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By the end of Animal Farm , the animals' lives have changed considerably and for the worse. It is important, however, to differentiate between the animals: the pigs, for instance, enjoy the best conditions on the farm. They live in the farmhouse, drink whiskey and do none of the hard work. Their conditions are best summed up by the single remaining Commandment: "All animals are equal but some are more equal than others." But for... By the end of Animal Farm , the animals' lives have changed considerably and for the worse. It is important, however, to differentiate between the animals: the pigs, for instance, enjoy the best conditions on the farm. They live in the farmhouse, drink whiskey and do none of the hard work. Their conditions are best summed up by the single remaining Commandment: "All animals are equal but some are more equal than others." But for the other animals on the farm, life is very hard. They receive very small rations of food, work very ha...

Chapter 3 is full of a variety of literary devices including similes, a metaphor, imagery, verbal irony, foreshadowing, allusion and a foil. Golding uses several similes to describe Jack as he tries to track a wild pig. He is "like a sprinter," and he stared at the signs left by the pig "as though he would force them to speak to him." He is described at one point as "dog-like" and later as "ape-like." Imagery is used in the first part of the chapter to describe Jack's experience in the forest and at the end to describe Simon's. Sound imagery includes the following: "whine of insects," "silence shattered and echoes set ringing by a harsh cry," "hiss of indrawn breath," and "the quick, hard patter of hoofs, a castanet sound." Visual imagery is apparent when describing the pig droppings: "They were olive green, smooth, and they steamed a little." The chapter ends with visual and olfactory ima...

Children in Jonas’s community do not celebrate birthdays in the same way we do.  Every child born in a year is assigned a number.  Then, once a year in December there is a ceremony where they enter the next age category.  The actual month when they were born does not matter.  The first December, they all turn One, and then the next year they are all Two, and so on. Each December, all the newchildren born in the previous year turned One. … Some were already walking, wobbly on their unsteady legs; others were no more than a few days old, wrapped in blankets, held by their Nurturers. (Ch. 2)  Each class has fifty in it, because the community controls the population and makes sure there are fifty children born each year.  Unless one of the babies is released, they all turn One on the same day whether they are walking or just born.  Thus older kids have a real advantage at first, but it possibly diminishes as they get older.  Like in our world, each ceremony results in gifts.  The gift of t...

During this conversation, Lord Capulet is actually chastising Tybalt for Tybalt's failure to obey him.  Tybalt has identified Romeo Montague, the son of Capulet's great enemy, in the crowd at their party, and he is enraged.  He wants to go after the young man and make him pay for what Tybalt sees as an insult to the Capulets' honor.  Lord Capulet yells at him, telling him that to make such a scene would ruin the... During this conversation, Lord Capulet is actually chastising Tybalt for Tybalt's failure to obey him.  Tybalt has identified Romeo Montague, the son of Capulet's great enemy, in the crowd at their party, and he is enraged.  He wants to go after the young man and make him pay for what Tybalt sees as an insult to the Capulets' honor.  Lord Capulet yells at him, telling him that to make such a scene would ruin the party, endanger his guests, and compel them to leave.  Tybalt, however, feels that Romeo's presence is a sign of terrible disrespect to t...

It is a common experience that when we pour hot tea in a mug, the mug gets warm and we have to hold it using its handle. This is simply because heat from the tea has been transferred to the mug. Similarly, over the course of the next few minutes, the tea and the mug get cold. This happens because the mug and the tea lose heat to the colder surroundings.  This shows that heat... It is a common experience that when we pour hot tea in a mug, the mug gets warm and we have to hold it using its handle. This is simply because heat from the tea has been transferred to the mug. Similarly, over the course of the next few minutes, the tea and the mug get cold. This happens because the mug and the tea lose heat to the colder surroundings.  This shows that heat flows from a region of higher temperature to a region of lower temperature. This rule always holds true. In the present case, the plastic cup is at 70 degrees F while the water is at 40 degrees F. The heat will flow from the hotter substance...

According to John Rawls, the original position is not a place but rather a point of view. It is a point of view that is neutral and which takes into account the needs of all people, not just ourselves. The point of entering into the original position is so that we can create a set of just rules for our society. In his book A Theory of Justice , Rawls tried to set out a... According to John Rawls, the original position is not a place but rather a point of view. It is a point of view that is neutral and which takes into account the needs of all people, not just ourselves. The point of entering into the original position is so that we can create a set of just rules for our society. In his book A Theory of Justice , Rawls tried to set out a way in which people could have a just society. He wanted both legal justice and economic justice. In order to accomplish this, he used the idea of the original position. The most important part of the original position is the “veil of ignorance.” Rawls ...

