Notes: June 2015

Monday, June 29, 2015

In "A Worn Path," how might Phoenix be considered to be in the grip of large and indifferent social and political forces?

Not only is Phoenix facing the forces of nature that range
against her, the more powerful and disturbing forces that she has to endure illustrate
the larger forces of society and politics that indicate the racism that impedes Phoenix
at every turn. When I first read the story, the two most disturbing examples of racism
for me was when the hunter "lifted his gun and pointed it at Phoenix." It is clear that
he has no intention of firing the gun at her, which in a sense makes it worse, because
he is treating violence as a joke.

Secondly, and perhaps
more shocking in a sense, although it is less violent, it is clear from the way in which
Phoenix is treated when she finally makes it to the doctor's surgery that she has to
face massive prejudice. Note how she is treated when she
arrives:

"A
charity case, I suppose," said an attendant, who sat at the desk before her... "Speak
up, Grandma... What's your name? We must have your history, you know. Have you been here
before? What seems to be the trouble with you? ... Are you deaf?" cried the
attendant.

It is clear from
the way that the attendant patronises Phoenix that she, and all African Americans like
her, are in the grip of massive social and political forces designed to keep them an
oppressed minority, excluded from the same human decency that whites are entitled
to.

Analyze the poem by Sir John Squire,"There was an Indian."

The poem by Sir John Squire, a sonnet, which begins with
the opening line "There was an Indian" is about a Native American coming upon the
landing of Christopher Columbus and his party “along a sunlit beach.” The land and its
people are about to undergo dramatic change in the years ahead as Europeans descend on
the continent and transform the culture and society of the Native
Americans.

This Indian of the poem has led a
rather peaceful life in his element. He has “known no change” and is probably happy to
carry on so, steeped in his traditions. He is content in his station in life and is not
really seeking variation, although change is coming whether he likes it or
not.

The Indian is prospering quite nicely in
his pristine, natural environment, and is enjoying his walk along the quiet bay.
However, he is rattled by the appearance of huge ships, in comparison to the canoes he
is used to using. He is also confronted by the “fluttering coloured signs and clambering
crews.” This represents an upset to his quiet and ordered way of life and he doesn’t
know what to make of this commotion, and to him, this intrusion on his
homeland.

Therefore, the Indian is in fear. It
is the fear of the unknown. It is a fear that things may change for the worse for him
and that what is now happening is beyond his control. This force before him ready to
land is something that he is uncertain of how to deal with. This leads to him hiding
behind a stone as he contemplates what is happening. He sees but does not comprehend the
significance of this event. He just knows that his existence may be challenged by the
seamen who are ready to land and stake their claim on this shore.

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How to prove that sin^2 x+cos ^2 x=1 using derivatives?

We'll assign a function to the Pythagorean expression (sin
x)^2 + (cos x)^2 = f(x).

From Pythagorean identity, we
notice that f(x) = 1.

We also know that the derivative of a
constant function is cancelling.

Therefore, if we'll
differentiate f(x) with respect to x, the result has to be
zero.

Let's check if it's
true.

f'(x) = 2 sin x*(sin x)' + 2*cos x*(cos
x)'

f'(x) = 2sin x*cos x - 2 cos x*sin
x

We'll eliminate like terms and we'll
get:

f'(x) = 0

This result
emphasize the fact that the function is a constant.

Let's
see if the sum of the squares of the sine and cosine functions of the same angle is
1.

We'll put x = 0.

(sin 0)^2
+ (cos 0)^2 = 0 + 1 = 1

We'll put x =
pi/2

(sin pi/2)^2 + (cos pi/2)^2 = 1 + 0 =
1

We'll put x = pi

(sin pi)^2
+ (cos pi)^2 = 0 + (-1)^2 = 1

We'll put x =
2pi

(sin 2pi)^2 + (cos 2pi)^2 = 0 + 1 =
1

We notice that the Pythagorean identity,
(sin x)^2 + (cos x)^2 = 1, is verified for any value of
x.

How to write the quadratic x^2-14x+50 to the vertex form?

We'll recall the vertex form of the equation of a
parabola:

f(x) = a(x-h)^2 +
k

"a" represents the leading coefficient: a =
1

(h,k) are the coordinate of the vertex of
parabola.

We'll create a perfect square within the given
quadratic:

f(x) = (x^2 - 14x + 49) +
1

f(x) = (x - 7)^2 + 1

The
coordinates of the vertex of the parabola are (7 ,
1).

The vertex form of the given quadratic
f(x) = x^2 - 14x + 50 is f(x) = (x - 7)^2 + 1.

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Examine the backlash of the Klan, prohibitionists, nativists fundamentalists during the 1920s.

All of these groups shared one thing in common so I will
address them all together. All of them were concerned with fighting back against the
new ways of the 1920s. All of these groups felt that the US had, in the 1920s, gone
away from its traditional values and traditional identity. They wanted to get the US
back on course. Therefore, they represented a backlash against the new ways of the
1920s.

In the 1920s, America seemed to be changing. There
were many more immigrants than there had been in a long time. There were the flappers
and other evidence of new values. There was a new lifestyle that was centered around
entertainment rather than work.

Because of these changes,
the groups you mention were unhappy. They all rallied to try to push the US back to
being a more traditional society.

How has Wordsworth succeeded in romanticising the woman "The Solitary Reaper"?

Let us first examine the way in which Wordsworth describes
the woman that he comes across on one of his walks. Let us remember that a bird which
was incredibly important to the Romantics was the nightingale, and Wordsworth
deliberately alludes to the nightingale in describing the voice of this woman
singing:

No
nightingale did ever chaunt

More welcome notes to weary
bands

Of travellers in some shady
haunt,

Among Arabian
sands.

Note how the voice of
the woman is superior to the song of the nightingale. It is clear that her voice is part
of the way that Wordsworth romanticises her, as he is able to discern what she is
singing. He suggests that it is perhaps "unhappy, far off things," but her song somehow
captures the essence of eternal "sorrow, loss or pain." Her song is sung as if it has
"no ending" and it has a profoundly emotional impact on Wordsworth, who carried the song
in his heart "Long after it was heard no more." Wordsworth thus romanticises her by
describing her song as if it captured eternal qualities regarding the suffering of
mankind.

Was George correct in his decision of killing Lennie?

Well, I don't know that there is a right or wrong answer
to this question, so it is one that each person would have to decide for him or herself.
It hinges a lot on the meaning of the word "correct." I am going to assume that what
you mean by this is "Did George make the correct choice in killing
Lennie?"

Still, how do we define "correct?" It's not the
same thing as "right vs. wrong" in a moral sense. What you're asking, essentially, is
"would most people in a similar situation act in a similar way." That is a fair
assumption of "correctness." Again, though, notice that this is different than asking
if it was morally right or wrong to do.

So the question
remains...did George make the right call?

The answer:
Maybe.

Who can really say? George made the call that he
felt he had to make. God knows what would have happened to Lennie had they caught up
with him. Knowing the time period, the most likely result is that they would have
strung him up from a tree, a tortuous way to die. At best they would have probably
beaten and arrested him, after which he would have either been put in jail for the rest
of his life (which would probably mean a brutal work camp) or housed in an asylum
(which, at the time, might have been worse than death!)

At
either rate, George made the decision to kill his best friend to help him avoid that
kind of suffering, suffering he wouldn't have truly been able to understand. In
George's mind, of course, it was a mercy killing. Based on the evidence, it is hard to
argue with his logic.

There you have it: in my humble
opinion, I would have to say that George made the correct decision in helping his friend
avoid a fate worse than death (though, as I said, it is likely he would have been killed
by the "mob" in a far more brutal way.) In this case, George must be given the benefit
of the doubt. He felt he was responsible for Lennie, and loved him. In that capacity,
he couldn't let Lennie die like a dog at the hands of the angry
posse.

Saturday, June 27, 2015

What are some comic elements in Act One of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew?

Well, there are several to choose from, however for me,
one of the most amusing elements is our first introduction to the "shrew" of the title,
and how she estabilishes her shrew-like status with an excellent berating of Hortensio
and Gremio after they are told that none may wed the meek and mild Bianca until
Katharina be married. Note what Katharina says to Hortensio, for
example:

But
if it were, doubt not her care should be

To comb your
noddle with a three-legged stool,

And paint your face, and
use you like a fool.

This
clearly sets the stage for the amusing antics that will happen as Lucentio is desperate
to find someone who can marry this "demon" and "harpy," as she is described respectively
by other men. Katharina's ability to insult and play the shrew gives us a real laugh as
she berates the various men that surround her and gives us a real sense of anticipation
as we wait and see what Petruchio will do with her.

How does Fractional Distillation exist in Of Mice and Men?

Fractional Distillation is a term used in chemistry for
the separation of a mixture into its component parts or fractions, such as separating
chemicals by the boiling points. The separation of crude oil from other products, is an
example of fractional distillation as is the separation of liquid oxygen, liquid
nitrogen,and concentrated argon from air.

