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Vincent Van Gogh was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who lived from 1853 to 1890. He is considered one of the world's most famous painters, and you are likely to recognize some of his work, such as the painting  Starry Night.  Van Gogh's life story is a bit tragic-- he struggled with mental illness and though he conveyed great emotion and beauty in his paintings, he was very poor and not well known as an artist... Vincent Van Gogh was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who lived from 1853 to 1890. He is considered one of the world's most famous painters, and you are likely to recognize some of his work, such as the painting  Starry Night.  Van Gogh's life story is a bit tragic-- he struggled with mental illness and though he conveyed great emotion and beauty in his paintings, he was very poor and not well known as an artist until after his death by suicide.  Over his lifetime, Van Gogh's art styles transformed, with changes often reflecting his mental and physica...

In Poe's short story "The Tell-Tale Heart," the narrator murders an old man he lives with, dismembers the body, and buries it under the floor. As the narrator contemplates the murder, standing in the doorway of the man's room, he believes he hears the beating of the man's heart as he lies in his bed. The narrator believes that due to an illness his senses have been heightened. He believes the man's heart is beating loudly in fear. As he descends upon the man to suffocate him, he continues to hear the beating, but at last the sound subsides, and the narrator determines the man is dead.  After the narrator buries the body under the floor, three policemen enter the house. The narrator is so confident that his crime will not be discovered that he invites them to sit down, right over the place where the corpse is buried. Although he laughs and chats with the policemen at first, soon he becomes distraught. He believes he hears the same sound he heard previously, whi...

In Act I, Scene V of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet , Romeo, his cousin Benvolio and his close friend Mercutio sneak into the Capulets' masquerade ball so that Romeo can observe the target of his unrequited affections, Rosaline, a member of the Capulet clan—the family with whom the Montagues maintain a protracted and deadly rivalry. Romeo is deeply in love with Rosaline, despite the fact that she pays him no attention and has vowed to remain chaste. So depressed is Romeo about his failed efforts at wooing Rosaline that he and the other two conspire to crash the Capulets’ ball despite the risks inherent in such an action. As audiences and readers of Shakespeare’s play know from the outset, the rivalry between the two clans is serious, and any encounter between partisans of the two families will invariably turn violent. Earlier, in Act I, Scene II, so lovesick is Romeo that his cousin Benvolio suggests that they sneak into the Capulets' ball so that Romeo can, by compari...

From the beginning of the book   until the end, Skeeter's attitudes completely change. Having grown up in a southern family of means, the way of life she had always known was that every family had black maids. This was a way of life for her and also almost everyone she knew in Jackson, Mississippi. As the book goes on, and Skeeter hears more and more of the maids' stories of what they've experienced working in white homes, her eyes become opened to the injustices that the maids were subjected to. Her eyes also become opened to the mistreatment of the maids by people who have been her friends for her entire life.  Her own immediate family had driven away Constantine, the maid who had practically raised her. By the time her interviews of the maids are finished, and her book containing the interviews is published, Skeeter has totally changed her thinking and attitudes towards black people from what she had known throughout her entire childhood.

The setting of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is central to the plot's development in this classic piece of literature. Lee prepares the reader by describing not only the longstanding traditions of the imaginary town and surrounding area of Finch's Landing, but also by referring to the Civil War and inferring the virtually ineffectual hands of change seem to have passed by the town of Maycomb. Scout describes Maycomb: Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square. Somehow, it was hotter then: a black dog suffered on a summer's day; bony mules hitched to Hoover carts flicked flies in the sweltering shade of the live oaks on the square. . . A day was twenty-four hours long but seemed longer. There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of May...

