people.

Love is featured and its nature is exploited in Othello, Paradise Lost, and Oroonoko. How is love represented in these texts? What do they say...

In all three of these stories, love could be said to be at the heart of the tragic events of each story. More particularly, the idea of love (defined in these stories as heterosexual love culminating in marriage between a man and a woman) is associated with possession and control. It is Oroonoko's love for Imoinda that compels him to do whatever he can to rescue her and prevent her from marrying his grandfather the king. The two go through many trials and end up together, but while in captivity Oroonoko fears that Imoinda will be raped and die as a shamed woman. He decides he should kill her to prevent this fate, and she thanks him for his consideration! This is an extreme example of how love is tied to a sense of possession or ownership, and how women can be as complicit in this mindset as the men who wield the control. The nature of love is seen here as all-consuming, and subject to the social order. Its effects are shown to be literally connected to life and death.

In Othello, Othello is very possessive of his wife Desdemona. When his servant Iago decides to manipulate him, he convinces Othello that Desdemona has been unfaithful. Othello confronts her with this information, and she denies it, and he flies into a jealous rage and strangles her. The nature of love is portrayed in an extreme way. The notion that "love is blind" can be applied to both Othello and Desdemona. Desdemona fell in love with Othello after hearing his stories of bravery and suffering; she sees only what she perceives as positive aspects of his character, and not his potential for rage or violence. Othello's "blindness" is caused by his obsessive jealousy. In this play, love is portrayed as obsessive and consuming. Love's effects can cause obsessive, single-minded behavior focused on one perspective and an unwillingness to accept any other possibility.

In Paradise Lost, the love between Adam and Eve indirectly causes them to disobey God and fall from Paradise. Adam's intelligence and restraint are affected by his deep love for Eve, and he allows himself to be swayed by her and eat the apple she has already tasted. Shortly thereafter they discover the joy of physical love, but feel shame afterwards. Their love is associated with sin, but the story implies that it is not their decision to eat the apple to gain knowledge that is the main problem, but their disobedience to God. The idea that the physical expression of love is tied to free will and choice is a powerful theme in Milton's version of this Biblical narrative. But the idea of knowledge contained in the apple, the symbol of temptation, is also a powerful theme. The suggestion is that knowledge and love are tied together, and the true expression of romantic love (through sex) is a way for humans to become enlightened. The dilemma of Adam and Eve is therefore one of love versus innocence; enlightenment versus obedience. The nature of love is here portrayed as a powerful force linked to free will and freedom of choice.

In Andrew Marvell's poem "To His Coy Mistress," how does the speaker exaggerate the activities the lovers would engage in if they had enough time?

The poem "To His Coy Mistress" is full of hyperbole (or extreme exaggeration for poetic effect). The first lines that show this are:

I wouldLove you ten years before the flood,And you should, if you please, refuseTill the conversion of the Jews (7-10)

The flood that the speaker refers to here is the one in the Old Testament of the Bible, which Noah and his family lived through. The conversion of the...

The poem "To His Coy Mistress" is full of hyperbole (or extreme exaggeration for poetic effect). The first lines that show this are:

I would
Love you ten years before the flood,
And you should, if you please, refuse
Till the conversion of the Jews (7-10)

The flood that the speaker refers to here is the one in the Old Testament of the Bible, which Noah and his family lived through. The conversion of the Jews referred to is supposed to happen at the end of the world, when Jesus returns and the Jews all realize that Christians were right the whole time. In other words, the speaker would love his mistress for a long time.

He goes on to call it his "vegetable love" (11) and say it would grow more slowly than empires (12). The speaker goes on to talk about how long he would dwell on each part of his lady's body:

An hundred years should go to praise

Thine eyes, and on thy forehead gaze;

Two hundred to adore each breast,

But thirty thousand to the rest;

An age at least to every part,

And the last age should show your heart.

The speaker finishes off the stanza by declaring that this is what he would do, were it possible, because of how much he loves her and how she deserves it. Meanwhile, all of these lines are full of sexual innuendos and winking imagery.

However, the poem in its entirety is a syllogism, a logical argument with two things that are supposedly true, which together produce a conclusion. The first stanza supposes that the speaker should love his mistress in this elongated way in order to love her properly. The second stanza says that time is coming for them all and will kill them long before they get all that loving done. The obvious conclusion, then, is that the lady needs to just give in to the speaker's seduction, while they still can love each other.

What quotes show that Mildred changes Montag in any way in Fahrenheit 451?

Mildred’s suicide attempt and her subsequent isolation from reality help Montag change. 

Montag is a fireman.  His job is to find and burn books.  For most of his life, he has never questioned anything.  After his conversation with Clarisse, who asks him if he is happy, Montag begins to look at the world a little differently.  He begins to be more disturbed by his wife Mildred’s actions. 

Mildred lives a life of nothingness.  She...

Mildred’s suicide attempt and her subsequent isolation from reality help Montag change. 

Montag is a fireman.  His job is to find and burn books.  For most of his life, he has never questioned anything.  After his conversation with Clarisse, who asks him if he is happy, Montag begins to look at the world a little differently.  He begins to be more disturbed by his wife Mildred’s actions. 

Mildred lives a life of nothingness.  She makes herself comatose with pills, and listens to a seashell radio at night instead of being with her husband.  Her isolation and tomblike state starts to really get to Montag.  He feels as if he can’t breathe. 

The room was indeed empty. Every night the waves came in and bore her off on their great tides of sound, floating her, wide-eyed, toward morning. There had been no night in the last two years that Mildred had not swum that sea, had not gladly gone down in it for the third time. (Part I) 

Mildred has no personality.  She barely registers when Clarisse dies, and does not bother to tell her husband.  She either doesn’t realize that Clarisse is important to him or she simply forgets about it.  The only things that matter to her are her television and her radio. She lives a mind-numbingly meaningless existence. 

