Atticus tells his children it is a "sin to kill a mockingbird." Explain what he meant, how this phrase could relate to different characters in the...

One of the main themes throughout the novel is the corruption of innocence. Mockingbirds symbolize innocent characters throughout the novel who have been unfairly exploited by society. In Chapter 10, when Jem and Scout are playing with their new air-rifles, Atticus says,

"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." (Lee 119)

Miss Maudie elaborates as to why it is a sin...

One of the main themes throughout the novel is the corruption of innocence. Mockingbirds symbolize innocent characters throughout the novel who have been unfairly exploited by society. In Chapter 10, when Jem and Scout are playing with their new air-rifles, Atticus says,

"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." (Lee 119)

Miss Maudie elaborates as to why it is a sin to kill a mockingbird by saying,

"Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." (Lee 119)

Two characters that are symbolic of mockingbirds are Tom Robinson and Arthur "Boo" Radley. They are both innocent human beings that are unfairly exploited by society. Tom Robinson, who is a black man living in Maycomb County, is wrongly convicted of a crime he did not commit. Tom is a "mockingbird" because he had nothing but good intentions of helping Mayella Ewell. Tom was an obedient, respect individual who became a victim of prejudice. Tom's conviction is similar to a person killing a "mockingbird," because he was an innocent individual who was destroyed by a corrupt society.

Boo Radley's character is a harmless, reclusive individual who turns out to be a caring, selfless neighbor. Throughout the novel, Boo Radley is the victim of rumors that portray him as a "malevolent phantom." He is wrongly viewed as a psychotic, terror who wreaks havoc on the community of Maycomb. At the end of the novel, Boo Radley saves Jem and Scout but murders Bob Ewell during the struggle. Instead of the telling the community about Boo Radley's heroic actions, Sheriff Tate decides otherwise. Boo Radley is a shy, reclusive individual who would have been forced into the limelight if the real information reached the public. When Atticus asks Scout if she understands, she says, "Well, it'd be sorta like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?" (Lee 370) Forcing Boo into the public spotlight would be harmful to him as an individual, thus paralleling the killing of innocent mockingbirds. Harper Lee uses characters such as Tom Robinson and Boo Radley to convey how society has the ability to take advantage and corrupt innocent individuals.

Lord Tom - is he a hero or a villain? How can I support my decision that he is one or the other?

Leon Garfield's Lord Tom is certainly an enigmatic character. In order to determine whether he is a hero or a villain, we must first define what these terms mean in literary fiction. The villain is usually the antagonist, the main nemesis in conflict with the protagonist. Protagonists are the main characters who drive the action in any plot; they are what you and I would call heroes. However, this is where it gets interesting. Heroes can be divided into sub-categories. You can have the classical hero, the anti-hero, the Byronic hero (a type of anti-hero), the chosen one or messianic hero, and more.

Four conceptions of the heroic.

The anti-hero.

Now, when we read the text, we see that Lord Tom isn't the protagonist or the main character in the story. He is what we would call an anti-hero; anti-heroes are not always protagonists, although they can be. However, they are almost always important characters in any story. In Smith, Lord Tom is referred to as a 'toby' or highwayman. Smith, our twelve year old protagonist, worships the ground Lord Tom walks on.

Garfield portrays Lord Tom as a scoundrel of sorts; he's proud of his job as a highwayman. He's also wild, unconventional, and suave. Smith tells us that he's a 'dangerous, glittering, murdering adventurer of a gentleman in green.' He's never without his trusted pistol, and when danger approaches, he laughs in its face. Don't look for him to have any qualms about murdering innocents either. He's quite proud of robbing for a living, and relishes the fact that he continues the legacy of well-known highwaymen such as Turpin, Duval, and Captain Robinson. Alas, all of them were hung for their crimes. This morbid bit of knowledge foreshadows Lord Tom's own doom as the story commences.

Whenever Lord Tom comes around to the little cellar apartment Smith shares with his sisters, Miss Fanny and Miss Bridget, he always has exciting stories to tell. When Miss Bridget chastises him about being irresponsible with his loot, he answers unapologetically:

"...Spent, Miss Bridget-as well you know. That's the way of our lives. Risk all for the chase- then spend the profit in high contempt. The chase and the danger's all!... Eat, drink, and be merry, as they say- for tomorrow, we'll all be nubbed!"

However, Lord Tom has a soft spot for Miss Fanny and Smith. In the story, he is Miss Fanny's suitor. When Smith manages to retrieve an important document from a dead man, Mr. Field, Lord Tom tries to get him to hand over the document for safe-keeping. Smith's life is actually in danger, for two 'men in brown' are hot on his heels, in search of the document. However, Smith, despite his great admiration for his hero, doesn't completely trust Lord Tom's intentions. No one knows what the document says; Smith can't read, so he doesn't know either.

As the story continues, Smith does eventually learn how to read. His benefactors, Mr. Mansfield and his daughter, Miss Mansfield, are responsible for his new skill. However, in a comedy of errors, the document comes into the possession of Mr. Mansfield. As for Smith, he is accused of killing Mr. Field and lands in the infamous Newgate Prison. Smith escapes with the help of his sisters and Lord Tom, but more adventure awaits our young hero.

Lord Tom, ever the resourceful highwayman, plans to retrieve the document from Mr. Mansfield himself. However, Smith spies Lord Tom consorting with the 'men in brown' and he anguishes over his hero's fall from grace. Smith is bitterly disappointed in what appears to be Lord Tom's disloyalty. Here, we see a characteristic of the anti-hero: Lord Tom isn't opposed to working both sides of the issue when it suits him. However, it's not really clear in the story whether Lord Tom is just pretending to align himself with the men in brown or if he's really in sync with Smith's enemies.

Either way, as an anti-hero often does, Lord Tom redeems himself when he gives his life to save Smith. That's the difference between an anti-hero and a villain. A villain usually has no redeeming qualities, while an anti-hero who appears to reject traditional moral norms often cherishes a personal code of honor he will never relinquish. In the story, Lord Tom steps in admirably when the 'men in brown' get ready to shoot Smith.

His promise, which he reiterates throughout the novel to Smith, rings true:

"Never fear! Lord Tom's beside you! I'll save you, lad! I'll blow blue daylight through 'em!"

Lord Tom dies in a blaze of glory, and Smith comes to realize that the highwayman has always had his back. Lord Tom may have been a scoundrel, but when the chips were down, he came through for his young apprentice.Anti-heroes may be unconventional, but they mimic the characters of real people in real life. They give the message that anyone can choose to be a hero, even if he/she is imperfect. And that, perhaps, may be the greatest message Lord Tom sends to the readers of Leon Garfield's exciting story.

How does the allusion to Cassius in Fahrenheit 451 add meaning to the plot?

After Montag's house is burned, Montag takes the hose and turns it toward Captain Beatty. With his life in imminent danger, Beatty taunts Montag with an illusion to Cassuis:

There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats, for I am arm'd so strong in honesty that they pass me by as the idle wind, which I respect not.

This reference comes from Act IV, Scene III of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. By taking on the...

After Montag's house is burned, Montag takes the hose and turns it toward Captain Beatty. With his life in imminent danger, Beatty taunts Montag with an illusion to Cassuis:

There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats, for I am arm'd so strong in honesty that they pass me by as the idle wind, which I respect not.

This reference comes from Act IV, Scene III of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. By taking on the role of Brutus, Beatty is portraying himself as the tragic hero: he has tried to help Montag, tried to persuade him that books are pointless and cannot lead to happiness, and, in return for his advice, Montag now threatens his life.

The threat on his life, however, does not hold any "terror" for Beatty because he believes in the system. Even if Montag kills him, a replacement captain will soon follow. In other words, Beatty is not afraid of dying because he knows that his murder is not enough to overthrow the firemen and revolutionise society.

In this understanding, then, the allusion to Cassius represents Montag's powerlessness and his social isolation. This is, perhaps, why Montag fires the hose at Beatty and kills him: he is demonstrating his commitment to changing society and saying, in a most violent manner, that nothing will stand in his way. He is prepared to do whatever it takes to change society's attitude to books and to remove all traces of censorship.

(For more information on Cassius and Brutus, please see the second reference link provided.)

I have semester finals coming up and I need help finding small examples of suspense to write in my study guide. What are some small examples of...

Without knowing which literature works that your teacher has assigned to be read throughout the semester, this is a tough question.  I'll attempt to answer it by using some fairly common works and authors.  

Pick just about any short story by Edgar Allen Poe.  They are loaded with suspense.  Will the narrator in "The Pit and Pendulum" die?  How will he die?  Why is he there?  What torture will be next?  All of those...

Without knowing which literature works that your teacher has assigned to be read throughout the semester, this is a tough question.  I'll attempt to answer it by using some fairly common works and authors.  

Pick just about any short story by Edgar Allen Poe.  They are loaded with suspense.  Will the narrator in "The Pit and Pendulum" die?  How will he die?  Why is he there?  What torture will be next?  All of those questions add suspense for the reader.  That's mainly what suspense is too.  Suspense needs the reader to worry and question what is happening and what will happen to liked characters.  

Stephen Benet's "By the Waters of Babylon" works too.  Why has so much knowledge been lost.  Why is metal dangerous?  John isn't supposed to go to the "Place of the Gods," but he does anyway.  Something bad is likely to happen.  And he does indeed get attacked a few times by wild animals.  

Huck and Jim's multiple encounters with seedy characters are all suspenseful.  1984's rat torture scene was crazy suspenseful.  The undead sailors on the ship in "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" are quite creepy and suspenseful.  Macbeth's murder of Duncan is a good choice too, especially since moments before Macbeth said that he wouldn't do it. Simon's death and Piggy's death from Lord of the Flies are both fingernail bitingly intense as well.  What makes those scenes even worse is that the well liked characters are the ones that die.  