In Chapter Two, Effie Wilcox has to use Grandma's privy because her own has been destroyed by the Cowgill brothers. Accordingly, the morning after the Cowgill brothers blow up Grandma's mailbox, Effie Wilcox shows up at Grandma's front door. She requests to use the privy but initially shies away from telling Grandma why she has to do so. Too self-conscious to tell Grandma the truth in front of Mary Alice and Joey, Effie first tries... In Chapter Two, Effie Wilcox has to use Grandma's privy because her own has been destroyed by the Cowgill brothers. Accordingly, the morning after the Cowgill brothers blow up Grandma's mailbox, Effie Wilcox shows up at Grandma's front door. She requests to use the privy but initially shies away from telling Grandma why she has to do so. Too self-conscious to tell Grandma the truth in front of Mary Alice and Joey, Effie first tries to get Grandma to make the children leave the kitchen. However, Grandma refuses to honor Effie's ...

One important clue which Sherlock Holmes immediately picks up on while listening to Jabez Wilson's story is that Wilson's new clerk got hired because he was willing to come for half wages. According to the pawnbroker: "I used to be able to keep two assistants, but now I only keep one; and I would have a job to pay him but that he is willing to come for half wages so as to learn the business.” Holmes immediately suspects that the new assistant must have some ulterior reason for wanting to work in that particular shop. Another important clue is that the assistant is supposedly an amateur photographer. “Oh, he has his faults, too,” said Mr. Wilson. “Never was such a fellow for photography. Snapping away with a camera when he ought to be improving his mind, and then diving down into the cellar like a rabbit into its hole to develop his pictures. That is his main fault, but on the whole he's a good worker. There's no vice in him.” The facts that Jabez Wilson had spent y...

Before getting to the main answer to this question, we need to note that prices do not play an important role in all economic systems.  Instead, they only play an important role in market economies.  In traditional and command economies, prices are not very important and may not even exist. In a market economy, however, prices are of supreme importance.  Prices send signals to producers about what they should and should not be making.  Prices... Before getting to the main answer to this question, we need to note that prices do not play an important role in all economic systems.  Instead, they only play an important role in market economies.  In traditional and command economies, prices are not very important and may not even exist. In a market economy, however, prices are of supreme importance.  Prices send signals to producers about what they should and should not be making.  Prices send signals to consumers about what they should and should not be buying.  In this way, prices are one...

To many in Pericles’ time, Athens was the center of the universe, not in a literal astronomical sense, but in their perception of Athens as being the finest of Greece’s centers of learning and culture. “Hellas” simply means “Greece,” and is used by Pericles and others as reference to a greater Greece, or the sum of its parts. Pericles, a prominent Greek general and orator, played a major role in Thucydides’ The History of the... To many in Pericles’ time, Athens was the center of the universe, not in a literal astronomical sense, but in their perception of Athens as being the finest of Greece’s centers of learning and culture. “Hellas” simply means “Greece,” and is used by Pericles and others as reference to a greater Greece, or the sum of its parts. Pericles, a prominent Greek general and orator, played a major role in Thucydides’ The History of the Peloponnesian Wars , the main source of information on that period, and the author and historian’s admiration for Pericles is clear. Writ...

Tissues are groups of cells of similar type that work together. In humans, there are several types of tissues, each with their own functions. These tissues come together to make organs. The tissues of humans include epithelial tissues, connective tissues, muscle tissues, and nervous tissue. Epithelial tissues include squamous epithelium with flat cells, columnar epithelium for absorption, cuboidal epithelium in glands and ducts, and transitional epithelium. Epithelium (except transitional) can be simple or stratified depending... Tissues are groups of cells of similar type that work together. In humans, there are several types of tissues, each with their own functions. These tissues come together to make organs. The tissues of humans include epithelial tissues, connective tissues, muscle tissues, and nervous tissue. Epithelial tissues include squamous epithelium with flat cells, columnar epithelium for absorption, cuboidal epithelium in glands and ducts, and transitional epithelium. Ep...

