Help me with writing an argumentative paper arguing FOR the prompt that we need to pay more attention to inequality and poverty, prompt below? I...

Remember that you are arguing For the idea that poverty and inequality should be considered as far more important to the middle class than is currently believed as evidenced by the recession of 2008.  I believe that this is true.

 A thesis could be that the Great Recession is proof that the middle class is  trying desperately to hang onto the visible signs of belonging still to the upper middle class instead of losing ground and sinking...

Remember that you are arguing For the idea that poverty and inequality should be considered as far more important to the middle class than is currently believed as evidenced by the recession of 2008.  I believe that this is true.

 A thesis could be that the Great Recession is proof that the middle class is  trying desperately to hang onto the visible signs of belonging still to the upper middle class instead of losing ground and sinking into the lower middle class.  This idea indicates that we as a society have to look more closely at the growing divide in this country between the haves and the have-nots.  The discrepancy in monetary ownership is startling when you look at the difference between a company president and the workers in the 1970s and now. We now truly are talking about the 1% and everyone else. 

The three body paragraphs could be three examples of risky investment or monetary behavior such as the sub-prime mortgages many used to buy houses they could not afford. You could also use examples of how people moved out of the city, requiring infrastructure not yet in place, driven by peoples' desire to own "their own piece of the American dream".  You could look at the breaking up of the unions and what that did to the middle class.  Many opportunities exist for making several paragraphs which fit this roadmap of mistakes, a route of mistakes which unfortunately is beginning again.

The ideas you are writing about in this paper are truly a blueprint for the future if we are not to repeat the mistakes of the past. Big banks which "could not fail" are again pursuing the same mistakes made in the Great Recession.  Maybe your paper could become the roadmap for the future of the middle class in this country, which is fast disappearing.

What do you know about Tom Walker?

In "The Devil and Tom Walker", Tom Walker is widely know for being a stingy and greedy man. The narrator describes Tom as being so stingy that he and his wife try to deny each other food. Tom continues to be stingy even after he has become wealthy after making a deal with the devil. After becoming wealthy he builds a large house in Boston to show off his wealth but he leaves the inside...

In "The Devil and Tom Walker", Tom Walker is widely know for being a stingy and greedy man. The narrator describes Tom as being so stingy that he and his wife try to deny each other food. Tom continues to be stingy even after he has become wealthy after making a deal with the devil. After becoming wealthy he builds a large house in Boston to show off his wealth but he leaves the inside unfinished and unfurnished. In addition to being incredibly stingy, Tom is also greedy and rapacious. He sells his soul to the devil in exchange for the treasure of a famous pirate; however, even this treasure is not enough to satisfy Tom. He goes on to use the money to set up shop as a usurer or money lender in Boston. Tom is notorious for taking his clients for all that they are worth and driving them into default with his outrageous terms. Ultimately, Tom's greed and stinginess lead him to a horrible fate as the devil comes for him and carries him off on horseback. He is never seen or heard from again.

Compare and contrast the ways Shakespeare and Orwell present forbidden love.

Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and Orwell's 1984 are both stories of forbidden love, among other things. 

In Shakespeare's play, the two young lovers are members of fighting families and they must escape the grip of their parents to be with each other. 

In Orwell's book, Winston and Julia live under the ever-watchful Big Brother. When they rebel and try to love each other as they want to, they are captured, separated, and tortured. 

In both...

Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and Orwell's 1984 are both stories of forbidden love, among other things. 

In Shakespeare's play, the two young lovers are members of fighting families and they must escape the grip of their parents to be with each other. 

In Orwell's book, Winston and Julia live under the ever-watchful Big Brother. When they rebel and try to love each other as they want to, they are captured, separated, and tortured. 

In both stories, love comes as a rebellion. It is a defiant act to the powers that rule the characters' lives. Love is a political act. Romeo and Juliet defy their families' longstanding feuds. Winston and Julia defy the powerful Big Brother. 

Obviously, there are huge differences in plot between the books. But one of the biggest differences in the portrayal of forbidden love comes in the conclusion of both love stories. 

In Romeo and Juliet, the lovers end up killing themselves for the sake of their love. The famous "Thus with a kiss I die" (V.iii) marks Romeo's suicide at the sight of poor Juliet (who is actually only sleeping...whoops). When Juliet discovers Romeo, she plunges his dagger into her chest. For these two lovers, nothing is worse than the thought of living without the other. Their forbidden love can only have one of two conclusions: they will live together or they will die.

By contrast, in 1984 Winston gives in to his torture and asks the torturer to "Do it to Julia!" Forbidden love in this novel is broken, beaten by the powers that be. Unlike Romeo and Juliet, who carry their love to their deaths, Winston's love is undone by the torturers. 

In both stories, love leads to hardship and pain. In both stories, love is ended somehow--in Shakespeare by death and in Orwell by torture. But in Romeo and Juliet, love is something that is worth dying for. That does not seem to be Orwell's interpretation. 

What is meant in the allusion to Dian’s wit in Romeo and Juliet?

The quote refers to the goddess Diana; she is the Roman version of the Greek goddess Artemis, known as a goddess of chastity, and a patron goddess of virgins, and also of the moon, pregnancy, childbirth and hunting. She is often depicted with a bow and arrow and hunting dogs or a captured deer by her side. It is interesting to see this reference to a moon goddess here, as Romeo meets Juliet soon after...

The quote refers to the goddess Diana; she is the Roman version of the Greek goddess Artemis, known as a goddess of chastity, and a patron goddess of virgins, and also of the moon, pregnancy, childbirth and hunting. She is often depicted with a bow and arrow and hunting dogs or a captured deer by her side. It is interesting to see this reference to a moon goddess here, as Romeo meets Juliet soon after and often speaks of her with sun imagery ("Arise, fair sun and kill the envious moon"), and indeed sun and moon imagery occur throughout the play in Romeo and Juliet's dialogue with and about each other.

When Romeo says "She'll not be hit by Cupid's arrow; she hath Dian's wit, And in strong proof of chastity well-arm'd," he means that Rosalind, his latest love interest, is not likely to compromise her virtue, i.e., have sex with him. "Dian's wit" is another way of saying she is smart enough to not let a young man take advantage of her; loss of virginity before marriage was considered unacceptable for young women, and if sex resulted in pregnancy the young woman's chances of marriage were greatly lessened, not to mention the ruining of her reputation. Romeo does sleep with Juliet soon after they meet, but the two get married in secret first. The moon imagery is also a reference to a woman's monthly cycle, hence why there is an association between these goddesses and pregnancy and childbirth as well.

Why were characters from the past brought before Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens?

In A Christmas Carol, author Charles Dickens writes about miserly old Ebenezer Scrooge, who says, "Bah humbug," whenever Christmas is mentioned. To save Scrooge's miserable life, his deceased partner, Jacob Marley, visits Scrooge with a warning and a message that he will soon be visited by three spirits. The first spirit is the Ghost of Christmas Past, who takes Scrooge on a journey of his personal past. Scrooge sees people and events from his...

In A Christmas Carol, author Charles Dickens writes about miserly old Ebenezer Scrooge, who says, "Bah humbug," whenever Christmas is mentioned. To save Scrooge's miserable life, his deceased partner, Jacob Marley, visits Scrooge with a warning and a message that he will soon be visited by three spirits. The first spirit is the Ghost of Christmas Past, who takes Scrooge on a journey of his personal past. Scrooge sees people and events from his past, and they remind him of what once was. He sees himself as a boy--a boy filled with imagination. He sees his sister, Fan, who he had loved so dearly. He sees his former mentor, Fezziwig, who had taught him much and treated him so well. He sees Belle, the girl he loved and would have married if money had not become such an obsession. All of this was done to help Scrooge realize how wonderful and satisfying life could be. The people he loved were generous and kind-hearted. All of the money in the world could not bring happiness the way trusting, loving relationships do. Scrooge needed to see himself through the eyes of the past in order to change, and this is done effectively with the first Ghost.

In 1984, why does Winston have a diary?

In Chapter One of 1984, Winston writes in his newly-purchased diary for the first time. This diary is used by Winston as a tool for self-expressionbecause, under Party rule, Winston is not allowed to articulate his thoughts and feelings. Merely possessing a diary in Oceania is a punishable offense: Winston faces at least twenty-five years in a "forced-labour camp," or even the death sentence if his diary is found. Moreover, the contents of the...

In Chapter One of 1984, Winston writes in his newly-purchased diary for the first time. This diary is used by Winston as a tool for self-expression because, under Party rule, Winston is not allowed to articulate his thoughts and feelings. Merely possessing a diary in Oceania is a punishable offense: Winston faces at least twenty-five years in a "forced-labour camp," or even the death sentence if his diary is found. Moreover, the contents of the diary constitute Thoughtcrime, an extremely serious offense in Oceania, which is again punishable by death or, at the very least, a visit to Room 101.

For Winston, however, the need to express himself is stronger than his fear of being detected. While his words on the page seem like a "stream of rubbish," they, in fact, represent a conscious effort to resist the Party and its indoctrination. Specifically, he needs an outlet for his discontent, as we see through his first entry when he critiques his evening at the cinema. As such, the diary should be viewed as the beginning of Winston's rebellion and as a necessary part of his awakening.

Describe the state of American society as shown by Vonnegut. Are there positive aspects of this society? What is society lacking?

In the American sociey of Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron," "everyone is finally equal." But this equality has come at a price. People haven't been made equal in terms of rights or opportunities, rather, they have been forced to meet at the lowest common denominator of this America. No one is allowed to be smarter, more athletic, or even prettier than anyone else.

This society also seems to be under an iron-fisted authoritarian government. The people...

In the American sociey of Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron," "everyone is finally equal." But this equality has come at a price. People haven't been made equal in terms of rights or opportunities, rather, they have been forced to meet at the lowest common denominator of this America. No one is allowed to be smarter, more athletic, or even prettier than anyone else.

