How is Pi extraordinary? |

Pi is extraordinary in both his childhood experiences and his own personality. First, just the name of his childhood home, Pondicherry, is whimsical. His childhood seems almost magical, growing up in a zoo where he muses on the ideas of man and the natural world while wandering the beautiful environments and exhibits of the zoo. He also is growing up in India, a dynamic country filled with diverse ideas. Pi takes in all it has...

Pi is extraordinary in both his childhood experiences and his own personality. First, just the name of his childhood home, Pondicherry, is whimsical. His childhood seems almost magical, growing up in a zoo where he muses on the ideas of man and the natural world while wandering the beautiful environments and exhibits of the zoo. He also is growing up in India, a dynamic country filled with diverse ideas. Pi takes in all it has to offer, taking on his family's Hindu faith, as well as Christianity and Islam and tempering his spirituality with an appreciation for rationalism and science.

Pi's personality is equally extraordinary. He has positivity and warmth in abundance and comes across as very wise, even as a child. When the various religious leaders fight in the street and each try to claim Pi for their own religion, he declares that he just wants to "love God," putting everyone in their place simply and gently. 

It is exactly these extraordinary qualities that help Pi survive in the raft at sea. He experiences the deep suffering he learned from Christianity and the rituals of his Hindu faith are reflected in the daily chores he does to stay alive. He uses the knowledge he learned from his father to deal with the animals (or deal with the humans as if they were animals, depending on which story you believe) and eventually tames Richard Parker. Pi's extraordinary nature allows him to survive his ordeal, and yet his survival makes him even more extraordinary. 

In Act II of The Crucible, before Reverend Hale enters, how do the stage directions impact the play's characters and the plot? If this act were...

The stage directions in Act II help us to understand not only how hard the Proctors are trying to move on with their lives but also how there is still quite a wedge between them.  For example, Elizabeth's attention to John while he eats his dinner shows how much she's trying to please him: she "blush[es] with pleasure" when he compliments the stew.  However, the fact that he had to season it himself...

The stage directions in Act II help us to understand not only how hard the Proctors are trying to move on with their lives but also how there is still quite a wedge between them.  For example, Elizabeth's attention to John while he eats his dinner shows how much she's trying to please him: she "blush[es] with pleasure" when he compliments the stew.  However, the fact that he had to season it himself before she entered the room shows he did not want to hurt her feelings by implying that it wasn't done to his liking.  As he's eating, "He gets up, goes to her, kisses her.  She receives it.  With a certain disappointment, he returns to the table."  John is clearly trying to make amends with his wife and show her that he loves her, but she seems to hold on to some negative feelings; either she's still angry with him or hurt (or both).  Such directions help us to quickly understand the emotional distance between the Proctors caused by John's affair with Abigail, even before their language shows us.  It does not take long for their mutual anger to bubble over and result in raised voices, Elizabeth "trembling" and John "turning on her."  

If this act were written in novel form, the amount of difference between the two would have a great deal to do with who narrates.  If we have a first-person narrator -- John or Elizabeth -- then the audience would get a lot of information about the thoughts and feelings of that character; we would hear his or her side in those thoughts and thus be more likely to side with them.  However, as it is now, I think we tend to sympathize with and fault them equally.  If we had a third-person limited narrator, the change would be similar.  On the other hand, if we had a third-person omniscient narrator, one who knows the thoughts and feelings of all the characters, I would anticipate an onslaught of information from both characters -- their thoughts and feelings must be wild and scattered and coming quickly -- and so this would lengthen the narrative and slow down the pace of the story, which is not desirable in a scene like this that builds tension for the audience.  

What is E. E. Cummings' style? |

First, while it is true that Cummings wrote his own name without punctuation or capitalization (e e cummings), it has become common practice for scholars to normalize the form when citing or referring to him. The oddness of this practice is emblematic of his style; he simplified the verbal expression of his poems as one way to signify the essence, rather than the appearance, of his ideas. Further, his grammar is intentionally contra-normal, again to...

First, while it is true that Cummings wrote his own name without punctuation or capitalization (e e cummings), it has become common practice for scholars to normalize the form when citing or referring to him. The oddness of this practice is emblematic of his style; he simplified the verbal expression of his poems as one way to signify the essence, rather than the appearance, of his ideas. Further, his grammar is intentionally contra-normal, again to express something more than simple meaning. For example, when he says

“in Just-

spring          when the world is mud-

luscious the little

lame balloonman”

he is making a subtle point: Spring has a brief but notable beginning, a texture, a “personality.” Likewise, the arrangement of his lines (entirely unorthodox) allows the reader to visualize the delicate moment of Spring (and in the complete poem’s contour, the shape of Bacchus’ hoof). Cummings' style, then, is to alter the conventions of the written language to expose its hidden possibilities. It's important to note that these variations are not arbitrary but carefully chosen.

His larger canon emphasizes as well his attention to the details of individual personality, his personal optimism, and his love of nature (especially the seasons, the seaside, and the trees).

Perhaps his best "style" is his self-effacing personal viewpoint. He once remarked that English is the only language that capitalizes the first person singular nominative pronoun.

How would you analyze the article ''Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema'' by Laura Mulvey through the discourse analysis method?

Mulvey's article is a very popular one, used in many cinema studies courses. She is considered a prominent scholar of cinema and the reading of her work is considered an important foundation for an understanding of feminist film theory.

Mulvey states at the outset that she seeks to redefine cinematic meaning to reflect a feminist perspective when she says she is attempting "a theory and a practice which will challenge this cinema of the past."...

Mulvey's article is a very popular one, used in many cinema studies courses. She is considered a prominent scholar of cinema and the reading of her work is considered an important foundation for an understanding of feminist film theory.

Mulvey states at the outset that she seeks to redefine cinematic meaning to reflect a feminist perspective when she says she is attempting "a theory and a practice which will challenge this cinema of the past." She seeks through her article to establish a new paradigm of feminist film study, and given how influential this article has been, she succeeds. Mulvey uses strong imagery and provocative language to make her points, as when she says that the representation of the female form in traditional "Freudian" cinema "speaks castration and nothing else."

Mulvey also assumes a readership interested in feminism, and addresses her readers thus: "It gets us nearer to the roots of our oppression." She later says: "It is said that analyzing pleasure, or beauty, destroys it. That is the intention of this article. The satisfaction and reinforcement of the ego that represent the high point of film history hitherto must be attacked." She wants nothing less than a total re-assessment of cinema on feminist terms, "daring to break with normal pleasurable expectations in order to conceive a new language of desire."

Mulvey's writing style and assertive tone pave the way for readers interested in feminist readings of film to encounter this new paradigm she sets forth. But it is possible that some readers may read her words as biased or hostile, making it harder for them to engage with these controversial ideas. 

Is there a plot line in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird that relates to the Great Depression?

Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird appears to be set in the late 1930's and early 1940's. Although there don't appear to be any direct references to specific years, there is a mention of Franklin Roosevelt's famous speech in which he says, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” This speech was given shortly after Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. We know that the Great Depression occurred in 1929 and lasted until partly through World War II. So, although I don't recall Lee specifically referencing the Depression by name, we know that the story occurs as the Depression is about to start winding down. It serves as an important part of the setting, in that all of the characters are generally affected by the difficult economic conditions of the time.

Instead of talking about the Depression directly, Lee uses Scout's observations to make it part of the story's setting. Early in the story, in chapter two, Scout and her father Atticus are discussing the fact that Mr. Cunningham has paid his legal bill in hickory nuts, instead of money.

“Why does he pay you like that?” I asked.

“Because that's the only way he can pay me. He has no money.”

“Are we poor, Atticus?”

Atticus nodded. “We are indeed.”

Jem's nose wrinkled. “Are we as poor as the Cunninghams?”

“Not exactly. The Cunninghams are country folks, farmers, and the crash hit them hardest.”

The words “the crash” are an allusion. An allusion is a reference to something, in this case an historical event, that happens outside of the work you are reading. Here "the crash" means the Stock Market Crash of 1929, that triggered the Great Depression.

Scout makes numerous other references to the scarcity of money in the story. In this sense the story is influenced by the Great Depression, although I wouldn't say there is actually a plot line based on it.

To what does Wordsworth compare the lass with in his poem "The Solitary Reaper?"

Wordsworth compares the highland lass with nightingales and cuckoos, both of which have been regarded, since ages, to be among the most melodious singers of nature.

The highland lass’ song has had an overwhelming effect on the poet's mind. Though he’s not able to make out anything of her song, he listens “motionless and still” and makes sure that nobody interrupts her singing.

The wistful song touches the poet deep within his heart. He is...

Wordsworth compares the highland lass with nightingales and cuckoos, both of which have been regarded, since ages, to be among the most melodious singers of nature.

The highland lass’ song has had an overwhelming effect on the poet's mind. Though he’s not able to make out anything of her song, he listens “motionless and still” and makes sure that nobody interrupts her singing.

The wistful song touches the poet deep within his heart. He is sure that he’s never heard anything like the “melancholy strain,” flowing out of the mouth of the simple country girl.

Across civilizations and countries, nightingales and cuckoos have always been hailed as the most mellifluous singers of nature. So, we see that the poet picks up the best singers of nature to compare the girl with.

The melody of a nightingale’s song is always soothing to ears and mind. However, it would certainly sound much more pleasing to somebody when he's travelling in hot “Arabian sands” than when he's sitting snugly in his bedroom.

The poet doesn't choose a nightingale’s normal song to compare with the maiden’s song. Instead, he chooses that particular song of the nightingale which comforts the “weary bands of travellers” in a hot desert. Still, the girl outdoes the bird in singing, according to the poet.