Atticus Finch shows himself as a good moral exemplar to Scout in several ways, most of all by being a firm, but loving, father to Scout and Jem. Though Atticus insists his children study hard, respect their elders, including the African-American maid Calpurnia, and behave respectfully toward one another and their neighbors, he takes pleasure in their youthful behaviors. Of course the most dramatic experience of Atticus' moral influence on Scout is when Atticus defends the black... Atticus Finch shows himself as a good moral exemplar to Scout in several ways, most of all by being a firm, but loving, father to Scout and Jem. Though Atticus insists his children study hard, respect their elders, including the African-American maid Calpurnia, and behave respectfully toward one another and their neighbors, he takes pleasure in their youthful behaviors. Of course the most dramatic experience of Atticus' moral influence on Scout is when Atticus defends the black laborer Tom Robinson, w...

If we use  The Great Gatsby  as our text of choice, we could examine it through both a New Critical and a feminist lens. A New Critical reading aims at finding unities in a text and employs the tools of close reading we typically learn in high school, with a focus on plot, theme, setting, characterization, symbols, metaphors and repeated patterns. In Gatsby, we see the color yellow associated with money, and more particularly with Gatsby,... If we use  The Great Gatsby  as our text of choice, we could examine it through both a New Critical and a feminist lens. A New Critical reading aims at finding unities in a text and employs the tools of close reading we typically learn in high school, with a focus on plot, theme, setting, characterization, symbols, metaphors and repeated patterns. In Gatsby, we see the color yellow associated with money, and more particularly with Gatsby, who, for example, drives a yellow car. Green is another symbol in the novel, representing desire: the green lig...

In his "I Have a Dream" speech, Martin Luther King, Jr. relies heavily on ethical (ethos) and emotional (pathos) appeals. That being the case, not many facts are clearly presented in the speech; rather, they are mainly only implied. Since these facts are only implied, not many facts presented in the speech can really be disputed. King does use hyperbole , meaning exaggeration, to speak of at least one implied fact .In his speech,... In his "I Have a Dream" speech, Martin Luther King, Jr. relies heavily on ethical (ethos) and emotional (pathos) appeals. That being the case, not many facts are clearly presented in the speech; rather, they are mainly only implied. Since these facts are only implied, not many facts presented in the speech can really be disputed. King does use hyperbole , meaning exaggeration, to speak of at least one implied fact . In his speech, King makes an implied reference to Black Nationalism when he warns his audience, "The marvelous new mi...

The irony is that Charles does not exist, and the family has been judging Laurie the entire time. Irony in literature is “the technique of indicating an intention or attitude opposed to what is actually stated”. It is when what happens is different from what is expected. The irony in this story is that the horrible boy Charles in kindergarten with Laurie is really Laurie. Laurie is a troublemaker. His mother should be able to see this, but she is too wrapped up in her complicated life to notice. She has a new baby who draws away most of her focus. From the beginning of the story, Laurie’s bad behavior is described. At lunch he spoke insolently to his father, spilled his baby sister’s milk, and remarked that his teacher said we were not to take the name of the Lord in vain.  When Laurie starts kindergarten, he describes a terrible boy who always acts up and gets in trouble. The entire family seems to enjoy listening to the little boy’s mishaps, even though their own child is no angel. T...

When Odysseus and his crew find the cave of the Cyclops, along with all his animals and cheese, the crew begs him to take some food and return immediately to the ship.  The men seem to sense, intuitively, that they should not be found in the cave.  Even Odysseus had had a bit of a premonition, before he left the ship, that he would "meet a man arrayed in mighty power, a savage, ignorant of... When Odysseus and his crew find the cave of the Cyclops, along with all his animals and cheese, the crew begs him to take some food and return immediately to the ship.  The men seem to sense, intuitively, that they should not be found in the cave.  Even Odysseus had had a bit of a premonition, before he left the ship, that he would "meet a man arrayed in mighty power, a savage, ignorant of rights and laws."  He was right, because Polyphemus -- although he isn't ignorant of rights and laws -- chooses not to adhere to the codes that most ancient Greeks found acceptable.   Odysseus...

