I have chronic colitis. I am quite comfortable at home, but when I get in my car to go shopping or to go somewhere, I immediately feel as if I...

CogniMag is a scientifically researched hypoallergenic dietary supplement that claims to have a positive effect on cognitive functioning. Being hypoallergenic is important because various allergies can aggravate colitis, worsening symptoms that are already very worrisome and painful. You certainly would not want to take a supplement that can make your medical condition worse. It is also purported to have a strong impact on improving overall learning, concentration and strengthening memory.  CogniMag contains a form of...

CogniMag is a scientifically researched hypoallergenic dietary supplement that claims to have a positive effect on cognitive functioning. Being hypoallergenic is important because various allergies can aggravate colitis, worsening symptoms that are already very worrisome and painful. You certainly would not want to take a supplement that can make your medical condition worse. It is also purported to have a strong impact on improving overall learning, concentration and strengthening memory.  CogniMag contains a form of magnesium that crosses the blood-brain barrier which is why this supplement is supposed to work so effectively. 

If you do not have symptoms at home but begin to have symptoms when you leave the house it could be caused by stress (worrying that you are not where you can easily get to the bathroom) so it is certainly possible that improving cognitive functioning may help your problem. When you are ale to think more clearly you may feel less stressed, therefore alleviating some of these symptoms you have when you leave your home. It is certainly always your best bet to contact your healthcare provider and he or she will be able to explain to you exactly why they suggested you use CogniMag. 

How has J.D. Salinger made New York both familiar and strange in The Catcher in the Rye? What is so ironic about this juxtaposition?

Holden Caulfield has grown up in New York City. Throughout The Catcher in the Rye he points out memories from his childhood about different locations. Because of this, it would be safe to assume that Holden should know his way around the city pretty well. It would be ironic if he ever felt lost because even though New York City is a big town, anyone who calls it his home town should be more familiar with it. By having Holden feel both familiar and strange in his home town, Salinger may be showing how the boy's mental capacities are waning. We also get a look into how Holden can become confused and unreliable as a narrator because of the mental distress he is suffering.

One example of Holden becoming confused and lost in New York City is when he forgets the fencing team's foils on the subway. The following is his explanation of the mistake:

"It wasn't my fault. I had to keep getting up to look at this map, so we'd know where to get off" (3).

Granted, New York City is big and the subway system is probably the most complex in the world, but a native might have been able to handle finding the right stop. On the other hand, this can prove that even natives don't always know the city like they think they do. This certainly sets Holden up to discover more strange parts of the city when he becomes a runaway.

For an example, Holden gets a dose of the strange when he checks into the Edmont Hotel on the first night that he runs away. His perception is interesting:

". . . I checked in. . . I'd put on my red hunting cap when I was in the cab, just for the hell of it, but I took it off before I checked in. I didn't want to look like a screwball or something. Which is really ironic. I didn't know then that the goddam hotel was full of perverts and morons. Screwballs all over the place" (61).

It's as if Holden is discovering a different side of New York City that he never knew existed; however, one would think that his parents would have taught him about certain areas to avoid. This begs the question if Holden was specifically trying to experience a different side of New York, or if he was simply naïve. Either way, the answer would be ironic because the unexpected seems to happen to Holden at every turn. Just when he thinks he knows how to handle a situation or place in New York City, it turns out differently than he expects and that is a good example of irony.

How does Logan Killicks dominate Janie in Their Eyes Were Watching God?

In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Logan Killicks is Janie's first husband, and he dominates her by not giving her a chance to become her true self.  Janie's grandmother is happy to have Janie marry Logan because he is an older man who appears stable to Janie's grandmother.  Once the two are married, Logan expects Janie to constantly work in and around the home, and he gives her no choices.  For example, Logan continues...

In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Logan Killicks is Janie's first husband, and he dominates her by not giving her a chance to become her true self.  Janie's grandmother is happy to have Janie marry Logan because he is an older man who appears stable to Janie's grandmother.  Once the two are married, Logan expects Janie to constantly work in and around the home, and he gives her no choices.  For example, Logan continues to do work around the farm, and now that Janie is with him, he feels that he can get done more work with the two of them.  He wants her to help plow the fields, so he goes off to get a mule to help her do the work.  Janie, however, has little interest in being herself worked like a mule, so she runs off with Jody Starks when Logan is away.  Janie is young and wants romantic love, but Logan is older and set in his ways--he feels that he shows his love by providing a stable home life for Janie.  He does not make any attempt to understand Janie's point of view, and thus he dominates her with his point of view.

Discuss the relationship between Neil and June in The Secret Life of Bees. What do you think might be the root of their issues?

The relationship between Neil and June is an uneasy one, in spite of the fact that they clearly love one another.  This is largely because of June, who is a very well-defended and mistrusting character.

June was jilted at the altar several years before by a man named Melvin Edwards.  She has sworn she will never get married. She does not want to take any chances, ever again, on love.  August tells her,

Ever since...

The relationship between Neil and June is an uneasy one, in spite of the fact that they clearly love one another.  This is largely because of June, who is a very well-defended and mistrusting character.

June was jilted at the altar several years before by a man named Melvin Edwards.  She has sworn she will never get married. She does not want to take any chances, ever again, on love.  August tells her,

Ever since Melvin Edwards backed out of your wedding all those years back, you've been afraid of love, refusing to take a chance (211). 

Neil is growing tired of asking June to marry him and being turned down, and he, too, asks her, "What are you scared of?" (132). He has asked her many times, and she persists in saying she will never marry. What she is afraid of is being hurt.  

Finally, when May kills herself, she leaves a note to August and June, saying, "...it's your time to live. Don't mess it up" (210). This message is meant particularly for June, who has not been living completely, afraid to love because she was once hurt. When Neil asks her to marry him "for the hundredth time" (222), June realizes finally that May was right, that she needs to live a full and loving life. 

How can the relationship between Atticus and his children be shown with quotes in the first three chapters?

Atticus is usually frank with his children. He speaks to them as he would to adults. He shows them respect and is usually patient with them. He also enjoys spending time with Scout and Jem. One day, Atticus shows his honesty with his children when Scout asks if they are poor:

"Are we poor, Atticus?"

Atticus nodded. "We are indeed."

Jem's nose wrinkled. "Are we as poor as the Cunninghams?"

"Not exactly. The Cunninghams are...

Atticus is usually frank with his children. He speaks to them as he would to adults. He shows them respect and is usually patient with them. He also enjoys spending time with Scout and Jem. One day, Atticus shows his honesty with his children when Scout asks if they are poor:

"Are we poor, Atticus?"

Atticus nodded. "We are indeed."

Jem's nose wrinkled. "Are we as poor as the Cunninghams?"

"Not exactly. The Cunninghams are country folks, farmers, and the crash hit them hardest."

Atticus said professional people were poor because the farmers were poor. As Maycomb County was farm country, nickels and dimes were hard to come by for doctors and dentists and lawyers (Chapter 2).

Atticus does not hide the fact that they are poor from his children. He tells them they are poor, and also explains why. In this way, Atticus is frank with his children and also respects their intelligence.

Sometimes, Atticus does treat his children with typical parental firmness. One day, Atticus scolds his children for playing loudly outside. Mr. Radley is near death, and Atticus does not want his children to disturb the family with their noise:

But there came a day when Atticus told us he'd wear us out if we made any noise in the yard and commissioned Calpurnia to serve in his absence if she heard a sound out of us (Chapter 1).

Atticus enjoys spending time with Scout and Jem. He often reads with them at night. On the night of Scout's first day of school, Atticus reads to them and keeps them laughing:

Atticus kept us in fits that evening, gravely reading columns of print about a man who sat on a flagpole for no discernible reason, which was reason enough for Jem to spend the following Saturday aloft in the treehouse (Chapter 3).

What were the differences between Anti-Federalists and Federalists?

The main differences between the Anti-Federalists and the Federalists really boiled down to one philosophical issue. Essentially, the Anti-Federalists feared that the powers granted to the federal government under the new Constitution were too extensive. Most believed that these powers could be most safely held by the states, and that granting them to the federal government represented a threat to basic liberties. They argued for changes that went along a broad spectrum. Some thought the...

The main differences between the Anti-Federalists and the Federalists really boiled down to one philosophical issue. Essentially, the Anti-Federalists feared that the powers granted to the federal government under the new Constitution were too extensive. Most believed that these powers could be most safely held by the states, and that granting them to the federal government represented a threat to basic liberties. They argued for changes that went along a broad spectrum. Some thought the best way to restrain these powers was by adding a Bill of Rights, and they refused to support ratification without a promise that a Bill of Rights would be added. Others argued for structural changes to the Constitution itself, such as eliminating Congress's power to set the time and place of federal elections. Still others (though a minority) argued for outright rejection of the document and for a new convention to amend the Articles of Confederation along more agreeable lines. The Anti-Federalists objected to the Constitution on many grounds, but fears of centralized power lay at the heart of most of their complaints.

How does Scout describe Boo Radley in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird?

In Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout initially describes Boo Radley as "a malevolent phantom," and a "haint," but at the end of the narrative, Boo has taken human form as a pale man who rescues her and Jem from the malice of Bob Ewell and later takes a seat on the Finches' front porch. 

During the summer before Scout begins first grade, Dill Harris, who spends the summer with his Aunt Rachel,...

In Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout initially describes Boo Radley as "a malevolent phantom," and a "haint," but at the end of the narrative, Boo has taken human form as a pale man who rescues her and Jem from the malice of Bob Ewell and later takes a seat on the Finches' front porch. 

