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There are two concepts to address to answer this question: polarity and density. First, water is a polar molecule which means that one end (the oxygen end) has a slight negative charge and the other end (where the hydrogens are) has a slight positive charge. This is because oxygen is more electronegative and pulls the electrons closer to it than the hydrogens. As a lipid, butter is nonpolar and has an equal charge throughout the... There are two concepts to address to answer this question: polarity and density. First, water is a polar molecule which means that one end (the oxygen end) has a slight negative charge and the other end (where the hydrogens are) has a slight positive charge. This is because oxygen is more electronegative and pulls the electrons closer to it than the hydrogens. As a lipid, butter is nonpolar and has an equal charge throughout the molecule. As a rule in chemistry, polar and nonpolar molecules do not mix, which explains why the butter stays together and will no...

There is no question that Atticus Finch has been asked to take the Tom Robinson case because of his integrity. For, Judge Taylor knows that he is, indeed, as Miss Maudie has said, "...the same inside his house as he is on the public streets." Here are three reasons for his taking the case which involve his integrity: Atticus is assigned this case by Judge Taylor . Atticus tells his younger brother Jack in Chapter... There is no question that Atticus Finch has been asked to take the Tom Robinson case because of his integrity. For, Judge Taylor knows that he is, indeed, as Miss Maudie has said, "...the same inside his house as he is on the public streets." Here are three reasons for his taking the case which involve his integrity: Atticus is assigned this case by Judge Taylor . Atticus tells his younger brother Jack in Chapter 9 that he had hoped to get through life without having a controversial case involving racial issues. However, "John Taylor pointed at me a...

Both the Space Race and the Arms Race were part of the Cold War struggle between the United States and its market-driven, democratic ideology, and the Soviet Union, with its communist, totalitarian ideology. Both races were bound up in the struggle for technological supremacy that came to define post-World War Two foreign policy for the two superpowers. The Arms Race shifted the balance of power back and forth several times in the late 1950s and early 1960s, when the United States and Soviet Union were trying to build up their nuclear arsenals so that each could claim nuclear superiority, and maintain their so-called First Strike Capability, in the event of a nuclear war. While the United States was ahead of the Soviet Union in enlarging its arsenal of nuclear weapons and miniaturizing warheads to place on top of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), the Soviet Union stunned the Americans in 1957 by launching Sputnik, the first man made satellite to enter Earth's orbit. This...

For the most part, states in the South reacted with anger to Lincoln's victory in the election of 1860. The major issue of the 1860 presidential election was slavery.  For Southerners, expanding slavery was the critical issue.  Slavery was so pressing that the Democratic party put forth two candidates.  One of them represented the Northern Democrats and the other candidate was for the interests of the Southern Democrats.  Southerners knew that Lincoln and the newly... For the most part, states in the South reacted with anger to Lincoln's victory in the election of 1860. The major issue of the 1860 presidential election was slavery.  For Southerners, expanding slavery was the critical issue.  Slavery was so pressing that the Democratic party put forth two candidates.  One of them represented the Northern Democrats and the other candidate was for the interests of the Southern Democrats.  Southerners knew that Lincoln and the newly formed Republican party were not going to be frie...

The title of Robert Southey's poem "Inchcape Rock" is based on folktales surrounding a real reef in Scotland named Inchcape Rock or the Bell Rock. This reef is located in the North Sea, off the coast of Angus county. It was a major navigational hazard, responsible for over 100 shipwrecks in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The reason for this is that the reef is barely visible at low tide and completely submerged under water at... The title of Robert Southey's poem "Inchcape Rock" is based on folktales surrounding a real reef in Scotland named Inchcape Rock or the Bell Rock. This reef is located in the North Sea, off the coast of Angus county. It was a major navigational hazard, responsible for over 100 shipwrecks in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The reason for this is that the reef is barely visible at low tide and completely submerged under water at high tide, making it invisible to mariners.  The legend of the bell attributes its constr...