After World War II, the communists, led by Mao Zedong had many advantages. They controlled the important areas of eastern China and around a quarter of the land.  A very important strategy that Mao Zedong utilized was to win favor with the peasants, which were an overwhelming majority of the population.  He promised that he would create reforms that would improve their lives.  For this reason, Mao was extremely popular.  Unemployment and other economic difficulties... After World War II, the communists, led by Mao Zedong had many advantages. They controlled the important areas of eastern China and around a quarter of the land.  A very important strategy that Mao Zedong utilized was to win favor with the peasants, which were an overwhelming majority of the population.  He promised that he would create reforms that would improve their lives.  For this reason, Mao was extremely popular.  Unemployment and other economic difficulties in Nationalist-controlled areas were making their leader,...

After World War II, the United States was one of two superpowers that emerged.  Unfortunately, the other superpower was vastly different in terms of political and economic ideology.  The Soviet Union, a communist state with a party dictatorship, was a nuclear power by 1950 and emerged as America's new enemy.  Politics of the era were dominated with containing communism.   With the war coming to an end military spending should have decreased. This was not... After World War II, the United States was one of two superpowers that emerged.  Unfortunately, the other superpower was vastly different in terms of political and economic ideology.  The Soviet Union, a communist state with a party dictatorship, was a nuclear power by 1950 and emerged as America's new enemy.  Politics of the era were dominated with containing communism.   With the war coming to an end military spending should have decreased. This was not the case, however as American political leaders spent more.  To succeed...

Anaphora is a literary device in which the writer or speaker deliberately repeats the first part of a sentence in order to create artistic emphasis. The Literary Devices dictionary gives us the following example of anaphora found in a biblical psalm: O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me... (Psalms 6:1-2, King James Version) Here, the repetition of "O LORD" creates anaphora. In the early chapters Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird , one example of anaphora can be found in Scout's early description of Calpurnia , the Finches' cook: Calpurnia was something else again. She was all angles and bones; she was nearsighted; she squinted; her hand was as wide as a bed slat and twice as hard. She was always ordering me out of the kitchen (Ch. 1). Since Scout dislikes Calpurnia at the beginning of the novel, Scout uses anaphora to emphasize Calpurnia's negative qualit...

Paul Laurence Dunbar uses the visual trope of a caged bird, which is a frequent metaphor for stolen freedom or the sense of being trapped. The trope has been used in literature before and after Dunbar. It is important to note that his line in the third stanza, "I know why the caged sings," was appropriated by Maya Angelou. It became the title of her memoir in which she recounted being raped as a young girl by her mother's boyfriend. As a result, her uncles kill him. Thus, she chooses not to speak, out of fear that her voice can kill. Angelou applied an ironic inversion to Dunbar's line: she expresses her anguish by refusing to make a sound, while, according to Dunbar's narrator, a bird would sing to express its pain. Throughout the poem, Dunbar repeats the phrase "I know." This use of anaphora, or the repetition of a phrase for effect, emphasizes his understanding and identification with the small, helpless, trapped creature. This use of parallelism help...

Yes, I think it's fair to characterize Odysseus's experiences as amounting to a personal hell as a result of his protracted and distressing absence from home.  While he is actually going through this odyssey, he seems so distracted by trying to stay alive, trying to keep his men alive, and reeling from their betrayals that he seems almost too busy to think much.  Then, he must survive terrible storms, overcome awful monsters, and deal with... Yes, I think it's fair to characterize Odysseus's experiences as amounting to a personal hell as a result of his protracted and distressing absence from home.  While he is actually going through this odyssey, he seems so distracted by trying to stay alive, trying to keep his men alive, and reeling from their betrayals that he seems almost too busy to think much.  Then, he must survive terrible storms, overcome awful monsters, and deal with the caprices of Calypso, the goddess who holds him captive against his will for seven years. ...

Although the time period may be old, the themes in Macbeth are just as relevant today.   Shakespeare is still very popular today, as shown by the worldwide celebrations of the 400th anniversary of his birth and death. The reason Shakespeare's plays are so popular today is because they are written with engaging characters and memorable themes.  Macbeth is still one of Shakespeare’s most performed plays.  The play’s main themes focus on the importance of... Although the time period may be old, the themes in Macbeth are just as relevant today.   Shakespeare is still very popular today, as shown by the worldwide celebrations of the 400th anniversary of his birth and death. The reason Shakespeare's plays are so popular today is because they are written with engaging characters and memorable themes.  Macbeth is still one of Shakespeare’s most performed plays.  The play’s main themes focus on the importance of ambition and honor. These are timeless concepts. The audience watches two...

