Help Notes

People have widely differing beliefs about the relative merits of capitalism and communism, and most of the arguments focus on two subjects: people and money. Indeed, both capitalism and communism are philosophies that deal with the relationships between people and money, but they differ greatly in how they express the individual or collective right to money. It may be helpful to think of capitalism as a potentially "all for one" socioeconomic philosophy, while communism is a "one for all" approach. There are potentially positive and negative implications for both communism and capitalism. Let's consider some of the pros and cons of each. Some of the positive effects of true communism are equal pay for all, low unemployment rates, and equitable access to free healthcare and education. Sounds great, right? Well, true communism does have some drawbacks. For one, communist societies are highly controlled, which limits personal freedoms and creativity. In a communis...

While this is a story about an outdoor sport, two of the brief indoor scenes are very pivotal. There are basically four indoor scenes: The farmhouse The bar The truckstop diner The truck cab, though, with the snow blowing through the broken window, this could also be considered outdoor. The first pivotal scene occurs when Frank and Tub ask the farmer for a phone and directions to a hospital. Here they learn that Kenny killed... While this is a story about an outdoor sport, two of the brief indoor scenes are very pivotal. There are basically four indoor scenes: The farmhouse The bar The truckstop diner The truck cab, though, with the snow blowing through the broken window, this could also be considered outdoor. The first pivotal scene occurs when Frank and Tub ask the farmer for a phone and directions to a hospital. Here they learn that Kenny killed the dog not out of meanness or spite, but as a favor to the heartbroken couple. We realize that Kenny, more than likely, was not going to s...

Every reader might have a different response to this question based upon their own personal compass and assessment of the text, so I can only answer for myself. Personally, I would have anticipated Juliet to be so devastated by the death of her cousin (and by the fact that it was her own husband who killed him) that she would have broken off her relationship with Romeo. As the saying goes, "Blood runs thicker than... Every reader might have a different response to this question based upon their own personal compass and assessment of the text, so I can only answer for myself. Personally, I would have anticipated Juliet to be so devastated by the death of her cousin (and by the fact that it was her own husband who killed him) that she would have broken off her relationship with Romeo. As the saying goes, "Blood runs thicker than water;" after suffering such a loss, I would have assumed Juliet would blame Romeo for Tybalt's death, re-calibrate her emotional state, and r...

In "How I Met My Husband," the external conflict is the love triangle between Edie, Chris Watters, and Alice Kelling. Edie, who is fifteen, is enjoying a flirtation with Chris when Alice, his fiancee, shows up. Chris has a relatively innocent tryst with Edie that Alice finds out about and that causes Alice to erupt in anger. Chris leaves after this tryst, and Edie never sees him again. The internal conflict revolves around Edie's growing... In "How I Met My Husband," the external conflict is the love triangle between Edie, Chris Watters, and Alice Kelling. Edie, who is fifteen, is enjoying a flirtation with Chris when Alice, his fiancee, shows up. Chris has a relatively innocent tryst with Edie that Alice finds out about and that causes Alice to erupt in anger. Chris leaves after this tryst, and Edie never sees him again. The internal conflict revolves around Edie's growing sense of herself as a woman. At the beginning of the story, she tries on a dress that...

In "On His Blindness," the writer, John Milton, talks openly about losing his eyesight, an event which began in the 1640s as a result of his heavy workload. Milton was completely blind by 1652. In the first few lines of the poem, Milton reflects on losing his sight before he reached middle age and describes how his world has become totally dark. For Milton, this is particularly concerning because he now wonders how he will... In "On His Blindness," the writer, John Milton, talks openly about losing his eyesight, an event which began in the 1640s as a result of his heavy workload. Milton was completely blind by 1652. In the first few lines of the poem, Milton reflects on losing his sight before he reached middle age and describes how his world has become totally dark. For Milton, this is particularly concerning because he now wonders how he will serve God, his master. Specifically, he wonders if God expects him to do "day-labour," everyday tasks, while he i...

Chapter Four of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is set in Crooks's room in the barn. Most of the men have gone into town on a Saturday night, leaving Lennie, Candy and Crooks behind. When Lennie, and later Candy, come into Crooks's room, talk turns to the farm which George, Lennie and Candy are on the verge of buying and moving to. They have discussed the dream of the farm in Chapter Three and Candy... Chapter Four of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is set in Crooks's room in the barn. Most of the men have gone into town on a Saturday night, leaving Lennie, Candy and Crooks behind. When Lennie, and later Candy, come into Crooks's room, talk turns to the farm which George, Lennie and Candy are on the verge of buying and moving to. They have discussed the dream of the farm in Chapter Three and Candy has agreed to give them his money so he can come along and "hoe in the garden." The "garden" is a veiled reference to the idea that this imagined place is...