During the summer before Scout begins first grade, Dill Harris, who spends the summer with his Aunt Rachel, arrives in Maycomb. With his creative imagination, many a tale is spun about the reclusive spirit that dwells inside the Radley house. One day Dill bets Jem a copy of The Gray Ghost that he will not step foot in the Radley yard, and so Jem, whose nature demands that he take dares, steps onto the Radley porch in order to touch the house. But he sees no one.

Nobody knew what form of intimidation Mr. Radley employed to keep Boo out of sight, but Jem figured that Mr. Radley kept him chained to the bed most of the time. Atticus said no, it wasn’t that sort of thing, that there were other ways of making people into ghosts.

That Boo Radley is a virtual ghost is illustrated in the way in which the children envision him, as well as the reclusive and secret conditions in which he lives. While rumors about him abound, mysteriously one night he mends Jem's pants that have been torn on the Radley fence as the terrified boy attempts escape when he hears a shotgun blast. Boo secretly lays a blanket over Scout's shoulders during a fire at night. 

It is not until the final chapters that the ghostly Boo Radley, whose gray eyes are so colorless that Scout thinks he may be blind, materializes. After Bob Ewell attacks the Finch children on their way home from the school program, Boo comes to their rescue, pulling the man off the children and killing him. In an effort to protect Boo from publicity that will traumatize him by such exposure that Sheriff Tate vows to report that Ewell has fallen on his own knife.

In the end, Boo saves the lives of Jem and Scout. While Jem is tended to by the doctor and remains in bed, Boo watches Jem. Then, Scout leads him through the dark rooms onto their porch; later, she walks the frail, pale man to his own front steps and porch, and Boo turns and goes inside. After she walks Boo home, Scout stands on the Radley porch and reflects,

Boo was our neighbor. He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our lives.

Scout is only saddened that she and Jem have not repaid him for his loving kindness.

Ernest Rutherford's experimental results greatly surprised him. What do you think Rutherford had been expecting to find? Imagine that you lived in...

Rutherford discovered the proton, and he also discovered that the atom is mainly empty space.

He noticed that a beam of alpha particles was scattered back where it came from by gold atoms, and, since it was known that alpha particles were positive, it was deduced that there was a dense positive core in the nucleus. This dense positive core was called the protons.

Rutherford deduced that the electrons were arranged in concentric shells around...

Rutherford discovered the proton, and he also discovered that the atom is mainly empty space.

He noticed that a beam of alpha particles was scattered back where it came from by gold atoms, and, since it was known that alpha particles were positive, it was deduced that there was a dense positive core in the nucleus. This dense positive core was called the protons.

Rutherford deduced that the electrons were arranged in concentric shells around this positive core, and this was in stark contrast to the model of the atom that was previously put forth by J.J. Thompson - the plum pudding model - which held that the electrons were scattered in a blob of positive charges like plums in a pudding. Rutherford expected to find the J.J. Thompson model with positive and negative particles - electrons and protons - all mixed together. 

A solar system model in which the electrons were arranged in concentric shells would cause wide angle scattering of x-rays whereas a plum pudding model would not because the positive charge would be more diffuse and allow the alpha particles to pass through. Clearly, anyone who was contemporary with Rutherford would have been (and was) surprised by his model altering discovery.

Which of the following is NOT a reason solving public problems can be difficult? A. People usually don't have an interest in solving public...

Based on the other choices that are there, yes, I believe that you have it correct.  Choice "A" is not a reason that solving public problems can be difficult.

Although I do think that choice "A" is true for a lot of people.  Assuming that all people have an altruistic spirit that makes them naturally vested in solving public problems is a bad assumption.  There is always going to be a group of people that...

Based on the other choices that are there, yes, I believe that you have it correct.  Choice "A" is not a reason that solving public problems can be difficult.

Although I do think that choice "A" is true for a lot of people.  Assuming that all people have an altruistic spirit that makes them naturally vested in solving public problems is a bad assumption.  There is always going to be a group of people that might recognize the presence of a public problem, but they still have zero desire to solve that problem.  They might not see any personal benefit in solving that problem.  "It doesn't affect me, therefore, why should I care?"  If enough people had that attitude, that would most definitely make solving public problems difficult.  

But like I said before, considering all of the other choices that are there, choice "A" is the best answer to the question.  

Compare and contrast Mayan society with that of Teotihuacan. To what extent did each represent a common religious and cultural outlook in...

Historical records confirm that the Mayans have had interactions with Teotihuacan society since the early Classical period (AD 250-450). However, experts disagree as to the basis for interactions between the two cultures. The externalist perspective claims that the Teotihuacans were an ambitious people who overwhelmed Mayan society with impositions of their own cultural heritage. The internalist perspective claims that both cultures demonstrated open dialogue and exchange of ideas.

However, in the perusal of archaeological artifacts, the internalist perspective seems to struggle for preeminence. Evidence points to the gradual but sure Teotihuacan influence in Mayan architecture. If the externalist perspective was true, it would appear that a Teotihuacan military invasion would hasten rather than occasion a gradual incorporation of Teotihuacan architectural elements into Mayan architecture. A case in point is the building of Mayan pyramid temples which incorporated the Teotihuacan talud-tablero structure. Initial mounds of the pyramid temples included a talud (inclined slope) but not the typical tablero (horizontal rise). However, the finished version of the Mayan pyramid temple did include the tablero on all sides. Yet, when we look at the final version, we see a hybrid style temple with elements of both Teotihuacan and Mayan architecture in harmonious symmetry.

During the Middle Classic period (AD 450-600), Teotihuacan society flourished as a result of its trade relationship with Mayan society. Merchants were able to ply Teotihuacan goods in Mayan markets as well as obtain exotic commodities such as stingray spines, cayman skins, and even jaguar pelts.

Sources: The relationship of the Maya and Teotihuacan: A Mesoamerican Mystery.

Archaeology of the Mexican Gulf Lowlands.

Gender roles in both societies during these different periods.

In Teotihuacan society, gender roles were militantly preserved. In fact, gender roles were incorporated into the very fabric of Teotihuacan creation theology. The female spider, with its prolific womb, was viewed as a diligent weaver; this image became associated with any women who must bear the pangs of childbirth to welcome the next generation to life. Additionally, each woman's sons may become future warriors and so, her labor was a transcending experience denoting her personal battle for the good of society. Her likely skills with embroidery (the image of the weaver) was also associated with her ability to produce the robes that warriors must wear.

On the other hand, masculine vitality and potency was symbolized by the unlikely butterfly. Warriors wore cloaks fastened with butterfly pins; the butterfly motif was inscribed on censers and the talud-tablero architecture of Teotihuacan buildings and temples. Everywhere, men were reminded of their obligation to defend and to protect. Both men and women were promised great rewards in the after-world for fulfilling their gender roles to their utmost ability.

In Mayan society, gender roles were equally illuminated in the iconography on stelae (a slab of stone generally used for funereal or commemorative purposes) and other architectural monuments. While most Mayan iconography portrayed powerful male characters in their prime, a surprising number of stelae portrayed Mayan female rulers, of which Lady Kanal-Ikal and Lady Zac-Kuc count among their number.

Various gender-fluid characters were also portrayed such as deities of mixed gender or those with hermaphrodite qualities; depictions of heterosexual attraction between older women and younger men were also uncovered. Indeed, with the discovery of gendered spaces at certain Mayan sites, where areas were partitioned for the activities of men and women, such depictions of non-traditional gender mores raises interesting questions about the unconventional in both cultures.

As with Teotihuacan society, various archaeological digs at Mayan historical sites have produced evidence of ceramics, figurines, and artifacts imbued with images of fertility goddesses amidst weaving and spinning craft. Both cultures strenuously reinforced the role of the domestic arts in the lives of its women.

For more, please refer to:

Sources: The Teotihuacan Trinity

Gender roles in Mayan society

What other books or movies are similar to the book Speak?

Laurie Halse Anderson's young-adult fiction novel titled Speak contains themes of trauma, isolation, depression, social anxiety, and coming-of-age. Based on these themes, I can recommend the following books and films as being similar.

First, you may be interested--or possibly already know of--the film adaptation of the book Speak, which was released in 2004. I can also recommend much of Anderson's other work as dealing with troubled youth. Wintergirls is very similar because it offers an...

Laurie Halse Anderson's young-adult fiction novel titled Speak contains themes of trauma, isolation, depression, social anxiety, and coming-of-age. Based on these themes, I can recommend the following books and films as being similar.

First, you may be interested--or possibly already know of--the film adaptation of the book Speak, which was released in 2004. I can also recommend much of Anderson's other work as dealing with troubled youth. Wintergirls is very similar because it offers an inside perspective on a young person going through difficult times. Though Wintergirls deals more with grief and eating disorders, there are similar connotations of violation of the body and personhood in both books.

Some other books which deal with sexual assault are Faking Normal by Courtney Stevens and All the Rage by Courtney Summers. John Green's Looking for Alaska has a similar "un-packing" or resolution of past trauma. With regards to social alienation and isolation, both Cut by Patricia McCormick and The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky explore the strange, internal conflict of being a teenager.

The film Painful Secrets (2000) deals with a teenage girl who struggles with depression and engages in self-harm. We Were the Mulvaneys (2002) is quite similar to Speak because it explores sexual assault and the high-school social dynamic. 

Could anyone give me some comparative points relating to Love in The Rotters' Club and The Great Gatsby?

I can truly understand why you asked this question. Here we have two novels: one set in England and one set in America, one set in the 1970s and one set in the 1920s, and one focusing on teens while the other focuses on adults. Still, there are absolutely some comparative points about love between both The Great Gatsby and The Rotters Club.