Due to the empty nature of everyone’s lives, suicide is very common in Montag’s society. When he finds Mildred has taken all of her pills to commit suicide, he is horrified by the impersonal nature of the experience. 

The entire operation was not unlike the digging of a trench in one's yard. The woman on the bed was no more than a hard stratum of marble they had reached. Go on, anyway, shove the bore down, slush up the emptiness, if such a thing could be brought out in the throb of the suction snake. (Part I) 

Mildred helps Montag realize that he really does need to change, and that his society needs to change.  When he steals a book, she seems to care little about it.  Books are not real, like the family.  Montag knows better.  He feels lost, and the books give him a sense of purpose.  Mildred certainly doesn’t. 

Mildred turns Montag in for having books, causing her own home to be burned and her husband to be arrested.  He feels betrayed, of course, but not surprised.  Montag kills Faber, his boss, and goes on the run.  Mildred has again reminded him of why he does not want to be a part of this world.

What is the relationship between Antigone and Ismene?

To answer simply, Antigone and Ismene are sisters. They are the sisters of Polynices and Eteocles, who die prior to the start of Antigone. They are the daughters of Oedipus, and Creon is their distant uncle. (I've attached a family tree in the link below.) 

At the start of the play, Antigone and Ismene squabble over Antigone's choice to bury Polyneices, who has been ordered by Creon to have a sky burial. (A sky burial...

To answer simply, Antigone and Ismene are sisters. They are the sisters of Polynices and Eteocles, who die prior to the start of Antigone. They are the daughters of Oedipus, and Creon is their distant uncle. (I've attached a family tree in the link below.) 

At the start of the play, Antigone and Ismene squabble over Antigone's choice to bury Polyneices, who has been ordered by Creon to have a sky burial. (A sky burial is when a body rots out in the open and is left to be consumed by animals, etc.) Antigone believes that Polyneices deserves a ritual burial, but Ismene is worried about disobeying Creon. These points of view speak volumes about Antigone and Ismene's characters. Antigone is rough and a leader, whereas Ismene prefers to follow and obey. However, despite their character differences, the sisters seem to have had a healthy and sisterly relationship in the past.  

How does Ralph change from the beginning to the end of the novel?

At the beginning of the novel, Ralph has hope and is encouraged that the group of boys will be able to survive and possibly be rescued. Ralph accepts the position as the group's leader and attempts to create rules and prioritize necessary tasks such as maintaining the signal fire, building shelters, and collecting water. As the novel progresses, Ralph begins to lose control and Jack usurps power. Many of the boys decide to join...

At the beginning of the novel, Ralph has hope and is encouraged that the group of boys will be able to survive and possibly be rescued. Ralph accepts the position as the group's leader and attempts to create rules and prioritize necessary tasks such as maintaining the signal fire, building shelters, and collecting water. As the novel progresses, Ralph begins to lose control and Jack usurps power. Many of the boys decide to join Jack's tribe and descend into savagery. Ralph struggles to regain his confidence and challenge Jack's tyrannical leadership. When Ralph is unable to regain favor with the boys and realizes that Jack's goal is to kill him, Ralph fights to survive. By the end of the novel, Ralph runs for his life as Jack and his tribe of savages hunt him through the forest. Fortunately, Ralph is saved when he runs into a Naval officer who is standing on the beach. At the end of the novel, Ralph loses all hope in humanity and cries for his friends who have lost their life.

Discuss the significance of developmental psychology to the teacher.

Developmental psychology is of prime importance to teachers.  Our knowledge of the developmental stages of our students enables us to tailor our curricula, our lessons, our teaching strategies, our assessments, and our expectations to the stages our students are in. People develop along different dimensions, cognitive, social, physical, and I like to add moral, so at any given moment, students may be highly developed in one dimension and not particularly developed in another.  All of...

Developmental psychology is of prime importance to teachers.  Our knowledge of the developmental stages of our students enables us to tailor our curricula, our lessons, our teaching strategies, our assessments, and our expectations to the stages our students are in. People develop along different dimensions, cognitive, social, physical, and I like to add moral, so at any given moment, students may be highly developed in one dimension and not particularly developed in another.  All of this must be taken into consideration by a teacher. Let me give you a few examples concerning cognitive development.

Jean Piaget was a theorist who offered a theory of cognitive development that is of great use to teachers. He posited that there were several stages children go through, and until they are at a particular stage of development, they are incapable of learning certain concepts. The most striking example of this for me is pouring water from a container of one shape and size to a container of another shape and size. Until a child has reached the concrete operational stage, the child will report that the second container holds a different quantity than the first. For a teacher to try to teach a child that there is a constancy in quantity is an impossibility until the child reaches that stage.  This theory has great utility, particularly for the elementary to middle-school teacher. 

Vygotsky had a concept he called the zone of proximal development (ZPG). This concept is equally useful to the teacher in planning and expectations.  The idea is that children's development always rests on what went before, such that if there are inadequate underpinnings of knowledge or experience, a new idea or experience cannot "stick." It has nothing to stick to! When we plan our teaching, we therefore do something called "scaffolding," to be sure that what we are presenting builds on knowledge and experience that is already there. Picture trying to build a third floor on a house if you have not built the first and second already.  Vygotsky's idea is that learning is like that, too, and that as students develop, we want to build on to what is present and push ahead just a little bit at a time developmentally. 

These are two of the developmental theory greats in education, but there are others as well, and no teacher should enter the classroom without some grounding in these important theories of development. 

Could you provide an example of an introductory paragraph discussing the play Julius Caesar?

Usually, introductory paragraphs provide context for an essay, and so they often go over major themes in a work of literature to ensure that the reader is up to date and ready to read your argument. The nature of this introductory paragraph will change depending on your thesis (the main idea/argument of your paper), but, for a general idea of how introductory paragraphs work, check out this example:

Shakespeare's Julius Caesaris at once a...