Questions of divine agency and free will lie at the heart of many of Euripides' plays. His plays, in general, often emphasize the role of the incalculable to affect human plans by causing reversals of fortune; the "incalculable" is usually some kind of divine control or intervention. Euripides' plays tell us a lot about his view of " tychē " – which can be translated as 'chance', 'fortune', or 'luck'. While the gods are responsible for much, chance and human nature sometimes thwart divine plans. The Ion  is an excellent case study for Euripides' views on divine sovereignty and human agency.  In this play, Apollo is the father of Ion, who was born to Creusa after the god had raped her. Both Creusa's husband and Ion himself,  an adolescent when the play starts, are ignorant of Ion's true identity. The play shows Ion performing religious duties at Apollo's shrine in Delphi without any knowledge of what the god has in stor...

In "The White Man's Burden," Kipling depicts the native population in a uniformly negative way. In the first stanza, for example, Kipling suggests that these people are "half devil and half child," which emphasizes their cultural inferiority and religious differences. This is also reinforced in the final stanza when Kipling calls them "heathen." In the next stanza, Kipling switches his focus and looks at the personal characteristics of the colonized people. They are excessively proud... In "The White Man's Burden," Kipling depicts the native population in a uniformly negative way. In the first stanza, for example, Kipling suggests that these people are "half devil and half child," which emphasizes their cultural inferiority and religious differences. This is also reinforced in the final stanza when Kipling calls them "heathen." In the next stanza, Kipling switches his focus and looks at the personal characteristics of ...

The seemingly utopian society that Lois Lowry creates in  The Giver is based upon the principle of Sameness. The Committee of Elders controls every aspect of a person's life, including everything from what they wear to how many children they are permitted to have. Citizens in Jonas' community have every aspect of their lives planned out for them; choice does not exist in their lives. The function of Sameness in the novel invites readers to examine their own thoughts and opinions about what would happen in their lives if choice was removed.  The idea of not having to make choices in life does seem rather appealing, especially in the lives of young adults and college students, as many important choices and decisions occur during this point in a person's life. It would certainly seem convenient to have a person act as a guide down each path without having to worry about a thing. However, the absence of choice most certainly has its downfalls. It is up to each reader to examin...

In “The White Man’s Burden,” Rudyard Kipling describes indigenous people in very negative terms.  He says that they are not fully human in the way white people are.  He says that they foolish and lazy and destructive.  He says that they are ungrateful.  All of these attributes are reasons why it is such a burden for the white people to have to out and civilize them. Early in the poem, Kipling portrays the indigenous people... In “The White Man’s Burden,” Rudyard Kipling describes indigenous people in very negative terms.  He says that they are not fully human in the way white people are.  He says that they foolish and lazy and destructive.  He says that they are ungrateful.  All of these attributes are reasons why it is such a burden for the white people to have to out and civilize them. Early in the poem, Kipling portrays the indigenous people as less than fully human.  People who are fully human can be true adults. The indigenous people cannot.  This is why, in the first stanza, Kipl...

The woods near the spring do not change.   In this story, we learn the Tucks are immortal because they drank from a spring in the woods near Winnie’s house. We also find out that not only have the Tucks not changed, but neither have the woods.   "It hadn't changed, no more'n we had," said Miles. "And that was how we found out. Pa'd carved a T on the tree, remember, twenty years before, but... The woods near the spring do not change.   In this story, we learn the Tucks are immortal because they drank from a spring in the woods near Winnie’s house. We also find out that not only have the Tucks not changed, but neither have the woods.   "It hadn't changed, no more'n we had," said Miles. "And that was how we found out. Pa'd carved a T on the tree, remember, twenty years before, but the T was just where it'd been when he done it. That tree hadn't grown one whit in all that time. It was exactly the same. And the T he'd carved ...