In John
Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, there exists a figurative fractional
distillation. First of all, the setting of the Great Depression separates men from their
families as they must become itinerant workers because their farms have dried up in the
Dust Bowl or because they have lost their jobs in some financial disaster. The "bindle
stiffs" who seek work in California's fertile soil are solitary seekers who vie for jobs
against other strangers.

At the ranch where George and
Lennie secure work, all these separated men are suspicious of the others. Even Slim,
with his calm "God-like eyes," asks George why he travels with Lennie. The others
conflict constantly with another, separating themselves fromeach encounter. For
instance, Whitson breaks the bond between Candy and his old dog; and, just as the men
seem to have established some peace in the bunkhouse, Curley's wife appears, causing
enough tension to severe any harmony. When Curley himself jealously appears, his
fractious nature causes him to attack Lennie and wreak havoc into any fraternity which
may have begun among the men. With the stable buck, Crooks, too, there is great
separation as he is racially segregated and forced to live in the barn with the
mules.

Indeed, it is this figurative "fractional
distillation" of the men that causes their aggressive and cruel behavior which, in turn,
leads to the destruction of Lennie and, with him, the end of the dream which has unified
Lennie, George, Candy, and even momentarily Crooks in a hopeful brotherhood as the
separate Whitson and Curley search for Lennie to kill him for accidentally
breaking Curley's wife's neck.

In The Red Badge of Courage, how is Naturalism presented?

It is clear that Naturalism, or the utter indifference of
nature to the fate of mankind, acts as the major theme of this excellent novel in which
the protagonist, Henry, gradually learns about the true nature of courage and heroism
and how, no matter how brave we are, we will all face the same end. Again and again he
encounters experiences that show to him that the world continues in a way that is
completely unaffected by the manner in which men choose to live and die. Such
experiences show Henry the falsity of his ideas about manhood and
bravery.

One such incident occurs at the end of Chapter
Seven, when Henry comes across a corpse in the woods, whose rotting appearance clearly
acts as a reminder of how nature and the universe is indifferent towards human
existence. Note the appearance of this corpse:

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The corpse was dressed in a uniform that once
had been blue but was now faded to a melancholy shade of green. The eyes, staring at the
youth, had changed to the dull hue to be see on the side of a dead fish. The mouth was
open. Its read had changed to an appalling yellow. Over the grey skin of the face ran
little ants. One was trundling up some sort of a bundle along the upper
lip.

The natural way in which
this man's death quickly becomes part of the cycle of nature as it decays and rots
forces Henry to realise that death, in spite of all of his fears and misconceived
notions, is nothing more than an essential yet unremarkable part of
nature.

The narrator of “Liberty” is best described as what?obedient and shy loving and curious immature and spoiled or sneaky and wild What would...

You have given an interesting list of options above. If I
were you, I would have to say that out of those options, loving and curious is the most
likely. This is because all the others are too extreme and do not accurately describe
the narrator. Certainly she is something of a "tomboy" by her own account, but she is
definitely not sneaky and wild, as you put it. We can say that the narrator is curious
by the way that she is always watching and paying attention to the changes that are
going on around her, and how she picks up that something is going on and that all is not
well. Then we can argue that she is loving through the way in which she develops a very
close bond with Liberty, the dog that she is given and needs to leave behind in order to
paradoxically gain liberty. Because she knows her dog is in danger if he stays, she has
to scare him away, and out of love for him, has to be violent towards
him:

Finally
I have to resort to Mami's techniques. I kick him, softly at first, but then, when he
keeps tagging behind me, I kick him hard. He whimpers and dashes away toward the front
yard, disappearing in areas of darkness, then reappearing when he passes through lighted
areas.

We can see the
profound love that the narrator has for her dog expressed in the violence that she has
to enact upon Liberty.

"Osborne's Jimmy Porter is an angry young man who is both immature & pathetic" in "Look Back in Anger." Discuss.

Osborne describes Jimmy as "a disconcerting mixture of
sincerity and cheerful malice, of tenderness and free-booting cruelty; restless,
importunate, full of pride, a combination which alienates the sensitive and insensitive
alike." A victim of Post-War disillusionment in the 1950s, he is indeed a bundle of
contradictions. Jimmy's restless anger and anguish, his unrelenting tirades and savagely
satiric aggressions are surely characteristic of his immaturity and pathetic
confusion.

Osborne's protagonist resembles Shakespeare's
Hamlet, a man who is so unhappy with the world around, a man for whom "the world is out
of joint". He finds his young wife, Alison, so much lacking in "enthusiasm". Alison's
mother and her brother Nigel are the most disliked creatures, Jimmy's class-enemies. He
teases and quarrels with his friend Cliff for not being responsive to the hard realities
of life. Jimmy wants to respond to life, wants to react against all hypocrisies and
betrayals, wants to shout and abuse, though he realizes that nothing much is going to
happen. He is a rebel for whom suffering and loudmouthed expression of suffering is a
way of protest and the only way of being alive. Jimmy opposes the Church, the Press, the
Upper-classes most desperately, and his desperation is largely a generational feature of
the Post-War youth in England.

Jimmy is immature in the
sense he loves to suffer and react with an almost adolescent sentimentality. He demands
complete loyalty from his wife. He attacks her so much because he loves her so much. He
believes in friendship, but regrets to have lost such great friends like Hugh and
Madeline. The boy who saw his father die still lives deep within him. Whenever life
seems unbearable, he takes refuge, along with Alison, in the primitive and natural world
of the bears and squirrels. Jimmy looks back into the past and feels a strong nostalgia
for the England he has never seen. He looks forward into the future to regret and
agitate that a better England can never be seen.

What is the function of the setting in "The Chrysanthemums"?

This is an excellent short story that features the life of
one woman, Eliza, who feels trapped and enclosed by life. It is important to note how
the setting adds to this feeling of oppression and entrapment through its physical
details. Note how the story opens and the description of the weather that we are
given:

The
high grey-flannel fog of winter closed off the Salinas Valley from the sky and from all
the rest of the world. On every side it sat like a lid of the mountains and made of the
great valley a closed
pot.

Note how the Salinas
Valley, the setting for this story, is "closed off" by the winter fog and effectively
isolates it from all other forms of life. The valley is described as a "closed pot" with
the fog acting as a "lid." From the very beginning, then, the oppressive and almost
claustraphobic nature of Eliza's life is made clear, which helps us to understand the
way she responds to any interest whatsoever in her life, even if it comes from the
tinker. Her intense, almost uncontrollable desire to reach out and touch his foot comes
as a result of being trapped in her life with no form of understanding, empathy or
outlet for who she is. Setting in this story is thus vitally important in how it builds
up our understanding of character.

Please give a critical appreciation of "A Prayer for My Daughter" by William Butler Yeats.

It is important to read this poem alongside another famous
poem by Yeats, which was actually written just a few months before this poem, "The
Second Coming." In this earlier work, Yeats sets out his prophecy of doom and gloom,
anticipating the "Mere anarchy" and "blood-dimmed tide" that was set loose on the world
due to political changes such as the Russian Revolution and the rise of fascism. Many
critics view "A Prayer for My Daughter" as being a discussion of how to live and
transcend such disturbing events.

The poem begins with an
account of the speaker praying for his daughter in the midst of a "howling" storm
because of a "great gloom" that dominates his mind. Having effectively prophesied a
massive upheaval in the world order, now that he has a daughter, Yeats is concerned
about the kind of world that she will grow up in. Note how the violence of nature finds
a parallel in the violence that is to come as the speaker in the second stanza imagines
the future years "Dancing to a frenzied drum" as the storm rages
outside.

He prays that his daughter will develop the kind
of characteristics that the women he loved did not possess. His former lover, Maud
Gonne, was beautiful and aware of it and also fired by nationalistic fervour. Yeats
prays that his daughter, by contrast, will be given beauty, but not too much, because
too much beauty can lead to vanity and an inability to relate to others. He wishes her
to learn "courtesy" and hopes that she can have a life marked by stability and security,
becoming a "flourishing hidden tree." Above all he wants her to marry into a home where
tradition dominates, for as he says:

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How but in custom and in ceremony
Are
innocence and beauty born?
Ceremony's a name for the rich
horn,
And custom for the spreading laurel
tree.

In an uncertain world
with an uncertain future, therefore, Yeats seems to argue that the disturbing changes in
the world can be overcome through a life lived focusing on traditional values and the
importance of human kindness.

Although the female characters in Shakespeare's plays are marginal, how are they crucial for the story to unfold? For example, Lady Macbeth,...

