What two emotions are pulling Mr. Gatz?

Mr. Gatz seems to be torn between grief and pride. He obviously very much grieves his son's death, his "eyes leaking isolated and unpunctual tears," even though death is no longer something to which he, as an older man, is unaccustomed. One never expects one's child to die first, and Mr. Gatz left Minnesota as soon as he read about the news of his son's death in the Chicago papers. Nick says that Mr. Gatz's...

Mr. Gatz seems to be torn between grief and pride. He obviously very much grieves his son's death, his "eyes leaking isolated and unpunctual tears," even though death is no longer something to which he, as an older man, is unaccustomed. One never expects one's child to die first, and Mr. Gatz left Minnesota as soon as he read about the news of his son's death in the Chicago papers. Nick says that Mr. Gatz's eyes "[see] nothing" when he arrives, and Gatsby's father can only insist that the man who killed him "'must have been mad.'"

However, when Mr. Gatz really looks around him at the magnificent mansion his son had worked for, purchased, and lived in, his grief "mixed with an awed pride." He insists that the family always knew that his son had a bright future ahead of him because he was always so very intelligent and hardworking. He insists that Gatsby would have been great and helped to "'build up the country'" like James J. Hill, who was a prominent railroad executive known as the Empire Builder during his lifetime.

In "The Ransom of Red Chief," how did Sam wake up in the morning? What was Red Chief doing?

They all go to bed about eleven o'clock on the first night they are supposedly holding the boy captive. Sam says that they spread some blankets and quilts on the ground and that he and Bill sleep with the boy between them. Around daybreak Sam is awakened by terrible screams from Bill. He sees that Red Chief is sitting on Bill's chest and literally trying to scalp him with a big case knife. Sam gets...

They all go to bed about eleven o'clock on the first night they are supposedly holding the boy captive. Sam says that they spread some blankets and quilts on the ground and that he and Bill sleep with the boy between them. Around daybreak Sam is awakened by terrible screams from Bill. He sees that Red Chief is sitting on Bill's chest and literally trying to scalp him with a big case knife. Sam gets the knife away from the boy, but neither of the men dares to go back to sleep again. Earlier that evening Bill had told his partner that he and Red Chief were getting along just fine.

"I'm Old Hank, the Trapper, Red Chief's captive, and I'm to be scalped at daybreak."

Naturally Bill had thought it was all just pretense, but the unique situation of actually being kidnapped seems to have carried Red Chief far beyond his normal fantasizing. Bill is becoming terrified of this boy, and as Red Chief realizes that he has the upper hand, he becomes more and more aggressive. Sam tries to keep some control over the situation, but Bill is totally demoralized and only wants to get rid of the kid as soon as possible. 

How does Capulet respond to Paris' proposal to marry Juliet?

Early in the play, in Act I, Scene 2, Lord Capulet sends mixed messages to Count Paris about the availability of his daughter Juliet to be married. At first he insists that Juliet is too young and suggests that Paris wait two years, saying, "Let two more summers wither in their pride/Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride." After all, Juliet is only thirteen years old. Paris, however, claims that even younger...

Early in the play, in Act I, Scene 2, Lord Capulet sends mixed messages to Count Paris about the availability of his daughter Juliet to be married. At first he insists that Juliet is too young and suggests that Paris wait two years, saying, "Let two more summers wither in their pride/Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride." After all, Juliet is only thirteen years old. Paris, however, claims that even younger girls have already given birth ("Younger than she are happy mothers made"). Capulet then seems to soften his stance, telling Paris that he might be willing to approve of such a marriage only if Paris can win Juliet's heart. He asserts that her happiness is utmost in his mind. He says,

But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart;
My will to her consent is but a part.
And, she agreed, within her scope of choice
Lies my consent and fair according voice.

Later in the play, in Act III, Scene 4, Capulet totally changes his mind. He is swayed by the death of Tybalt and the atmosphere of sorrow which pervades his household. He wrongly believes that Juliet is distraught over her cousin's death and hopes to plan a "day of joy" to cheer her up. He must have believed that Paris was a good match for Juliet and so agrees to hold the wedding as soon as possible. He also seems to do an about face about Juliet's approval of the marriage because he savagely berates her when she disagrees with his arrangement at the close of Act III.

What is an example of a heroic couplet in Anne Bradstreet's "An Author to Her Book"?

Anne Bradstreet's entire poem "The Author to Her Book" is written in rhyming couplets. A rhyming couplet is a pair of two lines that display ending rhyme (the last word in each line rhymes). A heroic couplet is a more specific pair of lines in that the two lines have an end rhyme and also are written in iambic pentameter. The meter of the line is the number of syllables and the stresses, or emphases, placed on the syllables. In a line of iambic pentameter, there will be ten syllables, an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (five times per line, making ten total syllables). 