All living organisms are made up of cells. A group of cells that work together performing a function are called tissues. For both plants and animals, tissues are a group of cells working together. These tissues vary in their structure, function, and origin. Animals have four tissue types: epithelial, connective, muscle, and nervous. Epithelial tissue covers the surface of all internal and external organs. Muscle tissue forms the three types of muscles: skeletal, cardiac, and... All living organisms are made up of cells. A group of cells that work together performing a function are called tissues. For both plants and animals, tissues are a group of cells working together. These tissues vary in their structure, function, and origin. Animals have four tissue types: epithelial, connective, muscle, and nervous. Epithelial tissue covers the surface of all internal and external organs. Muscle tissue forms the three types of muscles: skeletal, cardiac, and smooth. They help in movement by cont...

Throughout the novel Fahrenheit 451 , Ray Bradbury satirizes society by exaggerating, ridiculing, and criticizing various aspects of American culture. Bradbury satirizes society's fascination with entertainment through Mildred's obsession with her 'parlor walls.' At the beginning of the novel, she argues with Montag about buying a fourth 'parlor wall.' She says, If we had a fourth wall, why it'd be just like this room wasn't ours at all, but all kinds of exotic people's rooms.... Throughout the novel Fahrenheit 451 , Ray Bradbury satirizes society by exaggerating, ridiculing, and criticizing various aspects of American culture. Bradbury satirizes society's fascination with entertainment through Mildred's obsession with her 'parlor walls.' At the beginning of the novel, she argues with Montag about buying a fourth 'parlor wall.' She says, If we had a fourth wall, why it'd be just like this room wasn't ours at all, but...

Louisa May Alcott and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow both write about moral heroines who are notable for their sacrifices to others. In Alcott's Little Women , Jo sells her beautiful hair to pay for her mother to visit her father during the Civil War, and her sister, Beth, dies after contracting scarlet fever while tending to a poor family's baby. Longfellow's heroine Evangeline in the poem "Evangeline" follows her beloved, Gabriel, after the British force the... Louisa May Alcott and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow both write about moral heroines who are notable for their sacrifices to others. In Alcott's Little Women , Jo sells her beautiful hair to pay for her mother to visit her father during the Civil War, and her sister, Beth, dies after contracting scarlet fever while tending to a poor family's baby. Longfellow's heroine Evangeline in the poem "Evangeline" follows her beloved, Gabriel, after the British force the Acadians to leave Acadie. She t...

Sexual reproduction, something that is more familiar to humans as it is how humans replicate, requires two parents (or gene sources) contributing genetic information to an offspring that will be unique. Gametes are the cells involved in this. The offspring, while having traits from both parents, will also have unique traits on the basis of genetics. Meanwhile, some species reproduce asexually. A key difference between sexual and asexual reproduction is that the offspring resulting from... Sexual reproduction, something that is more familiar to humans as it is how humans replicate, requires two parents (or gene sources) contributing genetic information to an offspring that will be unique. Gametes are the cells involved in this. The offspring, while having traits from both parents, will also have unique traits on the basis of genetics. Meanwhile, some species reproduce asexually. A key difference between sexual and asexual reproduction is that the offspring resulting from the latter is g...

The answer to your question lies in Chapter 32 and Chapter 33. In fact, a quote at the end of Chapter 32 illustrates Amy's capitulation to Lulu's demands: “Lulu,” I said. “You win. It’s over. We’re giving up the violin.” Amy's decision did not come easily. In light of the argument between Lulu and Amy in Chapter 31, we come to understand Lulu's sentiments; although she enjoyed playing the violin, Lulu didn't enjoy the pressure... The answer to your question lies in Chapter 32 and Chapter 33. In fact, a quote at the end of Chapter 32 illustrates Amy's capitulation to Lulu's demands: “Lulu,” I said. “You win. It’s over. We’re giving up the violin.” Amy's decision did not come easily. In light of the argument between Lulu and Amy in Chapter 31, we come to understand Lulu's sentiments; although she enjoyed playing the violin, Lulu didn't enjoy the pressure Amy put on her to perform at a certain level. If we fast forward to Chapter 33, we can see the ...