The poet further says that the “thrilling” voice of a cuckoo, heard in the spring, too, can’t match the girl’s “plaintive numbers.”

So, we see that not only does Wordsworth compare the lass with the greatest singers of nature, but also declares her to be a better singer than each of them.

Why was Jesse so happy to see Winnie?

It's tough to answer this question with any kind of specificity, because the question doesn't mention as to which part of the book it is specifically referring to.  Jesse Tuck is happy to see Winnie just about every single time that he sees her.  He is glad to see her after his swim with his brother.  He is happy to see her the next morning after she spent the night at the Tuck house.  Jesse...

It's tough to answer this question with any kind of specificity, because the question doesn't mention as to which part of the book it is specifically referring to.  Jesse Tuck is happy to see Winnie just about every single time that he sees her.  He is glad to see her after his swim with his brother.  He is happy to see her the next morning after she spent the night at the Tuck house.  Jesse is even happy to see her on the night that she helps rescue Mae.  

I'm going to go with a simple answer.  Jesse is glad to see Winnie throughout the story, because he is in love with her.  I make that argument because Jesse makes an informal proposal to her during the night that she spent at the Tuck household.  

We could get married, even. That'd be pretty good, wouldn't it! We could have a grand old time, go all around the world, see everything.

If Winnie were older, I wouldn't have a problem with Jesse and Winnie being in love with each other.  But the fact of the matter is that Jesse is 17 and Winnie is 10.  That's like an 11th grader proposing to a 5th grader. But that doesn't change the fact that I think the text portrays Jesse and Winnie as falling in love with each other, and that is why he is happy to see her. 

Where do images of forbidden desire and violence appear in Macbeth?

In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the themes of desire and violence are intimately intertwined.  Indeed, there is almost a perverse passion for evil in the play, as many of the gruesome images are saturated with sexual desire. 

The play opens on a dismal scene with thunder and lightning creating an ominous tone that pervades the subsequent acts, and the first image the audience receives of Macbeth is particularly gruesome.  In Act 1 Scene 2, the Captain describes Macbeth as a violent warrior:

For brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name—

Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel,

Which smoked with bloody execution,

Like valor’s minion carved out his passage

Till he faced the slave;

Which ne'er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him,

Till he unseamed him from the nave to th' chops,

And fixed his head upon our battlements (I. ii. 16-23).

The audience is introduced to Macbeth through the image of dismemberment. Macbeth has disemboweled and beheaded Macdonwald, but the diction of “brave,” “brandished steel,” and “valor” suggest this image is to be glorified.  Further, Duncan in hearing this account, exclaims, “O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman!” (I. ii. 24). Thus, violent acts are valorized and aggrandized.  This is supported by the metaphor, “So well thy words become thee as thy wounds; / They smack of honor both” (I. ii. 43-44). Here, Duncan speaks to the Captain and asserts that his words, like his wounds, bring him honor. 

The linking of violence and desire gains further visibility when Ross describes the defeat of the Thane of Cawdor by Macbeth.  He states, “The thane of Cawdor, began a dismal conflict, / Till that Bellona’s bridegroom, lapped in proof, / Confronted him with self-comparisons, / Point against point, rebellious arm ‘gainst arm” (I. ii. 53-56).  In this quote, Macbeth is metaphorically referred to as a “bridegroom” of war, a description that carries both violent and sexual connotations. 

In one of the most prominent scenes of the play, Macbeth, through an aside, comments on both forbidden desire and violence in addressing the prophecy of the witches.  He delivers the following lines:

Two truths are told,

As happy prologues to the swelling act

Of the imperial theme. (to ROSS and ANGUS) I thank you, gentlemen.

(aside) This supernatural soliciting

Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill,

Why hath it given me earnest of success,

Commencing in a truth? I am thane of Cawdor.

If good, why do I yield to that suggestion

Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair

And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,

Against the use of nature? Present fears

Are less than horrible imaginings. (I. iii. 130-142)

In this scene, Macbeth refers to the temptation of power as a “supernatural soliciting,” suggesting his urge to become king is a deep-rooted desire.  Yet, this desire is forbidden, as evidenced by the line, “Cannot be ill, cannot be good.” He understands that he can only become king if Duncan is murdered, again linking his desire with violence.  This is upheld in the vivid imagery of “doth unfix my hair,” and “make my seated heart knock at my ribs.” Macbeth not only imagines the violence he intends to inflict upon Duncan, his physical nature becomes greatly disturbed. 

In Act 1 Scene 4, Macbeth in another aside, states, “Stars, hide your fires; / Let not light see my black and deep desires” (I. iv. 52-53).  In this apostrophe, the addressing of an inanimate object, Macbeth begs for his forbidden desires to not be made known.  Further, the image of “black and deep desires,” lends an evil connotation to this yearning.  This image gains more significance in the context of Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy in Act 1 Scene 7 when she parallels sexual action with murderous action.  When Macbeth expresses hesitation at carrying out the violent murder, Lady Macbeth urges him through erotic language to go through with it:

Was the hope drunk

Wherein you dressed yourself? Hath it slept since?

And wakes it now, to look so green and pale

At what it did so freely? From this time

Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard

To be the same in thine own act and valor

As thou art in desire?  (I. vii. 35-41)

Here, Lady Macbeth accuses Macbeth of losing his manhood, and urges him to act on his forbidden desire in violent terms.  She expressly asks him if he is afraid to act the way in which he desires. To this accusation, Macbeth responds, “I dare do all that may become a man; / Who dares do more is none” (I. vii. 47-48).  Macbeth claims a true man would surely act on these urges, again linking desire and violence, but more importantly, linking the two themes through sexual undertones that emphasize the intimacy of violence and desire.  In conclusion, Macbeth is a play where forbidden desire leads to violent acts.   

Why does Crooks kick everyone out of his room?

Crooks is a black man on a ranch full of white workers in the 1930s. Because he is the victim of both racism and segregation, he reacts negatively when Lennie wants to come into his room in the barn. Later, he also looks to kick Curley's wife out because of her derogatory comments. He initially spurns Lennie's request to come in. He tells Lennie that since he isn't let into the bunkhouse then Lennie isn't...

Crooks is a black man on a ranch full of white workers in the 1930s. Because he is the victim of both racism and segregation, he reacts negatively when Lennie wants to come into his room in the barn. Later, he also looks to kick Curley's wife out because of her derogatory comments. He initially spurns Lennie's request to come in. He tells Lennie that since he isn't let into the bunkhouse then Lennie isn't allowed in is room. When Lennie asks why Crooks can't come into the bunkhouse in chapter four, the black man says,

“’Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me.”

The one time he was let into the bunkhouse one Christmas, he was involved in a fight, presumably over race. He is obviously bitter over the segregation he faces. Eventually, however, he warms to Lennie and lets big man into his room. He realizes that the simple-minded Lennie probably doesn't even know what he's doing, and Crooks accepts his company willingly. Steinbeck writes,

Crooks scowled, but Lennie’s disarming smile defeated him. “Come on in and set a while,” Crooks said. “’Long as you won’t get out and leave me alone, you might as well set down.” His tone was a little more friendly. 

Later in the chapter, after Curley's wife becomes derisive in her comments toward Candy, Crooks asks her to leave. He says,

“You got no rights comin’ in a colored man’s room. You got no rights messing around in here at all. Now you jus’ get out, an’ get out quick. If you don’t, I’m gonna ast the boss not to ever let you come in the barn no more.”

Unfortunately, as a black man, he has few rights in the white world. Curley's wife immediately turns on him and threatens him with lynching. Her words push him back into his solitude and the arrival of George ends the meeting in his room.

How does Gatsby represent a corruption of the American Dream?

Jay Gatsby is a corruption of the American Dream because of the way he gets his money.  The American Dream refers to the belief that all Americans have the opportunity, equal to everyone else's, to prosper and achieve success through their own hard work and ingenuity.  It implies that this hard work is honest work and lawful work.  Gatsby certainly does prosper as a result of his work, but it is hardly work that can...

Jay Gatsby is a corruption of the American Dream because of the way he gets his money.  The American Dream refers to the belief that all Americans have the opportunity, equal to everyone else's, to prosper and achieve success through their own hard work and ingenuity.  It implies that this hard work is honest work and lawful work.  Gatsby certainly does prosper as a result of his work, but it is hardly work that can be called lawful or honest.  He is breaking the law because the distribution of alcohol is illegal as a result of Prohibition, an era spanning from 1920 to 1933.  The 18th Amendment made it illegal to sell beverages that had an alcohol content of higher than 2.75%.  Because Gatsby is a bootlegger, his money has not been earned honestly or legally; he is a criminal.  Due to the kind of work he does, he cannot be said to have achieved the American Dream, and the comparison of his kind of work to the kind of work the Dream requires is a corruption of that Dream.

Character sketch of Dr. Alexander Graham Bell.

Helen Keller's parents sought help from Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, who was famous for inventing the telephone.  He had family members who were deaf, so he had sympathy for Helen's plight.  In her autobiography, Helen described him as being full of "tenderness and sympathy" toward her.  When her parents took Helen to see him, she was a little girl.  She recalled sitting on his knee as he let her play with his watch.  Dr. Bell...

Helen Keller's parents sought help from Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, who was famous for inventing the telephone.  He had family members who were deaf, so he had sympathy for Helen's plight.  In her autobiography, Helen described him as being full of "tenderness and sympathy" toward her.  When her parents took Helen to see him, she was a little girl.  She recalled sitting on his knee as he let her play with his watch.  Dr. Bell even "understood [her] signs, and [she] knew it and loved him at once."  Dr. Bell was patient and understanding with Helen in a time when not everyone was.

