Describe the treatment of the hobbits & dwarves by the men of Laketown & The Master of Laketown.

Bilbo Baggins and his dwarf compatriots are relieved to have finally escaped the dungeons of the Wood Elves in Mirkwood. With each dwarf encased in an empty barrel and Bilbo hanging on as best he can, on top of a barrel or two, the group find themselves floating their way down to Laketown. Laketown is a city of humans, located south of the Lonely Mountain. The people there are friends with the Wood Elves.

When Bilbo and the dwarfs first approach the guards at the bridge before the city of Laketown, the guards are surprised to see them. Unprepared for the sight of so many dwarfs and the specter of their leader, Thorin Oakenshield, demanding to see the Master of Laketown, the guards can only nervously comply with the unusual demand. When the entourage finally stand in the great halls of the Master of Laketown, the people of the city are in a frenzy. They remember the prophecy of the return of the King under the Mountain, and they are ecstatic at this new development, despite the fact that Thorin Oakenshield isn't the King under the Mountain; he is the grandson of Thror, the actual King under the Mountain.

The Master of Laketown is initially suspicious of Thorin's claim. Additionally, he isn't too keen on potentially offending the Elven King, who wields great power in the area. Meanwhile, the Wood Elves in the Master's hall indignantly proclaim that Bilbo and the dwarfs are prisoners of their king who have escaped from the dungeons. Basically, the Wood Elves portray the dwarfs as vagabonds who pose a danger to law-abiding citizens. In the end, the clamor of the crowds decide the situation for the Master of Laketown: he reluctantly makes Bilbo and the dwarfs welcome in his great hall. Seeing the Master's changing stance, the whole town loses no time in housing some of the dwarfs in their homes and in generally lavishing an opulent hospitality on Thorin's grateful band of warriors.

In due time, Bilbo and the dwarfs regain their strength, and Thorin decides that they must be on their way. The Master finds himself ambivalent about this announcement. On the one hand, he has never really believed Thorin's story nor imagined that the dwarfs would dare to confront Smaug, the dragon. On the other hand, he finds himself relieved that the dwarfs will soon be on their way, as it has been very expensive to tend to their needs during their short stay. So, with the Master and his councilors waving the dwarfs off from the steps of the town hall (after providing them with necessary provisions for the journey), Thorin and his group row away. The people of Laketown sing heartily as the dwarfs make their way down the river.

When Mrs. Baker tells Holling to "pass those boys," how does he respond?

I coach varsity cross country at the school that I teach at, and as an athlete I qualified for the state cross country finals twice, so I am going to explain what Holling does with some technical jargon.  

When Mrs. Baker tells Holling to "pass those boys," Holling surges.  A surge is not a sprint.  Cross country runners should not sprint mid race.  It is too much energy being spent for too little pay...

I coach varsity cross country at the school that I teach at, and as an athlete I qualified for the state cross country finals twice, so I am going to explain what Holling does with some technical jargon.  

When Mrs. Baker tells Holling to "pass those boys," Holling surges.  A surge is not a sprint.  Cross country runners should not sprint mid race.  It is too much energy being spent for too little pay off.  A surge is an increase in speed and tempo for a certain amount of time.  It is not a sprint because a cross country runner can be expected to hold the surge pace for several minutes. 

Holling surges in his run when Mrs. Baker says "pass those boys."  I know it is a surge and not a sprint, because the text is very clear that Holling does not immediately pass the 8th grade runners in front of him.  It takes him significant time and distance.  Before Mrs. Baker said something, Holling was close to the 8th graders, but not on their backs.  After Mrs. Baker encouraged Holling, he began surging and had to enter a narrow trail through some woods.  Once the trail finally widened, Holling was on the heels of the 8th graders.  In order for him to have closed that gap, his tempo had to have increased.  The 8th graders then tried to block Holling, so that he couldn't pass.  Holling continued his surge right around them on a rougher section of the trail.  At the end of the race, the 8th graders tried to out sprint Holling to the finish, but his lead was already established at that point, and they could not out sprint Holling.  Mrs. Baker's words triggered Holling's inner drive to dig deep and push hard for the win. 

Is Ghana a sovereign state?

Ghana is definitely a sovereign state as much as any state is completely sovereign in this age of globalization.  No outside entity has the legal right to intervene in Ghana’s domestic affairs unless Ghana signs a treaty that gives it the right to do so.  This is the major way to define a sovereign state.

Of course, no state in the world today is completely independent.  All states, even the United States, have to pay...

Ghana is definitely a sovereign state as much as any state is completely sovereign in this age of globalization.  No outside entity has the legal right to intervene in Ghana’s domestic affairs unless Ghana signs a treaty that gives it the right to do so.  This is the major way to define a sovereign state.

Of course, no state in the world today is completely independent.  All states, even the United States, have to pay some attention to world opinion when making decisions in domestic politics.  Even the USA is party to treaties that limit what it can do.  Ghana is like other countries in this way.  It does not have complete freedom to do as it wishes within its own borders.

However, Ghana is still sovereign because no other country has a legal right to unilaterally tell Ghana what to do in its internal affairs.  Within its own borders, Ghana’s government has complete freedom of action limited only by what it feels is wise to do and by the terms of any treaties it has voluntarily signed. 

How does Oscar Wilde use comic pairings to show Victorian moral hypocrisy in "The Importance of Being Earnest"?

During Wilde's time, women still could not vote and the London aristocracy was clinging onto its traditions of marrying for money and social status. Parents and guardians were still very much a part of the marriage process and determining who could marry whom. Thus, in "The Importance of Being Earnest," Wilde pokes fun at everyone involved in these traditions by showing the attitudes and hypocrisy that seemed to coincide with them. In order to personify these traits and drive the message home for the audience, Wilde pairs Jack Worthing with Lady Bracknell as parent/guardian figures; Jack and Algy as "gentlemen" seeking wives; and Cecily and Gwendolyn as the foolish brides.

First, Jack and Lady Bracknell both show their hypocritical sides when determining the value of a future spouse. Jack wants to marry Bracknell's daughter Gwendolyn, but she won't have it because Jack cannot produce documentation of who his parents were. But when Lady Bracknell wants her son Algy to marry Jack's ward Cecily, it's not because of who Cecily's ancestors are so much as the fact that Cecily is rich and can pay off Algy's debts. Then Jack is a hypocrite because he treats Algy just like Lady Bracknell treats him when applying for marriage.

Next, Jack and Algy are both bachelors who are deceitful to the women that they love. Both Jack and Algy lie about having a brother or a friend in another town simply to get away from family from time to time. Algy calls this "Bunburying" (the name of the fake friend) and Jack shows his hypocrisy again when he says the following:

"You young scoundrel, Algy, you must get out of this place as soon as possible. I don't allow any Bunburying here" (Act II).

Jack is a hypocrite here because he does the same thing when he goes to visit his fake brother Ernest in London.

Finally, Cecily and Gwendolyn are paired together to show how hypocritical women can be as "friends." When the two ladies meet, they promise each other to be best friends forever. Then when each believes she is engaged to an Ernest Worthing, they are immediately enemies. For example, the two ladies offer to be called by the other with their first names, signifying friendship; but when they become jealous and angry, they revert back to calling each other by their last names, signifying a more aloof relationship. Then in comical fashion, when the ladies discover the men have been lying about their names, they are instantly back on a first-name basis again. Clearly, Wilde makes fun of women's inconstancy and hypocrisy through Cecily and Gwendolyn.

`y = sqrt(25 - x^2), y = 0, x = 2, x = 4` Find the volume of the solid obtained by rotating the region bounded by the given curves about the...

The volume of the solid obtained by rotating the region bounded by the curves `y=sqrt(25 - x^2), y=0, x=2,x=4` , about x axis, can be evaluated using the washer method.

`V = int_a^b pi*(f^2(x) - g^2(x)) dx, f(x)>g(x)`

Since the problem provides you the endpoints `x=2,x=4` , you may find the volume such that:

`V = int_2^4 pi*(sqrt(25 - x^2) - 0)^2 dx`

`V = pi*int_2^4 (25 - x^2)dx`

`V = pi*(int_2^4 25 dx...

The volume of the solid obtained by rotating the region bounded by the curves `y=sqrt(25 - x^2), y=0, x=2,x=4` , about x axis, can be evaluated using the washer method.

`V = int_a^b pi*(f^2(x) - g^2(x)) dx, f(x)>g(x)`

Since the problem provides you the endpoints `x=2,x=4` , you may find the volume such that:

`V = int_2^4 pi*(sqrt(25 - x^2) - 0)^2 dx`

`V = pi*int_2^4 (25 - x^2)dx`

`V = pi*(int_2^4 25 dx - int_2^4 x^2 dx)`

`V = pi*(25x - x^3/3)|_2^4`

V` = pi*(25*4 - 4^3/3 - 25*2 + 2^3/3)`

`V = pi*(50 - 56/3)`

`V = pi*(150-56)/3`

`V = (94*pi)/3`

Hence, evaluating the volume of the solid obtained by rotating the region bounded by the curves `y=sqrt(25 - x^2), y=0, x=2,x=4,` about x axis , using the washer method, yields `V = (94*pi)/3` .

Why is Jonas a male in The Giver and not a female?

The short answer is that we don't know. That would be a question that the author, Lois Lowry, would need to address herself and I do not recall her ever mentioning that she had considered making his character female instead. 

What might be interesting to consider is whether or not the gender of the new Receiver is important and whether the new Receiver being a female would have changed the storyline. In some books we...

The short answer is that we don't know. That would be a question that the author, Lois Lowry, would need to address herself and I do not recall her ever mentioning that she had considered making his character female instead. 