Arthur is an injured idealist who hides his disappointment in materialism and sensualism. When he is passing the factory where he works, he thinks to himself, "With the wages...you could go on a ten-day binge and get rid of all you'd saved. Because it was no use saving your money year after year. A mug's game, since the value of it got less and less and you never knew when the Yanks were going to do something daft like dropping the H-bomb on Moscow" (page 23). He is not a materialist because he does not save the wages he earns or spend them on anything other than getting drunk and being with Brenda and Winnie, two sisters, both married, with whom he is having adulterous and disastrous affairs. His idealism is tarnished by a deep sense of nihilism, or believing in nothing, which he reveals in the quote above. His crushed sense of idealism comes from living in a world in which destruction from the H-bomb can be immediate and in which his work in the factory is soul-crus...

We can find nouns in the story by looking for words for people, places, and things. For example, here are all the nouns in the first sentence of the story: sharks darkness sea submarines  middle night Although it won't be possible to find four examples for each of the letters you listed, we'll do our best! If all you need is four examples from any of those letters, how about "island," "U-boat," "Queen Emma," and "yard" ? First, let's look for nouns starting with "i." You'll find "island" and "islands," as well as "inside" (which can also sometimes be a preposition) and, if you're hard-pressed to name a fourth, the "Indies" in the name "West Indies." Although the letter "I" appears perhaps a thousand times or more in the narration, it's usually a pronoun: Phillip telling the story, saying "I" to name himself. For the letter "x," you...

In multiple places throughout To Kill a Mockingbird , author Harper Lee uses Miss Maudie to reveal further background information about the characters through things Miss Maudie says about them, giving us a new perspective. One example can be seen in the information she relays to Scout concerning Arthur (Boo) Radley . In Chapter 5, author Lee uses Miss Maudie to quiet any rumors and myths surrounding Arthur Radley, particularly those told to the children... In multiple places throughout To Kill a Mockingbird , author Harper Lee uses Miss Maudie to reveal further background information about the characters through things Miss Maudie says about them, giving us a new perspective. One example can be seen in the information she relays to Scout concerning Arthur (Boo) Radley . In Chapter 5, author Lee uses Miss Maudie to quiet any rumors and myths surrounding Arthur Radley, particularly those told to the children by Miss Stephanie Crawford such as the notion that Arthur peeks in wind...

Granny is offended by the men from the county in “Blues Ain’t No Mockingbird” by Toni Cade Bambara. The first mistake the men make is filming Granny’s property without her permission. They hid in the trees surrounding the property while filming as the children played in the yard and Granny worked on her Christmas cakes. When the men from the county entered the property, they continued to film and patronized Granny by calling her “Aunty.” They did not greet her, instead they spoke about the “nice things” on her property, which angered Granny. “Nice things here,” said the man, buzzin his camera over the yard. The pecan barrels, the sled, me and Cathy, the flowers, the printed stones along the driveway, the trees, the twins, the toolshed. “I don’t know about the thing, the it, and the stuff,” said Granny, still talkin with her eyebrows. “Just people here is what I tend to consider." Being an independent woman, she did not appreciate their arrogant intrusion into her private family li...

Othello' tragic flaw has been the subject of much debate. Some scholars argue it is jealousy, and other scholars believe it is Othello's lack of self-esteem. I would argue that Othello's tragic flaw is his jealousy because Iago's deceitful mechanisms trigger perilous jealousy which consumes Othello, causing him to experience feelings of insecurity, doubt and rage. Iago, who is manipulative and willing to destroy Othello because Othello promoted Cassio instead of him, devises a plan... Othello' tragic flaw has been the subject of much debate. Some scholars argue it is jealousy, and other scholars believe it is Othello's lack of self-esteem. I would argue that Othello's tragic flaw is his jealousy because Iago's deceitful mechanisms trigger perilous jealousy which consumes Othello, causing him to experience feelings of insecurity, doubt and rage. Iago, who is manipulative and willing to destroy Othello because Othello promoted Cassio instead of him, devise...