Hunger and food insecurity are a growing issue in the world today, especially with global climate change contributing to crop instability. Anthropologists can and have been helpful in developing strategies to combat global food insecurity on both a short-term and long-term basis. Anthropology emphasizes understanding a culture from the inside perspective. I feel that when developing strategies or products to alleviate food instability, it is especially important to have a thorough understanding of the social... Hunger and food insecurity are a growing issue in the world today, especially with global climate change contributing to crop instability. Anthropologists can and have been helpful in developing strategies to combat global food insecurity on both a short-term and long-term basis. Anthropology emphasizes understanding a culture from the inside perspective. I feel that when developing strategies or products to alleviate food instability, it is especially important to have a thorou...

The appropriate word is "independently." If genes for different traits are on different chromosomes, they separate independently from each other.  One of the key factors of inheritance discovered by Mendel (even though he didn't know about chromosomes) was that it's possible for traits to be transmitted independently of one another; for example, a tall brunette will not necessarily have tall brunette offspring, they might be tall, or brunette, or both, or neither. This indicated, at... The appropriate word is "independently." If genes for different traits are on different chromosomes, they separate independently from each other.  One of the key factors of inheritance discovered by Mendel (even though he didn't know about chromosomes) was that it's possible for traits to be transmitted independently of one another; for example, a tall brunette will not necessarily have tall brunette offspring, they might be tall, or brunette, or both, or neither. This...

This question is referring to the concept of speciation and the definition of what makes a particular group of organisms its own species . There are various ways to define a species, but the biological species concept is a widely accepted and commonly used method. The biological species concept states that a species is a group of individuals that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring. This means that if two individuals are not of the same species, they either cannot breed at all or cannot produce fertile offspring.  This brings me to one of my favorite examples. When a horse and donkey mate, the offspring is called a mule. Mules are sterile and cannot produce their own offspring. Therefore, even though the horse and donkey produced offspring, it's not fertile offspring, so the horse and donkey are considered two separate species. Two horses, however, are of the same species because they can produce fertile offspring. Butterflies would be no different. They would only be able ...

Two traits of the narrator are insanity and paranoia.   That the narrator is insane is very clear.  You can tell he is insane because he thinks that his roommate has an evil eye.  Then he kills him.  People who kill their roommates because they have vulture eyes are not sane.  I undid it just so much that a single thin ray fell upon the vulture eye … but I found the eye always closed; and so it was impossible to do the work; for it was not the old man who vexed me, but his Evil Eye.   The narrator thinks that his roommate has an evil eye and opens the door every night for a week to look at it.  Then he kills him, and then chops him up and hides him under the floorboards.  This would be bad enough, but then the paranoia is his undoing.  The narrator is also paranoid, or overly afraid, because he thinks that the old man’s heart is still beating after his death.  The narrator lets the police in and leads them to the spot where he hid the old man.  He keeps them there and talks to them, th...

In essence, there is just one pro and one con to having appointed judges.  The pro is that appointed judges are free of the political process.  The con is the same, worded differently.  Appointed judges are bad because they are not democratically elected and therefore are not subject to the will of the people. If you need more points each way, you can split each of these up to some degree, creating “subpoints” that are... In essence, there is just one pro and one con to having appointed judges.  The pro is that appointed judges are free of the political process.  The con is the same, worded differently.  Appointed judges are bad because they are not democratically elected and therefore are not subject to the will of the people. If you need more points each way, you can split each of these up to some degree, creating “subpoints” that are part of the larger idea.  In favor of appointed judges: Appointed judges are chosen on merit.  Judges or good or bad based on how well they know the la...

The narrator, Phillip, tells his friend Henrik a fib as a way of gently fighting back against his friend's slight arrogance. To be more specific, Henrik was annoying Phillip by acting like he had privileged information, so Phillip said something untrue in order to make it seem like he, too, knew a lot about what was going on. This happens in Chapter 1, on page 12: Henrik said, "My father told me there is nothing... The narrator, Phillip, tells his friend Henrik a fib as a way of gently fighting back against his friend's slight arrogance. To be more specific, Henrik was annoying Phillip by acting like he had privileged information, so Phillip said something untrue in order to make it seem like he, too, knew a lot about what was going on. This happens in Chapter 1, on page 12: Henrik said, "My father told me there is nothing left of Aruba. They hit Sint Nicolaas, you know." "Every lake tanker was sunk," I said. I didn't know if that were true or not, ...