Della saves her money to buy goods from the grocer, the vegetable man, and the butcher. Which statement in the story describes Della's relationship...

Before the days of supermarkets, housewives used to have to go to a number of different shops in order to get food for one or two days' meals. There were no refrigerators, so the women had to shop frequently or their food would spoil. Typically they carried wicker shopping baskets because the shops did not provide bags. The women would naturally form familiar relationships with the shopkeepers. Many of the shops were mom-and-pop enterprises, so...

Before the days of supermarkets, housewives used to have to go to a number of different shops in order to get food for one or two days' meals. There were no refrigerators, so the women had to shop frequently or their food would spoil. Typically they carried wicker shopping baskets because the shops did not provide bags. The women would naturally form familiar relationships with the shopkeepers. Many of the shops were mom-and-pop enterprises, so the shoppers would get to know both husband and wife. In butcher shops, for example, the husband would do all the meat cutting and his wife would deal with the customers. Della did not to alienate any of these business people, who were struggling to survive themselves, but she must have caused some irritation by scrutinizing the scales, counting and recounting the change she received, and sometimes haggling over the price of an item. She would have gone to the butcher, the baker, the greengrocer, and perhaps to the fruit seller, delicatessen, and the seller of dairy products on a typical day. Going shopping was a big event in her day. She spent much of her time alone in her apartment. Her relations with the shopkeepers would have been important to her, since they were among the few people she knew. 

The statement in the story that best describes her relationship with the shopkeepers is:

Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one's cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied. 

This shows how hard it was to save a penny in those days. Food were so low that the shopkeeper himself was counting his profits in pennies. No doubt these men and women were less cordial to Della than they might be with some of their other customers. They did not understand that she was trying to save a tiny sum of money to buy her husband a Christmas present at the end of the year. No doubt they categorized her as one of the women who was unpleasant to deal with. They may have considered "parsimony," or stinginess, as a character trait, which was obviously not the case with Della. She was so generous that she sold her beautiful hair in order to buy her husband a totally unnecessary and extravagant Christmas present.

What is historical context for Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson?

The book frequently refers to the battles between the Patriots and the Loyalists. That would put the novel taking place sometime during the American Revolution. More specifically, the book takes place between May 1776 and January 1777. The setting is mostly New York City, which was a political and military hotbed of conflict. Anderson does a nice job of weaving Isabel's story with actual events and people of the time period. For example, Isabel attends...

The book frequently refers to the battles between the Patriots and the Loyalists. That would put the novel taking place sometime during the American Revolution. More specifically, the book takes place between May 1776 and January 1777. The setting is mostly New York City, which was a political and military hotbed of conflict. Anderson does a nice job of weaving Isabel's story with actual events and people of the time period. For example, Isabel attends the hanging of Thomas Hickey. Hickey was actually hanged for treason against the Patriots and possible involvement in a plot to kill George Washington. Another item that puts some historical context into the novel is that Isabel reads Thomas Paine's book Common Sense. The fire Isabel rescues Lady Seymour from is also a real historical event that occurred in New York in 1776. No definitive cause has ever been found for the fire, but the fire did burn roughly 500 buildings. That amounts to roughly one quarter of the houses in New York at the time.  

Anderson also provides a dozen or so pages at the end of the novel in which she addresses many other real historical features and events she included in the novel.   

How do I write a thesis statement about A Christmas Carol?

Well, that depends on whether or not your teacher has assigned you a prompt that you should answering with your thesis statement, or if he/she has allowed you to develop your own argument entirely. 

Regardless of whether or not your thesis is in response to a specified prompt, it should always be an argumentative claim. Many people have trouble ensuring that their thesis statements are argumentative, not simply observations or statements of fact. An argumentative thesis claims some sort of connection or relationship between two elements of the text, whether it is a cause-effect, reciprocal, a similarity, a difference, or some other relationship. 

If you are unsure about whether or not your thesis statement is an argument, the easiest "cheat" to check is to include the word "because". This automatically inserts a cause-effect relationship into your thesis statement around which you can build your argument. 

What is going to happen to Uma ?

As the story begins, Uma is a forty-three year old spinster who lives with her parents at home. Her life is dreary, with every aspect of her existence managed by her parents; Uma calls her parents MamaPapa because they mirror each other in thought and action. It is as if her parents are one micro-managing entity pervading her life.

As the novel progresses, we learn that Uma wasn't always without options in life. In her youth, she had been an enthusiastic scholar, despite the fact that she was a mediocre student at best. At age 15, Uma was pulled out of school by her parents in order to help her mother with her new infant brother, Arun. Her parents tried to arrange a marriage for her when she turned 16, but her prospective husband fell in love with her sister, Aruna. In all, there were three attempts to marry Uma off, but none of them were successful. The worst experience by far, where grooms were concerned, was Uma's betrothal and eventual marriage to Harish.

Accordingly, Harish worked in the pharmaceutical business. He was almost as old as Uma's father and was grossly overweight, with a pock-marked face to boot. Like all the others, he showed no enthusiasm for Uma. Immediately after the wedding, Harish left for Meerut. Perplexingly, he stayed away in Meerut for the duration of the time that Uma was married to him. Eventually, Uma's father came to take her home. The news was that Harish was already a married man with four children. He needed a dowry to save his struggling pharmaceutical business and Uma's came in handy. The shame of it all was almost unbearable for Uma. Because of the stigma of three failed arranged marriages, Uma was forever labeled untouchable as a prospective bride.

Having cost her parents two dowries, without a marriage to show in return, Uma was considered ill-fated by all and no more attempts were made to marry her off.

Perhaps one of the only bright spots in Uma's life was to go on pilgrimage with Mira-Masi, one of her mother's estranged relatives. Additionally, had her parents given their assent to Dr. Dutt when the doctor offered Uma the housekeeper's position in the women's dormitory at the Medical Institute, her life might have turned out quite differently. As it appears, Uma was never given the chance to explore her options. Eventually, bereft of all hope, Uma found herself consigned to living out her life in servitude to her parents' every wish.

What is the power of dreams in a Midsummer Night's Dream?

A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of Shakespeare's most famous, and funniest, plays. As the title suggests, dreams and dreaming play an important role in the narrative, and so dreams are probably the single most powerful force at work within Shakespeare's world. 

Much of the action revolves around a rotating cast of lovers and the disastrous love potion that causes the wrong people to fall in love with each other. The fairy king Oberon, along...

A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of Shakespeare's most famous, and funniest, plays. As the title suggests, dreams and dreaming play an important role in the narrative, and so dreams are probably the single most powerful force at work within Shakespeare's world. 

Much of the action revolves around a rotating cast of lovers and the disastrous love potion that causes the wrong people to fall in love with each other. The fairy king Oberon, along with his mischievous assistant, Puck, devise a potion that, when given to a sleeping person, will make him or her fall in love with the first thing he or she sees. Puck administers this love potion to three people - Lysander, Demetrius, and Titania - when he finds them sleeping in the fairy wood beyond Athens. Upon waking, they fall in love with the first people they see: Lysander and Demetrius with Helena, and Titania with the bumbling weaver, Bottom. What follows is a hilarious comedy of errors taking place entirely in a magical wood beyond the borders of civilization. Thus, the whole play takes on a dreamlike quality, as characters seem to drift through events taking place in an alternate universe, a made-up dream world of the mind.

Additionally, Shakespeare suggests that, in watching the play, his audiences are actually dreaming themselves. For example, Puck arrives at the end of the narrative to say:

If we shadows have offended,

Think but this, and all is mended,

That you have but slumb'red here

While these visions did appear

And this weak and idle theme,

No more yielding but a dream... (412-18)

In this otherworldly address, Puck suggests that the whole production has been a dream, and the characters were nothing more than shadows flitting across each audience member's subconscious. As such, Shakespeare tests the fabric separating dreams from reality, and it is unclear exactly where we are at the end of the play. It is this quality, more than anything else, that gives dreams such staggering power in Shakespeare's fairy world.   

How does the Zimmermann Telegram relate to the 2016 theme of the NHD of exploration, encounter and exchange in history?

The Zimmermann Telegram relates most clearly to the theme of encounter, but it can be linked to some degree to exploration and exchange as well.

The clear connection is between this telegram and encounter.  One aspect of encounter can be conflict.  The Zimmermann Telegram came about because of two different conflicts.  First, it came about because of conflicts between Germany and the US-British alliance.  Second, it came about because of conflict between the United States...

The Zimmermann Telegram relates most clearly to the theme of encounter, but it can be linked to some degree to exploration and exchange as well.

The clear connection is between this telegram and encounter.  One aspect of encounter can be conflict.  The Zimmermann Telegram came about because of two different conflicts.  First, it came about because of conflicts between Germany and the US-British alliance.  Second, it came about because of conflict between the United States and Mexico.  If the US had not taken what is now the American Southwest from Mexico in the 1840s, the Zimmermann Telegram would not have been sent. If the British and the US had not been in conflict with Germany in 1917, (I know the US was not at war with Germany yet, but there were clear conflicts between the two), the telegram would not have been sent.  So, the main connection here is that the telegram came about because of encounters/conflicts.