While the plays rarely focus on the female characters,
Shakespeare makes their presence essential to the story as a whole. The story of
Macbeth's rise to power starts not with with his wife, but with the witches he meets who
claim to foresee him as King. This plants the seeds of the idea in his head and feeds
his ambition. It is Lady Macbeth who then pushes her husband further. She encourages
him to kill King Duncan and stands by his side when he is then crowned King. Her
eventual mental breakdown from her guilt, and her suicide, profoundly affect Macbeth and
change his perspective on all he has
"accomplished."

Hamlet's first major trouble in the play
comes not from his father's murder (which he doesn't know about) but his mother's quick
remarriage to King Hamlet's brother, Hamlet's uncle, Claudius. Hamlet is absolutely
repulsed by the decision and thinks the marriage is incestuous. His faith in women and
in humanity is shaken by his mother's actions. Unfortunately, he takes some of this out
on his true love, Ophelia. He treats her very harshly in an effort to appear crazy and
thus find out the truth of his father's murder, but in the midst of his ranting he says
some very rude things about the fickleness and shallowness of women. Hamlet wants to
save his mother from this marriage, but he ends up at the end of sharp sword due to his
accidental murder of Polonius and his part in pushing Ophelia to true craziness and
suicide.

Friday, June 26, 2015

What is the density of a brick of salt that measures 5 cm x 5 cm x 2.5 cm and it weighs 321g?

The density of any object can be derived by dividing its
mass by its volume. Density is expressed in units like kg/m^3, g/cm^3,
etc.

Here the mass of the brick of salt is 321
g.

The dimensions of the brick are 5 cm x 5 cm x 2.5 cm.
This gives the volume of the brick of salt as 5*5*2.5 = 25*2.5 = 62.5
cm^3

The density is 321/62.5 = 5.136
g/cm^3

The density of the brick of salt is
5.136 g/cm^3

What detail in the description of the Ewell cabin indicates that perhaps Mayella is different from the rest of her family in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Scout remembers that she saw a "row of red geraniums in
the Ewell yard." These flowers, planted by Mayella, are the one bright spot in an
otherwise ugly and chaotic environment, and they indicate that Mayella, alone among her
other family members, retains an appreciation for beauty, and struggles to maintain it
in a life otherwise devoid of anything refined.

Mayella has
grown up in violence and squalor. Her father is a coarse, violent drunk who is
completely lacking in principles and decency. His wife is deceased, and it has fallen to
Mayella, as the oldest, to take care of the house and raise the younger children as best
she can. With her depraved father in charge, Mayella has been subjected to every
atrocity imaginable; her life has been one long sequence of horror and abuse. Yet
despite her upbringing and the conditions in which she is forced to live, Mayella has a
spark of goodness in her, a part of her which recognizes and yearns for something
better. Scout catches a glimpse of this part of Mayella when she sees something "somehow
fragile-looking" in the otherwise "thick-bodied girl accustomed to strenuous labor." She
is able to explain this special quality in Mayella by comparing her to her father - Mr.
Ewell is filthy, customarily covered with "protective layers of dirt," while Mayella
looks "as if she trie[s] to keep clean." It is this contrast that puts Scout in mind of
the geraniums; there is something of refinement about Mayella which is lacking in the
rest of her family, something of goodness, which has not yet been snuffed out (Chapter
17).

How is the nature of love characterized in Astrophil and Stella? How successful is Atrophil's suit? How convincing is Astrophil's love?

It is possible to argue that in Astrophil and
Stella, Sidney presents a highly ironic view of secular, earthly love.
Astrophil seems mainly interested in Stella's physical beauty and in her alluring flesh,
which he desires erotically and sexually. He seems little interested in Stella as a
human being created in God's image, with a soul and a character worth appreciating in
and for themselves. Partly for these reasons, his desire for Stella is ultimately
frustrated. He never succeeds in loving her sexually because he never succeds in loving
her spiritually. It is possible to argue that if Astrophil had loved Stella properly --
as a fellow creature worthy of true, selfless love -- he might have succeeded in winning
her full love in return. (This is what happens in Edmund Spenser's sonnet sequence,
Amoretti.)

A good guide to the
meanings Sidney seems to intend can be found in sonnet 5, which begins "It is most true
that eyes are formed to serve." In this poem, Astrophil admits his knowledge of one
Christian truth after another. He admits that the senses were created by God to serve
the mind or soul (1-2). He admits that the mind or soul ought to rule a human being
completely (2-3). He admits that anyone who fails to follow the dictates of the reason
or spirit is a rebel against Nature -- that is, against the very way he was designed by
God. He admits that such rebellion is ultimately self-defeating and brings pain to the
person who rebels.

Furthermore, Astrophil also admits in
sonnet 5 that the sort of selfish love or desire associated with Cupid is a kind of
idolatry that damages both the body (the "church") and the soul (the "churchman"). He
furthermore admits that the only real kind of beauty that exists and survives is virtue
or goodness. Any merely physical or material beauty is simply a shadow of true,
spiritual beauty, which derives from God.

Finally, in
sonnet 5 Astrophil admits that all humans are merely pilgrims on this earth, created by
God in order to return spiritually to their true "country" (13), which is heaven. Yet in
the final line, after admitting all these standard Christian truths, Astrophil proclaims
that he "must Stella love" (14). This claim is ironic for several
reasons. First, Astrophil, like all human beings, has free will, and so there is no
reason that he "must" love Stella. Second, it is not really Stella
whom Astrophil loves but rather himself. (He merely desires Stella's body.) Finally, the
last three words are also ironic because the "love" he proclaims for Stella is not true
spiritual love but is instead mere physical lust.

Little
wonder, then, that in sonnet 18, Astrophil is depicted as an irrational and immature
youth who has wasted God's gifts, or that he is presented in sonnet 21 as a headstrong
youth who rejects the wise philosophical advice of a good, concerned friend. Nor is it
surprising that in sonnet 52 he openly admits that all he truly cares about is Stella's
body. Finally, it is also unsurprising that in sonnet 71 this unabashed physical lust
is emphasized once again.

In Sidney's sonnet sequence, as
in so much other Renaissance love poetry, true love is associated first and foremost
with love of God; false love (mere lust) is the product of prideful love of
self.

Thursday, June 25, 2015

How does the Great Depression impact the way characters behave in Of Mice and Men?

In the end, the Great Depression creates the conditions
that govern Lennie, George, and all of the characters in Steinbeck's work. The creation
of "bindle stiffs," men who would travel from ranch to ranch in a vagabond manner to
find work is a direct result of the agricultural challenges in the Great Depression.
The fact that men were "trapped" to a certain extent is something that impacts the
characters in the novel. Few, if any, are happy, as they are bound to their work
because of so little being present. Lennie and George are representative of this.
Their dream of owning a farm represents the desire for economic autonomy and
empowerment, something that was not present during the Great Depression. The fact that
Curley's wife is able to spit so much of venom at Crooks and Candy in chapter four is
representative of the fact that both men need the work offered by the ranch and cannot
speak against her, as she is right in that a word to Curley will force them back to
unemployment, at best. Such a condition where men are trapped and are in dire economic
straits helps to create an emotional climate where individuals do not truth one
another. It is also the reason why Lennie and George's friendship is so unique,
something that strikes everyone that they meet. In a time where so few bonds are
honored because of the desire for something better and something that feeds self
interest, Lennie and George demonstrate a bond that transcends their context and
condition. It is only because of the Great Depression and the problems caused within it
that everyone, despite differences in background and experience, feels the same pressure
bearing down on them.

In the following problem, how should the can be constructed so that a minimum amount of material will be used in the construction? A cylindrical...

The volume of a cylindrical container is pi*r^2*h where h
is the height of the cylinder and the radius of the base is
r.

The required can should have a capacity of 500
cm^3.

=> 500 =
pi*r^2*h

=> h =
500/pi*r^2

The surface area of the container is 2*pi*r*h +
2*pi*r^2

Eliminating h we
get:

Area = 2*pi*r*500/pi*r^2 +
2*pi*r^2

=> Area = 1000/r +
2*pi*r^2

Now Area has to be minimized. Take the derivative
of Area and solve for r.

=> -1000/r^2 + 4*pi*r =
0

=> -1000 + 4*pi*r^3 =
0

=> r =
(250/pi)^(1/3)

=> r = 4.30
cm

Height =
500/pi*r^2

=>
500/pi*(4.3)^2

=> 8.6
cm

The height of the cylinder
to minimize the material required to construct it and have
a volume of 500 cm^3 should be 8.6 cm.

What event sparked the animals' rebellion in Animal Farm?

Old Major's speech put the idea of rebellion in the
animals' minds, but they didn't have any idea when it would begin or whether "it would
be within their own lifetime." Snowball and Napoleon took to organizing the others, so
the animals were ready when the time came. Then, on Midsummer's Eve (in June), Mr. Jones
got so drunk that he didn't come home until the next day. After arriving, he went right
to sleep without feeding the animals. One of the cows broke down the door to the shed,
so Jones' workers began "lashing out in all directions" with their whips. In one sudden,
unified rush, the animals attacked the men, who were "butted and kicked from all sides."
Mrs. Jones grabbed a few items and ran from the house, joining her husband and the
workers in the road, where the animals left them, slamming the gate behind
them.