This society also seems to be under an iron-fisted authoritarian government. The people live under "the unceasing vigilance of the agents of the United States Handicapper." The ending of the story in which Harrison and a ballerina dance beautifully on televison only to be shot by the handicapper general herself also indicates authoritarianism.

While the desire for equality is usually seen as something positive, in this case, this desire for equality comes at the expense of those who might help the world progress. Characters like Harrison and his father George must wear "handicaps" that disrupt their thoughts and weigh them down. The beautiful ballerina who reads the news report about Harrison wore a "hideoous" mask and handicap bags "as big as those worn by two-hundred-pound men" and had to change her voice from a "warm, luminous, timeless melody" to a "grackle squawk" in order to keep viewers from feeling bad about themselves.

In this society, excellence is lacking. For example, the ballerina who decided to dance with Harrison was "blindingly beautiful" and danced with "an explosion of joy and grace." In addition, George, whose "intelligence was way above normal," could not use this intelligence in any way to improve his life or the lives of those around him.

How are the Romantic notions of nature, individualism, imagination, and emotion expressed in "Thanatopsis?"

William Cullen Bryant's "Thanatopsis," or "Meditation on Death" is written in the contemplative tone of the Romantic poet. This poem reflects the notions of individualism, nature, imagination, and emotion in the following ways:

• Individualism

Nature speaks in different and various ways to each person:

To him who in the love of Nature holds
                                    ...she speaks
A various language

However, when one dies, this individualism is "surrender[ed] up to Nature as the person will then "mix forever with the elements."

•  Nature 

Nature begins to speak to the reader in line 17: "Comes a still voice--" In lines 22-23, and 25-26 as it expresses the idea that man is reclaimed by the Earth where he mixes with the elements. 

Earth, that nourished thee, shall claim
Thy growth, to be resolved to earth again....
To mix forever with the elements,
To be a brother to the insensible rock...

• Imagination

With personification, Bryant gives life to "the venerable woods," and "Old Ocean" and in lines 37-45, Bryant creates the metaphor of "the great tomb of man"; that is, he compares the earth to a tomb. 
In fact, the entire poem is imaginative as there is much figurative language throughout the verses. Nature is personified as a female who speaks to man in the verses, and there are many sensory images of light and dark and color, and feelings, and sounds throughout.

"Thanatopsis" evokes a sense of melancholy mystery with images and diction. For instance in lines 12-14, the poet writes,

And breathless darkness, and the narrow house,
Make thee to shudder, and grow sick at heart;--
Go forth, under the open sky,...

In lines 55-82, there is the sense of fear, but it is followed by the consolation that Nature will be there:

...the dead reign there alone.
So shalt thou rest,...

                    ....but, sustained and soothed
By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave,
Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch
About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams.

How did the Enlightenment influence the French Revolution?

The French philosophes, who developed and wrote about Enlightenment ideas, inspired the French Revolution. For example, Montesquieu wrote in The Spirit of the Laws(1753) that a constitutional monarchy afforded the greatest freedom to the people because the power was split between the monarch and the parliament, checking the power of each. The English, he believed, had a superior form of government because the British king was checked by the parliament and the courts....

The French philosophes, who developed and wrote about Enlightenment ideas, inspired the French Revolution. For example, Montesquieu wrote in The Spirit of the Laws (1753) that a constitutional monarchy afforded the greatest freedom to the people because the power was split between the monarch and the parliament, checking the power of each. The English, he believed, had a superior form of government because the British king was checked by the parliament and the courts. During the early phases of the French Revolution, many leading revolutionaries, such as the Comte de Mirabeau, advocated the creation of a constitutional monarchy, but this did not come to pass. When the French king, Louis XVI, tried to flee to Varennes, it was obvious that he was not interested in sharing power with the legislative branch of government. Therefore, the French Revolution began with a republic rather than a constitutional monarchy. 

Rousseau, another Enlightenment thinker, also inspired the French Revolution. His idea of the social contract between the government and the governed was at the root of the French Revolution (and the earlier American Revolution). Many statements in the Declaration of the Rights of Man (1789) are derived from his ideas. For example, "men are born and remain free and equal in rights" in the Declaration of the Rights of Man comes from his statement in the Social Contract that "man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains." Rousseau wrote the following:

"The problem is to find a form of association which will defend and protect with the whole common force the person and goods of each associate, and in which each, while uniting himself with all, may still obey himself alone, and remain as free as before. This is the fundamental problem of which the Social Contract provides the solution."

The second article of The Declaration of the Rights of Man reads, "The goal of any political association is the conservation of the natural and imprescriptible rights of man. These rights are liberty, property, safety and resistance against oppression." These ideas are derived partly from Rousseau's idea of the social contract and partly from Locke, who was also an Enlightenment philosopher who believed that the government had the duty to safeguard the life, liberty, and property of the governed. Rousseau's ideas were highly influential in providing the spark that started the French Revolution and that overthrew the French monarch.

What recommendations can you give to educators regarding the sociological foundations of education?

Let us start by differentiating between informal education (the natural ability of the brain to gather experience and data into meaningful patterns) and those “formal” education instruments designed and implemented by organizational structures, from the parent/family organization to the state-designed and operated “public school systems” to the private institutions under someone’s jurisdiction (for example, religious schools, expensive boarding schools, business-run learning institutions, and colleges). These latter types are socially-driven from several directions.

First, the “controlling...

Let us start by differentiating between informal education (the natural ability of the brain to gather experience and data into meaningful patterns) and those “formal” education instruments designed and implemented by organizational structures, from the parent/family organization to the state-designed and operated “public school systems” to the private institutions under someone’s jurisdiction (for example, religious schools, expensive boarding schools, business-run learning institutions, and colleges). These latter types are socially-driven from several directions.

First, the “controlling body” has an agenda, simply put, to perpetuate itself and its “world." For example, a public grade school in the South will slant its History courses, its political courses, even its scientific courses toward the perpetuation of Southern culture; even its language “rules” will differ from, say, a New England public school.  A Christian school will base all of its education on Christian principles.

Secondly, the grading or scoring of the education will have a sociological bias, based on that society’s measurements.

Thirdly, the employment opportunities, a very important social aspect of formal education, will depend on the sociological atmosphere. A teacher, then, must be careful about separating those sociological aspects from “pure” education – mathematics, for example, is virtually free of social pressure (other than its importance in that society). History, on the other hand, is very susceptible to the teacher’s and the society’s bias.

But the most pressing issue is the value of an education in society.  It's the teacher's responsibility to stress the value of an education to his/her students.

What is a thesis/argument that John Cheever makes in his short story "The Enormous Radio"?

Written by John Cheever in 1947, “The Enormous Radio” focuses on Jim and Irene Westcott. Combining elements of magical realism and the domestic gothic, the story’s thesis focuses on buried secrets. When the couple’s radio breaks, they order a new one and soon find out that it allows them to listen to their neighbors’ conversations. In listening to other people’s marital issues, the Westcotts begin to recognize the tension in their own marriage. “We’re happy,...

Written by John Cheever in 1947, “The Enormous Radio” focuses on Jim and Irene Westcott. Combining elements of magical realism and the domestic gothic, the story’s thesis focuses on buried secrets. When the couple’s radio breaks, they order a new one and soon find out that it allows them to listen to their neighbors’ conversations. In listening to other people’s marital issues, the Westcotts begin to recognize the tension in their own marriage. “We’re happy, aren’t we darling? (Irene) pleads to Jim.” Of course, the Westcotts aren’t happy; they’re simply well versed in playing the part of a happy, status driven, financially secure couple. The radio is the fantastical tool that brings to light Jim and Irene’s secrets and accrued grievances. Cheever is arguing that no matter how strong a façade a married couple has, neglect, denial, and a lack of communication poisons a marriage.

In the poem "The Raven" how does Poe use motif to create mood?

In “The Raven,” Edgar Allan Poe uses motif to create the mood of melancholy and longing. A motif is a repetitious idea, sound, or image in a piece of literature. Poe repeats the sounds in the words “nothing more,” “evermore,” and “nevermore” at the end of stanzas. The sound of these words mimic “Lenore," the name of the young man’s deceased girlfriend. At the beginning of the poem he is trying to determine who is...

In “The Raven,” Edgar Allan Poe uses motif to create the mood of melancholy and longing. A motif is a repetitious idea, sound, or image in a piece of literature. Poe repeats the sounds in the words “nothing more,” “evermore,” and “nevermore” at the end of stanzas. The sound of these words mimic “Lenore," the name of the young man’s deceased girlfriend. At the beginning of the poem he is trying to determine who is at his door, and in his sadness he hopes that it is his beloved Lenore, but he looks into the hall and finds nothing. Later in the poem the raven flies in and perches on the bust of Pallas.

The young man tortures himself questioning the raven. The raven was trained by his unknown owner to say “Nevermore.” Even when the young man asks if there will be relief in the end, he receives the same answer.

"Is there—is there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!" Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

Each repetition from the beginning to the end of the poem leads the young man deeper and deep into his sadness.

What did the red rose tree tell the nightingale in "The Nightingale and the Rose" by Oscar Wilde.

In the beautiful story about altruism, true love, and deception, "The Nightingale and the Rose," a nightingale overhears a young scholar from Oxford talk about how desperately he wants to please this one young lady that he presumably loves. 

The girl said to him that she will offer him a dance if he brings her red roses, however, there are no red roses in the student's garden. 

The nightingale, feeling that she has witnessed an...

In the beautiful story about altruism, true love, and deception, "The Nightingale and the Rose," a nightingale overhears a young scholar from Oxford talk about how desperately he wants to please this one young lady that he presumably loves. 

