What are some examples of cognitivism theories and their relation to class education?

Behaviorist theories of learning dominated the classroom through the 1950s and eventually gave way to cognitivism as the focus (among educators) shifted from observable acts (e.g. performance outcomes) to concept formation, problem-solving, and information processing. Today, cognitivism remains the dominant model of learning for classroom education, despite newly increasing (though still marginal) excitement for the relevance of constructivism. While Gestalt (holistic) psychology and the work of Jean Piaget remain seminal to the development of cognitivism...

Behaviorist theories of learning dominated the classroom through the 1950s and eventually gave way to cognitivism as the focus (among educators) shifted from observable acts (e.g. performance outcomes) to concept formation, problem-solving, and information processing. Today, cognitivism remains the dominant model of learning for classroom education, despite newly increasing (though still marginal) excitement for the relevance of constructivism. While Gestalt (holistic) psychology and the work of Jean Piaget remain seminal to the development of cognitivism -- the specificities of the various contributors -- generally coalesce around the concerns for learning as process and the strategies the mind deploys for receiving, organizing, storing, and retrieving information. Cognitivism assigns a prominent role for memory -- and therefore influences the use of matrices, analogies, hierarchies, etc as educational techniques designed to create and sustain relationships between prior knowledge and new information. Another technique used is the simplification and standardization of knowledge into more optimally digestible information (to be either assimilated or accommodated -- as the two ways Piaget argued mental schemas adapt to new data). Lastly, feedback plays a crucial role in learning models influenced by cognitivism theories.

Describe the "down under." Does Max like the down under?

Max lives with his grandparents, Gram and Grim.  He has to live with them because his mother is dead and his father is in jail.  Max lives in their basement.  He calls it "The Down Under."  It's not a nice looking basement.  It's straight out of the 1960's.  It has paneling glued up against the concrete block wall, and the glue is starting to let go.  The floor smells damp too.  All in all, it...

Max lives with his grandparents, Gram and Grim.  He has to live with them because his mother is dead and his father is in jail.  Max lives in their basement.  He calls it "The Down Under."  It's not a nice looking basement.  It's straight out of the 1960's.  It has paneling glued up against the concrete block wall, and the glue is starting to let go.  The floor smells damp too.  All in all, it feels like a dark hole in the ground.  

Glued up this cheap paneling, right? It sort of buckles away from the concrete cellar walls, a regular ripple effect, but do I complain about the crummy paneling, or the rug that smells like low tide?

Yes, Max likes the down under.  He likes it a lot.  He likes it because it gives him privacy.  The down under gives him privacy from his grandparents.  They don't go down there very much.  It also gives him privacy from the world.  Max likes that because he does not have a very high opinion of himself, so the basement is his sanctuary.  

Because I like it in the down under, got the place all to myself and no fear of Gram - sticking her head in the door and saying Maxwell dear, what are you doing?

Electric force between two point charges q&Q at rest is F. Now, if a charge -q is placed next to 'q', what will be the (A) force on Q due to q (B)...

`F = k (qQ)/r^2` , where k is a constant and r is the distance between the two charges. In the given problem, we have the two charges q and Q and the force F between the two of them is known.

When another charge is added to the system, the total force on Q will change, since there will be another force on Q acting from another charge. However, the force from...

`F = k (qQ)/r^2` , where k is a constant and r is the distance between the two charges. In the given problem, we have the two charges q and Q and the force F between the two of them is known.

When another charge is added to the system, the total force on Q will change, since there will be another force on Q acting from another charge. However, the force from the original charge q on Q will remain unchanged, it will still be determined by the Coulomb's Law and equal F.

So, the answer for A) is F.

If another charge equals -q, and it is placed next the charge q, then the distance between this charge and Q is the same as that between q and Q. Therefore,  the force between this charge and Q will be

`k(-qQ)/r^2 = -F` , the force equal in magnitude but opposite in direction to the force F between q and Q.

The total force on Q will then be F + (-F) = 0.

B) The total force on Q is 0.

What was the factory act of 1833?

As the Industrial Revolution took hold, thousands of factories were built across the country.  Since there was no real precedent for these factories, there weren't any laws to regulate them or to protect the workers.  Therefore, there were many accidents and deaths that occurred because of the dangerous machinery, long work hours, and poor treatment of workers.  The workers often included very young children who often suffered under long hours, difficult work, harsh punishments for...

As the Industrial Revolution took hold, thousands of factories were built across the country.  Since there was no real precedent for these factories, there weren't any laws to regulate them or to protect the workers.  Therefore, there were many accidents and deaths that occurred because of the dangerous machinery, long work hours, and poor treatment of workers.  The workers often included very young children who often suffered under long hours, difficult work, harsh punishments for mistakes, and serious and often life threatening bodily harmed caused by the machines.

Once investigations uncovered the dangerous conditions these children were working in, there was a movement to regulate the industry.  This movement was known as the "10 hour movement" since they were pushing for a reduced work day for children under the age of 16.  Of course, there was push back by factory owners who charged that regulation would cost them time and money. There were also some families who didn't want regulations because they needed their children to work to help support the family.  However, the reformers prevailed and The Factory Act of 1833 was passed with the goal of improving working conditions for these children.  

The Factory Act included the following provisions: no children under 9 could work in the factories, children aged 9 to 13 could work no more than 48 hours a week, children aged 9-13 could only work 8 hours a day, children between the ages of 13 and 18 could only work 12 hours a day, and children under the age of 13 had to receive 2 hours of schooling a day.  Perhaps the most important characteristic of the Factory Act was that it created a "inspectorate of factories", a group charged with ensuring that the new regulations were being followed.  Sadly, the group was much to small (only having four members) to handle the task, so the Act was not widely followed, however it started the precedent for the government oversight that was needed to ensure the safety of the workers.

Can someone please help me rewrite or fix those mistakes on my argumentative paper attached below? Also, please help me come up with a better claim...

You have a very well organized essay here, but the issues your teacher has raised do point out the main problem: your supports don’t necessarily prove either your thesis or your topic sentences. Therefore, the problem with your essay can easily be fixed by making your thesis and topic sentences more clear and removing items that act as opposition (and putting them where they belong: in an opposition paragraph). It is a structural problem that could be improved upon even at the outline stage of an essay, but we can certainly work on it now. With a few simple changes, we can easily make your persuasive/argumentative piece a model essay.

In looking at your essay, it does seem that your teacher likes the idea of opposition included in an argumentative essay. I am going to suggest that, as a result, your paragraph structure look like this: introduction, opposition (first body paragraph), economic downturns (second body paragraph), the poverty cycle (third body paragraph), and conclusion. As it stands now, your last two body paragraphs are both about how government assistance tries to help. I am going to suggest to combine those into one (a final body paragraph).

INTRODUCTION AND THESIS

Your introductory paragraph is strong just the way it is. My suggestion would be to change your thesis to be more specific.

Original thesis: Some people may believe that there is a way to break the cycle of poverty, but in this essay I will argue that poverty has been a struggle historically that this will always be the case.

An Improved Suggestion: Despite a barrage of governmental programs designed to help, poverty will always exist due to continual economic downturns (such as Depressions and Recessions) and the cycle that poverty creates.

Reasoning: This is a very specific thesis statement refuting your opposition and stating the “rationale” your teacher asked for as to why poverty still exists. Your teacher put a box around “I will argue” because any time you use the word “I” in an essay, it weakens your argument. Just take it out. State everything as truth. This makes your essay stronger.

FIRST BODY PARAGRAPH: OPPOSITION

Now let us move on to your first body paragraph. Your first body paragraph is actually your strongest to support your thesis about poverty, so I would suggest moving it later and putting an actual opposition paragraph first. If you look back at the suggested thesis (above), you will see where I am getting the idea for the topic sentence.

New Topic Sentence: The United States government has unsuccessfully tried to create a large amount of governmental programs to help people out of poverty.

Supports: Any sentences in your essay that show how the government has truly “helped,” should go here in this paragraph. In my opinion, the first half of your second paragraph (your first “body paragraph”) should go here. This is why your teacher put a line on the left side of the last few sentences of that paragraph.

SECOND BODY PARAGRAPH: POVERTY DUE TO ECONOMIC DOWNTURNS

Original Topic Sentence: The rise in poverty is related to the Great Recession of 2007 which continues to the present day.

An Improved Suggestion: Due to our economic system of capitalism, both recessions and depressions are a continual economic reality.

Supports: The supports from the census bureau the second paragraph you have written should go here. Anything about what you call “the Great Recession” should go here. These are very good supports. I would suggest you add The Great Depression and its statistics as other supports here. This shows that the United States has a history of an economic roller coaster.

FINAL BODY PARAGRAPH: POVERTY CREATES A CYCLE

New Topic Sentence: It is evident from US History (and the US Census Bureau) that poverty creates a cycle.

Supports: The second half of your third paragraph absolutely belongs here. It is the group of sentences that begin with, “When families rely on government assistance …” and end with “… they will rely on the government for help. It is very important that you go back to the census bureau and find statistics to support this. This shouldn’t be very hard. Perhaps you could find the statistic about children of poverty remain in poverty as adults and/or number of poverty stricken teens that get pregnant. Any of the sentences you write that refer to the “cycle of poverty” also go here in this paragraph. Further, all of the statistics from your original fourth paragraph (your third body paragraph) go here. It is especially important to include the support about poverty rates only changing a tiny bit in times of recession and times of prosperity. I would also add the statistic from the Great Depression (when poverty was at 25%). That is only a 14% difference from our time of greatest prosperity that you cite (1973).

CONCLUSION

Reworded Thesis (which always goes first): Even though many United States programs are meant to help people out of poverty, the unfortunate truth is that poverty will always exist due to capitalistic downturns and the poverty cycle.

Much of your conclusion can stay the same, but be careful not to say “it is true that” the cycle of poverty could end, “but it is never going to work that way.” That is a paradox. Just sum up your essay and then end with another powerful quotation about poverty similar to the one in your introduction.

What is the theme of The Witch of Blackbird Pond?