Usually, introductory paragraphs provide context for an essay, and so they often go over major themes in a work of literature to ensure that the reader is up to date and ready to read your argument. The nature of this introductory paragraph will change depending on your thesis (the main idea/argument of your paper), but, for a general idea of how introductory paragraphs work, check out this example:

Shakespeare's Julius Caesar is at once a brilliant tragedy and an interpretation of history. While the play chronicles the real historical downfall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire, Shakespeare fictionalizes the events to craft a gripping narrative exploring the tensions surrounding autocratic rule, democratic self-governance, selfless friendship, and political ambition. Indeed, Shakespeare's play ultimately succeeds in transcending its historical roots and providing a timeless mediation on the value and fragility of democracy, freedom, and friendship. 

As you can see, the above paragraph provides a general overview of the play. Normally, you'd end with your thesis statement. Hopefully this example will serve as a starting point in creating an introductory paragraph for your essay!

How far-fetched is Helena when she willingly offers herself to Demetrius?

Helena is not far-fetched at all when she willingly offers herself to Demetrius. She makes three moves: first, she tells Demetrius that Hermia is running into the woods with Lysander, second, she follows Demetrius into the woods, and third, she tells him he can beat her like a spaniel as long as she can be him. 

Starting with the third item, sadly, it's not far-fetched at all for women (and men) in love to be...

Helena is not far-fetched at all when she willingly offers herself to Demetrius. She makes three moves: first, she tells Demetrius that Hermia is running into the woods with Lysander, second, she follows Demetrius into the woods, and third, she tells him he can beat her like a spaniel as long as she can be him. 

Starting with the third item, sadly, it's not far-fetched at all for women (and men) in love to be willing to put up with all sorts of abuse to be with the beloved. We might not like it and might advise Helena not to be so abject, but what she does is hardly far-fetched, then or now.

As for following Demetrius into the woods: it seems irrational that she could expect to turn him away from Hermia and towards her, but the whole point of the play is that love is a crazy, irrational force that turns the reasonable world upside down. In the play, it takes a love potion to mix the lovers up, but in real life, we know that people fall in and out of love all the time, often with startling rapidity. So again, Helena is not entirely far-fetched to hope she might win Demetrius. 

Why did Shakespeare add the characters of Touchstone, Jaques and Audrey to As You Like It and how can they be seen as both important and unimportant?

These characters all serve a purpose in the play and it would be difficult to imagine As You Like It without them. Jacques is a melancholy philosopher, a character type who is often seen in Shakespeare's comedies, who lends an air of cynicism and stark reality to situations that might otherwise be romanticized. Jacques has been living in the Forest of Arden in exile with the Duke, and so serves as a kind of guide to life in the forest when the visitors from court arrive.

Touchstone, the court's "fool" who accompanies Rosalind and Celia on their journey to the Forest of Arden, adds a comic flair, with his efforts to find the humor in every situation. He is knowledgeable of the ways of the court, which he takes pleasure in being part of, but also mocks it when the occasion suits him. Still, he finds the forest and its rural inhabitants charming, and he woos the country wench Audrey.

Audrey is uneducated and claims to not understand many of the words Touchstone uses, but she serves as a character who reminds us of the simple pleasures of life in nature, and provides a sort of bridge between the worlds of the court and the forest. Her decision to marry Touchstone and return to court with him is symbolic of the influence that the ways of the forest have had on the travelers who spend time there, and its lasting impact upon their lives.

The idea that these characters might be "unimportant" lies in the fact that they are relatively minor characters. However, in many of Shakespeare's plays, minor characters are some of the most memorable ones, and often say remarkable things or inspire curiosity. Sometimes they are even the subject of their own stories, as when Tom Stoppard wrote the play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, which imagines what takes place in the world of these very minor characters in Hamlet). Sometimes minor characters have memorable speeches; think of Mercutio babbling about Queen Mab in Romeo and Juliet. Jacques' "seven ages of man" soliloquy in this play is one of the most famous passages in all of Shakespeare's work.

How would one summarize chapters 1-5 of Avi's The Man Who Was Poe?

To write a summary, we pick out and explain the most important details of a work. To summarize a work of fiction, we want to focus on describing the most important details of the plot, which include the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Since chapters 1-5 occur at the beginning of Avi's The Man Who Was Poe, these chapters will only be a part of the exposition and the ...

To write a summary, we pick out and explain the most important details of a work. To summarize a work of fiction, we want to focus on describing the most important details of the plot, which include the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Since chapters 1-5 occur at the beginning of Avi's The Man Who Was Poe, these chapters will only be a part of the exposition and the rising action. Authors use the exposition of a story to lay out for the reader the setting, characters, and conflicts.

In the prologue of the story, we were introduced to the protagonist, Edmund, and told the central conflict is that his sister, called Sis, has gone missing. In the first chapter, we are introduced to another important character, a writer who is currently broke and behaves a bit strangely. The writer is later identified as Edgar Allan Poe; however, he introduces himself to Edmund as Auguste Dupin, who is actually a detective character Poe created for a series of his short stories. In this opening chapter, Mr. Dupin and Edmund meet for the first time, and Edmund tells him about his Aunt Pru and Sis having gone missing and asks for help, having no one else to turn to.

In the second chapter, Avi begins to develop more rising action. The term rising action refers to all events in a story that lead to the story's climax, the turning point of the story. One important moment of rising action is that Mr. Dupin and Edmund together learn that the body of Edmund's Aunt Pru has been discovered by authorities at the docks.

Rising action continues to develop in chapters 4 and 5. In these chapters, Edmund explains why he and his family came to America and that, each day, his aunt searched the town for Edmund's missing mother. Edmund and Mr. Dupin also go investigate the room in the neighboring building to discover a wooden plank by the window and a "pearl button" Edmund says came from his sister's shoes (46). These clues convince Dupin that Sis was kidnapped, forcibly taken from one room into the next through the windows, using the plank as a bridge.

Does the play progress steadily from the beginning or does it open with some event?