At Auschwitz, where Elie and his father spend the first three weeks of their imprisonment, there is basically nothing to do. Elie reports that it was like a "rest home" and most afternoons were spent sleeping. Ironically, there are signs at Auschwitz saying "Work is Liberty." When Elie and his father are transferred to Buna, part of the Auschwitz network of concentration camps, they work at an electrical warehouse counting "bolts, bulbs, and small electrical... At Auschwitz, where Elie and his father spend the first three weeks of their imprisonment, there is basically nothing to do. Elie reports that it was like a "rest home" and most afternoons were spent sleeping. Ironically, there are signs at Auschwitz saying "Work is Liberty." When Elie and his father are transferred to Buna, part of the Auschwitz network of concentration camps, they work at an electrical warehouse counting "bolts, bulbs, and small electrical fittings." Even ...

Mr. Hale eventually uses his power in a positive way.  It takes him a while to come around to the idea that the court in Salem is corrupt and that the girls are not being truthful, but once he does realize this in Act III, he tries to step in.  Hale tries to stick up for the Proctors when Elizabeth tells a lie to protect John after he'd sworn that she would never lie.  When... Mr. Hale eventually uses his power in a positive way.  It takes him a while to come around to the idea that the court in Salem is corrupt and that the girls are not being truthful, but once he does realize this in Act III, he tries to step in.  Hale tries to stick up for the Proctors when Elizabeth tells a lie to protect John after he'd sworn that she would never lie.  When Mary Warren accuses John of witchcraft, Hale argues that "this child's gone wild!" and he "denounce[s] these proceedings" by the end of the act.     By Act IV, Hale has returned to Salem to try to convince those...

After Finny's funeral in chapter 12, life continues in chapter 13 of A Separate Peace. Gene's class is graduating from Devon and preparing to enter the war effort. Meanwhile, in June, military units move onto the campus to set up sewing machines for the purpose of sewing parachutes together. Brinker and Gene talk about the war and what they are witnessing with great interest. Brinker turns the talk to Leper's failed enlistment and that he would have done better to be stationed here sewing parachutes. Gene feels uncomfortable talking about Leper and says, "Why talk about something you can't do anything about?" (197). This must be Gene's philosophy at this point in his life. He feels powerless to change anything, especially with people over whom he has no control; therefore, why discuss it? Gene's philosophy seems to carry over to what happened to his best friend, Phineas. He doesn't see any reason to talk about Finny after he's gone because ther...

The two father-son relationships we get the most information on in  Things Fall Apart  are those between Okonkwo and his own father, Unoka, and between Okonkwo and his son, Nwoye. Both of these relationships reveal tensions between father and son and in both cases, Okonkwo is not satisfied with the way Unoka and Nwoye play the role of father and of son, respectively. The novel begins with many details about Okonkwo's opinion of Unoka and... The two father-son relationships we get the most information on in  Things Fall Apart  are those between Okonkwo and his own father, Unoka, and between Okonkwo and his son, Nwoye. Both of these relationships reveal tensions between father and son and in both cases, Okonkwo is not satisfied with the way Unoka and Nwoye play the role of father and of son, respectively. The novel begins with many details about Okonkwo's opinion of Unoka and how his father has shaped Okonkwo as a person. Unoka is described as lazy and always indebted to others. ...

After Gatsby's death Nick decides to return to the Midwest; however, before he departs he goes to Jordan Baker's house in order to end their relationship.  After arriving at Jordan's house, Nick talks "over and around what has happened" to their relationship, but Jordan remains perfectly still in her chair as he talks. In her usual disconnected manner, Jordan, who is dressed to play golf, replies "without comment" on Nick's words, saying that she is... After Gatsby's death Nick decides to return to the Midwest; however, before he departs he goes to Jordan Baker's house in order to end their relationship.  After arriving at Jordan's house, Nick talks "over and around what has happened" to their relationship, but Jordan remains perfectly still in her chair as he talks. In her usual disconnected manner, Jordan, who is dressed to play golf, replies "without comment" on Nick's words, saying that she is engaged to anothe...