What might be interesting to consider is whether or not the gender of the new Receiver is important and whether the new Receiver being a female would have changed the storyline. In some books we can easily see that a female character would drastically change the storyline, but I am not sure the argument for that could be made regarding The Giver. 

Males and females in the book are treated, in some ways, very similarly. That is to say, each gender works, takes care of the family, dresses similarly, and because they are a sexless society, there are not the same traditional male and female tensions we have in our own society. 

Also, there was a previous Receiver of Memory who was a female, and she reacted in much the same was as Jonas did once she began to receive troubling memories. Although Jonas managed to receive more memories before he finally stopped, he stopped not because of the memories as she had, but because he learned what "release" truly was. In both cases, however, the role of Receiver caused them to learn things about humanity that caused them to want to stop being the Receiver. So, one could argue that male or female would have trouble with becoming the Receiver, and that gender might not play that significant of a role. 

What can be a good thesis statement for "The Tell-Tale Heart"?

A thesis statement is a sentence in which the writer states the main idea or central point contained in his paper and his position on it. The arguments presented in his writing should then reflect and support his point of view. This means that the thesis statement should be focused and specific. It cannot just be a sweeping, generalised observation.

Since  the content of a paper is determined by a thesis statement, it should preferably...

A thesis statement is a sentence in which the writer states the main idea or central point contained in his paper and his position on it. The arguments presented in his writing should then reflect and support his point of view. This means that the thesis statement should be focused and specific. It cannot just be a sweeping, generalised observation.

Since  the content of a paper is determined by a thesis statement, it should preferably be included in the introductory paragraph. In considering the above, a good thesis statement to consider for Poe's short story would be something along the following lines:

Edgar Allan Poe's gothic horror story, The Tell-Tale heart, illustrates how obsession can turn into madness and lead to the destruction of its victim and others.

Such a thesis statement allows the writer to explore the obsession that the narrator has with the old man's 'evil eye' and the descriptions he gives it to emphasize its effect on him. The writer can then delve into how this obsession affects the narrator's thinking and his behaviour - which both display an abnormality. Finally, the writer can present detail as to how these drive the narrator to commit a desperate, fatal act and his responses later when he is so overwhelmed by what he believes he hears that he confesses to his malicious deed.

What passages in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird show characters to be empathetic characters?

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, one of the most critical passages that characterizes Atticus as an empathetic character is when he says to Scout, "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).

Atticus makes this statement when Scout is complaining about her disappointing first day of school. Atticus's full argument is that if Walter and Scout had seen Miss Caroline's offering of lunch money from her perspective, Walter would not have felt insulted by the offer, and Scout would not have offended Miss Caroline by explaining to her the ways of Maycomb she had yet to learn. Plus, Scout would not have become infuriated to the point that she felt the need to beat up Walter.

Atticus's lesson is one Scout takes very much to heart all throughout the book, giving us further passages that reflect characters as expressing, or attempting to express, empathy. For example, we see Scout attempting to put the lesson into practice when she tries to picture the fear Jem must have experienced while retrieving his lost trousers from the fence around the Radleys' house at 2 o'clock in the morning. Most importantly, we see her put it into practice at the very end of the book when she stands on Arthur Radley's porch and sees him for the fist time as the thoughtful, caring, albeit reclusive, man he truly is.

In addition, we see Atticus practice his own philosophy all throughout the book. For example, he sees things from Calpurnia's point of view when he treats her like an equal member of the family, despite objections from society. Plus, he puts it into practice when he shows respect to the vicious Mrs. Dubose and calls her the "bravest person [he] ever knew" (Ch. 11).

I have to write an essay for the novel To Kill a Mockingbird and my theme is injustice. I have three of my five paragraphs finished, but for my...

Without knowing what exactly you want to talk about in regards to discrimination or what examples you plan to use, it is difficult to make a specific suggestion about wording. However, here are some more general tips that might be helpful.

First, think about the examples you have chosen for this particular paragraph. You probably have two-three. Aside from discrimination, is there anything else that connects them? If so, what is it? You might be...

Without knowing what exactly you want to talk about in regards to discrimination or what examples you plan to use, it is difficult to make a specific suggestion about wording. However, here are some more general tips that might be helpful.

First, think about the examples you have chosen for this particular paragraph. You probably have two-three. Aside from discrimination, is there anything else that connects them? If so, what is it? You might be able to use that in the topic sentence. For example, each example might be whites discriminating against blacks. Or each example might be Christians discriminating against non-Christians. Or each example might be about the wealthy discriminating against the poor.

Second, if the examples are different types of discrimination, what is it you want to say about that? That discrimination is wide spread? Or it is too common? Think about the point you are trying to make about the discrimination.

Once you have determined all of this, you'll be able to craft a topic sentence than makes a strong claim. You'll also be doing a bit of brainstorming about some of the commentary you're going to need to provide later in the paragraph. You want to avoid simply listing examples of discrimination; instead, you want to provide the examples and then offer some commentary on their significance.

In Lord of the Flies, what are some of Piggy's character traits, and what are some quotes that demonstrate them?

Piggy is fat and weak and not really shy about telling people about it. He tells Ralph all about his asthma and the many things he can't do and even reveals his nickname, "Piggy." But he is also very intelligent and represents science and the knowledge of the world on the island. He is the only boy who is really able to think through their situation and also seems to be the one who listened...

Piggy is fat and weak and not really shy about telling people about it. He tells Ralph all about his asthma and the many things he can't do and even reveals his nickname, "Piggy." But he is also very intelligent and represents science and the knowledge of the world on the island. He is the only boy who is really able to think through their situation and also seems to be the one who listened and remembered the most about their experience.

When Ralph says that the folks at the airport would tell his dad so that he could come rescue the boys, Piggy says:

“Not them. Didn’t you hear what the pilot said? About the atom bomb? They’re all dead.”

Piggy is also the first to suggest that they ought to make a list of every boy's name so that they can keep track. He is thoughtful and organized that way.

He is also the one who tells the boys how there can't be a big snake type "beastie" on the island because there isn't anything big enough for it to eat. 

How did the course of the war change from June to the end of December 1776? And what effect did this change have on the Patriots?

There were a few events that changed in the Revolutionary War from June 1776 to December 1776. However, the first major battle wouldn’t occur until October 1777 at Saratoga. While the British evacuated Boston in March 1776 because it wasn’t that safe for them to remain there, the Revolutionary War had not yet begun. It wasn’t until the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, that we were at war with Great Britain.

...

There were a few events that changed in the Revolutionary War from June 1776 to December 1776. However, the first major battle wouldn’t occur until October 1777 at Saratoga. While the British evacuated Boston in March 1776 because it wasn’t that safe for them to remain there, the Revolutionary War had not yet begun. It wasn’t until the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, that we were at war with Great Britain.

Thus, in June 1776, we still were colonies of Great Britain. That ended, in our view, with the Declaration of Independence. Militarily, things didn’t go well for the colonists when the war began. The British forced the colonial army out of New York and New Jersey in the summer and fall of 1776. Things appeared bleak for the colonists heading into the winter. George Washington knew it was important to have some sort of victory before the winter really started. On Christmas night, he led the colonial army across the icy Delaware River and surprised the British at Trenton. The British never expected an attack would come on Christmas. Shortly thereafter, the colonial army also won at Princeton.

While these victories weren’t major military campaigns, it gave the colonists hope heading into 1777 that they could win battles. To only have suffered defeats would not have been good for our army heading into 1777. These victories lifted the spirits of the colonists as 1777 began. This was a key part of our victories at Trenton and Princeton.

In A Thousand Splendid Suns, why does Mariam's mother hang herself and why does Laila not go with Tariq's family?

In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Mariam's mother Nana hangs herself because she realizes that her daughter has grown fond of her father Jalil.  Nana understands that Jalil will not put himself in a position to claim Mariam as his rightful daughter, and she knows that this will break Mariam's heart.  She is fearful of their growing relationship and upset by being abandoned, which is one motivating factor for her suicide.  Ironically, there might have also...

In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Mariam's mother Nana hangs herself because she realizes that her daughter has grown fond of her father Jalil.  Nana understands that Jalil will not put himself in a position to claim Mariam as his rightful daughter, and she knows that this will break Mariam's heart.  She is fearful of their growing relationship and upset by being abandoned, which is one motivating factor for her suicide.  Ironically, there might have also been some idea on Nana's part that her death might force Jalil to care for Mariam, and since he could provide some material wealth, a life with him may have been more fulfilling for Mariam.

Later in the novel, Laila does not leave with Tariq and his family to go to Pakistan because she knows that her parents would be heart-broken if she left.  The family has already lost two sons in the war, so losing Laila would too would cause too much grief.

Conclude a brief analysis as to whether you believe the fall of the Soviet Union was an inevitable occurrence, or could earlier Soviet leaders have...

If you believe the ideas contained in George Keenan’s Long Telegram, you would conclude that the fall of the Soviet Union was inevitable. The Long Telegram, about 8,000 words in length, stated that communism was a flawed system that would eventually fail. It suggested we would prevail over the Soviet Union without having to go to war. It suggested that our struggle with the Soviet Union was going to be one that would last for...

If you believe the ideas contained in George Keenan’s Long Telegram, you would conclude that the fall of the Soviet Union was inevitable. The Long Telegram, about 8,000 words in length, stated that communism was a flawed system that would eventually fail. It suggested we would prevail over the Soviet Union without having to go to war. It suggested that our struggle with the Soviet Union was going to be one that would last for quite some time. Therefore, negotiations with them for a permanent solution were fruitless. Keenan pointed out that we should try to keep Communism from spreading. This became the basis for the policy of containment we used after World War II ended.