It is also possible to tie the Zimmermann Telegram to exploration and exchange.  Without exploration (and the exchange of germs that went with it), neither the United States nor Mexico would exist in their current forms.  Without exploration, the European countries would not have had empires to fight over and WWI might not have happened.  Thus, exploration and exchange made the telegram possible.  We could also say that the exchange of people and goods helped make the US and the British allies.  Because of exchange, many Americans are of English descent.  Because of exchange, there were economic ties between the US and Great Britain.  These ties helped cause an alliance between the two countries and helped cause Germany to come into conflict with the US.

Thus, all three of the themes of National History Day are present with the Zimmermann Telegram, but the theme of encounter has the strongest connection.

Countries of the world today are more interdependent in terms of A. human rights. B. economics. C. militaries. D. politics. E. diplomacy. Is B the...

While economics seems to be, on the surface, the most obvious way countries interact, the question asks about “interdependent,” and with that area emphasized, answers C And E deserve consideration. Treaties, alliances, etc. (NATO, for example) are by definition interdependent documents that guard and guide countries of the world in their military actions. No country can act independently of its allies’ wishes, and all military actions have consequences for many countries besides the original actor....

While economics seems to be, on the surface, the most obvious way countries interact, the question asks about “interdependent,” and with that area emphasized, answers C And E deserve consideration. Treaties, alliances, etc. (NATO, for example) are by definition interdependent documents that guard and guide countries of the world in their military actions. No country can act independently of its allies’ wishes, and all military actions have consequences for many countries besides the original actor. Look at Russia and the U.S., for example; while considered opponents in the Cold War and elsewhere, they are now “on the same side” in the battle against ISIS. Economic forces are in effect, to be sure, in Far Eastern countries, but much more important is how China interacts with, for example, Taiwan militarily. As for diplomacy, it too is an interdependent area – witness the United Nations’ struggles with getting two or more nations to sit down together to talk out their differences. I would eliminate answers A., B., and D. on these bases, and choose C. militaries, with a nod to diplomacy as part of C.

What is the significance of Nick Carraway's background in the novel, The Great Gatsby?

Nick's background puts him in an interesting place in the novel. He has been raised in a wealthy family that owns a business in the Midwest. Despite his relative wealth, however, he does not have the enormous privilege of Tom and Daisy. He is not nearly as wealth and his family has not been rich for many generations. This allows him to occupy a place in the novel where he is both part of the...

Nick's background puts him in an interesting place in the novel. He has been raised in a wealthy family that owns a business in the Midwest. Despite his relative wealth, however, he does not have the enormous privilege of Tom and Daisy. He is not nearly as wealth and his family has not been rich for many generations. This allows him to occupy a place in the novel where he is both part of the high society he follows while also being capable an outside perspective.

For example, Nick studied at Yale with Tom. This, along with his relation to Daisy, allows him to have a place in their home. And yet, when he is invited he is still overwhelmed by their wealth. He marvels at how a man of his own generation could have such means.

Likewise, his more ordinary upbringing allows him to understand Gatsby, who grew up poor, better than a character like Tom. Yet his life of comparative privilege gives him a clear sense of distance from Gatsby's modest upbringing as well. Nick is the narrating center at the core of the all the other characters. 

On what page of "The Metamorphosis" does Gregor's father throw an apple at him?

At the end of chapter two (page 64), in the story “The Metamorphosis,” Gregor’s father begins throwing apples at Gregor. Although Gregor lived as a bug with his family for quite some time (by this point in the story), his family still feared him and believed that his actions could cause harm.

Due to their fear, Gregor’s father tried to force Gregor to retreat back to his room and leave his mother and sister alone....

At the end of chapter two (page 64), in the story “The Metamorphosis,” Gregor’s father begins throwing apples at Gregor. Although Gregor lived as a bug with his family for quite some time (by this point in the story), his family still feared him and believed that his actions could cause harm.

Due to their fear, Gregor’s father tried to force Gregor to retreat back to his room and leave his mother and sister alone. Although his mother and sister had been trying to help him by removing the furniture in his room, Gregor did not want to lose the belongings that brought a hope of transforming back into a human. As Gregor's thoughts reveal:

"Nothing was to be removed; everything must remain. In his condition he couldn’t function without the beneficial influences of his furniture."

As a result, he accidentally scared his mother and then, instinctively followed her out of his room to try to help her. Regardless of his good intentions, his father’s fear caused him to retaliate and throw apples at his son.

What are some important features of Stonehenge?

There are over seven hundred archaeological features in the entire Stonehenge World Heritage site. Stonehenge is a megalithic site, which means it is an ancient monument made of stone. The word 'henge' is defined as a prehistoric structure that consists of a circle of stone or wooden uprights. Stonehenge obviously fits that criteria.

There are two types of stone used. The larger stones are called sarsens and can reach heights of thirty feet. Sarsens, on...

There are over seven hundred archaeological features in the entire Stonehenge World Heritage site. Stonehenge is a megalithic site, which means it is an ancient monument made of stone. The word 'henge' is defined as a prehistoric structure that consists of a circle of stone or wooden uprights. Stonehenge obviously fits that criteria.

There are two types of stone used. The larger stones are called sarsens and can reach heights of thirty feet. Sarsens, on average, weigh about 25 tonnes. The smaller stones of the complex are called blue stones and weigh about four tonnes. They are called blue stones because when freshly cut, or when they get wet, the stones have a bluish tint. It is believed that glacial movement brought these large stones into the region, but archaeologists have not ruled out the possibility that they were moved by the people of the era.

One of the interesting features of Stonehenge is the astrological alignment of the site. Stonehenge is aligned along the midwinter sunset, midsummer sunrise solstitial axis. This means that its alignment can be used to predict the midyear based on the way shadows are cast. Other monuments around Stonehenge have this arrangement or the opposite midsummer sunset alignment. This would have been important for agricultural purposes as well as ceremonial.

Holes that are dug around the complex seem to have two purposes. First, it was used as a cremation cemetery, with people burying the ashes of the deceased in the holes. Secondly, the holes may have been used to predict lunar eclipses, which would have been useful to priests or shamans. In general, with over 350 burial mounds, the Stonehenge ward was an important necropolis in ancient times.

The entire region around Stonehenge was considered sacred ground, probably because of the abundance of wild game. The Stonehenge monument itself is the most architecturally sophisticated henge structure built in prehistory.

How does this lottery differ from what we usually think of as a lottery?

The impact of the plot is based on the fact that this lottery is one in which the winner is the loser, so to speak. In other lotteries the winner gets a prize of one kind or another. In this lottery in Shirley Jackson's famous story, the first prize, and only prize, is getting stoned to death. In other lotteries everybody wants to draw the one special ticket. In Shirley Jackson's lottery everybody dreads drawing that ticket, although many of them, if not all, are looking forward to the pleasure of stoning someone else to death. Most of the people don't reveal their secret cruelty, but the younger boys betray everybody else's by the eagerness with which they gather stones long before the "winner" is determined. In the typical lottery there are feelings of covetousness, anticipation, and finally disappointment for all but one participant. In this lottery there are feelings of anxiety, dread, morbid curiosity, and hope.

There is a sense of the release of tension among the assembly when Bill Hutchinson draws the black spot for his family, meaning that everybody else is safe for another year. It can be felt in the reactions among the crowd, as if everybody one had been holding their breaths.

For a minute, no one moved, and then all the slips of paper were opened. Suddenly, all the women began to speak at once, saying, "Who is it?," "Who's got it?," "Is it the Dunbars?," "Is it the Watsons?" Then the voices began to say, "It's Hutchinson. It's Bill," "Bill Hutchinson's got it."

There is a surge of relief, satisfaction, and eager anticipation of the finale. Even the two Hutchinson children are joyful, although they must realize that their escape narrows down the prospects of death to their mother or father or tiny brother Davy.

Nancy and Bill. Jr.. opened theirs at the same time. and both beamed and laughed, turning around to the crowd and holding their slips of paper above their heads.

The story would be funny if it were not so pathetic. The winner is the loser. The losers are all winners. There is usually only one winner and many losers in a conventional lottery, but here there is only one loser and around three hundred winners. Perhaps this explains why the people continue to support these annual lotteries for decades. It gives the survivors a sort of esprit de corps.

That is one of the things that makes for irony. Irony is like a bad joke. It would be funny if the consequences were not so painful. Tessie Hutchinson makes a good victim. She is emotional and articulate. We can "hear" the scene as well as visualize it.

What would be a good argument for an essay on the film "No Country For Old Men"?

You might consider comparing the film to the book; in my experience, the film is more faithful to the book than almost any other adaptation of a book that I've seen. You might analyze the content of the story (abstracted from the book or film version) and critically analyze the changes that were made, why they were made, and what they contribute or remove from the story. You might also question what the most essential...

You might consider comparing the film to the book; in my experience, the film is more faithful to the book than almost any other adaptation of a book that I've seen. You might analyze the content of the story (abstracted from the book or film version) and critically analyze the changes that were made, why they were made, and what they contribute or remove from the story. You might also question what the most essential elements of the story are, and whether the film adaptation, by leaving very little out, represents a 100% "essentialism", suggesting that the story is largely bereft of unnecessary elements.

One significant element that was left out was Llewelyn's "relationship" (a non-sexual one) with a teenage hitchhiker. This probably represented temptation, which Llewelyn denied - he stayed faithful to his wife, but he was killed anyway. By contrast, in the film, the girl is left out, and essentially replaced by an anonymous woman in a hotel that invites Llewelyn in for beers, under what are probably less than wholesome intentions. This, at least to me, portrays the film version of Llewelyn as a distinctly more fallible and corruptible person than he is in the novel.

A common and relatively easy topic for "No Country For Old Men" is the idea of evil being essential, omnipresent or all-powerful, and that the individual is often powerless to stop it. You could address this prompt by discussing whether Chigurh is a real person who simply makes strong ideological arguments, or whether he is a sort of personification of death or some other force of nature.