Most novels have many themes.  The Witch of Blackbird Pond is no exception.  You can find key themes by reading the novel.  What are some ideas that are shown throughout the book when you read it?  Here are a few themes with textual evidence from the story:

- Kit shows loyal friendship throughout the story.  She befriends Hannah Tupper, who is not accepted in the town because she is mysterious and a Quaker.  Kit...

Most novels have many themes.  The Witch of Blackbird Pond is no exception.  You can find key themes by reading the novel.  What are some ideas that are shown throughout the book when you read it?  Here are a few themes with textual evidence from the story:

- Kit shows loyal friendship throughout the story.  She befriends Hannah Tupper, who is not accepted in the town because she is mysterious and a Quaker.  Kit is loyal to her even though their friendship is frowned upon.

-  Duty is important to daily life in Puritan Connecticut.  Aunt Rachel, Mercy, and Judith are dutiful to their daily chores and the expectations of their community and Uncle Matthew.  They work all day to run the household.

-  Love is shown throughout the story.  Kit shows love to Hannah Tupper and lonely Prudence.  She shows love to Mercy by going to Mr. Kimberley (a man who "'isn't known for changing his mind'") and negotiating about her cousin's position as the dame school teacher.

What repeated ideas do you see when you read the novel?  What characteristics do the main characters have?  Are these characteristics shown repeatedly?  These are ways that you can find a theme.

What is informative literature? |

Informative literature is based in fact, and its purpose is to teach or explain. It is one form of nonfiction literature. Informative literature can take many forms such as textbooks, brochures, educational papers, charts, instructional websites, advertisements, historical documents, and there are many more examples. When reading informative test, the reader is looking for information about a specific subject, person, or idea. Text features often include labels and page headings. Reading the nutritional data on...

Informative literature is based in fact, and its purpose is to teach or explain. It is one form of nonfiction literature. Informative literature can take many forms such as textbooks, brochures, educational papers, charts, instructional websites, advertisements, historical documents, and there are many more examples. When reading informative test, the reader is looking for information about a specific subject, person, or idea. Text features often include labels and page headings. Reading the nutritional data on the label of a food item and reading about the effects of global warming written by an expert are examples of informative. Informative text is not written for the purpose of entertainment although many readers enjoy reading facts about their favorite animal, national park, historical event or an upcoming political debate. The opposite of informative literature would be imaginative literature. Imaginative literature includes novels, plays, and poetry which play into the emotions and feelings of the reader.

In the short story "A Rose For Emily," does the fact that Emily is a woman factor into the lonely aspect?

In my opinion, the fact that Miss Emily is a female is a major factor in her loneliness. This is because of the nature of the society in which she has been raised.  She has been raised to be a Southern belle, by a dominating father.  This means that her father was expected to approve or disapprove any suitors, choose with whom she could associate, and see to it that she was educated in a way that promoted her loneliness.

A male raised in this time and place would be more likely to choose his own mate. But Miss Emily's father disapproved of all the suitors who presented themselves, thus assuring that Miss Emily did not marry beneath her, but stayed at home instead, caring for her father, and living a lonely life.

Because the Grierson family was the wealthiest in town, the ruling class, really, Miss Emily was raised to avoid any association with the townspeople, who were not up to par socially.  A male would have had the freedom to associate with anyone, perhaps not inviting townspeople to dinner, but certainly having the wherewithal to come and go and befriend others outside the house. Males were accorded a great deal more latitude than females in setting.

We can infer that Miss Emily's education prepared her only to be a suitable wife for a wealthy man. It did not prepare her to get a job, which would have allowed her a whole new world of relationships.  A male would have been educated for employment, I would say, so he would have worked at something and been far less lonely.

This story could never have realistically played out the way it did if Emily had been a son instead of a daughter. It was only Miss Emily, the Southern belle, who could have been subjected to these conditions, conditions that caused her a lonely life and a lonely death. 

Give a summary of lines 1-6 of the Prologue to Antigone.

In the Prologue to Antigone, the first six lines are Antigone's statement to her sister Ismene:

"Ismene, dear sister, / You would think that we had already suffered enough / For the curse on Oedipus: / I cannot imagine any grief / That you and I have not gone through. And now –– / Have they told you of the new decree of our King Creon?"

In these lines, Antigone recalls the curse that has...

In the Prologue to Antigone, the first six lines are Antigone's statement to her sister Ismene:

"Ismene, dear sister, / You would think that we had already suffered enough / For the curse on Oedipus: / I cannot imagine any grief / That you and I have not gone through. And now –– / Have they told you of the new decree of our King Creon?"

In these lines, Antigone recalls the curse that has been put on her family because of the poor, misguided actions of her father Oedipus, who, blinded by his own hubris, tried to outwit his fate. Antigone says that she and her sister Ismene have already suffered terrible loss: both their parents are dead, and now both brothers too. Antigone then refers to the decree that Creon has made in Thebes, which the reader will soon learn is death to anyone who attempts to bury the body of Polynices, Antigone's and Ismene's brother, whom Creon considers a traitor to Thebes.  These opening six lines set up the central conflict of the play--is it better to suffer and obey the laws of the king or the laws of the gods?

I am expected to write a five-page paper this week. I need some ideas for a thesis about slavery, that uses eight separate documents from the...

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." --Declaration of Independence

Thesis statement on slavery:

When the thirteen colonies of the Americas broke free from the tyranny of a monarch thousands of miles across the Atlantic, high expectations existed. It was an optimism that the enlightenment dreams of...

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." --Declaration of Independence

Thesis statement on slavery:

When the thirteen colonies of the Americas broke free from the tyranny of a monarch thousands of miles across the Atlantic, high expectations existed. It was an optimism that the enlightenment dreams of liberty and representative government were finally realized. This optimism, however, was not meant for millions of slaves that were forced to work on plantations for the economic well-being of this newfound republic. It would take over a century for this disenfranchised population to realize liberty and citizenship.

Use the following eight documents from the textbook:

• A Slave to Thomas Jefferson, November 30, 1808, Chapter 10


• Bennet Barrow, Highland Plantation Journal, May 1, 1838, Chapter 13


• Frances Anne Kemble, Journal of a Residence on a Georgian Plantation in 1838-1839, Chapter 13


• The Confessions of Nat Turner, 1831, Chapter 13 


• Interview, 1873, Chapter 13


• Frederick Douglass, The Constitution of the United States: Is It Proslavery or Antislavery? 1860, Chapter 14


• Correspondence between Lydia Maria Child and Virginia Governor Henry A. Wise, 1859, Chapter 14

After reading the eight documents and recording notes, try to identify seven or eight themes or topics from the readings. Organize those themes into paragraphs in which you cite or quote information from the documents within the paragraphs.

How is nature presented in "To Autumn" by John Keats?

In the poem, nature is presented as mankind's benefactor. The entire poem describes one of the four seasons that routinely visit the human experience: autumn. 

In the first stanza, autumn is pregnant with "mellow fruitfulness." The harvests in early autumn promise a delightful gastronomic experience. The "moss'd cottage-trees" are bent with the heavy weight of luscious apples. Autumn conspires with the "maturing sun" to bring to perfect ripeness the fruits of the season. In this stanza, autumn is unequivocally described as mankind's benefactor.

The same theme continues in the second stanza. Autumn is personified as an illustrious worker, one who threshes the field, gleans the fruits of nature, and works the cider press. In this stanza, nature is both provider and producer.

In the last stanza, autumn is said to have its own song, distinct from that of other seasons. Indeed, autumn reveals its beauty through its unique panoramic vitality. In the fall, the "wailful choir" of small gnats is heard next to the bleating of "full-grown lambs," the singing of hedge-crickets, the whistling of red robins, and the twittering of gathering swallows. In the poem, nature is presented as mankind's benefactor, one who impresses itself on each of our five senses.

How would you summarize the first four chapters of Hard Times by Charles Dickens?

The first four chapters of Charles Dickens’ Hard Times are used not only to establish the characters of the novel, but also to give readers a sense of the rigid Utilitarian philosophies that Dickens skewers throughout the remainder of the text. Indeed, the first chapter opens with a glimpse into an educational system that emphasizes staunch Utilitarian values and actively kills students’ imaginations:

“Now what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing...

The first four chapters of Charles Dickens’ Hard Times are used not only to establish the characters of the novel, but also to give readers a sense of the rigid Utilitarian philosophies that Dickens skewers throughout the remainder of the text. Indeed, the first chapter opens with a glimpse into an educational system that emphasizes staunch Utilitarian values and actively kills students’ imaginations:

“Now what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything else” (5).

The second chapter continues with this motif when Sissy Jupe’s description of a horse is disregarded in favor of a scientific definition. Thomas Gradgrind reinforces his restrictive mindset to the students:

“You are to be in all things regulated and governed... by fact. We hope to have, before long, a board of fact, composed of commissioners of fact, who will force the people to be a people of fact, and of nothing but fact. You must discard the word Fancy altogether” (9).

Chapter three is important because it introduces the Gradgrind family and illustrates how the patriarch’s ideology is destructive to his children’s spirits. A key scene within this chapter is when Louisa and her brother are caught enjoying “Sleary’s Horse-riding” show in secret. They indulge in the world of Fancy, and this infuriates their father.

Finally, in chapter four, Dickens introduces the detestable figure of Mr. Josiah Bounderby, a loathsome caricature of a wealthy businessman who boasts about being self-made. He espouses Social Darwinism, and Dickens uses this character to critique this harmful ideology.

Thus, the first four chapters set up the characters and themes of the remainder of Hard Times.   

What three historical documents define governments that give sovereign rights to the people?

Throughout history, most governments have been founded on the absolute authority of a sovereign ruler: a king or queen. The earliest document that wrested this power away and granted rights to the people was the Magna Carta. Signed by King John of England at Windsor in 1215, the Magna Carta was meant to appease several rebelling noblemen and granted certain powers to the Church and populace while placing limits on the reach of the Crown....

