Based on Patrick Henry's speech, how would you describe his beliefs on peace, freedom, and equality?

In his 1775 speech to the Virginia Convention, Henry uses an extended metaphor to characterize the need for the colonies to separate from Britain; to him, "it is a question of freedomor slavery." To Henry, freedom for the colonies meant the ability to trade freely without Britain's involvement, not to be taxed by them, not to be subjugated through the threat of military force, and for the colonies to create their own laws. To...

In his 1775 speech to the Virginia Convention, Henry uses an extended metaphor to characterize the need for the colonies to separate from Britain; to him, "it is a question of freedom or slavery." To Henry, freedom for the colonies meant the ability to trade freely without Britain's involvement, not to be taxed by them, not to be subjugated through the threat of military force, and for the colonies to create their own laws. To answer to a sovereign was, to Henry, akin to enslavement.

It is clear that Henry did not accept the concept of a monarchy.  He says, pointedly, near the beginning of the speech that he reveres God above all earthly kings--and that "war and subjugation" are the "last arguments to which kings resort." Henry did not believe in the divine right of kings to rule; he believed in the equality of human beings and had faith in their ability to organize their own governments.

Henry believed that peace would not exist in the colonies until they were free from Britain. He observes that "gentlemen may cry peace, peace--but there is no peace." Henry felt that the military aggression that Britain had already demonstrated in the colonies had compromised any hope of peaceful resolution. Henry also declared that living in peace was not an acceptable trade-off for consenting to let Britain rule the colonies.

How does Dickens use Scrooge to draw attention to the social reform that is so urgently required in Victorian England with his work, A Christmas...

With his novella A Christmas Carol, Dickens exposes the class prejudice of the Victorian era and its cruel Poor Laws, and with his characterization of the Crachits, he argues against the prevalent theory of Thomas Robert Malthus in Essay on the Principle of Population (1798).

An ardent social reformer, Charles Dickens wrote literary works that exposed such things as the plight of the orphaned, those in the workhouses, and the overall neglect and demonizing of the...

With his novella A Christmas Carol, Dickens exposes the class prejudice of the Victorian era and its cruel Poor Laws, and with his characterization of the Crachits, he argues against the prevalent theory of Thomas Robert Malthus in Essay on the Principle of Population (1798).

An ardent social reformer, Charles Dickens wrote literary works that exposed such things as the plight of the orphaned, those in the workhouses, and the overall neglect and demonizing of the poor. In A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge becomes the mouthpiece of Thomas Malthus, who argued that England's population growth would supersede food supply, so the poor had no right to live if they were not productive and could not contribute to the economy and sustain themselves. Scrooge repeatedly echoes this idea with his phrases, "Are there no workhouses?" in which to put what he considers the idle and useless poor, and his cruel retort to those who would be charitable that rather money and care being wasted on the poor, they should be allowed to simply die and "decrease the surplus population.

In Stave III, the Spirit of Christmas Present carries Scrooge to the humble home of his employee, Bob Crachit where Scrooge witnesses the loving family's humble but joyous celebration of Christmas. Especially poignant is the focus upon the crippled Tiny Tim, who exemplifies true Christian thought in his remark that he hopes those who saw him at church will be reminded of how Jesus loved the poor and healed the crippled.
Shamed after witnessing this scene, Scrooge asks the Spirit what will become of little Tim, and the Spirit replies that if "these shadows remain unaltered" the child will die.

"No, no," said Scrooge. "Oh, no kind Spirit! say he will be spared."
"If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, none other of my race...will find him here. What then? If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population." 
    Scrooge hung his head to hear his own words quoted...and was overcome with penitence and grief.

Then, the Spirit scolds Scrooge:

"Will you decide what men shall live, what men shall die? It may be that in the sight of Heaven, you are more worthless and less fit to live than millions like this poor man's child."

So, after his experiences with this Spirit and with the Spirit of the Future, Scrooge resolves to exhibit Christian charity and love to all God's creatures. Thus, Dickens exhorts his countrymen to practice their Christian principles, as well, through reform of the Poor Laws. 

What conflict or problem do the people face as the play Oedipus Rex opens?

As the play Oedipus Rex opens, the people face yet another plague that has descended upon Thebes.  "Black Death" is troubling the city:  crops are failing, livestock is dying, and women are not able to bear children.  The Priest comes to Oedipus with a message from the people--they trust Oedipus's power because he is the one who saved them from the plague of the Sphinx by solving her riddle, and thus they believe that he...