The only way the Soviet Union could have prevented its demise was to change its system. This was something the Soviet leaders were unwilling to do until it began clear their system was failing. Mikhail Gorbachev instituted a series of reforms and provided more openness in Soviet society. Even when it was clear these changes were the only way to possibly save the Soviet Union, hard-liner communists still were against these changes. Thus, the collapse of the Soviet Union was inevitable, even though it would take 45 years for that took occur after the Long Telegram was written.

What is economics? |

You will get a variety of answers to this question because there are so many fields within the discipline of economics, but perhaps the simplest definition of economics is this one from the American Economics Association, who define it as "the study of how people choose to use resources." This involves how things are produced or made, how they are sold or traded, and how they are employed, used, or consumed. So in the end,...

You will get a variety of answers to this question because there are so many fields within the discipline of economics, but perhaps the simplest definition of economics is this one from the American Economics Association, who define it as "the study of how people choose to use resources." This involves how things are produced or made, how they are sold or traded, and how they are employed, used, or consumed. So in the end, economics is about choices that we have to make because resources of all kinds are scarce, or limited in quantity. Because this is very broad, there are different fields within economics. Microeconomics involves individual or family economic decisions. Macroeconomics involves economic theory and how economic decisions are made by societies and nations. So economics is more than just the study of money. It is the study of almost everything we do as a society--how we choose to allocate resources, what and how much we choose to consume, and how we choose to produce things, just to name a few topics.

In Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, what two major points did Atticus score in his favor during Heck Tate's testimony?

Atticus gets Sheriff Tate to admit that no one called a doctor for Mayella and that the injuries were on the right side of her face.

Heck Tate is the first witness the Finch children see testify in the Tom Robinson case.  He is the sheriff of Maycomb county.  He testifies because he was called to the scene when Mayella Ewell was reported raped.  Mr. Gilmer, the prosecutor, has him review the scene.  He was called by Bob Ewell, and found Mayella Ewella injured in the middle of the floor of her house. 

Atticus, Tom Robinson’s defense attorney, cross-examines Heck Tate to ask him about Mayella’s injuries.  The first question he asks him is about the doctor.  If a girl is raped, you would expect a doctor to be called.  None has been mentioned, so Atticus asks.

Didn’t call a doctor?”

“No sir,” repeated Mr. Tate.

“Why not?” There was an edge to Atticus’s voice.

“Well I can tell you why I didn’t. It wasn’t necessary, Mr. Finch. She was mighty banged up. Something sho‘ happened, it was obvious.” (Ch. 17)

Judge Taylor intervenes, telling Atticus to stop asking the question because Sheriff Tate has answered it three times.  No one called for a doctor.  It is pretty strange.  Atticus made sure the jury realized it.  If Mayella was really raped, a doctor should have been called for her.

Atticus also makes a big deal about the side of her face on which Mayella’s injuries are located.

“Wait a minute, Sheriff,” said Atticus. “Was it her left facing you or her left looking the same way you were?”

Mr. Tate said, “Oh yes, that’d make it her right. It was her right eye, Mr. Finch. I remember now, she was bunged up on that side of her face…” (Ch. 17)

Tom Robinson reacts to Atticus harping on the side of Mayella’s face where the injuries are located.  This will be important later, because Atticus will try to use it to prove that Tom Robinson did not hit Mayella, because his left arm is useless, and that no rape occurred, because no one went for a doctor.

How does the Tom Robinson trial affect Maycomb county as a whole in "To Kill A Mockingbird"?

This is a loaded question, as there is no one way all the people responded.  However, if we had to make a generalization about the whole of Maycomb, the trial of Tom Robinson did not really impact the people in any significant way.  The people go back to their own business, as if nothing happened.  The trial is at best an entertaining spectacle.  Now that it is over, it is back to work as usual....

This is a loaded question, as there is no one way all the people responded.  However, if we had to make a generalization about the whole of Maycomb, the trial of Tom Robinson did not really impact the people in any significant way.  The people go back to their own business, as if nothing happened.  The trial is at best an entertaining spectacle.  Now that it is over, it is back to work as usual.  Most of the town probably feels this, and so nothing really changes. 

Some people harbor fear and resentment in their hearts.  The women's missionary society is a perfect example. One women feels unsafe in her bed.  The implication is that someone like Tom Robinson might try to rape her.  Here is a quote:

“S-s-s Grace,” she said, “it’s just like I was telling Brother Hutson the other day. ‘S-s-s Brother Hutson,’ I said, ‘looks like we’re fighting a losing battle, a losing battle.’ I said, ‘S-s-s it doesn’t matter to ’em one bit. We can educate ‘em till we’re blue in the face, we can try till we drop to make Christians out of ’em, but there’s no lady safe in her bed these nights.‘ He said to me, ’Mrs. Farrow, I don’t know what we’re coming to down here.‘ S-s-s I told him that was certainly a fact.”

Finally, if we analyze the end of the book, it is clear that nothing in Maycomb really changes.  For example, Miss Gates at school talks about the horrors of Hilter, but she cannot see the problems in Maycomb.  This shows that the trial of Tom Robinson did very little. 

In the short story "There Will Come Soft Rains," if you were to think back to the story in the days and weeks to come, what image do you think will...

In terms of broad geographical perspective, the image that stands out is of this one remaining house amidst a city that has been destroyed. The house is the only one left, and is surrounded by rubble. From a distance, the city (what is left of it) glows from the radioactivity caused by the bomb. This is an apocalyptic image and suggests how technology (atomic bombs) can destroy civilization: 

The house stood alone in a city...

In terms of broad geographical perspective, the image that stands out is of this one remaining house amidst a city that has been destroyed. The house is the only one left, and is surrounded by rubble. From a distance, the city (what is left of it) glows from the radioactivity caused by the bomb. This is an apocalyptic image and suggests how technology (atomic bombs) can destroy civilization: 

The house stood alone in a city of rubble and ashes. This was the one house left standing. At night the ruined city gave off a radioactive glow which could be seen for miles. 

Another striking image is described in the next paragraph. The family had been outside during the blast. They were destroyed but the blast left white silhouettes on the western side of the house. This gives a poetic yet morbid image of what was left of these people. The silhouettes are like anonymous tombstones, the only remains of the family: 

The entire west face of the house was black, save for five places. Here the silhouette in paint of a man mowing a lawn. Here, as in a photograph, a woman bent to pick flowers. Still farther over, their images burned on wood in one titanic instant, a small boy, hands flung into the air; higher up, the image of a thrown ball, and opposite him a girl, hands raised to catch a ball which never came down. 

There is also the morbid image of the robotic mice carrying the dead dog away. And there is the final image of the one remaining wall of the house after the rest has burned to the ground: 

Dawn showed faintly in the east. Among the ruins, one wall stood alone. Within the wall, a last voice said, over and over again and again, even as the sun rose to shine upon the heaped rubble and steam: "Today is August 5, 2026, today is August 5, 2026, today is…" 

Even though the family had been gone prior to the start of the story, the devastation feels more complete and more lonely with just one wall remaining. And the last remaining voice announcing the date, even though it is robotic, seems more lonely as well. 

What are some reasons that Mark Twain wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and what is the purpose of the book?

As far as the reason for writing the book is concerned, Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain) makes it clear in the preface of the first edition where he says:

"Although my book is intended mainly for the entertainment of boys and girls, part of my plan has been to pleasantly remind adults of what they once were themselves, and what they felt and thought."

The book is definitely an entertaining read and has enthralled young and old through the ages. It effectively succeeds in bringing back thoughts about what one had been like and up to, as youngsters. Readers can also identify with what the characters do, depending of course, on his or her own history and background.

In its purpose, the book seeks to explore the romance and intrigue of growing up, and acts as a sort of semi - bildungsroman, by tracing the lives of the protagonists and exposing the lessons they learn as they head towards adulthood and maturity. The characters are faced with many situations in which they are entirely reliant on their own intellect and ability to overcome some or other conundrum. In the story, they succeed admirably. The purpose then, is to also teach, especially young readers, that they can overcome adversity in whichever form it may present itself - such as for example, Tom and Becky's escape from the cave.

In this, therefore, the story is not a mere narration applicable to Americans only, but it has universal significance and appeal.

Furthermore, the narration also displays Twain's subtle criticism of the habits, beliefs and general demeanour of Americans at the time. He takes a particular stab at religion where he satirizes for example, one character's memorisation of Bible verse, in order to obtain a reward.

He once recited three thousand verses without stopping; but the strain upon his mental faculties was too great, and he was little better than an idiot from that day forth—a grievous misfortune for the school, ...

In other examples, he criticizes the gullible nature of humans, who naively support causes without thinking clearly and rationally, almost like sheep being led down the garden path. One is where Tom, for example, persuades his friends to paint a fence for him, with the promise of reward.

He had had a nice, good, idle time all the while—plenty of company—and the fence had three coats of whitewash on it! If he hadn't run out of whitewash he would have bankrupted every boy in the village.

Another pertinent example of this is when adults in the town petition for Injun Joe's release. It was thought that he had already killed five citizens of the village:

"... but what of that? If he had been Satan himself there would have been plenty of weaklings ready to scribble their names to a pardon petition, and drip a tear on it from their permanently impaired and leaky waterworks."

The novel also ha a semi-autobiographical nature, especially in its setting. The story is set in an area in which Samuel Clemens grew up. The author grew up in Hannibal, Missouri, which was a quiet town overlooking the Mississippi River. The town is renamed St. Petersburg and is where all the characters live. The Jackson's Island of Tom Sawyer is an existing landmark situated south of the town, close to the Illinois side of the river.

The cave that was Injun Joe's hideout, still exists, as do the houses whic Widow Douglas and Aunt Polly supposedly resided in. Twain's town was surrounded by large forests which he himself knew as a child and in which his characters Tom Sawyer and Joe Harper often play, "Indians and Chiefs." All of this adds to the realism of the narrative.