If we are discussing "what we know" about Nnaemeka's father, Okeke, then we are discussing aspects of his character. First, we know that Okeke values Ibo tradition more than anything else at the beginning of the story. Living in a rural Ibo village in Nigeria, there are many traditions to which Okeke adheres. For example, Okeke believes strongly that he should follow Ibo tradition and choose a wife for his son. According to Ibo tradition, wives... If we are discussing "what we know" about Nnaemeka's father, Okeke, then we are discussing aspects of his character. First, we know that Okeke values Ibo tradition more than anything else at the beginning of the story. Living in a rural Ibo village in Nigeria, there are many traditions to which Okeke adheres. For example, Okeke believes strongly that he should follow Ibo tradition and choose a wife for his son. According to Ibo tradition, wives must be Christians, good homemakers, and (above all) be of the Ibo cult...

Reginald Rose's script for Twelve Angry Men strengthens our understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the U.S. jury system by illuminating the flaws in human nature that can lead to a miscarriage of justice while also offering hope for the emergence of jurors of principle who will summon the moral courage necessary to go against a majority seeking to decide in a different direction the fate of the accused.  Rose's script was well-written, depicting the efforts of twelve individuals tasked with determining the guilt or innocence of a young Hispanic man on trial for murdering his own father. It is instructive that Rose was inspired to write his script by his own experiences as a juror in a criminal trial. As he was quoted as saying from a 1997 interview with regard to his participation on a jury: ''It knocked me out. I was overwhelmed. I was on a jury for a manslaughter case, and we got into this terrific, furious, eight-hour argument in the jury room. I was writi...

As the central conflict of  The Kite Runner is how Amir deals with and eventually works to redeem his guilt following the assault of Hassan in Chapter 7, there are numerous passages that could serve as good examples. I will list a few and discuss briefly how they relate to the central conflict.  1. In Chapter 8, on page 86, Amir says:  "I watched Hassan get raped," I said to no one. Baba stirred in his sleep. Kaka Homayoun grunted. A part of me was hoping someone would wake up and hear, so I wouldn't have to live with this lie anymore. But no one woke up and in the silence that followed, I understood the nature of my new curse: I was going to get away with it. I thought about Hassan's dream, the one about us swimming in the lake.  There is no monster , he'd said,  just water . Except he'd been wrong about that. There was a monster in the lake. it had grabbed Hassan by the ankles, dragged him to the murky bottom. I was that monster.  That was the night I becam...

The story "Speaking of Courage" in The Things They Carried is about the difficulty of both speaking and courage. In it, we follow Norman Bowker as he drives around and around the lake in his hometown, thinking about the war and the moment his courage failed him and he could not save Kiowa. It's clear that he feels guilt about this and even more clear that he needs to talk about it, and the war in general, as he keeps fantasizing about doing so. He imagines going to his ex-girlfriend Sally's house to talk to her, keeping things light and not talking about the war too much, just showing off his wartime trick of being able to tell the exact time without a watch. He decides not to, though, saying, "She looked happy. She had her house and her new husband, and there was really nothing he could say to her." Like many of the soldiers who returned home after the Vietnam War, Bowker is having a difficult time reconciling his wartime experiences with everyday reality ...

Cather’s novel is the story of Antonia Shimerda, a Bohemian immigrant to Nebraska, and her friendship with Jim Burden, an orphan who travels to Nebraska to live with his grandparents. The novel is told as Burden remembers it later in his life. Far from being a romanticization of the homesteader experience, Cather’s story deals forthrightly with the harshness of life on the plains and the very different sorts of lives Jim and Antonia come to lead, in part because of differences in social standing and ethnic background. The novel can be broken into three sections. In the first section (Book 1), the Shimerdas arrive in Black Hawk and Antonia and Jim become fast friends. Jim teaches Antonia English and attains a kind of hero status with her when he kills a large snake. Antonia’s father, a respected musician in Bohemia but unable to do any useful work in his new home, commits suicide, and Antonia becomes a field hand to help make ends meet. The second part, Books 2 and 3, deals with Antonia...