Write a critical note on John Donne's love poetry.

This is a fine question. Although John Donne's love poetry
is often read as if it is mostly secular (in other words, non-religious), a strong case
can be made that most of the love poems are fundamentally Christian in orientation. Some
of the poems (such as "The Good Morrow" or "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning") seem to
teach Christian lessons fairly explicitly. Others, however, such as "The Flea" or "To
His Mistress: Going to Bed," can be seen as teaching Christian lessons through ironic
implication. In other words, some of the love poems seem to celebrate genuinely
unselfish, spiritual love of another person by showing such love openly. Other poems,
conversely, imply the value of unselfish, spiritual love by showing the absence of such
love.

In Donne's day, Christians (who made up the vast
majority of the population) were expected to love God first and foremost. If they loved
God properly, they would also automatically love everyone and everything else in the
universe properly. However, if they loved themselves first and foremost (and were thus
guilty of the chief Christian sin of pride), they could never love anyone else or
anything else in the proper way. Genuine love of others rooted in love of God was
called caritas (charity) and was the ideal kind of love. False
love of others rooted in love of self was called cupiditas
(cupidity) and was associated with selfish desire and often with mere
physical lust.

Thus it is possible to argue that the
speakers of "The Flea" and of "To His Mistress: Going to Bed" do not truly love the
women they desire; instead, they merely feel selfish physical lust for those women. By
mocking such lust through the irony of his poems, Donne (one can argue) actually
endorses its opposite, the true spiritual, Godly love known as
caritas. In some poems, however, such as "A Valediction: Forbidding
Mourning," Donne openly celebrates caritas. He thereby makes clear
the positive standard against which he judges the shortcomings of the lust mocked in
poems such as "The Flea."

I need help in analyzing the poem "Hyena" by Edwin Morgan.

In "Hyena" by Edwin Morgan, the hyena is a animal who
tries to make you afraid of it. In a threatening manner, he indicates that he is "a good
match for a dead lion." In this, the author is using irony. It is ironic that the hyena
considers himself a good match for a dead lion. In reality, there is no struggle. The
lion is dead. The hyena has to only tear at the dead lion and enjoy his "golden supper."
There is no match. The author indicates that the hyena is in a struggle by the use of
tear at his golden flanks. It sounds as if a violent match is underway when in reality
the lion is already dead when the hyena begins having him for a
meal.

This could be why the hyena laughs. He is mocking the
dead lion. Throughout the poem, the hyena declares himself as some fierce beast waiting
to pick your bones. He sounds ferocious, but ironically, he attacks a dead lion. What
sense of fierceness is there in attacking a dead lion? Truly, the author is intent on
creating a picture of a dreadful beast. However, who couldn't attack a dead
lion?

Overall, the hyena is depicted as a ferocious animal.
Nonetheless, the reader has a hard time being afraid of an animal that attacks dead
lions. There is nothing to fear about the hyena. He will only show his gruesome fangs if
he finds your dead body. Then it will not matter to you. If you are already dead, what
is there to fear? The hyena is a good match for dead carcasses. He is not afraid of a
dead body. He has conquered the dead body. There is no fight. He is victorious over the
dead lion, but it would be a different story if he met the lion
alive.

Where in "Sarah's Key" are there examples of resistance, as well as acquiescence/doing nothing?

Like most Holocaust accounts, Sarah's
Key details the horrors of WWII for Jews living in Europe. This book takes
place (mostly) in Paris, France. Many wrongly believed France to be innocent of
Hitlerian influence. This book proves otherwise.

Perhaps
the only incident of violent resistence takes place in the Vel' d'Hiv' where thousands
of Jewish French citizens were held before being deported to death camps. Though most
were compliant for fear of their lives, one woman jumped from a balcony and killed
herself and her child rather than face a unknown death that was out of her
control.

Some of the acts of non-violent resistance include
Sarah's first instinct to hide her brother in the closet. Another example is when the
boy, Leon, escapes the Vel d'Hiv' by running for the doors amidst confusion. Later,
Sarah and her friend Rachel escape the camp and a French officer actually aids them by
lifting the barbed wire and giving Sarah money. Jules and Genevieve of course
non-violently resist by lying to officers, hiding Sarah, and ultimately adopting
her.

The biggest examples of acquiescence are of course the
hundreds (perhaps thousands) of French citizens who simply ignored the roundup of Jews
in their cities and countries in the first place. Even as they are unloaded from the
Vel d'Hiv' (and clearly have been neglected and abused within), many people turned away
and did nothing. Though much of this may have been from fear, even more was simply from
a great amount of ignorance and deceit as to what was really
happening.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Summarize the theme of Siddhartha as more elaborate than "a journey into the depths of the human soul."

I think that much of this is going to depend on how
intensely descriptive you wish to be. You are right in that the "journey to the depths
of the soul" element is a bit cliched in discussing Hesse's work. Part of the reason
why it's cliche is because it's safe. I mean, it's not really wrong. Your comfort with
the work is going to represent how intricate you would like to go with this. For
example, stressing the overall transcendental tone of unity and interconnection could be
one way to go. Siddhartha ceases to struggle when he recognizes that there is an
interdependence of everything and that he is a part of this. When he loses the sense of
"I" or of the strict subjective and starts to examine life and being in the world as
part of a larger element, a manifestation of something larger, peace becomes more
evident. Instead of focusing on binary dualism or arbitrary labels that divide,
Siddhartha demonstrates peace when he understand the totality of being in the world, the
life force that permeates everything can be recognized in everything. This allows for a
greater sense of harmony and unity as it recognizes the truly infinite nature of
reality. The discussion of the stone might demonstrate
this:

This stone is stone; it is also animal, God,
Buddha. I do not respect and love it because it was one thing and will become something
else, but because it has already long been everything and always is everything. I love
it just because it is a stone, because today and now it appears to me a
stone

The totality of experience is in everything
and once Siddhartha recognizes that life is "indestructible" and not something that is
finite, but rather that the experience of life is transcendental and in everything, a
peace and calm settles inside him as he receives a glimpse of being in the
world.

What is the circumference of the base of a cylinder if given the volume is 48 and the height is 7 ( I need the answer in terms of pi ).

Given the volume of the cylinder is 48 and the height is
7.

We will use the volume of a cylinder formula to find the
radius of the base.

==> V = r^2 * pi *
h

==> 48 = r^2 * pi *
7

==> r^2 = 48/7pi
=

==> r= sqrt(48/7pi)=
4sqrt(3/7pi)

Now we will calculate the circumference of the
base.

==> C = 2* r * pi = 2*4sqrt(3/7pi) *
pi

==> C = 8 sqrt(3/7)*
sqrtpi

==> C = 8
sqrt(3pi/7)

Then the circumference of the
base is C= 8sqrt(3pi/7) units.

Why does Emma say that she will never marry in Jane Austen's Emma?

Though Emma discusses her reasons for never marrying in a
couple of places throughout Austen's novel, a neat encapsulation of it occurs in Chapter
31, or Chapter XIII of Volume II. Emma is contemplating the various ways that Frank
Churchill might propose to her following his departure from Highbury in response to a
summons from the Churchills. The ball has to be cancelled. Emma is bereft of the
pleasant attentions of the handsome and charming Frank. Most of all, she is certain he
was on the verge of declaring his devotion when Mr. Weston came to the door to fetch him
back home for a speedy return to the Churchills.

In Chapter 30, Emma's
response to Frank's first try at revealing his
feelings,

"I
think you can hardly be quite without suspicion"—He looked at her, .... It seemed like
the forerunner of something absolutely serious
....

is to deflect the topic
by confirming that he did right to visit the Bates' household before coming to
Hartfield. Though she intends to refuse Frank, she is warmed by the thought that she is
a little bit in love with him.

And the reason she reiterates for her
intention to refuse him is that of her determination to never leave her father. This
core determination is augmented by her belief that a young woman in her position only
restricts her options in life by marrying. She has independent wealth. She has a home
for which she has been chiefly responsible and at which she has been hostess since the
death of her mother.

She has the highest social position and influence
in town. She is the chief benefactress of mercy and aid in the village. She has
everything that contributes to comfort and position. There is no reason for her to marry
and trade all she has for something perhaps lesser. Notwithstanding the above, her
primary reason for not marrying is that she is devoted to her father and will not leave
him:

it struck
her that she could not be very much in love; for in spite of her previous and fixed
determination never to quit her father, never to marry, a strong attachment certainly
must produce more of a struggle than she could foresee in her own feelings.

In As You Like It, discuss the relationship between the two brothers in contrast to the intimate bond that exists between the two cousins.