What character development occurs in The Wizard of Oz?

In the beginning of the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy is a farm girl from Kansas who has mostly led her life fairly sheltered. Though unafraid and bold, she doesn't like being in a new strange land and at first she just wants to go home, but along the way as she meets and speaks with people and makes friends (the good witch, the lion, the tin man, the scarecrow) she grows to appreciate her journey...

In the beginning of the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy is a farm girl from Kansas who has mostly led her life fairly sheltered. Though unafraid and bold, she doesn't like being in a new strange land and at first she just wants to go home, but along the way as she meets and speaks with people and makes friends (the good witch, the lion, the tin man, the scarecrow) she grows to appreciate her journey and learn from her new friends. She learns the value of the people in her life, including her family back home.

The tinman, lacking a heart, believes he is incapable of love. After a serials of tribulations with Dorothy and their new friends, and their subsequent bonding, the tinman realizes he was capable of love all along even if he doesn't have a physical heart.

The scarecrow lacks a brain and wants one so he can be smart. However, throughout their journey he learns from experience, and grows into an intelligent creature without one.

The cowardly lion lacks courage. He goes to the wizard to get courage, but along the way experiences adventure and thrill with his friends and proves that he does have courage after all.

What are a few of the differences between Communism and Animalism?

Although there is more than one type of communist system, George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a satire on the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the ruthless reign of Joseph Stalin, who created a communist society based on the philosophies of Karl Marx. To understand the differences between Animalism and Marxist communism, we must understand the basic principles of each.

In the novel, Animalism is founded by the boar Old Major (and, you guessed it, he represents Karl Marx himself). Under the rule of the pigs, Animalism is summed up in seven commandments, as follows:

1. 
   

   Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.

   
   


2. 
   

   Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.

   
   


3. 
   

   No animal shall wear clothes.

   
   


4. 
   

   No animal shall sleep in a bed.

   
   


5. 
   

   No animal shall drink alcohol.

   
   


6. 
   

   No animal shall kill any other animal.

   
   


7. 
   

   All animals are equal.

   
   

Initially, we can see through these rules that they are trying to replace the tsarist regime of Mr. Jones with an egalitarian society in which they are all equal. So let’s see how Animalism compares to communism. Marx believed that three steps were necessary to produce the perfect communist society:

1.The existing government must be totally destroyed via revolution, to make way for the new government.

Yes, the animals run Mr. Jones off the farm and twice they successfully defend Animal Farm from intruding humans, but they do not entirely change the way the farm is governed. The pigs merely take over Mr. Jones’ role as dictator. The animals are still overworked proletarians (working class), living off meager rations of food and unable to make their own choices. The commandments designed to create equality are gradually altered by the pigs to accommodate their own greed. The farm begins with a tsarist regime and it continues under one, so technically, Animalism is different from communism on this point.

2. Next, communists believed that the new government must have autocratic rule, meaning an individual or an elite group is to have total control over the masses. This way society can have completely molded systems of education, economy, religion, agriculture, labor, etc. Citizens are not to own property, only the government, with the idea that resources will be doled out evenly to all, an idea called collectivism.

In this regard Animalism is very closely molded after communism, since Napoleon becomes dictator, as Joseph Stalin did following the Russian Revolution. He uses his dogs like the KGB to enforce his rules and allows certain pigs to be part of his elite group. They make and enforce all rules and decisions for the animals, controlling every aspect of their lives, right down to when they go to bed and when they get up.

3. The final phase of communism, ideally, is to become a utopian society, in which citizens can live in peace, knowing that their government provides for their every need. Wealth and resources are evenly distributed among all. There is no conflict, since all citizens are of the the same class, religion, and belief system. Everyone lives happily in true equality.

The ultimate difference between true Marxist communism and Animalism is that that animals become an oppressed society rather than developing the hoped-for utopia. This happens for some of the same reasons communism failed in the Soviet Union. Under the dictatorship of Napoleon, their “market” drops out from under them when the pigs are tricked several times in their tradings with humans, who cheat them out of precious resources. Plus, the pigs consume for themselves any extra resources that they acquire. Their food production is never high enough to provide for all the animals, and so their “economy” quickly weakens. In the end the pigs are too greedy and the animals are too uneducated and beaten down to make any positive improvements.

How is the life of the author reflected in the story?

Carver’s story takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico and the plot centers around two couples who sit around the table, drinking gin and having a conversation. The two couples, Nick and Laura, and Mel and Terri tell stories about people in their past and things that happened in their lives. The tone is tense and the couples bicker and reveal how unhappy they are. The continue to drink gin and feel miserable, and the story...

Carver’s story takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico and the plot centers around two couples who sit around the table, drinking gin and having a conversation. The two couples, Nick and Laura, and Mel and Terri tell stories about people in their past and things that happened in their lives. The tone is tense and the couples bicker and reveal how unhappy they are. The continue to drink gin and feel miserable, and the story ends with the couples sitting at the table, unable to do anything else. Raymond Carver’s life is reflected in this story in two significant ways. During his life, he struggled with alcoholism and depression. These struggles found themselves on the pages of much of his writing. Many of his characters were men who were drinkers and also seemed to be depressed individuals. In this story, the characters use drink to escape the unhappiness of their lives, and the dialogue they have around the table reveals how miserable they all are.

How can you compare and contrast Act I Scene 3 to Act V Scene 5 of Macbeth? How do both hint at Macbeth's downfall because of his desires and the...

In Act I Scene 3, Macbeth and Banquo learn of their fortunes thanks to their "chance" meeting with the weird sisters upon the heath. Neither really believe the prophesies given them. It has already occurred to Macbeth to murder Duncan, but the idea disturbs him greatly. He settles his mind (for the time being), but noting: "If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, / Without my stir." That is, if he is...

In Act I Scene 3, Macbeth and Banquo learn of their fortunes thanks to their "chance" meeting with the weird sisters upon the heath. Neither really believe the prophesies given them. It has already occurred to Macbeth to murder Duncan, but the idea disturbs him greatly. He settles his mind (for the time being), but noting: "If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, / Without my stir." That is, if he is fated to be king, it'll happen to him even if he does nothing to make it happen quicker. He's still a good man here. He knows he could "play foully" for the crown, but he doesn't have to; that's how fate works--it comes true no matter what you do. 

Compare this, then, to his attitude in Act V Scene 5, where he no longer feels much of anything. For example, he hears the cries of women from within the castle, and says: 

I have almost forgot the taste of fears;
The time has been, my senses would have cool'd
To hear a night-shriek; and my fell of hair
Would at a dismal treatise rouse and stir
As life were in't: I have supp'd full with horrors;
Direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts
Cannot once start me.

His conscience has been seared, and nothing bothers him anymore. He's no longer concerned with being good and holy. Even when they tell him his wife is dead, he seems oddly unmoved. He merely notes that it would have happened at some point, anyway, but he doesn't have time to grieve now, anyway. He does, however, note (in possibly the most poetic expression of this idea in the English language) that life is ultimately meaningless. He has lost his religion, his belief in goodness and loyalty and doing what is right. Everything meaningful to him is lost, except perhaps his own life. 

His desires were for power, and his lady pushed him to do the unthinkable to get it. The lessons he has learned is that what he has done to get that power and to keep it ultimately were not worth it. 

What does Robert Frost want to convey through the poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening?"

"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" can be read as an allegory. Frost devotes the first three stanzas of the poem to describe the woods he comes across while he was on his way to accomplish some important task. But it's only in the final stanza, he reveals the main theme of the poem. 

He halts for the serenity and bewitching beauty of the place holds him spellbound. He lingers there for a while...

"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" can be read as an allegory. Frost devotes the first three stanzas of the poem to describe the woods he comes across while he was on his way to accomplish some important task. But it's only in the final stanza, he reveals the main theme of the poem. 

He halts for the serenity and bewitching beauty of the place holds him spellbound. He lingers there for a while pleasing himself with the peaceful joy the woods offer him in that “snowy evening.”

The snow has covered the entire place. The soft snow hangs over the trees and the lake has frozen completely. The only sound that can be heard in that uninhabited place is that of the horse’s “harness bells” and “the sweep / Of easy wind and downy flake.”

The pristine and idyllic beauty of the woods casts a spell on him making him reluctant to move on. But soon he recalls he has “promises to keep.” He ought not to linger there pleasing himself rather continue with his journey. He’s still “miles to go.”

So, we see he faces a dilemma. On the one hand he wants to prolong his stay in the woods and revel in the delight that he hasn’t found anywhere else, while on the other hand, he knows he must leave instantly to fulfill his duty.

What the poet wants to convey is, perhaps, the fact that life often comes up with attractive enticements once we have made up our mind to stop not until our goal is achieved. It makes our journey even more arduous and challenging.

The poet, too, is offered a similar enticement in the form of the beautiful woods. There’s nobody to question him or order him to leave the place. But he wouldn’t indulge in self-gratification. He would forsake this pleasure to keep his promises. 

What are the educational applications of Piaget's cognitive theories of learning?

Piaget's theories of development and cognition have direct applicability to education.  He posited that there are stages of intellectual development that every child must go through, not necessarily on the same schedule, but always in the same order. He also posited that children construct their learning by incorporating knowledge into their existing knowledge. This is why his theories are taught in education courses.  We need to understand these stages and how children learn, so we can capitalize on that understanding in the way best suited to each student.