As the play Oedipus Rex opens, the people face yet another plague that has descended upon Thebes.  "Black Death" is troubling the city:  crops are failing, livestock is dying, and women are not able to bear children.  The Priest comes to Oedipus with a message from the people--they trust Oedipus's power because he is the one who saved them from the plague of the Sphinx by solving her riddle, and thus they believe that he can also save them from this plague.  To get some answers, Oedipus's brother-in-law Creon has gone to the oracle at Delphi to get a prophecy regarding the present plague.  When Creon returns, he says that the oracle has said that they must rid Thebes of a pollution--the one who is the murderer of the former king Laius.  So, the quest then becomes rooting out this murderer so that the plague on Thebes can be lifted.

How is graft represented with beer in the book The Jungle?

Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle is a dark, gritty look at the conditions in which the contemporary working-class families lived.  It is a story of poverty, brutal working conditions, corruption, and danger.  These horrible conditions are allowed to fester, in part, due to political corruption.

Graft is when a politician utilizes their position for personal gain by exploitation.  The relevant quote in The Jungle that deals with this is the following:

"At the last election the...

Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle is a dark, gritty look at the conditions in which the contemporary working-class families lived.  It is a story of poverty, brutal working conditions, corruption, and danger.  These horrible conditions are allowed to fester, in part, due to political corruption.

Graft is when a politician utilizes their position for personal gain by exploitation.  The relevant quote in The Jungle that deals with this is the following:

"At the last election the Republicans had paid four dollars a vote to the Democrats' three; and 'Buck' Halloran sat one night playing cards with Jurgis and another man, who told how Halloran had been charged with the job voting a 'bunch' of thirty-seven newly landed Italians, and how he, the narrator, had met the Republican worker who was after the very same gang, and how the three had effected a bargain, whereby the Italians were to vote half and half, for a glass of beer apiece, while the balance of the fund went to the conspirators!" (Sinclair)

Basically, each party was bribing voters to vote for them, and a group of newly-arrived Italian immigrants was to be taken to the polls and bribed as well.  Rather than bribing the Italians with money like they were supposed to, the democrats and republicans who were given the task decided to split the votes down the middle and offer the Italians a glass of beer instead of the money.  The people who hatched the plan took the money remaining after purchasing the beer and kept it for themselves.

The political corruption contained within this quote should be appalling, but pretty much the same thing still happens in the Chicago area.  Politicians rent out large spaces and have free BBQs for their constituents.  Free burgers, corn, lamb, beer, Pepsi, always right after an election.  The “volunteers” who work the picnic are generally people who have been given some sort of favor by the politicians.  They call the BBQ a celebration, but it is almost exactly what was going on in The Jungle.

Discuss the following quote: "Mistress Mary, if you prized my lady’s favor at anything more than contempt, you would not give means for this...

Malvolio is warning Maria not to take part in the servants’ antics because Olivia would not approve.

In this quote, Malvolio is speaking to Mary.  Malvolio is a rather stuck up servant whom the others like to make fun of.  Maria is Olivia’s personal servant, and she does not like Malvolio much.

This scene is taking place in Olivia’s house, where the servants and Sir Toby (Olivia’s obnoxious uncle) are gathered having some fun.  They...

Malvolio is warning Maria not to take part in the servants’ antics because Olivia would not approve.

In this quote, Malvolio is speaking to Mary.  Malvolio is a rather stuck up servant whom the others like to make fun of.  Maria is Olivia’s personal servant, and she does not like Malvolio much.

This scene is taking place in Olivia’s house, where the servants and Sir Toby (Olivia’s obnoxious uncle) are gathered having some fun.  They are drinking because Toby does not want to go to bed yet.  Malvolio is concerned about the goings-on, and Maria’s part in them, because she should be above all of it.

When Malvolio chides Maria for “uncivil rule” he is essentially saying that she is contributing to the bad behavior by bringing the wine that Sir Toby asked for and taking part in the merriment. 

My masters, are you mad? or what are you? Have ye

no wit, manners, nor honesty, but to gabble like

tinkers at this time of night? Do ye make an

alehouse of my lady's house …

Is there no respect of place, persons, nor

time in you? (Act 2, Scene 3)

Basically, he is asking them if they have no shame, carrying on like that.  It is disrespectful to Olivia.  He believes they are behaving like a bunch of drunken fools, crude and ridiculous.

After Malvolia says this, he leaves.  It is clear that he is not getting anywhere with them.  Malvolio is always the butt of everyone’s jokes and no one takes him seriously.  They are unlikely to listen to him over Sir Toby.