Jordan Baker is considered a strong woman in part because she earns her living independently as a professional golf player. This type of independence was rare in the 1920s. Jordan looks very much like an athlete, and is described as having a "slender golden arm" (48). She spends most of her time outside playing golf, and she doesn't have the soft or pampered look of women who aren't as physical. Nick describes her as having... Jordan Baker is considered a strong woman in part because she earns her living independently as a professional golf player. This type of independence was rare in the 1920s. Jordan looks very much like an athlete, and is described as having a "slender golden arm" (48). She spends most of her time outside playing golf, and she doesn't have the soft or pampered look of women who aren't as physical. Nick describes her as having a "bored haughty face," and he realizes that, much like a stereotypical male, she is not above ...

I think your poster should demonstrate Benjamin's character--he was wise, he knew what was going on, but he said nothing, even though he knew life on the farm would be difficult once Napoleon took over.  Are you familiar with internet memes?  I think your poster could be like a meme just with Benjamin on it.  Benjamin's favorite line in the story is that donkeys live a long time, so your poster should say something to... I think your poster should demonstrate Benjamin's character--he was wise, he knew what was going on, but he said nothing, even though he knew life on the farm would be difficult once Napoleon took over.  Are you familiar with internet memes?  I think your poster could be like a meme just with Benjamin on it.  Benjamin's favorite line in the story is that donkeys live a long time, so your poster should say something to the consistency of Benjamin's character.  No matter what happens in the story, Benjamin never changes, and the only reason he ever ge...

Excellent question! Your inquiry evokes one of the primary debates about this classic poem by Robert Frost. This debate hinges on the idea that in "The Road Not Taken" (1916), the persona, or the traveler-speaker of the poem, surveys two identical paths in a "wood," or forest. Yes, the paths are identical! Though most readers view that the poem celebrates the "less-traveled" path, and thereby individuality and nonconformity, the persona clearly states that the paths... Excellent question! Your inquiry evokes one of the primary debates about this classic poem by Robert Frost. This debate hinges on the idea that in "The Road Not Taken" (1916), the persona, or the traveler-speaker of the poem, surveys two identical paths in a "wood," or forest. Yes, the paths are identical! Though most readers view that the poem celebrates the "less-traveled" path, and thereby individuality and nonconformity, the persona clearly states that the p...

Madame Loisel has a most successful evening, dancing the night away while her husband dozes in a corner. When it is time to go home, Monsieur Loisel gathers up some of her everyday things to cover her when they go outside, since it is cold.  She does not want anyone to see her in these clothes, since they are not as nice or as fancy as she would like, so she hurries out, and then... Madame Loisel has a most successful evening, dancing the night away while her husband dozes in a corner. When it is time to go home, Monsieur Loisel gathers up some of her everyday things to cover her when they go outside, since it is cold.  She does not want anyone to see her in these clothes, since they are not as nice or as fancy as she would like, so she hurries out, and then the couple cannot find a taxi. Eventually, they find a humble carriage, which deposits them at home.  When Madame Loisel pauses to admire herself in front of the mirror, reliving her glorious evening, she realizes the necklace is m...

In Kate Chopin's "A Pair of Silk Stockings," when she unexpectedly finds that she has an extra fifteen dollars, Mrs. Sommers first considers the needs of her children. Because "[T]he question of investment was one that occupied her greatly," Mrs. Sommers deliberates so intensely that she walks around for one or two days, barely conscious of her surroundings. Instead, she is "absorbed in speculation and calculation" because she does not wish to act rashly and... In Kate Chopin's "A Pair of Silk Stockings," when she unexpectedly finds that she has an extra fifteen dollars, Mrs. Sommers first considers the needs of her children. Because "[T]he question of investment was one that occupied her greatly," Mrs. Sommers deliberates so intensely that she walks around for one or two days, barely conscious of her surroundings. Instead, she is "absorbed in speculation and calculation" because she does not wish to act rashly and lat...

Before Santiago travels to Africa to start his journey, he receives guidance from the king of Salem. Discussions about achieving one's Personal Legend encourage and inspire both the boy and the reader for the upcoming search for the treasure. Melchizedek also gives him the Urim and Thummim to help him if the boy ever feels stuck and can't read the omens. Everything seems perfectly in place for the boy to succeed. However, when he gets... Before Santiago travels to Africa to start his journey, he receives guidance from the king of Salem. Discussions about achieving one's Personal Legend encourage and inspire both the boy and the reader for the upcoming search for the treasure. Melchizedek also gives him the Urim and Thummim to help him if the boy ever feels stuck and can't read the omens. Everything seems perfectly in place for the boy to succeed. However, when he gets to Africa, to the port of Tangier, he falls victim to a thief's trickery and is robbed. The unfores...

