How did Western Civilization pull itself out of the Dark Ages and into early modern times?

The Renaissance is popularly considered the event that pulled Europe out of the Dark Ages. While there is validity to this claim, other events occurred to modernize Europe. The Crusades, with their travels to Eastern Europe and Western Asia, brought back classical ideas, new technologies, and trade goods from the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. Demand for spices and silks from the east reinvigorated the stagnant economy.

The Crusaders also, unfortunately, brought back the bubonic plague,...

The Renaissance is popularly considered the event that pulled Europe out of the Dark Ages. While there is validity to this claim, other events occurred to modernize Europe. The Crusades, with their travels to Eastern Europe and Western Asia, brought back classical ideas, new technologies, and trade goods from the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. Demand for spices and silks from the east reinvigorated the stagnant economy.

The Crusaders also, unfortunately, brought back the bubonic plague, which wiped out about one-third of the population in many areas of Western Europe. Obviously, the plague was depressing, but it brought an end to feudalism as the disease disrupted the entire system. The plague also had the enlightening effect of making people question the power of God and the church in their lives. The Enlightenment philosophies of the time changed how people thought of the world around them and increased feelings of the potential of humanity. The invention of the printing press in Europe allowed these ideas to spread at a faster rate.

It is also important to note that climate change had an important effect on Europe. The warmer climates led to larger crop yields, population growth, and a larger demand for trade goods.

What influenced Nora's self-identity in A Doll's House?

At the start of Ibsen's play, A Doll's House, Nora's identity was influenced by her husband and by society's expectations of how women should behave. During the time the play was written, the 1870's, women took a subservient position to men, especially their husbands, and they had few rights--they could not vote, could not sign loans, and would not have custody of the children in the case of a divorce. Nora's husband, Torvald, reinforces...

At the start of Ibsen's play, A Doll's House, Nora's identity was influenced by her husband and by society's expectations of how women should behave. During the time the play was written, the 1870's, women took a subservient position to men, especially their husbands, and they had few rights--they could not vote, could not sign loans, and would not have custody of the children in the case of a divorce. Nora's husband, Torvald, reinforces these gender roles by treating Nora like a child and as if she is only in his life as a possession or decoration. Her father has also treated her this way her entire life. Therefore, her identity has been shaped by the men in her life and by society; she feels and acts like a fragile, helpless woman. Later, her identity transforms when she realizes that she must claim her independence regardless of the cost. She recognizes how unfairly her husband has treated her and the problems of society's expectations for women, and has decided she has to make a change.

In Act 1, scene 3 of Romeo and Juliet, Lady Capulet tells Juliet, "Well, think of marriage now" Can anyone tell me what technique has been used?

In this scene, Lady Capulet asks Juliet:

... How stands your disposition to be married?

To which she replies:

It is an honour that I dream not of.

Juliet is quite sarcastic in her response. She deliberately and ironically uses the word 'honour' when, in fact, she does not deem it an honor at all. She is just not interested in being wed.

Her mother then responds:

Well, think of marriage now; younger than you,Here...

In this scene, Lady Capulet asks Juliet:

... How stands your disposition to be married?

To which she replies:

It is an honour that I dream not of.

Juliet is quite sarcastic in her response. She deliberately and ironically uses the word 'honour' when, in fact, she does not deem it an honor at all. She is just not interested in being wed.

Her mother then responds:

Well, think of marriage now; younger than you,
Here in Verona, ladies of esteem,
Are made already mothers: by my count,
I was your mother much upon these years
That you are now a maid. Thus then in brief:
The valiant Paris seeks you for his love.

The technique Lady Capulet utilizes to persuade Juliet is called Fallacy. In this instance, the fallacy takes two forms: Firstly, she makes an appeal to popular opinion by telling Juliet that ladies of stature even younger than her, are already mothers, suggesting that that is the trend and she should therefore follow suit. 

Secondly, she makes an appeal to authority by attempting to win Juliet's confidence in telling her that she was already mothering Juliet at much the same age that Juliet is at now. As an authority figure, she believes that Juliet will understand that, because she, her mother, had married early, it should be the same for Juliet.

Juliet, however, is not entirely convinced and later states:

I'll look to like, if looking liking move:
But no more deep will I endart mine eye
Than your consent gives strength to make it fly.

Juliet means that she would peruse Paris and she if through her perusal, she likes what she sees, but she will not look any deeper than her mother allows her to. Her statement is quite ambiguous since the implication is also that she will act as if she is interested by looking at Paris if that is what will please her mother, but that she will not look any farther than she is allowed to - she will therefore not critically scrutinize Paris if that is her mother's wish.

In all, she grudgingly acquiesces to her mother's request.

Reflect your life 10 years to present, discussing your personal transformation as related to a social movement. I am not sure how to do this.

In this reflection, you are expected to discuss your own thoughts, feelings, and opinions on a particular social issue and how your thoughts, feelings, and opinions have evolved over the past ten years. This is assuming, of course, that your ideas on that particular issue have evolved in some way, which may or may not be the case, depending on the issue.  Clearly, you are best off choosing a social issue that you have changed...

In this reflection, you are expected to discuss your own thoughts, feelings, and opinions on a particular social issue and how your thoughts, feelings, and opinions have evolved over the past ten years. This is assuming, of course, that your ideas on that particular issue have evolved in some way, which may or may not be the case, depending on the issue.  Clearly, you are best off choosing a social issue that you have changed your stance on in some way.

You may be wondering what constitutes a social issue for the purpose of this assignment.  That is a very large category, so you will have many choices.  Anything, really, that affects society is a social issue.  One social issue that has been on people's minds is gay rights, gay marriage in particular.  If your thoughts on this have changed, that would be a suitable social issue to discuss. Another is female reproductive rights, certainly a social issue.  Whether women should have access to abortion and free choices in birth control is a question you may have some thoughts about, perhaps some thoughts that have changed over ten years.  Still another issue is immigration, whether or not we should allow amnesty to undocumented immigrants, for example.  Your ideas on this might have changed.  Poverty is an enormous social problem.  Do you think there should be a living wage or that poor people should just work harder and not have any kind of safety net such as food stamps or medical assistance? 

The whole idea, I'm sure, is to show some growth in your thinking, a willingness to reconsider a previous position on a social issue, not a knee-jerk reaction that is premised on the opinions of your parents, your peers, or the media. How you have come to change your mind on a social issue is what is being looked for, evidence that you are able to think critically, examine evidence, and consider things for yourself.  Look back ten years to where you were. Then discuss how your thinking has changed over those years and why it has changed. Reflections are good for us, a means of making us think about how we think. 

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, reflect on the discussion between Atticus and Scout regarding school attendance and the Ewells. What point is...

In Chapter 3, Scout has a rough first day of school and discusses the day's misfortunes with her father. Scout tells her father that she doesn't want to go to school anymore, and Atticus teaches her a lesson in perspective. Atticus tells her that if she considered things from another person's point of view, and "climb into his skin and walk around in it" she would get along with people better. (Lee 39) Scout continues...

In Chapter 3, Scout has a rough first day of school and discusses the day's misfortunes with her father. Scout tells her father that she doesn't want to go to school anymore, and Atticus teaches her a lesson in perspective. Atticus tells her that if she considered things from another person's point of view, and "climb into his skin and walk around in it" she would get along with people better. (Lee 39) Scout continues to argue with Atticus about attending school. She mentions that Burris Ewell doesn't have to go to school for the rest of year because the truant officer "reckons she's carried out the law when she gets his name on the roll---." (Lee 40) Atticus tells her that sometimes it's better to bend the law in special cases. He explains to Scout that the Ewells are a despicable family, and the Maycomb community is forced to allow certain concessions that other members of society don't get to share. Atticus says the Ewells "were people, but they lived like animals." (Lee 40) Bob Ewell is an alcoholic who spends his relief check on whisky, and if he weren't allowed to hunt out of season, the Ewell children would starve. Scout learns that in some special cases, like that of the Ewells, rules can be bent to accommodate certain people.

In Chapter 11 of Going After Cacciato, Lt. Corson calls in a massive air strike following the death of which of his men?

In "Fire In The Hole" (Chapter 11) of Going After Cacciato, Lt. Corson calls in an air strike following the death of Jim Pederson. After Pederson's death, Doc Peret puts the soldier's broken dog tags into his mouth and tapes his mouth shut. Pederson's body is taken away by helicopter.

The lieutenant calls in an air-strike on the village of Hoi An. The first barrage misses the mark slightly, which prompts the lieutenant to...

In "Fire In The Hole" (Chapter 11) of Going After Cacciato, Lt. Corson calls in an air strike following the death of Jim Pederson. After Pederson's death, Doc Peret puts the soldier's broken dog tags into his mouth and tapes his mouth shut. Pederson's body is taken away by helicopter.

The lieutenant calls in an air-strike on the village of Hoi An. The first barrage misses the mark slightly, which prompts the lieutenant to call for adjustments.  On the second round, white phosphorus rains down on Hoi An and burns the entire village. As the village burns, the soldiers open fire to kill any living thing that might still be alive. It is a grim task, and the soldiers do not cheer their horrible mission.

Later that night, the soldiers finally talk about the death of Jim Pederson.

How did the Confederate government centralize its power during the Civil War?

The Confederate States of America were established on a platform of a lack of centralized power.  This new nation promoted the individual rights of states.  In doing so, the Confederacy lacked the ability to do many things as a whole.

The Confederacy had difficulties raising the money needed to fight a war on a large scale because they could not levy most taxes.  In protecting the rights of states, they created a government where little...