The drama does progress steadily beginning with Act 1, Scene 1, when the Weird Sisters plan their meeting with Macbeth.  The first witch asks her sisters when they will all meet again, and the second witch states that it will be after the battle is over; she is referring to the battle in which Macbeth is fighting currently.  First witch wants to know where, and the second says they will meet on the heath, and...

The drama does progress steadily beginning with Act 1, Scene 1, when the Weird Sisters plan their meeting with Macbeth.  The first witch asks her sisters when they will all meet again, and the second witch states that it will be after the battle is over; she is referring to the battle in which Macbeth is fighting currently.  First witch wants to know where, and the second says they will meet on the heath, and the third says that this is where they will meet with Macbeth.  In the final lines of the scene, they chant, "Fair is foul, and foul is fair," implying that, at that point, what seems good will actually be bad, and what seems bad will truly be good (1.1.13).  Macbeth's transformation from a loyal and true friend and kinsman to the king into a treacherous and traitorous murderer is initiated by his meeting with the Weird Sisters, but their planning of this meeting (as well as the fact that they seem to anticipate manipulating Macbeth) in the first scene helps to ignite the drama right away.

What are 2 of your least favorite parts of The Outsiders by S.E Hilton?

A reader's two least favorite parts of The Outsiders will be different for different readers.  Your teacher likely does not care which two parts that you pick.  Almost guaranteed, you are going to be asked why those two parts are your least favorite parts of the book.  Only you can answer that, because your feelings and attitudes about the book are likely very different from mine.  

Perhaps you do not like the scenes where...

A reader's two least favorite parts of The Outsiders will be different for different readers.  Your teacher likely does not care which two parts that you pick.  Almost guaranteed, you are going to be asked why those two parts are your least favorite parts of the book.  Only you can answer that, because your feelings and attitudes about the book are likely very different from mine.  

Perhaps you do not like the scenes where Ponyboy and Cherry are talking together.  You might not like those scenes, because you do not believe that Cherry would be talking to Pony in the first place.  

Perhaps your least favorite part is when Johnny dies, because you really liked Johnny.  Or maybe you really liked Dally, so your least favorite part is when he dies.  

Or maybe your least favorite part is when Ponyboy reads Gone with the Wind to Johnny, because it makes the boys look not tough. 

As long as you can defend your choice, you should be good to go for this question. 

Why is the story "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" a frame narrative?

This humorous story by Mark Twain is considered a frame narrative because it consists of a story within a story. The outer story, the frame story, is the story of the narrator's interaction with Simon Wheeler. This story has its own conflict--the narrator vs. Simon Wheeler--and its own story arc. The inciting incident is where the narrator meets Simon Wheeler as a result of a friend's practical joke. The action rises when Wheeler backs the narrator into a corner and starts assailing him with his "monotonous narrative." The "inside story" that Wheeler tells is part of the rising action of the outside story. The climax of the outside story comes when Wheeler is called away, allowing the narrator to make his getaway, and the falling action is when he says his good-bye to the "good-natured, garrulous" old man. 

Within that frame, there is another story, and that is the tale told by Simon Wheeler. While Wheeler has his listener "blockaded ... with his chair," he tells the story of Jim Smiley, a man who was "always betting on anything." The rising action occurs as various exploits of Smiley are related, including his general proclivity for gambling, his wins and losses with his "fifteen-minute nag," his bull-pup Andrew Jackson, and finally his frog, Dan'l Webster. The incident of Dan'l Webster with the stranger brings this story to its climax as the stranger wins the bet by deceit. The falling action is when Smiley figures out the stranger has filled his frog with buckshot and goes after the "feller, but he never ketched him." 

From the resolution of the Jim Smiley story, the narrative returns to the outer frame story of the narrator and Simon Wheeler, feeding right into the climax of that story. Because it contains two stories in one, an inner story and an outer story, this story qualifies as a frame narrative.

How well prepared was the US. to project power beyond its borders in 1898?

The United States had been preparing to enter the world stage in the late 1800s. We had been expanding on the North American continent by annexing Texas, splitting the Oregon Country with Great Britain, and fighting the Mexican-American War with Mexico. By 1853, we had expanded our country from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. We also developed our country economically. With people moving westward, businesses followed. This allowed our economy to grow.

By...

The United States had been preparing to enter the world stage in the late 1800s. We had been expanding on the North American continent by annexing Texas, splitting the Oregon Country with Great Britain, and fighting the Mexican-American War with Mexico. By 1853, we had expanded our country from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. We also developed our country economically. With people moving westward, businesses followed. This allowed our economy to grow.

By the 1890s, we wanted to expand beyond our borders. We were looking for an opportunity to gain land. When the opportunity presented itself, we went to war with Spain over Cuba in the Spanish-American War. We were fairly well prepared to fight this war. Our military had increased, and we felt confident in going to war. It should be noted that we went to war against Spain, which was declining as a world power. We were able to defeat the Spanish fairly easily, giving our people and our country more confidence. It might have been a different story if we were fighting a stronger country. We also spent several years trying to deal with the uprising of the people of the Philippines who didn’t want us to rule them. This showed us that being a world power would require us to have a strong military presence worldwide.

Between 1899-1907, we took steps to strengthen ourselves even more. We sent our newly built navy around the world, and we intervened in countries such as China, Panama, and the Dominican Republic. The confidence we gained by winning the Spanish-American War was clearly growing. While we were fairly well prepared to fight the Spanish-American War, we also realized we needed to become even more prepared to remain on the world stage as a world power.

In "The Monkey's Paw," from when they first hear the knocking up to when the husband ran outside to a quiet and deserted road, how does the writer...

Suspense is created by Mr. White’s desperation to get his wife’s wish cancelled with his wish.

Suspense is excitement created by the reader knowing that something is going to happen.  The author gives hints and uses foreshadowing to create interest in the story.  It can also make the story scary.

This story is about a talisman that gives a person three wishes, but is cursed.  The Whites use the first wish to ask for money,...

Suspense is created by Mr. White’s desperation to get his wife’s wish cancelled with his wish.