Throughout history, most governments have been founded on the absolute authority of a sovereign ruler: a king or queen. The earliest document that wrested this power away and granted rights to the people was the Magna Carta. Signed by King John of England at Windsor in 1215, the Magna Carta was meant to appease several rebelling noblemen and granted certain powers to the Church and populace while placing limits on the reach of the Crown. Though neither the king nor the rebels honored their agreement, the Magna Carta stands as a symbol of the first time rights were guaranteed to subjects by a legal document.

In 1776, Thomas Jefferson drafted a Declaration of Independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. In it, he established that people are "endowed...with certain unalienable rights." These rights, to life, to liberty, and to the pursuit of happiness, denied the absolute rule of the king, and would become the foundation for the codified and clearly outlined Bill of Rights.

After gaining independence from Britain in 1783, the American Continental Congress set about writing a Constitution of the United States, which defined the systems by which the new government would function. As an addendum to that Constitution, they added ten Amendments to the Constitution that explicitly defined the rights of the citizens of the United States of America. These rights are at the center of American Constitutional law, and are intended to place the power of governance firmly in the hands of the people.

What reassures the boy that he is destined to travel east?

While John is on the journey he feels he is destined to take, he gets several “signs” that he is doing the right thing. These signs are based on superstitions believed by the primitive Hill society in which John lives. John is apprehensive as he takes off on his journey; however, when he sees an eagle flying east, he knows that he is going in the right direction to fulfill his dream of finding the...

While John is on the journey he feels he is destined to take, he gets several “signs” that he is doing the right thing. These signs are based on superstitions believed by the primitive Hill society in which John lives. John is apprehensive as he takes off on his journey; however, when he sees an eagle flying east, he knows that he is going in the right direction to fulfill his dream of finding the Place of the Gods.  John also sees three deer with a white fawn heading east during his time of meditation and fasting, and he realizes that it is a “holy” sign.  The final sign that John gets is when he kills a panther that attacks the white fawn.  He kills it in one shot and roasts the meat of the panther for his dinner. John also finds a knife and avoids a hunting party of the Forest people.  At this point in the story, John says, “So I knew my magic was strong and my journey clean, in spite of the law.” The gods seem to have provided a way for John to be successful on each step of his journey, and John sees all of these signs as positive for what he wishes to accomplish.

Explain in what way the title of the poem "The Collar" by George Hughes relates to its content.

Firstly, the word collar has a number of connotations, both literal and figurative. In the normal sense of the word, a collar may be part of ones clothing, it could also be a reference to the white band which the clergy wear around their necks to indicate their profession, a collar is also used to restrict animals or to identify them. Added to this one can allude to someone being collared in a figurative sense, meaning that he/she has been caught or restricted in some way.

All of these definitions are apt in the context of the poem. Firstly, as used in the title, the poet's reference may be to the clerical collar, since he was a priest. This emphasises the significance of this small garment in the identification of a member of the clergy. They are generally associated with redemption, morality, spirituality and goodness.

It becomes quite clear that the speaker is rebelling against the restrictive nature of his calling. He violently declares in the first few lines: 

I struck the board, and cried, "No more;

                         I will abroad!

What? shall I ever sigh and pine?

My lines and life are free, free as the road,

Loose as the wind, as large as store.

          Shall I be still in suit?

The speaker has apparently had enough of his spiritual duty and wishes to go 'abroad', not necessarily an actual journey, but a release so that he may do something else. He is clearly desirous to express himself freely and wants to 'sigh and pine' as others do. He wants the freedom to complain, but his faith demands that he bear his burdens patiently and not wallow in self-pity and negativity. His demeanour should always be pleasant but he seemingly has had enough of that. He insists that he has the freedom to complain, but he feels bound by the ethical requirements of his religion and his position. He therefore asks, rhetorically, whether he should still be 'in suit', i.e. should he not discard the garments of his profession, for they are part of that which limit him?

The speaker continues in the same vein in the proceeding lines, asking rhetorical questions about what he has lost during his period of priestly service. He longs for the more material pleasures of the world and wants to cease his emotional and physical suffering. He feels that he has lost much and it has become time to savour that which he has been denied. In his heart he feels the longing for these pleasures and wants to recover the time he has lost by doubling his enjoyment of such denied pleasures.

The speaker refers more specifically to the ties that bind him by using terms such as: 'cage', 'rope of sands' and 'good cable'. These images all have a restrictive quality about them and emphasises the speaker's wish to be free of them. For him, those were the rules that applied to his work but he asserts that he must rid himself of his fears. He addresses some unknown entity (possibly God) to take note that he will leave. He ironically states that those who 'forbear', i.e. resist the temptation to 'suit and serve his need' deserve the load that they are burdened with. What he means is that those who choose not to be self-serving and persist in serving God, should not complain about the burdens they have to carry. Seemingly, he does not want to have this collar (burden) around his neck any longer.

There is, however, an ironic twist at the end of the poem for the speaker declares that as his protests grew more voluminous, he thought he heard a voice cry out to him, Child! and he replied: My Lord. This is a clear indication that the speaker felt that he had been chastised for expressing such doubt about his calling and, in obedience, cried out to his master (God). The irony lies in the fact that the speaker obeyed immediately when he was castigated and would obviously comply to what is asked, making insignificant all his complaints.

When did the War of 1812 take place?

The answer to this question may seem somewhat obvious, but in reality the War of 1812, which did, in fact, begin in 1812, was an extension of a long-running conflict between the United States and Great Britain over maritime issues and the alleged British role in supporting Native American groups in frontier conflicts with the United States. The United States declared war in 1812, and the war lasted until 1815. It witnessed a failed US...

The answer to this question may seem somewhat obvious, but in reality the War of 1812, which did, in fact, begin in 1812, was an extension of a long-running conflict between the United States and Great Britain over maritime issues and the alleged British role in supporting Native American groups in frontier conflicts with the United States. The United States declared war in 1812, and the war lasted until 1815. It witnessed a failed US invasion of Canada, the British occupation and burning of much of Washington, D.C., and several indecisive naval conflicts. The greatest American victory occurred at the Battle of New Orleans, where American forces under Andrew Jackson heavily defeated a British invasion force. Ironically, this battle occurred in January of 1815, about two weeks after American and British representatives had signed the Treaty of Ghent that ended the war. The news had not yet had time to reach the United States.

In what ways is Their Eyes Were Watching God a feminist novel?

Their Eyes Were Watching God is considered a feminist novel because the protagonist, Janie, finds her independence through her lived experiences, and she solidly develops her identity as a black woman. At the beginning of the novel, Janie's grandmother Nanny wants her to marry Logan Killicks, a much older man, so that he can take care of her. Janie does end up marrying him; however, she feels that he works her like a mule on...

Their Eyes Were Watching God is considered a feminist novel because the protagonist, Janie, finds her independence through her lived experiences, and she solidly develops her identity as a black woman. At the beginning of the novel, Janie's grandmother Nanny wants her to marry Logan Killicks, a much older man, so that he can take care of her. Janie does end up marrying him; however, she feels that he works her like a mule on the farm when all she wants is a little freedom to find herself and develop her identity. So when Jody Starks comes along, Janie is more than happy to leave Logan and run away with Jody. But her dreams of a life in which she is more free to express herself are crushed when Jody oppresses her and restricts her actions. Later, Janie does find more happiness with Tea Cake, but it is only after he dies that Janie truly comes into her own self. She returns to her house in town and struts through the streets, seemingly oblivious to the criticism of her neighbors. Janie has learned how to be her own person, and her journey is a fine example of feminist aims and goals.

What theme is developed throughout To Kill a Mockingbird? How?

The biggest and most obvious theme that runs throughout the novel gives the book its title, To Kill a Mockingbird.  Many characters in the novel are symbolized by the mockingbird. We are first introduced to this concept when Atticus tells Jem, “Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”  Miss Maudie further explains that because mockingbirds don’t harm anyone and are just hear to sing for us, it would be cruel to destroy them. 

Many characters represent the mockingbird through their loss of innocence. Boo Radley’s warm, child-like behavior in the novel shows how harmless and beautiful he truly is.  Both Jem and Scout are considered mockingbirds as well because they are innocent children who are forced to grow up in the turbulent time of racism and the Great Depression.  Tom Robinson is another mockingbird in the story. Unjustly accused of the rape of Mayella Ewell, Tom’s death embodies society’s sin of killing an innocent man.   

Throughout the story, the innocence of many characters is subjected to the sins of society through racism, violence, and oppression. Harper Lee’s use of the mockingbird as a symbol shows a theme of how society and man can destroy innocence.

Note: Some other characters considered mockingbirds could be Dill, Dolphus Raymond, and Mayella Ewell. 

How did the alliances between European countries lead to WWI?

I would argue that it is more accurate to say that the system of alliances caused WWI to become a major war once it started than to say that the alliances actually caused the war to begin.  Let us examine why this is.

The actual onset of the war was caused by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and the Austrian ultimatum to Serbia that followed it.  When the Archduke was assassinated, Austria-Hungary was enraged...

I would argue that it is more accurate to say that the system of alliances caused WWI to become a major war once it started than to say that the alliances actually caused the war to begin.  Let us examine why this is.

The actual onset of the war was caused by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and the Austrian ultimatum to Serbia that followed it.  When the Archduke was assassinated, Austria-Hungary was enraged and blamed Serbia for helping to stir up Slavic nationalism in the Balkans.  Therefore, they issued an ultimatum that Serbia could not possibly have complied with.  This started the war without any help from the system of alliances.

However, the war might have remained as a war between Austria and Serbia had it not been for the alliances.  The Russians entered because they were allied with the Serbs.  Then the Germans entered because they were allied with the Austrians.  Then France entered because of their treaty with Russia and Great Britain entered because of its treaty with France.  This, of course, brought all of Britain’s dominions into the war.  Thus, the system of alliances caused this war to become a world war.  What might have been a war between two countries became a general war that ended up affecting countries all over the world.

Why is Kovalev most upset that he has lost his nose?