The girl said to him that she will offer him a dance if he brings her red roses, however, there are no red roses in the student's garden. 

The nightingale, feeling that she has witnessed an instance of true love, feels that she should secure a red rose for the student so that he can complete his wish. However, upon looking around the garden she, too, realizes that there are no red roses at all. 

There is a red-rose tree, however, but it cannot produce the red rose the bird so badly needs. Upon inquiring, the rose tree responds to the bird that the cold winter froze the tree down to the root, therefore, it would be impossible to produce a red rose. 

My roses are red, [...] But the winter has chilled my veins, and the frost has nipped my buds, and the storm has broken my branches, and I shall have no roses at all this year.

This is the pivotal moment in the story when the bird realizes that, in order to get the red rose, she would have to make it herself. She decides, in the name of "True Love", as she calls it, to get a white rose and use her own blood to stain it red. It is the ultimate sacrifice, and it shows the altruism of the bird in wanting the young man to get his wish granted. However, we will find out later in the story that the sacrifice means nothing, as the student is not truly in love and is, in fact, just a capricious and selfish individual. 

Why did Virginia businessmen secure land grants in the Ohio River Valley?

Virginia "businessmen" secured land grants in massive amounts in the Ohio Valley before the French and Indian War. They did so because they knew the lands would be very valuable. The Ohio Valley was highly fertile, and potential settlers in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere longed to settle there. So many Virginia planters and politicians did everything they could to secure land grants there. Many invested in the Ohio Company, which received a vast grant of...

Virginia "businessmen" secured land grants in massive amounts in the Ohio Valley before the French and Indian War. They did so because they knew the lands would be very valuable. The Ohio Valley was highly fertile, and potential settlers in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere longed to settle there. So many Virginia planters and politicians did everything they could to secure land grants there. Many invested in the Ohio Company, which received a vast grant of land in the region in the early 1750s. They were speculating that the lands would rise in value once the British gained control of the region (which was disputed between the British Empire and France). Many of the Native peoples in the region had other ideas, however, and they rose up in a series of rebellions during and immediately after the war. These rebellions made the British Crown reconsider their policy in the Ohio Valley, because frequent Indian attacks made maintaining a military presence there a necessity. After the war, this was an expense the British did not want to bear. So King George III issued the Proclamation of 1763 forbidding settlement west of the Appalachians and basically refusing to renew the grant issued several years before. For the wealthy Virginians who had speculated in lands there, this meant that they could not secure clear title to their lands. This angered many of these men, many of whom would become leaders of the Revolution in Virginia.

The job of coordinating the intelligence community belongs to the A. director of the CIA B. director of national intelligence C. director of...

Prior to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the correct answer to the question -- which among the following positions is responsible for coordinating the intelligence community -- would have been "A," the director of Central Intelligence. Following the terrorist attacks and the in-depth investigation into the reasons for the federal government's failure to detect al Qaeda's plans for the attacks and the steps taken by the terrorists to carry out those attacks by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (the "9/11 Commission"), legislation was passed to restructure the intelligence community so as to allow for, and mandate, better coordination among the intelligence agencies that collectively comprise "the community." 

Following the surprise attacks on U.S. military facilities at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, Congress conducted a series of hearings into the reasons for the government and the military's, mainly the Navy's, failure to detect the Japanese plans for that fateful attack. Among the reasons for that failure was the institutional reluctance among individual agencies to share secret information with other agencies. After the end of World War II, the Congress, working with the Truman Administration, formally established the Central Intelligence Agency to be the nation's principal centralized organ for the collection, analysis and dissemination of information. Thus was born the National Security Act of 1947, Section 102 of which established the position of Director of National Intelligence, the principal responsibilities of which would be the day-to-day operation of the newly-established Central Intelligence Agency and the coordination of efforts of the myriad intelligence agencies within the federal government. That section of the Act stated the following with respect to the responsibilities of the director of Central Intelligence:

"(d) For the purpose of coordinating the intelligence activities of the several Government departments and agencies in the interest of national security, it shall be the duty of the Agency, under the direction of the National Security Council—

"(1) to advise the National Security Council in matters concerning such intelligence activities of the Government departments and agencies as relate to national security;

"(2) to make recommendations to the National Security Council for the coordination of such intelligence activities of the departments and agencies of the Government as relate to the national security;..

"(e) To the extent recommended by the National Security Council and approved by the President, such intelligence of the departments and agencies of the Government, except as hereinafter provided, relating to the national security shall be open to the inspection of the Director of Central Intelligence . . ."

So, the position of director of Central Intelligence was created to both oversee the Central Intelligence Agency and to coordinate the activities of the other component agencies comprising the Intelligence Community. Unfortunately, inter-agency rivalries continued unabated, with those intelligence agencies that structurally fall under the Department of Defense, including the National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, the then-Defense Mapping Agency, and the intelligence branches of the individual military services all rejecting supervision and recommendations from the director of Central Intelligence, often appealing to sympathetic members of the House Armed Services Committee to help these Department of Defense agencies to retain their independence. [Note: this educator witnessed these efforts up-close while serving as military legislative assistant to a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee] 

An additional factor that contributed to the intelligence community's failure to detect the plotting for and execution of the 9/11 attacks was the legal restrictions imposed upon the intelligence community and the Federal Bureau of Investigation following the revelations during the 1970s of domestic abuses by these organizations in monitoring and investigating left-wing political organizations. A major legislative outcome of the investigations into those abuses was the legal prohibition on the sharing of information between foreign intelligence agencies -- in effect, those that comprise most of the intelligence community -- and the F.B.I., which exists to enforce domestic laws and which collects, as part of its responsibilities, information on suspected criminals and terrorists. That legal prohibition was blamed for some of the failure of the intelligence community to put together the pieces of the puzzle that would have led to the prevention of the 9/11 attacks.

The result of these failures, as noted above, was the passage of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, Subtitle A, Section 1011 of which established the position of the Director of National Intelligence. Section 1011 replaced the above provisions from the National Security Act with the following new provisions intended to strengthen the role of a single intelligence official to oversee and coordinate those efforts the failures of which helped lead to the devastation of September 11, 2001:

‘‘SEC. 102. (a) DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE.—

(1) There is a Director of National Intelligence who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Any individual nominated for appointment as Director of National Intelligence shall have extensive national security expertise.

‘‘(2) The Director of National Intelligence shall not be located within the Executive Office of the President.

‘‘(b) PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITY.—Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the President, the Director of National Intelligence shall— ‘‘(1) serve as head of the intelligence community; ‘‘(2) act as the principal adviser to the President, to the National Security Council, and the Homeland Security Council for intelligence matters related to the national security; and ‘‘(3) consistent with section 1018 of the National Security Intelligence Reform Act of 2004, oversee and direct the implementation of the National Intelligence Program.

‘‘(c) PROHIBITION ON DUAL SERVICE.—The individual serving in the position of Director of National Intelligence shall not, while so serving, also serve as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency or as the head of any other element of the intelligence community." [Emphasis added]

In short, the position of director of National Intelligence was established to perform the work that was supposed to be performed by the director of Central Intelligence. There was a great deal of resistance on the part of the Central Intelligence Agency and on the part of the Department of Defense to these reforms. And, there is no question that these reforms would not have been necessary if the authorities of the original National Security Act of 1947 had been respected and enforced. That was not the case, however, so a new level of bureaucracy was created by Congress to perform the mission that hadn't been adequately performed in the past. 

The answer to the question, in conclusion, then, is "B," the director of National Intelligence.

What is the use of local color in the novel A Tale of Two Cities?

The setting of London is presented in shades of black and white. The area of Soho, where Doctor Manette and Lucie live after their return to England, is pictured as shadowed. It is also symbolic of the extremes of opposites that occur from the very first paragraph. The Manettes’ house is set off the street into a shady courtyard with a plane tree under which they often sit. The shadows become symbolic of the coming...

The setting of London is presented in shades of black and white. The area of Soho, where Doctor Manette and Lucie live after their return to England, is pictured as shadowed. It is also symbolic of the extremes of opposites that occur from the very first paragraph. The Manettes’ house is set off the street into a shady courtyard with a plane tree under which they often sit. The shadows become symbolic of the coming catastrophe of the French Revolution, lurking their way to the Manettes, planning to draw them into the darkness away from the light of their happy lives.

In Paris, red is a frequently used color, symbolizing the blood that will be shed by the revolutionaries. At the breaking of the wine cask in the street, Gaspard uses the red wine to write the word “Blood” on the wall. Defarge erases it with mud, warning Gaspard that the time for blood will come, but it is not now. The red of the rose in Madame Defarge’s turban also acts as a warning that the time for blood will come.

How do the workers work in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl?

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl tells of a boy who wins a tour of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, which ultimately leads him to inherit the factory from its eccentric owner, Willy Wonka. The factory is manned by employees known as Oompa-Loompas. Oompa-Loompas are mysterious, but the book does provide some details about how they work.

The Oompa-Loompas are obviously hard workers. A large business that produces as much candy as Wonka Candy...

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl tells of a boy who wins a tour of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, which ultimately leads him to inherit the factory from its eccentric owner, Willy Wonka. The factory is manned by employees known as Oompa-Loompas. Oompa-Loompas are mysterious, but the book does provide some details about how they work.

The Oompa-Loompas are obviously hard workers. A large business that produces as much candy as Wonka Candy does must have dedicated employees who are committed to their work, but that's not to say the Oompa-Loompas didn't also like to have fun while on the job. 

Willy Wonka says the following about his workers:

They're wonderful workers. They all speak English now. They love dancing and music. They are always making up songs.

It seems part of the Oompa-Loompa's love for fun on the job comes out through their mischievous behavior, including mocking disobedient kids and their parent through song. Willy Wonka warns those in the tour about the Oompa-Loompa's love for mischief, saying "I must warn you, though, that they are rather mischievous. They like jokes."