First, one must consider the affair and/or the potential affairs between...

I can truly understand why you asked this question. Here we have two novels: one set in England and one set in America, one set in the 1970s and one set in the 1920s, and one focusing on teens while the other focuses on adults. Still, there are absolutely some comparative points about love between both The Great Gatsby and The Rotters Club.

First, one must consider the affair and/or the potential affairs between the adult characters of the book. For example, look at Doug’s parents. They end up getting a separation because Doug’s father has a steamy affair with a younger lady. This younger lady suddenly disappears, much like Daisy disappears back into Tom’s arms at the end of The Great Gatsby. Further, there is an affair that is, at least, proposed by Philip’s art teacher. He is so enamored with Philip’s mom that he writes long letters of seduction in a pretentious style. Even though it is a different medium, this part reminds me a lot of Gatsby’s extensive tea party he sets up at Nick’s house in order to impress Daisy.

Further, we can also take a few exploits of Ben Trotter near the end of the book when thinking about comparisons about love. Ben is thrilled about his first sex-experience with Cicely, and can’t wait to attend college in order to have more experiences like that. It is the quotation relating to this that relates very well to Fitzgerald’s book and the theme of love:

He was lucky, wasn’t he, to have felt that way? Lucky Uncle Benjamin! To have known happiness like that, and to have held on to it, even for a moment.

Here we see a similarity to Gatsby’s elusive “green light” of Daisy, the light that Gatsby continually stretches his arms out to, but never fully achieves. This quote suggests the same thing. Even though Ben (and Gatsby) have beautiful affairs with Cecily (and Daisy), they only “held on to” love for a moment. It continues to elude them. This quotation (and others) show that the characters of the book won’t ever reach their goals in love.

In conclusion, I am taken with the idea that The Great Gatsby would be so very interesting if told from the perspective of Daisy’s daughter, the “beautiful little fool,” and how she grew up. This is (kind of) what we get when we consider Ben’s story.

In the poem "Ulysses" by Alfred Lord Tennyson, is Ulysses a heroic or an unheroic figure?

To answer this question, you must decide what you think is "heroic" and why. Ulysses presents himself, at the beginning of the poem, as a rather pathetic figure. He is an "idle king," living among "barren crags," his wife is old, and all he does is "mete and dole / Unequal laws unto a savage race" whose lives consists of collecting stuff, eating, and sleeping. He realizes that he has "become a name," meaning that...

To answer this question, you must decide what you think is "heroic" and why. Ulysses presents himself, at the beginning of the poem, as a rather pathetic figure. He is an "idle king," living among "barren crags," his wife is old, and all he does is "mete and dole / Unequal laws unto a savage race" whose lives consists of collecting stuff, eating, and sleeping. He realizes that he has "become a name," meaning that he once made a name for himself, but all his heroism is in the past. Throughout the poem, he speaks of what he has done and how he cannot stop; he must go on, "cannot rest from travel: I will drink / Life to the lees." But consider: to do this, he must leave his "aged wife"--a wife who waited twenty years, being faithful to him and fending off her suitors while he fought at Troy and got lost coming home.

The poem has some of the most heroic lines in it of all literature, in my opinion, but the actions Ulysses is considering are quite the opposite.

In Beowulf, what are the characteristics of Thanes and what are some examples?

Throughout the course of events in Beowulf, the Thanes seemed to transform from happy people celebrating God to a group of sad men that ran for their lives to escape being killed by Grendel. 

For one, the Thanes were religious. Readers find them singing of God's praises in the opening lines of the section titled "The Wrath of Grendel":

As day after day the music rang

Loud in that hall, the harp's rejoicing

Call...

Throughout the course of events in Beowulf, the Thanes seemed to transform from happy people celebrating God to a group of sad men that ran for their lives to escape being killed by Grendel. 

For one, the Thanes were religious. Readers find them singing of God's praises in the opening lines of the section titled "The Wrath of Grendel":

As day after day the music rang

Loud in that hall, the harp's rejoicing

Call and the poet's clear songs, sung

Of the ancient beginnings of us all, recalling

The Almighty making the earth, shaping 

These beautiful plains marked off by oceans,

Then proudly setting the sun and moon

To glow across the land and light it;

The Thanes sang of their appreciation and pleasure for the world the Almighty created for them. 

Before the disturbance of Grendel started, the Thanes lived happily in Herot as stated in the text:

So Hrothgar's men lived happy in his hall

The transition began once Grendel started his attacks. The Thanes then quit celebrating and enjoying their once-content lives. After they saw the damage Grendel did to their people and their hall, their laughs and cheers turned into tears and cries. Following the attack in which Grendel captured the lives of 30 Thanes, they awoke and interrupted their celebratory lives with "tears and laments." 

Then their sadness turned into fear. They assumed distance was the only safety, so they deserted the land in which they had called home for twelve years. 

The Thanes could be characterized from one spectrum to the other throughout different parts of the epic. They first appear to readers as happy warriors celebrating life and religion, and then quickly find themselves a group of sad, fearful followers that flee in order to save their own lives. 

What moment might be called the climax in Act 5 of Macbeth?

When Macduff encounters Macbeth on the battlefield, the play is drawing near its climax. Macbeth is still full of his fighting spirit, and he has just finished killing one soldier who dared to confront him. Then Macduff appears and challenges him to hand-to-hand combat. They fight. Then Macbeth pauses and says:

Thou losest labor.
As easy mayst thou the intrenchant air
With thy keen sword impress as make me bleed:
Let fall thy blade on vulnerable crests;
I bear a charmed life, which must not yield
To one of woman born.

Macduff's reply to this might be called the climax because it undermines Macbeth's morale. Macduff says:

Despair thy charm,
And let the angel whom thou still hast served
Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother's womb
Untimely ripp'd.

This is not only a surprise to Macbeth, but it comes as a complete surprise to the audience, who realize, along with Macbeth, that he has been deceived by the three witches. It seems possible that Macduff has never mentioned the fact that he was delivered by what in those days must have been a horribly crude and painful operation which might have resulted in his mother's death. He may have kept the secret until this very moment because it was too painful for him to think about. He describes what happened at his birth as being "Untimely ripp'd." 

No doubt the actor playing Macbeth would not respond immediately to this information. There might be a pronounced silence while he digests what he has heard and realizes all its implications. Macbeth has already lose one of his assurances when Birnam Wood appeared to be moving towards Dunsinane. At last he refuses to fight any longer. He knows he is sure to lose. But Macduff taunts him and forces him to continue the fight to the finish.

Under ordinary circumstances Macbeth should be able to beat Macduff, but because Macbeth is psychologically defeated, he is defeated in combat. Macduff has the upper hand for several reasons. Macbeth is unnerved by learning that his "charmed life" is not foolproof. He was reluctant to fight with Macduff in the first place because he felt guilty for the crimes he had committed against his adversary's family. And furthermore, Macduff is so strongly motivated to kill Macbeth for revenge that he seems possessed of superhuman strength. 

In the end, Macduff kills Macbeth and displays his severed head. But the climax seems to have been reached earlier, when he says:

Macduff was from his mother's womb
Untimely ripp'd.

Where and when does the story "The Cask of Amontillado" take place?

Edgar Allan Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado" never clearly states where or when it is set. In paragraph three of the short story, Poe says, "Few Italians have the true virtuoso spirit. ...Fortunato, like his countrymen, was a quack, but in the matter of old wines he was sincere. " From this we learn that Fortunato was Italian, so we may assume that the story takes place in Italy, but there is no indisputable evidence of...

Edgar Allan Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado" never clearly states where or when it is set. In paragraph three of the short story, Poe says, "Few Italians have the true virtuoso spirit. ...Fortunato, like his countrymen, was a quack, but in the matter of old wines he was sincere. " From this we learn that Fortunato was Italian, so we may assume that the story takes place in Italy, but there is no indisputable evidence of that. In the course of the story, the narrator compares the catacombs they are going into to the catacombs of Paris, so while that emphasizes the European influence, it does not necessarily change the setting.

The time of the short story is also unstated in the text. Poe does clearly delineate that the action takes place during carnival season, which is like Mardi Gras. However, we are not given any hints as to which year, other than the reference from the narrator at the end of the story that Fortunato has not been disturbed "for the half of a century..." so the story obviously is intended to be set at least 50 years prior to the telling of the tale. 

How did the Great Depression in America affect the economies of Europe?

The Great Depression was a global event, and many historians (and some observers at the time) located many of its origins in Europe. It is not as simple as saying that the Depression began in the United States and spread to Europe. But certainly the collapse of the American financial system reverberated in the economies of Europe. After World War I, the major European nations had received billions of dollars in loans from American banks...

The Great Depression was a global event, and many historians (and some observers at the time) located many of its origins in Europe. It is not as simple as saying that the Depression began in the United States and spread to Europe. But certainly the collapse of the American financial system reverberated in the economies of Europe. After World War I, the major European nations had received billions of dollars in loans from American banks and the US Treasury, both of whom were reluctant to write off these obligations even when it became apparent that they were hindering Europe's economic growth. Basically, the Great Depression was brought on by a collapse of the international banking system. Bank failures in the United States led to bank failures in Europe, because they were dependent, some more directly than others, on American capital. But at the same time, European bank failures led to similar problems for American financial institutions because they held so many European assets. So the effects of the Great Depression were similar in European nations as in the United States. What differed from nation to nation, both within Europe and elsewhere, were the responses of individual governments. 