The opening scene of Their Eyes Were Watching God  provides the lens through which the narrative of the novel is viewed. The opening scene introduces us to Janie, an independent woman who has defied all that has been expected of her. With such a powerful, self-reliant, and markedly different female character, Zora Neale Hurston may have wished to alert readers to the direction in which the main character would develop. With Janie's return to her... The opening scene of Their Eyes Were Watching God  provides the lens through which the narrative of the novel is viewed. The opening scene introduces us to Janie, an independent woman who has defied all that has been expected of her. With such a powerful, self-reliant, and markedly different female character, Zora Neale Hurston may have wished to alert readers to the direction in which the main character would develop. With Janie's return to her hometown, we witness her defiance of the traditional notions of love and living—and as a ...

When Ralph and Piggy first meet, Ralph makes fun of his nickname but this is relatively harmless. Jack is the first one to really intimidate others and he starts with Piggy. Jack yells at him simply for trying to get all the boys' names correct. He says "Shut up, Fatty" and the boys erupt with laughter. Piggy feels like an outcast:  A storm of laughter arose and even the tiniest child joined in. For the... When Ralph and Piggy first meet, Ralph makes fun of his nickname but this is relatively harmless. Jack is the first one to really intimidate others and he starts with Piggy. Jack yells at him simply for trying to get all the boys' names correct. He says "Shut up, Fatty" and the boys erupt with laughter. Piggy feels like an outcast:  A storm of laughter arose and even the tiniest child joined in. For the moment the boys were a closed circuit of sympathy with Piggy outside: he went very pink, bowed his head and cleaned his glasses again.  At the end of the c...

I believe Mill would have supported reproductive freedom, since his support for the equality of women in all spheres of life, including business, intellectual pursuit, religion and social relations indicated his belief that women (indeed, in Mill's view, all people) should be able to stand on their own, without the patronage of men or institutions. Mill's treatise The Subjection of Women (which Mill claimed was co-written with his wife, and perhaps even his daughter), lays out the... I believe Mill would have supported reproductive freedom, since his support for the equality of women in all spheres of life, including business, intellectual pursuit, religion and social relations indicated his belief that women (indeed, in Mill's view, all people) should be able to stand on their own, without the patronage of men or institutions. Mill's treatise The Subjection of Women (which Mill claimed was co-written with his wife, and perhaps even his daughter), lays out the notion th...

Claudius ignores Ophelia for much of her existence except when he needs to use her in a plan to discover the cause of Hamlet's supposed lunacy.  Claudius and Polonius use her as a pawn to decide if Hamlet is is crazy because Ophelia has denied his amorous advances.  Claudius curtly asks, "But how hath she received his love?" (II,ii,137) and has only the mildest interest in Polonius' answer before agreeing to spy on their interactions.... Claudius ignores Ophelia for much of her existence except when he needs to use her in a plan to discover the cause of Hamlet's supposed lunacy.  Claudius and Polonius use her as a pawn to decide if Hamlet is is crazy because Ophelia has denied his amorous advances.  Claudius curtly asks, "But how hath she received his love?" (II,ii,137) and has only the mildest interest in Polonius' answer before agreeing to spy on their interactions.  He later concludes that that Polonius is incorrect: Love? His affections do not th...

En route to their hunting excursion in Brazil, Whitney and Rainsford discuss Ship-Trap Island and the hunter/prey relationship. As they move through the dark sea, Whitney mentions that to their right is what the old charts call "Ship-Trap Island," adding that sailors have a dread of this place hidden in the dark. Whitney then observes that it will be light by the time they reach Rio de Janeiro, and Rainsford indicates his excitement about hunting jaguars: ... En route to their hunting excursion in Brazil, Whitney and Rainsford discuss Ship-Trap Island and the hunter/prey relationship. As they move through the dark sea, Whitney mentions that to their right is what the old charts call "Ship-Trap Island," adding that sailors have a dread of this place hidden in the dark. Whitney then observes that it will be light by the time they reach Rio de Janeiro, and Rainsford indicates his excitement about hunting jaguars: "The best sport in the world" "For the hu...