What is an example of a simile that Suzanne Collins uses in Catching Fire?

A simile is a type of figurative language, one that makes a comparison between two things that seem different at first. Unlike a metaphor, which also compares two things that seem different, a simile uses the words "like" or "as" in the comparison. The purpose of a simile, and all figurative language, is to paint a picture with words for the reader, to make the story come alive a bit more. A simile can make...

A simile is a type of figurative language, one that makes a comparison between two things that seem different at first. Unlike a metaphor, which also compares two things that seem different, a simile uses the words "like" or "as" in the comparison. The purpose of a simile, and all figurative language, is to paint a picture with words for the reader, to make the story come alive a bit more. A simile can make something new or foreign to readers seem more familiar, but it can also make something too familiar or cliché seem fresh and new with a surprising comparison.

One chilling simile that Suzanne Collins uses in Catching Fire is when President Snow shows up unexpectedly at Katniss's house. She describes her surprise in finding him there by saying,

"It's jarring to see him surrounded by the ordinary objects in the room. Like taking the lid off a pot a finding a fanged viper instead of stew" (pg 21).

This simile compares the evil President Snow to a viper, lurking in something familiar and comfortable, like Katniss's home or a cooking pot, and waiting to strike when least expected. 

In Zindel's The Pigman, why doesn't Lorraine like the Baron Park Zoo?

Lorraine is nervous to be skipping school to meet John and Mr. Pignati at the zoo. She's also feeling a bit guilty because she and John had conned him out of $10.00 for a fake charity. In fact, John argued that they should go to the zoo in order to make up for the con. So, Lorraine isn't at the zoo without some burdens on her shoulders. Additionally, it's not that Lorraine hates the zoo at first, but she is...

Lorraine is nervous to be skipping school to meet John and Mr. Pignati at the zoo. She's also feeling a bit guilty because she and John had conned him out of $10.00 for a fake charity. In fact, John argued that they should go to the zoo in order to make up for the con. So, Lorraine isn't at the zoo without some burdens on her shoulders. Additionally, it's not that Lorraine hates the zoo at first, but she is a little superstitious when she witnesses three events that she calls omens.

First, she doesn't trust Mr. Pignati's enthusiasm for their day at the zoo. She says, "I felt sorry for the old man because people just don't go around smiling like that all the time" (57). Her next clue that the day was not going to be a good one was when the lady selling peanuts seemed to be "antagonistic" (58). Lorraine thinks she should have left right after the experience with the peanut lady because that was the first bad omen.

The second bad omen is when she is "attacked" by a peacock. Mr. Pignati says that the bird simply likes her and she shouldn't be scared, though. The bird terrifies her as follows:

"This low-IQ peacock came tearing after me as soon as it heard me open my bag of peanuts. They let them run around loose at Baron Park Zoo, and this white one opened up all its feathers and started dancing in front of me and backing me up against a fence" (58).

The final bad omen is when Lorraine visits the nocturnal room and sees a ten year-old kid looking at people's reflections as they walk in. When she walks up to look at the bats, this kid watches her with a smirk on his face. She explains:

"He made me feel as though I was a bat in a cage and he was on the outside looking at me. It all made me very nervous" (59).

By the end of the story, though, the worst tragedy happens at the zoo. While visiting it again with Mr. Pignati, the three friends discover that Bobo the baboon has died. This upsetting news throws the old man into another heart attack and he dies right there at the zoo. That's enough for anyone to hate going to that zoo ever again.

How can I find the elements of music in the song/score "Time" from the movie Inception by Hans Zimmer? What are the dynamics, form, harmony,...

Sounds like a fun assignment! It’s a powerful piece of music. Here are some questions you might consider asking yourself about the piece in each of the categories you mentioned that will help you on your way.

Dynamics—How does the overall volume of the piece shift and change throughout? How do the volume of the instrument parts change in relation to each other?

Melody—What would you describe as the main melodic theme of the piece?...

Sounds like a fun assignment! It’s a powerful piece of music. Here are some questions you might consider asking yourself about the piece in each of the categories you mentioned that will help you on your way.

Dynamics—How does the overall volume of the piece shift and change throughout? How do the volume of the instrument parts change in relation to each other?

Melody—What would you describe as the main melodic theme of the piece? Can you hum it to yourself? Is it broad, spanning many notes, or narrow, spanning few? Is it consistent or repetitive? How does it change throughout the piece?

Form—Look for major sections of the piece, and attempt to describe the organizational structure. For example, I might call 0:00-0:30 ‘introduction of theme.’ Why might I name that section as a distinct entity? What could you call other sections?

Harmony—What is the chordal structure of the piece? How do the different instrument lines interact with each other?

Rhythm—What is the time signature of the piece? The tempo? Are there any rhythmic themes inside the melody?

Timbre—What instrument are used, and why? How does the choice relate to the message and feeling of the music?

Texture—What is the overall range of notes from low to high? How many parts are played at any give time? How does the composer use texture to build tension through the piece?

Overall—Why did the composer make the choices he made? And what does it have to do with Time?

Compare and contrast the three climate zones: tropical, temperate, and polar?

Our Earth is divided into three zones according to the temperature and precipitation conditions: tropical, polar and temperate. Tropical climatic zone lies (generally) between 30 degree North and 30 degree South latitudes. This zone is characterized by higher average temperatures (more than 18 degrees Celsius) and precipitation (70-100 inches per year), as compared to other climatic zones. Temperature variations are very moderate in this zone. Temperate climatic zone lies between the latitudes of 30 degree...

Our Earth is divided into three zones according to the temperature and precipitation conditions: tropical, polar and temperate. Tropical climatic zone lies (generally) between 30 degree North and 30 degree South latitudes. This zone is characterized by higher average temperatures (more than 18 degrees Celsius) and precipitation (70-100 inches per year), as compared to other climatic zones. Temperature variations are very moderate in this zone. Temperate climatic zone lies between the latitudes of 30 degree N and 60 degree N, and 30 degree S and 60 degree S. This region is characterized by moderate temperature and rainfall. There are regions with tropical climate that have large temperature variations between summer and winter and these variations could be as high as 25-30 degree Celsius. Polar climate zone is characterized by extremely low temperatures throughout the year. Most of the regions that experience polar climate are typically froze throughout the year and may have brief summer season.

Hope this helps.  

Who came to meet the waiting man?

The first person who comes to meet the man who is waiting in the doorway of the closed hardware store is Jimmy Wells. Neither the waiting man, "Silky" Bob, nor the reader, realizes that the police officer in regulation uniform is in fact Jimmy Wells because O. Henry very cleverly deceives both. The reader thinks this is a policeman who is approaching Bob because he looks a little bit suspicious standing in a darkened doorway on a nearly deserted block. In fact, Jimmy Wells is there to keep the appointment the two men made twenty years ago. Jimmy doesn't get a chance to introduce himself, as he intended to do, because "Silky" Bob, who is a smooth and profuse talker, doesn't give him a chance to do so.

"It's all right, officer,” he said, reassuringly. “I'm just waiting for a friend. It's an appointment made twenty years ago. Sounds a little funny to you, doesn't it? Well, I'll explain if you'd like to make certain it's all straight. About that long ago there used to be a restaurant where this store stands— ‘Big Joe’ Brady's restaurant.”

This not only explains what Bob is doing there, but it also explains why Bob should be waiting for Jimmy in the darkened doorway of a closed hardware store. Normally two old friends would meet at a restaurant or a saloon. Bob thought he would be meeting Jimmy at the same restaurant where they parted twenty years ago. O. Henry plotted his story in such a way that Bob would be standing in the dark. The street itself is dark. Bob can't see the cop well enough to recognize him, and Jimmy can't see Bob until he lights his cigar.

The man in the doorway struck a match and lit his cigar. The light showed a pale, square-jawed face with keen eyes, and a little white scar near his right eyebrow. His scarf pin was a large diamond, oddly set.

The reader does not realize until the end of the story that Jimmy recognizes Bob as the man wanted by the Chicago police when he lights his cigar. Evidently Bob is standing inside the doorway because he wants to get out of the wind and drizzle to light the cigar and smoke it. There are several things that give Bob away. The telegram the New York police received from Chicago could not transmit any kind of picture or sketch, but it would give a detailed description of "Silky" Bob, including the white scar near his right eyebrow and the "oddly set" diamond scarf pin. The telegram would describe the scarf pin much more precisely, since it is such a good identification mark. For example, the diamond might be surrounded by little rubies. It would be one of a kind.

There is a second person who comes to meet the waiting man. The unidentified uniformed cop says goodnight and leaves Bob standing there.

About twenty minutes he waited, and then a tall man in a long overcoat, with collar turned up to his ears, hurried across from the opposite side of the street. He went directly to the waiting man.

This is the plainclothes detective Jimmy Wells recruited to make the arrest. This man takes advantage of the wet and blustery weather to turn his overcoat collar up to his ears in order to hide much of his face. Both Bob and the reader are led to believe that this is Jimmy Wells, since the man greets Bob by name and seems to know a lot about him.

“It's Bob, sure as fate. I was certain I'd find you here if you were still in existence. Well, well, well!—twenty years is a long time. The old restaurant's gone, Bob; I wish it had lasted, so we could have had another dinner there. How has the West treated you, old man?”

Bob doesn't realize until they have walked up the block arm and arm that the stranger could not be his old friend Jimmy Wells. When they reach the front of a drugstore brightly illuminated with the newly invented electric lights, Bob balks. He realizes too late that he has been tricked. He is told that he is under arrest and given the note from Jimmy Wells. At this point both Bob and the reader realize that the uniformed cop Bob had initially been talking to was in fact his old friend Jimmy Wells.

In "The Monkey's Paw" give examples of Herbert White's attitude towards the paw.