The relationship between Oliver and Orlando is a volatile
one steeped in enmity. Oliver, the elder brother, reneged on his promise and
responsibility to care for Orlando and raise and educate him according to the ways of a
gentleman. Ironically, Oliver did raise their younger brother Jaques with all a
gentleman’s advantages--we are left to wonder what is the root of Oliver’s animosity
toward Orlando. Though the relationship between the two has never been good, as is
witnessed by Orlando’s rough means of living and lack of proper education--a lack that
later shows itself in his poor attempts at poetry in Arden (or should I say “on Arden”
as he wrote his verse upon the tree trunks of Arden fores!?), at the time of As You Like
It, their relationship hits an extremely low level. Orlando challenges Oliver by
demanding to know why he has been neglected by Oliver.Orlando looses his temper and,
since Orlando is now a powerful and skilled wrestler of great strength, springs to
physically assault Oliver. Oliver mistreats Orlando beyond
endurance.

the
spirit of my father, which I
think is within me, begins to mutiny against
this
servitude: I will no longer endure it,
(I.i)

Oliver sets Orlando’s
spirit aflame. Oliver lies in wait--or has his men lie in wait--to do murder to Orlando.
He thereby forces Orlando to flee for his life while taking with him his devoted and
nurturing, though aging, man servant, Adam. Oliver is reprimanded by Duke Frederick for
letting Orlando slip away, and the Duke forces Oliver to go in pursuit on pain of the
loss of all his property and lands. Incidentally, Orlando and Duke Frederick have very
similar temperaments and personalities--steeped in greed and lust for power--and
therefore very similar relationships with their brothers. Frederick usurped the throne
from his older brother’s grasp thus forcing Duke Senior to flee for safety and refuge to
Arden forest.

In contrast to the men’s relationships,
Rosalind and Celia have a relationship that has an intimate bond and is steeped in true
loving friendship and devotion to each other’s well fare. This is very different from
the relationship between either the brothers or the dukes. When Rosalind’s father, the
overthrown Duke Senior, fled to Arden, Celia pleaded for Rosalind to remain at court
with her since the two girls were inseparable playmates. They grew up in accord and
harmony as they shared everything and were educated together. When Duke Frederick exiles
Rosalind from court after the match between Orlando and Charles, Duke Frederick’s
champion wrestler, Celia honors their relationship of mutual devotion by determining to
accompany Rosalind and is the one to come upon an idea of how and where to
go.

Shall we
be sunder'd? shall we part, sweet girl?
No: let my father seek another
heir.
Therefore devise with me how we may fly,
Whither to go and
what to bear with us;
And do not seek to take your change upon
you,
To bear your griefs yourself and leave me out;

(...)
To seek my uncle in the forest of
Arden.
(...)
I'll put myself in poor and mean attire
...
The like do you:
(I.iii)

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

How would I develop a comic strip on "The Frog and the Nightingale" by Vikram Seth.

I think that this would turn out to be an interesting
task. I would develop the comic strip in a frame format. This would allow you to be
able to show the incremental nature that is such a strong part of the poem. A frame
approach would be able to show how the frog manipulates the nightingale into ruining her
voice, and how the frog benefits from this. It would also allow you the chance to
inject your own opinions about how who is more at fault in the poem. Is the frog to
blame because he is able to exercise his influence over the nightingale or is the
nightingale to blame as she allows the frog to hold such sway over her? I think that
both could be shown quite nicely in a frame by frame analysis of the poem. Your opening
frame could consist of the frog sitting by himself in the bog, croaking out his sounds
to the relative dismay of the others around him. At same time, the frame approach
allows you to develop captions for each drawing, letting the reader appreciate what is
happening while enabling you the chance to inject your own perspective on the events
transpiring. Adding your narrative voice to the events of the poem unfolding through a
frame approach will allow the comic strip form to capture the essence of the
poem.

How is "Araby" a "coming of age" story, for not only the protagonist but also Mangan's sister?

To be honest, I think it is difficult to argue that this
excellent story is a "coming of age" story for Mangan's sister from the text alone. She
is a vague, shadowy figure, caught up more in the narrator's romantic illusions of her
than anything else. She remains an insubstantial figure, who after she speaks to the
narrator and he pledges to go to the bazaar for her, does not appear again. There is no
indication that she learns anything or experiences an epiphany, as the narrator clearly
does.

The narrator by the end of the story does experience
a "coming of age," as we see in the way that his romantic notions of his quest, of the
bazaar and of Mangan's sister are, in one moment, rejected as he realises the reality of
what is happening to him and who he is. The bazaar is not the magical place that he
expects it to be, but a disappointing, shabby affair that is mostly covered in darkness.
The final paragraph of this story contains the epiphany that indicates how he
develops:

readability="6">

Gazing up in to the darkness I saw myself as a
creature driven and derided by vanity; and my eyes burned with anguish and
anger.

He realises that his
romantic illusions were precisely those: mere illusions which had no impact on reality,
and he leaves the bazaar a wiser, if not sadder, individual.

Describe the main achievements of the United States in the 1920s

I would argue that the major achievements of the United
States during the 1920s had to do with improving the quality of life enjoyed by the
American people.

The main feature of the 1920s in the US
was the increasing wealth that many people had and the increasingly high standard of
living that they could purchase with that wealth. It was during this decade, for
example, that Henry Ford's Model T became widely affordable. The fact that many
American families were now able to own cars increased their standard of living. In
addition, the creation of things like movies and of various household appliances made
life easier and more fun for the American people.

For these
reasons, I would argue that the major achievement of the '20s was a higher standard of
living for the average American.

Who are ‘blue collar’ workers?

This is a term that refers to people involved in manual
labour and earn daily wages. They are at the lowest rung of the job- status hierachy.
The use of 'blue' probably comes from the practice of most of these vocations using blue
uniforms to demarcate their workers from others in the hierarchy. For example the 'white
collar' workers are educated professionals working in offices at desks and on computers.
The colour code again indicates their regular attire to be mainly
white.

In recent times, there have been references to green
collars who are people working in the environment industry, brown and grey collars who
would be the technician level workers who fix your phones or computers
etc.

With an influx of new job profiles now a days, new
terms are being coined by the day. For example, the newly minted term 'cyber coolies'
refers to people working in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry. Coolies
would indicate 'blue collar' work but it is to do with computers. So could they be then
called grey collars? Worth considering!

Monday, June 22, 2015

Given -4(x - 5) = -30, then what is - 2x + 3 ?

You are given that -4(x-5) = -30. So first, we must solve
for x in this equation.

-4(x - 5) = -30

-4*x - (-4)(5) = -30 Distribute -4 to everything
in the

parenthesis

-4x + 20
= -30 Simplify

-4x + 20 - 20 = -30 - 20 Use inverse
operations to solve for x. The inverse of
addition is subtraction

-4x = -50
Simplify

-4x/-4 = -50/-4 The inverse of multiplication is
division

x = 50/4 = 25/2 Simplify; remember neg/neg =
positive

Now substitute the value of x into the
second equation and solve:

-2(25/2) + 3

-50/2 + 3

-25 +
3

-22

Therefore, the value of
the second equation is -22.

What is the resolution of To Kill a Mockingbird?

The resolution of To Kill a
Mockingbird comes in the final chapters when author Harper Lee ties together
the two primary plots of her novel--that of the mysterious Boo Radley and the trial of
Tom Robinson. The true culprit and accuser of the crime for which Robinson is charged is
Bob Ewell, the father of the girl Robinson is accused of raping. It is Bob who actually
beats his own daughter, Mayella; he accuses Tom, a Negro, of the crime when he sees his
daughter kissing the black man. Tom is sent to prison and is eventually killed trying to
escape, but Bob still holds a grudge against Atticus Finch, who embarrassed Bob on the
witness stand. Bob threatens Atticus and his family, and on Halloween night, Bob decides
to attack Atticus' children. However, Boo makes his first appearance in the novel when
he defends the children and kills Bob in the process. The resolution comes when Bob
dies, Boo finally is seen for the first time, and Sheriff Heck Tate decides to call
Bob's death self-inflicted in order to protect the shy and reclusive Radley. Atticus'
daughter, Scout, finally sees her fantasy of meeting Boo come true, and she escorts him
back to the safety of his house, just as Boo has done for her.

Calculate the area of the circle if we are given that equation of the circle as x^2 +y^2 - 8x +12y = 12

Given the equation of the
circle:

x^2 + y^2 - 8x + 12y =
12

We need to rewrite the equation into the standard form
in order to determine the radius.

==> (x-a)^2 +
(y-b)^2 = r^2

Then we will need to complete the
square.

==> x^2 - 8x + 16 -16 + y^2 + 12y + 36 -36 =
12

==> (x-4)^2 + (y+6)^2 = 12 + 36 +
16

==. (x-4)^2 + 9y+6)^2 =
64

==> (x-4)^2 + (y+6)^2 =
8^2

Then the radius is r=
8.

Now we will calculate the
area.