What were Walt Whitman's beliefs?

Walk Whitman was an unconventional American poet whose work had an enormous impact upon new developments and trends in poetry at the end of the 19th century, and widely influenced American poetry of the 20th century. This time period was characterized by the presence of various trends and schools of thought in poetry; Whitman was considered a Transcendentalist (along with Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry Thoreau, who were both friends of Whitman); but he was...

Walk Whitman was an unconventional American poet whose work had an enormous impact upon new developments and trends in poetry at the end of the 19th century, and widely influenced American poetry of the 20th century. This time period was characterized by the presence of various trends and schools of thought in poetry; Whitman was considered a Transcendentalist (along with Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry Thoreau, who were both friends of Whitman); but he was also credited with being an influence upon the Realist school of poetry. Whitman's subject matter was considered by some readers to be controversial for his frank depiction of sexuality and the sensual nature of his poetic observations. He also had unusual views about spirituality.

Whitman rejected conventional views of religion and realized his spiritual beliefs and perspective via his poetry. His celebration of the human body and the human spirit in equal measure prompted many critics to call him a sort of prophet who was creating a new American religion through poetry. Leaves of Grass contains many musings and explorations of life's pleasure and pain, along with detailed descriptions of human emotion and  behavior. But above all the theme that comes through frequently is a love of the natural world and the possibility of salvation and redemption (very religious concepts) through immersion in nature and embracing humankind's place amid nature, including plants, animals and all the elements and creators in the world. Although similar viewpoints were espoused by the English Romantic poets like Shelley and Keats (who were definitely an influence upon Whitman's writing), it was not until Whitman's work emerged that this kind of unabashed paganism was expressed in such a straightforward way in contemporary poetry.

Whitman also had strong views about equality and slavery; his experiences witnessing slave auctions affected him deeply and inspired part of his famous poem "I Sing the Body Electric." He was an ardent believer in equal rights for all people, and was a political activist for years, but it was through his poetry that he was able to catalyze and inspire social change and a shift in public consciousness. Leaves of Grass was well received and soon after its first publication Whitman began work on a second edition, which was published by a Boston publisher that was active in the abolitionist movement.

In the cartoon "Interrupting the Ceremony," what is the artist's point of view on the League of Nations ?

This cartoon is a commentary on the debate in the United States over ratifying the Treaty of Versailles. This treaty ended World War I, but in the United States, the debate centered on the fact that the Treaty created the League of Nations. The fear was that membership in the League might involve the United States in foreign wars, and many US senators (the Senate was responsible for ratifying all treaties) objected to the Treaty...

This cartoon is a commentary on the debate in the United States over ratifying the Treaty of Versailles. This treaty ended World War I, but in the United States, the debate centered on the fact that the Treaty created the League of Nations. The fear was that membership in the League might involve the United States in foreign wars, and many US senators (the Senate was responsible for ratifying all treaties) objected to the Treaty on these grounds. As for the artist's point of view, it seems that he agrees with the senators (mostly Republican, led by Henry Cabot Lodge) who opposed the League of Nations. We can tell this because the bride who is about to marry Uncle Sam has the words "foreign entanglements" on her dress. This phrase dated back to the nation's founding, and connoted unnecessary involvement in foreign affairs, especially the affairs of Europe. Uncle Sam, in other words, is about to get permanently attached to foreign entanglements, and as the minister asks if there is anyone who can show cause that the marriage should not proceed, the US Senate is bursting through the door. So the use of the phrase "foreign entanglements" suggests that the artist sympathizes with the League's critics. 

How does Shakespeare create drama and tension in Act 1, Scene 1?

Shakespeare had to simulate the effect of a ship in a storm with very little in the way of props. The Mariners would be wearing seafaring-type costumes and, of course, the King and his entourage would be wearing the kind of clothing they would wear at court. There would be a strong contrast between the two kinds of characters. The boatswain would be shouting all his lines at everybody regardless of whether Mariners or noblemen. The tone of his voice would suggest the seriousness of the situation, especially because he is obviously spent much of his life at sea and knows more about it than anybody else. This desperate shouting would be important in creating the impression that he has to make himself heard above the howling storm. There would be offstage sound effects. The stage directions at the beginning of Art 1, Scene 1 read simply:

On a ship at sea. A tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning heard.

Shakespeare himself would probably order the sound effects devices and tell the stage hands what he wanted them to do. Thunder can be represented with a big drum. Lightning might be represented by crashing cymbals or other metal against metal. Shakespeare uses similar sound effects in King Lear when he has the mad King shouting in the storm and at the storm in Act 3, Scene 2 of that play.

Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow!
You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout
Till you have drenched our steeples, drowned the cocks!
You sulphurous and thought-executing fires,
Vaunt-couriers to oak-cleaving thunderbolts,
Singe my white head! And thou, all-shaking thunder,
Smite flat the thick rotundity o' the world!
Crack nature's moulds, all germains spill at once,
That make ingrateful man!

No doubt Shakespeare would instruct the stage hands to make noise at the ends of lines so that all the words could be heard by the entire audience. For example after, "Singe my white head! And thou, all-shaking thunder...", there would be a peal of simulated of thunder. The word "thunder" would be a cue for the men offstage to make noise. The same would be employed intermittently on and offstage in The Tempest.

The actual words spoken by the Boatswain would suggest the serious danger, as would the fear shown by the passengers. Both the landsmen and the Mariners are in fear for their lives. The Boatswain has some very good lines. For example, when Antonio asks, "Where is the Master, Boatswain?" the Boatswain replies:

Do you not hear him? You mar our labour. Keep your
cabins: you do assist the storm.

Antonio means the ship captain, but the Boatswain indicates that the real master is the storm. The Boatswain's bad manners suggest that he doesn't care because he doesn't expect to live much longer anyway.

Through costumes, shouting, body language, offstage sound effects, and much of the dialogue in this short scene, Shakespeare creates an impressive amount of drama and tension. And yet it will all be an illusion. There will be no ship, no sea, no wind, no rain, no clouds, no crashing canvas or rigging falling. Only actors on a bare stage. The play could be staged outdoors in a park in modern times and the audience would still have the illusion that they were watching a scene of great distress in a storm at sea. 

Near the very end of Act 1, Scene 1, the Mariners cry out that all is lost. Up to this point the dialogue has been shouted by single voices, but now all the actors representing Mariners would be urged to shout at once as loudly as possible.

‘Mercy on us!’—‘We split, we split!’—‘Farewell, my
wife and children!’—‘Farewell, brother!’—‘We split, we(60)
split, we split!’

When the scene ends, the audience does not know what actually happened. But their interest will certainly be captured and held for a long while.

In the short story, "The Life You Save May Be Your Own," what do you think is the significance of the peculiar clouds and storm that pursue Mr,...

In most literature, storms and bad weather usually symbolise either some malevolent act or event or act as harbingers of doom. A storm provides the reader with a sense of foreboding.

In this story, it is significant that the storm follows Mr Shiftlet as he drives towards Mobile, since it symbolises two important issues: Firstly, Mr Shiftler is trying to get away from the pernicious evil he has done in the previous town when he deceived Mrs Crater into believing that he had honest intentions by marrying her handicapped daughter, Lucynell, when he had in fact, deviously manipulated her to steal their car. He had repaired and painted the vehicle and was now in the process of stealing it. He abandoned Lucynell at a diner when she fell asleep at a table when he had promised that he would take her to a hotel after they were married. His sole intention was to get hold of the car and this was clearly obvious from the outset.

Tom T. Shiftlet, as his name appropriately suggests, is a shifty, untrustworthy character who abused Mrs Crater's naivete and her desperate need for someone to take care of her daughter, to commit a crime. The storm and dark clouds symbolise his malice. He obviously realises that he would be sought for his criminal deed and is escaping from it - leaving it behind as he attempts to outrun the approaching storm. It does not seem that his attempt will be very successful however, since the last few lines suggest that the trouble he created will catch up with him, as indicated by the following:

After a few minutes there was a guffawing peal of thunder from behind and fantastic raindrops, like tin‑can tops, crashed over the rear of Mr. Shiftlet's car.

In the second place, Mr Shiftlet is being followed by the storm towards Mobile. In this instance it foreshadows the fact that he is bringing trouble to Mobile and states, symbolically, that he takes trouble with him wherever he goes. This is also suggested earlier in the story when he so easily recalls the names of other characters from different parts of the country, suggesting that those were most probably pseudonyms he used there, to hide his true identity and avoid being traced.

How you know my name ain't Aaron Sparks, lady, and I come from Singleberry, Georgia, or how you know it's not George Speeds and I come from Lucy, Alabama, or how you know I ain't Thompson Bright from Toolafalls, Mississippi?"

Shiftlet, in all probability, may not be his real name. Rest assured, he will once again commit some or other unsavoury act wherever he may end up.

Furthermore, the storm is a perfect contrast to the sunny descriptions provided at the beginning of the story. When Shiftlet arrived at the Crater's plantation, the sun was setting and he relished its beauty, raising his arms in appraisal. Pleasant and sunny images were painted throughout the story until he committed this vile act - taking advantage and stealing the Crater's car. The implication is clear, Mr Shiftlet brings doom and gloom wherever he goes and leaves behind only disparagement and disappointment. 

From Zindel's The Pigman, write a series of letters between Lorraine and her mother discussing their relationship. Include a part about how Mr....

Lorraine's mother suffers from the hardships of being a single mom and feelings of rejection from her former husband. Lorraine suffers from an emotionally absent mother who can't find a silver lining in any situation. For an assignment about writing letters between these two characters, one must consider both perspectives through textual evidence. A letter from the mother would catalogue her bad experiences to justify why she is so tough on her daughter. A letter from...