Helen's parents did not know what to do about their daughter.  They wanted her to be educated and helped.  Dr. Bell suggested that they contact Mr. Anagnos of the Perkins Institution, which was a Boston school for the blind.  It was through Mr. Anagnos that Helen's teacher, Annie Sullivan, came to help Helen learn to communicate.  Helen noted that at the time of their visit to Dr. Bell, she could not have "dream[ed] that that interview would be the door through which [she] should pass from darkness into light, from isolation to friendship, companionship, knowledge, love."   

When Helen was older, Dr. Bell showed her around the World's Fair. She also visited his home on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia.  He was a dear friend to Helen.  He was a man who "[made] every subject he touche[d] interesting."  Though he was an important and famous person, he made time for Helen and was sympathetic to her.  This showed that he was patient and understanding, as well as caring.  He was a loyal friend.

How do the people of Ember deal with the power outages in Jeanne DuPrau's The City of Ember? Why does Lina decide to show Doon the paper she found?...

In Jeanne DuPrau's The City of Ember, people have varying responses to the power outages that, in the opening chapter, Doon argues with the mayor are getting worse. Most people are completely oblivious that there is a problem. Doon seems to be one of the only ones in Ember who is aware there is a problem and wants to do something about it. In contrast, people like the Believers, who recognize there is...

In Jeanne DuPrau's The City of Ember, people have varying responses to the power outages that, in the opening chapter, Doon argues with the mayor are getting worse. Most people are completely oblivious that there is a problem. Doon seems to be one of the only ones in Ember who is aware there is a problem and wants to do something about it. In contrast, people like the Believers, who recognize there is a problem, believe in passively waiting to be rescued by the city's Builders. Reactions begin growing more intense when the longest blackout the people have ever experienced occurs in chapter 5. By chapter 6, we learn that the blackout lasted 7 minutes, and people are so terrified that they don't even speak about it.

In chapter 6, the mayor calls a town meeting in which he vaguely assures the citizens that "solutions are being found" but does not yield to the citizens' demands to know exactly what solutions are being sought after. The town breaks out into a riot, "hurling whatever they could find--pebbles, garbage, crumpled paper, even their own hats." Similarly, Doon expresses anger towards his father about the mayor's empty speech and empty response, but Doon's father discourages him from being angry because anger controls a person. Rather than being angry, Doon's father wants Doon to actively pursue a solution. As the story progresses, Lina finds a piece of paper she thinks contains clues to the way out of the city, and she and Doon embark on decoding the message to save the city.

What were the consequences of the Boxer uprising in China?

The 19th century was not kind to China. A vast country already exploited by foreign imperialists—China’s experience with foreign interventions and occupations dated back hundreds of years—this particular century saw the increasingly intrusive and harsh policies of Japan, Portugal, Britain, and Holland all reaching their climax. Each had established itself as an imperial power among the Chinese. Making matters much worse was the British trade in opium, with the consequent addiction problems that befell tens...

The 19th century was not kind to China. A vast country already exploited by foreign imperialists—China’s experience with foreign interventions and occupations dated back hundreds of years—this particular century saw the increasingly intrusive and harsh policies of Japan, Portugal, Britain, and Holland all reaching their climax. Each had established itself as an imperial power among the Chinese. Making matters much worse was the British trade in opium, with the consequent addiction problems that befell tens of thousands of Chinese citizens. The Opium Wars both further humiliated and degraded Chinese society. By the end of the 19th century, Chinese secret societies, led by the Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists, were primed for a rebellion, and groups of disciplined fighters, appropriately labeled “boxers,” began to attack Western interests and symbols of those interests, including native Chinese who had converted to Christianity—a foreign import unwelcome to the Buddhist and Taoist followers who dominated Chinese society. The Empress Dowager, trying desperately to ensure the survival of the Qing Dynasty that ruled China, exploited local grievances directed against foreign imperialists and missionaries by rousing the increasingly militant population against the occupiers. The resulting Boxer Rebellion was initially successful, but a multinational army eventually succeeded in defeating the uprising and imposing yet another humiliating agreement on the now-dying monarchy.

So, what were the consequences of the Boxer Rebellion? First, Chinese nationalists, while militarily-defeated by the multinational forces that coalesced around the imperialist interests, were nevertheless emboldened in their struggle to evict foreign influences. Second, and tied to the first, the Qing Dynasty was dead, never(?) to return. Nationalist forces threw out the royal family and turned China towards modernization and military growth to protect against the Japanese and Europeans. A centuries-old history of dynastic rule was now and forever ended, and China would never again allow for unchallenged foreign occupation—a vow seriously and nearly-fatally tested when Imperial Japan colonized Manchuria in the 1930s. The end of the Qing Dynasty, however, ushered in the era of China as a republic, with a strict, militant nationalist orientation that would eventually, in 1949, be thrown out (finding refuge in Taiwan) by the Communist guerrillas led by Mao Tsetung and Zhou Enlai.

Describe the character of Patrolman Wells in "After Twenty Years."

Patrolman Wells' character is revealed through his actions and words at the beginning of the story, through Bob's statements about him, through his note at the end of the story, and by reading back into the story things that are not revealed until the end of the story.

The unnamed officer on his beat at the beginning of the story is Jimmy Wells. Jimmy is described as having a "stalwart form and slight swagger." "Stalwart" means loyal, reliable, and hardworking. Although O. Henry uses the word to describe his "form," readers understand the word applies to his behavior. Still, Henry spends a great deal of time describing the appearance of Wells on his beat, showing that he is a conscientious and confident policeman. When Wells is speaking with the man who is waiting for his friend, Wells seems inquisitive yet polite and friendly. Readers have a perception that the officer is professional yet personable as he converses with the stranger and then makes his way down the street. 

Bob reveals several things about Jimmy: that he "was the truest, staunchest old chap in the world," completely trustworthy, loyal to his hometown, a good fellow, but "a kind of plodder." This could be taken to mean that he was not one to try get-rich-quick schemes but would work hard and persistently to achieve his goals.

In Jimmy's note, he reveals that he was at the meeting place on time; he recognized Bob's face as a man wanted by the police in Chicago; and he couldn't bring himself to arrest his old friend personally, so he arranged to have a fellow officer do it. This shows that Jimmy is dependable, perceptive, upright, loyal, and concerned for his friend's feelings.

Finally, readers can take what they find out at the end of the story about Jimmy and make additional conclusions about him. He is indeed very professional as a patrolman; he takes nothing for granted and puts his job as a law enforcement officer above his private interests. The fact that he didn't let Bob know he was Jimmy from the moment he saw him in the doorway suggests that Jimmy is very careful or that perhaps he already suspects that his friend is "Silky Bob." If the description of the wanted man was enough to tip Jimmy off even before he saw his friend, then that may explain why he didn't identify himself until Bob lit a match and revealed his face. When his identity was confirmed to Jimmy, Jimmy kept talking without revealing any surprise or emotion. This again shows that Jimmy is an astute officer, able to put the safety of the community above his own feelings. He obviously had to prepare the "plain-clothes man" well to ensure that Silky Bob went along with him, making the arrest safe for both of them, again showing intelligence and foresight. 

To get a full understanding of Patrolman Wells' character, one has to take what is learned at the end of the story and then go back through the story again with that knowledge. Doing that will reveal additional layers of how professional and impressive Wells is as a patrolman. 

Why is it important for a marketer to pay attention to the context in which consumer decisions are made?

The context in which consumer decisions are made is quite important in marketing. Context in this context means the physical environment and mental state the consumer is at the time the decision is made, as well as the nature of the decision. 

Let's begin with a simple and classic example of a marketing strategy that shows this, the candies, toys, soft drinks, and scandal rags in a supermarket, situated right at the point at which the consumer is waiting in line to check out.  The consumer is likely to be tired, hungry, distracted by young children, or running late to get home to make dinner.  The consumer is also waiting and has nothing better to do than look at these "offerings" or try to placate his or her children. This situates the products offered in a context in which the consumer's decision-making skills are perhaps not non-existent, but certainly at a very low ebb, leading to impulsive purchases that the consumer will not have time to reconsider before checking out.  The children may beg for a toy or a candy.  The consumer may begin to read an article and be tempted into purchasing the paper or magazine in order to finish it.  The consumer may want a candy bar or soft drink, too, a quick sugar fix to get him or her through until dinner. Within this physical context and the consumer's mental context, this is a very shrewd marketing strategy.

Another aspect of the decision-making context to consider is at what point the consumer is likely to actually decide on a purchase. This might be sitting at the computer or only after arriving at a bricks and mortar establishment. Marketing strategies need to differ, depending upon the context.  All other things being equal, pricing strategy, which is central to marketing, may require undercutting all of one's competitors, so that the advantage is clear to the consumer sitting at the computer making this decision.  In other situations, the consumer is not likely to make a decision until reaching a store, for example, to buy a prom dress or a wedding gown.  The time of day, the ambiance of the store, whether or not the shopper has a companion along - all are part of the context in which this consumer is deciding.  People may, perhaps, may spend more money after dinner and are feeling happy and expansive.  People, may, perhaps, decide to purchase or not because of the urgings of a friend or spouse who is there, too.  All of that is context.  If there is pleasant music playing, deep carpets, a roomy dressing room, and coffee on tap, that is going to be an important aspect of context, since this consumer is more likely to decide on the spot. If it's a luxurious spot, that will certainly help. 