The king believes the trial by arena (or choice of the doors) is perfect justice. An accused man determines his own guilt or innocence with one simple decision. Either he chooses the tiger and is promptly killed, or he chooses the lady and is married. The king was quite happy with himself over this administration of justice. Its fairness could not be argued. The accused carried the burden of determining his own fate:  He could open either door he pleased; he was subject to no guidance or influence but that of the aforementioned impartial and incorruptible chance. When the princess's lover is accused, however, the king's justice is corrupted. Because this "hot-blooded, semi-barbaric" princess was pleased and happy with her lover, she was particularly interested in his fate. Thus, she asserts her power and gains dominance over her father's arena of justice by discovering the secret of the doors. What had once been an exercise solely based on luck, has now been disto...

Langston Hughes' short story “Thank You, M'am” is a lot like his poetry, nothing pretentious or overdone, just good straightforward writing that paints a picture of ordinary people trying to find meaning in their lives. Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones has quite a name for a down-to-earth woman. When she apprehends young Roger in the act of trying to steal her purse, she drags him back to her apartment. Like many good writers, Hughes then... Langston Hughes' short story “Thank You, M'am” is a lot like his poetry, nothing pretentious or overdone, just good straightforward writing that paints a picture of ordinary people trying to find meaning in their lives. Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones has quite a name for a down-to-earth woman. When she apprehends young Roger in the act of trying to steal her purse, she drags him back to her apartment. Like many good writers, Hughes then uses this setting to characterize his protagonist. The details you mention, the gas plate, ...

Sal’s mother liked the myths and legends of the Native Americans, especially the creation myths that explained how things came to be. Mrs. Hiddle was proud of the Native American blood in her veins. When she named Sal “Salamanca,” she thought it was the name of an Indian tribe, but she was mistaking it for “Seneca,” a real tribe. Her own name was “Chanhassen,” which was an Indian word for “sweet maple sugar,” so everyone... Sal’s mother liked the myths and legends of the Native Americans, especially the creation myths that explained how things came to be. Mrs. Hiddle was proud of the Native American blood in her veins. When she named Sal “Salamanca,” she thought it was the name of an Indian tribe, but she was mistaking it for “Seneca,” a real tribe. Her own name was “Chanhassen,” which was an Indian word for “sweet maple sugar,” so everyone called her “Sugar.” She sometimes objected, saying that this was not her name. It was Chanhassen. Sal heard her mother tell her several stories of ...

Ha Jin's "The Bridegroom" is a collection of short stories that gives the reader a glimpse into life in China as it struggles to find its place in the world, halfway between capitalism and communism. The common thread through each of the stories is that they tell of the lives of average citizens who have no significant power or authority. Though their life goals are modest, achieving these goals proves to be difficult due to... Ha Jin's "The Bridegroom" is a collection of short stories that gives the reader a glimpse into life in China as it struggles to find its place in the world, halfway between capitalism and communism. The common thread through each of the stories is that they tell of the lives of average citizens who have no significant power or authority. Though their life goals are modest, achieving these goals proves to be difficult due to brutality, injustice, and government bureaucracy. The short story "Saboteur" tells of a professor and...

Lady Teazle is a young, flirtatious wife, hence the name "Tease-all" to convey how she relates to men, but she is good at heart. She is married to a wealthy older man, Sir Peter, an "old bachelor" who complains that his wife has a "teasing temper." He also says she is involved too much in the "extravagant fopperies" of high society. Much of this comes from the fact that she is a simple country girl... Lady Teazle is a young, flirtatious wife, hence the name "Tease-all" to convey how she relates to men, but she is good at heart. She is married to a wealthy older man, Sir Peter, an "old bachelor" who complains that his wife has a "teasing temper." He also says she is involved too much in the "extravagant fopperies" of high society. Much of this comes from the fact that she is a simple country girl who has been temporality taken in by the London high life. She means well but doesn't yet have good judgment ...