==> A= r^2 * pi = 8^2 * pi = 64*pi =
201.06

Then the area of the circle is 64pi =
201.06 square units.

What is the Spokane Indian Reservation like in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part- Time Indian?

The Indian Reservation is the standard reservation, but
its significance is what it symbolizes. The reservation symbolizes a loss of hope and a
resignation to a life of despair. It is here where Junior makes the great association
between his life and the lack of opportunities. Junior struggles to find any examples
of life on the reservation where hope exists. The concept of the reservation is
antithetical to the historical "DNA" of the Native American people, an irony not lost on
Junior in his perceptions of reality. A culture that roamed freely, not believing in
arbitrary boundaries now finds itself contained and limited, unable to move past borders
that have been set by White America. For Junior, this is both physical and symbolic of
the depths to which Native Americans have been reduced. Junior understands this very
well and comes to associate the reservation with this state of being in the world. This
is why Junior wishes to go somewhere that represents "hope," something he does not see
in the reservation. While Junior does recognizes the limitations of White America with
his time at Reardon, and does emotionally value the Native American experience, his own
experience, Junior also understands that there is much pain associated with the
reservation and the people who live on it.

Sunday, June 21, 2015

In The Outsiders, what does the poem mean, and how does it portray the characteristics of Johnny or Ponyboy? Why is it used in the end of the story?

The poem from The Outsiders that you
refer to is, of course, Robert Frost's "Nothing Gold Can Stay." It is one of Frost's
most famous poems, and the book in which it was originally included (New
Hampshire) won the 1923 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. Basically, the poem
represents the experiences of life and how the innate goodness and innocence of youth is
often hard to hold. The poem includes references to the Garden of Eden, where its
innocent inhabitants, Adam and Eve, fell victim to the original
sin.

In Johnny's farewell letter to Ponyboy at the end of
the final chapter, the dying greaser explains the poem to his
friend.

readability="11">

You're gold when you're a kid, like green. When
you're a kid, everything's new, dawn. It's just that when you get used to everything
that it's day. Like the way you dig sunsets, Pony. That's gold. Keep that
way.

The poem is used in part
as a reminder to Pony that he is still young and has a long life ahead of him--one which
he can still control. Johnny hopes that there is still time for Dally to turn his life
around as well, but unbeknownst to Johnny, Dally has already decided that life is no
longer worth living.

Where can we say that Benvolio is a foil to Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet?

Let us remind ourselves that a foil is a character that is
used to highlight the characteristics of another character by comparison. Therefore, the
humour of a character can be exaggerated by placing him next to an extremely boring or
unhumorous character. You are right in identifying that Benvolio at certain parts of the
play acts as a foil to Mercutio, and this scenario of wit is certainly one of the traits
of Mercutio that is emphasised through this technique. One scene where we can see this
in operation in Act II scene 4, when Mercutio and Romeo engage in a series of puns and a
battle of wits. In the verbal duel that follows, interestingly Benvolio does not at all
participate, except to make a final comment. His silence and his obvious lack of ability
to engage in a verbal duel only makes Mercutio's quick tongue and wit all the more
obvious.

How the three witches in Macbeth cause Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to commit crimes?

Let us be very careful here. Your question seems to
suggest that there is a direct causal link between the witches and the crime of regicide
commited by Macbeth and his wife, and that the witches "caused" it to happen, as if they
had the ability to control Macbeth and his wife like robots. Their influence is far more
subtle than this, and let us remember that Banquo is given a prophecy that guarantees
his heir the throne, yet he does not seek to commit regicide and kill his
king.

Thus the art of the witches lies in their ability to
present Macbeth with a vision of a possible future that haunts him. Note how he responds
to the partial fulfilment of the prophecy in Act I scene 3 when he is given the title of
Thane of Cawdor:

readability="24">

This supernatural
soliciting

Cannot be ill; cannot be good:
-

If ill, why hath it given me earnest of
success,

Commencing in a truth? I am Thane of
Cawdor:

If good, why do I yield to that
suggestion

Whose horrid image doth unfix my
hair,

And make my seated heart knock at my
ribs,

Against the use of
nature?

Macbeth himself here
recognises the ambiguity of the prophecies he has received. The subtle influence of the
witches therefore is based on the way that they do nothing more except present their
prophecies, full of half truths, and then sit back and watch how they impact the
characters. The way that Macbeth and his wife act on his prophecies to ensure their
fulfilment points towards some inner character flaw or evil that Banquo, in the way that
he does nothing in response to his prophesy, is obviously not subject
to.

Saturday, June 20, 2015

What is the partial fraction decomposition of (5x+1)/(x^2+x-2) ?

First thing, we'll write the denominator as a product of
linear factors. For this reason, we'll determine it's
roots.

We notice that the sum of roots is -1 and the
product is -2, then the roots are x1 = 1 and x2 =- 2.

We
can re-write the denominator as:

x^2 + x - 2 =
(x-1)(x+2)

Since the factors from denominator are of the
form (x - a), then we'll write the partial fractions
as:

(5x + 1)/(x-1)(x+2) = A/(x-1) +
B/(x+2)

(5x + 1) = A(x+2) +
B(x-1)

We'll remove the
brackets:

5x + 1 = Ax + 2A + Bx -
B

5x + 1 = x(A+B) + 2A -
B

Comparing, we'll get the
system:

A + B = 5

2A - B =
1

Adding the equations above, we'll
get:

A+B+2A-B = 5+1

3A =
6

A = 2

2 + B = 5 => B
= 3

The complete partial fraction
decomposition is (5x + 1)/(x-1)(x+2) = 2/(x-1) +
3/(x+2)

In the story "Barn Burning," what is the point of view and how does it create tension?

This is a great example of a story with a great narrative
choice. The point of view is third person limited, which means that the story is written
in the third person, but that the narrative is focused on one character alone: Sarty
Snopes. This means we see everything from Sarty's point of view and can see his
feelings, thoughts and motives. We watch the drama of this story unfold from his
perspective. What is fascinating about this narrative choice is the way that we watch
along with Sarty his father's antics and the way that it is strongly suggested that
Abner will commit another crime of barn burning in revenge for the perceived slight that
Major De Spain caused him. The way in which we are not given access to Abner Snope's
thoughts, but can only see his actions from Sarty's point of view gives it a kind of
terrifying tension as we suspect what Abner is plotting but only find out at the very
end of the story when Sarty makes his honourable betrayal of his father. Note the way
this partial narrative works in the following
extract:

"He
won't git no ten bushels neither. he won't git one. We'll..." until his father glanced
for an instant down at him, the face absolutely calm the grizzled eyebrows tangled above
the cold eyes, the voice almost pleasant, almost
gentle:

"You think so? Well, we'll wait till October
anyway."

Here we see the
elder brother on the verge of confessing his plan but stopping at the last minute as the
father stops his words and covers up his plan. We only hear and see what Sarty hears and
sees, so we are left with only the suspicion of what Abner will plan to gain his revenge
against Major De Spain, which serves to increase the tension as we wait to see whether
he will actually burn yet another barn.

How is a Petrarchan sonnet constructed in contrast to a Shakespearean sonnet? (formal structure)

A Petrarchan (or Italian) sonnet is constructed in the
following way:

This particular sonnet is divided into two
sections and contains two distinctively different rhyming patterns. The first section is
called the octave because it consists of eight lines ("oct" is Latin for
eight).

These eight lines have the rhyming
pattern:

-a b b a a b b a.

The
second section of the Petrarchan sonnet is called the sestet (consists of six
lines-Latin for sixth). These lines do not rhyme with the preceding octave; instead,
they contain a new rhyme scheme using the one of the following
patterns:

-cdcdcd

-cddcdc

-cdecde

-cdeced

-cdcedc

The
change in the rhyming pattern announces a change in the "plot" or subject matter of the
poem. This change is notated by the "volta" in the ninth line of the
sonnet.

The Shakespearean Sonnet (or the English Sonnet) is
unlike the Petrarchan Sonnet in regards to the "plot"/meaning of the poem. In the
Shakespearean Sonnet, the plot remains the same throughout the entire poem with each
stanza building on the content which supports and defines the main idea of the poem- all
stanzas are linked closely. The plot does not contain a major shift in subject matter.
Both types of sonnets include the use of fourteen
lines.

The Shakesperean Sonnet is constructed in the
following way:

This sonnet consists of three quatrains (a
stanza which consists of four lines and a couplet (a two line stanza). The rhyme scheme
of this sonnet is the
following:

abab

cdcd

efef

A
volta does exist within the Shakespearean Sonnet, but typically can appear at any point
throughout the poem.

Find the derivative of sin(x)cos(x) using the product rule.When I do it I get cos^2(x)-sin^2(x), yet my calculator says it is 2(cos(x))^2 - 1.