There are in between points, between home and a store or between the workplace and a store, certainly, but these are more difficult contexts to address. We know people make buying decisions at home and when they get to a store.  I am not sure we have all that great a handle on when decisions occur in between those points.We can assume that during particular retail seasons, for example, right before school starts, or right after Thanksgiving, that people are in a decision-making frame of mind for these seasons, so we try to reach them in as many contexts as possible, on radio, on television, on-line, by mail, and with billboards, while they are reading, while they are driving, while they are working, hoping that the context in which they are being informed persuades them to make a decision exactly then. I will admit that once I saw a dress in the New York Times Magazine and decided on the spot to buy it! I am ordinarily not a particularly impulsive buyer, but that advertisement in a reputable publication, as I sat comfortably in a cafe waiting for someone, got me at a time I didn't have an inkling I was going to make any decision at all.  

Perhaps context is not everything in marketing. But it certainly is an important part of formulating strategies that encourage the consumer in decision-making mode. 

The density of air at ordinary atmospheric pressure and 25.0 degrees Celsius is 1.19 g/L. What is the mass in megagrams (Mg) of the air in a room...

Hello!

I suppose that air in a room has the same pressure and temperature, and therefore has the given density. Because by definition density is mass divided by volume, we have `m=rho*V,` where `rho` is the density (it is given) and `V` is the volume of a room.

We have to compute the volume of a room and take into account different units of measure (liters, megagrams, feet). The volume is width*length*height, but remember they...

Hello!

I suppose that air in a room has the same pressure and temperature, and therefore has the given density. Because by definition density is mass divided by volume, we have `m=rho*V,` where `rho` is the density (it is given) and `V` is the volume of a room.

We have to compute the volume of a room and take into account different units of measure (liters, megagrams, feet). The volume is width*length*height, but remember they are given in feet. One liter is 10cm*10cm*10cm, one foot is 30.48cm which is 3.048 times greater than 10 cm.

This way, the volume in liters is `12.50 * 17.25 * 9.00*(3.048)^3,` and  the mass in grams is  `1.19 *12.50 * 17.25 * 9.00*(3.048)^3,` which is approximately `65393 (g)` (about 65kg). In megagrams, millions of grams, it will be million times less, i.e. `0.065393 Mg. approx 6.5*10^(-2) Mg.`

In the poem, "Harlem," what is the main theme?

The poem “Harlem” by Langston Hughes, is one of many poems he wrote about fulfilling one's dreams. Written primarily for the African American community, this poem addresses the idea of what happens when you don’t go after your dreams and you put them off or “defer” them to later.  Hughes uses symbols and imagery to explain what can happen if you don’t move forward and accomplish your dreams.  He suggests that if you put off...

The poem “Harlem” by Langston Hughes, is one of many poems he wrote about fulfilling one's dreams. Written primarily for the African American community, this poem addresses the idea of what happens when you don’t go after your dreams and you put them off or “defer” them to later.  Hughes uses symbols and imagery to explain what can happen if you don’t move forward and accomplish your dreams.  He suggests that if you put off your dreams they will “dry up,” “fester like a sore,” begin to “stink like rotten meat,” or “crust over.” More importantly, they may become like a “heavy load,” or they will simply “explode.”  These are all descriptions of the psychological consequences of not following your dreams.  Unfulfilled dreams will eventually cause one to give up or let their dreams go. 

Hughes’ series of dream poems are meant to encourage and convince others that dreams are obtainable and necessary to survive. I’ve included another short poem by Hughes to show the similarity of this recurring theme.

Dreams by Langston Hughes

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow. 

In Chapter 5 of Bud, Not Buddy, Bud's mother discusses the opening and closing of doors. How does this metaphor relate to Bud's life?

In Chapter 5, Bud's mother tells him to remember that no matter how bad things look, "when one door closes, don't worry, because another door opens" (Curtis 43).Angela Caldwell's metaphor regarding the opening and closing of doors represents Bud's challenges and opportunities that he encounters throughout his life. Bud endures many trials and tribulations throughout the novel and every time he seems to have failed, another opportunity presents itself that Bud is...

In Chapter 5, Bud's mother tells him to remember that no matter how bad things look, "when one door closes, don't worry, because another door opens" (Curtis 43). Angela Caldwell's metaphor regarding the opening and closing of doors represents Bud's challenges and opportunities that he encounters throughout his life. Bud endures many trials and tribulations throughout the novel and every time he seems to have failed, another opportunity presents itself that Bud is able to take advantage of. For instance, when Bud misses the train to Chicago he is forced to walk towards Owosso and eventually gets picked up by Lefty Lewis, who takes him to Grand Rapids. After missing the train, Bud is upset and feels that he will never meet his father, but when Lefty Lewis arrives, another "door opens" which leads Bud in the right direction. When Bud initially meets Herman Calloway, he believes that Herman is his father. Herman views Bud with contempt and Bud begins to worry that he will be sent back to Flint, Michigan. Later on, it is revealed that Herman is actually Bud's grandfather, and Bud lives happily with the Dusky Devastators of the Depression. Essentially, the "door closes" when Bud finds out that Herman is not his father, but another "door opens" when he discovers that he is Herman's grandchild. Bud's entire journey is a series of negative and positive experiences that correlate with his mother's metaphor of doors opening and closing.

What are three examples of personification in the second stanza of "To Autumn"?

Personification is the literary device in which a non-human object or animal is represented as having human qualities. In “To Autumn” by John Keats, the second stanza constructs the idea that the very season of autumn itself has the human qualities of “sitting” (line 14), sleeping (demonstrated in line 16), and also gazing with a “patient look” (line 21). More interesting is the quality of idleness autumn seems to possess while it is “sitting careless...

Personification is the literary device in which a non-human object or animal is represented as having human qualities. In “To Autumn” by John Keats, the second stanza constructs the idea that the very season of autumn itself has the human qualities of “sitting” (line 14), sleeping (demonstrated in line 16), and also gazing with a “patient look” (line 21). More interesting is the quality of idleness autumn seems to possess while it is “sitting careless on a granary floor” (line 14) and watching the “last oozings hours by hours” (line 22).  The season is revealed as a kind of day-dreamer, one that is often reposed in moments of stillness rather than active (as it appears in the first stanza). After the work of ripening and collecting the harvest of the first stanza, the season becomes pensive. This constructs the meaning that towards the end of autumn, after all the hard work of bringing in the harvest, there is a natural inclination to contemplate time and the transience of each moment and season. So the poem reveals the season of autumn as having the human quality of being able to contemplate the finitude of life and of one’s own being.

What is the equation of motion of a weakly damped oscillator and what is the significance of the results?

For a damped oscillator, we have from Newton's second law:`(1) m((d^2x)/dt^2) + c(dx/dt) + kx = 0`

Where the forces are`F_(damp) = -c(dx/dt)` , `F_(elastic) = -kx` This is just an homogeneous second order differential equation and has solution of the form

`(2)x(t) = e^(lambda t) `

Inserting this solution in (1) we can solve for `lambda` . The following equation is obtained from the substitution:

`mlambda^2 + clambda + k = 0...

For a damped oscillator, we have from Newton's second law:

`(1) m((d^2x)/dt^2) + c(dx/dt) + kx = 0`

Where the forces are

`F_(damp) = -c(dx/dt)` , `F_(elastic) = -kx`

This is just an homogeneous second order differential equation and has solution of the form

`(2)x(t) = e^(lambda t) `

Inserting this solution in (1) we can solve for `lambda` . The following equation is obtained from the substitution:

`mlambda^2 + clambda + k = 0 `

Solving for `lambda` we get

`(3)lambda = (-c+-sqrt(c^2-4mk))/(2m) `

Now, it is clearly that our values for lambda depends on what's inside the square root. Since we wish to solve for a weakly damped oscillator, we have that

`(4)c^2-4mk < 0 `

Because c is very small. This is also known as an under-damped oscillator. Our solution can then be rewritten as (substituting our lambda in (1), using Euler's equation `e^(itheta) = cos(theta) + isen(theta) ` and taking the real part):

`(5)x(t) = A_0e^(-gamma t)cos(wt-alpha) `

With the following

`gamma = c/(2m)` , `w=sqrt(w_0^2 - gamma^2)~~w_0 ` , `w_0 = k/m `

`alpha` and Ao are the phase and amplitude of our oscillation. They are constants determined by the initial conditions.

Looking at the solution for x(t), we can see that the amplitude Ao is modulated by the exponential, which is decreasing in time. So we have an oscillation whose amplitude is decreasing with time. That is, as t goes to infinity, our oscillation goes to zero because

`lim_(t->oo)e^(-gamma t) = 0`

This was expected, because the damping force "removes" energy from our system, thus decreasing the motion of it (and amplitude). I'm attaching a picture of the curve for x(t) to give you a better idea.

What does Atticus mean when he says they can shoot all the bluejays, but not the mockingbirds?

Atticus does not like guns, but he also does not expect his children to share his feelings.  Scout and Jem receive air rifles as gifts for Christmas.  Uncle Jack shows them how to shoot the air rifles.  Though Atticus does not like guns, he does offer advice on the topic:

"I'd rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you'll go after birds.  Shoot all the bluejays you want, if...

Atticus does not like guns, but he also does not expect his children to share his feelings.  Scout and Jem receive air rifles as gifts for Christmas.  Uncle Jack shows them how to shoot the air rifles.  Though Atticus does not like guns, he does offer advice on the topic:

"I'd rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you'll go after birds.  Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" (To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 10).