The Confederate States of America were established on a platform of a lack of centralized power.  This new nation promoted the individual rights of states.  In doing so, the Confederacy lacked the ability to do many things as a whole.

The Confederacy had difficulties raising the money needed to fight a war on a large scale because they could not levy most taxes.  In protecting the rights of states, they created a government where little could be done on a national level.  A Supreme Court was not established, and therefore no one could overrule decisions of individual states.

The new government of the Confederacy did grant more powers to the executive branch, though they established a term limit.  As the war progressed, the government became more centralized out of necessity.  They started to control the railroads, as well as harbors and rivers.  They began to control production of goods.  The government also began to tell farmers what sorts of crops to grow in order to support the war effort.  This angered many farmers who had previously enjoyed a high level of independence.

What are the problems in Tuck Everlasting?

I think that your question is referring to the types of conflict that are present in Tuck Everlasting.  

Man vs. man is present in the novel.  The man in the yellow suit wants to know about the Tuck family and gain knowledge of the spring.  Once he has possession of the spring, he plans to basically bottle and sell the water to the highest bidder.  This of course is directly against what the Tuck...

I think that your question is referring to the types of conflict that are present in Tuck Everlasting.  

Man vs. man is present in the novel.  The man in the yellow suit wants to know about the Tuck family and gain knowledge of the spring.  Once he has possession of the spring, he plans to basically bottle and sell the water to the highest bidder.  This of course is directly against what the Tuck family believes should be done with the spring.  The man in the yellow suit tries to use Winnie as leverage against her parents and against the Tucks, but Mae does not let that happen.  She hits the man in the yellow suit in the head with the butt of a shotgun, and he dies soon after.  

His death introduces a new type of conflict.  The conflict is man vs. society.  The constable witnessed Mae striking the stranger, and he put her in jail to await trial and punishment.  The Tuck family knows that Mae did wrong and should be held accountable by the law.  Of course if that were to happen, their secret would be out.  The Tuck family opts for a prison break.  

Which brings me to the final type of conflict -- man vs self.  Winnie struggles with her own emotions and decisions regarding two specific events.  She has an internal conflict with whether or not she should drink the spring water and become an immortal or not.  In the end, she chooses to pour the bottle over the toad.  Her other internal conflict is over whether or not she should help break Mae out of jail.  She wants to help the Tucks, but she knows that she could get into huge trouble.  Winnie does choose to help break Mae out and suffer the consequences.  

What "heroic" task does Collins want to perform?

Fred Collins in “A Mystery of Heroism” finds himself and his other soldiers pinned down by a battle raging around them.  Collins decides he is thirsty and sees a well in the middle of the battlefield.  In order to get some water to quench his thirst, he must weave his way through exploding shells and flying bullets.  He asks permission to go get some water from his commanding officer who says it is foolish but...

Fred Collins in “A Mystery of Heroism” finds himself and his other soldiers pinned down by a battle raging around them.  Collins decides he is thirsty and sees a well in the middle of the battlefield.  In order to get some water to quench his thirst, he must weave his way through exploding shells and flying bullets.  He asks permission to go get some water from his commanding officer who says it is foolish but all right for Collins to attempt this dangerous “mission.”  Collins makes it to the well and begins to fill up his canteen.  He sees a bucket and decides to fill it up instead since it will hold more water.  Collin feels “untouchable” and heroic on his journey to the well, but realizes the danger he has put himself in for just a drink of water when he realizes he needs to return to his company.  His feelings of heroism turn to shame as he realizes the foolishness of his mission and that it is not worth risking his life.  As he runs to where the other soldiers are hidden, he passes a wounded officer who begs Collins for a drink of water.  Collins runs past him but returns to give the officer a drink.  When Collins gets back to his other soldiers, they start fighting over the bucket of water, and all the water spills to the ground.

Collin’s “heroic” run for water is ironic because it is not really a brave act; it is really a stupid thing for him to do.  Even though he risks his life to get the water, it isn’t worth it, and it is all in vain. 

Collins true heroic act was when he returns to the wounded officer and gives him a drink amidst the bombing and fighting of the war. 

How and why does Macbeth become disturbed?

Macbeth's unbridled ambition to become the King of Scotland leads to his profound inner disturbance and imminent downfall. Once he commits the unforgivable sin against Duncan, we witness the beginning of his descent into irrationality and death. Even before he commits the first murder and takes the throne, he is very insecure and fears somebody might plan to harm him in the same way he plans to harm Duncan:

We but teachBloody instructions, which,...

Macbeth's unbridled ambition to become the King of Scotland leads to his profound inner disturbance and imminent downfall. Once he commits the unforgivable sin against Duncan, we witness the beginning of his descent into irrationality and death. Even before he commits the first murder and takes the throne, he is very insecure and fears somebody might plan to harm him in the same way he plans to harm Duncan:

We but teach
Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return
To plague the inventor: this even-handed justice
Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice
To our own lips.

Once he becomes the king, he is tormented by his guilt-ridden conscience and assumes that many people would want to dethrone him, which gives him the excuse to get rid of anyone who potentially stands in his way. The murders he commits directly or indirectly accumulate, and we see that his inner world is thrown into chaos by various sights he beholds, which are the product of his guilty conscience. One example would certainly be the ghost of Banquo, who haunts him, which implies that Macbeth feels greatly disturbed by having ordered Banquo's execution.

Macbeth's distrust of others only increases and incites him to become a cold-blooded murderer, who, towards the end of the play, realizes how futile his life has become. The play suggests that his inner disturbance proves to be far more powerful than his seemingly calm and indifferent facade which he tried to maintain in vain.

What is Miss Maudie like in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Miss Maudie is the Finches' kind neighbor who enjoys gardening and speaking to Jem and Scout. Out of all the adults in Maycomb, the Finch children enjoy Maudie's company the most and Scout considers her a close friend. Maudie is a morally upright individual who supports Atticus' decision to defend Tom Robinson. She is also a magnanimous person who allows the children to play in her yard as long as they don't ruin her flowers....

Miss Maudie is the Finches' kind neighbor who enjoys gardening and speaking to Jem and Scout. Out of all the adults in Maycomb, the Finch children enjoy Maudie's company the most and Scout considers her a close friend. Maudie is a morally upright individual who supports Atticus' decision to defend Tom Robinson. She is also a magnanimous person who allows the children to play in her yard as long as they don't ruin her flowers. Maudie also takes time out of her day to sit on her porch with Scout and bakes delicious cakes for the children throughout the novel. Miss Maudie is also quick to ridicule intolerant, disrespectful people like the "foot-washing Baptists" and Mrs. Merriweather. Overall, Miss Maudie is a positive character throughout the novel who supports the Finch family and is considered a loyal friend.

In Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, how does the setting affect the plot in chapters 6-10?

The setting throughout those chapters is New York. Chapter 6 has Isabel being asked to spy on the Locktons by Curzon. Chapter 7 has Isabel learning her chores at the Lockton house. Chapter 8 has Madam Lockton turning Ruth into a puppet of sorts. Chapter 9 has Isabel learning of the bribery plot, and chapter 10 has Isabel reporting to Curzon what she learned.

New York itself is a divided city at this time. It's...

The setting throughout those chapters is New York. Chapter 6 has Isabel being asked to spy on the Locktons by Curzon. Chapter 7 has Isabel learning her chores at the Lockton house. Chapter 8 has Madam Lockton turning Ruth into a puppet of sorts. Chapter 9 has Isabel learning of the bribery plot, and chapter 10 has Isabel reporting to Curzon what she learned.

New York itself is a divided city at this time. It's filled with Patriots and Loyalists in almost equal numbers, and it's ready to be torn apart by the war. It's a great place to be a spy for either side. Isabel is a slave in the house of a prominent Loyalist, so it makes sense that she would be asked to spy for the Patriots. She has zero motivation to do it, though—that is, until she begins to experience and see the abuse that she and Ruth are going to have to endure under Madam Lockton. Then Isabel hears exactly the kind of thing that she was asked to listen for. She learns of a plot to bribe members of the Patriot army. The Lockton house is in close enough proximity to where Curzon lives that she is able to sneak out at night and inform him of the plot. If Isabel's situation were still set out in the country, then chapters 6-10 would not have occurred as part of Isabel's story.

What are some cultural competence and sensitivity issues related to using the title of "Dr." as a DNP as related to the story of Henrietta Lacks?

The title of DNP reflects the level of training of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), which goes far beyond that normally associated with master's degrees. It signifies a level of advanced knowledge and skills in the practice of nursing. 

While a DNP, by virtue of her level of education, is entitled to use the title "Doctor", whether she should do so depends not on the DNP but on the patient's needs. 

A well-educated patient with advanced...

The title of DNP reflects the level of training of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), which goes far beyond that normally associated with master's degrees. It signifies a level of advanced knowledge and skills in the practice of nursing. 

While a DNP, by virtue of her level of education, is entitled to use the title "Doctor", whether she should do so depends not on the DNP but on the patient's needs. 

A well-educated patient with advanced professional degrees or certifications, such as a lawyer, professor, engineer, or accountant will find the advanced training and expertise of the DPN reassuring and understand that the title "Dr." indicates the highest possible degree of skill in patient care. 

What the story of Henrietta Lacks tells us is that for poor, uneducated patients, the title of "doctor" may actually be an obstacle to communication. The advanced degree may be intimidating for such patients and make the patients reluctant to ask questions or request explanations. When dealing with such patients, it might be better for the DPN to eschew the title in order to appear more accessible or relatable.