Below are six quotes each for Laertes and Hamlet pulled from roughly the same areas of the play.    The first two quotations from Laertes show his unselfish love for and desire to protect his younger sister.  He delicately points out that Hamlet might break her heart and that she should keep herself safe from any type of teenage rebellion. His advice shows his care for his family, particularly the safety of his sister.  The first two quotations from Hamlet show his profound depression at the death of his father and the quick remarriage of his mother.  He is so upset he is considering killing himself, stopping short only because suicide is considered a sin.  Here Hamlet is also revealing a respect and love for family and is mourning the loss of both his parents -  his father to death and his mother to his uncle.   Hamlet's third quote occurs after his long conversation with his mother concerning his true feelings about her recent remarriage to his uncle, his father's murderer.  ...

There are several reasons that the narrator seems uncomfortable with the visit from his wife's friend, Robert. The narrator is not a social person. In fact, his wife tells him, "You don't have any friends." It is likely, however, that the narrator is jealous of Robert and his relationship with his wife. The narrator seems uncomfortable about the poem that his wife has written about the time Robert (who is blind) put his hands on... There are several reasons that the narrator seems uncomfortable with the visit from his wife's friend, Robert. The narrator is not a social person. In fact, his wife tells him, "You don't have any friends." It is likely, however, that the narrator is jealous of Robert and his relationship with his wife. The narrator seems uncomfortable about the poem that his wife has written about the time Robert (who is blind) put his hands on her face. His jealousy is also seen in his refusal to call his wife's ex-husband by name....

Liberalism is largely based on the idea that all men are free, but with that freedom comes a certain set of obligations. While each culture varies on the nature of those obligations, there are some basic obligations that all citizens are believed to possess according to the philosophies of Kant and Locke. According to the philosophy of John Locke, all men are entitled to pursue life, liberty and property. With those rights come general obligations... Liberalism is largely based on the idea that all men are free, but with that freedom comes a certain set of obligations. While each culture varies on the nature of those obligations, there are some basic obligations that all citizens are believed to possess according to the philosophies of Kant and Locke. According to the philosophy of John Locke, all men are entitled to pursue life, liberty and property. With those rights come general obligations that apply to all citizens as well as specialized obligations that must be undertaken volunta...

Emily is so secretive and reclusive that people do not even realize she has killed someone because no one is allowed in the house. Emily considers herself superior to her townspeople.  Her attitude is to avoid them and expect them to avoid her.  She is also very stubborn and eccentric, as evidenced by her refusal to pay taxes.  She insists on living off of the legacy of her also eccentric father, long after he is... Emily is so secretive and reclusive that people do not even realize she has killed someone because no one is allowed in the house. Emily considers herself superior to her townspeople.  Her attitude is to avoid them and expect them to avoid her.  She is also very stubborn and eccentric, as evidenced by her refusal to pay taxes.  She insists on living off of the legacy of her also eccentric father, long after he is dead.  Emily is so odd that no one really questions anything she does. When Emily’s beau Homer Barron disappears, no one thinks that she killed him and left his bo...

The most basic human rights are the rights to simply live as one chooses, with regard to location, occupation, spiritual belief, and self expression. Peoples' rights are violated when one entity, usually an over-reaching government, attempts to use its power to control its citizens (or sometimes someone else's citizens), often for what it believes to be a good reason. Elie Wiesel's Night tells the story of the Holocaust as seen through the eyes of a... The most basic human rights are the rights to simply live as one chooses, with regard to location, occupation, spiritual belief, and self expression. Peoples' rights are violated when one entity, usually an over-reaching government, attempts to use its power to control its citizens (or sometimes someone else's citizens), often for what it believes to be a good reason. Elie Wiesel's Night tells the story of the Holocaust as seen through the eyes of a fourteen-year-old Hungarian Jew. The story is usually considered...

The main humor in the novel arises from the slippage or gap between Don Quixote's "mad" or not quite sane vision of the world and the down-to-earth reality of what the world is. Don Quixote, an older man, has read so many chivalric romances about the noble deeds of knights errant that he has been influenced to imagine himself a knight out of a romance. Of course, he isn't a knight. Readers and many of... The main humor in the novel arises from the slippage or gap between Don Quixote's "mad" or not quite sane vision of the world and the down-to-earth reality of what the world is. Don Quixote, an older man, has read so many chivalric romances about the noble deeds of knights errant that he has been influenced to imagine himself a knight out of a romance. Of course, he isn't a knight. Readers and many of the people in the novel watching him behave strangely laugh at the mistakes he makes. For instance, he mistakes windmills for giants and tilts at them ...