From smallest to largest: nucleotide, gene, chromosome, genome. Nucleotides are the smallest building blocks of DNA. There are four nucleotides (A, G, T, C) which arrange in pairs to form the long double strands typical of DNA molecules.  A gene is a segment of DNA which codes for the amino acid sequence of a particular protein. A gene is therefore composed of many pairs of nucleotides. A chromosome is a long strand of DNA which... From smallest to largest: nucleotide, gene, chromosome, genome. Nucleotides are the smallest building blocks of DNA. There are four nucleotides (A, G, T, C) which arrange in pairs to form the long double strands typical of DNA molecules.  A gene is a segment of DNA which codes for the amino acid sequence of a particular protein. A gene is therefore composed of many pairs of nucleotides. A chromosome is a long strand of DNA which is coiled up with various proteins. A chromosome contains many genes. The genome is all the DNA of a particular organism. All of an...

The wedding of Romeo and Juliet takes place in Friar Laurence's cell. It is not part of the action on stage, though as Act II comes to an end, we witness the young couple, having again declared their mutual love, preparing to take their vows in front of the friar. The wedding takes place in secret, of course, because Romeo and Juliet are from two feuding families. Father Laurence, in fact, hopes to use their... The wedding of Romeo and Juliet takes place in Friar Laurence's cell. It is not part of the action on stage, though as Act II comes to an end, we witness the young couple, having again declared their mutual love, preparing to take their vows in front of the friar. The wedding takes place in secret, of course, because Romeo and Juliet are from two feuding families. Father Laurence, in fact, hopes to use their wedding to reconcile the two families, who he imagines will seek some sort of truce if they discover that their children are now married. His hopes seem dashed, howe...

Look at Napoleon's actions--he was absent at the Battle of the Cowshed, he had Snowball exiled, he had naysayers killed after mock trials, and he never did any work.  While no animals but Benjamin could read the Commandments of Animalism, they seemed always to change in favor of the pigs.  The pigs lived like humans at the end of the story, and the name of the farm reverted back to what it was before the... Look at Napoleon's actions--he was absent at the Battle of the Cowshed, he had Snowball exiled, he had naysayers killed after mock trials, and he never did any work.  While no animals but Benjamin could read the Commandments of Animalism, they seemed always to change in favor of the pigs.  The pigs lived like humans at the end of the story, and the name of the farm reverted back to what it was before the revolution.  There are many reasons not to like Napoleon.  Your job here is to give exact reasons on why Napoleon is worse than Jones.  Remember, these animals cannot read, ...

The doctor has no interest in treating Coyotito until Kino finds the pearl, and Coyotito was getting better before seeing the doctor. Coyotito is stung by a scorpion, which is of course very dangerous for a baby.  His parents act quickly.  Kino kills the scorpion (smashing it to dust in anger), and Juana tends to the wound using home remedy methods. But Juana had the baby in her arms now. She found the puncture with redness starting from it already. She put her lips down over the puncture and sucked hard and spat and sucked again while Coyotito screamed. (Ch. 1) Sucking the poison out of the wound is a common technique.  It must be administered very soon after the bite or sting, so that the poison does not get a chance to enter the bloodstream.  In this case, it must have worked.  Coyotito does not die. Juana wants to take him to a doctor anyway. It is unusual for anyone from the village to go to a doctor.  The doctor is a colonist, and is only interested in money. A wonderful thing, a...

The king and his daughter are both semi-barbaric.  This means that they are passionate and strong-willed, and make sure that things are done their way.  The king does what he wants and doesn’t ask for input from anyone. He was a man of exuberant fancy, and, withal, of an authority so irresistible that, at his will, he turned his varied fancies into facts. He was greatly given to self-communing, and, when he and himself agreed... The king and his daughter are both semi-barbaric.  This means that they are passionate and strong-willed, and make sure that things are done their way.  The king does what he wants and doesn’t ask for input from anyone. He was a man of exuberant fancy, and, withal, of an authority so irresistible that, at his will, he turned his varied fancies into facts. He was greatly given to self-communing, and, when he and himself agreed upon anything, the thing was done.  The king develops a sort of wacky system of justice.  He builds a huge area that is part courtroom an...

I am a little uncertain about what you mean by the part of your question in parentheses, specifically 'the rate of concentration of a substance'. This seems to imply that you are measuring the rate at which a substance is becoming concentrated. This is still just diffusion because during diffusion a substance is moving from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration, so by measuring the rate at which a substance is becoming... I am a little uncertain about what you mean by the part of your question in parentheses, specifically 'the rate of concentration of a substance'. This seems to imply that you are measuring the rate at which a substance is becoming concentrated. This is still just diffusion because during diffusion a substance is moving from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration, so by measuring the rate at which a substance is becoming concentrated in the area of low concentration, you are measuring the rate of diffusion. Back to...