Write a compare and contrast essay on fictional vs. real schools.

This is an interesting idea, and in order to write this paper some extensive pre-writing would be beneficial.

First and foremost, you might want to choose the fictional and real schools you will be looking at. Do you need more than one? If not, consider comparing your own school to a school of the same level in a fictional work. For example, if you go to High School, choose a High School from a book...

This is an interesting idea, and in order to write this paper some extensive pre-writing would be beneficial.

First and foremost, you might want to choose the fictional and real schools you will be looking at. Do you need more than one? If not, consider comparing your own school to a school of the same level in a fictional work. For example, if you go to High School, choose a High School from a book or film. By using your own school as one of the examples, you will be able to draw on your own experiences and provide specific evidence to support your claims.

In order to compare AND contrast, you will want to choose a fictional school that does have some similarities to your own school, but the differences could be quite different. For example, perhaps the teachers at your own school are eccentric and fun like the instructors at Hogwarts, but the schools themselves are quite different due to the content they teach.

Identifying what the schools have in common and what their similarities are should be helpful in determining how to organize your paper. Then, take a look at your prompt and see if your teacher wants you to follow a certain format. Typical formats for the compare and contrast paper are point-by-point and subject-by-subject formats.

In Romeo and Juliet, how do Romeo's actions affect other characters in the play?

Romeo's direct actions lead to the deaths of five other characters in the play, as well as his own. Mercutio, Tybalt, Paris, Juliet and his own mother die as a result of his impulsive and impassioned decisions. In Act III, Scene 1, his acquiescence to Tybalt is seen as a sign of cowardice by Mercutio. Because Romeo won't fight Tybalt, Mercutio steps in and, to add insult to injury, Romeo actually causes Mercutio to be...

Romeo's direct actions lead to the deaths of five other characters in the play, as well as his own. Mercutio, Tybalt, Paris, Juliet and his own mother die as a result of his impulsive and impassioned decisions. In Act III, Scene 1, his acquiescence to Tybalt is seen as a sign of cowardice by Mercutio. Because Romeo won't fight Tybalt, Mercutio steps in and, to add insult to injury, Romeo actually causes Mercutio to be stabbed as he tries to break up the sword fight and gets between the two men. A simple confession to Mercutio about the reality of his marriage to Juliet would have averted the entire situation. 

After Mercutio dies, Romeo is "Fortune's fool" as he goes after Tybalt in a fit of revenge and kills him. Again, Romeo needed to analyze the situation and consider the implications of his actions. Instead, he gives in to his basest instincts and turns to violence. While some may argue that both Tybalt and Mercutio deserved to die they must also be considered victims of Romeo's impetuous behavior.

Paris is definitely a victim of circumstance. He is simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. As he pays his last respects to Juliet at Capulet's tomb he unluckily meets Romeo, who is determined to kill himself next to Juliet as quickly as possible. Paris is basically an innocent bystander and doesn't deserve his fate. Romeo's ill considered plan leads to the Count's demise.

In his eagerness to commit suicide in Act III, Scene 3, Romeo doesn't even believe what he actually sees. He comments that Juliet still looks alive: 

Beauty’s ensign yet
Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks,
And death’s pale flag is not advancèd there.

Nevertheless, Romeo drinks the poison, not really caring how his actions will affect anyone else. If he had demonstrated any degree of patience he may have avoided his death and Juliet's. Unfortunately, he goes through with his scheme, not only causing his own death but inadvertently pushing Juliet to the same fate. 

Finally, Romeo's banishment brings such "grief" to his family that his mother dies as a result. As a wise poet once said, "No man is an island..." and this is indeed true in Romeo's case. He could never imagine how devastating his simple love for a girl could lead to such mischief.

How is Kira's opinion about Jamison changing?

Kira first meets Jamison while she is on trial for her life. She must decide whether to defend herself or allow an appointed defender to manage her case. She doubts whether someone who doesn't know her can adequately represent her, but she agrees to let him be her defender. Even after he wins the case for her and spares her life, she is somewhat suspicious of him.

However, as he continues to come to her...

Kira first meets Jamison while she is on trial for her life. She must decide whether to defend herself or allow an appointed defender to manage her case. She doubts whether someone who doesn't know her can adequately represent her, but she agrees to let him be her defender. Even after he wins the case for her and spares her life, she is somewhat suspicious of him.

However, as he continues to come to her room and check in on her, always with kindness and helpfulness, she begins to trust him more. She wonders whether she should ask him about Annabella's assertion that beasts don't exist in the forest, and at first she lets the question remain unasked. However, she later trusts him enough to ask him about it, and he tells her that it's dangerous for Annabella to say such things, asserting that he has seen beasts himself. Annabella dies shortly after that, but Kira doesn't make the connection to Jamison. When she finds Jo locked in her room, and when she learns that Thomas's and Jo's parents have both died under questionable circumstances, she begins to realize that she is not really free, even though her door is unlocked. However, she remains relatively loyal to Jamison--even when she sees that the Singer's feet are chained and bloody. She even assures her father that Jamison will make a place for him in the community. Her father informs her that it was Jamison who attacked him and left him to die.

Despite learning the truth about Jamison and the guardians, Kira decides to stay in her village rather than leave with her father. Armed with the truth, and with her blue threads of hope, she believes she can overcome Jamison's regime and create a better future for herself and her people.

Describe the city where Leonard Mead walks in"The Pedestrian."

Leonard Mead walks across buckled concrete sidewalks with grass growing in the cracks on a night in 2053 A.D. He imagines himself on a windless Arizona desert despite there being houses and cottages all along his way. For, there is no sight or sound of life anywhere; the lights are off inside the houses, and no one is outdoors besides Mead.

Not only are the sidewalks unpopulated, but the long street is empty and silent....

Leonard Mead walks across buckled concrete sidewalks with grass growing in the cracks on a night in 2053 A.D. He imagines himself on a windless Arizona desert despite there being houses and cottages all along his way. For, there is no sight or sound of life anywhere; the lights are off inside the houses, and no one is outdoors besides Mead.

Not only are the sidewalks unpopulated, but the long street is empty and silent. Only Mead's shadow makes its way down the street lit only by the lamppost since the lights in the dwellings are turned off as the occupants gather before the television sets. [In the early days of television, the black and white screens were not of the clarity and brightness as they are today, so many people watched TVs in the dark in order to better see the screen.]

Mead is careful to not make noise lest he be reported for his vagrant behavior because in ten years of walking, having covered thousands of miles, he has never seen another person. Even the one police car of the town is automated and without a human behind the wheel.

What is the significance of the setting in The Lord of the Flies? How does the island help to convey the novel's theme?

The novel is set on an uninhabited island, free from the taint of human occupation. As such, the island is uncorrupted and pure. It has survived and flourished without human intervention. The island exists in its natural and original state, providing sustenance to its flora and fauna.

Since the island is isolated and far removed from human interference, it becomes the ideal setting in which to place our characters since it is here, in such a pure and uncorrupted environment, that man's true nature can be explored. The boys' arrival on the island is symbolic of man being placed in unfamiliar surroundings, free from rules, dogma and religion. When the boys arrive, there are no adults to supervise, guide or discipline them. They are young and carefree, free from society's restrictions.

It is this aspect which makes the boys vulnerable to whatever inherent weaknesses they might have. Being on the island allows them the time to discover the good and the bad about themselves, since there is no authority to intervene or advise. They are entirely separated from what we understand as civilization. The boys have to establish their own, rudimentary civilization to ensure their survival and ultimately, their rescue. As far as the first is concerned, the boys fail miserably. The second occurs, ironically, as a consequence of the first.

This is the point Golding wishes to emphasise: That in the right circumstances and conditions, man ultimately turns to his baser instinct - savagery. Man's inherent desire to dominate and commit evil finds an outlet in situations where civilization does not exist. It is clear from events in the novel that reason (as represented by Piggy, Ralph and Simon) is quickly ignored and replaced by irrational savagery and evil (Jack, Roger, Maurice and the hunters). Evil, if it is not contained, triumphs, and only chance or some other intervention may save those who are exposed to its destruction (as illustrated by the fire burning out of control and the arrival of the captain).

In choosing an island as the setting, Golding makes it clear that it is man's inherent evil that corrupts everything he touches. Before the boys' arrival, the island was a paradise. Its natural beauty is at once destroyed by the arrival of humans. When the plane crashes, it creates a massive scar - denoting the first damage the arrival of man causes. The island is literally invaded by the boys who further taint the pristine environment by dragging wood to make a fire, using the flora to feed and to build shelters.

They encroach on the animals' territory and hunt the pigs that had probably been free of natural enemies, threatening their existence. They disturb the natural rhythm on the island, practically destroying it in the end when the fire to smoke out Ralph runs out of control. Their arrival spells destruction and doom.

In Tuck Everlasting, Winnie has a conflict within herself when she returns home. What is it?

I think by "returns home" you are referring to after the constable brings Winnie back from the Tuck household.  

Winnie's conflict is what to do about Mae Tuck.  To protect Winnie from the man in the yellow suit, Mae Tuck attacked the stranger.  She clubbed him over the head with the stock of the shotgun. 

With a dull cracking sound, the stock of the shotgun smashed into the back of his skull. He dropped...

I think by "returns home" you are referring to after the constable brings Winnie back from the Tuck household.  

Winnie's conflict is what to do about Mae Tuck.  To protect Winnie from the man in the yellow suit, Mae Tuck attacked the stranger.  She clubbed him over the head with the stock of the shotgun. 