Essentially, children move from not being able to make any distinction between themselves and the world around them, to being able to incorporate concrete experiences and sensations as separate from themselves, to understanding the stability and constancy of the world, to processing language as representational, to being able to understand abstractions. In each of these stages, the child is gaining a greater and deeper understanding of the world, with more "content" internalized to allow the child to take in even more.  The child begins to categorize the world, and new information can be more easily "fit" into these categories, and new and more subtle distinctions can be made. A child, for example, may learn that while napkins made of paper can be thrown away, books, also made of paper, cannot be thrown away.  A child who has not learned about constancy will report that there is less or more water if water is poured into a container that is a different size or shape.  All of our understanding of this, from Piaget, informs our planning and teaching, in particular, up to and including adolescence, at which time most children are at the highest stage of Piaget's development ladder. 

So, for example, a pre-school or early education teacher is going to know that the constancy of a quantity is something that his or her students is not capable of understanding. A lesson based upon this would be pointless, since children are unlikely to be at the stage of development in which they can process this concept. Teaching a fourth grader algebra is a foolish idea, since algebra involves abstract thinking.  To the degree that language represents abstractions, teaching a vocabulary of abstractions is a foolish idea before a certain stage. Before children can categorize or see patterns, expecting them to do so makes no sense.  But the more a teacher can offer any student the experiences of the concrete world, what we now call hands-on learning, the more the student brings cognitively to the table when the higher stages begin.  This is one of the reasons that children in poverty do so poorly in school, in fact. They have not had as many concrete experiences that prepare them to learn. Their parents speak to them about 80% less than middle-class and wealthy parents speak to their children, even before they begin school. So teachers must make up for this deficiency, and the theories of Piaget are one key to doing so. 

If the sun is, one day, going to expand into a massive gigantic star and obliterate earth, then does that mean our galaxy wouldn't be...

It is true that our Sun is ultimately going to become a red giant and expand into a much larger size and engulf most of the planets of solar system. When that happens, the life on Earth will cease to exist. However, that eventuality is billions of years away. Our Sun is a relatively young star. Also, the question precludes the possibility of existence of life on other planets of the galaxy. We have so...

It is true that our Sun is ultimately going to become a red giant and expand into a much larger size and engulf most of the planets of solar system. When that happens, the life on Earth will cease to exist. However, that eventuality is billions of years away. Our Sun is a relatively young star. Also, the question precludes the possibility of existence of life on other planets of the galaxy. We have so far not found any evidence of life elsewhere in the universe, however, we may be able to find life on some other planet or galaxy before our Sun becomes a red giant. Thus, we cannot say (with much confidence) that life in our galaxy will become unsustainable. However, the solar system will not be able to support life once the Sun becomes a red giant. 

The artificial satellites in orbit around Earth have short lives (a few years); natural satellites (such as our Moon and those of Jupiter) will die out when the Sun expands. 

In general, the question is about an event that is a few billion years away and hence most of our answers are educated guesses, especially about the existence of life.

Hope this helps. 

How do geographic characteristics affect both other regions and people that live there?

Geographic features affect the other regions as well as the people who live in that region. A given geographic feature affects people who live in a region in many ways. One way is with the climate. People who live near a lake may experience cooler weather in the summer if the winds are coming off of the lake. People who live near a lake may get more lake-effect snow depending on which side of the lake they live. People in Buffalo, New York and Marquette, Michigan get a lot of snow in the winter because of the location of those cities.

Another way geography impacts the people in a region is that a geographic feature may be a barrier to movement. People who live near rivers depend on bridges to travel across the river. People may have to travel extra miles to get to the nearest bridge. If that bridge is out of service, travel may be impacted significantly.

Geographic features may impact the economy. People who live near scenic mountains may have a lot of tourism because people come to see the scenery or to ski in the winter or hike in the summer. People who live near lakes and oceans may fish for a living.

Geographic features affect other regions also. If a large river, like the Mississippi River, floods due to a lot of rain, people downstream may experience flooding even if they didn’t get the rain. People may depend on a given geographic feature for food or trade even if they don’t live in the area. Much of our food comes from fertile plains as well as from lakes and oceans. These supplies of food are then sent all over the country and the world. A geographic feature may help prevent a country from being invaded. Switzerland has been protected by various mountain chains.

Geographic features are important both locally for the people living in the area as well as for regions far from the geographic feature.

How old is Jimmy in "The Gift of the Magi?"

In the short story “The Gift of the Magi,” by O. Henry, “Jimmy” is 22 years old.  I put the word “Jimmy” in quotes because he is never called by this name in the story.  His real name is James Dillingham Young.  He is most commonly referred to in the story as “Jim.”  We are told that his wife, Della, commonly addressed him by that name.

We are not told Jim’s age until about half...

In the short story “The Gift of the Magi,” by O. Henry, “Jimmy” is 22 years old.  I put the word “Jimmy” in quotes because he is never called by this name in the story.  His real name is James Dillingham Young.  He is most commonly referred to in the story as “Jim.”  We are told that his wife, Della, commonly addressed him by that name.

We are not told Jim’s age until about half way through the story.  We can surmise that he and Della are rather young, though.  He does not make much money and they do not have any children, both making it likely that they are young.  However, we do not have to guess at Jim’s age.  We are specifically told that he is 22.  This happens when he comes home after Della has cut her hair to buy him his present.  It is the first time he is actually present in the story.  At that point, we are told

Poor fellow, he was only twenty-two--and to be burdened with a family!

From this, we can tell that Jim is 22 years old in this story.

Why does Collins seek permission to get water from the well in "A Mystery of Heroism"?

A battle is raging around Fred Collins, and he wants a drink of water from the well in the middle of the battlefield.  When he brings up the idea of going to get some water, the other soldiers with him start teasing him and egging him on.  This puts pressure on Collins to be “heroic” and go get some water.  He asks permission from his commanding officer probably hoping that the officer will tell him,...

A battle is raging around Fred Collins, and he wants a drink of water from the well in the middle of the battlefield.  When he brings up the idea of going to get some water, the other soldiers with him start teasing him and egging him on.  This puts pressure on Collins to be “heroic” and go get some water.  He asks permission from his commanding officer probably hoping that the officer will tell him, “no”.  Unfortunately for Collins, the officer tells him to go ahead and get some water despite it being a deadly mission.  Now, Collins is stuck.  If he doesn’t go, this fellow soldiers will say he is a coward; if he does go, he risks his own life.  Peer pressure forces Collins to run to the well, fill up a bucket of water, and run back to the other soldiers despite the bombs and bullets destroying everything in their path.  When Collins gets back to the men, they fight over the bucket of water, and it spills all over the ground.  Collins risks his life for a dare, and it turns out to be a ridiculous, futile attempt to appear heroic. 

From which point of view is the story "The Tell-Tale Heart" told?

"The Tell-Tale Heart" is told from the first-person perspective of a madman who is the caretaker of an old man.  This narrator says that he suffers from a disease that has caused him to develop acute senses, but it is clear from his obsession with sounds that he is mad.  Thus, the narrator is unreliable, so the reader must sort through the facts in the story to figure out the truth.  From the narrator's point...

"The Tell-Tale Heart" is told from the first-person perspective of a madman who is the caretaker of an old man.  This narrator says that he suffers from a disease that has caused him to develop acute senses, but it is clear from his obsession with sounds that he is mad.  Thus, the narrator is unreliable, so the reader must sort through the facts in the story to figure out the truth.  From the narrator's point of view, the old man's eye for some reason has plagued him, and he thinks that he should kill the old man.  The narrator makes his plot seem reasonable; however, he offers no "justifiable" reason for his actions.  So, the point of view in the story is a first-person unreliable perspective, which creates an engaging dynamic for the reader to analyze.

Where are the telescreens located in the book, 1984?

In 1984, a telescreen is a dual-purpose device: it broadcasts party propaganda to the people of Oceania while also watching and recording their every move. As such, the telescreens are located in a wide range of locations. We find them in Winston's apartment, in the workplace and all government buildings, like the Ministry of Truth, and in public spaces, like cafes and Victory Square. A telescreen even appears in Winston's jail cell. The abundance of...

In 1984, a telescreen is a dual-purpose device: it broadcasts party propaganda to the people of Oceania while also watching and recording their every move. As such, the telescreens are located in a wide range of locations. We find them in Winston's apartment, in the workplace and all government buildings, like the Ministry of Truth, and in public spaces, like cafes and Victory Square. A telescreen even appears in Winston's jail cell. The abundance of these screens reinforces the book's central idea that 'Big Brother is Watching You' and are designed to provide examples of how a totalitarian state enforces social control.  

What is, perhaps, more interesting is to look at where the telescreens are not located. There are none in the woods, for example, when Winston and Julia make love. Nor in Mr Charrington's antique shop or the Prole Pub, as proles are exempt from having them. Not having a telescreen, then, represents being outside of mainstream society and its norms and values. In the eyes of Big Brother, these people are a deviant underclass, but, for Winston, they symbolise freedom and change. 

Argue that Troy's shortcomings as a father and a husband can be explained by studying Troy's own upbringing and life experiences.

August Wilson’s Fences can be seen as a play about cycles of behavior. Troy in particular is “fenced in” by a pattern of behavior that he learned from his own father. In turn, he attempts to perpetuate this cycle with his son Cory, whether by unthinking instinct or through a choice that is fueled by resentment or competition.

The question of why Troy repeats the pattern of father-son conflict is open to interpretation, but Troy’s history is recounted rather clearly.

When he was a teenager, Troy got into a fight with his father over a girl. Troy was fourteen and the girl was thirteen. When Troy leaves his chores undone to go “fooling around with Joe Canewell’s daughter,” his father finds him and whips him.

Now I thought he was mad cause I ain’t done my work. But I see where he was chasing me off so he could have the gal for himself. When I see what the matter of it was, I lost all fear of my daddy. Right there is where I became a man…at fourteen years of age.

Troy attacks his father and wakes up with two swollen eyes. He breaks from his father and goes off on his own.