The purpose of this scene is more than comic relief.  It brings another perspective on love, a main theme of the play, and reminds us that love can take place among the lower classes as well as the higher ones.  Everyone loves!  Sir Toby has the power to get pretty much whatever he wants, and he takes it.  He is not interested in Olivia’s propriety.

How are mitochondria analogous to hydraulic dams?

If a eukaryotic cell was being compared to a city, the mitochondria of the eukaryotic cell would be analogous to a hydraulic dam because both the mitochondria and hydraulic dam produce energy.  

A mitochondrion is an organelle within a eukaryotic cell. Cellular respirationoccurs within the mitochondria. Cellular respiration is the process by which oxygen gas and the sugar glucose are converted into water, carbon dioxide gas, and an energy source known as adenosine...

If a eukaryotic cell was being compared to a city, the mitochondria of the eukaryotic cell would be analogous to a hydraulic dam because both the mitochondria and hydraulic dam produce energy.  

A mitochondrion is an organelle within a eukaryotic cell. Cellular respiration occurs within the mitochondria. Cellular respiration is the process by which oxygen gas and the sugar glucose are converted into water, carbon dioxide gas, and an energy source known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Cells use ATP as an energy source.

Mitochondria have an inner and an outer membrane. There are three phases of cellular respiration. Each stage of cellular respiration utilizes a different part of the mitochondria.

The electron transport chain is the third and last phase of cellular respiration. The electron transport chain is located in the inner mitochondrial membrane.  At the end of the electron transport chain, protons travel down their concentration gradient through an enzyme called ATP synthase. The protons cause the ATP synthase to spin. As it spins, the ATP synthase phosphorylates ADP into ATP. In this way, ATP is synthesized for the cell.

Similarly, water that is stored behind a dam is used to spin a turbine. The turbine is connected to a generator that is used to create energy.  

What does Buddy's friend say "gets her goat?" What does this speech reveal about her character?

Buddy’s friend, who is also his distant cousin, demonstrates her selfless nature in Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory." I makes her angry when she cannot give Buddy a bicycle.

She would like to give me a bicycle (she's said so on several million occasions: "If only I could, Buddy. It's bad enough in life to do without something you want; but confound it, what gets my goat is not being able to give somebody something...

Buddy’s friend, who is also his distant cousin, demonstrates her selfless nature in Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory." I makes her angry when she cannot give Buddy a bicycle.

She would like to give me a bicycle (she's said so on several million occasions: "If only I could, Buddy. It's bad enough in life to do without something you want; but confound it, what gets my goat is not being able to give somebody something you want them to have.”

They are making Christmas gifts for the other family members, and each other when the cousin makes this statement. She is pained to give Buddy another handmade gift for Christmas when in her heart she would like to give him something more substantial, like a bike, even if it means depriving herself of something. She is unable to do this due to her circumstances, and even though she has a child-like intellect, she knows that it would be a wonderful feeling to give a much wanted gift to someone she holds dear. She tells Buddy that somehow she will get him that bike but between the two of them they do not have the means. It is obvious from the gifts they receive from the others that they are a poor family in economically trying times. Buddy receives hand-me-down items. In the end, the two friends exchange handmade kites and spend an enjoyable afternoon flying them in the pasture. As Buddy ages, he realizes that those kites, made from the heart, and the time spent together, are much more precious than any other gift his cousin could give him.

Is the word frindle from the book Frindle actually a real word?

No, the word frindle is not a real word.  In the story, however, it becomes a real word.  The genre of the book is realistic fiction, and in the story the word frindle winds up in the dictionary. 

The main character, Nick, asks his teacher one day who invents words and how they end up in the dictionary.  "'Who says dog means dog?'" he asks.  His teacher asks him to research it, which he does.

...

No, the word frindle is not a real word.  In the story, however, it becomes a real word.  The genre of the book is realistic fiction, and in the story the word frindle winds up in the dictionary. 

The main character, Nick, asks his teacher one day who invents words and how they end up in the dictionary.  "'Who says dog means dog?'" he asks.  His teacher asks him to research it, which he does.

Nick decides that he should invent a new word.  He decides to call a pen a "frindle."  He and his friends start calling pens "frindles" in class and at school.  This causes trouble, especially with his teacher, Mrs. Granger.  

A phenomenon began.  Soon everyone was talking about frindles.  Nick appeared in the newspaper, on television, and on the radio to tell about his new word.  Merchandise was sold.  Nick became rich.  Eventually, frindle became a word in the dictionary.

If you were Romeo or Juliet, would you do the same thing in the name of love?