Though Atticus prefers his children not to shoot birds, he knows that they will.  He tells them that if they do choose to shoot birds, to go after bluejays.  He specifically instructs them not to shoot at mockingbirds.  He thinks that it is wrong to shoot mockingbirds because they are innocent.  They sing and do no harm, unlike some other birds.  This advice shows the method of parenting Atticus prefers.  He usually does not command his children not to do things.  Instead, he reasons with them.

In The Tempest, what is the overall impact of the masque?

The masque highlights one of the themes of the play, that it is important to keep oaths.

The Tempest is a play about honor and loyalty.  Prospero tries to lead Ferdinand to fall in love with his daughter, but then he also tries to impress upon him the fact that an oath of love is a serious thing. 

Earlier, Prospero targeted Antonio and Alonso as oath-breakers for the role they played in stealing his kingdom...

The masque highlights one of the themes of the play, that it is important to keep oaths.

The Tempest is a play about honor and loyalty.  Prospero tries to lead Ferdinand to fall in love with his daughter, but then he also tries to impress upon him the fact that an oath of love is a serious thing. 

Earlier, Prospero targeted Antonio and Alonso as oath-breakers for the role they played in stealing his kingdom from him and sending him away.  Ariel freezes them and admonishes them.

You are three men of sin, whom Destiny,
That hath to instrument this lower world
And what is in't, the never-surfeited sea
Hath caused to belch up you; and on this island
Where man doth not inhabit; you 'mongst men
Being most unfit to live. (Act 3, Scene 3)

The point is that they treated Prospero badly, and he wants to get revenge on them.  He will get this revenge by using magic to control them.  He takes their faculties from them, and cements them in place.  Then he has them led to him.

In the meantime, Prospero is allowing his daughter to marry the king’s son, despite the king’s role in his banishment.  He wants to impress upon Ferdinand the value of his daughter’s hand and the marriage promise in general.

Look thou be true; do not give dalliance
Too much the rein: the strongest oaths are straw
To the fire i' the blood: be more abstemious,
Or else, good night your vow! (Act 4, Scene 1)

During the masque, the two lovers hear from the goddesses Iris, Ceres, and Juno.  They demonstrate Prospero’s magic because he calls forth their images to bless the couple.  The masque promotes the element of magic and mystery in a less dreadful way than we have seen it before.  We learn that magic can be used to entertain and bless as well as for violence.

Prospero obviously wants Ferdinand to treat his daughter well.  He reminded him to refrain from physical intimacy before the actual wedding, and now he is trying to impress upon him the significance of the bond he is entering into and what it means to Prospero.  It should send a clear message to Ferdinand that his new father-in-law is quite powerful!

What are the strengths and limitations of decision analysis in for-profit and not-for-profit organizations?

Your original question asks about decision-analysis limitations without clarifying what type of organization would be making the decision.  Practical management problems occur in both profit and not-for-profit organizations, and there are strengths and limitations of decision analysis in both.

Decision analysis is a quantitative assessment of different decisions based on relative value.  Understanding the strengths and limitations of decision analysis when making a decision or facing an economic challenge in both for profit and not for...

Your original question asks about decision-analysis limitations without clarifying what type of organization would be making the decision.  Practical management problems occur in both profit and not-for-profit organizations, and there are strengths and limitations of decision analysis in both.

Decision analysis is a quantitative assessment of different decisions based on relative value.  Understanding the strengths and limitations of decision analysis when making a decision or facing an economic challenge in both for profit and not for profit organizations can be challenging.  What follows are general points to consider across all decision-analysis models.

Strengths

• Systemically creates components of multi-faceted problems.


• Values are measured or inferred.


• Uncertainties and assumptions can be defined.


• Better-defined decisions may lead to preferred outcomes.


• Formulates well-informed policy decisions.

Limitations

• A myriad of decision-making models exist: rapid decision making (RPD), meta-analysis, multi-criteria, goal programming, etc.  


• The selection of a decision model might slow the use of decision analysis, and the decision itself.


• The cognitive processes of the people making the decisions may limit the analysis outcome.


• Management of axioms, paradoxes, proofs, and cognitive limitations while making a decision in a group may lead to conflict, cost overruns, and deferred decision making.  


• Categorizing the normative and descriptive aspects of a problem, or the ought and the is, may be difficult, if not impossible.


• Different attributes may be emphasized by different people making the decision, which may also create conflict.


• Measurements and inferences may vary among decision makers.

While original the question asks about decision-analysis limitations, the practical answer to your question is to include both polarities, or strengths, as well as limitations.  

In summary, the strengths and limitations are multi-faceted.  The strengths include the systemic measurement of values leading to more defined policies in profit and not-for-profit organizations.  The limitations include selection of a decision-analysis model, time-frame needed to make a decision, and individual and group cognitive process(es).

What is the significance of the word choice in "The Ransom of Red Chief"?

The entire story is told by Sam, so the account is in the first-person and from Sam's point of view. O. Henry needed to establish that such a character was capable of writing what is actually a rather complicated tale. The author makes Sam seem like a con-man who is not educated and only superficially glib. The reader can sense that Sam has picked up a lot of big words in order to be able to impress the yokels to whom he and Bill sell bogus town lots and other spurious items such as worthless stock certificates and shares in abandoned gold mines. Sam is glib like a barker at a carnival. He may remind some readers of the two imposters in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn who pose as The King and The Duke and sometimes pretend to be Shakespearean actors. Like Sam and Bill, The King and The Duke learn that, as Abraham Lincoln may have said:

You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.

The story is liberally sprinkled with Sam's pretentious vocabulary. For example:

It contained inhabitants of as undeleterious and self-satisfied a class of peasantry as ever clustered around a Maypole.

Philoprogenitiveness, says we, is strong in semi-rural communities;

There was a sylvan attitude of somnolent sleepiness pervading that section of the external outward surface of Alabama that lay exposed to my view.

Sam does not use big words solely to impress people. He is the type of person who loves to play with words. Under different circumstances he might have been a teacher, a journalist, or a lawyer. But he is obviously self-educated. He makes many grammatical mistakes. Although Sam and Bill are only a couple of cheap crooks who are guilty of kidnapping a child in an effort to raise money for a swindling scheme, we feel a little bit sorry for them at the end. Bill is not articulate, but he is good-hearted. Sam has never realized his potential because education was not as readily available in O. Henry's time as it is today. Both men have wasted lives. They are getting along in years but have only managed to accumulate $600 between them after years of running around the country trying to bilk the public. And they end up having to hand over $250 of their meager capital just to get rid of their "victim."

"Deleterious" means harmful. So "undeleterious," if there were such a word, would mean harmless. "Philoprogenitiveness" must mean loving one's children. "Somnolent sleepiness" and "external outward" are, of course, tautologies. O. Henry himself was guilty of using grandiose language for humorous purposes. Here is a sample from "The Cop and the Anthem":

The hibernatorial ambitions of Soapy were not of the highest. In them there were no considerations of Mediterranean cruises, of soporific Southern skies drifting in the Vesuvian Bay. Three months on the Island was what his soul craved. Three months of assured board and bed and congenial company, safe from Boreas and bluecoats, seemed to Soapy the essence of things desirable.

How is isolation shown in The Great Gatsby in terms of Tom's character? Please include quotations.

Tom is very emotionally isolated, especially from his wife.  He has engaged in a pattern of unfaithfulness to her in their marriage, admitting, "'Once in a while I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come back, and in my heart I love her all the time.'"  Daisy calls him "'revolting,'" certainly conveying a sense of emotional distancebetween them.  Further, he doesn't realize that she's been...

Tom is very emotionally isolated, especially from his wife.  He has engaged in a pattern of unfaithfulness to her in their marriage, admitting, "'Once in a while I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come back, and in my heart I love her all the time.'"  Daisy calls him "'revolting,'" certainly conveying a sense of emotional distance between them.  Further, he doesn't realize that she's been having an affair with Gatsby; he doesn't even know that she was ever in love with anyone before him -- Daisy has clearly not been open with him about her past relationships.  Tom seems shocked to learn that there have been any emotional problems on Daisy's end of their relationship, a fact that seems unavoidably conspicuous to everyone else from chapter one.  

Even with his mistresses, Tom is emotionally isolated.  He cares so little for Myrtle that he strikes her in the face, breaking her nose when she insists on saying Daisy's name.  So, he is neither truly emotionally connected with his wife, on whom he cheats regularly, nor with his mistresses, with whom he chooses to estrange his wife from him emotionally.  He is, thus, in many ways, alone.

In The Help, why is it important to Skeeter's mother that she marry early?

The Help, written by Kathryn Stockett, deals with many themes that can feel quite foreign to those of us who have grown up in the past thirty years or so. The book is set in the 1960s, when the Civil Rights Movement was in full swing. While racial equality and de-segregation play the major part of the book, one can also read into the subtext of second-wave feminism. 

Skeeter Phelan, one of the main characters,...

The Help, written by Kathryn Stockett, deals with many themes that can feel quite foreign to those of us who have grown up in the past thirty years or so. The book is set in the 1960s, when the Civil Rights Movement was in full swing. While racial equality and de-segregation play the major part of the book, one can also read into the subtext of second-wave feminism. 

Skeeter Phelan, one of the main characters, is a young woman who comes from a well-off family. She lives in Jackson, Mississippi and attended college at the University of Mississippi. The American South has always valued tradition, even to the point of being considered "old fashioned." During the 1960's, higher  numbers of women in the United States were choosing to attend college and/or become part of the working world. The traditional option, which many women chose, was to marry and start a family as soon as she was of age. Skeeter feels a little out of place because all of her friends were married and started having children while she choose to go to college. What's more, as a high-society young woman, there wasn't really a need for Skeeter to be working. She could have easily relied on her family's wealth and married into an equally wealthy family. 