While there is no woman that comes between Troy and Cory, we might wonder if there is jealousy nonetheless. Cory has been offered an opportunity to go to college (something Troy never did) to potentially pursue a sports career (which Troy wishes he had been able to do). Troy shuts down Cory’s dream of going to college and attempts to intimidate his son at every turn. Troy’s attitude is combative and his rule is absolute.

When Cory lashes out at his father, the cycle is complete. Only when Cory returns after Troy’s death does the cycle seem to be broken. Thanks to Rose’s intervention, Cory agrees to attend the funeral and this act suggests that the hardness of heart that had dominated the father-son relationships in the family has softened.

Additionally, Troy describes his father as being a man who acted as if normal rules of morality did not apply to him. Troy similarly eschews the sense that he is beholden to rules governing honesty and fidelity, excusing himself so that he can lie to his employers for his own benefit and cheat on his wife. The agony that Troy experiences does serve to complicate his character and we are able to empathize with him, given his personal history and the racial history that influences his experiences.

We might look at Troy and see a man that has been forced to take what power is available to him – or, at least, he has been convinced that taking and demanding and exerting strength is the only way to rise above a state of powerlessness. If he lies and cheats and tells stories that make him look like a victim, he does so in order to create a space in his life (or in his perspective) wherein the indignities he has suffered justify those that he inflicts on others, wherein he is beyond reproach.  

While Troy’s own choices may seem to have authored his personal history, there is reason to see that, for Troy, there was never a chance to make the right choice. Thus, when given a chance to help his son rise above his own station, Troy fails. Instead of investing in Cory’s success, Troy acts on an impulse to defend what pride of position he has achieved.

An equation for the reaction of silver nitrate + iron(ii) sulphate + sulphuric acid?

Iron (II) sulfate and concentrated sulfuric acid can be used to test for contamination by nitrates.  This is called the (brown) ring test.  In your example, the sulfuric acid simultaneously reacts with both silver nitrate and iron (II) sulfate.  Iron (II) becomes oxidized to iron (III):

4 Ag(N03) + 4 H2SO4 + 4 FeSO4 --> 2Ag2SO4 + 4 HNO3 + 2 Fe2(SO4)3 + 2H2

(the coefficients appear to be doubled, but this is necessary for...

Iron (II) sulfate and concentrated sulfuric acid can be used to test for contamination by nitrates.  This is called the (brown) ring test.  In your example, the sulfuric acid simultaneously reacts with both silver nitrate and iron (II) sulfate.  Iron (II) becomes oxidized to iron (III):

4 Ag(N03) + 4 H2SO4 + 4 FeSO4 --> 2Ag2SO4 + 4 HNO3 + 2 Fe2(SO4)3 + 2H2

(the coefficients appear to be doubled, but this is necessary for balancing subsequent reactions)

The nitric acid that is formed (HNO3) then reacts:

4 HNO3 --> 2 H20 + 3 O2 + 4 NO

The iron (III) sulfate then reacts with the NO formed in the previous step:

2 Fe2(SO4)3 + 2 H2 + 4 NO --> 4[Fe(H2O)5NO]SO4 + 2 H2SO4

The [Fe(H20)5NO]SO4 causes the brown ring (indicating the presence of nitrates).

The overall reaction is:

4AgNO3 + 4H2SO4 + 4FeSO4 + 18H2O --> 4[Fe(H20)5NO]SO4 + 2Ag2SO4 + 3O2 + 2H2SO4

How is The Tempest a tragic comedy? |

The Tempest, along with the three other plays written towards the end of Shakespeare's career (including The Winter's Tale, Cymbeline and Pericles), is difficult to categorize as either a tragedy or a comedy. The published versions of Shakespeare's work also make it difficult to determine what he intended. The First Folio considered The Tempest and The Winter's Tale comedies, but Cymbeline was classified as a tragedy. Later published collections classify these four...

The Tempest, along with the three other plays written towards the end of Shakespeare's career (including The Winter's Tale, Cymbeline and Pericles), is difficult to categorize as either a tragedy or a comedy. The published versions of Shakespeare's work also make it difficult to determine what he intended. The First Folio considered The Tempest and The Winter's Tale comedies, but Cymbeline was classified as a tragedy. Later published collections classify these four plays as "Romances" but this is not a really accurate category to use, either. The Tempest contains no major love story in its plot, so the term "Romance" does not feel particularly suitable.

The play does have certain comic elements: the characters of Caliban and Ariel are often played for comic relief. However, it is also possible for both of these characters to be played with a more tragic context: both are bound by servitude, and beg for their freedom, which makes them somewhat tragic. Caliban is ostracized for being ugly; this can also be comic or tragic, depending on the portrayal in performance. Prospero's age and occasional befuddlement can also be played for either comic or tragic effect (Shakespeare was nearing the end of his life and this is considered the final play he wrote). The same goes for Miranda's lack of exposure to the male sex, brought to a climax when she sees men for the first time and exclaims "O brave new world, that has such people in it!"

Because the play contains elements of both genres, it has been referred to by some critics as a "tragicomedy." This seems to be the best working term to refer to this play that defines placement in either genre. Modern productions for stage and screen (for example, the London production starring Helen Mirren as a female Prospera) tend to offer creative interpretations of this play, with the possibilities for comedy or tragedy being fairly fluid, depending on artistic choices made for the productions.

What symbols are used in the poem "The Minstrel Boy" by Thomas Moore and what are their meanings?

The symbols in this poem are the minstrel boy's wild harp, his father's sword, and the foeman's chain. His father's sword stands for the freedom his forebears have fought for, which he still believes in and is willing to die for--and has. Even if he has to stand alone, he will stand ("One sword at least thy rights shall guard"). The boy's "wild harp" symbolizes the songs of freedom, the freedom to sing them, and...

The symbols in this poem are the minstrel boy's wild harp, his father's sword, and the foeman's chain. His father's sword stands for the freedom his forebears have fought for, which he still believes in and is willing to die for--and has. Even if he has to stand alone, he will stand ("One sword at least thy rights shall guard"). The boy's "wild harp" symbolizes the songs of freedom, the freedom to sing them, and hope for the future. "Land of song!" is about a free nation who sings about hope and freedom. He takes his harp with him to battle--to remind his compatriots through song what they're fighting for. He destroys the harp as he dies, because it stands for (to him) freedom ("Thy songs were made for the pure and free, / They shall never sound in slavery"). Finally, we have the chains he fights against, which symbolize slavery. This is a typical symbol of slavery, to the extent that it is a common metonymy (a figure of speech in which a concept is referred to by a symbol of that concept, such as "the crown" being metonymy for "the king"). 

Why did Tom and Becky decide to go for a picnic?

Interesting question! In the book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, Tom and Becky decided to go for a picnic.

When Becky first instigated the idea, her motives were quite different. At the time, she was upset with Tom. He was talking to another girl (Amy Lawrence), despite their “engagement” and his declaration of love to her. Consequently, she wanted to gain his attention and get revenge. As the text shows:

“she [Becky]...

Interesting question! In the book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, Tom and Becky decided to go for a picnic.

When Becky first instigated the idea, her motives were quite different. At the time, she was upset with Tom. He was talking to another girl (Amy Lawrence), despite their “engagement” and his declaration of love to her. Consequently, she wanted to gain his attention and get revenge. As the text shows:

“she [Becky] glanced ever so furtively at Tom, but he talked right along to Amy Lawrence about the terrible storm on the island”

However, Tom and Becky’s relationship was eventually mended. Consequently, the picnic soon had a different purpose. Although the purpose was not initially revealed, Tom and Becky were quite excited. As the text reveals:

“The child’s [Becky] delight was boundless; and Tom’s not more moderate.”

Eventually, the readers ascertain the reason for the picnic. For Tom and Becky, the picnic represented their “wedding.” Becky even saved a piece of their “wedding cake” to keep for later.

Thus, the picnic served multiple purposes. Initially, Becky instigated the idea for revenge and to gain Tom’s attention again; however, as the book progressed, it is clear that the picnic became their “wedding” in the children’s minds.

In Goodrich and Hackett's "The Diary of Anne Frank," why is Mr. Frank a logical choice as leader of the secret annex?

Mr. Frank is the leader in the annex because the hiding place exists above his business. Miep, Mr. Kraler, and others who help those in hiding are Mr. Frank's business associates. He, with their help, put the whole concept of living above the warehouse in the hidden loft together for the benefit of the others. Mr. Frank and friends are the ones who made the plans to move food and supplies into the hiding place...

Mr. Frank is the leader in the annex because the hiding place exists above his business. Miep, Mr. Kraler, and others who help those in hiding are Mr. Frank's business associates. He, with their help, put the whole concept of living above the warehouse in the hidden loft together for the benefit of the others. Mr. Frank and friends are the ones who made the plans to move food and supplies into the hiding place months before the families are forced to leave their lives behind. Mr. Frank is also a very calm and respected gentleman who is not easily offended. He is kind and accommodating to the needs of his guests and their helpers. He is smart, organized, and has saved money to help them survive for a very long time. Mr. Van Daan wouldn't be a good leader because he is too selfish and easily provoked to anger. Mr. Dussel comes in a few months later as a guest; therefore, he doesn't have any standing to be the leader anyway. Mr. Frank, then, is the best possible choice and he takes his duty as host to all of his guests very seriously. 

How does Macbeth show great strength throughout the play?

As was mentioned in the previous post, Macbeth's strength is portrayed towards the beginning of the play when he heroically defeats Macdonwald's army. He then defeats the Norwegian army in a bloody battle. King Duncan rewards Macbeth's fearless exploits by naming him the Thane of Cawdor. After Macbeth receives the witches' prophecies, he becomes blinded by his own ambition and goes to extreme lengths to attain the position of king. Although Macbeth is haunted by...