With a dull cracking sound, the stock of the shotgun smashed into the back of his skull. He dropped like a tree, his face surprised, his eyes wide open. And at that very moment, riding through the pine trees just in time to see it all, came the Treegap constable.

Unfortunately, the constable witnessed the entire thing, but didn't see that the man in the yellow suit was blackmailing the Tuck family.  The constable is forced to arrest Mae and take her to jail.  The other problem is that the man in the yellow suit dies.  The constable now believes that he has witnessed a murder, which means Mae is likely to be hanged. 

Winnie's is conflicted with what to do.  She wants desperately to help the Tuck family rescue Mae.  She wants to do something important, but she also knows that any actions that she takes will be definitely against the law and will get her into trouble.  

Jesse squinted at her, and then he said, "Yep—you know, it might work. It might just make the difference. But I don't know as Pa's going to want you taking any risk. I mean, what'll they say to you after, when they find out?"

"I don't know," said Winnie, "but it doesn't matter. Tell your father I want to help. I have to help. If it wasn't for me, there wouldn't have been any trouble in the first place. Tell him I have to."

Despite the risk to herself, Winnie decides to help the Tuck family break out of jail. 

How would you summarize The Story of My Life?

Helen Keller's autobiography, The Story of My Life, covers her life from birth until her second year of college. In it, Helen explained her family background, how she lost her sight and hearing, and how she learned to communicate. She also detailed her education, travels, friends, and hobbies.

Helen Keller was born in Alabama in 1880. She was bright as a baby and young toddler. Shortly before her second birthday, she became extremely ill....

Helen Keller's autobiography, The Story of My Life, covers her life from birth until her second year of college. In it, Helen explained her family background, how she lost her sight and hearing, and how she learned to communicate. She also detailed her education, travels, friends, and hobbies.

Helen Keller was born in Alabama in 1880. She was bright as a baby and young toddler. Shortly before her second birthday, she became extremely ill. She eventually recovered, but her illness caused her to be deaf and blind. For years, Helen lived in a silent world of darkness. She yearned to communicate, but she could not and became frustrated. Finally, her parents sought help. They arranged for a teacher to come help Helen. That teacher was Miss Sullivan. Miss Sullivan worked with determination to help Helen learn to communicate. Eventually, Helen had a breakthrough and learned the connection between words and objects. This was the beginning of Helen Keller's journey of lifelong learning.

Eventually, Helen went to school and then college. She traveled all over the country and to Canada. She made friends with many famous people, such as Alexander Graham Bell and Mark Twain. Helen enjoyed reading, being in nature, and sailing. At the end of the book, Helen credited her friends for making her life incredible:

Thus it is that my friends have made the story of my life. In a thousand ways they have turned my limitations into beautiful privileges, and enabled me to walk serene and happy in the shadow cast by my deprivation (Chapter XXIII).

How does author Elie Wiesel use symbolism to contribute to the meaning of Night?

In his book Night, Elie Wiesel uses symbolism throughout to enhance the text. First of all, the title itself is symbolic. The word "night" is repeated several times in different contexts. Night is death. Night is when one cannot see what is coming. It is a frightening time, especially for the Jews in concentration camps. They never know what is going to happen next. Some examples:

"Night fell." (Wiesel 10)

"An endless night." (Wiesel...

In his book Night, Elie Wiesel uses symbolism throughout to enhance the text. First of all, the title itself is symbolic. The word "night" is repeated several times in different contexts. Night is death. Night is when one cannot see what is coming. It is a frightening time, especially for the Jews in concentration camps. They never know what is going to happen next. Some examples:

"Night fell." (Wiesel 10)

"An endless night." (Wiesel 24)

"As soon as night fell, she began to scream." (Wiesel 24)

"Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed." (Wiesel 32)

Another symbol in Night is fire. Early on, Madame Schacter sees fires burning in a vision she experiences as the Jews are transported on the train. The other Jews think she has lost her mind, but when they arrive at Auschwitz, there it is. The fire that burns people alive is right in front of them. Fire also symbolizes Wiesel's feelings about God.  God is gone--burned up like a fire and no longer present as far as Wiesel is concerned. And most significantly, fire is symbolic of the living Hell in which the Jews barely exist.

These are just two of the many symbols found in Night; each has an important meaning and gives Wiesel's story power.

In the novel Bud, Not Buddy, what were Herman E. Calloway and Miss Thomas fighting about in the kitchen? ...

In Chapter 16, Bud wakes in Herman Calloway's house and quietly walks downstairs. He gets near the kitchen and overhears Herman saying to Miss Thomas, "...so that's how that cookie's going to crumble" (Curtis 185). Miss Thomas tells Herman that he has no idea how bad the orphanages are, and says that she can't understand how Herman is willing to take care of a stray dog, but will neglect a child. She reminds...

In Chapter 16, Bud wakes in Herman Calloway's house and quietly walks downstairs. He gets near the kitchen and overhears Herman saying to Miss Thomas, "...so that's how that cookie's going to crumble" (Curtis 185). Miss Thomas tells Herman that he has no idea how bad the orphanages are, and says that she can't understand how Herman is willing to take care of a stray dog, but will neglect a child. She reminds him that they already made an agreement to care for the boy, and that's exactly what they are going to do. Bud is aware that they are talking about him and mentions that it is a good thing he didn't unpack his suitcase yet because he might need to head for the streets again. Herman Calloway tells Miss Thomas that he is going to find out the real story about what happened in Flint. Miss Thomas responds by telling him that she believes Bud, and says until they find out otherwise, Bud will stay at their home. Herman and Miss Thomas were arguing about whether or not Bud was going to remain in their home. Herman wanted Bud to leave, and Miss Thomas wanted Bud to stay.

`u = -6i - 3j, v = -8i + 4j` Find the angle theta between the vectors.

The angle between two vectors u and v is given by;

`costheta = (u.v)/(|u||v|)`

u.v represent the vector dot product and |u| and |v| represents the magnitude of vectors.

We know that in unit vectors;

`ixxi = jxxj = 1 and ixxj = jxxi = 0`

`u = -6i-3j`

`v = -8i+4j`

`u.v = (-6)xx(-8)+(-3)xx4 = 36`

`|u| = sqrt((-6)^2+(-3)^2) = sqrt(45)`

`|v| = sqrt((-8)^2+4^2) = sqrt80`

The angle between...

The angle between two vectors u and v is given by;

`costheta = (u.v)/(|u||v|)`

u.v represent the vector dot product and |u| and |v| represents the magnitude of vectors.

We know that in unit vectors;

`ixxi = jxxj = 1 and ixxj = jxxi = 0`

`u = -6i-3j`

`v = -8i+4j`

`u.v = (-6)xx(-8)+(-3)xx4 = 36`

`|u| = sqrt((-6)^2+(-3)^2) = sqrt(45)`

`|v| = sqrt((-8)^2+4^2) = sqrt80`

The angle between vectors is given by;

`costheta = 36/((sqrt45)(sqrt80))`

`theta = cos^(-1)(36/sqrt(3600))`

`theta = 53.13 deg`

So the angle between two vectors is 53.13 deg

What words or ideas are repeated in the story, A Christmas Carol, and what are their significance?

There are several words that are repeated throughout the story, and these are often themes of the book as well, which indicates their significance. After doing a quick "find" search, the following words appeared multiple times:

Money = 10 times. Obviously Scrooge has money he is unwilling to spend and there are many in the story who need money in order to buy the essentials to survive on. Money is a major theme in the story because it is the thing Scrooge values most, and yet those who do not have it value family and health more than money.

Family = 14 times. There are many families in "A Christmas Carol," mostly happy ones. Scrooge is not a part of any of them until the end, and then he not only is welcomed back into his own family by his nephew, Fred, but is also "adopted" by the Cratchit family.

Love = 10 times. Scrooge is lacking love for anyone at the beginning of the story, and it takes the Spirits showing him those around him and how he used to love and be loved, as well as how much now he is not loved, to realize he wants to change his life.

Poor = 32 times! Clearly there are many poor people in this story, including the many women and children the charity men are requesting donations for and most noticeably, the Cratchits. Scrooge has the ability to make all of their lives easier, and he eventually does. This theme is so crucial to the story because even the poor in this story show more generosity than the richest man.

Happy = 13 times. Scrooge is not a happy man at the beginning of the story. In spite of his terrible behavior, the Cratchits and Fred all manage to retain their Christmas spirit and thankfully, Scrooge comes around at last.

Alone = 14 times. Scrooge is utterly alone. He has no friends and he has pushed his family away. The Spirits help him to recognize that as a boy at school he hated being alone and now as an adult he has forced himself to be alone once again.

Help = 16 times. Scrooge has the ability to help others and it is not until later in the book he chooses to do so. However, throughout the book we see many characters helping each other. This theme of the story is central, as Dickens is trying to remind us that even when we do not have anything at all, we can still help one another.

To do your own word searches, check out the eText of this story by going to either of the links below.

How does Shakespeare use Hero to show how honor is emphasized in the story?

In Much Ado About Nothing, Hero is an innocent young woman. Claudio describes her as “a modest young lady,” and Beatrice notes her obedience: “it is my cousin's duty to make curtsy and say 'Father, as it please you.'” She has some spark, though, particularly when she tricks Beatrice into falling for Benedick.

Still, the emphasis is placed on Hero’s purity. If she were not so virtuous, it would destroy her standing in society and...

In Much Ado About Nothing, Hero is an innocent young woman. Claudio describes her as “a modest young lady,” and Beatrice notes her obedience: “it is my cousin's duty to make curtsy and say 'Father, as it please you.'” She has some spark, though, particularly when she tricks Beatrice into falling for Benedick.