In the beginning of Sherman Alexie's book,  The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Junior lives and goes to school on the Spokane reservation. Like most things on "The Rez," Junior's school is quite poor and run-down. They cannot afford new textbooks on a regular basis, so students in Junior's class have to make do with books which are almost half a century old. Life on the reservation is persistently behind the times because First... In the beginning of Sherman Alexie's book,  The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Junior lives and goes to school on the Spokane reservation. Like most things on "The Rez," Junior's school is quite poor and run-down. They cannot afford new textbooks on a regular basis, so students in Junior's class have to make do with books which are almost half a century old. Life on the reservation is persistently behind the times because First Nations people are not made a priority-- indeed, often fall ...

Christianity and Judaism are two of the world's three largest monotheistic faiths (with Islam being the third). They have strong historical connections, as Christianity first emerged as a sect (or more accurately several sects) from Judaism in the first century A.D. Generally speaking, the most important theological difference between the two is that adherents of Judaism do not acknowledge Jesus to be the Messiah (a man sent by God to unify and deliver the people... Christianity and Judaism are two of the world's three largest monotheistic faiths (with Islam being the third). They have strong historical connections, as Christianity first emerged as a sect (or more accurately several sects) from Judaism in the first century A.D. Generally speaking, the most important theological difference between the two is that adherents of Judaism do not acknowledge Jesus to be the Messiah (a man sent by God to unify and deliver the people of Israel) or the son of God. They also do not believ...

William Paul Young's novel  The Shack is a work of fiction. The author calls it "true" fiction, and compares it to a parable. The characters in the novel are fictional, but some elements of the book are autobiographical. Mackenzie Allen Phillips bears some similarities to the author, and Missy bears some similarities to people in the author's life, but the details are fictionalized.  William Paul Young was a missionary's son and grew up among the... William Paul Young's novel  The Shack is a work of fiction. The author calls it "true" fiction, and compares it to a parable. The characters in the novel are fictional, but some elements of the book are autobiographical. Mackenzie Allen Phillips bears some similarities to the author, and Missy bears some similarities to people in the author's life, but the details are fictionalized.  William Paul Young was a missionary's son and grew up among the Dani tribe of Papua New Guinea. His parents were ...

An introduction to an essay about climate change should give an overview of our current state of knowledge, the difference between anthropogenic (human-caused) and non-anthropogenic climate change, and the impacts of climate change on living organisms. A good start to an essay on climate change will start with a hook. What do we know? We know that humans are impacting Earth's climate system and that a changing climate has negative effects for the planet as a whole. A strong first sentence will help to call attention to the issue and will communicate the subject, attitude, and direction of your paper. Secondly, the introduction should make very clear for a reader that the kind of climate change we talk about most often (in politics, media, daily life) is the anthropogenic kind. Throughout Earth's climate history, fluctuations have propelled the Earth in a back-and-forth pattern from high to low temperatures. Evidence for this fluctuation exists in climate records like ice caps,...

I'm assuming that you're talking about Tim O'Brien's short story "The Things They Carried ," as opposed to the full length novel of the same name.    In this case, the answer to your question would be Martha.  The title of the story refers not only to the actual equipment that soldiers carry, but also to the memories, hardships, and trauma they must hypothetically "carry" with them for the rest of their lives.  While Lieutenant Cross carries both a rucksack and gear, these objects are not recurring motifs. They don't represent anything other than what they are. Martha is a girl from back home for whom Cross has feelings. Martha and Cross are not in a relationship, but Cross thinks about Martha both romantically and sexually, and the idea of her is what keeps him going while in Vietnam.  In fact, the story's opening is dedicated to introducing Martha. It reads, "First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross carried letters from a girl named Martha, a jun...