The derivative of y = (sin x)(cos x) can be found using
the product rule.

y' = [(sin x)(cos
x)]'

=> [sin x]'[cos x] + [sin x][cos
x]'

=> [cos x][cos x] - [sin x][sin
x]

=> (cos x)^2 - (sin
x)^2

Use the relation (cos x)^2 + (sin x)^2 = 1 or (sin
x)^2 = 1 - (cos x)^2

=> (cos x)^2 - 1 + (cos
x)^2

=> 2*(cos x)^2 -
1

The result given by your calculator of
2*(cos x)^2 - 1 is equivalent to the result that you have got of (cos x)^2 - (sin
x)^2.

Friday, June 19, 2015

In The Turn of the Screw how have gothic conventions been manipulated/adapted to different cultures and times?

Let's answer your question step by step, shall we?
:)

Henry James uses his literary license to refrain from
excessive descriptors, dramatic endings, nor embellished narrative, in his novel,
The Turn of the Screw. Don't get me wrong, the novel IS complex
in its central theme, but it is also written as a typical ghost story to engage an
audience of Gothic readers. This being said, the connection between his style and the
style of Gothic conventions coincide in the
following:

The use of isolation as way to enable
the characters to intertwine with metaphysical and supernatural forces.

The treatment of the topic of human psychology to
explore anger, fear, despair, loneliness, and depression.

The inclusion of death as a subtopic to explain how fate
is inevitable in human reality.

The manipulation of the
atmosphere: Darkness, fog, coldness, dampness...every element that helps the audience
feel in a very scary place.

These are the
Gothic conventions in the story.

When it comes to cultural
adaptation, it means that people of different backgrounds aim to solve the problem of
the story, at the same time, and within their unique parameters of age, education, and
social upbringing.

As you can see, there are three
different generations that aim to explain what is going
on:

The older maid explains how Jessel and Quint
"corrupted", and "contaminated" the children. The young governess claims that the
spirits of Jessel and Quint want claim the children's souls. Then you get the children's
perspective: They do not claim a thing. They cannot see anything. They are simply
oblivious and wish to be left alone.

Hence, Henry James
says everything and nothing at the same time through his use of Gothic
conventions.

He uses the generation gap of his characters
to illustrate how they things they way they see it. Then, he leaves it up to the reader
to make assumptions. Each of the characters explains their situation according to their
personal history and system of values. It is up to the reader to choose which side is
correct.

In Fahrenheit 451 Faber states, "I talk the meaning of things. I sit here and know I'm alive." What does he mean?

Faber has a couple really great statements here, that show
the stark difference between a society that is filled with people that think and
analyze, verses a society that does not think, and merely lets others entertain them.
When he says that he talks the meaning of things, he does just that--instead of just
stating the obvious, "The sun is shining," he discusses the deep, "Why is the sun
shining? How does that sunshine impact my world? How does it make me feel?" He gets
beyond simple acknowledgment to a more thorough understanding that enriches his life.
Most people in his society never ask why--take Clarisse for an example. She doesn't
just look at the dandelions, she picks them, enjoys them, plays games with them, and
makes them relate. She asks questions, she ponders
things.

When Faber says that he knows he's alive, he is
referring to the deeper impact that learning more than the surface can have on people.
A well-known quote from the philosopher Descartes says, "I think, therefore I am." This
means that in order to be more than simple robots that see the world but never process
it or feel it, we have to be able to think about the world, and why it is the way it
is. We have to be able to understand the emotional core of experiences, and to not
drown out life with entertainment, stimulation and useless facts. If you are able to
take a statement like, "the sky is purple," and care enough to dispute it, find out why
it ISN'T, and fight to have the real truth revealed, that is what makes you alive. You
tell a robot, or many of the people in Faber's society, that the sky is purple, they
think, "Okay. Who really cares anyway," and then go back to watching their television.
Thinking, analyzing, questioning and acting are what make us alive, not automatrons that
never feel or act of their own volition.

I hope that those
thoughts helped; good luck!

What is the relationship between Cherry and Ponyboy in The Outsiders?

Cherry Valance, the Soc cheerleader, is the girlfriend of
Bob Sheldon, the Soc who is killed by Johnny Cade during their confrontation in the park
in which the Socs try to drown Ponyboy. Ponyboy had met Cherry earlier at the drive-in
theatre. Cherry and her friend, Marcia, sat with Johnny and Pony during the movie, and
the two boys stood up to Dallas Winston when he tried to come on to Cherry. She was
impressed with their courage when they faced Dally, who Cherry knew
by reputation.

Pony and Cherry were only friends, or "soul
mates," if you will. Cherry was several years older than Pony, but they both seemed to
understand each other and shared a few of the same likes, particularly sunsets. Cherry
later served as a "spy" for the greasers on the night of the rumble and, more
importantly, testified on Ponyboy's behalf when he went to court about Bob's
murder.

Thursday, June 18, 2015

What are some of the powers of fate in the play Romeo and Juliet?

Romeo and Juliet have a destined love that is not meant to
be. It is a love they cannot live with or without. It turns them upside down and inside
out. It is simply Shakespeare when a destined love not meant to be finds
destiny.

As fate would have it, Romeo attends the masqerade
and finds Juliet. As fate would have it, she is a Capulet. As fate would have it, Romeo
is Montague. As fate would have it, Romeo falls in love with a young girl he cannot
have.

Fate again prevails when Romeo believes that his
beloved Juliet is dead. As fate would have it, Romeo does not get word that Juliet is
only sleeping. As fate would have it, Juliet wakes up and finds Romeo dead. As fate
would have have it, she kills herself.

As fate would have
it, two deaths cause two families to reconcile. The Capulets and Montagues realize the
price it has taken for them to realize how ridiculous and even dangerous their hatred
has been.

Please analyze the quote below from A Doll's House. What is the significance/importance of this quote? [No, no; only lean on me; I will...

Torvald is speaking in the quote above. He says this
moments after he has yelled at Nora and told her to go to her room. When he thought his
reputation was on the line, he was extremely upset with Nora. Moments later, he receives
the IOU note and burns it. He is so relieved. He now exclaims that he has forgiven Nora
for what she did. He has forgiven Nora for borrowing money behind his back in order to
save his life with a trip to a much warmer climate,
Italy.

When he thought his reputation had been ruined, he
yelled and scolded Nora as if she were his child. Now, he wants to pretend nothing has
happened. Torvald claims that Nora's "womanly helplessness" is what makes her so
attractive in his eyes.

Torvald is a male chauvinist. He
treats Nora as a helpless child. He does not even consider what she has sacrificed for
him. Nora has done without clothes trying to repay the loan that she borrowed for
Torvald's health issues. In return, he criticizes her as if she were a helpless child.
That is what makes her attractive in his eyes. He does not respect her intellect. He has
no idea what great business sense she has. He cares only about himself. That is why Nora
cannot love him any longer. That is why she must leave.

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar—in Act 3, scene two—having turned the crowd against the conspirators, who does Antony go to meet?

In Act Three, scene two, of Shakespeare's Julius
Caesar, Mark Antony greets the people after Brutus has explained his part in
Caesar's murder. At first the citizens of Rome are very supportive of Brutus and
Cassius, believing that Caesar was overly ambitious and a danger to Rome. This is, in
fact, what Brutus himself believed. Mark Antony has asked Brutus for permission to bury
Caesar and Brutus agrees. Mark Antony has led the conspirators to believe that he will
listen to their reasons and not try to punish them for their actions, but has secretly
pledged to see each one of them dead.

When Brutus and the
other conspirators leave, Antony begins to deliver a funeral
address:

readability="10">

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!

I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. (lines
81-82)

Although he reiterates
several times that Brutus and Cassius are honorable men, Antony
does praise Caesar. He is a wonderful speaker. He relates the fact
that Caesar refused the crown three times. He speaks to the terrible wounds inflicted
upon Caesar's body. He also reveals that in his will, Caesar has left everything to the
people of Rome: seventy-five dollars to each man, as well as the lands and orchards
recently planted.

Hearing all of this, the crowd turns
against Brutus and Cassius. The body of Caesar is removed. It is at this point that a
servant arrives to tell Antony that Octavius and Lepidus have arrived and are waiting at
Caesar's house. Antony tells the servant he will visit with "him," referring to
Octavius.

readability="7">

ANTONY:

And
thither will I straight to visit him.

He comes upon a wish.
(277-278)

In answer to the
question, Antony goes to meet Octavius.

How is the behaviour of the characters limited or impacted by race in "Desiree's Baby"?

It is quite clear that race is central to this excellent
short story, due to the contemporary belief that whiteness is superior to blackness. The
story is built around Armand and his belief in his own natural superiority because of
his whiteness. His genetic dominance is stressed through his belonging to "the oldest
and proudest" family in Louisiana. It is because of this presumably secure background
that Armand naturally believes that his child's mixed ancestry is thanks to the unknown
Desiree, who has an "obscure origin." When Desiree herself becomes aware of the coloured
skin of her baby, note how she reacts:

readability="6">

The blood turned like ice in her veins, and a
clammy moisture gathered upon her
face.