In Nikolai Gogol’s “The Nose,” I argue that the major reason that Kovalev is concerned that he has lost his nose is that this will negatively affect his ability to court women. Kovalev is obviously distraught that he has lost his nose, but he seems most affected by the fact that he will have a harder time calling on the wives of titled men. Kovalev is an unrepentant bachelor with tendencies reminiscent of the archetypal rake. Indeed, critics have obviously labeled the nose as a phallic signifier and applied a Freudian reading to the tale, and this reading makes sense when one considers Kovalev’s rakish habits. He pleads his case to a clerk:

“Consider for yourself, how indeed can I do without such a conspicuous part of the body? It's not like some little toe that I can put in a boot and no one will see it's not there. On Thursdays I call on the wife of the state councillor Chekhtarev; Palageya Grigorievna Podtochina, a staff officer's wife-- and she has a very pretty daughter-- they, too are my very good acquaintances, and consider for yourself, now, how can I... I can't go to them now” (312).

Later, when Kovalev miraculously finds his nose reattached, he is overjoyed, and continues to lead his bachelor lifestyle:

“And the nose also sat on his face as if nothing was wrong, not even showing a sign that it had ever gone anywhere. And after that Major Kovalev was seen eternally in a good humor, smiling, chasing after decidedly all the pretty ladies, and even stopping once in front of a shop in the Merchants' Arcade to buy some ribbon or other, no one knows for what reason, since he was not himself the bearer of any decoration” (325).

Thus, the reason, for me, that Kovalev is most upset by the mysterious disappearance of his nose concerns his relationships with women. He is concerned with being viewed as ridiculous and unattractive, and is relieved to continue with his bachelor life once he regains his nose.

I pulled my textual support from The Collected Tales of Nikolai Gogol, translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky.

How does the chorus help Creon in the play Antigone?

In Antigone, the chorus tries to help Creon see the error of his ways. For example, at the end of Scene 2, the Choragos (the leader of the chorus) questions Creon's motive for wanting to also put Ismene to death even though she is not guilty of breaking the decree. The Choragos uses rhetorical questions to get Creon to see that his actions might be made in stubborn haste. Further, at the end of Scene...

In Antigone, the chorus tries to help Creon see the error of his ways. For example, at the end of Scene 2, the Choragos (the leader of the chorus) questions Creon's motive for wanting to also put Ismene to death even though she is not guilty of breaking the decree. The Choragos uses rhetorical questions to get Creon to see that his actions might be made in stubborn haste. Further, at the end of Scene 5, after Tiresias has departed, the Choragos tells Creon that he must at once free Antigone and give Polynices's body a proper burial. The Choragos says that Creon must not delay and that he must perform these acts with his own hand and not by proxy. By doing this himself, Creon takes direct responsibility for his own actions and makes amends for the wrong decisions that he has made. So, the chorus acts as a moral compass against which Creon can see the error in his unwise decisions.

What is the main theme or message being said throughout the whole book?

Because of Kevin’s shooting spree at school with a crossbow, one might be tempted to say that school violence is the main theme of this book; however, the real theme is Eva’s parental mistakes as a mother.

To begin a look at this theme, one must observe the method the author uses: the novel is a series of letters from Eva to her late husband, Franklin, who we learn has also been killed by Kevin....

Because of Kevin’s shooting spree at school with a crossbow, one might be tempted to say that school violence is the main theme of this book; however, the real theme is Eva’s parental mistakes as a mother.

To begin a look at this theme, one must observe the method the author uses: the novel is a series of letters from Eva to her late husband, Franklin, who we learn has also been killed by Kevin. This begins to show that it is Eva who is the focus here, not necessarily Kevin. In fact, it is a shock to the reader to find out that they are reading letters to a dead person by the end of the novel. Kevin strikes again.

The dark theme of Eva’s parenting begins even before she is pregnant. Eva can’t decided whether she even wants to have children and, when she becomes pregnant, she feels “cold” and “absent” even when trying to breastfeed Kevin.   Eva hires a nanny in order to get out of childcare tasks, and takes Kevin’s insults without delay. Eva continues to ignore many serious things Kevin does, and finally picks a favorite of her two children: Cecilia. Throughout the book, Eva really only has one attempt at bonding with Kevin: a trip out to dinner. At this point, the two “bond” over throwing insults at America. Kevin, of course, ends with insulting his mother:

Maybe I’d rather have a big cow of a mother who at least didn’t think she was better than everybody else.

This line shows the results of the dark parental theme. Things get worse from here. Kevin injures his sister permanently and begins to makes lists of kids to kill at school. Eva continues to ignore many of these red flags. Kevin eventually kills many students at school as well as his father and sister with a crossbow. Eva again averts the situation over the years by visiting Kevin in prison and “forgiving him.” Eva is ready to welcome Kevin home after his release without question. Even Eva’s lack of worry at the end of the story lends itself towards concern.

`B = 75^@ 20', a = 6.2, c = 9.5` Use the Law of Cosines to solve the triangle. Round your answers to two decimal places.

Given: `B=75^@20', a=6.2, c=9.5`

`b^2=a^2+c^2-2ac*cos(B)`

`b^2=6.2^2+9.5^2-2(6.2)(9.5)cos(75^@20')`

`b^2=98.8636`

`b=9.94`

`cos(C)=(a^2+b^2-c^2)/(2ab)`

`cos(C)=[6.2^2+9.94^2-9.5^2]/(2*6.2*9.94)`

`cos(C)=.3813`

`C=arccos(.3813)`

`C=67.60^@`

`A=180-75.33-67.60`

`A=37.01^@`

` `

Given: `B=75^@20', a=6.2, c=9.5`

`b^2=a^2+c^2-2ac*cos(B)`

`b^2=6.2^2+9.5^2-2(6.2)(9.5)cos(75^@20')`

`b^2=98.8636`

`b=9.94`

`cos(C)=(a^2+b^2-c^2)/(2ab)`

`cos(C)=[6.2^2+9.94^2-9.5^2]/(2*6.2*9.94)`

`cos(C)=.3813`

`C=arccos(.3813)`

`C=67.60^@`

`A=180-75.33-67.60`

`A=37.01^@`

` `

How can I create a headline story, like in a newspaper, based on the novel To Kill a Mockingbird from a character's perspective?

The first thing you need to do is to decide on a character from the novel who you think you can write a news story from their perspective.  Which characters could you relate to the most as you read the novel?  Did you identify with Scout, Jem, Tom Robinson, Boo Radley? 

Next, choose the most exciting or dramatic event involving that character.  Here is a list of some possibilities:

• Scout seeing Boo Radley for the...

The first thing you need to do is to decide on a character from the novel who you think you can write a news story from their perspective.  Which characters could you relate to the most as you read the novel?  Did you identify with Scout, Jem, Tom Robinson, Boo Radley? 

Next, choose the most exciting or dramatic event involving that character.  Here is a list of some possibilities:

• Scout seeing Boo Radley for the first time. (Maybe she can interview him!)


• Jem fighting with Bob Ewell.


• Dill’s perspective of the trial.


• Tom Robinson’s perspective about going to jail for a crime he didn’t commit.


• Atticus’ view of the trial, and why they didn’t win.


• Boo Radley’s perspective on what kept him a recluse and how he saved the children from Bob Ewell. 


• Calpurnia’s perspective on the trial or life in Maycomb as a black woman.  Perhaps she would write an article about how Atticus kills the rabid dog.


• Miss Maudie and her house burning down. 


• An article on the lynch mob from Scout, Jem, or Atticus’ perspective.

There are numerous ways to go with this topic.  Come up with a great, exciting headline, and answer the who, what, when, where, and how found in all newspaper articles.  Make sure you add enough details!

What is the character Antonio's occupation in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice?

In the conversation between Antonio and Salarino at the beginning of Act One, we can infer what Antonio does for a living from what is said:

Your mind is tossing on the ocean;There, where your argosies with portly sail...

Antonio has just informed Salarino that he feels depressed, but does not know why. In his response, Salarino mentions that he might be worried about his trade ships (argosies) at sea. This obviously suggests that...

In the conversation between Antonio and Salarino at the beginning of Act One, we can infer what Antonio does for a living from what is said:

Your mind is tossing on the ocean;
There, where your argosies with portly sail...

Antonio has just informed Salarino that he feels depressed, but does not know why. In his response, Salarino mentions that he might be worried about his trade ships (argosies) at sea. This obviously suggests that Antonio is a merchant and probably the owner of a fleet of ships which he uses to transport his goods.

This is further confirmed by Antonio's later statement: 

My ventures are not in one bottom trusted,
Nor to one place; nor is my whole estate
Upon the fortune of this present year:
Therefore my merchandise makes me not sad.

It is apparent that Antonio is a shrewd entrepreneur who does not place all his eggs in one basket and undertakes a variety of ventures to ensure success. He clearly does not gamble all his money on one enterprise in one particular year alone, as suggested above.

It also becomes apparent later, that because of his business successes, Antonio has built a secure reputation in Venice, a major business and trading centre, for he tells Bassanio to use his name as security to obtain a loan there.

Furthermore, Shylock's later references make it clear that Antonio is also a moneylender. He, unlike Shylock, does not charge any interest though, which makes Shylock resent him for it hampers his business as a loan shark.

He lends out money gratis and brings down
The rate of usance here with us in Venice.

Shylock means that because Antonio does not charge his borrowers any interest, he brings down the lending rate for others, such as him. It is clear that Antonio is a generous and fraternal philanthropist. Ironically, it is this beneficence which later puts his life at risk.

Why is important for voters to be able to detect bias and identify propaganda?

It is very important for voters to detect bias and identify propaganda. This is true for any situation, not just during elections. Each political party tries to portray itself in a positive manner while showing the other party in a negative light. As a result, facts may be distorted, quotes may be taken out of context, positions on issues may be misrepresented, and irrelevant or outdated data may be used. As a voter, it is...