The best way to demonstrate the laws of reflection involves a narrow, bright beam of light to shine on reflective surfaces; for this a laser works very nicely. But lasers can be hazardous; even if they are not powerful enough to cause burns or damage anything (and it would be foolish to use such a powerful laser for this demonstration), they are usually still bright enough to cause eye injuries.Thus, if you're going to... The best way to demonstrate the laws of reflection involves a narrow, bright beam of light to shine on reflective surfaces; for this a laser works very nicely. But lasers can be hazardous; even if they are not powerful enough to cause burns or damage anything (and it would be foolish to use such a powerful laser for this demonstration), they are usually still bright enough to cause eye injuries. Thus, if you're going to do this demonstration, it is important to make sure that no one ever looks directly into a laser or shines a laser directly into someone else...

When Thomas Paine wrote the quote that you have presented here, he meant that the King of England did not have the moral high ground in the dispute with the colonists.  He meant that there was, therefore, no reason that God would favor the King over the colonists.  We can see this from the rest of the sentence from which your quote comes. In those days, most people believed in God and most people believed... When Thomas Paine wrote the quote that you have presented here, he meant that the King of England did not have the moral high ground in the dispute with the colonists.  He meant that there was, therefore, no reason that God would favor the King over the colonists.  We can see this from the rest of the sentence from which your quote comes. In those days, most people believed in God and most people believed that God would take sides in disputes between countries or groups of people.  In the third paragraph of Chapter I of The Crisis , Paine says that he believes that God is in charge...

The first, and most obvious, way that life changed for African-Americans after the Civil War was that slavery came to an end. Millions of people that had been the property of Southern planters were now freed by the end of the war and the Thirteenth Amendment. While "black codes" passed shortly after the war placed severe restrictions on their newfound freedoms, the US Congress quickly instituted reforms as part of its Reconstruction efforts that contributed... The first, and most obvious, way that life changed for African-Americans after the Civil War was that slavery came to an end. Millions of people that had been the property of Southern planters were now freed by the end of the war and the Thirteenth Amendment. While "black codes" passed shortly after the war placed severe restrictions on their newfound freedoms, the US Congress quickly instituted reforms as part of its Reconstruction efforts that contributed to still more changes. The Freedmen's Bureau, for...

Since Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is written from the perspective of a ten-year-old, the images represent how he perceives the world around him. For example, the following passage shows how Bruno applies the senses of sound and sight in order to judge differences between the soldiers and his father: "Father was the centre of them and looked very smart in his freshly pressed uniform . . . and as Bruno watched from above he felt both scared and in awe of him. He didn't like the look of the other men quite as much. They certainly weren't as handsome as Father. Nor were their uniforms as freshly pressed. Nor were their voices so booming or their boots so polished" (42). Notice that Bruno applies the sense of sight when he compares how nice his father looks to the disheveled soldiers. He also uses the sense of sound to associate his father's "booming" voice to his important role as a commandant. Bruno's perceptions are important because th...

Initially, the narrator recalls his experience and informs us that he has been sentenced to death. He recalls the grotesque forms of his judges. Before he passes out, he is so distraught that he suggests death might be a better alternative than what awaits him. So, this already establishes a rising suspense about what will happen to him:  And then there stole into my fancy, like a rich musical note, the thought of what sweet... Initially, the narrator recalls his experience and informs us that he has been sentenced to death. He recalls the grotesque forms of his judges. Before he passes out, he is so distraught that he suggests death might be a better alternative than what awaits him. So, this already establishes a rising suspense about what will happen to him:  And then there stole into my fancy, like a rich musical note, the thought of what sweet rest there must be in the grave.  The reader assumes that when he wakes up, his death sentence will be carried out. The reader is left to w...

In this text, it seems as though Shakespeare is trying to convey the idea that love is an incredibly powerful emotion that can overwhelm a person, just as hate or any other very passionate feeling can.  You could also argue that Shakespeare is trying to convey the idea that love and hate are equally powerful feelings that have the power to overwhelm and consume us.   Immediately, the love at first sight experienced by Romeo and Juliet compels Juliet to say, "O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? / Deny thy father and refuse thy name. / Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, / And I’ll no longer be a Capulet" (2.2.33-36).  She would ask that Romeo give up his family and his own identity in order to be with her, or, if he is unwilling to do so, she is willing to give up her own family and identity to be with him.  This love they feel inspires her to reject everything she knows, just to possess it.  And Romeo is likewise willing, saying, "I take thee at thy word. /...