In William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily," the foul smell creates a sense of mystery, which lends itself to the Southern Gothic tradition throughout the story. The smell acts as a topic of debate among the members of Miss Emily's town and allows the reader to gain perspective as to how a person like Miss Emily would have been treated during the time in which the story was written. Although she lets herself go as the story progresses, her community still treats her respectfully, as Emily's family has a privileged tradition in her town. Therefore, as the smell grows more and more potent, rather than directly addressing Miss Emily about it, the community handles the smell with the utmost sensitivity. The final scene in which the narrator investigates Miss Emily's attic after her passing reveals the source of the rancid smell which emanated from her house years prior: Homer Barron's corpse. Furthermore, throughout the story smell acts as foreshadowing. The firs...

The man from whom Tom Buchanan buys the dog "bore an absurd resemblance to John D. Rockefeller," a point that seems all the more notable in a book that emphasizes the difficulty, even the impossibility for some, of attaining the American Dream: the idea that any American, through hard work and perseverance, can prosper.  Certainly, to compare, in any way, a man selling dogs out of a basket on the street with Rockefeller is unexpected,... The man from whom Tom Buchanan buys the dog "bore an absurd resemblance to John D. Rockefeller," a point that seems all the more notable in a book that emphasizes the difficulty, even the impossibility for some, of attaining the American Dream: the idea that any American, through hard work and perseverance, can prosper.  Certainly, to compare, in any way, a man selling dogs out of a basket on the street with Rockefeller is unexpected, but, here, it seems to be a statement on impossibility of the dream for this man: he may work hard ...

Throughout Heart of Darkness , Marlow can be seen as immature or naive. He searches for wealth and adventure in the jungle, unaware of the danger and corruption of the ivory trade because he is blinded by greed. Marlow's coming-of-age experiences occur in the jungle, where he sees the death of slaves, the death of Kurtz, and the savage nature of the natives. Upon his return to London, Marlow matures and escapes the suffocating darkness... Throughout Heart of Darkness , Marlow can be seen as immature or naive. He searches for wealth and adventure in the jungle, unaware of the danger and corruption of the ivory trade because he is blinded by greed. Marlow's coming-of-age experiences occur in the jungle, where he sees the death of slaves, the death of Kurtz, and the savage nature of the natives. Upon his return to London, Marlow matures and escapes the suffocating darkness of the jungle and the ivory trade.  There is situational irony present in the telling of Marlow's tale, h...

Antony gives a meticulously crafted speech that has the sole purpose of inflaming the crowd. Antony is in a difficult position since Brutus, an excellent orator himself, has just won the crowd over by providing sensible reasons for Caesar's assassination. The crowd, therefore, is not in the mood to hear anything negative about him. In his opening, Antony gives the crowd a reason to listen to him. He stresses their shared companionship and allegiance: "Friends, Romans, countrymen" and then uses an equivocal statement that whatever evil one commits is remembered beyond death and that one's good deeds are forgotten. In this instance, Antony could be referring to both Caesar and the conspirators. Brutus made a point of Caesar's ambition, which he deemed an evil, but it could also be argued that the conspirators' evil deed will follow them, for there was nothing good in what they did. Antony is subtly introducing a cynical element into his speech. He then says that...