Suspense is excitement created by the reader knowing that something is going to happen.  The author gives hints and uses foreshadowing to create interest in the story.  It can also make the story scary.

This story is about a talisman that gives a person three wishes, but is cursed.  The Whites use the first wish to ask for money, and they get it.  However, the catch is that their son dies a horrible death.  The knocking at the door is the White’s dead mangled son Herbert, brought back to life.  Mrs. White brought him back to life with the second of her wishes, supposedly.  Suspense is created by the fact that we never see what he looks like, and by Mr. White’s reaction to her wish.

The old man, with an unspeakable sense of relief at the failure of the talisman, crept back back to his bed, and a minute afterward the old woman came silently and apathetically beside him.

Mr. White’s comment that a rat passed him on the stairs, and his insistence that they not let “it” in both create suspense.  His wife is shouting.  It is scary and we feel like something terrible is about to happen.

Mr. White desperately tries to find the paw to make the third wish.  He does not want his wife to see their son.  He does not want to see him either.  He knows that she will not see what she expects to see.  She is sick with grief.  Seeing him, whatever will be at the door, will kill her.  He desperately wants to prevent that.

But her husband was on his hands and knees groping wildly on the floor in search of the paw. If only he could find it before the thing outside got in.

When Mr. White goes out to the street, it is empty.  We are relieved that no one was there, and the third wish worked, presumably.  Maybe the second wish didn’t work and the person knocking at the door just went away.  Either way, Mrs. White never saw a mangled zombie Herbert.  The suspense for the reader came from expecting to see one.

What is the moral of the story "The Country of the Blind"?

I can think of three possible morals to the story “The Country of the Blind.”

Don’t judge a book by its cover. Or: don’t presuppose that you know everything about a person, just because you know recognize one important feature. Nunez is a sighted man, and he lands in a village where everyone is blind. He immediately believes he’s got an advantage over them. He thinks he can tell them about the outside world and what it looks like. But they’ve developed their own culture and system of beliefs. He learns the hard way that in the Country of the Blind, the one-eyed man can never be King.

It was marvelous with what confidence and precision they went about their ordered world. Everything, you see, had been made to fit their needs.

This advice works both ways. The villagers should not assume that Nunez is a totally different kind of being, with the raw intelligence of a mere child, just because he uses words like “see” and “blind.”

Embrace diversity and tolerance. This advice follows on the first, and again, it works both ways. Nunez could be more tolerant of the villagers at first. They, in turn, could allow him to be different and to keep his eyes.

Slowly Nunez realized this; that his expectation of wonder and reverence at his origin and his gifts was not to be borne out; and after his poor attempt to explain sight to them had been set aside as the confused version of a new-made being describing the marvels of his incoherent sensations, he subsided, a little dashed, into listening to their instruction.

Be true to yourself. Sight is important to Nunez. More important than love, as it turns out. The young woman he’s fallen in love with, Medina-sarote, expects him to have the surgery to remove his eyes, so that he can be cured of his idiocy.

“They will hurt you but little,” she said; “and you are going through this pain – you are going through it, dear lover, for me. … Dear, if a woman’s heart and life can do it, I will repay you. My dearest one, my dearest with the tender voice, I will repay.”

But just because a loved one asks, and just because each individual gives up a little something in order to become part of a couple, doesn’t mean you must ever abandon who you are at your core. Nunez realizes this in the end.

In what ways does race shape Hurston's sense of identity?

In her 1928 essay, How it Feels to be Colored Me, Zora Neale Hurston describes her relationship with her racial identity, with special consideration for the changes that occurred after her mother's death. As a child in the post-Emancipation, pre-Civil Rights South, Hurston lived a relatively protected and happy life. She grew up in an all-Black town in Florida and so was spared the kind of oppression and violence which was commonplace in other parts...

In her 1928 essay, How it Feels to be Colored Me,  Zora Neale Hurston describes her relationship with her racial identity, with special consideration for the changes that occurred after her mother's death. As a child in the post-Emancipation, pre-Civil Rights South, Hurston lived a relatively protected and happy life. She grew up in an all-Black town in Florida and so was spared the kind of oppression and violence which was commonplace in other parts of the country. After her mother's death, Hurston was sent to a boarding school where for the first time, she was keenly aware of the oppression of Black Americans and what this meant as a lived reality. 

Though Hurston came to understand that others saw her as "Colored" and that this had societal connotations, she wrote in her essay that she does not always feel Colored. Hurston did not feel that she embodied the sort of tragic, sorrowful reality Colored people were associated with. It was only in the context of other people seeing her as Colored that race played a part in her identity. In fact, Hurston was quite defiant of the idea that her skin color somehow demanded a tragic existence. 

How does the beginning of the story relate to the end of the story?

We absolutely require the information at the beginning of the story to understand what has happened to Peyton Farquhar at the end of the story.  In the final lines, his neck is snapped by the noose with which he is hanged, and his body swings from the rope beneath the titular bridge.  The first part of the story introduces us to Farquhar's immediate circumstances: that his hands are tied behind his back and that a...

We absolutely require the information at the beginning of the story to understand what has happened to Peyton Farquhar at the end of the story.  In the final lines, his neck is snapped by the noose with which he is hanged, and his body swings from the rope beneath the titular bridge.  The first part of the story introduces us to Farquhar's immediate circumstances: that his hands are tied behind his back and that a rope is wrapped around his neck.  We learn in Part I that this man is being hanged, the location of the execution, as well as the thoughts he attempts to focus on as he awaits the fatal drop.  As he tries to think of his wife and family, time seems to slow down.  The intervals between the ticking of the second hand on his watch get longer and longer, and the last line of the section indicates that Farquhar has begun to fall: "The sergeant stepped aside."  Therefore, the board which was supporting Farquhar can no longer support him because there is no weight on the other end.  This helps us to understand, later, that the entirety of Part III was occurring in Farquhar's head and not in reality.