When did Scout and Jem fight ?

I believe you are referring to Jem and Scout's brawl in Chapter 14. This chapter starts out with Scout asking Atticus what rape means. When it emerges that Scout had already asked Calpurnia for an explanation prior to approaching her father, Aunt Alexandra is less than pleased. She is even less pleased when she discovers that Jem and Scout have attended church with Calpurnia. In a testy discussion which foreshadows Jem and Scout's physical tussle, Aunt Alexandra warns Atticus that Calpurnia would prove a bad influence on Scout in the long run. Atticus stubbornly defends his housekeeper and refuses to release Calpurnia from the household.

He reasons that Calpurnia has done well in raising his children and asserts that his children love and need her too much for him to let Calpurnia go. The tension is high as the argument continues, so Jem calls Scout away to his bedroom in order to give the adults some space. He tells Scout not to antagonize their aunt; here, he is referring to the episode in the living room when Scout briefly challenges her aunt's refusal to let her and her brother attend church with Calpurnia on a future Sunday.

At Jem's words, Scout flies into a rage. Due to her overwrought emotions, she fails to recognize the evident concern in Jem's request. Jem, for his part, is worried about Atticus' ability to hold up in the Tom Robinson trial. To Scout, Jem's maddening tendency to classify himself with the adults while relegating Scout to the status of one who needs to receive 'edification and instruction,' upsets her. The last straw comes when Jem proclaims that he will spank her if she continues to antagonize Aunt Alexandra.

At this, Scout flies at Jem in a rage.

He was still on the bed and I couldn’t get a firm stance, so I threw myself at him as hard as I could, hitting, pulling, pinching, gouging. What had begun as a fist-fight became a brawl. We were still struggling when Atticus separated us.

As punishment, Atticus sends both his children to bed. However, it doesn't take long before both recover their good graces in time to welcome the inimitable Dill into their home.

How can I write a good intro for a comparison essay about Romiette and Julio and Romeo and Juliet?

You can use the following format to write an introduction for your Romeo and Juliet/Romiette and Julio comparison, and any paper you may write in the future, too.

A good introduction to any essay consists of three parts:

1. A hook


2. Background information


3. A thesis statement

Let's look at these parts in detail:

The hookis used to kick off your writing in a captivating way. Much like a fish hook catches in a fish's mouth...

You can use the following format to write an introduction for your Romeo and Juliet/Romiette and Julio comparison, and any paper you may write in the future, too.

A good introduction to any essay consists of three parts:

1. A hook


2. Background information


3. A thesis statement

Let's look at these parts in detail:

The hook is used to kick off your writing in a captivating way. Much like a fish hook catches in a fish's mouth so the fisherman can reel it in, your written hook catches the readers attention so he/she will want to continue reading your work. The hook should be related to your topic. An effective hook might take the form of a rhetorical question (If Romeo and Juliet had their lives to live over, would they make the same choices?), very short anecdote (When I began reading Romiette and Julio, I expected it to be a simplified version of Romeo and Juliet, but I was surprised to find that it is a stand-alone story.), controversial claim (Nobody will ever be able to tell a teen romance story as beautifully as Shakespeare.), bold statement (If any author can come close to expressing Romeo and Juliet's story in modern times, it is Sharon Draper.), or quote (“For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.”) Since you are writing a literary essay, a quote from Romeo and Juliet that ties into your topic might be the way to go. You might want to look at  if you choose to use a quote for your hook, and it should relate to the topic of your essay.

Background information for a literary essay should state the complete name of the work(s) you are writing about, the author(s), and the date(s) published. You should also give a very brief one or two sentence summary of the work or works. Since this is a comparative essay, you should include one sentence to show how the two works are linked. For example, you might want to include a sentence such as "Romiette and Julio is a novel by Sharon Draper published in 2001. The story is a modern retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, but the differences between the two families in Sharon's story are racial."

A thesis statement consists of one or two sentences that state the claim you intend to prove with your essay, and often also state the main points you will make in your essay. For example, in an essay comparing pizza to hot dogs, your thesis statement might be, "Hot dogs will never be as satisfying as pizza, because pizza has more ingredients, is covered in cheese, and can be adapted to suit anyone's tastes."

After you have written an outline for your essay, you will find it easy to write your thesis statement, because you will have your main claim (thesis) and the points you will use to prove it. That's why, even if your assignment is to write an introduction and not the entire essay, you would certainly benefit from planning out an entire essay and organizing your ideas into an outline.

How does Ralph compare and contrast with Jack?

Both boys have qualities of natural leadership at the beginning of the story. Jack leads his hunters to the first meeting and immediately suggests that he should be chief when the idea is brought up. After all, he has experience. Ralph, on the other hand, is quieter and in some ways less the natural choice but the fact that Jack scares some of the boys coupled with the fact that Ralph blew the conch lands...

Both boys have qualities of natural leadership at the beginning of the story. Jack leads his hunters to the first meeting and immediately suggests that he should be chief when the idea is brought up. After all, he has experience. Ralph, on the other hand, is quieter and in some ways less the natural choice but the fact that Jack scares some of the boys coupled with the fact that Ralph blew the conch lands him in the chief's chair to begin.

Ralph is fixated on being rescued and returning to what he considers to be the normal way of life. He wants to have the structure and certainty of adults and rules and civilization. He cannot understand why the other boys are not as eager to work towards this goal and would often rather play or hunt than build shelters or maintain the signal fire.

Jack understands the fear and uncertainty the boys feel about their situation and quickly learns to manipulate it to consolidate his position as a leader. He too is unsure at first. After success as a hunter and leading some of the boys over to his side he quickly becomes more and more confident and more brazen in his willingness to do whatever it takes to gain control.

What's an interesting topic for a research paper related to English literature?

It sounds as though your topic is wide open. It can be difficult to choose a research topic if you don't have any specific ideas in mind. But you should definitely choose something that interests or excites you, and that you'd enjoy doing research on. Perhaps there is an English writer whose work you admire, and you'd like to find out if their backgrounds or other aspects of their lives influenced their writing? This would...

It sounds as though your topic is wide open. It can be difficult to choose a research topic if you don't have any specific ideas in mind. But you should definitely choose something that interests or excites you, and that you'd enjoy doing research on. Perhaps there is an English writer whose work you admire, and you'd like to find out if their backgrounds or other aspects of their lives influenced their writing? This would be a sort of biographical topic. Maybe the author you choose often writes about landscape in an interesting way (such as Thomas Hardy). Maybe there is a particular book, story or poem you enjoy, and you want to find out more about what inspired it, or what the response to it has been. 

One of the best ways to begin a writing project like this is to start with some "free writing" which basically means just starting to write without planning what you're going to say. See where your thoughts take you; you may even start out by writing something like "I have no idea what to write about!" Chances are you have some ideas floating around that will emerge as you put pen to paper. It's also a good idea to do a fair bit of writing before you begin doing research, in order to find out what you want to say or discover about your topic. Then you can look over those notes and form an idea and begin your project.

Good luck!

In allowing readers to observe and to interpret, picture books can also implicitly teach young readers the semiotic and cultural codes and...

The word "semiotics" comes from the Greek "semeion", which means "sign". 

In his posthumously published book, A Course in General Linguistics, Ferdinand de Saussure, states that 

Language is a system of signs [and] a science that studies the life of signs within society [...] would be a part of social psychology [and] general psychology [...] Semiology would show what constitutes signs, and what laws govern them (Saussure, 1966, p. 16)

According to Saussure, signs are made of two parts: the signifier (representation) and the signified (concept that representation means to convey). For example, the sound of an approaching ambulance is the signifier that signifies "emergency". However, it also conveys other messages such as "get out of the way", "fast, big, car coming", "drive toward the curb", "obey the law when you hear the ambulance", and a myriad of other mental images, memories, warnings, and thoughts. Such is the importance of "the symbol" in cultures and in civilization. 

More examples of symbols are signifiers are found in the most common things: the red light at the stop, the stop sign, the sound of the microwave oven when food finishes cooking, and even the grades in a report card. All of these sights and sounds mean something unique to those witnessing them.

The important thing to remember about symbols is that they are intrinsically connected to traditions, cultural values, ethical behavior, and even emotional trauma in some cases. 

Cultural codes are cues that lead us into knowing something about a particular cultural group. it could be the way that they tend to say things, the things they omit in conversation, their specific responses to issues, and even the way they manifest anger, fear, hunger, happiness, and love. This would be studied in every way, from behavior, to literature, to history.

Cultural codes can include semantic and symbolic codes:

• semantic- conveying meaning with little words, by association


• symbolic- using hyperbole, juxtaposition, irony, contrasts, and antithesis

Essentially, the culture code helps to unveil the hidden or intended meaning of the symbols presented in literature through semiotics. Remember that culture codes are constructs that result entirely from the application created by people from one cultural group. This being said, whenever a symbol is presented in a work of literature, the culture code that we learn about will help us understand why the symbol is important. What is significant, or even important, to one group, may be completely meaningless to another. Symbols will not acquire their true meaning without the full understanding of cultural codes. Each on their own, symbols and codes, are studies on their own accord and are brought together to convey complete meaning. 

Is Tom Robinson guilty?

Tom Robinson is found guilty by the all-white jury but is innocent of the charges of raping Mayella Ewell.  Atticus proves Tom is not guilty by showing that it was impossible for Tom to hit Mayella and blacken her right eye with his deformed left arm.   Mayella was hit by a man who was left-handed, and Atticus' defense of Tom strongly implied that Bob Ewell hit her.  Despite Atticus proving Tom Robinson was innocent, the...