Macbeth and his wife planned to be pretending to be sound asleep in their bed when Duncan's murder would be discovered. Macbeth, however, was forced to come down to the gate to find out why nobody was responding to the persistent knocking. The drunken Porter admits Macduff and Lennox just as Macbeth is arriving, so Macbeth finds himself forced to conduct the two men to King Duncan's chamber and stand outside with Lennox while Macduff goes inside to wake Duncan in accordance with the King's orders. When Macduff comes out and raises a great alarm, he is so overwrought by what he has seen that does not suspect anyone yet. Lady Macbeth is able to go through with the couple's original plan and put on an act of an innocent person who has just been awakened by the uproar. She asks, What's the business, That such a hideous trumpet calls to parley The sleepers of the house? Speak, speak!     (Act II, Scene 3) Macduff replies, O gentle lady, ’Tis not for you to hear what I ca...

In Dessa Rose , Dessa is interviewed by Adam Nehemiah in the first section of the book. As the story unfolds, we discover that Dessa is in prison for her part in a slave revolt that resulted in the deaths of five white men and the maiming of a slave trader, Wilson. In addition, thirty one slaves had been killed or executed in the process, nineteen had been flogged for their part in the revolt, and almost thirty eight thousand dollars of damage had been incurred as a result of the rebellion. In order to keep Dessa speaking to him, Nehemiah has to keep his disdain and contempt for her under wraps. Ultimately, however, he introduces two instances of revisionist bias into his interactions with Dessa. The first is when he questions Dessa about a supposed file that had been used to free the rebel participants from their chains. There had been, of course, no indication that a file had been procured by any of the slaves to free their fellow rebel participants from their chains. Dessa's res...

Senator Joseph McCarthy from Wisconsin became famous in the 1950s because he claimed that there were communists in our government. There had been a growing concern about the spread of communism in the United States after World War II ended. The Loyalty Review Program was initiated to check to see if federal employees were loyal to our country. While a small number of federal workers were fired, most government employees were cleared. However, this program... Senator Joseph McCarthy from Wisconsin became famous in the 1950s because he claimed that there were communists in our government. There had been a growing concern about the spread of communism in the United States after World War II ended. The Loyalty Review Program was initiated to check to see if federal employees were loyal to our country. While a small number of federal workers were fired, most government employees were cleared. However, this program played into the fear that communism was spreading in our country. Senator McC...

John learned basic first aid.  He tells readers in paragraph five that he was taught how to stop a person from bleeding out.   l was taught how to stop the running of blood from a wound and many secrets. A second skill that John learned was how to read and write.  As a priest, he needs to know how to do both, because he has access to books left over from the great burning.... John learned basic first aid.  He tells readers in paragraph five that he was taught how to stop a person from bleeding out.   l was taught how to stop the running of blood from a wound and many secrets. A second skill that John learned was how to read and write.  As a priest, he needs to know how to do both, because he has access to books left over from the great burning.  His ability to read will help John transform his society and bring back some of the lost knowledge.  At the end of the story, he vows to return to the city and begin educating his people.   Nevertheless, we make a beginning. it is not for the m...

In "Shooting An Elephant," both George Orwell and the elephant appear to possess a degree of power and control. Orwell, for instance, is a sub-divisional police officer, in charge of bringing the elephant under control and restoring calm to the town of Moulmein. Similarly, the elephant is in the midst of its "must" and is rampaging across the town. It is so strong and powerful that it tramples and kills a local man. Looking deeper,... In "Shooting An Elephant," both George Orwell and the elephant appear to possess a degree of power and control. Orwell, for instance, is a sub-divisional police officer, in charge of bringing the elephant under control and restoring calm to the town of Moulmein. Similarly, the elephant is in the midst of its "must" and is rampaging across the town. It is so strong and powerful that it tramples and kills a local man. Looking deeper, however, it becomes clear that neither Orwell nor the elephant has any real control. ...

Judith Ortiz Cofer's "American History" is about a Puerto Rican girl and what happens to her on the same day as President Kennedy's assassination. The assassination is a major event in America's history because the whole nation was shocked when it happened. Many people who were alive at that time would often asked friends and family what they were doing when Kennedy was shot. They would discuss their reactions and surprise, but most everyone was glued... Judith Ortiz Cofer's "American History" is about a Puerto Rican girl and what happens to her on the same day as President Kennedy's assassination. The assassination is a major event in America's history because the whole nation was shocked when it happened. Many people who were alive at that time would often asked friends and family what they were doing when Kennedy was shot. They would discuss their reactions and surprise, but most everyone was glued to the television or radio for news about...