It is very important for voters to detect bias and identify propaganda. This is true for any situation, not just during elections. Each political party tries to portray itself in a positive manner while showing the other party in a negative light. As a result, facts may be distorted, quotes may be taken out of context, positions on issues may be misrepresented, and irrelevant or outdated data may be used. As a voter, it is very important to research the issues thoroughly. By knowing the issues in an in-depth manner, a voter can detect biased statements, distorted evidence, and the use of propaganda. This will allow the voter to make a more informed decision on the issues and/or the candidates. Failure to make an informed decision may lead to supporting an issue or a candidate on false, biased, or distorted information. It may also allow the voter to be swayed by the propaganda of either party or candidate. Some people believe this happens way too often today. It is always important to thoroughly know each issue and each candidate. This is especially true now that the political season is upon us with an upcoming national election less than a year away.

In To Kill a Mockingbird why did Harper Lee choose Arthur as a name for one of the characters? What is the origin?

In To Kill A Mockingbird,Boo Radley's given name is Arthur. The name Arthur has a Roman origin from the Artorius clan. Arthur means noble or courageous. It is very interesting that Lee chose this particular character to have the name Arthur because Boo Radley is the town recluse and does not seem courageous at all. He always stays in his home, seemingly fearful of the world outside. Jem and Scout are fascinated by the...

In To Kill A Mockingbird, Boo Radley's given name is Arthur. The name Arthur has a Roman origin from the Artorius clan. Arthur means noble or courageous. It is very interesting that Lee chose this particular character to have the name Arthur because Boo Radley is the town recluse and does not seem courageous at all. He always stays in his home, seemingly fearful of the world outside. Jem and Scout are fascinated by the myths that depict Boo as a monster and often try to catch sight of him. When the children are attacked by Bob Ewell, it is Boo Radley who saves them and kills Ewell. It is in this moment that he seems to truly live up to his name and shows tremendous courage. 

How can I analyze Horatio's last speech in Act 5 Scene 2 of Hamlet?

The reference is to what Horatio says soon after Claudius' and Laertes' devious plot for the swordfight between Laertes and Hamlet is discovered. Both men have been poisoned and Queen Gertrude is dead. Laertes confessed the  plot and Hamlet has stabbed King Claudius who has died. Laertes has also expired. When Horatio realises that his best friend is also about to die, he says:

Never believe it:
I am more an antique Roman than a Dane:
Here's yet some liquor left.

Horatio is referring to Hamlet's request that he report the reasons for the carnage around him. Hamlet wants him to tell others about his cause to those whose curiosity needs to be satisfied. Horatio tells him that he won't do it for he is more like a Roman soldier who would commit suicide than continue living without his comrade (Hamlet). He wishes to drink from the chalice since there is still some of the poisoned wine left in it. Hamlet then beseeches him not to do so and asks Horatio to give him the cup. Horatio refuses and Hamlet actually has to wrest it from him.

Give me the cup: let go; by heaven, I'll have't.

After Hamlet dies, Horatio says that his noble heart is broken and in his farewell wishes that the angels sweetly sing Hamlet him to his everlasting sleep.

When Prince Fortinbras and the English ambassador arrive, Horatio informs them, on a question by the Prince about the carnage that they have been informed about, that if they wish to see nothing but sorrow and wonder, they need look no further. It is all right there for them to see.

When the ambassador informs those around that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead and asks who he should approach to thank them for having performed what was asked (i.e. the execution of the two) Horatio, in referring to Claudius, says that they won't hear thanks from. This is so because firstly, he is deceased and secondly, it is not he who had given the instruction. Horatio is referring here to Hamlet's intervention on the ship to England when he had entered the two men's cabin and altered Claudius' letter so that it read that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern should be executed instead of him (as per the original instruction by Claudius).

Horatio then asks that the bodies all be placed on a stage for everyone to view before he gives reasons for the surrounding carnage. He will inform all those who are in the dark of the various schemes and plots that led to the unfortunate demise of all the deceased. He will speak of carnal affairs (Claudius' marriage to Gertrude), bloody and unnatural deeds (the murder of King Hamlet), errors in judgment and casual slaughters (Polonius accidentally killed by Hamlet and Ophelia's unfortunate suicide) as well as the current deaths which resulted from calculated and shrewd plotting as well as 'forced cause' which refers to Hamlet being forced to avenge his father's murder and reclaim the throne.

Horatio guarantees that he can truthfully tell his audience about the reason for the current situation which arose from a plot gone wrong, where the plotters were entangled in their own web and paid with their lives.

When Prince Fortinbras speaks about the fact that he also remembers a claim he has on property in Denmark, Horatio tells him that he would also address that issue. He says this because Hamlet has passed his title on to the Prince before he died. he mentions that he will be Hamlet's mouthpiece and the news will be spread. Furthermore, Horatio begs that they should all be calm whilst the bodies are removed and placed on a stage. He does not want there to be any trouble ('mischance') caused by misunderstanding or some hot-headed action by anyone.

How is "A Rose for Emily" different from "The Minister's Black Veil"?

Although these stories make an interesting pairing, since they both seem to deal with a troubled soul who's committed awful crimes and is now facing the judgment of a gossipy town--not to mention a romance gone wrong--the two tales are different in several meaningful ways:

First, Hawthorne's story has a much darker, Puritanical theme.The idea that we should all be wearing black veils, since we're all hiding some dark and unforgivable sins we've committed,...

Although these stories make an interesting pairing, since they both seem to deal with a troubled soul who's committed awful crimes and is now facing the judgment of a gossipy town--not to mention a romance gone wrong--the two tales are different in several meaningful ways:

First, Hawthorne's story has a much darker, Puritanical theme. The idea that we should all be wearing black veils, since we're all hiding some dark and unforgivable sins we've committed, is a weighty theme that plenty of readers these days might find fault with. In contrast, the theme in Faulkner's story seems lighter: that we should extend pity and a sense of respect toward people who have been left in the dust as society progresses forward.

Second, although the title of each story indicates its main symbol, the symbolism is much more in-your-face in "The Minister's Black Veil." There, the veil very clearly stands for darkness, sin, and separation between human beings. But the rose in "A Rose for Emily" isn't even a literal rose that appears anywhere in the story! We have to figure out its meaning for ourselves: that the story is its own metaphorical rose presented as a gesture of respect and pity toward Emily, whose tragedy was profound.

Third, it's easier to find humor in Faulkner's story. Try as I might, I can't find anything funny in Hawthorne's. But in "A Rose for Emily," her haughtiness and awkwardness can seem pretty hilarious in some scenes, especially when she buys the arsenic. More details on the humor in that story are .

In sum, as a reader, I get the feeling that Faulkner's story is meant to entertain, even to shock, while Hawthorne's is meant to impart a serious religious lesson.

How useful are postmodern critiques for contemporary social policy?

I think that Postmodern critiques are very useful for contemporary social policy because they guarantee an inclusion of voice.

Postmodernism is not an all- encompassing, absolutist statement.  When Derrida talks about Postmodern deconstruction, there is an emphasis on the questioning of underlying assumptions.  In Postmodern critiques, there is an analysis of values.  This can apply to authorial intent, individual action, but also to social policy.  When Postmodernism offers a critique of social policy, it scrutinizes...

I think that Postmodern critiques are very useful for contemporary social policy because they guarantee an inclusion of voice.

Postmodernism is not an all- encompassing, absolutist statement.  When Derrida talks about Postmodern deconstruction, there is an emphasis on the questioning of underlying assumptions.  In Postmodern critiques, there is an analysis of values.  This can apply to authorial intent, individual action, but also to social policy.  When Postmodernism offers a critique of social policy, it scrutinizes why things are the way they are. 

I think that this is very useful to contemporary social policy because it prevents the belief that there are no more problems.  Contemporary social policy is geared towards providing blanket solutions.  When people form social policy, they do so to "solve" a problem. In solving a problem, another side might go silent because of the faith in the problem being "solved."  In these instances, contemporary social policy is seen as "totalizing," or representing the whole of something.

Postmodern critiques are important because they stress that while one problem might be solved, another one might exist. By its very definition, Postmodernism denies totality.  As a result of rejecting an approach that embraces "the answer," different points of view emerge.  Postmodern critiques will always keep pushing the envelope in suggesting the need for more examination and greater inclusion of voices.  This is a good thing. Societies that do not value a multiplicity of voices run the risk of silencing them.  This reality is avoided in a Postmodern critique.

We can see the role that Postmodern critiques play in today's world. At one point in time,  globalization was seen as "the answer."  It was perceived as a totalizing answer because "everyone" had jobs, while greater wealth and opportunity emerged. However, Postmodern critiques have allowed people to understand that with globalization, wealth inequality and different forms of economic abuse have emerged.  Different Postmodern critiques of social policy helped to convince Americans that the Patriot Act, passed after the attacks of September 11, should be reexamined. Contemporary Postmodern critiques of social policy regarding the use of police force have emerged in the last year or two when it comes to how people of color are being treated. Postmodern social critiques are extremely valuable to contemporary social policy because they prompt reexamination and reevaluation of held beliefs, ensuring that voices are not silenced through the drive for absolute totality.

If you were the character Hamlet in William Shakespeare's play, would you pretend to be mad for your revenge?

Nineteenth century American author and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson famously observed that "when you strike at a king, you must kill him." That quote can be applied to the situation in which William Shakespeare's character Hamlet finds himself. Hamlet, of course, is set upon the mission by the ghost of his deceased father, the one-time king of Denmark, to avenge the dead monarch's murder. Hamlet is already a troubled soul, having endured his father's mysterious...

Nineteenth century American author and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson famously observed that "when you strike at a king, you must kill him." That quote can be applied to the situation in which William Shakespeare's character Hamlet finds himself. Hamlet, of course, is set upon the mission by the ghost of his deceased father, the one-time king of Denmark, to avenge the dead monarch's murder. Hamlet is already a troubled soul, having endured his father's mysterious death and witnessed the remarriage of his mother to his uncle, the illegitimate successor to the throne, Claudius. Claudius is now the king, a position, needless to say, of considerable power. Hamlet understands that, if he is to avenge his father's death, he can not let his uncle, the king, know that the young prince intends for his demise. Hamlet must use subterfuge so that King Claudius remains oblivious to his nephew's plans. The meaning behind Emerson's quote is that to attempt to murder a powerful person and to fail is tantamount to suicide, as the wounded target will now be cognizant of your plans and intent on your destruction. In Shakespeare's play, Hamlet knows that he must take the king by surprise. The most powerful person in Denmark must know that Hamlet wants him dead.