In Bradstreet's poem, the first two couplets, lines 1 and 2 and lines 3 and 4, are heroic couplets because each pair of lines rhymes and is written in iambic pentameter. For example, in lines 1-2, Bradstreet writes: 

Thou ill-formed offspring of my feeble brain,

Who after birth didst by my side remain 

The words at the end of each line--brain and remain--rhyme, making this a couplet. Each line also contains ten syllables, an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. If you read the lines out loud, you would stress all of the even-numbered syllables (ill/off/of/fee/brain), giving them more emphasis and lending the line its cadence or rhythm.

Most of the lines in this poem are ten syllables long (line 5, for example, appears to have eleven syllables) and the entire poem is arranged in rhyming couplets. Lines 1-2 are just one example, but you could look at each pair of lines in the poem and explain them in the same way I did above.  

What is a summary of the poem "Round and Round" by Vikram Seth?

"Round and Round" by Vikram Seth is a short poem about a traveler who has just experienced a stressful, day-long airplane flight. Now the traveler is waiting at the baggage claim area to collect his suitcase, and as he watches the carousel go around and around with people's bags on it, he suddenly notices a small, red, round suitcase. He's thrilled! He used to know a woman a long time ago who owned a suitcase...

"Round and Round" by Vikram Seth is a short poem about a traveler who has just experienced a stressful, day-long airplane flight. Now the traveler is waiting at the baggage claim area to collect his suitcase, and as he watches the carousel go around and around with people's bags on it, he suddenly notices a small, red, round suitcase. He's thrilled! He used to know a woman a long time ago who owned a suitcase just like that. Although he hasn't seen her in seven years, he's excited to think that he might bump into her now, and he gets lost in a daydream about his past experiences with this lady. But his enthusiasm is quickly extinguished when an old man whom the speaker doesn't know claims the little red suitcase. Sadly, the speaker claims his own suitcase, then leaves.

As you can see, "Round and Round" is a poem that tells about a brief personal experience. It moves quickly from boredom to excitement and anticipation to disappointment. For that reason, the title, "Round and Round," is a good description of the speaker's feelings as they change, as well as a good literal description of the baggage carousel in the airport.

What quotes show friendship, loyalty, heroism and bravery in The Outsiders?

Friendship

Friendship is very important to the greasers. They are more than just a group of guys who live in the same neighborhood. They look out for each other, and see each other as family.

For example, Johnny’s parents treat him terribly. His father abuses him physically and his mother abuses him verbally. Johnny’s terrible home life is only survivable because he has his friends to support him.

He would have run away a million times if we hadn't been there. If it hadn't been for the gang, Johnny would never have known what love and affection are. (Ch. 1) 

Johnny cares about his friends, and they care about him when his own parents don't. He is the gang’s pet. When he is dying in the hospital, he doesn’t even want to talk to his mother. He wants to talk to his friends. Even though Johnny is not supposed to have visitors, the doctor makes an exception because he knows how important Johnny’s friends are to him.

He was in critical condition. No visitors. But Two-Bit wouldn't take no for an answer. That was his buddy in there and he aimed to see him. We both begged and pleaded, but we were getting nowhere until the doctor found out what was going on. (Ch. 8)

Johnny’s death hits the gang hard. After his death and Dallas’s, the gang has to move on, together, without him.  They support each other. They are family.

Loyalty

Loyalty is about more than visiting someone in the hospital. One example of loyalty is the greaser-Soc gang conflict. The greasers stand up for each other, and so do the Socs. If one of them is attacked, the others will defend or protect him. This is part of the self-perpetuating gang feud.

There are other people involved in the conflict, however. When Cherry meets Pony, she sees him as more than just a greaser. Her boyfriend Bob is angry that she is with the greasers and tries to get her to leave. She does, in order to avoid a fight and out of loyalty to him and to the Socs. He may be drunk, but he is still her boyfriend.

"I know," she said quietly, "but we'd better go with them. Ponyboy... I mean... if I see you in the hall at school or someplace and don't say hi, well, it's not personal or anything, but..." (Ch. 3) 

Loyalty to one’s social class wins over friendship. Cherry can’t be friends with Pony at school and can’t introduce him to her friends, because he is a greaser and she is a Soc. That is the bottom line.

Another example of loyalty is the rumble at the end, after Johnny dies. The Socs want to get revenge on the greasers for killing Bob, and the greasers want to get revenge on the Socs for killing Johnny. Randy comes to Pony and tells him that he doesn’t want to participate in the rumble. 

"You can't win, you know that, don't you? … You can't win, even if you whip us. You'll still be where you were before—at the bottom. And we'll still be the lucky ones with all the breaks. So it doesn't do any good, the fighting and the killing.” (Ch. 7) 

The greasers and Socs will keep fighting, because they are always avenging previous wrongs. Randy is right: the Socs are the ones who win in the end because they get all the breaks in life. The greasers know this, but the Socs still won’t leave them alone. So out of loyalty to each other and self-defense, they continue fighting.