Lorraine's mother suffers from the hardships of being a single mom and feelings of rejection from her former husband. Lorraine suffers from an emotionally absent mother who can't find a silver lining in any situation. For an assignment about writing letters between these two characters, one must consider both perspectives through textual evidence. A letter from the mother would catalogue her bad experiences to justify why she is so tough on her daughter. A letter from Lorraine would center around her feelings of rejection by her mother and the lack of trust demonstrated by her. One of Lorraine's letters would probably bring up her friendship with Mr. Pignati in order to emphasize to her mother that not all men are jerks and that being a nice parent is possible. Textual evidence for each character is provided below to help organize content for the letters:

Mother-

Examples of distrusting men -

"I don't care what all the kids do. I don't want you in there. I've seen those boys hanging around there, and they've only got one thing on their minds" (50).

". . . when she was pregnant with me her doctor called and told her my father had some kind of disease, and she shouldn't let him touch her until he got rid of it. It turned out that he had a girlfriend on the side, and that's when she filed for a legal separation" (107).

Lorraine-

Examples of Mr. Pignati not being like other men and being more of a parent to her than her mother:

"Mr. Pignati laughed like anything as we went flying by, and before we knew it, he had his skates on and the three of us were zooming right from the porch through the living room and dining room down the hall into the room with the pigs. . . We were having so much fun. . . I forgot he was so old" (120-121).

"No one had ever bought me stuff like this before--something I just liked and didn't need and didn't even ask for" (90).

Mr. Pignati shows Lorraine that adults can be nice and trusting. These would be Lorraine's arguments to support her friendship with him. The mother's perspective would be based on all the hurt that she felt in her life and that she doesn't want her daughter to experience that pain, either.

The California legislature passed a law to make Amazon collect tax for products sold to California residents because the residents weren't paying...

The clue to the correct answer is in the question.  It says that Amazon has to collect tax on items sold to California residents.  A tax that is levied on items that are sold to people is a sales tax.

The law mentioned in this question was passed in 2012.  Before that, there had been a great deal of controversy over whether Amazon (and other online sellers) should have to collect sales taxes when they...

The clue to the correct answer is in the question.  It says that Amazon has to collect tax on items sold to California residents.  A tax that is levied on items that are sold to people is a sales tax.

The law mentioned in this question was passed in 2012.  Before that, there had been a great deal of controversy over whether Amazon (and other online sellers) should have to collect sales taxes when they sold items to people outside of the state in which Amazon was physically located.  At first, Amazon did not have to do so.  Now, more states require this.

The only other answer that would make any sense is “excise tax.”  However, excise taxes are collected only on certain specific items.  For example, there is an excise tax on cigarettes.  Excise taxes do not apply to all items that are sold the way that sales taxes typically do.

The law that California passed was a law that requires Amazon to collect sales tax on the items it sells to people in California.

In The Great Gatsby, explain why Nick thought his house was on fire.

The reference to Nick's house being on fire is found at the beginning of chapter five:

When I came home to West Egg that night I was afraid for a moment that my house was on fire. Two o’clock and the whole corner of the peninsula was blazing with light, which fell unreal on the shrubbery and made thin elongating glints upon the roadside wires. Turning a corner, I saw that it was Gatsby’s house, lit from tower to cellar.

Nick had this idea because all the lights in Jay Gatsby's house had been turned on, sending a glare of light into every direction and obviously reflecting off Nick's windows and every other object in the immediate vicinity which could reflect the brilliance, thus creating the illusion.

Nick imagined that it was one of the regular, flamboyant parties that Jay had been hosting every week but was told by him that he had switched on all the lights because he had 'been glancing in all the rooms.'

It is clear that Jay had been checking all the rooms since he was preparing for a visit by the object of his insurmountable affection - Daisy Buchanan. He has been passionately in love with her from the time they met. After their relationship broke off when he went to war and Daisy married Tom Buchanan, he has been desperately trying for the past five years to get into contact with her. That was the reason for his over-the-top parties. He believed they might draw her closer.

Later in the conversation, Nick informs Jay that he had spoken to Jordan Baker, who Jay had asked to speak to him about arranging a visit with Daisy. Nick says that he will invite Daisy over for tea so that the two of them can finally meet. Jay then feels obliged to offer Nick a job as recompense for the favor, but Nick rejects his offer.  

How is The Help (movie) related to the book To Kill a Mockingbird character-wise?

One of the great characters in TKAMB is Atticus's housekeeper, Calpurnia. Calpurnia's story is not at the center of novel, but we see bits and pieces of it around the edges. There is, for example, the part where Calpurnia takes Scout and Jem to her chuch on a Sunday whe Atticus is away. In this brief scene, we get a sense for what the black community is really like -- it is a detour into...

One of the great characters in TKAMB is Atticus's housekeeper, Calpurnia. Calpurnia's story is not at the center of novel, but we see bits and pieces of it around the edges. There is, for example, the part where Calpurnia takes Scout and Jem to her chuch on a Sunday whe Atticus is away. In this brief scene, we get a sense for what the black community is really like -- it is a detour into the lives of people at the margins of the book, like a look backstage, or a glimpse into a forbidden world. It is true that when Calpurnia shows up at First Purchase AME church, there is some trouble. Lula confronts Calpurnia:

“I wants to know why you bringin‘ white chillun to nigger church.”

“They’s my comp’ny,” said Calpurnia. Again I thought her voice strange: she was talking like the rest of them.

“Yeah, an‘ I reckon you’s comp’ny at the Finch house durin’ the week.”

Calpurnia is in a hard place. She has transgressed, in a way: her feelings for the Finch children (which she calls "hers" when she is dressing them) blur the boundaries between family member and servant, or, even, white and black. She is letting Jem and Scout in on the "secret" world of black folk, showing them a side of her that is new and strange. She is showing them, in short, that she is a person, just like them.

In the film The Help, we have similar themes. Like Calpurnia, Viola Davis' character Abilene is in effect the mother of her employer's children; also a bit like Calpurnia, Octavia Spencer's Minny is in effect the equal or "friend" of her employer. Much of the conflict in the film comes from negotiating the shifting boundaries of white and black, employer and employee, or servant and friend. Like TKAMB, The Help illustrates the inherent racism and double standards blacks must endure. Another similarity to the church episode in TKAMB is that the film is about the "hidden" lives of the maids, and the webs of personal relationships and rivalries that motivate the characters. Far from just being "the help," the maids in The Help, like Calpurnia, are powerful individuals in their own right.

Who killed John F. Kennedy?

This question is very controversial and has never been decided to the satisfaction of many Americans. Conspiracy theories, some more plausible than others, have always surrounded the death of President Kennedy. Most academic historians, however, accept the version of the assassination that was established by the Dallas Police Department and federal investigators. This version was compiled and made public by the Warren Commission, a special commission convened (with Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren at...

This question is very controversial and has never been decided to the satisfaction of many Americans. Conspiracy theories, some more plausible than others, have always surrounded the death of President Kennedy. Most academic historians, however, accept the version of the assassination that was established by the Dallas Police Department and federal investigators. This version was compiled and made public by the Warren Commission, a special commission convened (with Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren at the head) in the immediate aftermath of the assassination to weigh the evidence compiled in the wake of the crime. 

The short version of these findings is that Lee Harvey Oswald, a lonely and enigmatic figure, fatally shot President Kennedy in the back of the head with a bolt-action rifle from a book depository as the president's car went by. After the shooting, Oswald fled, killing a Dallas policeman who encountered him on a city street. Oswald was apprehended in a movie theater and taken into custody. After being held and questioned, Oswald was charged with the crime by the police. While he was being transported to jail, he himself was murdered by Jack Ruby, a local businessman who was apparently outraged by Oswald's crime. It was this event that most contributed to the air of mystery around the assassination. 

In the 18th century, was it only the American colonists who had "virtual representation" in Parliament, or did British citizens in England have...

The concept of "virtual representation" did not just apply to the American colonists, but to the people of Great Britain as well. Edmund Burke, in a famous speech to the Electors of Bristol, responsible for returning him to office, explained it like this:

Parliament is a deliberative assembly of one nation, with one interest, that of the whole; where, not local purposes, not local prejudices, ought to guide, but the general good, resulting from the...

The concept of "virtual representation" did not just apply to the American colonists, but to the people of Great Britain as well. Edmund Burke, in a famous speech to the Electors of Bristol, responsible for returning him to office, explained it like this:

Parliament is a deliberative assembly of one nation, with one interest, that of the whole; where, not local purposes, not local prejudices, ought to guide, but the general good, resulting from the general reason of the whole. You choose a member indeed; but when you have chosen him, he is not member of Bristol, but he is a member of parliament. 

In other words, Burke did not feel obligated to advance the interests of the Bristol merchants who elected him, but the people of Great Britain as a whole. This concept was fundamental to the British constitution, and it was rooted in the reality that many Parliamentary election districts, or "boroughs" were actually based in rural areas with very small populations. These boroughs could still choose members of the House of Commons, while other rapidly growing urban areas, like Manchester, could not. It might be argued that the concept of "virtual representation" was invented to justify this situation, as well as in answer to the complaints of the American colonists, but the point is that the English people were, in theory, no more directly represented than British subjects in America. They also, not incidentally, paid much higher taxes than people in the colonies. In reality, many Parliamentarians were in fact the direct representatives of the people that elected them, and Burke's ideal of virtual representation was in many ways nonexistent in real life, however. But the British could argue with propriety that they were not obligated by the English constitution to grant representatives in Parliament to the Americans.