Still, the emphasis is placed on Hero’s purity. If she were not so virtuous, it would destroy her standing in society and cast shame upon her father Leonato. As a woman, she is, in a sense, an extension of the men around her. When Don John slanders her and Claudio humiliates her at their wedding, honor becomes a matter of life and death.

Don John tells Claudio that “it would better fit your honor” to break off the marriage. Both Claudio and Don Pedro, who “wooed for [Claudio] to obtain her,” feel disgraced because of Hero’s alleged behavior. At the wedding, the accusations so enrage Leonato that he threatens the lives of Hero and her accusers:

If they speak but truth of her,
These hands shall tear her; if they wrong her honor,
The proudest of them shall well hear of it.

To protect Hero’s honor, Benedick challenges Claudio to a duel. Throughout the wedding scene, Hero’s honesty seems obvious, but Claudio believes her blushes are for show: “She's but the sign and semblance of her honor. / Behold how like a maid she blushes here!”

In the end, most of the characters get to keep their honor, and Hero’s reputation is restored. Claudio is punished with a kind of test, but only Don John and his associates are truly stripped of honor.

How do the following market structures affect pricing, distribution and product and service offering affect 1-monopolistic competition...

Under monopolistic competition, there are a large number of companies in the market, but the products each one sells are a little bit different. They aren't completely different---they are substitutes---but they are also not exactly interchangeable---they are not perfect substitutes.

Restaurants are a good example; any restaurant will serve you food, and if one restaurant gets too expensive you can change to another; but some restaurants are better than others, and you'll be disappointed if your favorite restaurant gets too expensive and you have to switch.

Monopolistic competition results in higher prices, higher profits, and lower quantity sold than would occur under perfect competition, but lower prices, lower profits, and higher quantity sold than would occur under monopoly. If companies can join the market, they can also make a monopolistic competition more competitive over time, eventually driving it toward perfect competition in the long run.

Under monopsony, there are many companies selling the good, but there is only one entity buying it. As a result, the buyer has the power to set prices.

Government contracts are an example of monopsony. If you want to build F-16s, the only place you're allowed to sell them to is the US military. As a result, the US military gets to set the price at which they will buy those F-16s.

Monopsony results in lower prices and lower profits than even perfect competition; it also results in lower quantity sold, which can be a bit counter-intuitive since both monopoly and monopsony result in reduced quantity sold even though one raises prices and one lowers them.

Finally, there is duopoly, in which there are only two companies selling the good. A complex game emerges, in which each company must strategize about what their competitor will do in order to set their next move.

Commercial airliners are an example of duopoly; Boeing and Airbus together control almost the entire market.

Many different outcomes are possible under duopoly.

If the two companies can manage to collude, they will coordinate their prices and essentially act as two shareholders of the same monopoly. This is usually illegal if you do it outright; but there are ways of being more subtle. One way is to make a subtle but credible threat that if they lower their prices, so will you, and as a result of the price war you will both lose out. If the threat is credible enough, both companies will keep offering the high price and act as a monopoly.

Alternatively, the threat could be completely non-credible and the two companies could compete as fiercely as possible, driving the price down to the same as it would be under perfect competition. This is called Bertrand competition.

There is also a third possibility, which might occur for example if the companies are competitive, but work in capital-intensive industries where it is costly to change the quantity you produce in a short time. An intermediate state can emerge, where each company basically takes the other company's level of production as fixed and then sets their own to monopolize their share of the market. The result is a state called Cournot competition, and, similar to monopolistic competition, its effects are intermediate between monopoly and perfect competition.

Give an example of a simile in The Witch of Blackbird Pond.

A simile is a figure of speech.  Specifically it makes a comparison between two different items in order to highlight some similarity between the two items.  The last piece of a simile is that the comparison must use the words "like" or "as" to make the comparison.  For example:

My sixth grade class is full of energy.  They are like the atoms in a gas -- always bouncing off the walls.  

In The Witch of Blackbird Pond there is a great simile in chapter one that is used to describe Kit as she sets foot in America for the first time.  

Her spirits bobbed like the whitecaps in the harbor as the boat pulled away from the black hull of the Dolphin.

A page later, Kit gets back into the longboat with a few other passengers.  One is a little girl with a toy.  After a few minutes of rowing, the little girl realizes that she dropped her toy in the water.  The simile used to describe the floating toy is as follows.  

The toy was drifting farther and farther from the boat, like a useless twig in the current. 

One last simile.  This one is from chapter two.  

It was almost too much to bear when she heard a splash directly below her and saw that Nat and two of the other young men had taken advantage of a wait for the rowboat and were thrashing about like porpoises in the river.

What is the conflict in the Poem "Incident in a Rose Garden"?

The conflict in the poem "Incident in the Garden" by David Justice is between Death and the gardener. The gardener runs out of the garden telling his master that he has seen Death within the garden walls. The gardener is quite frightened by the meeting with the tall, thin apparition dressed in black holding his scythe. The gardener explains that he must leave his job because he still has living to do, he wants to...

The conflict in the poem "Incident in the Garden" by David Justice is between Death and the gardener. The gardener runs out of the garden telling his master that he has seen Death within the garden walls. The gardener is quite frightened by the meeting with the tall, thin apparition dressed in black holding his scythe. The gardener explains that he must leave his job because he still has living to do, he wants to see his sons, and travel to California before his time on Earth is over. After explaining all of this to his master, the master enters the garden to confront Death. Death explains to the master that it was not the gardener he came to see. The conflict is resolved when Death explains it was the master he was seeking. The poem highlights the fact that death can come at to anyone at any time.

What is a quotation that shows Macbeth receiving little support from those who once were closest to him?

In Act 5, Scene 3, when a Servant reports that ten thousand English troops are approaching, Macbeth expresses his extreme depression and disillusionment in a soliloquy which includes the following.

My way of lifeIs fall'n into the sear, the yellow leaf,And that which should accompany old age,As honor, love, obedience, troops of friends,I must not look to have; but, in their stead,Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honor, breath,Which the...

In Act 5, Scene 3, when a Servant reports that ten thousand English troops are approaching, Macbeth expresses his extreme depression and disillusionment in a soliloquy which includes the following.

My way of life
Is fall'n into the sear, the yellow leaf,
And that which should accompany old age,
As honor, love, obedience, troops of friends,
I must not look to have; but, in their stead,
Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honor, breath,
Which the poor heart would fain deny and dare not.

(Shakespeare uses the image of yellow leaves to represent old age in his sonnet #73. "That time of year thou mayst in me behold / When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang / Upon those boughs which shake against the cold, / Bare ruined choirs where late the sweet birds sang.")

Macbeth does not seem concerned that a huge enemy army is on the march and he has lost many of his own cohorts. He calls for Seyton, and significantly has to call three times before Seyton responds. This suggests that even the household servants are abandoning Macbeth and that Seyton, who is evidently in charge of the household staff--a butler, head steward, or majordomo--is one of the few loyal ones left. Nobody wants to be caught inside the castle if it is swarmed over by enemy soldiers, who might slaughter everyone with or without orders to do so. There are only remnants of the original inhabitants of the huge castle--Seyton, Lady Macbeth, a Doctor, a Nurse, a Servant, and presumably a few guards.

The above soliloquy rather strangely recalls another one Macbeth spoke much earlier in the play in Act 2, Scene 3, when he had to stand outside Duncan's chamber while the totally unsuspecting Macduff went inside to wake the king and discovered his bloody body instead. On that occasion Macbeth spoke these words:

Had I but died an hour before this chance,
I had lived a blessed time; for from this instant
There's nothing serious in mortality:
All is but toys; renown and grace is dead;
The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees
Is left this vault to brag of.

What is a good clincher for an essay that is in favor of taking a year off before beginning college?

A topic that could, perhaps, be an attention-getter is one that mentions taking a year off before college as stepping out of the protected world of school into the harsh, real world before going to another controlled setting of the educational environment. Such a title could be Interim from Fantasy Land. Another title could be Climbing Down From the Ivory Tower. (The metaphor of "Ivory Tower" is used for educational institutions which are apart from the practical affairs of the real world.)

• Interim from Fantasy Land

According to Time magazine, studies show that students who take a year's hiatus between high school and college are more mature and more interested in their educations. For one thing, the academic break allows students to rest from such things as

AP classes, tutors, test prep, community-service projects, varsity sports, piano lessons and other extracurricular activities. 

While they are in this hiatus from academics, students often travel or work at a job or do volunteer work. In such instances, these students learn about others, what options are available to them, what fields they would like to enter, etc. These experiences, then, assist students in choosing a field in which they would like to major.

• Climbing Down From the Ivory Tower

When students take a year's hiatus, they can eliminate the worry of their choices and actions being recorded on their academic record; they can relax and enjoy their lives. If they work, students glean a realistic perspective on how much a person needs to earn to be comfortable and self-sufficient. They may also learn about others who differ from them and gain some political insights. Taking what is called a "gap-year" often provides experience in the real world.

What is a description of the setting in the story "There Will Come Soft Rains"?

In Ray Bradbury's "There Will Come Soft Rains," the setting is of such importance that it is truly the main character of the story.

It is August 4, 2026, two days from the anniversary of the apocalyptic dropping of the atomic bomb upon Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945, the automated house stands alone, the sole survivor in the aftermath of a nuclear explosion. Amazingly, all the other houses are but ashes and rubble, but the house still...

In Ray Bradbury's "There Will Come Soft Rains," the setting is of such importance that it is truly the main character of the story.