I think this is an important question because it gets at the heart of a long-standing debate: Is Romeo & Julietactually a love story? There are certainly beautiful passages about love, and Shakespeare uses his sizable wit and immeasurable talent to craft beautiful, lyrical poetry to woo us into thinking it is a love story. But I fall squarely on the side of the debate that says this play is not the greatest love...

I think this is an important question because it gets at the heart of a long-standing debate: Is Romeo & Juliet actually a love story? There are certainly beautiful passages about love, and Shakespeare uses his sizable wit and immeasurable talent to craft beautiful, lyrical poetry to woo us into thinking it is a love story. But I fall squarely on the side of the debate that says this play is not the greatest love story of all time. In fact, it isn't a love story at all. Instead it is better to view Romeo & Juliet as a tragedy that explores elements of love, rather than a love story in the traditional sense.

Think about it: We begin the story when Romeo is all sad about some woman we never meet. He's heartbroken, he'll never be the same. Cut to ten minutes later, where he meets Juliet and falls in love again. It's "too rash, too unadvised, too sudden", as much young love is. Juliet is 13 years old at the beginning of the play, and the story lasts for only a series of days. It is a story of infatuation and hasty decisions, and it leaves the audience wishing they had slowed down, taken the time to plan things out together, and that's what makes it a tragedy.

To answer the question more directly: No. Because true love would not require the ultimate sacrifice.

In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass stresses that killing a slave or colored person is not treated as a crime in Talbot...

In his Narrative, Douglass stresses that killing a slave is not considered a crime in Talbot County, Maryland because he wants to make an ethical and emotional appeal to his audience.  Douglass wants to stress to his audience that slaves are not regarded as humans by slave masters:  he offers the circumstances of his own birth, the whipping of his Aunt Hester, and the betrayal of Mrs. Auld as evidence to show that slave masters...

In his Narrative, Douglass stresses that killing a slave is not considered a crime in Talbot County, Maryland because he wants to make an ethical and emotional appeal to his audience.  Douglass wants to stress to his audience that slaves are not regarded as humans by slave masters:  he offers the circumstances of his own birth, the whipping of his Aunt Hester, and the betrayal of Mrs. Auld as evidence to show that slave masters only see slaves as less than human.  Simultaneously, Douglass poses himself as a sympathetic figure in his narrative--one who has endured great hardship and has struggled to fight for his own freedom.  The juxtaposition of the slave masters' cruel treatment and the sympathetic nature of Douglass's character allows Douglass to appeal to his audience who, at the time, were mostly white abolitionists working towards dismantling the institution of slavery.

How does the author use symbolism and foreshadowing with the use of the scarlet ibis?

The scarlet ibis is a symbol for Doodle and the bird's death under the bleeding tree foreshadows the death of the young boy. Today, we might use the term "special" for Doodle because he suffers from a physical disability. Indeed, the author, James Hurst, wants us to consider Doodle a rare and unique individual. When he is born his Aunt comments that Doodle had almost a divine birth:

She said he would live because he...

The scarlet ibis is a symbol for Doodle and the bird's death under the bleeding tree foreshadows the death of the young boy. Today, we might use the term "special" for Doodle because he suffers from a physical disability. Indeed, the author, James Hurst, wants us to consider Doodle a rare and unique individual. When he is born his Aunt comments that Doodle had almost a divine birth:

She said he would live because he was born in a caul, and cauls were made from Jesus' nightgown.

Like Doodle, the ibis is rare and fragile. It has been blown off its course by a hurricane and lands in the family's garden high up in the bleeding tree (a symbol for blood and death). It is a tropical bird and rarely gets as far away from home as North Carolina. Hurst describes the death of the bird, foreshadowing the later death of Doodle:

Its long, graceful neck jerked twice into an S, then straightened out, and the bird was still. A white veil came over the eyes and the long white beak unhinged. Its legs were crossed and its clawlike feet were delicately curved at rest. Even death did not mar its grace, for it lay on the earth like a broken vase of red flowers, and we stood around it, awed by its exotic beauty.

Doodle takes a keen interest in the bird, feeling an affinity to the fragile creature. He buries the bird and even sings a hymn for the dead bird.

After his brother pushes him too hard, Doodle dies from internal bleeding and is found under a nightshade bush (like the bleeding tree, a symbol of death). The description of Doodle in death mirrors the description of the ibis, and even the brother makes the comparison. Hurst writes:

"Doodle! Doodle!" I cried, shaking him, but there was no answer but the ropy rain. He lay very awkwardly, with his head thrown far back, making his vermilion neck appear unusually long and slim. His little legs, bent sharply at the knees, had never before seemed so fragile, so thin.