Herbert's skepticism is obvious from the outset. When sergeant-major Morris informs the intrigued family that the monkey's paw had a spell put on it, which allowed three men each to have three different wishes, he cleverly asks why the major did not have three himself. He thinks he is being wise in his attempt to 'catch out' the major. We can assume he did not expect the sergeant-major to answer in the affirmative.

This cynicism is extended later when, after the sergeant-major has left and Mr White has obtained the paw, Herbert feigns horror when his father explains that he gave Morris a small contribution for the paw and that the sergeant-major had insisted that he get rid of the talisman. Herbert says,

Why, we're going to be rich, and famous, and happy. Wish to be an emperor, father, to begin with; then you can't be henpecked.

Herbert is making fun and evidently does not deem the paw to be of any value. As far as he is concerned, the talisman has no powers at all, and the belief that it does is based on superstition and unfounded myth. Herbert deliberately makes a preposterous request and suggests, tongue-in-cheek, that once his father has achieved his wish, his wife would stop nagging him.

Herbert assumes a more serious tone when he suggests that his father should wish for two hundred pounds to clear the bond on the house. He proposes that his father would be much happier then. In spite of this more sober recommendation, it is obvious that he is not really being serious.

When Mr. White does, indeed, make the suggested wish and cries out that the paw moved when he did so, Herbert's doubt is, once again, pertinently expressed when he says,

Well, I don't see the money... and I bet I never shall.

In his parting remark, Herbert hints at a supernatural, malicious force which will ensure that the money will be tied up in a bag accompanied by something sinister squatting on top of the wardrobe watching his father gathering his "ill-gotten gains" from the middle of his bed. The young man is plainly convinced that he is right and that the whole idea of the paw having any power at all is preposterous.

In part two of the story, Herbert is even more frivolous. The money his father had wished for obviously did not appear, and Herbert remarks to his mother that the money "might drop on his [Mr White's] head from the sky."

He then leaves for work with a final parting comment that his father should not suddenly become wealthy, for he would become greedy and will have to be disowned by his family. The remark emphasizes his disbelief, but is tragically ironic for, soon after, his parents are informed of his gruesome demise when he got caught in the machinery at work. The company's insurance paid two hundred pounds to his parents in compensation, which is the amount of money Mr. White wished for. 

What were the reasons for Shylock's loneliness in Merchant of Venice?

There's not much reason to believe that Shylock is truly lonely in “The Merchant of Venice”, maybe a better word to describe his position in Venetian society is “isolated”. Shylock is isolated because he is a Jew and the Jewish society of Venice at the time was cut off by law from the Christian society and was only permitted to deal with them in very specific ways: they were forced to live in a separate...

There's not much reason to believe that Shylock is truly lonely in “The Merchant of Venice”, maybe a better word to describe his position in Venetian society is “isolated”. Shylock is isolated because he is a Jew and the Jewish society of Venice at the time was cut off by law from the Christian society and was only permitted to deal with them in very specific ways: they were forced to live in a separate ghetto to which they had to return at night and be locked in until morning, and they were only allowed to work as moneylenders, they were prohibited from holding any other kind of job. Shylock has many connections to other members of the Jewish community, though; in fact the Jewish community in the play is portrayed as being closely knit. There’s his daughter Jessica, of course, and also his friend Tubal who we meet in Act Three, and there are many references throughout the play to other Jewish friends and business associates both in Venice and abroad. The Jews are forced to live separated from Christian Venice, however, and at critical moments that leaves Shylock very isolated, particularly in the trial scene when he is surrounded by Christians and facing a biased and hostile Christian judge.

In Chapter 20 of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, what happens when Scout and Dill return to the courthouse?

At the beginning of Chapter 20, Scout and Dill talk with Dolphus Raymond outside of the courthouse. After Dolphus explains why he feigns alcoholism, Scout realizes that they are missing Mr. Gilmer's cross-examination. When they return to their seats, Atticus is half-way through his speech to the jury. Jem tells Scout that Atticus has just finished going over the evidence and has made the case perfectly clear. Jem believes that Atticus will win the case.

...

At the beginning of Chapter 20, Scout and Dill talk with Dolphus Raymond outside of the courthouse. After Dolphus explains why he feigns alcoholism, Scout realizes that they are missing Mr. Gilmer's cross-examination. When they return to their seats, Atticus is half-way through his speech to the jury. Jem tells Scout that Atticus has just finished going over the evidence and has made the case perfectly clear. Jem believes that Atticus will win the case.

Scout and Dill arrive just in time to hear Atticus' closing remarks. Atticus informally unbuttons his vest and loosens his tie before he begins his speech. He tells the jury that "this case is a simple as black and white," and should never have come to trial in the first place. (Lee 271) Atticus explains how the testimonies of Bob and Mayella contradict, and how the state has not been able to produce any medical evidence to convict Tom Robinson. Atticus tells the jury that Mayella felt guilty because she broke a "time-honored code of society," and that her father beat her as a result. (Lee 272) Atticus mentions that the jury's decision should not be based on the assumption that African Americans are all evil. He quotes Thomas Jefferson and urges the jury to review the case "without passion," and restore Tom Robinson to his family. Atticus understands that the jury members harbor prejudice against African Americans and encourages them to judge the case based on the evidence and testimonies provided, and not Tom's skin color.

In Paradise Lost, if Satan is the protagonist then who is the antagonist in the poem?

In Paradise Lost, if Satan is the protagonist, then the antagonist in the poem is God. Why is this so? It is because God stands in the way of Satan’s devious plans. God is the righteous being who expelled Satan from Heaven when Satan (and the third of the angels he influenced to revolt and who became demons) went against God and his laws.

Now Satan wants to reclaim his former position. Not only...

In Paradise Lost, if Satan is the protagonist, then the antagonist in the poem is God. Why is this so? It is because God stands in the way of Satan’s devious plans. God is the righteous being who expelled Satan from Heaven when Satan (and the third of the angels he influenced to revolt and who became demons) went against God and his laws.

Now Satan wants to reclaim his former position. Not only that, his intention originally was to ascend to the throne of God and above God’s throne. Essentially, he wants to be ‘God’ and be above all. He was jealous of God and is still jealous of God. Satan also wants to prevent human beings from having a relationship with God. Therefore, in the poem by John Milton, Satan is fighting God and also His Son, Jesus Christ.

An antagonist stands in the way of a protagonist’s plans. This is what God is doing; he is standing in the way of what Satan wants to do. In the Bible, it is evident from reading the Book of Revelation that Satan will ultimately lose. No matter what Satan does as a protagonist, he cannot win, because he is less than God.

His powers are not as great as God’s as he is a being created by God. He was given free moral agency to decide between right and wrong, and gain the rewards or suffer the consequences depending on his choices. He, and his follower-demons are not robots with no free will. They were given the freedom to choose the right way or the wrong way and they chose the latter. They are fighting God and his Son and their way of thinking is contrary to God (their antagonist).

The Book of Revelation talks of this protagonist’s defeat as it states that, “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (Revelation 20:10)

In The Brothers by Terence, what is happening in this scene?

In this scene, Micio is attempting to inspire certain actions from his adopted son, Aeschinus; he's hoping that Aeschinus will admit to his relationship with Pamphila and be transparent about his motives in seeking out the young woman.

Just prior to the scene, we see Aeschinus lamenting the delicacy of his situation. Although he has been faithful to Pamphila (who has borne his child), rumor has it that he is having an affair with the music-girl he has carried off from Sannio's home. Aeschinus, being a faithful brother, does not want to tarnish his brother, Ctesipho's good name. However, Ctesipho is the one who is in love with the music-girl, and Aeschinus has just abducted her for Ctesipho' sake. Meanwhile, Aeschinus thinks to approach Pamphila and her mother, Sostrata, to explain the truth of the matter. He laments his own weakness at keeping his predicament a secret from his father, Micio, and thinks that he has lost his best chance to marry Pamphila.

As Aeschinus knocks on the door of Pamphila's home, out comes Micio, his father. Apparently, Micio has been apprised of the truth just recently and has been explaining the whole situation to Pamphila and Sostrata. However, Micio pretends that he doesn't know anything when Aeschinus bumps into him at the front door of Pamphila's home.

This is where your conversation comes in. Micio pretends that he is at Pamphila's home to represent the interests of a particular suitor for Pamphila's hand. He tells Aeschinus how impoverished the women are and that he has a friend who is Pamphila's next of kin. Micio slyly tells Aeschinus that this near relative of Pamphila's is interested in marrying her. Aeschinus responds, as an aside, that he is 'undone.' At this point, Aeschinus feels as if his future has been compromised and that his best chance for marrying the woman he loves has been lost.

Seeing his discomposure, Micio asks Aeschinus whether anything is the matter. You can see that Micio is trying to draw Aeschinus out, but the young man isn't ready to confess everything yet. So, Micio resorts to a masterful touch: he tells Aeschinus that this eager suitor is planning to take Pamphila back to his own home in Miletus. Aeschinus is dumbfounded and outwardly indignant when he hears this. Micio just replies that 'such is the act,' meaning that this is the state of affairs or that this is what's going to happen.

Micio goes on to say that the women don't have much choice since some unnamed rascal impregnated Pamphila without recognizing his obligations to Pamphila and the child. Aeschinus counters Micio's reasoning by drawing his father's attention to the feelings of the first suitor (in this case, he is referring to himself). He says that no one seems to have considered the feelings of the first man. Furthermore, he questions how anyone can expect a young woman like Pamphila to not fall in love until some relative comes to claim her for his wife. Sorely distressed, Aeschinus soon breaks down into tears.