It is August 4, 2026, two days from the anniversary of the apocalyptic dropping of the atomic bomb upon Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945, the automated house stands alone, the sole survivor in the aftermath of a nuclear explosion. Amazingly, all the other houses are but ashes and rubble, but the house still functions. The voice-clock acts as the morning alarm, "time to get up, time to get up, seven o'clock!"
In the kitchen there are the sounds of breakfast being made as the automatic date reminder announces the birthdays and anniversaries and bills to remember. Then, the clock says that it is time to go to work and to school; however, on this day there are no sounds to be heard. No one closes a door, no one runs down the stairs.

Later, the little robotic mice come out and clean the floors, the shriveled eggs that were not eaten are cleared off plates that are then washed. When all the tasks of cleaning are completed, the mice scurry back into their burrows. Outside, the most remarkable sight is visible on the walls of the house: the silhouettes of a man, a woman, and a boy and girl are burned onto the sides of the house. The rest of the house is "a charcoal layer" now when heretofore it has been

...an altar with ten thousand attendants, big small, servicing, attending, in choirs. But the gods had gone away, and the ritual of the religion continued senselessly, unsteadily.

When a dog, once large and healthy, but now reduced to bone and full of sores, comes to the door, it whines and the house opens its door. The pitiful dog froths at the mouth, spins, and drops dead from cancer. Sensing decay, the robotic mice again appear and sweep the dog into the house incinerator.
Still, the house continues its automated routine: the nursery changes to a virtual meadow where children can play, the bath fills for the children; the fire place glows. At 9:55 p.m. an automated voice asks Mrs. McClellan which poem she would like to hear on this evening. When there is no response, the voice reads Sara Teasdale's "There Will Come Soft Rains."

After this reading, the house starts to be destroyed as a tree falls and a branch breaks a window, sending cleaning solvent onto the stove. A great conflagration begins, and the house cannot put it out. The fire spreads throughout the house and the voices die as the machinery all comes on at once as circuits burn. In electronic chaos, music is played, the lawn mower runs, an umbrella is set up outside, the cleaning mice run "insanely" in manic confusion as the stove reignited by fire falling upon it repeatedly prepares dozens of bacon strips and loaves of toast. Finally, there is a crash; then, there is smoke and silence. The house is virtually destroyed, but it endeavors to announce the date, "Today is August 5, 2026....

How did weapons such as the airplane, bayonet, poison gas, and u-boats make World War I more deadly than previous wars?

World War I is often considered the first modern war. New weapons of combat were utilized to created unprecedented casualties. Airplanes were a popular weapon in the newspapers and on the radio. Papers told the tales of "dogfights" in the air and exalted the ace pilots with the most victories. Airplanes were used to bomb enemy locations with deadly effect. The more practical and successful utilization of aviation was in the area of gathering intelligence. When one side can easily track the locations of its enemies, the body counts will escalate.

Poison gas had two effects on the war. While not killing very many soldiers, it did have the effect of creating mass casualties. Soldiers could become sick enough from gas poisoning to have to be removed from the front lines until they recovered. Casualties were just as harmful to the war effort as deaths. Poison gas also had a dramatic psychological effect on soldiers. Infantryman would think they were sick from poison gas, when actually, they were just suffering from a common cold. The fear of gas attacks affected the strategies of both sides in a way that caused more death.

The u-boats, or submarines as they are called today, were also deadly for two reasons. First, it could be used to establish a blockade to starve out the enemy population. Secondly, the submarine was very effective at destroying battleships through the use of torpedoes.

Bayonets could be used to kill people from a distance through the use of ammunition, but could also be used to kill in hand-to-hand combat.

Why are all the animals going to the barn?

There are different reasons for all the animals going to the barn. At the beginning of the novel, they all attend a meeting there where Old Major, Mr. Jones's prize Middle White boar and the most respected animal on the farm, conveys a message about a dream he has had. During his address, he informs them about Man's abuse and exploitation and asks them to rebel. They are to rise up against Man and claim...

There are different reasons for all the animals going to the barn. At the beginning of the novel, they all attend a meeting there where Old Major, Mr. Jones's prize Middle White boar and the most respected animal on the farm, conveys a message about a dream he has had. During his address, he informs them about Man's abuse and exploitation and asks them to rebel. They are to rise up against Man and claim what is rightfully theirs. Once they have succeeded, they should espouse and practice a policy of equality and not adopt Man's evil ways.

After Old Major's death, the animals hold secret meetings in the barn at night several nights a week. At these gatherings, they are taught the principles of Animalism, a system of thought developed by the pigs Snowball, Napoleon, and Squealer, based on Old Major's teachings.

After successfully expelling Mr. Jones, his wife, and his men from Manor Farm, the animals take control. They all go to the barn on Sundays to attend a general assembly known as the Meeting. Here the work for the coming week is planned and resolutions are put forward and debated. The pigs always propose resolutions, and Snowball and Napoleon are the debates' most active participants. The other animals hardly ever take part since they have difficulty understanding even the simplest concepts.

The barn becomes a symbol of the animals' unity and community spirit. It is here where they share a common purpose and where they feel part of a greater good. It is therefore pitifully ironic that the barn is also later rejected by the pigs as a common sleeping area when they move into Mr. Jones's house and become worse tyrants than their erstwhile master had ever been.

How do the principles of care affect the autonomy of vulnerable people?

The principles of care in a health care setting are designed to protect the rights of all patients, including those members of a vulnerable population. Multiple safeguards, policies, procedures, and laws have been implemented to protect the rights, the privacy, and the safety of patients of all populations.

The idea of patient rights for each individual started as early in 1948 when the World Health Organization declared that each person has rights as part of...

The principles of care in a health care setting are designed to protect the rights of all patients, including those members of a vulnerable population. Multiple safeguards, policies, procedures, and laws have been implemented to protect the rights, the privacy, and the safety of patients of all populations.

The idea of patient rights for each individual started as early in 1948 when the World Health Organization declared that each person has rights as part of the "human family". In the United States, a law that is used to protect patient rights and privacy is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This law protects the privacy of protected health information (PHI) that is available to health care providers, insurance companies, companies that handle medical records or information technology companies that store or create medical information. Healthcare providers are limited on information they can provide about the patient to other health care providers without the patient's prior consent. 

Best practices in healthcare as recommended by the Institute of Medicine also outline protections for patients' rights. Some of these principles include effective communication between provider and patient, meeting health literacy needs of the patient, providers developing cultural competency, and understanding the needs of disabled populations. Moreover, patients have a right to know and understand all treatments that are being given and also should grant informed consent prior to treatment. 

Explain how Pope’s The Rape of the Lock does not fit the Juvenalian mode of satire.

“The Rape of the Lock” is a better example of Horatian satire than it is of Juvenalian satire. Juvenalian satire is a harsher form of satire, which treats a subject with contempt and often condemns a behavior prevalent in society.  Writers who write Juvenalian satire are indignant about something that is happening in their society, and they want the reader to react this way, also.  Horatian satire, on the other hand, pokes fun at a...

“The Rape of the Lock” is a better example of Horatian satire than it is of Juvenalian satire. Juvenalian satire is a harsher form of satire, which treats a subject with contempt and often condemns a behavior prevalent in society.  Writers who write Juvenalian satire are indignant about something that is happening in their society, and they want the reader to react this way, also.  Horatian satire, on the other hand, pokes fun at a subject without an outright condemnation.  It is witty without being judgmental, expecting the reader to recognize the folly being satirized without condemning or attacking. 

In “The Rape of the Lock,” the author is poking fun at many different subjects:  vanity, pride, and ego are among these subjects.  The author does not poke fun in a bitter, condemning way, but instead chooses a trivial subject and contrasts it with a serious subject, making the trivial seem important.  A good example of this is the fact that Pope is talking about cutting off a lock of someone’s hair, but he raises this to the seriousness of all out war.  “Just then, Clarissa drew with tempting grace/A two-edged weapon from her shining case/So ladies in romance assist their knight/Present the spear and arm him for the fight” (lines 127-130).  In contrast to a Juvenalian satire, such as “A Modest Proposal,” this satire is gentle and humorous rather than sarcastic. 

This gentle humor is also present when the author presents a tongue in cheek look at Belinda getting dressed.  The everyday act of getting dressed is portrayed as a religious act.  “The inferior priestess, at her altar’s side/ Trembling begins the sacred rites of Pride” (128-129).  The author is making fun of how seriously women take putting on clothes and makeup, but he is doing it in a humorous way, designed to make women laugh at themselves.  The satire present in "The Rape of the Lock” is definitely not Juvenalian because it is respectful while still making the reader laugh.

I need to compare a movie to the play Trifles. I just can't think of a movie. I saw someone compared it to A Doll's House, but I've never watched...

From the comparison that you provide, the assignment asks that your compare the play Trifles with a movie that has the subject matter of subjugated women. The reason why this is the rationale of the assignment is because the play A Doll's House has nothing to do with the play Trifles, except for the use of the topic of women being marginalized, or pushed down, by a male-dominated society. In this case, society is microcosmically represented in the marriage dyad, where the male dominates and subjugates the female.

If what you need is a movie,like your question states, and not another play, you may want to watch Sleeping with the Enemy with Julia Roberts, or Enough with Jennifer Lopez.

These two movies are about the effects of domestic violence on battered women. They also explore issues such as the "battered woman syndrome", "post traumatic stress disorder in domestic violence (DV) victims", and "women who snap". 

In Sleeping with the Enemy  the main character comes into a manipulative marriage as a willing participant, as she does not know any better. The husband uses her feebleness and naiveté to push her down further by not allowing her to engage in a number of activities. In the end she manages to escape, only to have him chase her again, until she no longer can play the "cat and mouse" game; one of them definitely needs to go.