How did the American preacher Jonathan Edwards’s preaching style compare with the British preacher George Whitefield’s?

Both men preached in a style that appealed to the hearts and the emotions of their congregations. They used vivid imagery (Edwards famously compared the souls of men to spiders dangling from a thread over a pit of fire) and a pathos-laden delivery to drive home a more or less shared message: that people had turned their backs on God in the pursuit of worldly things. They also shared a critique of the Enlightenment-era rationalism...

Both men preached in a style that appealed to the hearts and the emotions of their congregations. They used vivid imagery (Edwards famously compared the souls of men to spiders dangling from a thread over a pit of fire) and a pathos-laden delivery to drive home a more or less shared message: that people had turned their backs on God in the pursuit of worldly things. They also shared a critique of the Enlightenment-era rationalism that they saw as to some extent incompatible with Christian faith. Their theology was mostly similar--both preached that people were inherently sinful and that only God's mercy could save their unworthy souls. While both men preached in a fiery, emotional manner, Whitefield took it to new extremes, and was perhaps the first man in American history who could legitimately be called a celebrity. Unlike Edwards, who preached in traditional church settings, Whitefield preached wherever he could, delivering sermons from stages set up on town greens, in marketplaces and courthouses, and other public spaces in England and the colonies. 

In Fahrenheit 451, what would be the significance of the allusion "How many copies of Shakespeare and Plato"?

Guy Montag is a fireman who burns books for a living; however, after some experiences that have lead him to question his job, he starts collecting and reading books. After a few life-changing experiences, he decides to seek some help in understanding why books are so important from an old English professor named Faber. He had met Faber a year prior to his phone call for help. They had shared an hour on a park...

Guy Montag is a fireman who burns books for a living; however, after some experiences that have lead him to question his job, he starts collecting and reading books. After a few life-changing experiences, he decides to seek some help in understanding why books are so important from an old English professor named Faber. He had met Faber a year prior to his phone call for help. They had shared an hour on a park bench discussing poetry. Faber gave Montag his card if he ever wanted to contact him for anything else, so he finally decides to call him. When Montag asks, "How many copies of Shakespeare and Plato?" (76) he wants to know how rare the books he has in his possession are. The allusion is that these books are important and Montag probably has them. Captain Beatty, Montag's boss, expects him to return a book that he took from the previous night's burning, but he can't decide which one would be the best one to keep and which one he should return to his boss. So, he calls Faber.

By asking Faber how rare certain books like Shakespeare are, he's narrowing down which ones the government would have been most likely to burn first because of how important they were. For example, if the government allowed a few copies of Shakespeare to float around society, but not the Bible, then he would want to keep the Bible and hand over Shakespeare to his boss. He might figure that he could find Shakespeare later if he gives that one up to his boss, now. The answer, however, is that Faber has seen neither Shakespeare or Plato in years.

What is one benefit of genetically modified foods?

Though genetic modification has been a subject of heated debate for some time, almost every food humans eat has been genetically modified in some way. By the time humans began practicing agriculture around 12,000 years ago, genetic modification was already well under way. When our ancestors were foraging for foods, they chose those which looked best to them. After processing these foods, seeds were discarded and might germinate for the next year. Lucky them--a new,...

Though genetic modification has been a subject of heated debate for some time, almost every food humans eat has been genetically modified in some way. By the time humans began practicing agriculture around 12,000 years ago, genetic modification was already well under way. When our ancestors were foraging for foods, they chose those which looked best to them. After processing these foods, seeds were discarded and might germinate for the next year. Lucky them--a new, preferable specimen of their food would be growing right near their living space! In this way, humans initially did not deliberately make changes to their foodstuffs. When we caught on to what we were doing, agriculture really took off. Wheat kernels became fatter and more nutritious, cows were made more docile, and plants like the apple began their journey towards becoming the sweet, shiny fruits we know today.

All agricultural crops are genetically modified in the sense that humans have deliberately chosen what kind of traits they wanted to be expressed in the food they were growing. The same is true for all domesticated species of animals. Unless you regularly forage for wild plants and hunt wild animals, all of the food you eat is technically genetically modified. The benefit here is that our deliberate modifications of foods make them easier for us to grow and more pleasurable to eat! For the plants, there is the benefit of getting to pass on their genes to a new generation.

The subject of genetic modification has certainly taken on deeper difficulties and implications as technology has advanced to the point where we may now make genome-level changes to foods. Several years ago, the company Monsanto released a bio-engineered (not just genetically modified) potato called the NewLeaf. These potatoes have been given a gene which produces a toxin in the leaves and tubers that helps to repel and kill beetles which might be interested in munching on the potato plant. This sounds great for farmers because a naturally pesticidal potato means having to spray less pesticide on the plants themselves. However, many consumers and farmers alike are wary of using such a genetically modified crop. Some things to consider with the NewLeaf and other genetically modified foods are what the long-term effects on consumers will be and any potential disruption to the ecosystem. While the NewLeaf potatoes kill off any hungry beetles, this could be putting a dent in a food source for the creatures which typically eat those beetles. We should also consider what might happen to the animals which do eat the beetles, and what will happen to people who eat these pesticidal potatoes. 

Genetic modification of food, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. However, as we continue emerging into a new age of agricultural engineering, we should think carefully and critically about the foods that are coming into existence.

In "Eve's Apology in Defense of Women," what does Amelia Lanyer mean when she says, "If eve did err, it was for knowledge' sake"?

In order to get at what Lanyer is saying, we must first examine the context of the quote. Remember that the Church systematically used the Biblical story of The Fall (Adam and Eve's fall from grace in Genesis) to justify it's classification of women as the weaker sex and the reason for Adam's downfall, while excusing Adam's role entirely. (It's also interesting to note that Lanyer published this poem in the same year that the King James Version of the Bible was published.) 