As was mentioned in the previous post, Macbeth's strength is portrayed towards the beginning of the play when he heroically defeats Macdonwald's army. He then defeats the Norwegian army in a bloody battle. King Duncan rewards Macbeth's fearless exploits by naming him the Thane of Cawdor. After Macbeth receives the witches' prophecies, he becomes blinded by his own ambition and goes to extreme lengths to attain the position of king. Although Macbeth is haunted by his guilt, he displays strength by refusing to surrender his title as king. Macbeth continues to kill those who threaten his position and does not allow his personal fears to stop his ambitious goals. Even after he consults the witches for the second time who warn him about Macduff, Macbeth bravely opposes him at the end of the play. Knowing that Macduff was not born naturally from a woman, Macbeth tells him that he refuses to yield and chooses to battle Macduff to the death. In Act Five, Scene 8, Macbeth tells Macduff,

"Though Birnam Wood be come to Dunsinane, and thou opposed, being of no woman born, yet I will try the last. Before my body I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff, and damned be him that first cries, “Hold, enough!" (Shakespeare 5.8.30-34).

Macbeth's refusal to commit suicide and courageously fight Macduff at the end of the play portrays his inner strength.

What are some examples of this prompt and what does "understanding" mean in this situation? People's understanding of the world changes over time.

I think the best way to understand the prompt and the word "understand" is to completely substitute that word for another word.  The word that I would choose instead of understand is "worldview."  

Merriam Websters dictionary defines worldview like this:

the way someone thinks about the world

In regard to your prompt, the way that a person thinks about the world and the world around them does change over time.  There are plenty of...

I think the best way to understand the prompt and the word "understand" is to completely substitute that word for another word.  The word that I would choose instead of understand is "worldview."  

Merriam Websters dictionary defines worldview like this:

the way someone thinks about the world

In regard to your prompt, the way that a person thinks about the world and the world around them does change over time.  There are plenty of reasons why a person's worldview might change.  It could be simple growing up and maturing.  The change could be triggered by a major event in a person's life too.  In my own experience, my worldview has recently been shaped and changed through a combination of the two listed reasons.  I am getting older and more confident with myself, and I am now a father of three kids.  I see the world differently than I did before.  My priorities have shifted from myself and my job to my kids.  I still care about myself and my job, but my attitude about work has changed.  

Other things that could shape and change a person's worldview could be education and religion.  For example, college had a way of making me realize that I didn't know everything that I thought I knew in high school.  It sort of humbled me and the way that I thought about the world. I'm sure 10 years from now, my worldview will be different than it is now regarding certain topics.  

In "Once Upon a Time," what sociological issue does Nadine Gordimer hope to bring to the forefront?

When Nadine Gordimer wrote "Once upon a Time" in 1989, her home country, South Africa, was in the last-gasp throes of apartheid, a legal and political system of forced segregation that deprived people of color of their rights and made white people the elites of society. Apartheid began in 1948 when the Nationalist Party rose to power and lasted until 1991, when the laws were finally struck down. "Once upon a Time" reflects the social...

When Nadine Gordimer wrote "Once upon a Time" in 1989, her home country, South Africa, was in the last-gasp throes of apartheid, a legal and political system of forced segregation that deprived people of color of their rights and made white people the elites of society. Apartheid began in 1948 when the Nationalist Party rose to power and lasted until 1991, when the laws were finally struck down. "Once upon a Time" reflects the social unrest roiling Gordimer's country at the time, and she obviously speaks out against apartheid in this story.

Beyond that specific political context, however, the story raises the sociological issues of prejudice and fear of "the other." Suburban white people and their household employees allow fear to cause them to retreat into deeper and deeper isolation. As they do so, their lives become more and more stunted. They end up living in a prison of their own making where their son ends up being sacrificed on the altar of their fears. The alternative is briefly hinted at when the wife wants to reach out with compassion to the unemployed "loafers" outside her gate. Showing compassion toward, feeling the pain of, and interfacing with the "other" group is essential to resolving the problems of fear, prejudice, and injustice. Fear brings more fear, but rapprochement can resolve fear and move individuals and societies toward a true state of living "happily ever after."

It is interesting that Thornton has to die before Buck can join the wild. Does this suggest that primitivity is incompatible with love? Does Buck...

Sure, Thornton's death could suggest that being primitive is incompatible with love.  The case most certainly could be made that once Thornton is gone, any remaining love in Bucks' life is also completely gone; therefore, he is able to embrace "The Call of the Wild."  I just don't agree that being primitive and having love are mutually exclusive.  I think that a reader could argue that Buck didn't lose any love with the death of...

Sure, Thornton's death could suggest that being primitive is incompatible with love.  The case most certainly could be made that once Thornton is gone, any remaining love in Bucks' life is also completely gone; therefore, he is able to embrace "The Call of the Wild."  I just don't agree that being primitive and having love are mutually exclusive.  I think that a reader could argue that Buck didn't lose any love with the death of Thorton.  Instead Buck transferred those feelings from humans to his nature surroundings and his pack.  That's not weird, there are plenty of human examples of people that found more peace/love/comfort among nature than they did around people.  Chris McCandless would be one. I might be able to make a case for Thoreau and other Transcendental/Romantic authors and artists too.   

As for Buck having to choose certain characteristics over others, yes Buck absolutely had to do that.  But it always depended on the situation.  Buck had to be submissive when dealing with the man in the red sweater.  Buck had to be dominant with his pack.  Buck could choose to be "softer" and more loving with Thornton.  Buck would choose his characteristics based on his situation.   

Why is it difficult to walk on ice?

It's difficult to walk on ice because there's very little friction between the bottoms of your shoes and the ice. Friction is a force that opposes motion. When your shoes push back on the ground the force of friction between the ground and your shoes pushes you in the opposite direction, propelling you forward. When two surfaces in contact are very smooth one doesn't push back much on the other. Ice has a very smooth...

It's difficult to walk on ice because there's very little friction between the bottoms of your shoes and the ice. Friction is a force that opposes motion. When your shoes push back on the ground the force of friction between the ground and your shoes pushes you in the opposite direction, propelling you forward. When two surfaces in contact are very smooth one doesn't push back much on the other. Ice has a very smooth surface, and it often has a thin layer of water on it. Since molecules in the liquid phase can move around freely water acts as a lubricant to fill in the imperfections in the surface and further decrease friction. This can result in your feet sliding out from under you instead of pushing off and moving you forward.

Shoes and boots with a traction tread that grip the ice provide more friction and make it easier to walk on ice. Also, picking one's feet straight up and setting them down helps as the placement of the feet then changes the person's position and friction becomes less of a factor. 

In "Paul's Case" why does it always repeat things about Paul's smile? in other words, what is the significance of the smile?

When Paul goes in to face the school faculty, he is smiling in order to present himself as "suave" and confident. He continues smiling. When other, older boys had to face the faculty in similar ordeals, some would break down crying or at least give the appearance of expressing remorse or humility. But Paul smiles to convey that he is above it all. He wants them to know that their disapproval means nothing to him....

When Paul goes in to face the school faculty, he is smiling in order to present himself as "suave" and confident. He continues smiling. When other, older boys had to face the faculty in similar ordeals, some would break down crying or at least give the appearance of expressing remorse or humility. But Paul smiles to convey that he is above it all. He wants them to know that their disapproval means nothing to him. He wants them, and everyone, to know that he doesn't belong in this school; his real home is somewhere else. He smiles out of defiance and they recognize this, interpreting it as arrogance or some mental problem: 

Paul was always smiling, always glancing about him, seeming to feel that people might be watching him and trying to detect something. This conscious expression, since it was as far as possible from boyish mirthfulness, was usually attributed to insolence or "smartness." 

When Paul is in the theater, his smile is genuine. There, he is genuinely happy. This is ironic because in other aspects of his life, his smile is fake. It is a means to convey his confidence and defiance. It is an act. In these instances, it is a "nervous" smile or a "frightened" smile. But in the theater, where people are always "acting," his smile and his behavior are real and genuine. It is only in the theater or social situations connected with the arts, that Paul feels comfortable and happy enough to smile genuinely. Paul's "case" (in medical or psychological connotations) is that the only feels happy and "real" when he is in situations associated with the theater and the arts. In other words, he only feels natural in situations associated with acting and the realms of creativity and fiction. 

Discuss the role self-respect plays in an individual's response to injustice in Night by Elie Wiesel.

There are specific instances in Night where self-respect plays a vital role in an individual's response to injustice.

One specific example of where self-respect is significant to an individual's reaction to unfairness can be seen in chapter 4.  The Nazis have chosen to execute two young men.  When one of them is about to die by hanging, he says, "Long live liberty!"  This is an example of how self-respect formulates an individual's response to injustice: it...

There are specific instances in Night where self-respect plays a vital role in an individual's response to injustice.

One specific example of where self-respect is significant to an individual's reaction to unfairness can be seen in chapter 4.  The Nazis have chosen to execute two young men.  When one of them is about to die by hanging, he says, "Long live liberty!"  This is an example of how self-respect formulates an individual's response to injustice: it is his self-respect that makes him speak out and in so doing deny the defamation and degradation accompanying execution at the hand of the Nazis. [If we look further at his quotation, we find not self-respect but a desire for revenge: applying curses is an act of retribution and revenge.]

Another example can be seen in Moshe the Beadle's desire to return to Sighet.  He wants to warn the citizens of what the Nazis have planned.  His self-respect and his love for others make him believe that he was "chosen" to live.  He has so much respect for this mission that he endures the taunts from the people of Sighet who doubt him.  Finally, I think that Akiba Drumer can represent an example of how self-respect is critical to an individual's response to injustice.  He refuses to let the Nazis break his faith in the Talmud.  His religious faith sustains him. Even when he knows that he will not be saved, Akiba Drumer asks others to recite the Kaddish for him.  His resistance towards the Nazis is seen in his faith, and embodies another example how self-respect plays a vital role in an individual's response to injustice.