While playing a loving and comic role, the Nurse of Romeo and Juliet later   becomes a rather fickle character. The Nurse embodies romantic comedy as the inarticulate messenger and "sparring partner" with Mercutio. Her prolix ramblings lighten the more serious moments as, for instance, when she and Lady Capulet talk in Act I, Scene 3. When Lady Capulet mentions that Juliet is not fourteen, the Nurse rambles on and on about this and other numbers, beginning by saying,  I’ll lay fourteen of my teeth—and yet, to my teen be it spoken, I have but four—she is not fourteen. How long is it now to Lammastide? (1.3.12-14) Enjoying the number fourteen, she continues for another fourteen lines until Lady Capulet cuts her off with "I pray thee hold thy peace," and then the Nurse picks up on the word "peace" and rambles about this. In playing her role, the student can take a word and then do the same rambling about it. Loving and affectionate to Juliet As a poor relativ...

The expansion of the Ottoman state from a tiny principality in Anatolia into one of the largest empires of its time had a profound effect on early modern Europe, much of which endures to this day. Sultan Mehmet II conquered Constantinople in 1453, marking the final end of the eastern Roman (or "Byzantine") Empire. Angered by the memory of the Crusades, and by the ongoing Reconquista of Muslim Andalusia by Spanish and Portuguese Christians, the Ottomans declared an embargo on European trade with Asia. European traders sought alternate routes to the Far East, beginning the Age of Exploration which led to the discovery of the Americas and of the Pacific Ocean. By that time, however, Ottoman rule in southeast Europe was already well established. The very word "Balkans" to describe the region between the Adriatic and Black seas originated with the Turks, who named it after Balkh (Bactria) -- a Persian province in what is now northern Afghanistan. Their expansion led to ...

Night and Farewell to Manzanar are two memoirs written by individuals persecuted during the Second World War. For an American, it is eerie to see the similarities between a concentration camp like Auschwitz and Manzanar: barbed wire fences, armed soldiers, and long rows of bunkhouses. Yet for the people inside, the living conditions in these two places were widely different. In Auschwitz, the goal was to exterminate the Jewish race and others the Nazis found... Night and Farewell to Manzanar are two memoirs written by individuals persecuted during the Second World War. For an American, it is eerie to see the similarities between a concentration camp like Auschwitz and Manzanar: barbed wire fences, armed soldiers, and long rows of bunkhouses. Yet for the people inside, the living conditions in these two places were widely different. In Auschwitz, the goal was to exterminate the Jewish race and others the Nazis found unacceptable. Some were immediately sent to the gas chamber and cremato...

This is dramatic irony. It is based on the strong contrast between what the woman keeps saying and what she actually does. The narrator is fooled into taking the woman to the expensive Foyot's restaurant because he thinks she is telling the truth when she says, "I never eat anything for luncheon." What is she thinking when she says this? She must mean that she is trying to lose weight and has been sincerely trying... This is dramatic irony. It is based on the strong contrast between what the woman keeps saying and what she actually does. The narrator is fooled into taking the woman to the expensive Foyot's restaurant because he thinks she is telling the truth when she says, "I never eat anything for luncheon." What is she thinking when she says this? She must mean that she is trying to lose weight and has been sincerely trying "not to eat anything for luncheon." She may be telling the truth, but, like many people who have a weight problem, when she...

This story recounts many detailed memories of Christmases Buddy spent with his elderly cousin Sook, and though he is describing one particular Christmas he often mentions that their activities are things they have done in years past. We learn near the end that this is their "last Christmas together." This fact imbues the details of the story with more intensity, and perhaps explains why Buddy/Capote felt the need to tell the story. There are also... This story recounts many detailed memories of Christmases Buddy spent with his elderly cousin Sook, and though he is describing one particular Christmas he often mentions that their activities are things they have done in years past. We learn near the end that this is their "last Christmas together." This fact imbues the details of the story with more intensity, and perhaps explains why Buddy/Capote felt the need to tell the story. There are also hints that this particular Christmas contained some occurrences that had no...