When the narrator introduces Chillingworth, he is wearing a "strange disarray" of European and native attire.  His brow is "furrowed" and he is a somewhat small man, but he possesses a "remarkable intelligence in his features."  When he recognizes Hester on the scaffold, "A writhing horror twisted itself across his features, like a snake gliding swiftly over them."  Such a metaphor certainly helps us to understand that there is some evil in this man, that... When the narrator introduces Chillingworth, he is wearing a "strange disarray" of European and native attire.  His brow is "furrowed" and he is a somewhat small man, but he possesses a "remarkable intelligence in his features."  When he recognizes Hester on the scaffold, "A writhing horror twisted itself across his features, like a snake gliding swiftly over them."  Such a metaphor certainly helps us to understand that there is some evil in this man, th...

The hens' rebellion is significant because it shows the deteriorating situation of the farm. Napoleon is getting greedier and more powerful. The lives of the "lower" animals suffer as a result. When the hens rebel, this suggests that Napoleon's regime has become as bad as the situation under Mr. Jones. So, the original rebellion has resulted in a return to oppressive conditions. Some would argue that in the novel, or with the historical allegory with... The hens' rebellion is significant because it shows the deteriorating situation of the farm. Napoleon is getting greedier and more powerful. The lives of the "lower" animals suffer as a result. When the hens rebel, this suggests that Napoleon's regime has become as bad as the situation under Mr. Jones. So, the original rebellion has resulted in a return to oppressive conditions. Some would argue that in the novel, or with the historical allegory with Russia, the situation has gotten worse.  This event...

A metaphor is a way of explaining something in terms of something else, without using the words "like" or "as." It is an implied comparison. I think the best way to help you understand this is with some examples.  In explaining that I have a difficult task to do, I might say, "It's going to be long haul." My task, which might be grading a large pile of papers, has nothing to do with hauling... A metaphor is a way of explaining something in terms of something else, without using the words "like" or "as." It is an implied comparison. I think the best way to help you understand this is with some examples.  In explaining that I have a difficult task to do, I might say, "It's going to be long haul." My task, which might be grading a large pile of papers, has nothing to do with hauling anything anywhere, but it gives the listener an image of someone having to do a lot of work by hauling something very heavy over a long dista...

When Chiron gives Percy the gift from his father, Poseidon, a magical sword named Riptide, Percy worries that mortals will see him wielding a giant sword and freak out.  However, Chiron assures him that Mist is very powerful, and this Mist will generally prevent mortals from seeing the truth about things and events having to do with gods or divine objects.  Chiron says that it is "'Remarkable, really, the lengths to which humans will go... When Chiron gives Percy the gift from his father, Poseidon, a magical sword named Riptide, Percy worries that mortals will see him wielding a giant sword and freak out.  However, Chiron assures him that Mist is very powerful, and this Mist will generally prevent mortals from seeing the truth about things and events having to do with gods or divine objects.  Chiron says that it is "'Remarkable, really, the lengths to which humans will go to fit things into their version of reality.'"  What he seems to mean by this is that hu...

The Articles of Confederation was our first plan of government after the Revolutionary War. One success this plan of government had was in how it dealt with the organization and the sale of western lands. The Land Ordinance of 1785 was an excellent law that allowed for an orderly process to deal with lands in the West. The western lands were divided into townships that were six miles wide and six miles long. Each township... The Articles of Confederation was our first plan of government after the Revolutionary War. One success this plan of government had was in how it dealt with the organization and the sale of western lands. The Land Ordinance of 1785 was an excellent law that allowed for an orderly process to deal with lands in the West. The western lands were divided into townships that were six miles wide and six miles long. Each township was divided into 36 squares. The land was sold for $1.00 an acre. Most of the sections in a township were available for sale. This law created a ...