Tom Robinson is found guilty by the all-white jury but is innocent of the charges of raping Mayella Ewell.  Atticus proves Tom is not guilty by showing that it was impossible for Tom to hit Mayella and blacken her right eye with his deformed left arm.   Mayella was hit by a man who was left-handed, and Atticus' defense of Tom strongly implied that Bob Ewell hit her.  Despite Atticus proving Tom Robinson was innocent, the jury’s racial and social views caused them to vote guilty.  An all-white jury would never take the word of a black man over a white woman and her father’s testimony.  The one bright spot in the trial was that the jury was in deliberation for several hours.  Miss Maudie commented that having the jury deliberate for so long was a good sign that things could change in Maycomb.

In the end when Tom Robinson tries to escape the injustice of his prison sentence, he is shot 17 times.  Atticus’ attempt to prove Tom Robinson’s innocence was doomed from the very beginning because of the deeply embedded social and racial values of Maycomb.  At least as readers, we understand the injustices of the trial and can empathize with one of the book’s most important mockingbirds, Tom Robinson.

How does Atticus show courage?

Atticus shows courage throughout the novel, and especially when he shoots the rabid dog and defends Tom Robinson in the trial.  A rabid dog has wandered into Maycomb, and Heck Tate asks Atticus to shoot the dog because Heck is afraid he will miss and the bullet will hit the Radley house.  Atticus is known for his shooting abilities, and he has the nickname, “ol’ one shot Finch” from his childhood.  Atticus calmly lowers the...

Atticus shows courage throughout the novel, and especially when he shoots the rabid dog and defends Tom Robinson in the trial.  A rabid dog has wandered into Maycomb, and Heck Tate asks Atticus to shoot the dog because Heck is afraid he will miss and the bullet will hit the Radley house.  Atticus is known for his shooting abilities, and he has the nickname, “ol’ one shot Finch” from his childhood.  Atticus calmly lowers the rifle and shoots the dog earning the respect of Scout and Jem for his abilities.

In addition, Atticus shows courage when he is appointed Tom Robinson’s lawyer in the trial of Mayella Ewell’s rape.  We first see this courage when he confronts the lynch mob outside the jail.  Atticus is sitting outside the jail protecting Tom from the men in town who don’t think that Tom needs a fair trial.  They already decide that Tom is guilty and try to take justice in their own hands.  Atticus (and his children) stand up to the mob, and the mob end up leaving Tom and Atticus alone.

By accepting the task of defending Tom, Atticus also shows great courage despite the fact that his decision can put his family in danger.  People around town like Mrs. Dubose start calling him names, Scout and Jem get harassed at school, and Bob Ewell is stalking around town stirring up trouble for the judge and Atticus.  Atticus, however, stays true to his convictions and defends Tom to the best of his ability even though Atticus risks his career and family. 

A final courageous thing Atticus does is to go to Helen Robinson and tell her that Tom has been shot trying to escape prison.  His respect for the Robinsons causes him to take on this responsibility. 

Overall, Atticus is a courageous man for raising two children on his own and teaching them the many important lessons he does throughout the novel.  He is also courageous for his attempt to provide justice for a man who is convicted by public opinion and the jury even before he sets foot in the courthouse. 

What are important events in Chapters 3 and 4 of The Great Gatsby?

Chapters three and four in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald are important because they provide detailed insights into the glamorous life of the mysterious Jay Gatsby.

In chapter three, an invitation to Gatsby's party is delivered to Nick Carraway and Nick attends the party. Nick witnesses the luxurious interior of Gatsby's mansion as well as all the glamorous decorations and food Gatsby has at his lively party. Most importantly, Nick has the great pleasure...

Chapters three and four in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald are important because they provide detailed insights into the glamorous life of the mysterious Jay Gatsby.

In chapter three, an invitation to Gatsby's party is delivered to Nick Carraway and Nick attends the party. Nick witnesses the luxurious interior of Gatsby's mansion as well as all the glamorous decorations and food Gatsby has at his lively party. Most importantly, Nick has the great pleasure to meet the mysterious Jay Gatsby for the first time. Up until this point, both Nick and the reader have only observed Gatsby from a distance, so it is notable that he is finally introduced formally. 

In chapter four, Gatsby and Nick take a trip into the city and Gatsby reveals many aspects of his luxurious life. During their trip, Nick finds out from Jordan (one of Daisy's friends) that Gatsby is in love with Daisy Buchanan—so much so that he bought his giant mansion in order to be close to her. This is an important development in the story because Daisy and Gatsby's love is a driving source of conflict for the rest of the novel.

How do you start a summary?

A good summary should serve two purposes: recount the major points or events of a text and use these to support the thesis, or "big idea," of the text. I recommend doing some pre-writing to try and answer the following questions. Hopefully, by answering these questions, you will have written enough content to put together a draft of a summary.

What is the thesis, or "big idea?" What do you think the author's purpose was...

A good summary should serve two purposes: recount the major points or events of a text and use these to support the thesis, or "big idea," of the text. I recommend doing some pre-writing to try and answer the following questions. Hopefully, by answering these questions, you will have written enough content to put together a draft of a summary.

What is the thesis, or "big idea?" What do you think the author's purpose was in writing this text? Is there a particular message or lesson the author wanted to convey?

What happened? Do the events or major points of the text support the thesis? If so, how? You may like to organize this by what happened first, next, then, and finally. You don't have to include a lot of detail here, just the most important information.

What's the background? Is the author writing about a subject from which he or she is totally removed? If so, why do you think the author wrote this text? If the text is something like a memoir, how does the author's experience relate to the greater situation? Why is this situation, time, place, or idea important?

When writing a summary, I sometimes like to imagine I am speaking with someone who is entirely unfamiliar with the text. This way, I focus on only the main idea and the most important events or evidence related to the thesis. 

When I plug my vacuum in, the power in the living room turns off. Is it the vacuum or am I overloading the circuit?

You will need to do more investigation to know whether the vacuum itself is to blame or if the circuit is overloaded. 

Try unplugging some of the other appliances currently connected to the living room circuit. This will decrease the load on the circuit. If you can now use the vacuum without problems you can surmise that the circuit was merely overloaded. If the circuit still blows, try the next step.

Unplug everything else from...

You will need to do more investigation to know whether the vacuum itself is to blame or if the circuit is overloaded. 

Try unplugging some of the other appliances currently connected to the living room circuit. This will decrease the load on the circuit. If you can now use the vacuum without problems you can surmise that the circuit was merely overloaded. If the circuit still blows, try the next step.

Unplug everything else from the living room circuit and try the vacuum. If the circuit blows it is likely that the vacuum is damaged and causing the ground fault interrupter to flip. You may, however, want to try this in another room as well, to make certain the fault is actually in the vacuum and not the electrical outlet itself.

What do Prince Prospero's reactions to the disease reveal about him?

In his reaction to the spread of the Red Death, Prince Prospero reveals a few things about his character.

• Prince Prospero gathers one thousand of his friends and flees to a walled-off abbey to hide from the fatal disease, showing his cowardice. In order to save his own life (and those of his friends), he abandons his people, leaving them to fend for themselves against the rampaging disease.


• When he and his friends seal the iron gate of the abbey shut, keeping others out and themselves in, that reveals his naivety. It is very childlike to think that you can protect yourself from a plague like the Red Death simply by sealing yourself in an abbey; no matter how many supplies they brought with them, they would eventually run out, and they would be forced to interact with the outside world in order to get more, so Prince Prospero did manage to avoid dealing with the illness for the time being, but not forever.


• He also shows that he is the kind of person who prefers to pretend that a problem does not exist; he brought entertainment with him into the abbey and through a masquerade in order to distract himself and his guests from the problems the outside world was facing.

Although not much about the prince's character is explicitly stated, we can still learn a lot about him based on how he reacts to the threat to his kingdom: he is a cowardly, naive man who prefers to ignore a problem and hope it simply goes away rather than dealing with it directly.

Two rats are mated. Both are heterozygous brown fur, heterozygous straight tail heterozygous long whisker. Tan, kinked tail, and short whiskers are...

All the crosses within your question involve two heterozygous phenotypes. A heterozygous genotype consists of one dominant and one recessive allele. Assuming that all of the crosses mentioned within your question are monohybrid crosses, each will result in the same phenotype and genotype ratios for the offspring produced. If we allowed a “H” to represent the dominant allele within a generic heterozygous genotype and a “h” to represent the recessive allele, then the following Punnett square would result for any cross involving two heterozygous genotypes :

           H                             h

H         HH                         Hh

h        Hh                         hh

Therefore, all crosses involving two heterozygous crosses will always result in the following genotype ratio:

Homozygous dominant = 25%

Heterozygous = 50%

Homozygous recessive = 25%

Likewise, all crosses involving two heterozygous crosses will always result in the following phenotype ratio:

Dominant = 75%

Recessive = 25%

Thus, if brown (B) is dominant to tan (b), the following genotype ratios would result:

BB = 25%

Bb = 50%

bb – 25%

The corresponding phenotype rations would be:

Brown = 75%

Tan = 25%

Likewise, if straight tail (S) is dominant to kinked tail (k), then the following genotype ratios would result:

SS = 25%

Ss = 50%

ss – 25%

The corresponding phenotype rations would be:

Straight tail = 75%

Kinked tail  = 25%

Finally, if long whiskers (L) are dominant to short whiskers (l), then the following genotype ratios would result:

LL = 25%

Ll = 50%

ll – 25%

The corresponding phenotype rations would be:

Long tail = 75%

Short tail = 25%

`xy = 1, y = 0, x = 1, x = 2` Find the volume of the solid obtained by rotating the region bounded by the given curves about the specified...