Seeing this, Micio kindly explains that he knows everything. He admonishes his son to consider his actions in the light of having 'debauched a virgin' and to fulfill his responsibilities in such a circumstance. He also scolds Aeschinus for his lack of courage and his negligence; he says that Aeschinus' ambivalence has put the lives of Pamphila and his child in limbo for the last ten months. After scolding his son for keeping the matter from him, Micio gives Aeschinus permission to make good on his promise to Pamphila and to marry her.

How is characterization used to convey the theme of friendship in Of Mice and Men?

The characters of Lennie and George display a close, symbiotic relationship as they travel together and protect each other, though in reality it is George who is protecting Lennie from his own uncontrollable behavior. George plans to earn enough money for his own place, and Lennie is going along, not so much as to be a help as to keep him out of trouble, something that George had promised Lennie’s Aunt Clara. George’s contempt for Lennie is clear, though he tries to temper it with kindness, but this usually ends in George berating Lennie for something he has done.

The lack of friendship for Crooks, the African-American stable buck, is due entirely to his race, more than his age and handicap. When Lennie tries to make friends, Crooks tries to hold him off, but Lennie is persistent. This does not end well, as Crooks retreats into himself when Curley’s wife shows her prejudice openly. Crooks knows he cannot have friends. As a youth, he had played with the white neighbor children, something he did not realize was different until he was an adult.

Friendship is portrayed in Of Mice and Men, not as a relationship of equals for companionship, but a situation of one person fulfilling a duty. Though the characters are mostly male, there is little camaraderie among the workers. It is mostly of being in the same place doing a job together. Only Lennie views anyone as his friend.

I'm writing a research paper in history which is meant to be between 3000 and 4000 words. So I'm going to need a topic that I can not only sustain...

I have a few ideas for you that might help you narrow your topic to a suitable range and inquiry. As I can see you realize, both of your topics are enormous and virtually unmanageable without narrowing your focus.

The first idea that came to mind was an inquiry into why it took so very long for the United States to enter World War II. As I'm sure you know, we did not enter the war until we were attacked by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor at the end of 1941. You might want to ask what took us so long.  What were the politics that kept us out of the war?  And I assure you, there were politics.  So that is one inquiry.

Another that struck me is an inquiry into how the "peace" after World War I created the circumstances that led to World War II.  There are many reputable and credible historians who maintain that this is the case, and your research on this issue, I promise you, would be very interesting.  You may or may not think this is the case, but you can support your opinion with good research. 

As for the Cold War, a similar idea occurred to me, which is to wonder how the peace of World War II led to the Cold War. I think you will be able to find relationships between the two in your research, and this, too, is an interesting question.

Finally, the relationship of Russia with the rest of the world is likely the consequence of the Cold War.  Its paranoia, its defensiveness, its very government might all be the results of its Cold War with the United States and other nations.  This is a question you can answer through good research.

You will notice that these ideas focus on some relationship from one period or event to the next.  In my opinion, this is the strength of history, allowing us to see these relationships and learn from them. Nothing in history happens in a vacuum, and if you can tease out these relationships, you will be well on your way to doing history as it is meant to be done.  

Immediately after the Big Bang, list the order of the following components in the universe from biggest to smallest? Dark Energy, Normal...

The correct order you have requested, from largest to smallest, is as follows:  1.) dark energy, 2.) dark matter, 3.) normal matter, and finally 4.) radiation.

It is amazing to think, as much progress we have attained within the last few centuries, there is still relatively much that is unknown about space.  The farthest we have ever been, as far as a manned mission, has been to our own moon, which you could easily hit...

The correct order you have requested, from largest to smallest, is as follows:  1.) dark energy, 2.) dark matter, 3.) normal matter, and finally 4.) radiation.

It is amazing to think, as much progress we have attained within the last few centuries, there is still relatively much that is unknown about space.  The farthest we have ever been, as far as a manned mission, has been to our own moon, which you could easily hit if you had a good "cosmic slingshot."  Most everything else is still unknown, as the original Star Trek opening line stated:  "Space...the final frontier..."

The energy known as dark energy composes 68% of everything in the known universe.  After that, the matter known as dark matter takes second place at 27%.  What is termed "normal matter" is less than the remaining 5%.  Normal matter would be the stars, the earth, all the planets, moons, meteors, asteroids, and comets.  Maybe 1% would represent radiation, which is the smallest division of energy in the universe.

What are some examples of Romeo from Romeo and Juliet being emotionally immature?

There's ample evidence for Romeo's immaturity in Romeo and Juliet; in fact, it's arguably the flaw that leads to his ultimate downfall.

Romeo immediately "shows his cards" with his fickle behavior. In Act One, Scene One of the play, Romeo complains to his friend Benvolio that he is desperately in love with Rosaline, a woman who has decided to take up a vow of chastity. However, by the end of this same Act, Romeo...

There's ample evidence for Romeo's immaturity in Romeo and Juliet; in fact, it's arguably the flaw that leads to his ultimate downfall.

Romeo immediately "shows his cards" with his fickle behavior. In Act One, Scene One of the play, Romeo complains to his friend Benvolio that he is desperately in love with Rosaline, a woman who has decided to take up a vow of chastity. However, by the end of this same Act, Romeo has forgotten all thoughts of Rosaline in favor of his new obsession: the young, lovely Juliet. After spotting Juliet at the Capulet's ball, Romeo proclaims:

Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! / For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.

This moment is multilayered. First, the fact that Romeo is capable of shifting such significant emotions so quickly suggests that those emotions are lacking in true depth. Second, Romeo's claim that he had never loved until the moment he saw Juliet implies that he is not in possession of self-awareness. Finally, Romeo chooses two women who are quite plainly poor choices for him due to their unavailability. Rosaline is celibate, while Juliet is a member of Romeo's rivaling family.

Romeo can also be deemed immature because of his impulsive behavior throughout the rest of the play. He kills his love's cousin, Tybalt, in order to avenge the death of Mercutio, knowing that this action could create an enormous rift in his relationship and put his status in Verona at risk. Indeed, it does; although Juliet is able to forgive him, Romeo is banished from the city. When he returns to Verona to discover that Juliet is "dead," he is quick to take drastic action; he consumes poison, dying in her crypt before she can re-awaken. 

Ultimately, Romeo's immaturity is displayed through his persistently poor choices, his rapidly shifting emotional landscape, and his inability to contain his violent behaviors. 

What does "summarize" mean? |

When we summarize, we are setting forth all of the important elements in a text. We do this slightly differently for fiction and for non-fiction.  This also depends upon whether we are summarizing a chapter, an article, or an entire book and any length requirements we may be subject to for a summary assignment.  

When we summarize a fictional text, we usually provide the names of the main characters, the setting, which is time...

When we summarize, we are setting forth all of the important elements in a text. We do this slightly differently for fiction and for non-fiction.  This also depends upon whether we are summarizing a chapter, an article, or an entire book and any length requirements we may be subject to for a summary assignment.  

When we summarize a fictional text, we usually provide the names of the main characters, the setting, which is time and place, and a brief overview of the plot. Generally, a plot involves some sort of conflict, so a summary should state what the conflict is and how it is resolved.  A summary is not the same as a literary analysis, since a literary analysis is meant to address topics such as the themes of a book. A summary can be helpful, though, in writing a literary analysis, just to give the reader a brief overview of the literary text before analyzing it.  Sometimes an assignment involves just a chapter summary. In that event, the method is the same, to briefly explain characters, setting, and what happens in the chapter.  Depending upon whether you are expected to write a one-paragraph summary or perhaps a one-page summary, your approach will remain the same but you could add a few more details for the latter.

To summarize a non-fiction text, you need to ascertain what the writer's main idea is, the idea he or she wants you to take away after reading the text. Then you need to understand how the writer has supported this idea. These are all you need for a non-fiction summary.  Again, you are not analyzing the text, just providing a brief overview of what the writer has to say. If the writer has provided statistics, for example, or anecdotal details, these should be explained briefly. If the writer is providing a historical account, this, too, can be explained in a summary, just hitting the high points of what the writer has written. A short article can probably be summarized in a paragraph, while a summary of a non-fiction book might take a page.

The ability to summarize is an important academic skill, as well as an important skill on the job.  When we can glean from our reading what is most important and put it in our own words, we have gained mastery of the material, which is the whole point of reading it in the first place!    

For what reasons did people support imperialism?

There were many different reasons that people supported imperialism. I have divided some of them into three categories: economic, ideological, and strategic.

Economic: Many (but not all, Andrew Carnegie was anti-imperialist) business leaders demanded that the United States government acquire secure markets for their manufactured goods. They feared that domestic markets would not be enough to sustain continued profits and national economic growth. So they sought to expand American influence to places like Asia, especially...

There were many different reasons that people supported imperialism. I have divided some of them into three categories: economic, ideological, and strategic.

Economic: Many (but not all, Andrew Carnegie was anti-imperialist) business leaders demanded that the United States government acquire secure markets for their manufactured goods. They feared that domestic markets would not be enough to sustain continued profits and national economic growth. So they sought to expand American influence to places like Asia, especially China. The desire to gain inexpensive raw materials for industry, as well as labor, was another factor.

Ideological: Americans of the preceding generations had cheered America's "manifest destiny" to expand and conquer the entire continent. Many Americans by the end of the century thought that they, as a democratic power, had the right, even the duty, to join the other powerful nations of the world as an imperial power. Many also believed that they had an obligation, a "white man's burden," to bring the blessings of civilization to people around the world. Others justified imperialism according to the tenets of Social Darwinism, which claimed that human existence was a struggle, and the strongest people (and nations) would flourish. Finally, Christian missionaries clamored for the chance to spread their faith to people everywhere. 