In Sister of My Heart, how did Sudha and Anju get married? What are the differences in their married lives?

Sudha's and Anju’s marriages came about at the same time, and they were caused by the same circumstances. They both had ambitions of attending college and being more than the housewives Indian society expected them to be. However, circumstances conspired to prevent them from doing so. Specifically, they were caught skipping school and there were some health problems in the family.

Even though Sudha and Anju got married in the same way, their lives afterwards...

Sudha's and Anju’s marriages came about at the same time, and they were caused by the same circumstances. They both had ambitions of attending college and being more than the housewives Indian society expected them to be. However, circumstances conspired to prevent them from doing so. Specifically, they were caught skipping school and there were some health problems in the family.

Even though Sudha and Anju got married in the same way, their lives afterwards were quite different. Sudha moves in with her husband and his family, including his overbearing mother. Anju eventually moves to the United States to be with her husband. Both men treat their wives relatively well, but Sudha is confined to being a traditional Indian housewife while Anju attends university and has more freedom. Sudha is unhappy with this, and the breaking point occurs when she becomes pregnant with a baby girl and her mother-in-law insists she get an abortion, as a male firstborn is highly valued in Indian society. Her husband doesn’t insist on an abortion, but is complacent. In contrast, Anju is pregnant at the same time, and her husband is overjoyed. This dynamic leads Sudha to eventually move to the United States to be with Anju.

What are some reasons why John Proctor is both a good man and a bad man?

John does not look like such a good man in the midst of his argument with his wife, Elizabeth, in act 2.  First, we learn that he was not truthful when he first spoke with her about his conversation with Abigail.  Elizabeth says, "John, you are not open with me.  You saw her with a crowd, you said."  Then, rather than accept responsibility for the falsehood and apologize, John actually yells at her, saying, "No...

John does not look like such a good man in the midst of his argument with his wife, Elizabeth, in act 2.  First, we learn that he was not truthful when he first spoke with her about his conversation with Abigail.  Elizabeth says, "John, you are not open with me.  You saw her with a crowd, you said."  Then, rather than accept responsibility for the falsehood and apologize, John actually yells at her, saying, "No more!  I should have roared you down when first you told me your suspicion.  But I wilted, and, like a Christian, I confessed.  Confessed!"  In other words, John now tells his wife that he should not have confessed to his affair with Abigail when she confronted him about it; he should have shouted her down instead.  Then, to top it all off, when Elizabeth tells him that he really should go and tell the court what Abigail said about the girls' activities being only "sport," he wavers, allowing the trials to continue. He waits until after his wife is accused to be honest about his conversation and relationship with the girl.  These choices could make it seem as though John is a bad man.

However, John does eventually go to court, and he does eventually confess to his relationship with Abigail, potentially sacrificing his good name and reputation within the community in order to save his wife and friends.  Then, in act 4, John bravely tears up his written confession, choosing instead to retain his integrity and honor, as well as his loyalty to those friends who have already died or will die with him.  One of the biggest weights on his conscience is that he feels he has "sold" his friends with his confession.  He says, "I blacken all of them when this is nailed to the church the very day they hang for silence."  He knows that his confession will make the trials appear more legitimate and that it might cast doubt on his friends' innocence if he lies about his own. (He says that he is guilty of witchcraft when, in fact, he is not.)  John's better qualities win out to the extent that he says that he now "see[s] some shred of goodness" in himself.  He realizes that his own goodness outweighs any bad choices he has made.

How does Harper Lee create suspense leading up to the confrontation at the jailhouse in chapter 15 of To Kill a Mockingbird?

In her classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee slowly builds suspense leading up to the trial of Tom Robinson. Lee's portrayal of Maycomb's racial tensions gradually sharpens as the trial date approaches. We see the effect of this tension on the Finch family and the townspeople through the eyes of the story's narrator, Scout Finch.

About halfway through the story, Lee uses a plot device called “foreshadowing” to heighten the suspense of...

In her classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee slowly builds suspense leading up to the trial of Tom Robinson. Lee's portrayal of Maycomb's racial tensions gradually sharpens as the trial date approaches. We see the effect of this tension on the Finch family and the townspeople through the eyes of the story's narrator, Scout Finch.

About halfway through the story, Lee uses a plot device called “foreshadowing” to heighten the suspense of the story. Sheriff Heck Tate shows up at the Finch house, expressing worry over the fact that Tom Robinson was being moved to the county jail in preparation for the trial scheduled to begin in a couple of days.

Scout and Jem eavesdrop on the conversation:

“. . . movin' him to the county jail tomorrow,” Mr. Tate was saying, “I don't look for any trouble, but I can't guarantee there won't be any . . .”

A moment later the situation starts to sound a little scarier:

“—besides,” Atticus was saying, “you're not scared of that crowd, are you?”

“. . . know how they do when they get shinnied up.”

When a writer foreshadows, they are giving the reader a hint of something that might possibly happen in the future. This usually causes the reader to wonder what will happen next, thus creating suspense. In this case, the reader doesn't have to wait too long. In the same chapter, Atticus will find himself facing an angry, drunken gang who want to drag Tom Robinson out of jail and lynch him. The situation is grim for Atticus until Scout shows up and, through her innocence and naivete, inadvertently shames the group into leaving.

Why is Piggy such an important symbol in the book, and what is the significance of Simon in relation to the Lord of the Flies?

Piggy and Simon are important characters not just for the development of the plot of Lord of the Fliesbut also as characters who represent a larger concept. Piggy represents intelligence and technology, but he also represents marginalized people who are easily victimized in a less enlightened society. Piggy is by far the most intellectually superior boy on the island. He is the one who has the idea to call the other boys with the...

Piggy and Simon are important characters not just for the development of the plot of Lord of the Flies but also as characters who represent a larger concept. Piggy represents intelligence and technology, but he also represents marginalized people who are easily victimized in a less enlightened society. Piggy is by far the most intellectually superior boy on the island. He is the one who has the idea to call the other boys with the conch, and he alone has the "intellectual daring" to consider building the signal fire on the beach when the "beast" prevents them from tending it on the mountain. His glasses symbolize intellect but also science and technology; they give the boys the ability to create fire. Still, Piggy is mocked and bullied by the boys, especially Jack. Because Piggy has asthma and is overweight, Jack chooses him to pick on, often telling him to shut up and charging into his stomach and breaking his glasses.

Simon represents the sensitive, insightful, or spiritual person or part of society. Like the other easily victimized people, spiritually sensitive people are often dismissed and/or ridiculed by many people in a society. The boys often remark that Simon is "batty" or "crazy." Simon is the one who recognizes "mankind's essential illness" and suggests about the beast that "maybe it's only us." This earns him scorn. When he has a vision of the Lord of the Flies, it confirms what he has already discerned, namely that the "beast" is the tendency toward evil that resides inside every person. Unfortunately, Simon's revelation is not useful to any of the other boys; they end up killing him before he can get them to understand. In this way Simon is a Christ-figure; he is killed by those he is trying to enlighten. 

Can you help solve this statistic questions? thanks very much！！

The confidence interval can be calculated by using the following formula:

`hatp+- z'(sqrt((hatp(1-hatp))/n))`

where, `hatp`  is proportion of sample, n is sample size and z' is a multiplier whose value is dependent on the confidence interval. For 95% confidence interval, z can be taken as 1.96.

1) 255 students out of 458 were reportedly working.

thus, n = 458

proportion of sample, `hatp`  = 255/458 = 0.557

using the equation stated above, the 95% confidence...

The confidence interval can be calculated by using the following formula:

`hatp+- z'(sqrt((hatp(1-hatp))/n))`

where, `hatp`  is proportion of sample, n is sample size and z' is a multiplier whose value is dependent on the confidence interval. For 95% confidence interval, z can be taken as 1.96.

1) 255 students out of 458 were reportedly working.

thus, n = 458

proportion of sample, `hatp`  = 255/458 = 0.557

using the equation stated above, the 95% confidence interval is:

`0.557 +- 1.96(sqrt((0.557(1-0.557))/458)) = 0.557 +- 0.046`

The 95% confidence interval can also be stated as [0.511,0.603]. or, we can say with 95% confidence that the proportion of the students working while studying at the start of semester I of 2014 at UC was between 0.511 and 0.603. 

2) Similarly, we can solve for the 95% confidence interval of students working at the start of semester II as,

n = 490, proportion of sample, `hatp`  = 250/490 = 0.510

and the 95% confidence interval is:

`0.510 +- 1.96(sqrt((0.510(1-0.510))/490)) = 0.510 +- 0.044`

The 95% confidence interval can also be stated as [0.466,0.554] or we can say with 95% confidence that the proportion of students who were working while studying at the start of second semester was between 0.466 and 0.554.

3) Since the 95% confidence intervals overlap for the two cases, we cannot make the suggestion that the proportion of students who were working while studying was higher at the start of semester I as compared to semester II. 

Hope this helps. 

Effects of alcohol on the human heart?

Long-term or heavy binge drinking can cause a number of health troubles. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy is a condition where the muscles of the heart become weakened when someone drinks on a long term basis or in high volume. The muscles of the heart cannot contract effectively and in turn the heart cannot supply adequate blood and oxygen to the body. 

Drinking can also cause heart arrhythmias, where the muscles of the heart try to contract and...