By using Washer method, we can find the volume of the solid.

`V = pi*int_a^b(f^2 (y) - g^2 (y) dy f(y)gtg(y) `

Since the curve is bounded by x=1 and x=2, then y-values are bounded between 0 and 1. If you graph this curve and bounds, you'll see that we have to split the integral into 2 separate integrals.

First Integral

The first one will be bounded between y=0 and y = 1/2. 

...

By using Washer method, we can find the volume of the solid.

`V = pi*int_a^b(f^2 (y) - g^2 (y) dy f(y)gtg(y) `

Since the curve is bounded by x=1 and x=2, then y-values are bounded between 0 and 1. If you graph this curve and bounds, you'll see that we have to split the integral into 2 separate integrals.

First Integral

The first one will be bounded between y=0 and y = 1/2. 

From y=0 to y=1/2, the area being revolved around x=-1 is just a rectangle. The outer radius is x=2 and inner radius is x=1. 

So, 

`V_1 = pi*int_0^(1/2) (2-(-1))^2 - (1-(-1))^2 dy `

`   = pi*int_0^(1/2) 9 - 4 dy `

`   = 5pi*1/2 `

` V_1  = 5pi/2 `

Second Integral

Now, the second region is bounded from y=1/2 to y=1 and the outer function is x=1/y and the inner function is x=1. 

So, 

`V_2 = pi*int_(1/2)^1 (1/y-(-1))^2 - (1-(-1))^2 dy`

`       = pi*int_(1/2)^1 1/y^2+2/y+1 - 4 dy`

`       = pi*int_(1/2)^1 1/y^2+2/y-3 dy`

`       = pi|_(1/2)^1 -1/y+2lny-3y `

`V_2 = pi(ln4 -1/2)`

Adding it all together

Now that we have the volumes of the 2 different regions, we can add them together to get the total volume.

So, `V= V_1 + V_2 = 5pi/2 + piln4 - pi/2 = pi(2+ln4)`

`V = pi(2+ln4)` is the final answer 

Can Atticus from To Kill a Mockingbird be considered a "mockingbird"?

It would be hard to make the argument that Atticus is a mockingbird. Although he does have some of the qualities of a mockingbird, he does not have others. 

First, let's look at what we know about the mockingbird according to miss Maudie:

"Mockingbirds don’t do one thing except make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corn cribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts...

It would be hard to make the argument that Atticus is a mockingbird. Although he does have some of the qualities of a mockingbird, he does not have others. 

First, let's look at what we know about the mockingbird according to miss Maudie:

"Mockingbirds don’t do one thing except make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corn cribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird" (Ch.10).

Atticus only does good things in the book, so we can see that as being like a mockingbird. 

However, there is also an implication that mockingbirds are completely innocent beings, and incapable of defending themselves, so shooting them for no reason would be a sin. Atticus is more complicated than a mockingbird in that sense. He is not a complete innocent and he is certainly capable of defending himself. For these two reasons, it would be hard to say that he is a mockingbird. 

What important decision does Montag make in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury?

Montag is a fireman. It's his job to burn books and the houses of people who own them. Out of curiosity, he steals a few books to look at, but he never thinks to stop being a fireman until after two events: meeting a girl named Clarisse who challenges his state of thinking, and watching a woman burn herself to death rather than live without her books. After witnessing the woman's suicide and discovering Clarisse might...

Montag is a fireman. It's his job to burn books and the houses of people who own them. Out of curiosity, he steals a few books to look at, but he never thinks to stop being a fireman until after two events: meeting a girl named Clarisse who challenges his state of thinking, and watching a woman burn herself to death rather than live without her books. After witnessing the woman's suicide and discovering Clarisse might be dead, Montag takes a sick day from work. Montag doesn't feel like going to work because he is conflicted by the horrible realities of the society in which he lives. The decision that he must make at this point is to return to work and act as if he never met Clarisse or witnessed the woman's suicide; or, quit his job and turn to books for answers to what he feels he is missing from his life. As he is debating on what to do, Montag says to his wife:

"It's only a step from not going to work today to not working tomorrow, to not working at the firehouse ever again. . . I haven't decided. Right now I've got an awful feeling I want to smash things and kill things" (64).

Unfortunately, the decision doesn't remain as simple as just quitting his job. As the plot builds and Montag meets with Faber about his problems, Montag and Faber come up with the idea to take on the firemen, and society's system of justice, by planting books in firemen's houses. If firemen start losing their homes because of books, then maybe it would upset the system and start a new way of thinking about society. This second decision Montag makes solidifies the first. Once Montag makes this choice to actively go against the firemen, the plan is for him to go back to work so he can secretly plant books in their houses. Therefore, the important decision that Montag makes is to go against his work and society in an effort to change things. The plan doesn't really have a chance to be played out to fruition, but the fact that he makes these choices separates him from his job, his wife, and society.

Calculate the related confidence interval for the difference in average daily hotel room rates and explain in a sentence what information this gives.

The easiest way to calculate the confidence interval would be by using Microsoft’s excel spreadsheet. The syntax or formula for doing this is as follows;

=CONFIDENCE (alpha, standard deviation, size)

Alpha represents the significance level. In this case, an assumption will be made as to the value because the significance level has not been indicated

Standard deviation represents the standard deviation for the population which is a known figure. In the data provided, the symbol,...

The easiest way to calculate the confidence interval would be by using Microsoft’s excel spreadsheet. The syntax or formula for doing this is as follows;

=CONFIDENCE (alpha, standard deviation, size)

Alpha represents the significance level. In this case, an assumption will be made as to the value because the significance level has not been indicated

Standard deviation represents the standard deviation for the population which is a known figure. In the data provided, the symbol, S d the standard deviation.

Size represents the sample size. In the data provided, the symbol, n d the size.

Confidence intervals for the two areas (Christchurch and Auckland) will be calculated using excel to answer the first part of the question as seen below.

Alpha, in this case, will be assumed to be 0.05.

Christchurch: =CONFIDENCE (0.05, 11.05, 22) = 4.617416

Auckland: =CONFIDENCE (0.05, 12.34, 20) = 5.408144

The results show that the confidence interval between the two areas is different.

This can further be represented and explained as follows;

Christchurch: 112.42 +or- 4.617416 where 112.42 is the average hotel room rate in Christchurch according to the data provided. Thus, 117.037416 forms the upper bound of the interval and 107.802584 forms the lower bound of the interval.

For any population mean, μ0, in this interval, the probability of obtaining a sample mean further from μ0 than 112.42 is more than 0.05. Likewise, for any population mean, μ0, outside this interval, the probability of obtaining a sample mean further from μ0 than 30 is less than 0.05.

Auckland: 122.78 +or- 5.408144 where 122.78 is the average hotel room rate in Christchurch according to the data provided. Thus, 128.188144 forms the upper bound of the interval and 117.371856 forms the lower bound of the interval.

For any population mean, μ0, in this interval, the probability of obtaining a sample mean further from μ0 than 122.78 is more than 0.05. Likewise, for any population mean, μ0, outside this interval, the probability of obtaining a sample mean further from μ0 than 30 is less than 0.05.

How and why is Dickinson's "Because I could not stop for Death" structured as an arc?

A narrative arc consists of an introduction, rising action, a climax, falling action, and a conclusion. A character arc occurs when a character undergoes some kind of change in the story or poem. This change could be external or internal (mental). 

This poem has the visual structure of an arc in a general way because Death takes the narrator on a journey. They ride from one place to another.

There is a debate about what...

A narrative arc consists of an introduction, rising action, a climax, falling action, and a conclusion. A character arc occurs when a character undergoes some kind of change in the story or poem. This change could be external or internal (mental). 

This poem has the visual structure of an arc in a general way because Death takes the narrator on a journey. They ride from one place to another.

There is a debate about what Dickinson implied in terms of an afterlife in this poem. There is no definitive indication that the speaker/narrator is headed toward a heaven or some afterlife. But there is also no evidence that denies this possibility. What does seem certain is that the speaker comes to realize that death (and/or the afterlife) is eternal. This is the internal change the speaker goes through in the poem. The arc takes a visual form of the journey. But the character arc is explained by the speaker's realization that life had been short and that death is forever. The carriage holds her, Death, and the chaperon, Immortality. The speaker has been dead for centuries but it has felt less than a day. She realizes what death and eternity really are. Life exists for a time, but death lasts forever and therefore, time (in death) is irrelevant. 

The speaker goes through an internal (mental/spiritual) realization and this move from her initial death to the awareness of its eternal duration is her transformative arc. One could also argue that the narrative arc consists of the introduction of the speaker dying (meeting Death), the rising action of the journey, the climax (realizing the eternal), and the falling action and conclusion of this deceased speaker reflecting on the entire journey. (The fact that the speaker reflects on this centuries-long journey suggests an afterlife, but this could also be Dickinson's abstract way of describing the eternal nature of death.) 

How can I turn my question into a paragraph how to blow up a balloon whithout using a single breath ?

Two ways in which questions are lengthened are by giving a prompt or background information prior to asking the question. An example of how your question may be turned into a paragraph is below.

Gas properties can be explained using the kinetic molecular theory and gas laws.

Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. The kinetic molecular theory is used to describe the properties of gases based on the movement of the gas particles. The...

Two ways in which questions are lengthened are by giving a prompt or background information prior to asking the question. An example of how your question may be turned into a paragraph is below.

Gas properties can be explained using the kinetic molecular theory and gas laws.

Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. The kinetic molecular theory is used to describe the properties of gases based on the movement of the gas particles. The main ideas of the kinetic molecular theory are:

1. Gases are made of particles (atom or molecules) that are considered matter.


2. Gas particles are very small when compared to the space between them. Therefore, the volume of a gas is considered to be mostly empty space.


3. All gases are constantly in motion.


4. Gas particles move in a straight line until they hit something.


5. When gas particles collide, the collisions are considered to be elastic. This means that no energy is lost nor gained.


6. There intermolecular forces between gas particles are considered to be little to nonexistent.


7. The kinetic energy of gas particles is directly proportional to temperature.

The gas laws use relationships between temperature, volume, and pressure in order to explain the properties of gases. Essentially, the gas laws state that the volume of a gas is directly proportional to the temperature of the gas and inversely proportional to the pressure placed on the gas particles.

Using the information provided above, please explain how to blow up a balloon without using a single breath.

Is the story mostly about Della and Jim?

In one word. Yes.  The story is mostly about Jim and Della.  They are a poor couple and when Christmas rolls around, they are at a loss of what to do on account of their finances.  They deeply love each other, but they do not know how to express that love.  So, Della concocts an idea.  She will sell her hair and buy her love, Jim, a chain for his watch. 

In the meantime, Jim...

In one word. Yes.  The story is mostly about Jim and Della.  They are a poor couple and when Christmas rolls around, they are at a loss of what to do on account of their finances.  They deeply love each other, but they do not know how to express that love.  So, Della concocts an idea.  She will sell her hair and buy her love, Jim, a chain for his watch. 

In the meantime, Jim sells his beloved watch to buy combs for Della's hair. Without them knowing, they enact something beautiful.  They offer costly gift at their own expense.  In other words, they gave up something they held precious and gave it away to benefit another person. By doing so, they proved to be wise.  They showed great generosity.  More pertinently, they had the spirit of the ancient Magi who came to the baby Jesus and offered gifts. Here is how O. Henry ends the short story:

The magi, as you know, were wise men—wonderfully wise men— who brought gifts to the newborn Christ-child... Being wise, their gifts were doubtless wise ones. And here I have told you the story of two children who were not wise. Each sold the most valuable thing he owned in order to buy a gift for the other. But let me speak a last word to the wise of these days: Of all who give gifts, these two were the most wise.

In the Kite Runner, what are two significant quotes said by Rahim Khan, and why are they significant?

While there are a numerous quotes from Rahim Khan that can be explored, there are two in particular that seem to stand out: “Come. There is a way to be good again” and “may I have it, Amir jan? I would very much like to read it.”

Though the sentence is short and simple, its impact is significant for several reasons. First, it’s repeated several times throughout the novel, first in chapter one as...

While there are a numerous quotes from Rahim Khan that can be explored, there are two in particular that seem to stand out: “Come. There is a way to be good again” and “may I have it, Amir jan? I would very much like to read it.”

Though the sentence is short and simple, its impact is significant for several reasons. First, it’s repeated several times throughout the novel, first in chapter one as a flashback / memory of a conversation between Amir and Rahim Khan that will happen in the future, and again in chapter fourteen, when the conversation actually occurs. What Khan said was significant because he knows that Amir saw what happened to Hassan in the alley and did nothing to stop it, and Amir feels guilt and shame. Khan is implicitly telling Amir that he can redeem himself and forgive himself for what happened all those years ago. Other actions of Amir that add to his shame and guilt are when he accuses Hassan of stealing, and also for the fact that he survived when he escaped Kabul with his father, leaving Hassan behind.

Amir spends many years tortured by his past actions. After Amir has become a grown man, he receives a call from Rahim Khan that will change his future.

What Amir eventually learns from Khan is that Hassan was actually his half-brother. Unfortunately, Hassan has passed away by this time, leaving behind a son, Sohrab. What Khan means when he says, “Come. There is a way to be good again,” is that if Amir returns to Kabul, he might find redemption for his unfavorable actions (rather, inaction) by saving Hassan’s son – Amir’s nephew – who has found himself in a similar situation as his father had.

The second quote, “may I have, Amir jan? I would very much like to read it” occurs in chapter four, and is significant because Amir finally receives the encouragement he had needed to hear all his life. As a child Amir loved to look at and learn from the books in his father’s library, and he had written several stories. He was discouraged due to his father’s lack of interest in his writing, and for Khan, who is like a second father to Amir, his interest in reading Amir’s writing is life changing. Also, is the significance of the use of jan after Amir’s name, signifying a term of endearment that he rarely heard from his own father. Without Khan’s interest and positive input (returning the story with a note, and the one word that stood out: “bravo”), was a large factor in forming the path that Amir would travel.  

Why is the forest the chosen setting for Goodman Brown's journey?

The author Nathaniel Hawthorne probably chose the forest for its visual effect and its aura of as-yet untamed wildness. The forest is the opposite of civilization. It is very old and full of wild creatures, including, perhaps, wild Indians. It is a place where people would naturally go to become wild creatures themselves. It is a place where they can hide from their town neighbors and do anything they want. They can make as much noise as they want without being heard by anyone of importance.

Many contemporary people like to go to the national parks in order to get away from civilization for a while and live more primitive-type lives close to nature. There is something very exhilarating about being among the fragrant pine needles and tall trunks. We can all respond to Hawthorne's description of the mysterious forest, although we do not necessarily want to indulge in devil-worshiping orgies. Most of us would like to escape from civilization for a while and enjoy simpler lives.

We can understand why both Young Goodman Brown and his sweet little wife, whose name is Faith, might get tired of being so righteous and inhibited all the time and might feel an impulse to go a little bit wild on occasion. The same would be true of their neighbors, one of whom is named Goody Cloyse. They are all living under a spotlight, so to speak. They have to be prim and proper all the time. They all have their secrets, as is revealed in the ceremony in the forest.

This night it shall be granted you to know their secret deeds: how hoary-bearded elders of the church have whispered wanton words to the young maids of their households; how many a woman, eager for widows' weeds, has given her husband a drink at bedtime and let him sleep his last sleep in her bosom; how beardless youths have made haste to inherit their fathers' wealth; and how fair damsels—blush not, sweet ones—have dug little graves in the garden, and bidden me, the sole guest to an infant's funeral.

By digging "little graves in the garden," the speaker, who is presumably the devil himself, means that some unwed girls secretly gave birth to babies and killed them at birth and buried them in unmarked graves in their gardens. 

Young Goodman Brown and his wife and all their neighbors live in a very small, constricted world. The forest is the only place where they can congregate for any sinful purposes. In Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter, it is in the forest that the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale has his secret meetings with Hester Prynne, the mother of his child. And no doubt it was in the forest where they conceived the little girl named Pearl. The early American settlers were surrounded by forests, and they may have felt the trees beckoning to them mysteriously. 

Robert Frost speaks of the mysterious attraction of dark, whispering trees in his poem "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening." 

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Why are Buddy and his friend saving money in "A Christmas Memory"?

In Truman Capote’s short story “A Christmas Memory,” Buddy and his cousin save money all year for their “Fruitcake Fund.” Each year they make fruitcakes to send to mere acquaintances and important political dignitaries. Because they have no reliable sources of income, their problem is to find ways to make enough money to buy the items needed for making and sending the cakes. The acts of acquiring and saving the money become a year long endeavor....

In Truman Capote’s short story “A Christmas Memory,” Buddy and his cousin save money all year for their “Fruitcake Fund.” Each year they make fruitcakes to send to mere acquaintances and important political dignitaries. Because they have no reliable sources of income, their problem is to find ways to make enough money to buy the items needed for making and sending the cakes. The acts of acquiring and saving the money become a year long endeavor. They sell jams and jellies, enter contests, and squirrel away spare cash received from others in their household. One of their most lucrative money making schemes was a “Freak Show” they held in their barn. Neighbors came and paid admission to see the show. All of these paltry amounts were placed in an old beaded purse they hid under the floorboards. Occasionally, Buddy was allowed a small amount to see a movie but for the most part, the money was used to maintain the Christmas tradition that the cousins cherished.

What does Lyddie learn about being a good worker in chapter 9 in the book Lyddie?

In chapter 9, Lyddie begins working on the floor at the textile factory, the Concord Corporation. The huge looms with their deafening clatter and "alarming speed" overwhelm her so that she cannot even hear the instructions the overseer gives her. Luckily, Diana comes to her aid and demonstrates all the steps that Lyddie has to do to keep the looms moving. Lyddie has to stop the machine every five minutes or so by pulling on...

In chapter 9, Lyddie begins working on the floor at the textile factory, the Concord Corporation. The huge looms with their deafening clatter and "alarming speed" overwhelm her so that she cannot even hear the instructions the overseer gives her. Luckily, Diana comes to her aid and demonstrates all the steps that Lyddie has to do to keep the looms moving. Lyddie has to stop the machine every five minutes or so by pulling on a lever. Then she has to retrieve the wooden shuttle that carries a bobbin of thread. She must remove the nearly empty bobbin, replace it with a full one, and suck out the thread by putting her mouth to the shuttle in a move called the "kiss of death." The free end then has to be wound around an iron hook, which has to be advanced to keep up with the cloth as it is being woven. Then, securing the shuttle so it doesn't fly out and injure her, she has to pull the lever again to restart the machine.