Strategic: Many Americans had become convinced of the importance of naval power to America's emergence as a first-rate nation. A book published in 1890 by Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan entitled The Influence of Naval Power Upon History was very influential in this line of thinking. Many American strategists demanded that the United States secure naval bases and coaling stations around the world to project American naval power. Also, by this point the nations of Europe had divided up Africa, and were in the process of carving out spheres of influence within China. The United States would lose all chance at becoming a global power if they failed to jump in the imperialist game while they still could. 

What demonic imagery appears in T"he Violent Bear it Away"?

Flannery O'Connor's work is always fraught with theological and religious imagery and implications. From the very beginning of The Violent Bear it Away, she begins weaving religion into Tarwater's world. His great-uncle, "The Prophet," is always telling him to "expect the Lord to call himself." After his great-uncle's death, Tarwater flees from the religious devotion immediately. He first and foremost burns the house in which his dead great-uncle lies, knowing that he wanted to be...

Flannery O'Connor's work is always fraught with theological and religious imagery and implications. From the very beginning of The Violent Bear it Away, she begins weaving religion into Tarwater's world. His great-uncle, "The Prophet," is always telling him to "expect the Lord to call himself." After his great-uncle's death, Tarwater flees from the religious devotion immediately. He first and foremost burns the house in which his dead great-uncle lies, knowing that he wanted to be buried. He is essentially cleansing himself of that life. Then, when he goes to live with his uncle, Rayber, he realizes that his great-uncle's calling—to kidnap Rayber's idiot son and baptize him—has been transferred to him. Ultimately, Tarwater succeeds in "baptizing" the child, but he drowns him in the process on purpose. He then begins on his way back to his great-uncle's home and is raped by a man he hitches a ride from. It is at this point that Tarwater realizes that the "friend" he has seen showing up at every turn, guiding him all the way from burning the house to drowning the child, is in fact fiendish—perhaps even the devil himself. Rayber's brand of demonic activities—"saving" from baptism and becoming a secular monk—are nothing in comparison to Tarwater's succumbing to the demonic voices in his head. While Rayber failed in drowning his son because of his unreasonable love for him, Tarwater succeeded. 

`int_0^1 root(3)(1 + 7x) dx` Evaluate the definite integral.

Given `int_0^1root(3)(1+7x)dx`

Integrate using the u-substitution method.

Let `u=1+7x`

`(du)/dx=7`

`dx=(du)/7`

`=int_0^1u^(1/3)*(du)/7`

`=1/7int_0^1u^(1/3)du`

`=1/7*u^(4/3)/(4/3)`  Evaluated from x=0 to x=1.

`=1/7*3/4*(1+7x)^(4/3)` Evaluated from x=0 to x=1.

`=3/28 [(1+7*1)^(4/3)-(1+7*0)^(4/3)]`

`=3/28[8^(4/3)-1^(4/3)]`

`=3/28[16-1]`

`=3/28[15]`

`=45/28`

`=1.607`

Given `int_0^1root(3)(1+7x)dx`

Integrate using the u-substitution method.

Let `u=1+7x`

`(du)/dx=7`

`dx=(du)/7`

`=int_0^1u^(1/3)*(du)/7`

`=1/7int_0^1u^(1/3)du`

`=1/7*u^(4/3)/(4/3)`  Evaluated from x=0 to x=1.

`=1/7*3/4*(1+7x)^(4/3)` Evaluated from x=0 to x=1.

`=3/28 [(1+7*1)^(4/3)-(1+7*0)^(4/3)]`

`=3/28[8^(4/3)-1^(4/3)]`

`=3/28[16-1]`

`=3/28[15]`

`=45/28`

`=1.607`

`y = x, y = xe^(1 - (x/2))` Use a computer algebra system to find the exact volume of the solid obtained by rotating the region bounded by the...

These curves are intersected at `x=0` and `x=2.`

Between these points `0lt=xlt=xe^(1-x/2)lt=2.`

Let's use the method of rings.

The parameter of a ring is `x` between `0` and `2.`

The area of a ring is `pi[(3-x)^2-(3-xe^(1-x/2))^2].`

Therefore the volume is equal to

`pi int_0^2[(3-x)^2-(3-xe^(1-x/2))^2] dx.`

Computer algebra system WolframAlpha says that the exact value is `(2pi)/3 (36e-3e^2-71).`

These curves are intersected at `x=0` and `x=2.`

Between these points `0lt=xlt=xe^(1-x/2)lt=2.`

Let's use the method of rings.

The parameter of a ring is `x` between `0` and `2.`

The area of a ring is `pi[(3-x)^2-(3-xe^(1-x/2))^2].`

Therefore the volume is equal to

`pi int_0^2[(3-x)^2-(3-xe^(1-x/2))^2] dx.`

Computer algebra system WolframAlpha says that the exact value is `(2pi)/3 (36e-3e^2-71).`

Why does George respect Slim?

First, we should say that all the men on the ranch respect Slim. So, it is not odd that George respects Slim as well.  In one passage, Slim is even described as Godlike.

George looked over at Slim and saw the calm, Godlike eyes fastened on him.

As Slim and George interact with one another, George realizes that Slim is a decent guy, probably the most decent man on the ranch. When Slim talked with...

First, we should say that all the men on the ranch respect Slim. So, it is not odd that George respects Slim as well.  In one passage, Slim is even described as Godlike.

George looked over at Slim and saw the calm, Godlike eyes fastened on him.

As Slim and George interact with one another, George realizes that Slim is a decent guy, probably the most decent man on the ranch. When Slim talked with George, Slim was friendly and kind.  George, therefore, responded well to Slim. Here is one example of an early conversation between Slim and George.

 “You guys travel around together?” His tone was friendly. It invited confidence without demanding it.

George also appreciated Slim's ability to see that Lennie was a nice person. In George's eyes, Slim had depth.  He did not just see Lennie based on the exteriors.  He could see that Lennie had a good heart.

“He’s a nice fella,” said Slim. “Guy don’t need no sense to be a nice fella. Seems to me sometimes it jus’ works the other way around. Take a real smart guy and he ain’t hardly ever a nice fella.”

Finally, Slim was the only one on the ranch that knew and understood why and what George did at the end.  In short, Slim understood George's predicament.

Slim said, “You hadda, George. I swear you hadda. Come on with me.”

In light of these points, George respected Slim. 

What is the summary for Seven Wonders by Ben Mezrich?

Seven Wonders is a true thriller (although not a horror piece) in that the pace is staggering and the description of the worldly backdrops is breathtaking.  The novel was long awaited in that Mezrich hadn't written another since 2001.  This one focuses of the Seven Wonders of the World, and rightly so.

At the beginning of this novel, which will be the first in a trilogy set, we see Jeremy Grady doing what he does...

Seven Wonders is a true thriller (although not a horror piece) in that the pace is staggering and the description of the worldly backdrops is breathtaking.  The novel was long awaited in that Mezrich hadn't written another since 2001.  This one focuses of the Seven Wonders of the World, and rightly so.

At the beginning of this novel, which will be the first in a trilogy set, we see Jeremy Grady doing what he does best:  sitting in the "Level Four Security Lab" working with numbers.  On this night, Jeremy worries about a possible problem with the code at the lab.  Since it was a code Jeremy wrote himself, he is perplexed at the issue.  Why?  "Numbers didn't lie.  Numbers were safe and certain and sure."  The key this time has to do with the title.  Jeremy superimposed the seven ancient wonders of the world on top of the seven modern wonders. 

As Jeremy continues to remain perplexed at the problem with the code, he is murdered.  As it described in the text, Jeremy's eyes go "wide" as he looks at something "jagged and white" that is sticking out of his chest. 

Now it is Jeremy's brother, Jack Grady, who has to find out who murdered his brother.  What is interesting is that Jack ends up searching the world on a sort of Seven Wonders wild goose chase in order to track down the killer:  Brazil, India, Peru, etc.  As Jack runs around the world searching for the murderer, Jack realizes that his brother was not only super smart, but may have come upon something really important about the Seven Wonders that has always been a secret. 

It isn't long before Jack Grady joins forces with Sloane Costa and the two find out the covert truth.  The secret is as follows:  there is a conspiracy to conceal a road map to the true Garden of Eden which proves the existence of an ancient culture full of a mythology of which no one has ever heard.

What are the common themes of Eliot, Joyce, and Beckett?

These three post-modern writers were, as Beckett puts it, “trying to eff the ineffable.” In this period of literature, writers were past the realistic, socially-oriented, plot-driven prose of previous eras. Eliot, in “The Love-Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” abandoned any pretense of order or form, choosing instead to give images to the reader’s imagination of the very state of human existence, its triviality, its convoluted self-importance, its limitations built into our self-consciousness, its “Time for...

These three post-modern writers were, as Beckett puts it, “trying to eff the ineffable.” In this period of literature, writers were past the realistic, socially-oriented, plot-driven prose of previous eras. Eliot, in “The Love-Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” abandoned any pretense of order or form, choosing instead to give images to the reader’s imagination of the very state of human existence, its triviality, its convoluted self-importance, its limitations built into our self-consciousness, its “Time for you and time for me,/And time yet for a hundred indecisions,/And for a hundred visions and revisions.”

Joyce did roughly the same thing – dismissal of the real, the now, the meaningful -- by reexamining the limitations of language, by inventing new combinations, new possibilities, outside the “historical” dictionary that merely recorded “frozen” signifiers. Finnegan’s Wake thumbed its nose at all the normative expectations of plot, character, development, etc. that had taken the life out of prose.

Beckett’s work, especially his plays, broke apart the connection between motive and action, between purpose and existence. In his short stories, too, he re-examined the nature of the first-person narrator and the reader; for example in “How It Is” (in French a clever play on words – Comment C’est – (Commencer”, “to commence”), he omits the traditional punctuation, so that the reader can supply it without “rules.”

So the common theme among these three writers is: “What has been done is done, and now it is time for literature/language to free itself from all the artificial, history-imposed limitations, because Man himself has moved from “essence precedes existence” to “existence precedes essence.” Which is essentially the definition of “post-modern.”