A conspiracy to assassinate a king must be carefully planned and executed, lest the monarch become aware of those plans and act first with the ruthlessness expected of an autocratic ruler. Hamlet constitutes an 'army of one,' as he can trust no one. His best chance at leading Claudius into the trap that Hamlet arranges -- the performance of a play that replicates the king's murder of Hamlet's father -- is to conceal his intentions, and the best way to conceal those intentions is to feign insanity. By pretending to be mentally ill, Hamlet's words and actions can be excused as those of an insane individual. He will give the appearance of lacking a firm grasp with reality so that his plans can proceed without the underlying motivation being detected. Consequently, Hamlet's decision to feign madness is eminently reasonable under the circumstances. His intended target is all-powerful, and his best chance at sneaking up on King Claudius is to veil his true intentions. Pretending to be mad is a logical course of action given the narrow room for maneuver afforded this depressive young man.

William Shakespeare's Hamlet is a Renaissance hero (par excellence). Explain by making references to the play.

A Renaissance hero was one whose audience was Christian and thus had Christian morals and expectations of their heroes. They were not necessarily of noble birth, although Hamlet was, being prince of Denmark. Also, in comparison to classical tragic heroes, who had a fatal flaw and followed a rather linear path toward their death or comeuppance, Renaissance heroes were of more mixed moral stature and their demise was more complex. 

Hamlet himself is a Christian...

A Renaissance hero was one whose audience was Christian and thus had Christian morals and expectations of their heroes. They were not necessarily of noble birth, although Hamlet was, being prince of Denmark. Also, in comparison to classical tragic heroes, who had a fatal flaw and followed a rather linear path toward their death or comeuppance, Renaissance heroes were of more mixed moral stature and their demise was more complex. 

Hamlet himself is a Christian and helps create his own complex path by passing up the opportunity to kill Claudius while he's praying. He believes that if he kills Claudius while he is praying, Claudius will die absolved of his sins and thus Hamlet himself won't have the revenge he seeks, since the Ghost of his father has told him that he himself died in his sins and is thus: 

Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night,
And for the day confined to fast in fires,
Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature
Are burnt and purged away.

Hamlet wants the same punishment for his father's murderer (which is notably unChristian of him). He also is unsure of the ghost's accusations, and thus is determined to find out for himself whether Claudius did indeed murder his father while he slept--hence the play wherein the same act is performed, so Hamlet can watch Claudius' reaction. 

He cannot make up his mind what to do--his indecision is one of the main themes of the play--thus leaving room for a tangled plot. Hamlet finally decides he must kill Claudius, as the ghost has commanded, but in the process he accidentally kills Polonius (who was eavesdropping in the curtains), causing Laertes (his son) to seek revenge; his fiancee, Ophelia, goes mad and drowns; his mother drinks the poisoned wine he'd arranged for Claudius to drink and dies, and Hamlet finally stabs Claudius, and accidentally kills Laertes (because Laertes has poisoned his own sword, and the swords were swapped in the duel). Hamlet dies from the poisoned sword himself (and drinking what's left of the poisoned wine, to make sure). He leaves a path of bloodshed behind himself because he chose to not kill Claudius when the death would have been clean. 

What is mRNA? What is its job during protein synthesis?

Messenger RNA molecules (mRNA) are responsible for transcription along the length of the DNA molecule for a protein-coding gene. Transcription occurs in the nucleus.  Translation of this gene results in the synthesis of a polypeptide which uses the information encoded in the messenger RNA to assemble the appropriate amino acids into the polypeptide which ultimately will become part of a functional protein. Translation occurs in the cytoplasm. The flow of genetic information is known as the central dogma--DNA--> RNA-->protein. This idea was put forth by Francis Crick.

mRNA copies one of the strands of the DNA double helix known as the template strand. Base-- pairing rules apply except RNA lacks the base thymine and uracil is substituted during transcription. For example, if part of the DNA code reads:  TAC GGG ACA then the corresponding mRNA would read:                                    AUG CCC UGU. Note that uracil is subsituted for thymine in the mRNA.

The process of transcription occurs in the nucleus in three stages. First is initiation whereby transcription factors attach to the promoter region in DNA and the enzyme RNA polymerase unwinds the two DNA strands. Next, is the process of elongation where nucleotides are added to the growing transcript at the 3 prime end. Eventually, a termination sequence is reached called a polyadenylation signal after which the mRNA transcript is cut from the polymerase enzyme.

The initial transcript of the DNA by mRNA results in pre-mRNA. This must be further processed to produce mature mRNA. This includes splicing together of exons (containing the protein-coding information) and the removal of introns (non-protein coding sections of DNA). Also, both ends of the pre-mRNA are modified. The five prime end receives a cap made of a modified guanine molecule and the three prime end receives a poly-A tail made of many adenine nucleotides. The cap and tail will help the mRNA leave the nucleus and travel to the cytoplasm, protect the mRNA from damage by enzymes and facilitate the later attachment of ribosomes to the five prime end of the mRNA where the process of translation will begin.

What is a short and understandable summary of "Goblin Market" by Christina Rossetti?

Laura and Lizzie are two young women who live in the same house and work on a farm. They milk cows every day, make cakes, churn butter, etc. In the evenings, Laura and Lizzie go to the brook and hear the cries of the goblin merchants (salesmen). They try to ignore the lure and temptation of the goblins' products. Lizzie says, "No, no, no; / Their offers should not charm us, / Their evil gifts would harm...

Laura and Lizzie are two young women who live in the same house and work on a farm. They milk cows every day, make cakes, churn butter, etc. In the evenings, Laura and Lizzie go to the brook and hear the cries of the goblin merchants (salesmen). They try to ignore the lure and temptation of the goblins' products. Lizzie says, "No, no, no; / Their offers should not charm us, / Their evil gifts would harm us.” Laura looks back and succumbs to the temptation. She has no money, so she offers a lock of her hair. She gorges herself on their fruits until she is left only with the rinds and one kernel (seed). 

Lizzie scolds Laura when she returns and reminds her about Jeanie who also ate the goblins' fruits and died from it. Laura has become addicted to the fruit, so she waits for the merchants to return. They do not. Laura tries to plant the seed but nothing grows from it. She can no longer hear the merchants' cries, but Lizzie can. While Laura continues to physically weaken, Lizzie finally decides to meet the merchants. Lizzie takes a silver penny and offers it to them. They try to persuade her to stay and eat with them. Lizzie refuses. They badger and punish her, leaving the fruit juices all over her. She returns and Laura drinks the juice from Lizzie's face and clothes. Instead of being the wonderful juice she had tasted before, it is repulsive to Laura but it cures her of the addiction. It has become an antidote. 

There is certainly an allusion to the Garden of Eden in this poem. The difference here is that there are two women rather than one woman and one man (Adam and Eve). And since Lizzie is able to withstand the temptation, there is the sentiment that the bond between "sisters" is strong, perhaps stronger than that of a marriage. Since the poem illustrates this strong female bond, it has been interpreted by some critics to suggest a pro-feminist message. Some interpretations also suggest a pro-homosexual theme, or at least a critique of heterosexuality, with goblin merchants being men/serpents of temptation. Lizzie is also seen as a Christ figure, withstanding the temptation and challenging merchants (moneylenders). She offers the juice off of herself and this seems like an allusion to the Last Supper. So, there are Christian symbols as well as progressive interpretations in this poem. 

In The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail, how does Henry's non-conforming beliefs help convey the theme of the play?

Henry's non- conforming beliefs in The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail enhance the play's theme of freedom.

Freedom is one of the most important themes in The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail.  Henry's non- conformist beliefs is one way to communicate this.  Henry continually speaks of the need to be free in both thought and action:

If one honest man in this state of Massachusetts had the conviction and the courage to withdraw from...

Henry's non- conforming beliefs in The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail enhance the play's theme of freedom.

Freedom is one of the most important themes in The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail.  Henry's non- conformist beliefs is one way to communicate this.  Henry continually speaks of the need to be free in both thought and action:

If one honest man in this state of Massachusetts had the conviction and the courage to withdraw from this unholy partnership and let himself be locked up in the County Jail, it'd be the start of more true freedom than we've seen since a few farmers had the guts to block the British by the bridge up the road.

The quote above shows the importance of Henry's unwillingness to follow the majority.  Another moment where Henry's non- conformity amplifies the theme of freedom is when he tells Ellen to "stand up" against her father's efforts to control her and her brother's education.  Through his insistence that Ellen "stand up for herself," Henry shows his passion towards independence of thought.

In the drama, the theme of freedom is enhanced through Henry's commitment to own voice.  Henry consistently speaks of not being a "slave." This is shown in the drama as being free to think and act in a way that reflects a person's conscience.  Henry embodies this in his non- conformist ways.   

Does Walton ever actually find a northern trade route to the Americas in Frankenstein?

In short, no. He sets out to find one and spends many years at sea, and is prepared to spend many more, however, due to his encounter with Victor Frankenstein, he changes his mind and goes back to England. He realizes that his pursuit for this passage is not unlike the pursuit of knowledge that Victor was seeking. It is driven by a blind ambition that risks too much. Just as Victor lost many of...

In short, no. He sets out to find one and spends many years at sea, and is prepared to spend many more, however, due to his encounter with Victor Frankenstein, he changes his mind and goes back to England. He realizes that his pursuit for this passage is not unlike the pursuit of knowledge that Victor was seeking. It is driven by a blind ambition that risks too much. Just as Victor lost many of his loved ones, and his sanity, in pursuit of his dream, Walton recognizes that he acting with the same tunnel-vision that propelled Victor.