In addition, she has to watch the cloth carefully to observe whether a thread breaks. If it does, she must stop the loom and quickly dust her hands with talc and tie a weaver's knot to connect the broken thread. Allowing the loom to keep going if a thread has broken would spoil a large piece of cloth. Lyddie wouldn't get paid for any pieces of cloth that get ruined. Lyddie has to use all her strength to pull the lever and advance the hook. She also must deftly and quickly tie the knots when the thread breaks. The speed and the sound are the most challenging parts of the job for her, but within a few weeks, she doesn't notice the sound and is able to keep not just one machine going, but several. 

What are the differences between an absolute monarchy and a representative government?

In an absolute monarchy, in theory at least, the monarch or king rules by his own will. He is answerable to no one except God and natural law, and the people do not have a right to overthrow him or replace him if he displeases them. Louis XIV of France, considered the best example of an absolutist monarch, allegedly said "L'etat c'est moi (I am the state)" and this statement, probably apocryphal, pretty neatly sums...

In an absolute monarchy, in theory at least, the monarch or king rules by his own will. He is answerable to no one except God and natural law, and the people do not have a right to overthrow him or replace him if he displeases them. Louis XIV of France, considered the best example of an absolutist monarch, allegedly said "L'etat c'est moi (I am the state)" and this statement, probably apocryphal, pretty neatly sums up absolutist theory. He was the physical embodiment of France, and in theory, everything he did was justified by virtue of the fact that he ruled by divine right. 

A representative government is more or less the opposite in theory of an absolute government. In a representative government, the people choose, through their vote, officials to make decisions for them. They govern based on the will of the people, and if they do not represent them appropriately, they can be removed from office. Where the monarch is utterly sovereign in an absolutist system, the people are sovereign in a representative government. This means that the powers of government are limited, usually by a written constitution that is itself the product of representatives of the people. Perhaps the best example of a representative government is that of the United States of America. 

Why do we credit Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton with the beginning of our two political party system?

We credit these two men with beginning the two-party system in the United States because the first two political factions (they weren't really parties as we know them today) formed around them, and their responses to the pressing issues of the early Republic. Jefferson was the Secretary of State under George Washington, and Hamilton the Secretary of the Treasury. Each man had a very different vision of what the United States would look like, and...

We credit these two men with beginning the two-party system in the United States because the first two political factions (they weren't really parties as we know them today) formed around them, and their responses to the pressing issues of the early Republic. Jefferson was the Secretary of State under George Washington, and Hamilton the Secretary of the Treasury. Each man had a very different vision of what the United States would look like, and their differences came to the fore on a number of issues, including the assumption of state debts by the federal government, the imposition of an excise tax, and the chartering of a national bank. Jefferson, who favored a strict interpretation of the Constitution and a limited federal government, was suspicious of Hamilton's program for handling the nation's financial crisis. He thought that Hamilton's approach would give too much power to the federal government, and too much influence to bankers and "stock-jobbers," which Jefferson held in contempt. Supporters of these policies rallied around Hamilton, and opponents around Jefferson in the early 1790s. Jefferson was especially adept at using the media (newspapers) to excoriate Hamilton in the public mind, and Jefferson's hacks painted Hamilton as a dangerous Machiavellian bent on recreating the corruption of the British government in the United States. In the process, Jefferson's supporters came to refer to themselves as "Republicans," or "Democratic-Republicans," and Hamilton's preserved the moniker of "Federalists" from the days of the ratification debates. The single event that most shaped the development of the parties, however, was the outbreak of the French Revolution and the wars that followed. Republicans, especially urban workers, were enthusiastic supporters of the Revolution, but Hamilton and the Federalists were wary of its influence, especially when war broke out between the French and Great Britain. By the late 1790s, politics were being contested along explicitly partisan lines, and the divide reached a crisis point in the election of 1800. The parties, then, had their origins in the political positions, the philosophies, and the machinations of Jefferson and Hamilton.

What is a quotation from To Kill a Mockingbird that shows the tradition of "Southern Bells"?

"Of course some afternoons when I would run inside for a drink of water, I would find the living room overrun with Maycomb ladies, sipping, whispering, fanning, and I would be called." (Lee 176)

Scout is referring to Aunt Alexandra's missionary circles that she regularly holds throughout the week. Southern ladies traditionally met in each other's houses to socialize over tea and cakes. "Southern Bells," is a term used to describe upper-class Southern females. It...

"Of course some afternoons when I would run inside for a drink of water, I would find the living room overrun with Maycomb ladies, sipping, whispering, fanning, and I would be called." (Lee 176)

Scout is referring to Aunt Alexandra's missionary circles that she regularly holds throughout the week. Southern ladies traditionally met in each other's houses to socialize over tea and cakes. "Southern Bells," is a term used to describe upper-class Southern females. It was a Southern tradition for ladies to meet with neighbors and discuss various events throughout the Antebellum Period into the early 20th century. Aunt Alexandra personifies the quintessential "Southern Bell," by her well-mannered, socially conscious attitude. Aunt Alexandra attempts to include Scout in her missionary circles to teach her how to become a proper "Southern Bell."

"Today was Sunday, and Aunt Alexandra was positively irritable on the Lord's Day. I guess it was her Sunday corset. She was not fat, but solid, and she chose protective garments that drew up her bosom to giddy heights, pinched in her waist, flared out in her rear, and managed to suggest that Aunt Alexandra's was once an hour-glass figure." (Lee 171)

Scout is describing Aunt Alexandra's typical Sunday outfit. Wearing a corset with a blooming dress was the traditional garment "Southern Bells" would wear in the late 19th and early 20th century. Scout's comment also describes the tradition of wearing one's nicest outfit to church on Sundays. Church was a social gathering that most upper-class women would attend in the South. "Southern Bells" took pride in their appearance, especially when attending church.

What is the theme of "Umbrella Man" by Roald Dahl?

The theme of "The Umbrella Man" is the gullible nature of people.

Dahl's story describes how a man is able to manipulate even skeptical people such as the mother of the narrator who, she declares, is a "suspicious person":

My mother's chin was up and she was staring down at him along the full length of her nose. It was a fearsome thing, this frosty nose stare of my mother's. Most people go to pieces when she gives it to them.

But, the perception of an old gentleman--she knows he's a gentleman, she has told her daughter, by his fine shoes--deceives this skeptical woman. This old gentleman who is willing to selling his £ 20 silk umbrella for £ 1, even though it is worth more, claims that he needs the pound for taxi fare home. For, he explains, he has walked farther than he usually does and now is too exhausted to make the walk back on his "silly old legs." Further, he explains that he has left his wallet in his other jacket--"Isn't that the silliest thing to do?"

After he offers to sell his £ 20 umbrella for only a pound, the daughter gives her mother a stern look for considering "taking advantage of a tired old man." So, the mother offers to just give the man cab fare. But the gentleman will not accept such a thing. "I wouldn't dream of it!" he exclaims. He will only take the pound if she agrees to purchase his umbrella. Believing that she is getting an expensive umbrella for such little money, the mother agrees. As the old gentleman moves away, the mother tells her daughter to get out of the rain and join her under the umbrella. 

"Aren't we lucky? I've never had a silk umbrella before. I couldn't afford it....He was a gentleman. I was very pleased I was able to help him."

She congratulates herself on being able to judge the character of a person, and she tells her daughter that she has learned a "very good lesson" by seeing how her mother took her time and "summed up" the old gentleman before giving him the pound. By taking this time, "you'll never make mistakes," she tells her daughter.

Just then, however, the daughter sees the "old" gentleman hurrying with his "silly old legs" that are somehow able to move him down the next street. The daughter observes to her mother that the man neither looks tired nor as though he is trying to catch a taxi.

The two woman follow him. When the mother and daughter see him enter a pub, the disgruntled mother watches in embarrassment and dismay as he orders a triple shot of whiskey and pays for it with her one-pound note. After finishing his drink, the "gentleman" goes to the coat rack and pulls down his coat while at the same time taking an umbrella. He departs the pub, heading in another direction, in search of another gullible victim.

What promises do you think the poet has to keep?

The poet is probably on a mundane, routine errand and only has simple promises to keep. It appears that he lives on a farm and has driven into some little village in a horse-drawn sleigh to shop for ordinary supplies. Since it is nearly Christmas, he probably picked up some gifts for his wife and children, and the gifts for his children would be things he had promised to get them. When he got married he made the usual promises to love and to cherish, and he still intends to keep those promises, or obligations, to his wife.

Presumably he has been to the village where he does his usual shopping and is now on his way back home. If he had been on his way towards the village, he would not have stopped to look at the woods. He would not have stopped because he had too many things on his mind. But now he has accomplished his errand and his mind is free.

His little horse would not have shaken his harness to ring the harness-bells if they were on their way out, but would have shaken the bells if they were on their way home, where the horse is looking forward to being unhitched and allowed to rest in a warm barn with plenty to eat. In saying that he has promises to keep, the poet is saying, in effect, that he has responsibilities to other people and cannot indulge himself by remaining longer to look at the beautiful woods filling up with snow.

Robert Frost made his poetry dramatic. He has been quoted as saying:

Everything written is as good as it is dramatic. It need not declare itself in form, but it is drama or nothing.