Long-term or heavy binge drinking can cause a number of health troubles. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy is a condition where the muscles of the heart become weakened when someone drinks on a long term basis or in high volume. The muscles of the heart cannot contract effectively and in turn the heart cannot supply adequate blood and oxygen to the body. 

Drinking can also cause heart arrhythmias, where the muscles of the heart try to contract and either "hiccup" in their contraction or do not contract at all. Sometimes the electrical impulse for contraction circulates in the heart too many times, and the heart has too many short contractions and does not fill up with fresh blood.

Drinking can cause strokes or exacerbate other conditions which cause strokes. Alcohol thins the blood and can loosen blood clots, which are carried throughout the vascular system and may get stuck.

Alcohol is primarily a vasodilator, which means when people drink alcohol their blood vessels relax. When someone drinks too much alcohol (either in one instance or over a long time) it becomes a vasoconstrictor and causes blood vessels to squeeze tighter. This is triggered by stress hormones in the body. Because of this vasoconstricting response, heavy drinking can cause high blood pressure.

Research does suggest that in people over forty-five years of age, drinking a small amount of wine on a regular basis can help keep blood levels of good and bad cholesterol in check.

Over what area should a force of 100 N act to produce a pressure of 500 Pascals?

Hello!

The definition of a pressure is a force over an area, or more precisely the quotient of a force acting perpendicularly to a flat surface, to the area of that surface:

P = F/A.

The unit of a pressure is Newton divided by meter squared, `N/m^2.`  It is called Pascal and is denoted as Pa. So it is simple to find an area when the pressure in Pa and the force in N are given:

...

Hello!

The definition of a pressure is a force over an area, or more precisely the quotient of a force acting perpendicularly to a flat surface, to the area of that surface:

P = F/A.

The unit of a pressure is Newton divided by meter squared, `N/m^2.`  It is called Pascal and is denoted as Pa. So it is simple to find an area when the pressure in Pa and the force in N are given:

A = F/P.

In our case it is equal to 100 N / 500 Pa = 0.2 `m^2.`  This is the answer.

Blaise Pascal (1623 – 1662) is a famous physicist, mathematician and philosopher who discovered among other things Pascal's Law (or principle) of transmission of fluid-pressure. The principle states that pressure exerted anywhere in a confined incompressible fluid is transmitted equally in all directions throughout the fluid.

Was Brutus a hero for assassinating Julius Caesar?

The nature of Brutus as either a hero or villain is open to differing opinions and this is based on the man’s character and his actions. Those who viewed Caesar as a hero would definitely view his killer as the villain, while on the other hand, those who recognized his outstanding character would consider him a hero. In my opinion, I consider Brutus a hero, not because he participated in the assassination of Caesar, but...

The nature of Brutus as either a hero or villain is open to differing opinions and this is based on the man’s character and his actions. Those who viewed Caesar as a hero would definitely view his killer as the villain, while on the other hand, those who recognized his outstanding character would consider him a hero. In my opinion, I consider Brutus a hero, not because he participated in the assassination of Caesar, but more so because of his reasons to take part in the murder.

Caesar was an ambitious leader and prior to his death he was making plans to establish himself as an emperor/ dictator. According to Brutus, his friend was turning against the republic and was soon going to become a tyrant who would restrict individual rights and freedoms. The other assassins were fueled by jealousy but Brutus was more concerned about the republic and the threat posed by his friend. In this regard, and for his actions to end Caesar’s life, Brutus would be considered a hero. Despite harboring intentions of becoming a dictator, Caesar had the overwhelming support of the people and according to Brutus, to save the republic his death was inevitable. Mark Antony recognized Brutus’s reasons and character as seen when he stated,

This was the noblest Roman of them all.

All the conspirators save only he

Did that they did in envy of great Caesar.

He only in a general honest thought

And common good to all made one of them.

His life was gentle, and the elements

So mixed in him that nature might stand up

And say to all the world "This was a man."

In Of Mice and Men, how are George's actions affected by his feelings of loneliness?

George has grown up with Lennie, who was raised by his Aunt Clara. After his aunt’s death, George makes himself responsible for Lennie’s care, who is unreliable when he is frightened and is a danger to himself and others. George frequently wonders what it would be like to be on his own, which Lennie hears and takes to heart. Yet George cannot bring himself to rid himself of Lennie, as much as he might say...

George has grown up with Lennie, who was raised by his Aunt Clara. After his aunt’s death, George makes himself responsible for Lennie’s care, who is unreliable when he is frightened and is a danger to himself and others. George frequently wonders what it would be like to be on his own, which Lennie hears and takes to heart. Yet George cannot bring himself to rid himself of Lennie, as much as he might say he wants to. As Lennie says, they are there to look out for each other, though George has the heavier responsibility. With Lennie attached, George has to maintain some distance between himself and the other ranch hands, though he does manage to go to town with the others, leaving Lennie at the ranch to look at his new puppy.

When George takes it upon himself to execute Lennie for the murder of Curlie’s wife, George goes about it in a kind, painless way, both for Lennie and seemingly himself. His attitude after being found with Lennie’s body seems to be cold and heartless, yet it is possible that he takes this attitude on himself in order to refrain from dealing with the pain and horror of what he managed to bring himself to do. Steinbeck leaves him on his own, doubtful that even Candy will prove a satisfactory companion.

Provide an example of a good thesis about ambition in Macbeth.

Ambition is certainly one of the dominant themes in Macbeth, and the play especially deals with the perils of unrestrained ambition which our hero, Macbeth, harbors. When analyzing ambition and its impact on others in the play, it would be useful to focus on the hero of the play, Macbeth. On many occasions, Macbeth states that it's solely his ambition to become the king which prompts him to forfeit his soul and become the indescribable...

Ambition is certainly one of the dominant themes in Macbeth, and the play especially deals with the perils of unrestrained ambition which our hero, Macbeth, harbors. When analyzing ambition and its impact on others in the play, it would be useful to focus on the hero of the play, Macbeth. On many occasions, Macbeth states that it's solely his ambition to become the king which prompts him to forfeit his soul and become the indescribable villain, devoid of conscience. My thesis would sound something like this --  In Macbeth, ambition is presented as a perilous force, which, when unrestrained, forces an individual to disintegrate under its influence.

Macbeth is aware that ambition is the one force driving him towards killing Duncan:

 I have no spur
 To prick the sides of my intent, but only
 Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself
 And falls on the other.

In addition to the witches' prophecy, which only intensifies Macbeth's ambition, and Lady Macbeth's constant persuasion to get rid of Duncan, Macbeth admits that his plan to kill Duncan emanates from his surreptitious ambition:

 The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step
 On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap,
 For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires;
 Let not light see my black and deep desires.

Macbeth's ambition proves to be quite unrestrained, and once he commits the first crime, the murder of Duncan, he cannot stop. He murders anyone who could potentially imperil his position as the king of Scotland. His ambition to remain unbeatable and untouchable makes him an irredeemable sinner, whose newly embraced role as a tyrannous and sinister leader robs him of sanity and humanity.

Eventually, the very same ambition which Macbeth succumbs to at the beginning of the play leads to his imminent annihilation at the end of the play.

What are the causes and the effects of the American Revolutionary War and the Civil War using social, political and economic factors?

Both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War had causes and effects that were related to economic, political, and social factors.

The following were causes and effects of the Revolutionary War.

• An economic cause of this war dealt with the British wanting the colonists to assume some of the costs of running the colonies. The British felt that since the colonists benefited from some of the actions of the British, such as being protected by...

Both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War had causes and effects that were related to economic, political, and social factors.

The following were causes and effects of the Revolutionary War.

• An economic cause of this war dealt with the British wanting the colonists to assume some of the costs of running the colonies. The British felt that since the colonists benefited from some of the actions of the British, such as being protected by them, they should share in the cost of these benefits. This led to the passage of unpopular tax laws such as the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts. After the Revolutionary War, the colonists were no longer subjected to British taxes and to British economic policies.


• A political cause of the war focused on the feeling the colonists had that the British were violating their rights. They believed the tax laws were illegal because the colonists didn’t have representatives in Parliament to talk about and to vote on these proposed tax laws. After the war, the colonists elected representatives who would make the laws for them.


• A social cause of the war referenced the belief that the British weren’t respecting the colonists and treating them well. The Boston Massacre and the Intolerable Acts were examples of this poor treatment. After the war, the colonists were no longer dependent on the British for the things they wanted to do.

 The following were causes and effects of the Civil War.

• An economic cause of the Civil War focused on the different economic needs of the North and of the South. The North was primarily industrial. They favored protective tariffs and supported internal improvement projects. The South was mainly agricultural. They were against protective tariffs and against internal improvement projects, especially if these projects raised taxes. As a result of the Civil War, the South diversified its economy. Agriculture was still very important, and more industries developed. Our transportation system also expanded throughout the country. The North continued to have many industries.


• A political cause of the Civil War focused on slavery and the spread of it. President Lincoln was against slavery. However, he would have allowed slavery to remain where it was if that would have kept the country together. However, he didn’t want it to spread. The South believed President Lincoln was going to end slavery. This is part of the reason why the southern states seceded from the Union. As a result of the Civil War, slavery ended with the passage of the 13th amendment.


• A social cause of the Civil War focused on keeping the whites in power and in control of society, especially in the South. Many southerners couldn’t image a society where blacks and whites were equal. As a result of the Civil War, there was more equality between the races, at least for a period of time while Reconstruction was occurring.

Both wars had various factors that led to the beginning of the fighting.

Why does the sniper shoot the man in the armored car and shoot the woman?