Although this does not
cause her to abandon the child, the way that Armand is so swift to abandon his wife and
babe, the shock of this new reality and the consequences of what it would mean is enough
to force her to commit suicide and to ensure the death of her
child.

The irony of the discovery of Armand's mother's
letter at the end that shows it is him who is responsible for the coloured nature of his
child thus comes to late in a story where race and the colour of skin is everything. His
cruel rejection of his wife and child because of their lack of whiteness comes back to
haunt him.

What quotations could I use for the evolution of Balram's opinion of his master and their relationship in The White Tiger?

For quotations on the evolution of Balram's opinion of and
relationship with Mr. Ashok, look for the sections of the novel that show them in
critical interactions. For example, after Balram takes Mr. Ashok to see his village,
they return home and Balram catches Mr. Ashok soaking and massaging his own feet.
Normally, this is something that Balram does for his masters, so he rushes to Mr. Ashok
to assist him. But Mr. Ashok gets angry and kicks the bucket, screaming at Balram to
just leave him alone. Mr. Ashok claims that the workers, including Balram, are like
members of the family, but he certainly does not treat Balram like a member of the
family. Mr. Ashok calls Balram stupid, but loyal. In situations like this, Balram
learns that Mr. Ashok is no better than any other wealthy employers even though Mr.
Ashok believes he is somehow "enlightened" by his foreign
education.

In "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" and "The Lottery," discuss the symbolic uses of the scapegoat.

In both stories, the idea of the scapegoat chosen by the
community is a powerful argument. It forms the basis of both stories. In both stories,
the community needs the scapegoat in order for it to survive. In Jackson's setting, the
lottery is needed in order for the community to progress. It is tied to the development
of crops and seen as a tradition that has continued as far back as anyone can remembr.
Old Man Warner speaks to this in his assertion that anyone who attempts to get rid of
the lottery is a "damn fool." The lottery and the subsequent choosing of one person to
be targeted is vital to the town's functioning. In LeGuin's setting, the town's
happiness is only possible with the suffering endured by the child. Here, too, progress
is defined with the specific suffering of an individual. In both settings, tradition is
a large part as to why the scapegoating happens. LeGuin's setting reflects individuals
who cannot conceive of a world without the child's misery for their happiness. Even
those who walk away from Omelas do so without doing anything that helps to child be
relieved from their pain. Jackon's setting is much the same in that no one helps Tessie
when her name is picked, as even her best friend finds the biggest stone, one she has to
carry with two hands. In the end, both stories reflect a condition of life where the
"tyranny of the majority" has reached its zenith. Finally, I think that both stories
depict human cruelty and brutality in a nonchalant manner. The outrage at the stoning
of Tessie and the cruel treatment of the child are only experienced by the reader.
There is a sort of daily acceptance that one lives their lives in the stories with the
reality of torment and torture. Even the ones who walk away do so with the
understanding that their actions are only for themselves and not for the stopping of the
child's pain. Both works are pointing to how scapegoating is a natural part of the
process of socialization.

What are swaps? How do they benefit the entities between which they are created?

A swap is a general term used in the field of finance that
refers to an exchange of cash flows generated by two different assets which usually lie
in the same category, in the case of relatively simple swaps. Swaps are created with the
objective of increasing inflows or decreasing outflows, reducing the risk associated
with long term financial obligations or to ensure that the inflows and outflows remain
relatively constant over the duration for which the swap has been created. Some examples
of swaps are interest-rate swaps, currency swaps, commodity swaps, equity swaps, credit
default swaps, etc.

To see how a swap actually works, let's
analyze a currency swap. Consider two multinational corporations A and B with a
necessity to borrow funds for their subsidiaries located in the country that the other
corporation is in. The two could create a currency swap and borrow funds for the other
corporations' subsidiary in the country they are located
in.

Usually loans are easier to get and have a lower rate
of interest in the country that a corporation belongs to. Also as the loans are being
taken in the currency required by the subsidiary both the parent corporations are saved
from paying foreign exchange conversion charges and other charges that are usually
levied by governments when funds enter or leave a country. The risk due to changes in
exchange rate for both the entities is also reduced as the loans are to be repaid in the
same currency they have been borrowed in.

For the creation
of the currency swap the exchange rate that was prevailing when the loans were taken is
considered as the nominal rate. The terms of the swap specify that each corporation has
to pay the other for the interest accrued and the principle amount of the loan that has
been taken on its behalf by the other. The actual payment made here is the net
difference between the amounts that the two corporations are paying the banks from which
the loans have been taken.

As explained earlier, both the
corporations benefit from the swap that has been created between them and there is a
reduced outflow for both of them.

What does Helmholtz find absurd about John's reading of Romeo and Juliet in Brave New World?

This scene, occurring in Chapter Twelve of this tremendous
dystopian classic, reveals a lot about the kind of morals and values, particularly
regarding sex and relationships, of this new society and how even the more enlightened
of its members, such as Helmholtz, are impacted by these sexual mores. We are told that
as John reads this play to Helmholtz, everything goes well until the part when Juliet
cries out against the way in which her parents are forcing her to marry Paris when she
is already married to Romeo. Note Helmholtz's
response:

The
mother and father (grotesque obscenity) forcing the daughter to have someone she didn't
want! And the idiotic girl not saying that she was having smeone else whome (for the
moment, at any rate) she preferred! In its smutty absurdity the situtation was
irresistibly comical.

This is
why Helmholtz "laughed and laughed" so dramatically, as he only is able to understand
the situation facing Juliet through his own cultural lenses based on a culture where sex
with as many people as possible is encouraged and any notion of loyalty or fidelity is
so bizarre as to be considered a sickness.

Please give some similes and metaphors from Chapter Five of Ethan Frome.

Let us remind ourselves that similes and metaphors are
both examples of figurative language when one thing is compared to something else that
is normally not associated with the first object. The comparison helps us see how the
two objects can be compared. A simile is a comparison that uses the words "like" or
"as." A metaphor is when the comparison is asserted directly, without these two
words.

Examining this chapter, therefore, Ethan Frome
himself uses a simile to describe how dark it is outside, saying "it's as dark as Egypt
outside." A simile is then used to describe Mattie's
face:

He kept
his eyes fixed on her, marvelling at the way her face changed with each turn of their
talk, like a wheat-field under a summer
breeze.

This is a highly
appropriate agricultural comparison for Ethan, as a farmer, but it also reflects the way
in which Mattie's face is so changeable and attractive as she listens to Ethan's words,
or his "magic" as he describes it. There are two similes to get you started. Now you
need to go back through Chapter Five and see if you can identify any more. Good
luck!

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

In Cormac McCarthy's novel All the Pretty Horses, what is meant by the phrase "ten thousand worlds for the choosing"?

In Cormac McCarthy’s “breakthrough” novel All
the Pretty Horses, the phrase “ten thousand worlds for the choosing” appears
on page 30 of the first American edition. John Grady Cole, the young main character, and
his young friend Lacey Rawlins are on horseback, heading toward Mexico on a dark,
starlit night. McCarthy writes that

readability="11">

they rode out on the round dais of the earth
which alone was dark and which carried their figures and bore them up into the swarming
stars so that they rode not under but among them and they rode at once jaunty and
circumspect, like thieves newly loosed in that dark electric, like young thieves in a
glowing orchard, loosely jacketed against the cold and ten thousand worlds for the
choosing.

The phrase “ten
thousand worlds for the choosing” refers most obviously to the stars, which seem to
surround the young men, so that they almost seem able to reach out and touch one of
these “worlds.” More figuratively, the phrase suggests that these young men seem to have
limitless potential and enormous opportunities at this stage of their lives. They are
young; they are strong; they have not yet faced any major challenges or dangers; and
they are off on a journey that does not intimidate or worry them. They are
self-confident, archetypically adventurous young men. The symbolize that phase in life
when all paths seem open, when we seem to have nothing but attractive choices before
us.

Of course, the tone of the novel will change
dramatically later on. Nature will not seem as friendly or beautiful later as it seems
on the night described here. John Grady and Lacey will undergo the archetypal process of
initiation into a world of love, loss, death, and maturity. For the present moment,
however, they seem to have their pick of possible worlds to choose
from.

Nevertheless, hints of what is to come are contained
in this passage. Here the young men are metaphorically described as thieves; later they
will be accused of actual thievery. Here the two young men seem to move amidst a
star-filled sky without taking very great notice of their beautiful surroundings. Later,
John Grady and Alejandra, with whom he falls in love, will deliberately go into the
hills to admire the beauty of the stars (140-41). Here the stars seem like golden fruit
ripe for the picking, perhaps a possible foreshadowing of the kind of loss of paradise
this novel will eventually depict. In any case, by the end of the novel, the present
passage will seem highly ironic.