"Yet, it is terrible to reflect that the lives of all these men are endangered through me. If we are lost, my mad schemes are the cause" (Ch. XXIV).

He ends up turning back to go home before he finds the passage.

"The die is cast;I have consented to return, if we are not destroyed. Thus are my hopes blasted to cowardice and indecision; I come back ignorant and disappointed" (Ch. XXIV).

While unhappy at returning before accomplishing his task of finding a passage, he avoids making some of the same mistakes that Victor made. 

What does Lorenzo say about the music in The Merchant of Venice?

Upon eloping, Lorenzo and Jessica, Shylock's daughter, are listening to music at Portia's house. Jessica confides in Lorenzo how she always feels sad when she hears "sweet music." Lorenzo explains that it isn't the music that makes her feel sad but rather a deeper longing to release herself to a spiritual experience. He calls for the musicians and the lovers retreat to the outdoors.

When the musicians arrive to play for Jessica and Lorenzo, he...

Upon eloping, Lorenzo and Jessica, Shylock's daughter, are listening to music at Portia's house. Jessica confides in Lorenzo how she always feels sad when she hears "sweet music." Lorenzo explains that it isn't the music that makes her feel sad but rather a deeper longing to release herself to a spiritual experience. He calls for the musicians and the lovers retreat to the outdoors.

When the musicians arrive to play for Jessica and Lorenzo, he shares with her his comparison of the music to the music of the universe that humans cannot hear while living among the mortals. He gives his definitions of men who do not like music. He calls them names and tells Jessica that they deserve the very worst experiences life can throw at them.

How can I use the criteria for "good poetry" set forth by E. B. Browning in Aurora Leigh to analyze Robert Browning's poem "Child Roland to the...

Elizabeth Barrett Browning sets forth the elements of good writing in her poem, Aurora Leigh. Here is what she advises:

1) Good writing should comfort and encourage; Aurora tells us how she writes  what her admirer (Romney) says, and how this strengthens her in time of need.

To keep it in my eyes, as in my ears,
The heart's sweet scripture, to be read at night
When weary, or at morning when afraid... (from Book 1 of Aurora Leigh)

2) True art speaks of spiritual considerations. Anyone who writes without thought for the human need to combine the practical with the spiritual deals deceitfully with one's readers.

Natural things
And spiritual,–who separates those two
In art, in morals, or the social drift,
Tears up the bond of nature and brings death,
Paints futile pictures, writes unreal verse,
Leads vulgar days, deals ignorantly with men,
Is wrong, in short, at all points. (from Book VII of Aurora Leigh)

3) True art portrays a hidden, transcendental realm which refines man and mirrors humanity's quest for meaning and redemption.

Thus is Art
Self-magnified in magnifying a truth
Which, fully recognized, would change the world
And shift its morals. (from the Seventh Book of Aurora Leigh)

4) A writer or poet should write from his/her heart; one's writing should be authentic in context and content.

For me, I wrote
False poems, like the rest, and thought them true.
Because myself was true in writing them.
I, peradventure, have writ true ones since
With less complacence. (from Book 1 of Aurora Leigh)

In Robert Browning's poem, Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came, the narrator is on a quest to find the Dark Tower. Why the Dark Tower is important to him, we do not know. His quest may represent a futile cause or a genuine goal. Either way, the poet leaves it up to us to define the meaning of Roland's journey. What we do know is that he has exhausted many years of his life in search of this nebulous tower. In the poem, he agonizes over the fact that he may not be successful in achieving his goal.

Thus, I had so long suffered in this quest,
Heard failure prophesied so oft, been writ
So many times among ’The Band’ to wit,
The knights who to the Dark Tower’s search addressed
Their steps - that just to fail as they, seemed best,
And all the doubt was now - should I be fit?

As E.B. Browning attests, good poetry describes a transcending experience which refines man's soul. This is true in Robert Browning's poem as well. Our narrator endures strange, emotionally draining experiences as he ventures deeper into treacherous environments on the road to the tower. His struggle to attain self-actualization is circumscribed by earthly considerations. E. B. Browning tells us that good writing explores the harder 'social questions' of the day.

And I will carve the world new after it,
And solve so, these hard social questions,–nay,
Impossible social questions,–since their roots
Strike deep in Evil's own existence here,
Which God permits because the question's hard
To abolish evil nor attaint free-will. (from the Eighth Book of Aurora Leigh).

Our narrator in Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came relates how the men who had gone before him failed to achieve the quest for the Dark Tower. He remembers how brave and courageous many of them were and how, one by one, all were lost. When he finally reaches the Dark Tower, his success is bittersweet; it is marred by his memories of the dead. However, as he walks toward the Dark Tower, he sees a flaming vision of his once-living peers ushering him towards the completion of his task. Thus, good writing successfully depicts the human journey towards self-determination and self-actualization. Compare the last stanzas of Childe Roland to the Dark Tower and Aurora Leigh and you will see how similar the two are:

It is the hour for souls;
That bodies, leavened by the will and love,
Be lightened to redemption. The world's old;
But the old world waits the hour to be renewed:
Toward which, new hearts in individual growth
Must quicken, and increase to multitude
In new dynasties of the race of men,–
Developed whence, shall grow spontaneously
New churches, new economies, new laws
Admitting freedom, new societies
Excluding falsehood... (from Book Eight of Aurora Leigh).

There they stood, ranged along the hillsides, met
To view the last of me, a living frame
For one more picture! In a sheet of flame
I saw them and I knew them all. And yet
Dauntless the slug-horn to my lips I set,
And blew. ’Childe Roland to the Dark Tower came.’(from the last stanza of Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came).

`y = x, y = (2x)/(1 + x^3)` (a) Set up an integral for the volume of the solid obtained by rotating the region bounded by the given curve...

The shell has the radius `x - (-1)` , the cricumference is `2pi*(x+1)` and the height is `(2x)/(1+x^3) - x,` hence, the volume can be evaluated, using the method of cylindrical shells, such that:

`V = 2pi*int_(x_1)^(x_2) (x+1)*((2x)/(1+x^3) - x) dx`

You need to find the endpoints, using the equation `(2x)/(1+x^3) - x = 0 => 2x - x - x^4 = 0 => 3x - x^4 = 0 => x(3 - x^3) = 0...

The shell has the radius `x - (-1)` , the cricumference is `2pi*(x+1)` and the height is `(2x)/(1+x^3) - x,` hence, the volume can be evaluated, using the method of cylindrical shells, such that:

`V = 2pi*int_(x_1)^(x_2) (x+1)*((2x)/(1+x^3) - x) dx`

You need to find the endpoints, using the equation `(2x)/(1+x^3) - x = 0 => 2x - x - x^4 = 0 => 3x - x^4 = 0 => x(3 - x^3) = 0 => x = 0 ` and `x = root(3) 3`

`V = 2pi*int_0^(root(3) 3) (x+1)*((3x - x^4)/(1+x^3)) dx`

`V = 2pi*int_0^(root(3) 3) (x+1)*(3x - x^4)/((x+1)(x^2-x+1)) dx`

Reducing the like terms yields:

`V = 2pi*int_0^(root(3) 3) (3x - x^4)/(x^2-x+1) dx`

`V = 2pi*(int_0^(root(3) 3) (3x)/(x^2-x+1) -int_0^(root(3) 3) (x^4)/(x^2-x+1) dx`

`V = 2pi*(int_0^(root(3) 3) (3x)/(x^2-x+1)dx - int_0^(root(3) 3) x^2 dx - int_0^(root(3) 3) x dx + int_0^(root(3) 3) (x)/(x^2-x+1)dx)`

`V = 2pi*(int_0^(root(3) 3) (4x)/(x^2-x+1)dx - int_0^(root(3) 3) x^2 dx - int_0^(root(3) 3) x dx)`

`V = 2pi*(2*int_0^(root(3) 3) (2x+1-1)/(x^2-x+1)dx - x^3/3|_0^(root(3) 3) - x^2/2|_0^(root(3) 3))`

`V = 2pi*(2*int_0^(root(3) 3) (2x-1)/(x^2-x+1)dx+ 2*int_0^(root(3) 3) (1)/(x^2-x+1)dx - 1 - (root(3) 9)/2)`

You need to solve `int_0^(root(3) 3) (2x-1)/(x^2-x+1)dx ` using substitution `x^2-x+1 = t => (2x-1)dx =dt.`

`V = 2pi*(2*ln(x^2-x+1)|_0^(root(3) 3)+ 2*int_0^(root(3) 3) (1)/((x-1/2)^2 + ((sqrt3)/2)^2)dx - 1 - (root(3) 9)/2)`

`V = 2pi*(2*ln((root(3) 9)-(root(3) 3)+1)+ (4/sqrt3)*arctan (2x-1)/sqrt3|_0^(root(3) 3) - 1 - (root(3) 9)/2)`

`V = 2pi*(2*ln((root(3) 9)-(root(3) 3)+1)+ (4/sqrt3)*arctan (2(root(3) 3)-1)/sqrt3 -(4/sqrt3)*(pi/6) - 1 - (root(3) 9)/2)`

Hence, evaluating the volume, using the method of cylindrical shells, yields `V = 2pi*(2*ln((root(3) 9)-(root(3) 3)+1)+ (4/sqrt3)*arctan (2(root(3) 3)-1)/sqrt3 -(4/sqrt3)*(pi/6) - 1 - (root(3) 9)/2)`

Grim says "poor kevin" and gives a "long sorrowful look". How do you think grim's name and these two actions foreshadow what's to come in the story?

You are smart to recognize Grim’s words and actions as foreshadowing. Foreshadowing, of course, is a mention in a novel of what could happen later. When Grim talks about “poor Kevin” and gives a “long sorrowful look,” it foreshadows Kevin’s ultimate death from his birth defects. (Further, Gram also calls Kevin “poor baby.” This continues the foreshadowing.) Max recognizes that there is something wrong with Kevin. Kevin was always the kid at daycare who wore...