In Enough, the same topic is used, except the main character has a child who she has to defend, as well. In the same way, the main characters snap at the prospect of going back into the submission of abusive men. In both movies, the men meet their ends at the hands of the women that they abused. 

When conducting a search of movies depicting battered women, it is surprising to find out that modern movies seem to shy away from the topic. Instead, they are trying to instill stronger, more initiator-type female leads into the overall psyche of worldwide audiences. The idea that a woman enters a relationship to be mistreated is something Hollywood cannot glamorize, therefore, it is hard to get those movies to hit the silver screen successfully.

Regardless, think how Minnie Wright is also a victim of a man who uses her feeble nature, her naiveté and her kindness to his complete advantage. Rather than bringing out the best out of two people, a chaotic and toxic DV relationship will plunge the couple down altogether, with one using the other as an scapegoat for all sorts of abusive behaviors. Poor Minnie was no different than a punching bag where John would release his anxiety, anger, and violent emotions in a dangerous way. This is why, when he kills the canary, he actually kills the very last nerve standing in Minnie's soul. And, she lost it. 

Describe the two men who are at the green pool in Of Mice and Men. What are their names?

This is a great question.  The green water is referred to twice in the novella. In fact, the novella begins with the green pool of water – the Salinas River, and ends there as well. In the beginning of the story, George and Lennie are there.  They are on their way to the ranch from weed to look for work.  On their way, they stop to take a break and drink from the river. There...

This is a great question.  The green water is referred to twice in the novella. In fact, the novella begins with the green pool of water – the Salinas River, and ends there as well. In the beginning of the story, George and Lennie are there.  They are on their way to the ranch from weed to look for work.  On their way, they stop to take a break and drink from the river. There George and Lennie recount their dreams of having land and living off of it.

In the final scene, George and Lennie are there again. But this time, the situation is different. Lennie has accidentally killed Curley’s wife. For this reason, George knows that the men will come after Lennie and kill him.  So, George finds his way to the river to take Lennie’s life in an act of mercy.  But before he does so, he gives the dream again.  In this way, the story ends as it begins and creates a inclusio.  However, there is one key difference. The dream is no more and Lennie is dead.

Which of the following would you expect to have properties most similar to Na, and why? K Mg N O Ar

Of the elements K (potassium), Mg (magnesium) N (nitrogen), O (oxygen) and Ar  (argon), K has the properties most similar to Na (sodium).

Elements that are in the same chemical family, as sodium and potassium are, have the most similar chemical properties. This is because they have similar electron configurations. Sodium, potassium and all other elements in Group 1A (alkali metals family) have one valence (outer) electron. They lose this electron very easily, forming a...

Of the elements K (potassium), Mg (magnesium) N (nitrogen), O (oxygen) and Ar  (argon), K has the properties most similar to Na (sodium).

Elements that are in the same chemical family, as sodium and potassium are, have the most similar chemical properties. This is because they have similar electron configurations. Sodium, potassium and all other elements in Group 1A (alkali metals family) have one valence (outer) electron. They lose this electron very easily, forming a +1 ion. This gives results in the same stable electron configuration as a noble gas. The alkali metals are the most reactive of the metals because of their strong tendency to lose an electron. 

Since the alkali metals all form +1 ions they're found in similar compounds, such as NaCl and KCl, Na2O and K2O, and NaNO3 and KNO3. The all react with water to form hydrogen gas and OH-.

The other elements in the question are less similar because they're in different chemical families so their electron configurations are different. Mg is in Group 2A and has one valence electron. It forms a +2 ion. Nitrogen is in Group 5A and has five valence electrons. It forms a -3 ion. Argon is in Group 8A, the noble gases. It has a complete octet of 8 outer electrons so it doesn't gain or lose electrons, making it unreactive. 

What is surprising about the attitude of the two convicts (Magwitch and Compeyson) towards one another in Great Expectations?

In the past, Magwitch and Compeyson had been partners in the thieving business. Compeyson had been planning to swindle Miss Havisham out of her money by marrying her and then leaving her (with her money). When they were both captured, they turned on each other, informing the police of the other’s criminal intentions. Though they had been imprisoned together on the prison ship, they let their hated of each other grow. When they escaped, instead...

In the past, Magwitch and Compeyson had been partners in the thieving business. Compeyson had been planning to swindle Miss Havisham out of her money by marrying her and then leaving her (with her money). When they were both captured, they turned on each other, informing the police of the other’s criminal intentions. Though they had been imprisoned together on the prison ship, they let their hated of each other grow. When they escaped, instead of aiding each other, they fought in the ditch. This allowed the soldiers (accompanied by Joe and Pip) to come on them and re-arrest both of them. They kept this hatred going for years. When Magwitch returned to England as Provis, Compeyson tracked him down. It was he who informed the police of Magwitch’s return. Magwitch was arrested and imprisoned, where he died. Compeyson died as he and Magwitch fell off the ship. 

Why does the book The Giver have so many unexplained scenes?

Although I am sure you are at least referring to the ending, as that has always been up for debate, it is difficult to know which other "unexplained scenes," you are referring to. Although Jonas is not always aware of why something happens the way that it does, as a reader we generally do not leave most of the scenes feeling as though there are loose ends - except the ending. So, let's look at...

Although I am sure you are at least referring to the ending, as that has always been up for debate, it is difficult to know which other "unexplained scenes," you are referring to. Although Jonas is not always aware of why something happens the way that it does, as a reader we generally do not leave most of the scenes feeling as though there are loose ends - except the ending. So, let's look at that.

Of course, the book ends with Jonas and Gabriel on a sled sliding toward a house with what appear to be Christmas lights. There has always been much debate about whether or not Jonas and Gabe live or die at the end of the novel, since Gabe appears to be near death (at least) just before Jonas sees the house.

Although Lois Lowry has said in interviews that she was stunned by the initial reactions and confusion with the ending of the book, she has also said it was purposefully written to "make people think." In other words, while she may have bene surprised by the debate, she was also happy about it. She liked that it was not neatly wrapped up. This is frustrating for readers of any novel because we all like to know how the story ends, and when we do not get a clear picture of that, we feel as though we are missing something. 

Ultimately, Lowry did admit she never planned to write a sequel to The Giver, but ended up doing so in response to the debate about the end of the first book.

What are some of the achievements of Mohenjo-daro?

The achievements credited to the citizens of Mohenjo-daro center around their urban planning skills. The level of sophistication in urban design was unprecedented in the world at the time. An urban sanitation system that removed waste from individual homes was employed. A rain sewage system, developed separately from the waste sewage system, was also constructed. The planners of Mohenjo-daro designed a grid-like system for their streets and avenues.

The Dravidians, who occupied the city, were...

The achievements credited to the citizens of Mohenjo-daro center around their urban planning skills. The level of sophistication in urban design was unprecedented in the world at the time. An urban sanitation system that removed waste from individual homes was employed. A rain sewage system, developed separately from the waste sewage system, was also constructed. The planners of Mohenjo-daro designed a grid-like system for their streets and avenues.

The Dravidians, who occupied the city, were masters at brick construction and design. Homes, public buildings, public baths, and grain storage towers were all constructed of brick. Many homes were multi-storied. A brick wall was built around the entire city and in different districts throughout. The wall was most likely as a flood control measure. Much of the brick construction has survived at the site even today.

Mohenjo-daro was also economically developed and did not seem to be interested in militarism or warfare. They developed a system of writing and were amongst the first to establish a uniform system of weights and measures. The trade network from Mohenjo-daro extended south into India and as far west as Mesopotamia. The wealth acquired through trade was used to strengthen the city.

What are the three personality traits of Henriette in Maupassant's story "Moonlight"?

Henriette Letore is a very young married woman who is full of romantic notions and dreams, not unlike Madame Mathilde Loisel in Guy de Maupassant's famous story "The Necklace." Henriette is married to a man who does not appreciate her romantic notions. In other respects he is a good husband and she likes him, although she wishes he could be more emotionally responsive. She is like many of the heroines in Maupassant's stories in wishing for more love, passion, and excitement in her life. She expresses these feelings to her sister Madame Julie Roubere, to whom she is making a confidential confession.

"Was I never to feel on my lips those kisses so deep, delicious, and intoxicating which lovers exchange on nights that seem to have been made by God for tenderness?"

One night while she and her husband are traveling in Switzerland, she goes for a walk by herself and meets a young man whom she and her husband have met in the course of their travels. Henriette has never been unfaithful to her husband before, but because of the influence of the moonlight and the beautiful Swiss landscape, she confesses that she succumbed to her feelings and began a love affair with the man who seemed to be the lover of her dreams.

Now she feels guilty and frightened. It appears that she has continued the affair with this young man since her returned to Paris. She is tormented by her feelings of guilt and her strong desire to prolong her liaison with the man she considers her real soulmate. The emotions aroused by her recent experiences are so strong that they have actually turned locks of her hair white, even though she is only twenty-four years old.

Henriette Letore's three main personality traits are her strong desire for love, her vulnerability to the influences of nature, and her conflicting conservative moral principles. She will have to learn to be deceitful if she continues her illicit affair when her husband returns from their estate in Calvados. This may be the beginning of a series of affairs in which she will find herself involved over the coming years. Her sister tells her:

"You see, sister, very often it is not a man that we love, but love itself."

This sounds very much like the often-quoted lines by Lord Byron:

In her first passion woman loves her lover;
In all the others, all she loves is love.

Byron was paraphrasing an epigram by Francois Duc de la Rochefoucauld.

In their first passion women love their lovers, in the others they love love.