Skeeter had conflict with her mother over whether or not she should marry. Her mother worried that Skeeter might miss her chance to start a family if she did not marry soon. Her mother's worries were not just based in the fact that the number of young, eligible women would be pushing Skeeter out of "the market," but also in the fact that she thought Skeeter to not be very pretty. Her mother constantly was bringing home contraptions to try and straighten Skeeter's curly hair, thinking it detracted from her appearance. The societal pressures that Skeeter's appearance and age might make her less eligible for marriage naturally made her mother fear for her daughter and the possibility of the family being carried on.

To us, it might seem strange or old-fashioned to have such pressures on young women to marry as soon as possible. However, the belief that a woman's role in life was as wife and mother persists today, if not as firmly or with as many limitations as in the 1960's.

What attitudes toward women are reflected in the story "The Kugelmass Episode" by Woody Allen?

In Woody Allen's short story "The Kugelmass Episode," the main character, Sidney Kugelmass, regards women as bores if he has to deal with them for any length of time. When the story begins, he is unhappy with his marriage to Daphne, who he describes as "an oaf." He tells his analyst that he married her for money, and he, though bald and hairy, longs to have an affair. He says he can't divorce Daphne because...

In Woody Allen's short story "The Kugelmass Episode," the main character, Sidney Kugelmass, regards women as bores if he has to deal with them for any length of time. When the story begins, he is unhappy with his marriage to Daphne, who he describes as "an oaf." He tells his analyst that he married her for money, and he, though bald and hairy, longs to have an affair. He says he can't divorce Daphne because she'll sue him for alimony, which he's already paying to his first wife. Kugelmass's analyst tells him that an affair will solve nothing, but Kugelmass is intrigued when Persky, a magician, calls him and offers him a chance to meet any woman in literature.

Kugelmass embarks on what appears to be a dreamy and steamy affair with Emma Bovary from Flaubert's novel. They have a relationship that is everything Kugelmass wants until Emma, transported to modern times, is stuck and can't return to her novel. Then, Emma and Kugelmass quickly tire of each other, and Kugelmass complains bitterly about the bill he has to pay to keep her at the Plaza. Kugelmass is relieved when Persky figures out a way to send Emma back to her novel. Women in the story are only momentary delights for Kugelmass to conquer, and he has little interest in them beyond that. He is interested in women in literature because they are ideal figures and are not real, but real women disgust and irritate him. 

Name all the living cells of bark and include a reference.

The term bark refers to the covering of cells on the outside of stems and roots and includes both the inner and outer bark.

The part that is the outer bark consists of dead old cells that are for protection for the living cells of the inner bark. This inner bark is called secondary phloem tissue. Phloem cells are vascular or conducting tissue. Their purpose is to transport food from the leaves down to the...

The term bark refers to the covering of cells on the outside of stems and roots and includes both the inner and outer bark.

The part that is the outer bark consists of dead old cells that are for protection for the living cells of the inner bark. This inner bark is called secondary phloem tissue. Phloem cells are vascular or conducting tissue. Their purpose is to transport food from the leaves down to the roots. There are also tough cells which act as a defense against organisms that try to eat through the tree's bark or that wish to attack the tree. It lives for awhile before becoming cork. 

A meristem tissue called cork cambium produces cells of the outer bark which get pushed to the outside along with inner bark which are pushed inward. These cells remain alive for a time and respond to growth hormones called auxins. They are part of the phelloderm which contain cells that have cell walls that allow exchange of respiratory gases and nutrients. The outer cells of the bark become unable to exchange gases due to their waxy nature and soon die. However, they provide a water-tight outer covering for the tree.

The outer cells of the bark protect the underlying living tissue of stems and roots. I have included a labeled diagram with an explanation of bark and the anatomy of a tree.

What is an overview or summary of the poem "Occupational Hazard" by Sophie Hannah?

According to PoetryArchive.org, Sophie Hannah wrote "Occupational Hazard" after she was creeped out by a stranger who approached her in a pub after she'd given a public reading of her poems. This stranger told her that he'd never slept with a poet before. Yikes!

So, using that incident as creative inspiration, Hannah wrote this poem, a short one with just four stanzas of four lines each. Throughout, in a steady singsong rhythm with short...

According to PoetryArchive.org, Sophie Hannah wrote "Occupational Hazard" after she was creeped out by a stranger who approached her in a pub after she'd given a public reading of her poems. This stranger told her that he'd never slept with a poet before. Yikes!

So, using that incident as creative inspiration, Hannah wrote this poem, a short one with just four stanzas of four lines each. Throughout, in a steady singsong rhythm with short lines and clear rhymes, the speaker lists all kinds of people with whom the creepy stranger has slept, from "accountants and brokers" to "florists," and people dumb, smart, rich, and poor.

The poem closes when the creepy stranger says that real poets are rare, not like cashiers; in response, the creeped-out speaker provides him with the addresses where some real poets live, and then she thinks about not being a poet anymore.

As you can see, it's a funny poem that expresses how bizarre and uncomfortable it is to be approached by someone claiming to have slept with all kinds of people, who can't wait to sleep with you because you're special. Clearly the author, and the speaker, are eager to run the other way as well as laugh at the situation.

What does Benjamin Franklin's quote mean? "Wealth is not his that has it, but his that enjoys it."

This quote by Benjamin Franklin has to do with what it means to be truly wealthy.  Franklin is telling us that we cannot be truly wealthy just by having a lot of money.  Instead, to be truly wealthy, we have to enjoy what wealth we have.  This implies that a person with less money can, to Franklin, be wealthier than a person who has more money.

If you think about it, you can see what...

This quote by Benjamin Franklin has to do with what it means to be truly wealthy.  Franklin is telling us that we cannot be truly wealthy just by having a lot of money.  Instead, to be truly wealthy, we have to enjoy what wealth we have.  This implies that a person with less money can, to Franklin, be wealthier than a person who has more money.

If you think about it, you can see what Franklin’s point is.  Imagine someone who has millions of dollars.  We would think they are wealthy.  But then imagine that they are so obsessed with making more money that all they do is work.  They do not get to spend much time with their family.  They do not get to use their money to take relaxing vacations.  They are so driven that they do not really enjoy what they have.  Now compare that person to one who makes much less money but who has a more balanced life.  This person gives up the chance to make lots of money, but they get to spend time doing things they love with people they love.  We can see why someone might say that the second person is wealthier.

We can also see this argument when we talk about countries’ economic systems.  Many Americans argue that our system is superior to European systems because we make more money per capita than they do.  Others, however, argue that the European system is superior because, for example, Europeans have long paid vacations every year or are guaranteed the right to be paid while staying home with small children.  In this view, the Europeans are wealthier because they get to enjoy what they have more than Americans do.

So, what Franklin is saying here is that you are truly wealthy if you enjoy what you have, not just if you have a lot of money.

What discovery did J.J. Thomson make which disproved earlier scientific theory that claimed that the atom was an "indivisible" particle?

Prior to J. J. Thomson's discovery, atoms were believed to be the smallest particle, the buildings blocks of matter, and hence indivisible particles. Thomson disproved this by discovering electrons, which are significantly smaller than the atom itself, and as a result are called sub-atomic particles (among other sub-atomic particles, like the proton and neutron).

Thomson discovered the electron through his cathode ray tube experiment. Cathode ray tubes consist of hollow sealed glass with a vacuum...

Prior to J. J. Thomson's discovery, atoms were believed to be the smallest particle, the buildings blocks of matter, and hence indivisible particles. Thomson disproved this by discovering electrons, which are significantly smaller than the atom itself, and as a result are called sub-atomic particles (among other sub-atomic particles, like the proton and neutron).

Thomson discovered the electron through his cathode ray tube experiment. Cathode ray tubes consist of hollow sealed glass with a vacuum inside. On one end is a filament and an electric source, and on the other a screen (this is basically how older big TVs work). 

In his experiments, Thomson subjected the rays to a magnetic field and an electric field to see how they responded. He observed rays were bent by both a magnetic field and an electric field, which means they are charged. The way the rays responded to an electric field suggested that whatever particle was in the rays (during that time no one knew what they were) was negative. Using this, he was also able to determine the mass-to-charge ratio of the particle. He did this by analyzing the extent to which the ray was bent in the presence of an external electrical field. 

The experiment found the existence of a negatively charged particle with a really high mass-to-charge ratio. This could mean two things: the mass is really low, or the charge is really high. It would turn out that the mass of the particle is low. This particle is what we now call the electron, and it is certainly a lot smaller than an atom, proving the atom is in fact divisible (in the sense that it is composed of smaller particles called sub-atomic particles).

Why is the Declaration of Independence important to us now and during the revolutionary war?

The United States Declaration of Independence is one of the most important founding documents of the American system of government. While the Declaration justified colonial America's quest for independence from Great Britain, it also proposed a formula for self government based on the fundamental (i.e., natural) rights of humankind.  The most profound statement of the Declaration that carries as much weight today as it did in 1776 is the idea that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Every person, regardless of any perceived difference from another person, has the same basic rights. No one, not even the government, has the right to take away the rights all people were born with -- the right to life, the right to be free (with certain limitations for illegal activity), and the right to have the necessities of life that bring happiness. 

The second most important statement is that "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,—That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it." Democratically elected governments can become oppressive just as authoritarian governments like that of George III tended to be. Therefore, the founders saw fit to insist on the right to "alter" or change the existing government to insure that those in power protected the rights of the governed. Today, we don't change our government via revolutionary wars, we do so at the polls when we vote to put a new president, congressional members, or even local leaders in office. The Declaration not only says it is the right of the people to do this, it says "it is their right, it is their DUTY, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."