You are smart to recognize Grim’s words and actions as foreshadowing. Foreshadowing, of course, is a mention in a novel of what could happen later. When Grim talks about “poor Kevin” and gives a “long sorrowful look,” it foreshadows Kevin’s ultimate death from his birth defects. (Further, Gram also calls Kevin “poor baby.” This continues the foreshadowing.) Max recognizes that there is something wrong with Kevin. Kevin was always the kid at daycare who wore “shiny braces on his crooked legs,” but who also referred to himself as Robot Man. In this instance, however, Max emphatically defends his friend who is both adventurous and imaginative. Max is proud of Kevin, especially when they team up as the dual character of “Freak the Mighty.” Fortunately (or unfortunately), Grim and Gram can see the harsh reality: Kevin is a severely crippled child who will probably not live very long. Sure enough, Kevin’s heart is “too big for his body,” and Kevin eventually dies. Max remains so proud of Kevin that Max ends up writing all of their adventures down so that we can read about them.

Find the amount accumulated in the increasing annuities. $110 deposited monthly for 6 years at 4 % per year. ( Assume the end of period deposits...

Since $110 are deposited monthly, then $110*12 = $1320 are deposited at the end of each year, for the next 6 years in an account paying 4% per year compounded annualy.

To find the value accumulated in increasing annuities you need to take a look at each of the $1320 payment.

Hence, `P = $1320, n = 5, i = 4/100` and the formula used is `A =P(1+i)^n`

The first payment will produce a compound...

Since $110 are deposited monthly, then $110*12 = $1320 are deposited at the end of each year, for the next 6 years in an account paying 4% per year compounded annualy.

To find the value accumulated in increasing annuities you need to take a look at each of the $1320 payment.

Hence, `P = $1320, n = 5, i = 4/100` and the formula used is `A =P(1+i)^n`

The first payment will produce a compound amount of

`1320(1 + 4/100)^5 = 1320*1.04^5`

You need to use n=5 instead n=6 since the money is deposited at the end of the first year and earns interest for only 5 years.

Hence, the future value of annuity is:

`1320*1.04^5 + 1320*1.04^4 + 1320*1.04^3 + 1320*1.04^2 + 1320*1.04^1 + 1320`

Notice that the terms of the sum are the terms of a geometric sequence, having the ratio q = 1.04 and the first term b = 1320.

`S = b*(q^n-1)/(q-1)`

`S = 1320*(1.04^6 -1)/(1.04 - 1)`

`S = 1320*(0.265319018496)/(0.04)`

`S ~~ $8755.527`

Hence, evaluating the amount accumulated in the increasing annuities yields `S ~~ $8755.527.`

What effects does starting the story with a quatrain in Latin have on your impression of the story?

The Latin quatrain, without translation, gives the story a feeling of mystery, religious overtones, and gravitas. For someone who doesn't know Latin, if the translation is not provided, reading the quatrain results in confusion and uncertainty. This is not unlike the narrator's state in the first paragraph, for he seems to be in a partial dream state where he does not fully comprehend or recognize the voices around him. Second, if one recognizes the words...

The Latin quatrain, without translation, gives the story a feeling of mystery, religious overtones, and gravitas. For someone who doesn't know Latin, if the translation is not provided, reading the quatrain results in confusion and uncertainty. This is not unlike the narrator's state in the first paragraph, for he seems to be in a partial dream state where he does not fully comprehend or recognize the voices around him. Second, if one recognizes the words as Latin, one may have the feeling of being in a Latin mass in a Catholic church. Again, this religious atmosphere matches the setting of the first paragraph because the man is on trial by the Spanish Inquisition, an institution of the Catholic Church. Finally, Latin generally impresses a reader, signifying a rich history and depth of learning. Latin is a very old language, so the quatrain gives the story a feeling of history and solemnity, both consistent with the mood Poe wants to create in the story. Even if the reader does not know Latin at all, the quatrain helps establish the mystery, religious context, and historical feeling of the story that Poe was aiming for.

What kind of person is Ozymandias as he is depicted in Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem of the same name?

We learn something about Ozymandias from line three of the poem. These lines provide a description of the individual whose image has been sculpted in stone, which now lies broken in the sand.

Near them, on the sand,Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,

The words in bold inform us that the sculpture expresses a frown which suggests a serious expression; 'wrinkled lip' informs of a...

We learn something about Ozymandias from line three of the poem. These lines provide a description of the individual whose image has been sculpted in stone, which now lies broken in the sand.

Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,

The words in bold inform us that the sculpture expresses a frown which suggests a serious expression; 'wrinkled lip' informs of a haughty expression, possessed by one who regards others with contempt. This is further supported and accentuated by the word 'sneer', which tells us that the person so depicted had disdain for those whom he commanded. The fact that his command is described as 'cold' suggests that he was heartless and cruel. Our perception is therefore of a cruel, hard, ruthless taskmaster who led without any love for his subjects. We can therefore rightly assume that he must have been either a dictator or tyrant.

The speaker tells us that the sculptor 'well those passions read,' which is an indication that the skilled artist was not remiss in the manner in which he portrayed his subject in this now decayed work. The line "The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed" further informs us that Ozymandias saw his subjects as buffoons and treated them as if they were idiots. He relished abusing his subjects and he fed his overblown ego by treating them with utter disregard and making fools of them.

Further insight is provided into Ozymandias' unpleasant superciliousness in the lines:

And on the pedestal these words appear:
‘My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'

So vain and egotistical was he that he expressed his greatness on the pedestal of his statue, stating that he was greater than any ruler. Even the mightiest of the mighty could not challenge his glory for he was so all-powerful and great that all any other ruler could do was to become disparaged when they witnessed his magnitude and magnificence.

It is therefore ironic that all that has remained of Ozymandias' so-called prodigious power is a broken statue, enveloped by the sands of the desert.

 Nothing beside remains

Ozymandias has been defeated by death and time. The lonely, open and vast desert has become his final resting place, leaving a poor testament to his once, as he believed, incomparable might.

What are some related poems, short stories, or graphics related to "The Bet?"

This is a challenging question. It is hard to think of any literary works that are directly related to or derived from "The Bet." But there are numerous works that have some resemblance to one or more of the themes in Chekhov's story. Those themes are solitude, study, and murder. 

In the first place, there are the four gospels in the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The lawyer read many books during his period of captivity, but eventually he seems to have focused his full attention on the Christian message contained in those four books.

Then after the tenth year, the prisoner sat immovably at the table and read nothing but the Gospel. It seemed strange to the banker that a man who in four years had mastered six hundred learned volumes should waste nearly a year over one thin book easy of comprehension. 

The implication is that after the prisoner had looked for what he wanted to find out in six hundred volumes, he found it in the Bible. The best translation of the four gospels is still the King James Version because of its beautiful language.

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe is related to "The Bet" in that Crusoe was in a sort of solitary confinement on a deserted island for many years and became a philosopher as a result of the experience.

"The Prisoner of Chillon," a beautiful poem by Lord Byron, is about a man who was kept a prisoner in a dungeon for many years. During a large part of his captivity he was alone because the relatives he had been imprisoned with died off and left him in effect in solitary confinement. He too became a philosopher in his confinement.

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas and Auguste Maquet is about a man who spends a great many years in solitary confinement in the Chateau D'If on an island in the Mediterranean.

Poems about solitude include Edgar Allan Poe's "Alone" and William Butler Yeats' "The Lake Isle of Innisfree." Yeats said that his poem was inspired by his reading of Henry David Thoreau's book Walden. Thoreau loved solitude and read a great many profound books himself. Like the lawyer in Chekhov's story "The Bet," Thoreau was trying to solve the mystery of human existence. In the chapter titled "Solitude" in Walden he wrote:

To be in company, even with the best, is soon wearisome and dissipating. I love to be alone. I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude. 

In a little-known short story by Jack London titled "The Star Rover," a prisoner in solitary confinement who undergoes frequent torture over the years learns to use his mind as an escape from his misery. He experiences past lives and other fascinating psychological phenomena.

In Leo Tolstoy's short story "God Sees the Truth But Waits," a man is wrongfully imprisoned for murder and spends many years in prison but develops religious enlightenment which gives him wisdom, patience and solace.

There must be many other literary works about the themes of solitude and religious enlightenment. A story that concerns a man like Chekhov's banker who plans to commit a murder to get out of paying a legitimate debt is the Sherlock Holmes classic "The Adventure of the Speckled Band." There are other Sherlock Holmes stories in which the villain's motive is to get out of parting with money.

What effect did the large number of berries have on Brian in Hatchet?

Brian gets a stomach ache from eating too many berries.

One of Brian’s first concerns when he finds himself the only survivor of a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness is where to find food.  Brian has only a hatchet and some clothing.  He does not have any food.  When daydreaming about his next meal, he decides to look for berries.

The sun was still high and that meant that he had some time before...

Brian gets a stomach ache from eating too many berries.

One of Brian’s first concerns when he finds himself the only survivor of a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness is where to find food.  Brian has only a hatchet and some clothing.  He does not have any food.  When daydreaming about his next meal, he decides to look for berries.

The sun was still high and that meant that he had some time before darkness to find berries. He didn't want to be away from his—he almost thought of it as home—shelter when it came to be dark. (Ch. 6)

Brian does find berries, but they are not very tasty.  They are tart and make his mouth dry.  He eats them anyway because he is hungry and there is nothing else.  He hasn’t eaten in two days.  The berries turn his stomach, but he eats too many of them just the same.

Brian wakes up with serious stomach pains.  The berries, which he later names gut cherries, are almost not worth the price.

It was as if all the berries, all the pits had exploded in the center of him, ripped arid tore at him. He crawled out the doorway and was sick in the sand, then crawled still farther and was sick again, vomiting and with terrible diarrhea for over an hour, for over a year he thought, until he was at last empty and drained of all strength. (Ch. 7)

Although the plan to look for berries and use the birds to locate them is a good one, the berries that Brian finds are hardly helpful.  He realizes that he has to eat them, but he tries to focus on the ripe ones and only eat them a few at a time.  Brian finds some raspberries, which are much better, but for them he has competition from a bear.