Lanyer turns this interpretation on its head. She points out that while Eve clearly made a mistake, the man was even more culpable. He was (presumably) stronger than she was (line 3), the ultimate earthly "Lord" (4), created first and most perfect (9-10), and had learned from God himself that if he ate of the fruit, he would surely die (while Eve had this information only through Adam) (11-12). Eve was beguiled by the serpent, but all it took for him was for Eve to offer him an apple (22-3)! Just how strong was he, anyhow? 

Lanyer is using subtle yet powerful satire to expose the silliness of the Church's traditional take on the story, a gutsy thing for a woman at that time to do. They lay all the blame on Eve ("on Patience' back," 17) while letting Adam off the hook.* 

* Note that God didn't let Adam off. The Church essentially did, though, by emphasizing how woman was the reason for man's downfall. 

So: 

If Eve did err, it was for knowledge' sake, 
The fruit being fair persuaded him to fall....

She's already pointed out that Adam was "born" first. He's older and wiser and made perfect by God, presumably. Eve at least had a good reason to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil: she did it to learn, to be wiser. The man, though? He did it because she just handed him the fruit. (Again...how weak and stupid is this man, anyway?)

She points out the ultimate irony in the last two lines:  

Yet Men will boast of Knowledge, which he took 
    From Eve's fair hand, as from a learned Book.

Remember that women were systematically barred from education in Lanyer's time; she was an exception to the rule. They were considered not only the weaker sex, but the dumber one, as well. So here, we have more satire that reinforces the power of the line you asked about: Isn't it funny how men talk about how smart they are (and how dumb women are) when in fact it was Eve who ate first--and she had a reasonable motivation, remember: knowledge--and man ate second (with little or no motivation)? 

How do fetal surgeons use Pythagorean theorem?

Fetal surgeons perform fetal surgery. Fetal surgery is defined as the use of any of a broad range of surgical techniques  used to treat birth defects in fetuses who are still in the pregnant uterus. 

Pythagorean theorem states that the square of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides in a right angle triangle. 

In open fetal surgery, the surgeon is required in make an incision in...

Fetal surgeons perform fetal surgery. Fetal surgery is defined as the use of any of a broad range of surgical techniques  used to treat birth defects in fetuses who are still in the pregnant uterus. 

Pythagorean theorem states that the square of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides in a right angle triangle. 

In open fetal surgery, the surgeon is required in make an incision in the lower abdomen in the lower abdomen in order to access the uterus. This way the uterus can be partially or completely removed from the womb to solve the problematic defects in the fetus such as spina bifida and other problems. Now the pythagorean theorem is an effective method for determing the right incision site as well as the location of the defect in the fetus. 

What is the significance of Mrs. Mitty's presence in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty?

The Mittys do not have a dysfunctional marriage but a marriage that is symbiotic. They really need each other. Walter Mitty is so introverted and so absent-minded that he would find it hard to take care of himself. He would not be living in a rural setting in Connecticut if he were single. He would be living in a Manhattan apartment or residential hotel. Mrs. Mitty is an anchor. She makes all the important decisions, but she is dependent on her husband in many ways. These people are typical of the Manhattanites who were starting an exodus to outlying regions because the city was becoming too stressful, too dangerous, too expensive, too crowded, too noisy, and a lot of other things. Real estate in the surrounding country was cheap before and for a while after World War II. Automobiles were becoming more dependable and roads were becoming better. It is appropriate that "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" opens with the couple traveling in a car. Automobiles were reshaping America.

Mrs. Mitty depends on her husband to take her into Waterbury for her weekly hair appointments and shopping errands. The overt action in the story all takes place because of her requirements. Mitty is a chauffeur. He spends much of his time just waiting. He waits for her in the hotel lobby, and he is waiting for her at the end when he imagines that he is waiting to get shot by a firing squad.

Mrs. Mitty is useful for storytelling purposes. She makes it possible for Thurber to convey information through dialogue rather than straight prose exposition. She creates some drama through her bickering with her husband. She gives the reader a perspective on Walter Mitty which might be missed if we only knew him through his fantasies. The story would be less interesting if it were mainly told as an interior monologue. The minor ongoing conflict between husband and wife makes the story dramatic. 

"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" seems autobiographical. James Thurber was married twice. He was introverted and eccentric, and he capitalized on his eccentricities by working them into stories, essays, and highly unusual cartoons which made him one of the most popular humorists of all time. One of his favorite subjects is the relations between married couples.

What would be considered a cash cow for St. Jude's Children's Hospital?

To preface this complex question, the unique operating structure of St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital must first be addressed.  Unlike other hospitals and medical centers, St. Jude’s receives the majority of its financial support through public donations.  Indeed, an estimated 75% of contributions stem from private parties, with an estimated 12% coming from insurance companies, and another 10% coming from federal and association research grants.  With a budgeted daily operating cost of $2.2 million dollars, St....

To preface this complex question, the unique operating structure of St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital must first be addressed.  Unlike other hospitals and medical centers, St. Jude’s receives the majority of its financial support through public donations.  Indeed, an estimated 75% of contributions stem from private parties, with an estimated 12% coming from insurance companies, and another 10% coming from federal and association research grants.  With a budgeted daily operating cost of $2.2 million dollars, St. Jude relies heavily upon external contributions, as patients of St. Jude’s never receive a bill for treatments, travel, housing or food.  This means that St. Jude’s does not have the steady revenue stream of most research hospitals with charge-back policies.   

By definition, a “cash cow” is an entity that generates reliable revenue for a business or institution that exceeds the total amount of funds required to maintain daily operations.  The key word in the definition is reliable.  Public donations are often intermittent, varying in amounts and times, making it difficult for St. Jude’s to rely on fixed quarterly amounts.  Thus, two potential “cash cow” solutions are listed below.

1. 
   National Institutes of Health (NIH) Pediatric Research Grants.  Although St. Jude’s only receives 10% of funding from grants, if this percentage were to increase, St. Jude’s would have a more reliable budget for daily operations.  The NIH is the nation’s medical research agency that is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  Therefore, it is federally backed, making its financial contributions more steady.  Further, the NIH helps connect research initiatives across the country, which in turn accelerates the progress of research and treatment solutions.  This solution would not only increase financial revenue, but would enhance the research programs at St. Jude’s.