When, during Victor Frankenstein's very lengthy encounter with his creation, the "wretch," the monster proposes an arrangement whereby, if Victor will agree to create a female companion for him, he will disappear forever from Victor's life, the young scientist is forced to ponder the possible ramifications of this agreement. In Chapter 20 of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein , Victor does indeed proceed to consider the potential consequences of bringing into the world another creature the destructive nature of which could bring about more problems. Early in this chapter, Shelley depicts her protagonist as a tortured soul, struggling desperately for the right answer to the question of whether to abide the creature's proposition: "I was now about to form another being of whose dispositions I was alike ignorant; she might become ten thousand times more malignant than her mate and delight, for its own sake, in murder and wretchedness. He had sworn to quit the neigh...

Robinson Crusoe can be seen as an example of the common man that arose out of the transition from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment. The novel was written at the same time as the settlement of America, where people left the Old World to make their own new lives in the wilderness, using whatever skills and materials they had at hand. Crusoe used the things on the island (representing the New World) along with whatever... Robinson Crusoe can be seen as an example of the common man that arose out of the transition from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment. The novel was written at the same time as the settlement of America, where people left the Old World to make their own new lives in the wilderness, using whatever skills and materials they had at hand. Crusoe used the things on the island (representing the New World) along with whatever he was able to salvage from the shipwreck (representing the Old World). His success in his survival speaks to the success of the colonists in the Ame...

There are instances of things that seem possible and things which may be hard to believe in Act II, particularly in scenes 2 and 3. In Scene 2, Romeo and Juliet pledge their love for each other. This seems plausible as young love is often impetuous. Plenty of couples in the history of love have fallen for each other in what may be termed "love at first sight" (think of Adam and Eve, Paris and... There are instances of things that seem possible and things which may be hard to believe in Act II, particularly in scenes 2 and 3. In Scene 2, Romeo and Juliet pledge their love for each other. This seems plausible as young love is often impetuous. Plenty of couples in the history of love have fallen for each other in what may be termed "love at first sight" (think of Adam and Eve, Paris and Helen and Pyramus and Thisbe). It may seem unlikely, however, that lovers as young as Romeo and Juliet would use such beautiful figurative language as Shakespeare employs in the famous ...

William Shakespeare's play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is about the assassination of Julius Caesar and the political and military fallout that follows. In Act III, Scene I, the rebellious Roman senators stab Caesar to death. The event you are referring to appears in the next scene, as the Romans attempt to explain their deed to the public. Specifically, Marc Antony is speaking, at first appearing to support the assassination of Caesar, but then turning... William Shakespeare's play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is about the assassination of Julius Caesar and the political and military fallout that follows. In Act III, Scene I, the rebellious Roman senators stab Caesar to death. The event you are referring to appears in the next scene, as the Romans attempt to explain their deed to the public. Specifically, Marc Antony is speaking, at first appearing to support the assassination of Caesar, but then turning the crowd against the conspirators through his skillful use of irony. An...

Mr. Tate insists the report be written to say Bob Ewell fell on his own knife. Atticus suspects Boo Radley killed him and wishes to tell the truth. Eventually, Atticus relents. He speaks to Scout about it. He does not think she will understand, but she does. Scout tells her father that she agrees with Mr. Tate. She does not think Boo Radley should take the blame. After all, he was only trying to save... Mr. Tate insists the report be written to say Bob Ewell fell on his own knife. Atticus suspects Boo Radley killed him and wishes to tell the truth. Eventually, Atticus relents. He speaks to Scout about it. He does not think she will understand, but she does. Scout tells her father that she agrees with Mr. Tate. She does not think Boo Radley should take the blame. After all, he was only trying to save her and Jem. She does not think it would be fair to Boo. He is different from other people. She asks her father "it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?...

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...

Great Expectations is semi-autobiographical.  It is often considered a revision of David Copperfield , Dickens’s other autobiographical work.  Both have young abused boys, and both feature love stories.  While David Copperfield has a happy ending, Great Expectations does not.  It shows us an older Dickens with a bitter view of love and life, but a more complex and realistic one. Great Expectations features many aspects of Dickens’s life.  It takes place in and around Rochester,... Great Expectations is semi-autobiographical.  It is often considered a revision of David Copperfield , Dickens’s other autobiographical work.  Both have young abused boys, and both feature love stories.  While David Copperfield has a happy ending, Great Expectations does not.  It shows us an older Dickens with a bitter view of love and life, but a more complex and realistic one. Great Expectations features many aspects of Dickens’s life.  It takes place in and around Rochester, where Dickens was young a...