This short story is set during the Irish Civil War. The two warring sides are the Republicans and the Free Staters. The protagonist, "the sniper," fights on the Republican side. As a sniper, in this case, he is on his own. 

After eating a sandwich, the sniper lights a cigarette and his enemy, a different sniper for the Free Staters, sees the smoke and fires at him. At this point, the enemy sniper knows his...

This short story is set during the Irish Civil War. The two warring sides are the Republicans and the Free Staters. The protagonist, "the sniper," fights on the Republican side. As a sniper, in this case, he is on his own. 

After eating a sandwich, the sniper lights a cigarette and his enemy, a different sniper for the Free Staters, sees the smoke and fires at him. At this point, the enemy sniper knows his position.

The armored car approaches. An old woman informs a soldier in the turret of the armored car of the sniper's (protagonist's) position. The sniper shoots the man in the turret when he is in view. He needs to do this before that soldier can attack him or inform other soldiers of the sniper's position. Then the sniper shoots the old woman to prevent her from informing any others. 

The sniper kills these two in order to protect himself. As the narrator notes, the sniper has become "used to looking at death." He understands that if he does not kill the enemy, he will be killed. 

Does Nick trust Gatsby in chapter 4?

Not particularly, no.  When Gatsby tells Nick the story about being the son of a wealthy family from the Middle West who went to Oxford because it was a family tradition, he "looked at [Nick] sideways," and Nick says that he began to understand why Jordan always thought Gatsby lied.  Such a look, as though Gatsby can't look Nick straight in the eye, or as though he is checking to see Nick's reaction to the...

Not particularly, no.  When Gatsby tells Nick the story about being the son of a wealthy family from the Middle West who went to Oxford because it was a family tradition, he "looked at [Nick] sideways," and Nick says that he began to understand why Jordan always thought Gatsby lied.  Such a look, as though Gatsby can't look Nick straight in the eye, or as though he is checking to see Nick's reaction to the claim, indicates a lack of honesty.  Gatsby "hurried the phrase" that he had gone to school at Oxford, and, Nick says, "with this doubt, his whole statement fell to pieces." Nick actually wonders if there is something a bit menacing about him; it seems so odd to tell such lies. 

When Nick asks Gatsby what part of the Middle West he came from, Gatsby replies, "'San Francisco,'" a city that is really not at all a part of the "Middle West."  Further, Nick later says that he thought that Gatsby "was pulling [his] leg" with another part of his story, the part about his family "all [dying]" and him coming into a bunch of money, but Gatsby was actually serious.  Further, Nick says that it took a good deal of effort to "restrain [his] incredulous laughter" because Gatsby's stories about globe-trotting were so trite and storybook that they simply could not possibly be real; he felt like he was "skimming hastily through a dozen magazines."  Therefore, Nick seems to like Gatsby, to be fascinated by him, but he cannot be said to trust him, not at this point. 

Why does Lady Macbeth's character change?

It seems that Lady Macbeth's character undergoes a change when her guilty conscience becomes too much for her to bear.  In Act 5, Scene 1, the sleepwalking scene, she is clearly reliving the night of Duncan's murder, except now she imagines that her hands are still stained with his blood.  At the time, she'd said, "a little water clears us of this deed" (2.2.86); now, however, she says that "All the perfumes of Arabia will...

It seems that Lady Macbeth's character undergoes a change when her guilty conscience becomes too much for her to bear.  In Act 5, Scene 1, the sleepwalking scene, she is clearly reliving the night of Duncan's murder, except now she imagines that her hands are still stained with his blood.  At the time, she'd said, "a little water clears us of this deed" (2.2.86); now, however, she says that "All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand" (5.1.52-55). 

Further, it was Macbeth who initially feared that he would not be able to sleep anymore because he murdered Duncan while he was sleeping; now, it is Lady Macbeth who cannot sleep due to guilt. She remembers chastising Macbeth for what she perceived as weakness and cowardice, and she repeats many of these phrases, but they are peppered with references to Duncan's blood, Macduff's family, and her inability to wash the blood from her hands. In Macbeth, she's created a monster who will do anything to hold on to the power that he is taken by force, including things she never planned on, like when he orders the murders of Macduff's wife and small children.  While she sleepwalks, she says, "The Thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now?" (5.1.44-45).  It seems that she she bears some of the guilt for these deaths as well, because it was she who coerced Macbeth to commit the first murder.

Also notable is the fact that Lady Macbeth no longer speaks in verse, as she has always done in the past.  Shakespeare typically reserves verse for nobility, but he also sometimes has characters speak in prose to indicate some kind of mental break. (For example, Ophelia, in Hamlet, speaks in prose after she's gone mad, and Hamlet speaks in prose when he wants others to believe that he's gone mad.) Now, Lady Macbeth speaks in prose, and this gives us some clue as to just how guilty she feels, so guilty that it has driven her insane. 

What could be a thesis statement for jealousy vs. resentment in A Separate Peace by John Knowles?

Jealousy vs. resentment sounds like a good topic for a compare/contrast essay about A Separate Peaceby John Knowles. One could first start by examining characters who deal with both feelings, such as Gene and Leper. Look  for times throughout the book when each boy admires someone else to the point of jealousy. Then look for times when that same character wishes pain or failure on someone else and that will be where the resentment...

Jealousy vs. resentment sounds like a good topic for a compare/contrast essay about A Separate Peace by John Knowles. One could first start by examining characters who deal with both feelings, such as Gene and Leper. Look  for times throughout the book when each boy admires someone else to the point of jealousy. Then look for times when that same character wishes pain or failure on someone else and that will be where the resentment lies. Sometimes it is easier to write these thoughts down first and then rethink the thesis statement after examining the evidence. For example, Gene becomes jealous after his best friend Phineas breaks the school swimming record by saying the following:

"To keep silent about this amazing happening deepened the shock for me. It made Finny seem too unusual for--not friendship, but too unusual for rivalry. And there were few relationship among us at Devon not based on rivalry" (45).

Here Gene is jealous because he can't resent his friend for being humble. The word "rivalry" suggests competition between the boys--all of the boys at the school. A defeat during or after a competition generally leads Gene to feel resentment, as in the following realization:

"I found it. I found a single sustaining thought. The thought was, You and Phineas are even already. You are even in enmity. You are both coldly driving ahead for yourselves alone. You did hate him for breaking that school swimming record, but so what? He hated you for getting an A in every course but one last term" (53).

The "enmity" he feels equals resentment here; hence, one could compare these two quotes and determine a thesis statement from these examples which would also be great to use in an essay. The thesis statement could be, "Jealousy and resentment are compounded in Gene Forrester in nearly every conflict or competition between him and his best friend Phineas."

How can I compare and contrast Daisy Buchanan from The Great Gatsby and Mayella Ewell from To Kill A Mockingbird?

There are many differences between Daisy Buchanan and Mayella Ewell. To begin with, Daisy is an adult woman with a marriage and baby of her own, while Mayella is still living in her father's house and taking care of her younger siblings. Daisy is rich, beautiful, and lives a shallow life of material excess, while Mayella is dirt-poor and unkempt. Daisy's home is in an affluent neighborhood, while Mayella lives on the outskirts of town...

There are many differences between Daisy Buchanan and Mayella Ewell. To begin with, Daisy is an adult woman with a marriage and baby of her own, while Mayella is still living in her father's house and taking care of her younger siblings. Daisy is rich, beautiful, and lives a shallow life of material excess, while Mayella is dirt-poor and unkempt. Daisy's home is in an affluent neighborhood, while Mayella lives on the outskirts of town next to the town dump. Daisy's attitudes about life are revealed in her lifestyle choices, including her flapperish drinking and smoking, her lack of time spent with her daughter, and her marital problems. Mayella does not have the financial means to experience the lifestyle that Daisy leads, and her problems are thus not of the same flavor as Daisy's. Mayella's attitudes about life stem rather from living in poverty, being abused and neglected by her father, and harboring resentment due to racial and economic tension.

While their lives are very different, Daisy Buchanan and Mayella Ewell do have some important things in common. Both young women are very lonely people who desperately want to find affection from others. Both are trapped in the lives that they lead (Daisy's loveless marriage and Mayella's membership in the universally-disliked and poverty-stricken Ewell clan). Daisy's flirtatious friendship with Jay Gatsby damages her marriage further than it already was damaged, and Mayella's advances with Tom Robinson put her and Tom both into trouble with Mayella's father. Eventually these attempts by both Daisy and Mayella to feel loved lead to the death of other characters: Daisy kills Myrtle Wilson in a hit-and-run car accident while emotionally upset due to an unpleasant scene with Daisy's husband, thus is also not blameless in the eventual killing of Gatsby by recently-deceased Myrtle's enraged husband; Mayella inadvertently causes the death of Tom Robinson by falsely implicating him in a rape trial, after which he was killed as he tried to escape custody that he should never have been put into.

The reactions of both Daisy and Mayella to the grief and harm they cause to other people are also noteworthy. Daisy, while too shaken up to continue driving after the accident, does not stop to help her victim or appear at any time to receive any consequences for what she has done. Mayella, while emotional during the trial for her alleged rape, shows callous disregard for the fact that she is putting Tom Robinson in danger of being killed if he should be found guilty. In fact she is adamant that her accusation is true and that she does not want to talk about it any further. There is evidence that Mayella has been abused by her father instead of Tom and is accusing Tom in order to protect herself from further punishment. Daisy is also guided by fear in the aftermath of killing Myrtle. Ultimately both women had an opportunity to do the right thing for their victims by stopping and acknowledging their own wrong-doing, but neither woman was strong or free enough to do it.