Why does Suyuan reproach her daughter Jing-mei in the story "Two Kinds" by Amy Tan?

While Jing-mei's mother, Suyuan, is trying to make her daughter into a prodigy, Jing-mei picks up first on her silent reproach, even before Suyuan says anything negative toward her. When Jing-mei fails the memory tests her mother puts her through, she notices her "mother's disappointed face once again," and she interprets that to mean she is not measuring up to her mother's expectations. When the two of them are watching The Ed Sullivan Show,...

While Jing-mei's mother, Suyuan, is trying to make her daughter into a prodigy, Jing-mei picks up first on her silent reproach, even before Suyuan says anything negative toward her. When Jing-mei fails the memory tests her mother puts her through, she notices her "mother's disappointed face once again," and she interprets that to mean she is not measuring up to her mother's expectations. When the two of them are watching The Ed Sullivan Show, Suyuan tells Jing-mei that the young performer they're watching is like Jing-mei: "Not the best. Because you not trying." In this way, Suyuan reproaches Jing-mei not because she isn't successful, but because she doesn't believe she's trying. 

When Jing-mei tells her mother she isn't a genius, Suyuan says she isn't asking her to be a genius, but only to "be your best." This, again, implies Suyuan thinks Jing-mei is not using sufficient effort. 

When Jing-mei rebels and says she will never be the kind of daughter her mother wants her to be, her mother says that what she requires is an obedient daughter. Here, Suyuan reproaches Jing-mei for her disobedience.

After Jing-mei becomes an adult, Suyuan offers to give her the piano as a birthday gift. Suyuan tells Jing-mei she could have been a genius if she wanted to, but she just didn't try. This is a reproach for a lack of desire as well as a lack of effort. 

Although Jing-mei interprets her mother's words and actions as reproaching her for her lack of success, Suyuan specifically reproaches her for not trying, not obeying, and not having enough motivation.

What is kinaesthetic sense? |

The kinaesthetic sense, also called kinaesthesia or proprioception, is one of the senses our body uses to keep track of our movements. The term kinaesthesia means "sense of movement," and refers to the information our brain receives when our muscles are stimulated through movement.

One way to help understand our sense of kinaesthesia is to try and isolate it from other senses we rely on. If you close your eyes and wave your hand, do...

The kinaesthetic sense, also called kinaesthesia or proprioception, is one of the senses our body uses to keep track of our movements. The term kinaesthesia means "sense of movement," and refers to the information our brain receives when our muscles are stimulated through movement.

One way to help understand our sense of kinaesthesia is to try and isolate it from other senses we rely on. If you close your eyes and wave your hand, do you still know where your hand is in relation to the rest of your body? If you plug your ears and tap your toe, do you still know that your foot is moving? 

People with certain conditions like Ehler's-Danlos Syndrome may suffer difficulties in their sense of kinaesthesia. Depending on the nature of the condition, the muscles may not "communicate" effectively with each other, or the brain may have trouble interpreting the message it receives from the muscles. Sometimes people who have no medical conditions experience mix-ups with their sense of kinaestheia! Have you ever tried to take a sip from a straw but missed your mouth? Though it makes us feel silly, it's not at all uncommon for signals from our muscles to get mixed up on their way to the brain.

The sense of kinaesthesia is very important to athletes and dancers, as well as people who may have one of their other senses damaged. Many people who are visually impaired rely on their sense of kinaesthesia and spatial awareness of their surroundings in order to navigate their daily lives.

Do you find The Boy in the Striped Pajamas to be sad?

I personally find the novel The Boy in the Striped Pajamas to be sad. I feel that any time an author juxtaposes childhood innocence against the extreme evils of humanity, the audience feels sorrow.In regards to Schmuel, picturing a child who suffers from malnutrition and is exposed to the horrors of a concentration camp evokes empathy and sadness. Childhood is a sacred time in a person's life where they should have no worries and...

I personally find the novel The Boy in the Striped Pajamas to be sad. I feel that any time an author juxtaposes childhood innocence against the extreme evils of humanity, the audience feels sorrow. In regards to Schmuel, picturing a child who suffers from malnutrition and is exposed to the horrors of a concentration camp evokes empathy and sadness. Childhood is a sacred time in a person's life where they should have no worries and experience happiness. Shmuel's childhood is full of brutality, fear, and anxiety. Viewing one of humanity's darkest moments through the eyes of a naive child is extremely sad. Bruno does not understand much of the inhumanity he is witnessing. Bruno lives in a world where Nazi soldiers treat Jews with contempt and brutality. Imaging Pavel and Shmuel being ruthlessly beaten by Lieutenant Kotler is sickening to read. When Bruno finally enters the concentration camp, he comments on how hopeless and depressing the environment is. The reader can only image the helpless feeling the two boys experience when they cannot find Shmuel's father. The novel ends tragically when Bruno and Shmuel die in a gas chamber. They are simply innocent victims whose lives were violently stripped from them at a young age. Understanding that Bruno and Shmuel's friendship and love surpasses the brutality of the concentration camp is the only positive effect the novel has on the reader. As a whole, I find The Boy in the Striped Pajamas to be a sad novel.

What are differences between Kurtz and Marlow in Conrad's Heart of Darkness?

There are a great deal of differences between Kurtz and Marlow in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, most of which stem from the fact that Marlow functions primarily as a narrator, while Kurtz often serves as the true focus of Marlow's narrative. As such, we learn much about the development of Kurtz as a character, while we learn much less about Marlow.

Though Marlow is not without his own complexities, his primary duty in...

There are a great deal of differences between Kurtz and Marlow in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, most of which stem from the fact that Marlow functions primarily as a narrator, while Kurtz often serves as the true focus of Marlow's narrative. As such, we learn much about the development of Kurtz as a character, while we learn much less about Marlow.

Though Marlow is not without his own complexities, his primary duty in the story is to relate the tale to the sailors waiting on the Nellie. While Marlow has intriguing personality quirks of his own (he quickly reveals himself to be an intellectual but cynical individual), the reader is given little insight into Marlow's deeper being, as he exists in the story mainly to observe and comment on the actions of others. 

Kurtz, on the other hand, is the definition of charisma. Originally a principled and idealistic individual, Kurtz quickly becomes drunk with power, and his grim descent into madness is one of the main points of the novella. As such, while Marlow tends to avoid the spotlight, Kurtz is notable for commanding attention with his hypnotic voice and infectious ideas. As such, the primary difference between Kurtz and Marlow is that, while Marlow is relatively nondescript and undeveloped (in general terms), Kurtz is a vividly drawn character with immense depth who largely commands the main arc of the narrative.  

In The Kite Runner, what is your reaction to Assef's reappearance as the Talib in chapter 22?

I had a confrontational reaction upon learning that Assef is the Talib in Chapter 22.  In reading what was in front of Amir, I had an instinctual feeling that some type of showdown had to take place.

I knew that Assef would be waiting for Amir.  When Amir is reminded at the start of the book that there is a way to be good again, it made sense to me that this moment is where...

I had a confrontational reaction upon learning that Assef is the Talib in Chapter 22.  In reading what was in front of Amir, I had an instinctual feeling that some type of showdown had to take place.

I knew that Assef would be waiting for Amir.  When Amir is reminded at the start of the book that there is a way to be good again, it made sense to me that this moment is where such a reality can be achieved.  When the Talib removes his glasses, my feeling was that Amir can no longer hide from what he must do. When he was a kid, he hid and let Hassan take the abuse from Assef.  However, at this moment, my reaction was that "this is where it is going to end."

A confrontation between both forces was expected.  It made sense that Amir was going to have to take a stand against the evil that people like Assef embodied.  When he recognizes that he has to retrieve Sohrab, my reaction was that some fight was going to be inevitable.  It was not like one could reason with someone like Assef.  Force is the only thing he respects, and my reaction was that Amir is finally going to have his chance to be good again.  

What do the blue suede shoes symbolize to Roger? Why are they so important?

In the story "Thank You, Ma'am" by Langston Hughes, the boy named Roger has tried to snatch the pocketbook of Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones. The excuse he gives her for wanting to steal the pocketbook is that he wanted to buy some blue suede shoes with it. This is in response to Luella's assumption that he must have been hungry and needed to steal in order to afford food for himself. After she forces...

In the story "Thank You, Ma'am" by Langston Hughes, the boy named Roger has tried to snatch the pocketbook of Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones. The excuse he gives her for wanting to steal the pocketbook is that he wanted to buy some blue suede shoes with it. This is in response to Luella's assumption that he must have been hungry and needed to steal in order to afford food for himself. After she forces him to come home with her for a civilized dinner and conversation, Luella acknowledges her understanding of Roger's bad behavioral choice by commenting, "I were young once and I wanted things I could not get".

At first the shoes represent "things Roger cannot get". They are a temptation that causes him to attempt committing a crime in order to obtain them. Luella cautions him that any shoes he might obtain in a "devilish" way would burn his feet. In other words, she warns that no crime goes unpunished. Roger would be setting himself up for negative consequences if he were to succeed in getting the coveted shoes by dishonest means.

Suddenly the symbolic meaning of the shoes changes, however, when Luella hands Roger some cash and tells him to go buy himself the shoes. He is dumbfounded by her generosity, especially in light of the fact that he had tried to rob her. He can barely utter a word of thanks before she bids him good night and shuts the door. Now the shoes represent Luella's grace; she has shown mercy, compassion, and a strict sort of love for the boy who was a perfect stranger to her before this night. If Roger indeed uses the money to go buy the blue suede shoes, he will surely be forced to remember Luella's example of grace every time he puts them onto his feet. If he follows her lead as he grows up, he may one day become an adult who is in a position to shepherd young people back onto the straight and narrow path.