Mama has certainly given up the most for the family to deserve her dream of a house with a yard and room for a garden.  For instance, in the opening scene of the play, Hansberry describes the apartment which Mama and Big Walter had picked out when they were first married.  It was never intended to hold the number of people it currently does, and Mama has had to deal with that disappointment in her... Mama has certainly given up the most for the family to deserve her dream of a house with a yard and room for a garden.  For instance, in the opening scene of the play, Hansberry describes the apartment which Mama and Big Walter had picked out when they were first married.  It was never intended to hold the number of people it currently does, and Mama has had to deal with that disappointment in her life, among many others, like the death of her husband, who worked his whole life trying to keep the family above water.  Mama has also had to deal with the disappointment of her children.  Walte...

In Chapter 15, a mob of townspeople has assembled at the jailhouse, presumably to lynch Tom. They are trying to work their way inside past Atticus when Scout shows up, talks to one of the men politely, and (even though she doesn't realize it) essentially reminds them that they are humans and individuals, that they don't have to be a bloodthirsty mob. The men leave. Let's take a closer look at the scene. Here's how the mob arrives. Notice how frightening and threatening the men are acting, yet Atticus is trying to treat them with courtesy: In ones and twos, men got out of the cars. Shadows became substance as lights revealed solid shapes moving toward the jail door. Atticus remained where he was. The men hid him from view. “He in there, Mr. Finch?” a man said. “He is,” we heard Atticus answer, “and he’s asleep. Don’t wake him up.” In obedience to my father, there followed what I later realized was a sickeningly comic aspect of an unfunny situation: the men talked in nea...

In Fahrenheit 451 , there are lots of examples of how technology has dehumanized society. Firstly, take a look at Mildred's overdose attempt in Part One. Mildred is treated by two operators (not doctors) who have a machine that pumps the stomach to remove the drugs. Notice how Montag describes them as "impersonal," and one of the men is even smoking a cigarette during the procedure. For these operators, treating an overdose is an everyday, common event, and Mildred is just another piece of flesh. The following quote sums up this dehumanization: The entire operation was not unlike the digging of a trench in one's yard. Similarly, in Part Three, Montag is pursued by the Mechanical Hound, and the chase is broadcast on live television. This transforms Montag from a human into a piece of prey, waiting to be sniffed out by the Hound. In the end, Montag makes his escape from the city, but the government sacrifices an innocent man because the public's thirst for entertain...

The progressive movement, whose aims were to reform government to make it more responsive to everyday citizens, to root out corruption, increase economic equality and advance the rights of workers, was very successful in achieving its aims, but it took over half a century of political struggle and setback to do so. Starting with the Grange Movement, whose platform included a desire to regulate railroads and put a cap on how much they could charge farmers, to implement a graduated income tax, and to establish the direct election of senators, the progressive movement in the second half of the 1800s focused its energy on politics at the national level and state level. With leaders such a Eugene Debs (a leading railroad labor unionizer and later a socialist candidate) and William Jennings Bryant, who ran as a progressive candidate for president, the progressive movement in the 1880s and 1890s successfully pressured congress to regulated the railroads and so-called "grain elevators,...

The agreement that Helen's teacher, Annie Sullivan, and her father, Captain Keller, come to before leaving the garden house is that Captain Keller will allow Helen and her to live together alone in a building on the property. Annie's reasoning behind this request was that she felt that if Helen wasn't exposed to her family "coddling" her and giving in to her every whim because she was disabled, she would be able to teach her... The agreement that Helen's teacher, Annie Sullivan, and her father, Captain Keller, come to before leaving the garden house is that Captain Keller will allow Helen and her to live together alone in a building on the property. Annie's reasoning behind this request was that she felt that if Helen wasn't exposed to her family "coddling" her and giving in to her every whim because she was disabled, she would be able to teach her how to live in the world. Annie Sullivan felt that the only way she could work with Helen witho...