What is something that works like a nucleus?

The nucleus controls all the activities of the cell and can be thought of as the central control of all cell functions. We can compare the cell nucleus to a number of everyday objects by the analogy of work or function. Think about the role of brain in our own bodies. The brain controls all the activities of our body and directs the functions of our body. Another example is that of a school principal....

The nucleus controls all the activities of the cell and can be thought of as the central control of all cell functions. We can compare the cell nucleus to a number of everyday objects by the analogy of work or function. Think about the role of brain in our own bodies. The brain controls all the activities of our body and directs the functions of our body. Another example is that of a school principal. The principal of a school controls all the activities within his/her school and directs all the activities within the school boundaries. It is through his/her direction that the school works properly. We can also think of the central processing unit of a computer as its nucleus. Several other analogies can be thought of.

Hope this helps. 

How big (in mm) would a red blood cell 7 µm in diameter appear when viewed? The eyepiece lens of a microscope has a magnification of 10X and an...

A compound microscope has two spherical lenses which work together to magnify the view of an object. The microscope's eyepiece or ocular is the top lens. It usually  has a magnification of 10X, as in this example. It will make the object appear 10 times larger. The objective, which is the second lens, makes the object appear 40 times larger. The total magnification is (10X)(40X) = 400x. 

7 µm x 400 = 2800 µm

Now...

A compound microscope has two spherical lenses which work together to magnify the view of an object. The microscope's eyepiece or ocular is the top lens. It usually  has a magnification of 10X, as in this example. It will make the object appear 10 times larger. The objective, which is the second lens, makes the object appear 40 times larger. The total magnification is (10X)(40X) = 400x. 

7 µm x 400 = 2800 µm

Now to convert this to millimeters:

There are 1000 mm in a meter, and 10^6 µm in a meter.

(2800 µm)(1 m/10^6 µm)(1000 mm/1 m) = 2.8 mm

The red blood cell will appear to be 2.8 mm in diameter.

To find the total magnification of a compound microscope you always multiply the magnification of the eyepiece by that of the objective. Most microscopes have three or four objectives that are successively rotated into position to increase the magnification. The total magnification will depend on the objective that's being used.

Which of the following is false about writing academic essays? A) The content should be general and focus on summary B) Topic sentences should...

A is, indeed, the correct answer.

Because an essay is a rather short work, it will not be general. It also does not summarize works; instead, it has a specific purpose. Here are main purposes of an essay:

•  to inform about various topics


•  to persuade readers to certain viewpoints or actions


•  to explain a process or situation


•  to entertain readers

Essays also conform to a specific, not general, structure. They do not summarize.

A is, indeed, the correct answer.

Because an essay is a rather short work, it will not be general. It also does not summarize works; instead, it has a specific purpose. Here are main purposes of an essay:

•  to inform about various topics


•  to persuade readers to certain viewpoints or actions


•  to explain a process or situation


•  to entertain readers

Essays also conform to a specific, not general, structure. They do not summarize.

• Essays have an introductory paragraph that contains a motivator or hook relevant to the main purpose of the essay. 
  This introduction contains a thesis statement. This is the main idea of the essay, and this thesis statement  is a single idea, and is a precise opinion. This thesis statement contains a "blueprint" of the rest of the essay. The blueprint is the pattern that the essay will follow. Blueprints can answer "Why?" "How?"and  "When?"

• 
  Topic sentences are formed from the blueprint of the essay. These begin the main body paragraphs of the essay.


• A conclusion restates the main points introduced in the blueprint and developed in the body. It also has a "clincher" sentence that invites thought about the content of the essay as it concludes ideas.
  Therefore, a conclusion reminds the reader of the main point (thesis) of the essay, and it provides the reader a sense of finality.

How did the Founders strike a balance between reserving individual rights and forming a strong and long-lasting government using the Declaration of...

The Declaration of Independence made the striking claim that governments were essentially established for the purpose of protecting the "unalienable rights" of "all men." Because Parliament and the British king had failed to carry out this duty, the Declaration claimed, the American colonies were justified in parting ways. The Declaration established the protection of individual rights as a founding principle for the new government. These principles were enshrined in most of the state governments, many...

The Declaration of Independence made the striking claim that governments were essentially established for the purpose of protecting the "unalienable rights" of "all men." Because Parliament and the British king had failed to carry out this duty, the Declaration claimed, the American colonies were justified in parting ways. The Declaration established the protection of individual rights as a founding principle for the new government. These principles were enshrined in most of the state governments, many of which included bills of rights and specific protections of principles such as habeas corpus. 

When the Constitution was ratified and went into effect in 1789, it did not include many specific protections for individual liberties. There were prohibitions against Congressional suspension of habeas corpus, punishment for ex post facto laws, and a few others, but the purpose of the Constitution was to establish a powerful central government. Protests by Anti-Federalists in the various state ratification conventions led to the addition of the Bill of Rights within two years. The rights protected by the first ten amendments to the Constitution do not need to be repeated here, but the Bill of Rights represented a compromise to satisfy those who were troubled by the powers given to the the federal government at the expense of the states, which were held to be more conducive to individual rights. 

As for the Freneau poem referenced in the question, it does not directly represent an attempt to strike a balance between government power and individual liberties. It does, however, celebrate these liberties, which Freneau says were established upon leaving Europe: "What wonders there will shall freedom show/What mighty states successive grow!"

What were some bad things about colonial Virginia's government?

From its inception in 1607, supreme authority over the Virginia Colony rested with the King of England. In practice, however, the colony's distance from Britain, its motherland, made it impossible for a monarch to have a constant eye on its affairs - not an ideal situation. As such, the Virginia Colony practiced a limited form of self-government but with some disadvantages. 

First of all, there were so many governing bodies in Virginia that it created...

From its inception in 1607, supreme authority over the Virginia Colony rested with the King of England. In practice, however, the colony's distance from Britain, its motherland, made it impossible for a monarch to have a constant eye on its affairs - not an ideal situation. As such, the Virginia Colony practiced a limited form of self-government but with some disadvantages. 

First of all, there were so many governing bodies in Virginia that it created a sense of competition and rivalry. There was the colonial governor, for example, appointed by the king, who theoretically held supreme authority in Virginia. But, from 1619, there was also the House of Burgesses, a group modelled on the British House of Commons. 15 of its 22 members were elected officials but only white males who owned a certain amount of property could run for office. This body only met once a year, to make laws for the colony, but its laws could be vetoed by the governor or by any of the five members of his council. 

The only control that the House of Burgesses had over the governor was the power to determine his wages. This was a strong incentive for the governor to respect the wishes of the Burgesses but, in practice, created a potential for corruption. 

Give two reasons why Ralph was elected the leader.

I have always wondered that very same question.  It is clear to the reader fairly early on in the novel that Ralph is not good at leading.  That's partly because Jack outright defies him most of the time, and partly because Ralph doesn't have the courage to punish those who don't obey the rules.  But why elect Ralph in the first place?  

I think one reason is the simple power of the conch shell....

I have always wondered that very same question.  It is clear to the reader fairly early on in the novel that Ralph is not good at leading.  That's partly because Jack outright defies him most of the time, and partly because Ralph doesn't have the courage to punish those who don't obey the rules.  But why elect Ralph in the first place?  

I think one reason is the simple power of the conch shell.  The conch is a power symbol throughout the novel, and it is Ralph that first blows it.  The boys are sort of in awe at Ralph and the shell.  

The being that had blown that, had sat waiting for them on the platform with the delicate thing balanced on his knees, was set apart. 

Ralph has a sort of quiet confidence about him.  He's not always posturing and bullying the way that Roger and Jack do.  He's not needy the way that Piggy is.  Ralph exudes the appearance and supposed actions of a natural leader.  In the beginning of the novel, his decisions support those feelings as well.  The boys do see Ralph as a natural leader, because they agree with his ideas and rules.  They make sense.  The need for a fire is smart.  A dedicated bathroom area is smart.  The need to build shelters is smart.  All of those actions help cement the idea that Ralph is a good choice for being chief.  

How does wealth foster acceptance in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer?

Perhaps, the best example of how wealth fosters social acceptance in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is in the development of the character of Huck Finn in the narrative. Whereas Huck has remained on the fringes of society in the small town of St. Petersburg, Missouri, once he acquires wealth, he is then assimilated into society, proving that money is a primary factor in social acceptance.

In Chapter 35 of Twain's novel, after Tom and Huck's...

Perhaps, the best example of how wealth fosters social acceptance in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is in the development of the character of Huck Finn in the narrative. Whereas Huck has remained on the fringes of society in the small town of St. Petersburg, Missouri, once he acquires wealth, he is then assimilated into society, proving that money is a primary factor in social acceptance.

In Chapter 35 of Twain's novel, after Tom and Huck's "windfall," they are transformed in the eyes of the townspeople. Huck, who heretofore was virtually a social pariah is now

...courted admired, stared at....now their [he and Tom's] sayings were treasured and repeated; everything they did seemed somehow to be regarded as remarkable; they had evidently lost the power of doing and saying commonplace things....

 Another irony attached to Tom and Huck's elevation in society once they have discovered the treasure is the fact that they have performed actions that they should not have been doing that enabled them to make this discovery, but because the end result is acquisition of wealth, their misdeeds are absolved by the citizenry, and they miraculously receive social acceptance.

Further, with Twain's satire describing Huck as being "dragged" and "hurled" into polite society, the boy now must remain clean and neat, he has to eat with a knife and fork, use a napkin and go to church and have schooling. Despite the fact that "[H]e bravely bore his miseries," after two days, Huck runs off.