The ideas in the United States Declaration of independence are as important today as they were in 1776 even though we live in totally different country from the one that emerged following the American war for independence. Many colonial Americans felt George III's new laws governing the colonies were oppressive.  In today's America we find, at any given time, that many feel the same way about the leaders of this country, that they are not looking out for the rights of the people, i.e., the governed. The Declaration of Independence admonished the governed to be prudent, i.e., not hasty but careful or wise, when overthrowing an existing government by saying, “Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes.” Only once in almost 240 years of existence, between 1861-1865, have the people of the U.S. determined that it was justifiable to go war to protect the natural rights of persons living in this country. Though passionate and often heated, most  disagreement with the way government carries out its purpose has been "light and transient" enough to be altered through elections and the understanding that elected officials serve with the consent of the people. 

According to Peter Brown's Augustine of Hippo and The World of Late Antiquity, what were some important religious and philosophical movements and...

The main religious developments of the fourth century stemmed from Constantine's conversion to Christianity. Starting with the Edict of Milan in 313 which legalized Christianity, there was a gradual shift from the traditional gods being linked with imperial power to Christianity becoming the official religion of the Roman Empire. 

When Christianity had been an underground religion promulgated by a persecuted minority, having a clear and authoritative hierarchy and uniform doctrine had been less important than...

The main religious developments of the fourth century stemmed from Constantine's conversion to Christianity. Starting with the Edict of Milan in 313 which legalized Christianity, there was a gradual shift from the traditional gods being linked with imperial power to Christianity becoming the official religion of the Roman Empire. 

When Christianity had been an underground religion promulgated by a persecuted minority, having a clear and authoritative hierarchy and uniform doctrine had been less important than simple survival, although even as early as the late first century we find many internal doctrinal differences within Christianity. As an official imperial religion, Christianity needed to be strongly centralized and uniform. The Council of Nicaea marks the beginning  of collaboration between the episcopate and the Emperor to make Christianity an imperial religion, functioning as part of the Roman state. Stamping out of heresy and suppressing dissent became a priority.

The fourth century was also a period of the blossoming of monasticism, especially in the Greek east. Also, it was a period in which Augustine and subsequent thinkers argued that classical learning could be assimilated into Christian thought in the manner of the Egyptian gold the Jews had appropriated during the Exodus. 

In pagan philosophy, the fourth century was a period of syncretism, with Platonist philosophy, mystery religions, and Hellenic culture blending to create a more monolithic opposition of traditional paideia to the new Christian religion. Platonism became more heavily Pythagoreanized during this period, moving from the skepticism of the middle Platonists to a more mystical form of neoplatonism, characterized by the work of Plotinus, Iamblichus, and Proclus. This was also a major period for commentaries, both on the Platonic dialogues and Aristotle, whose work was assimilated to Platonism by Porphyry and subsequent Platonists. 

What is the message of the story "If I Forget Thee, O Earth . . ."?

The story shows the earth as uninhabitable. A nuclear war has led to the annihilation of life on the planet. Even from the moon, the earth can be seen “gleaming faintly with an evil phosphorescence.”

The few human survivors have taken refuge on the moon. They will have to stay on the lunar surface for hundreds of years until the effect of the toxic nuclear radiation dies down.

 “The winds and the rains would scour the poisons from the burning lands and carry them to the sea, and in the depths of the sea they would waste their venom until they could harm no living things. Then the great ships that were still waiting here on the silent, dusty plains could lift once more into space, along the road that led to home.”

The story was first published in 1951 during the early years of the Cold War. It reflects the prevailing apprehensions over the possibility of a nuclear war between the two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, and their allies. After the Second World War, both the superpowers began manufacturing nuclear warheads at an unprecedented scale.

In his story, the author Arthur C. Clarke presents a horrifying picture of the earth. It burns day and night on its “funeral pyre." With this story, he sent a very strong message to world leaders. Through his terrifying portrayal of the earth in the aftermath of a possible nuclear war, he warned against the production and use of nuclear warheads.

The lesson is clear. The story strongly discourages applying science and technology to produce weapons of mass destruction. It urges us to work together as the guardians of this unique planet and do all that is possible to preserve its resources. Instead of engaging in a nuclear arms race, every country should sincerely endeavor to keep our planet safe, clean and beautiful.

Though the Cold War has ended, the story is still very relevant. The production of nuclear warheads hasn’t stopped yet. The list of countries considered nuclear powers has been growing. The danger of war looms large across the globe. There are also environmental concerns regarding the safety of the earth. The insensitive exploitation of natural resources and the emission of greenhouse gases threaten the safety of the planet.

The story presents an artistic imagining of a ruined earth. It exhorts us to grow concerned and sensitive towards our planet before it is too late.

In Macbeth, who does Lennox believe killed Banquo?

In Act III, Scene 6, Lennox is talking with an unnamed Lord. Obviously some time has passed since Duncan's and Banquo's murders. Lennox was depicted as very young and naive when he was present at the time Macduff discovered Duncan's mutilated body. But by this point in time Lennox has seen a lot and heard a lot, and he has become more circumspect and sophisticated. He has learned the wisdom of speaking by innuendo, if he speaks at all. His guarded language not only shows his maturation, but by implication it shows that Scotland has become a sort of police state, not unlike Germany in the time of Adolf Hitler or the Soviet Union in the time of Joseph Stalin. Macbeth has become a terrible tyrant and has decided, since everybody hates and despises him, to rule by fear.

Lennox's speech in Act III, Scene 6 is full of verbal irony. He is saying the opposite of what he means, and his tone of voice would undoubtedly be heavily freighted with sarcasm. With regard to Banquo, he says:

And the right valiant Banquo walk'd too late,
Whom, you may say, if't please you, Fleance kill'd,
For Fleance fled. Men must not walk too late.
Who cannot want the thought, how monstrous
It was for Malcolm and for Donalbain
To kill their gracious father? 

Lennox is comparing the flight of Fleance at the time of his father's murder to the flight of Malcolm and Donalbain after their father King Duncan was found dead. He implies that Malcolm and Donalbain had to flee for their lives to escape from Macbeth and that, likewise, Fleance had to flee for his life to escape from the murderers Macbeth had sent to ambush his father and himself. 

Lennox obviously does not dare to say what he really thinks. He doesn't even dare to be too candid with the Lord he is talking to, but only to hint at his meaning. Lennox breaks off, fearing he has already said too much.

But, peace! For from broad words, and ’cause he [Macduff] fail'd
His presence at the tyrant's feast, 

No doubt everybody in Macbeth's kingdom is learning to talk in riddles or to say nothing. Macbeth has spies everywhere. In Act III, Scene 4 he has the following exchange with his wife.

MACBETH
How say'st thou, that Macduff denies his person
At our great bidding?

LADY MACBETH
Did you send to him, sir?

MACBETH
I hear it by the way, but I will send.
There's not a one of them but in his house
I keep a servant fee'd. 

The short scene in which Lennox has a conversation with the unnamed Lord is typical of the ones Shakespeare frequently uses to convey exposition to his audience. And this scene conveys a great deal of significant information. The Lord tells Lennox that Malcolm is living at the English court and that Macduff has fled there to join him. Both Malcolm and Macduff have reported such atrocities to King Edward that their report

Hath so exasperate the King that he
Prepares for some attempt of war.

This news comes almost at the very end of Act III. Act IV and V will show Macbeth descent and final ruin.

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, what characters are against Atticus taking the Tom Robinson case?

There are numerous characters that are against Atticus taking the Tom Robinson case. Atticus' sister, Alexandra, does not want her brother to defend Tom Robinson and even tells her grandson, Francis, that he is disgracing the family. Uncle Jack even tells Atticus, "Let this cup pass from you, eh?" (Lee 117). There are also numerous community members that feel that Atticus should not defend Tom. Mrs. Dubose, the Finch's racist neighbor,...

There are numerous characters that are against Atticus taking the Tom Robinson case. Atticus' sister, Alexandra, does not want her brother to defend Tom Robinson and even tells her grandson, Francis, that he is disgracing the family. Uncle Jack even tells Atticus, "Let this cup pass from you, eh?" (Lee 117). There are also numerous community members that feel that Atticus should not defend Tom. Mrs. Dubose, the Finch's racist neighbor, makes derogatory comments towards his children about him "lawing for niggers!" (Lee 135). The majority of Maycomb's citizens are prejudiced and feel that Atticus is in the wrong for defending an African American. The Old Sarum bunch even tries to harm Tom Robinson before the trial takes place. Mrs. Merriweather even voices her displeasure that Atticus tried to defend Tom Robinson during Alexandra's missionary circle, following the trial. Atticus' friends even discourage him from defending Tom Robinson in Chapter 15. Link Deas tells Atticus that he has everything to lose from taking this case. Despite the overwhelming opposition, Atticus chooses to defend Tom Robinson. Atticus tells Scout, "The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience" (Lee 140).

In Chapter 10, Atticus tells Scout and Jem that “it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” Find three examples of that advice being echoed with...

Atticus says that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird because the mockingbird symbolizes innocence. Mockingbirds do not do anything to hurt others, they just sing and make beautiful music.

One example in this chapter which highlights Atticus's wisdom is the rabid dog. The dog, like the mockingbird, is innocent. However, his right to live has been forfeited because he is no longer harmless, so Atticus is forced to shoot him in order to...

Atticus says that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird because the mockingbird symbolizes innocence. Mockingbirds do not do anything to hurt others, they just sing and make beautiful music.