Bravery and Heroism 

A hero can be a person in your life that you look up to. Pony and Johnny both look up to Dallas, the gang’s resident bad boy, although Pony does not like him much. He is the one they go to when they are in trouble. Johnny considers him a hero. 

It had taken more than nerve for him to say what he'd said to Dally—Johnny worshiped the ground Dallas walked on, and I had never heard Johnny talk back to anyone, much less his hero. (Ch. 2)

Johnny looks up to Dally because he is everything Johnny is not. He is strong, he is a good fighter, and he is confident.  Johnny is timid and small. He wants to be Dally. This is why it is so important when Johnny stands up to Dally, protecting Cherry and Marcia.

Johnny also displays heroism when Pony is being drowned by Bob. He is scared to death, because Bob and his friends attacked him before. Nonetheless, he defends Pony, risking his own life.

"You really killed him, huh, Johnny?"

"Yeah." His voice quavered slightly. "I had to. They were drowning you, Pony.

They might have killed you. And they had a blade... they were gonna beat me up..." (Ch. 4)

Johnny certainly did not want to kill Bob, or anyone, and neither did Pony. He felt he had no choice, because they were in so much danger.

Johnny gets to be a hero again at the church. He and Pony run away, and while they are there a group of schoolchildren gets trapped in the abandoned church where they are hiding after it catches fire.

Pony does not seem to think about his own safety in the church. He sees that the kids are in danger and steps up, trying to help them while he can.

I picked up a kid, and he promptly bit me, but I leaned out the window and dropped him as gently as I could, being in a hurry like that.... Dally was standing there, and when he saw me he screamed, "For Pete's sake, get outa there! That roof's gonna cave in any minute. Forget those blasted kids!" (Ch. 6)

Johnny, Pony, and Dallas are called heroes for saving the kids at the church, because they risked their lives to get the kids to safety. Onlookers are surprised that such a motley group of boys would save their children.

"I swear, you three are the bravest kids I've seen in a long time. First you and the black haired kid climbing in that window, and then the tough-looking kid going back in to save him. Mrs. O'Briant and I think you were sent straight from heaven. Or are you just professional heroes or something?" (Ch. 6)

The news media is also interested in the group of murderous runaways turned heroes. It makes quite a story. The whole thing is too much for Dally, who commits suicide-by-cop because of what happened to Johnny.

How did Tom Robinson show integrity in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee?

Tom Robinson is a morally upright individual who becomes the victim of ugly racial injustice. In Chapter 9, Atticus tells Scout that Calpurnia knows Tom's family, and they are "clean-living" folks. Tom does not speak much throughout the novel, except when he is called to the witness stand to testify.

One of the first questions Atticus asks Tom is if he was convicted of disorderly conduct. Tom tells the truth and says, "Yes suh,...

Tom Robinson is a morally upright individual who becomes the victim of ugly racial injustice. In Chapter 9, Atticus tells Scout that Calpurnia knows Tom's family, and they are "clean-living" folks. Tom does not speak much throughout the novel, except when he is called to the witness stand to testify.

One of the first questions Atticus asks Tom is if he was convicted of disorderly conduct. Tom tells the truth and says, "Yes suh, I had to serve 'cause I couldn't pay the fine. Other fellow paid his'n" (Lee 254). Dill asks Jem why Atticus brought up Tom's past conviction, and Jem tells him that Atticus is showing the jury that Tom has nothing to hide. Tom's truthful answer displays his integrity. He could have easily denied that he was ever charged with disorderly conduct, but Tom tells the truth instead.

Tom elaborates on how he knows Mayella and says he helped her with many chores throughout his life. When Tom is asked if he was ever paid for his services he says, "No suh, not after she offered me a nickel the first time. I was glad to do it, Mr. Ewell didn't seem to help her none, and neither did the chillun, and I knowed she didn't have no nickels to spare" (Lee 256). Tom's generosity is evident from the fact that he routinely goes out of his way to help Mayella. His morally upright character is portrayed in his ability to assist Mayella, which again demonstrates his integrity.

When Atticus asks Tom what exactly happened on the evening of November 21st, Tom tells Atticus that Mayella made advances toward him, and he tried his best to resist Mayella. Tom says he ran out of the house and Atticus proceeds to ask him if he harmed Mayella in any way. Tom says, "I did not, suh... I tried to 'thou bein' ugly to her. I didn't wanta be ugly, I didn't wanta push her or nothin'" (Lee 260). Tom's testimony is evidence that he maintained his morally upright character in the middle of the crisis. Tom exercised self-control and was compassionate towards Mayella despite the adverse situation he was in.