Scout is intelligent, thoughtful, compassionate, adventurous, and cautious. Her intelligence does not only include book learning, though she does read well for her age. Her intelligence shows wisdom beyond her years. This also shows her thoughtfulness. For example, when Walter Cunningham refuses to borrow Miss Caroline's quarter, Scout knows why. She recalls that Mr. Cunningham paid her father in firewood, turnip greens, and other items because he does not like to owe anyone anything. Scout... Scout is intelligent, thoughtful, compassionate, adventurous, and cautious. Her intelligence does not only include book learning, though she does read well for her age. Her intelligence shows wisdom beyond her years. This also shows her thoughtfulness. For example, when Walter Cunningham refuses to borrow Miss Caroline's quarter, Scout knows why. She recalls that Mr. Cunningham paid her father in firewood, turnip greens, and other items because he does not like to owe anyone anything. Sco...

Harold Krebs is the main character of Ernest Hemingway's short story "Soldier's Home." He has recently returned from Europe where he participated in some of the most important battles of World War I. Judging by the narrator's description of Krebs, he most likely suffers from what was then called "shell shock" and is now more commonly referred to as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. As a result of this he is portrayed as basically anti-social. He complains... Harold Krebs is the main character of Ernest Hemingway's short story "Soldier's Home." He has recently returned from Europe where he participated in some of the most important battles of World War I. Judging by the narrator's description of Krebs, he most likely suffers from what was then called "shell shock" and is now more commonly referred to as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. As a result of this he is portrayed as basically anti-social. He complains that no one cares...

African-American lives changed after 1865 in several ways. The Civil War ended in April 1865. This had a huge impact on African-Americans. The ending of the Civil War brought slavery to an end. The Thirteenth Amendment ended slavery. The plantation owners no longer owned their slaves. As a result, some African-Americans formally got married. Others went to search for family members that were living elsewhere. African-Americans built their own schools and their own churches. The... African-American lives changed after 1865 in several ways. The Civil War ended in April 1865. This had a huge impact on African-Americans. The ending of the Civil War brought slavery to an end. The Thirteenth Amendment ended slavery. The plantation owners no longer owned their slaves. As a result, some African-Americans formally got married. Others went to search for family members that were living elsewhere. African-Americans built their own schools and their own churches. The Freedmen’s Bureau was designed ...

You could focus on the examination of the central character of the poem. The poem's importance lies in the fact that Eliot depicts a prototypical man of his time by presenting us with the character of Alfred Prufrock. This character, who is the epitome of modern man, is emotionally paralyzed, hopeless, alienated, lonely, indecisive and awkward. He is the man of contradictions; he demonstrates a desire to change his life for the better, yet he is unable to do it because he feels he is "not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be." He believes that he is not a hero of any sort; instead, it is implied that he is the victim of the time he is in, the time of moral decay and emotional paralysis, which Eliot wanted to describe to us. Alfred Prufrock wants to take a walk with an unspecified "you" through the tawdry streets (presumably London streets): Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets, The muttering retreats Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels And saw...

Jonas experiences feelings of apprehension in the months leading up to the ceremony when he will find out his career assignment.  He is not exactly sure why he has these feelings of uncertainty.  During a conversation with his parents, his father mentions that there is an "element of suspense... with [Jonas'] Ceremony."  His father explains that he did not experience this himself as a boy because he and his parents were fairly confident of what... Jonas experiences feelings of apprehension in the months leading up to the ceremony when he will find out his career assignment.  He is not exactly sure why he has these feelings of uncertainty.  During a conversation with his parents, his father mentions that there is an "element of suspense... with [Jonas'] Ceremony."  His father explains that he did not experience this himself as a boy because he and his parents were fairly confident of what his Assignment would be.  He had gravitated toward caring for newchildr...

By the end of the novel, the one who best understands Gatsby is Nick. Daisy loves Gatsby, but she does not know much about who he is or where he comes from. Nor does she realize, when they are reunited, that he thinks she will now divorce Tom and pick up her romance with Gatsby where it left off. When Tom brutally reveals to her that Gatsby is not who he claims to be, she is shaken and confused. Tom "understands" Gatsby in the sense that he realizes Gatsby is not what he seems. He doesn't trust Gatsby's word, and does some research on where his money is coming from. Tom understands Gatsby's economic and social status better than anybody, but he does not understand Gatsby's thinking or motivations.   Nick does not start out understanding Gatsby well. At the beginning of the novel, he has never met him. Then, attending a party of Gatsby's, he hears rumors about him, but still doesn't know what he looks like or how old he is. He talks with Gatsby for seve...