One example in this chapter which highlights Atticus's wisdom is the rabid dog. The dog, like the mockingbird, is innocent. However, his right to live has been forfeited because he is no longer harmless, so Atticus is forced to shoot him in order to protect people.

A second example is Tom Robinson, the main "mockingbird" of this book. He is innocent, kind, and does not want to hurt others, but he continues to be hurt and persecuted throughout the novel.

Finally, Scout and Jem, as children, are mockingbirds to their father. He wants to protect their innocence. In this chapter specifically, he protects them from a mad dog, and in the course of this situation they find out he was also protecting them from knowing certain things about his past. For instance, he has kept the secret of how well he can shoot and how that skill came to be.

If the economy suffers deflation, what will happen to the real interest rate?

If an economy suffers from deflation, the real interest rate will rise.  It will then likely become impossible for a central bank to lower the real interest rate low enough to prompt more people to borrow money.  This is one reason why deflation is something that economists fear.

Deflation can be defined as a drop in the overall price index.  This is the opposite of inflation.  When deflation occurs, goods and services in general become...

If an economy suffers from deflation, the real interest rate will rise.  It will then likely become impossible for a central bank to lower the real interest rate low enough to prompt more people to borrow money.  This is one reason why deflation is something that economists fear.

Deflation can be defined as a drop in the overall price index.  This is the opposite of inflation.  When deflation occurs, goods and services in general become less expensive.  This sounds like a good thing because things get cheaper and consumers are able to buy more things with their paychecks.

Deflation is really not a good thing, though. One major reason why deflation is bad is that it increases the real interest rate.  Imagine that I borrow $1000 and have to pay 4% interest on that money.  At the end of the year, I must pay back $1040.  If deflation occurs, that $1040 is actually worth more than it was when I borrowed it.  For example, it might be worth as much as $1060 at the point when I borrowed the money.  What has happened is that my real interest rate, the real cost of borrowing money, has increased.

Now imagine that the economy is in a recession, which is usually the case when deflation occurs.  The central bank wants to increase the money supply by lowering interest rates.  The problem is that there is deflation, which adds to the real interest rate.  Because of the deflation, the central bank cannot lower the real interest rate enough to get businesses to borrow money again.  The deflation has increased the real interest rate and prevented the central bank from using one of its main levers of monetary policy.

In the poem "La Belle Dame Sans Merci," what is the lady like that the knight meets?

The woman the knight meets in "La Belle Dame Sans Merci" (The Beautiful Woman without Mercy) is a femme fatale. That is, she is a fatal woman. She is beautiful, alluring, and irresistable, and ultimately the downfall of any man who falls for her. 

The narrator finds the knight in a barren land where "he sedge is withered from the lake, / And no birds sing." The woman, then, not only destroys the knight, but the land around him as well. (This is a common motif in ancient myths, such as that of the Fisher King, who is wounded and is thus the reason his realm is a wasteland. The same motif can be seen in Sophocles' Oedipus.)

This femme fatale is "beautiful, a fairy's child" (13-14). She is a lady (not a peasant), and her hair is long and her step is light, meaning she is graceful as well as comely. However, her eyes are "wild" (16); this is emphasized, appearing thrice in the poem. Her wild eyes suggest she has an untamable spirit, which makes her even more irresistible to the knight. When he makes decorations for her from the flowers on the mead, she looks at him "as [if] she did love, / And made sweet moan." She is, then, an alluringly sexual creature. 

He is a gentleman, placing her on his war horse, but he cannot take his eyes off of her. In turn, she doesn't just sit and ride; she bends sidelong and sings "a faery's song" to him. This song, we may assume, has a magical, seductive quality. 

She lives on the mead, and thus finds him plants to eat, including roots and wild honey and manna-dew, all sweet things. (Manna-dew is a reference to what the Lord gave the children of Israel to eat in the Sinai Desert, which implies the knight's lady is a goddess-like figure.) 

She seduces him--emotionally--with her looks, her moans, her songs, her food, and her words, then she weeps and sighs, bringing out the protector in him. Then she lulls him to sleep where he sees the many men--kings and princes--who have all died at her hands and warn him of his fate (she has him in "thrall," meaning he is her slave). 

Despite this knowledge, he shows no desire to leave. 

Perhaps a better question is who is this lady? Is she Love? Or is she, perhaps, War--the "lady" so many men are seduced by and even when they know they will die at her hands, they are powerless to leave her? 

What are some items that could represent themes in the book Deadline by Chris Crutcher?

The items I would include in the bag relate to themes and ideas that Ben discovers in the course of Deadline.

A padlock is one item I would put in the bag. It locks things up and cannot be opened without a key.  This object symbolizes how Ben wants to lock up the truth.  He does not want people to know this detail so he "locks" it up and throws away the key.  The lock...

The items I would include in the bag relate to themes and ideas that Ben discovers in the course of Deadline.

A padlock is one item I would put in the bag. It locks things up and cannot be opened without a key.  This object symbolizes how Ben wants to lock up the truth.  He does not want people to know this detail so he "locks" it up and throws away the key.  The lock can also represent how people like Dallas and Rudy also "lock" their secrets away from everyone else.  The lock is what guides the entire narrative and its key is the truth.

I would include a copy of On Death and Dying by Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. It would be important for Ben to read a book on how to cope with the reality of death.  While Ben does make profound insights on the nature of truth, he does not seem to effectively process what death is.  The book would be an effective tool to help Ben understand something very difficult.

A football would be included to symbolize Ben's desire to be the best football player Trout High has ever seen. The challenges he faces on the football field are similar to, though far less than, the adversary he is facing in his terminal diagnosis. I would also include a pair of running shoes to symbolize how Ben left cross country for football.  In some respects, he is "running" out of time and the shoes could work on this symbolic level, as well.

What had broken Madame Schachter’s spirit?

Like Moshe the Beadle, Madame Schächter attempts to warn the Jews of Sighet about the horrors to come. Moshe described the atrocities he witnessed in the forest of Galicia. Madame Schächter is a prophetess, describing the flames of the furnaces at the death camps. While on the train to Auschwitz she becomes hysterical, calling out that she sees fire. Three times she warns them of the flames, but when they look outside there is nothing...

Like Moshe the Beadle, Madame Schächter attempts to warn the Jews of Sighet about the horrors to come. Moshe described the atrocities he witnessed in the forest of Galicia. Madame Schächter is a prophetess, describing the flames of the furnaces at the death camps. While on the train to Auschwitz she becomes hysterical, calling out that she sees fire. Three times she warns them of the flames, but when they look outside there is nothing but darkness. To keep her quiet the men beat her, tie her up and put a gag in her mouth. Even this brutality does not dissuade her, and the fourth time she cries out the flames of the crematoria actually come into view as the train pulls into the station at Birkenau, the reception center for Auschwitz. Her spirit is not broken until they arrive and her warnings prove to be true. After her last outburst Wiesel says, "she had become dumb, indifferent, absent, and had gone back to her corner." He sees her for the last time as they depart from the train.

In "The Sign of the Beaver," what does Matt's father leave him? Why are these items important?

Matt and his father moved to Maine from Massachusetts alone, leaving behind Matt’s pregnant mother and sister. After preparing a home and land for the family, Matt’s father left alone to return to Massachusetts and pick up his mother, sister and new baby. Before leaving, Matt’s father left twelve-year-old Matt with a prized rifle and a very special watch. The watch had been passed down through the family and had belonged to Matt’s great-grandfather. His...

Matt and his father moved to Maine from Massachusetts alone, leaving behind Matt’s pregnant mother and sister. After preparing a home and land for the family, Matt’s father left alone to return to Massachusetts and pick up his mother, sister and new baby. Before leaving, Matt’s father left twelve-year-old Matt with a prized rifle and a very special watch. The watch had been passed down through the family and had belonged to Matt’s great-grandfather. His father left the watch to help keep Matt company since he would be all alone. The rifle belonged to Matt’s father and was a much better rifle than Matt’s own. His father wanted him to be as protected as possible, alone in the woods. The rifle is soon stolen when a stranger appears and insists that Matt let him spend the night in the cabin. This makes Matt’s survival that much more difficult. Much later in the story, Attean gives Matt his dog when the two part. Because of this meaningful gesture, Matt, in turn, gives Attean the family watch.

What is the point of the Misses Tutti and Frutti Barber story?

The story of two sisters, Miss Tutti and Miss Frutti Barber, was used to explain why the Halloween festivities were being held at the school this year. Everything changed after the incident involving the sisters:

Until then, Halloween in Maycomb was a completely unorganized affair. Each child did what he wanted to do, with assistance from other children if there was anything to be moved, such as placing a light buggy on top of the...

The story of two sisters, Miss Tutti and Miss Frutti Barber, was used to explain why the Halloween festivities were being held at the school this year. Everything changed after the incident involving the sisters:

Until then, Halloween in Maycomb was a completely unorganized affair. Each child did what he wanted to do, with assistance from other children if there was anything to be moved, such as placing a light buggy on top of the livery stable. But parents thought things went too far last year, when the peace of Miss Tutti and Miss Frutti was shattered (Chapter 27).

The previous year, some mischievous local children snuck into the house of the Barber sisters on Halloween. The sisters were both deaf, so they did not hear when the children walked around the downstairs of their house and moved all the furniture down to the cellar. The children thought it was a delightful Halloween prank. The sisters later awoke to discover their furniture was missing. It took some time before they realized it was hidden in their own cellar. This trouble caused by the children motivated some local Maycomb ladies to plan an organized event to keep the young people busy on Halloween night.