1. 
   Development of Market Brands Specifically for St. Jude’s.  This “cash cow” solution hinges on the ability of St. Jude’s to gain support from mega-consumer corporations, such as McDonalds, Walmart, Macy’s, and C.V.S.  In this campaign, each corporation would have a high-in-demand product that is consistently bought by consumers and would designate a portion of the profit generated by that product to go to St. Jude’s.  For example, if McDonalds gave $0.05 of every fry sold or if Walmart gave $0.10 of every Walmart-brand Great Value paper towels sold to St. Jude’s, St. Jude’s would in turn have a steady stream of revenue.  Indeed, this idea does require the corporations to accept St. Jude’s as their philanthropic agency, but, if there is a program such as this in place, the corporations could focus on one amazing philanthropic opportunity while providing considerable financial support.  Also, this would work both ways.  A consumer is more likely to purchase a brand that gives back to those in need, thereby increasing the corporation’s sales.

What is the revolving period of Venus?

In order to find the rotation of a planet, near daily information should be taken of a planet through an intense telescope capable of following a specific reference point on a planet. This works for most planets except Venus, which has such a dense atmosphere that it is impossible to see any surface structures through the thick acid clouds. To find the rotational speed of the planet Vesto Slipher, an American born astronomer, used spectroscopy...

In order to find the rotation of a planet, near daily information should be taken of a planet through an intense telescope capable of following a specific reference point on a planet. This works for most planets except Venus, which has such a dense atmosphere that it is impossible to see any surface structures through the thick acid clouds. To find the rotational speed of the planet Vesto Slipher, an American born astronomer, used spectroscopy which allowed him to see how light was filtered through the atmosphere and found that the rotation was extremely slow, shorter in fact than the time it took to orbit once around the Sun! Later in the 1970's NASA sent probes to the surface that were able to "see" the surface using radio waves and even one that could land on the surface of the planet. This last probe found our now accepted rotational speed for Venus of 243.02 Earth Days, the slowest of any planet in our solar system.

Another great way to learn more about Celestial bodies is to check NASA websites or books at your local library. NASA is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to different stars, planets, and other space structures. 

Why was Holden "sort of crying" when he left Pencey?

At the beginning of The Catcher in the Rye,Holden Caulfield has been kicked out of his third school for failing classes, and he has a few days before he's expected home. Rather than wait until he is scheduled to go home, he spontaneously decides to hop a train to New York, get a cheap hotel, and wait until his parents get the news before showing up at his home. As he is packing to...

At the beginning of The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield has been kicked out of his third school for failing classes, and he has a few days before he's expected home. Rather than wait until he is scheduled to go home, he spontaneously decides to hop a train to New York, get a cheap hotel, and wait until his parents get the news before showing up at his home. As he is packing to leave, the stress and reality of the situation start to sink in. He becomes very "lonesome" and can't stand waiting for the bad news to reach his parents. He also starts thinking about his mother. He packs a pair of skates that she bought for him, but they are hockey skates and he wanted the racing variety. He says at this point, "Almost every time somebody gives me a present, it ends up making me sad" (52).

Holden is sad, lonely and facing more shame about being kicked out of Pencey. All of these emotionally charged factors are bound to overwhelm a guy at some point. He describes his exit as follows:

"When I was all set to go, when I had my bags and all, I stood for a while next to the stairs and took a last look down the goddam corridor. I was sort of crying. I don't know why. I put my red hunting hat on, and turned the peak around to the back, the way I liked it, and then I yelled at the top of my goddam voice, "Sleep tight, ya morons!" (52).

Holden doesn't have a best friend, a reason to stay, or a reason to go. He can't stay at school and he doesn't feel like he can go home. He's probably feeling scared about the future and fearful for the consequences that await him. Holden cries because the seriousness of his school situation, his frustrating life, and his feelings of depression and loneliness all crash down on him at once.

Do you think the toad will laugh at Winnie and think she is a coward? Why is she concerned about its reaction?

This question may sound funny at first, but recall that Winnie is an only child and very lonely, and in Chapter 3 we see that she speaks to the toad and confides in him. She even imagines that he might be listening to her and reacting to her. By promising him that she'll do "something interesting—something that's all [hers,]" she feels a sort of obligation to prove herself to that toad.

As readers, we can sympathize with Winnie's loneliness, boredom, and longing for adventure like in her storybooks. It's understandable that she's thinking of running away from home.

Now let's skip over to Chapter 5, when Winnie wakes up and realizes she's too scared to actually run away. Her "imagination supplied the horrors" of what might happen to her while she's out in the real world by herself. She decides not to leave. Here are Winnie's thoughts in that moment:

"Still, it was galling, this having to admit she was afraid. And when she remembered the toad, she felt even more disheartened. What if the toad should be out by the fence again today? What if he should laugh at her secretly and think she was a coward?"

So, do we readers think the toad will laugh at her and think she's a coward?

Realistically, no. The toad probably doesn't care at all. He's a toad. He probably wasn't paying attention to Winnie during their "conversation" and can't even understand English.

But if you've got a vivid imagination like Winnie does, then maybe so. Maybe the toad heard Winnie's resolve and felt her determination, and now when he learns about her failure to follow through, he'll shun her and think she's nothing but a scared little girl.

Why is Winnie concerned about the toad's reaction?

The toad is all she's got. If she had friends, or siblings, she'd naturally worry about what they'd say when she failed to do the risky thing she said she would do. So instead, Winnie worries about what the toad will think. In this way, the toad is simply an extension of herself, of her own mind, and so you might say that she fears her own self-reproof.

Or, you might say that by making the promise to the toad, she made it more real than if she'd only thought of it in her own mind. Breaking that promise is a big deal, then, so she worries about the consequences.