"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" can be read as just a pretty winter snowscape, like on a Christmas card. But it is dramatic because the reader senses that there is more going on in the poet's mind than he tells us. There is something suspicious about the poet stopping. Why does he say:

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

Why should he care if anybody sees him? Why is he especially concerned about being seen by the owner of the woods? What is he planning to do? Many people have read a "death wish" into this poem. They think the poet is contemplating walking out into those dark, deep woods and lying down to freeze to death. His last repeated lines, "And miles to go before I sleep," can be interpreted as suggesting that he is travel-weary and weary of life but has many miles yet to go and many commitments to fulfill before he can enjoy the luxury of death. 
  

Pencils, paper, tables and chairs are all made of tiny moving particles. What stops these objects from flying apart?

The items you listed are all made of mixtures of substances in the solid phase. The molecules of a solid aren't flying around, they're vibrating in place. The reason they're not flying around is that they're attracted to each other. A solid has a definite volume and shape because the molecules are close together, locked into position and can't move past each other. Of the three states of matter, gas molecules have the most kinetic...

The items you listed are all made of mixtures of substances in the solid phase. The molecules of a solid aren't flying around, they're vibrating in place. The reason they're not flying around is that they're attracted to each other. A solid has a definite volume and shape because the molecules are close together, locked into position and can't move past each other. Of the three states of matter, gas molecules have the most kinetic energy and solids have the least. Gas molecules are in rapid motion, moving around and colliding with other molecules. There are no significant attractions between gas molecules at normal temperatures and pressures. 

The molecules of a liquid also move around, but they have less kinetic energy than gas molecules. They are much closer together and move more slowly than gas molecules as they move past each other. Attractions between molecules have a bigger effect in the liquid phase than in the gas phase because the molecules are closer together.

As liquid cools attractions between molecules take over and a solid forms, in which molecules are no longer able to move past each other.

What are some similarities between hurricanes and blizzards?

Hurricanes and blizzards are both storms that can wreak havoc to the areas at which they occur. Both types of storms are caused by air that rises into the atmosphere. This air then causes low pressures that generate winds. Winds of hurricanes are over 75 miles per hour(at 75 mph, a tropical storm becomes a hurricane and is given a name; winds grow up to 150 mph). Hurricanes produce intense winds that...

Hurricanes and blizzards are both storms that can wreak havoc to the areas at which they occur. Both types of storms are caused by air that rises into the atmosphere. This air then causes low pressures that generate winds. Winds of hurricanes are over 75 miles per hour (at 75 mph, a tropical storm becomes a hurricane and is given a name; winds grow up to 150 mph). Hurricanes produce intense winds that span over vast distances. Hurricanes can cover areas up to 500 miles wide. The winds that accompany blizzards can be over forty-five miles per hour.

Both blizzards and hurricanes are also accompanied by precipitation.  As a hurricane is formed, moist air rises and condenses. Thus, hurricanes are associated with extreme rainfall. The rising air of a blizzard creates a front that collides with air currents in areas that have heavy moisture contents. Thus, blizzards are associated with intense snowfall. However, blizzards do not cover as much land as hurricanes.

How does Old Major estabilish that he is an authority ?

The text does not explicitly say why Old Major was respected on the farm.  However, there are a few details that offer some clues. 

First, when Old Major is introduced, he is described as a prize Middle White boar.  So, in some ways when he was younger, he was prized by Mr. Jones and presumably others. The second paragraph of the books has these words:

Word had gone round during the day that old Major, the prize Middle White boar, had had a strange dream on the previous night and wished to communicate it to the other animals.

Second, the fact that he is called "Old," also gives him some gravity.  He has been around long enough to understand the farm and what happens to the animals on the farm.  So, when he speaks, he speaks with knowledge, and the other animals listen.  When we look at this speech, he is cogent, he gives examples, and calls for action - no wonder the animals were willing to loose an hour a sleep to listen to him. 

Describe the character, Nyakinyua. |

Nyakinyua is Wanja's grandmother and the most respected person in the village of Ilmorog (especially due to the fact that she is the revered storyteller). Nyakinyua is always providing insights into Ilmorog’s past in her stories which stem from before colonialism in Ilmorog to Nyakinyua’s husband’s fight against British troops. Nyakinyua is responsible for all of the traditional ceremonies and dances that happen in Ilmorog.

Nyakinyua is quite wary of Munira’s appearance in Ilmorog (because...

Nyakinyua is Wanja's grandmother and the most respected person in the village of Ilmorog (especially due to the fact that she is the revered storyteller). Nyakinyua is always providing insights into Ilmorog’s past in her stories which stem from before colonialism in Ilmorog to Nyakinyua’s husband’s fight against British troops. Nyakinyua is responsible for all of the traditional ceremonies and dances that happen in Ilmorog.

Nyakinyua is quite wary of Munira’s appearance in Ilmorog (because Nyakinyua fears that Munira will run from the village just like those that came before him). When the rains finally come, the villagers of Ilmorog dance in their native rituals suggested by Nyakinyua. To futher the celebration, Nyakinyua creates a special brew for everyone to drink from the Thang'eta plant, a very special addition to the ceremony.

To the great sadness of the village, Nyakinyua finally dies and (worse) the banks swoop down to take the land she owns. Here is where the main protagonist of Wanja comes in. Wanja sells her successful business in order to buy Nyakinyua’s land. One wonders what Nyakinyua would think about Wanja’s new business that she creates (a brothel), where Wanja is both the owner and one of the prostitutes.

How is young Goodman Brown stupid?

I don't know that I would describe young Goodman Brown as "stupid"; he is, perhaps, misguided and selfish, but I wouldn't call him stupid.  He knows that he shouldn't go into the woods.  He knows that he shouldn't leave his wife, Faith, who claims to be troubled with distressing dreams when she is alone.  Brown even feels guilty for leaving her behind, and he advises her go to bed early and say her prayers.  She...

I don't know that I would describe young Goodman Brown as "stupid"; he is, perhaps, misguided and selfish, but I wouldn't call him stupid.  He knows that he shouldn't go into the woods.  He knows that he shouldn't leave his wife, Faith, who claims to be troubled with distressing dreams when she is alone.  Brown even feels guilty for leaving her behind, and he advises her go to bed early and say her prayers.  She hopes, for his sake, that he "'find[s] all well, when [he] come[s] back.'" Such a statement seems to foreshadow that he will not. 

Brown claims that "'after this one night, [he'll] cling to [Faith's] skirts and follow her to Heaven.'"  Faith symbolizes his own faith in God, faith that he purposely abandons at home, just as he leaves her behind.  He plans to commit some sin in the woods, and the narrator describes his "present evil purpose": it seems that Brown goes into the woods, feeling sure that his faith will be there waiting for him when he returns.  However, this is not how faith works; we cannot choose to pick it up when we want it and walk away from it when we don't.  I don't think Brown is malicious, but he is selfish; he wants to gratify whatever sinful desires he has without having it harm his faith, and so he -- literally and figuratively -- leaves his faith behind without realizing that he will not "find all well" when he gets home.

Why did the U.S. go to war in Vietnam? How did President Johnson escalate the war?

The United States went to war in Vietnam because it wanted to prevent South Vietnam from falling to the forces of communism.  This was during the Cold War and the United States was very concerned with preventing communism from spreading around the world.  US leaders felt that if Vietnam fell to communism, a “domino effect” would ensue in which all of the other countries of Southeast Asia became communist as well.  The US was very...

The United States went to war in Vietnam because it wanted to prevent South Vietnam from falling to the forces of communism.  This was during the Cold War and the United States was very concerned with preventing communism from spreading around the world.  US leaders felt that if Vietnam fell to communism, a “domino effect” would ensue in which all of the other countries of Southeast Asia became communist as well.  The US was very opposed to communism and therefore did not want this to happen.  When South Vietnam started to come under attack from communist rebels, the US stepped in.

President Johnson escalated this war gradually at first.  He sent more and more troops in with broader missions.  For example, he sent ground forces in to guard air bases, but then allowed them to patrol away from their bases, expanding their mission.  Then, in 1964, he escalated the war dramatically.  He got Congress to pass the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which gave him the power to do whatever he felt necessary to prosecute the war.  This led to a huge buildup in the American military presence in Vietnam.  Eventually, the US military had over 500,000 military personnel in Vietnam.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, what are some quotes that show Atticus as wise, honest, sympathetic, and courageous?

Atticus is characterized as possessing a great deal of wisdom all throughout Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. One classic example is seen in his speech about viewing things from others' perspectives, given earlier in the book.In Chapter 3, Scout confides in Atticus about her disappointing first day of school. Atticus explains that one reason why Scout got into trouble on her first day is because she was unable to see things...

Atticus is characterized as possessing a great deal of wisdom all throughout Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. One classic example is seen in his speech about viewing things from others' perspectives, given earlier in the book.

In Chapter 3, Scout confides in Atticus about her disappointing first day of school. Atticus explains that one reason why Scout got into trouble on her first day is because she was unable to see things from Miss Caroline's perspective and that both Scout and Miss Caroline had learned valuable lessons. He further gives Scout the following famous speech that serves as an underlying moral throughout the entire book:

First of all ... if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along much better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-- ... --until you climb into his skin and walk around in it. (Ch. 3)

This is a wise moral of Atticus's because it allows him to love all the people around him and feel a sense of compassion for them, just as he is able to express love and feel compassion for Tom Robinson through defending him in court. Atticus's wise words about understanding others' points of view influence Scout all throughout the book as she tries to understand the concept; she is finally able to do so when standing on the porch with Arthur (Boo) Radley at the end of the book, after having escorted him home.