The light spectrum refers to the quantitative differences in light - for example, what is the actual difference between red light and blue light, and what causes them to have those colors? While the term "light" is commonly used to refer to visible light only, the light spectrum can extend to include all types of electromagnetic radiation, and so it is a way of talking about the different properties of photons themselves. Photons are massless... The light spectrum refers to the quantitative differences in light - for example, what is the actual difference between red light and blue light, and what causes them to have those colors? While the term "light" is commonly used to refer to visible light only, the light spectrum can extend to include all types of electromagnetic radiation, and so it is a way of talking about the different properties of photons themselves. Photons are massless particles that carry electromagnetic energy in a manner similar to both particles a...

Picking a song to match the mood, tone, or images in a particular section of a story is one interesting way to help that part of the story come alive for you, or to help yourself connect to it on a personal level. So, as we're thinking about how Ms. Maudie's house burns down in Chapter 8 of To Kill a Mockingbird , we're imagining how Scout feels. It's the middle of the night, it's... Picking a song to match the mood, tone, or images in a particular section of a story is one interesting way to help that part of the story come alive for you, or to help yourself connect to it on a personal level. So, as we're thinking about how Ms. Maudie's house burns down in Chapter 8 of To Kill a Mockingbird , we're imagining how Scout feels. It's the middle of the night, it's very cold outside, and the chaos of the fire and all the men scrambling to put it out combine to give Scout a feeling of both terror and excitement. You can also imagine how Ms. Maudie feel...

The Holocaust and the cruelty behind it were the reasons that everything in Wiesel's narrative happens. When Adolf Hitler ascended to German political power, he was able to set in motion his plan for genocide.  This plan became known as the Holocaust, a genocide of Jewish people as well as anyone deemed an enemy of the Third Reich.  The 1944 Nazi entry into Sighet was intended to move the Jewish people there into work and... The Holocaust and the cruelty behind it were the reasons that everything in Wiesel's narrative happens. When Adolf Hitler ascended to German political power, he was able to set in motion his plan for genocide.  This plan became known as the Holocaust, a genocide of Jewish people as well as anyone deemed an enemy of the Third Reich.  The 1944 Nazi entry into Sighet was intended to move the Jewish people there into work and concentration camps.  This marks the start of Wiesel's narrative. Wiesel's entry into Auschwitz- Birkenau and the work camp of Bu...

Thoreau made his stand against the American government – through his nonpayment of the poll tax to Massachusetts – in order to protest two issues. The first was that the country still allowed slavery to persist in the southern states. The second was that the country had recently entered a war with Mexico. His reference to “revolution” appears in the 8th paragraph of “Civil Disobedience.” The second part of the paragraph reads: All machines have... Thoreau made his stand against the American government – through his nonpayment of the poll tax to Massachusetts – in order to protest two issues. The first was that the country still allowed slavery to persist in the southern states. The second was that the country had recently entered a war with Mexico. His reference to “revolution” appears in the 8th paragraph of “Civil Disobedience.” The second part of the paragraph reads: All machines have their friction; and possibly this does enough good to counterbalance the evil. At any rate, it is a...

In Chapter 4, the master whipped Alice because she took to wandering in his yard and the vicinity of his house without permission. According to Sarny, field slaves were never allowed to enter the yard or to go up to the master's white house. However, Alice had taken to wandering off after her traumatic experience at the breeding shack. As Sarny maintains, fertile and physically attractive slaves were often required to participate in breeding sessions.... In Chapter 4, the master whipped Alice because she took to wandering in his yard and the vicinity of his house without permission. According to Sarny, field slaves were never allowed to enter the yard or to go up to the master's white house. However, Alice had taken to wandering off after her traumatic experience at the breeding shack. As Sarny maintains, fertile and physically attractive slaves were often required to participate in breeding sessions. The purpose, of course, was to produce more potential slaves for the plantati...