I began to weep, and the tear-blurred vision in red before me looked very familiar. "Doodle!" I screamed above the pounding storm and threw my body to the earth above his. For a long time, it seemed forever, I lay there crying, sheltering my fallen scarlet ibis from the heresy of rain.

The description of Doodle's long, slender neck and thin legs are reminiscent of the death of the ibis. And, like the ibis, Doodle's life ended tragically in the middle of tumultuous weather.

Compare and contrast the Costello brothers' relationship and the Fisher brothers' relationship.

The brothers’ relationships are much more different than they are alike. This difference stems from the fact that Mike Costello is a foil to Erik. A foil is a character whose traits  contrast with those of another character. This contrast highlights particular traits of each character. In Tangerine, Mike Costello’s genuine kindness, academic success, and brotherly attitude contrast with Erik’s false kindness, football mania, and sadistic attitude towards his little brother. If the author had omitted Mike Costello, the reader couldn’t compare Erik to a similar character who chooses to be good. Therefore, given that Mike and Erik differ so greatly, it stands to reason that their relationships with their little brothers contrast as much as their personalities do. 

Since Mike dies early in the novel, we don’t have many concrete examples of the Costello brothers’ relationship. However, from Mike’s bravery and kindness, the reader infers that he is a role model for Joey. He’s certainly a role model for Paul, who admires Mike for standing up to Erik, a choice that Paul still cannot bring himself to make. Given that Mike inspires people outside of his family, it’s logical that he’s an inspiration to his little brother. In contrast, Paul rejects Erik's evil nature. Paul sees Erik as a threat, not a role model. 

 Additionally, Joey’s actions after Mike’s death speak volumes about his intense love for Mike. Joey rushes to the field and tries to make Mike comfortable by taking off his shoes. He’s distraught with grief. At this moment, we can ask ourselves an uncomfortable question: how would Paul feel if the lightning bolt had struck Erik?  He certainly would feel conflicted since Erik brutally tortured Paul and even blinded him. He might feel free of a burden, yet also sad to lose the chance to redeem Erik. Regardless, his ambiguous feelings would strongly contrast with Joey’s immense sadness. This shows that while Mike and Joey are a team, Paul and Erik are at war with each other.

Though the relationships greatly differ, there is one point of similarity. Both younger brothers feel the weight of their older brothers’ legacies. Joey feels pressured to live up to Mike’s (modest) football success after his death. He even quits the soccer team and plans to play high school football. He wants to be like his brother. Paul also grapples with his older brother’s legacy. In this case, however, he wants athletic success in a different sport. Given that Erik’s football success completely monopolizes his parents’ lives, Paul struggles to make a name for himself in soccer. He wants his parents to treat him like they treat Erik, and he wants the respect that his soccer success deserves. 

What are the similarities between hydrogen and IV-A group elements?

The positioning of hydrogen in periodic table, as an element of Group I (Alkali metals) is somewhat contentious. This is because, hydrogen shares some similarities with elements of Group I, IV-A and VII-A. It also exhibits different behavior than elements of all these groups. 

Group IV-A (also known as Group 14) consists of carbon, silicon, germanium, tin, lead, etc. These elements share certain characteristics with hydrogen. Like hydrogen, all these elements have half filled valence...

The positioning of hydrogen in periodic table, as an element of Group I (Alkali metals) is somewhat contentious. This is because, hydrogen shares some similarities with elements of Group I, IV-A and VII-A. It also exhibits different behavior than elements of all these groups. 

Group IV-A (also known as Group 14) consists of carbon, silicon, germanium, tin, lead, etc. These elements share certain characteristics with hydrogen. Like hydrogen, all these elements have half filled valence shells. Hydrogen has an atomic number of 1 and its electronic configuration is `1s^1` . Similarly, carbon has an atomic number of 6 and an electronic configuration of `1s^2, 2s^2, 2p^2` . When comparing the electronegativity, hydrogen and members of group IV A have similar values. The electronegativity of hydrogen is 2.2 and carbon is 2.55, etc. The electron affinity of hydrogen and carbon are also comparable. The ionization potential of hydrogen is 13.6, while that of carbon is 11.3. 

Thus, hydrogen and members of group IV-A of the periodic table share some common characteristics. 

Hope this helps. 

Does natural selection take place in a fish tank?

Yes, natural selection would take place in a fish tank, especially if the fish are overcrowded, under predatory threat or the resources for their survival are overstretched. Natural selection is an evolutionary mechanism, but it doesn’t have to result in the development of new species.

Natural selection would in some instances lead to a variation of different features of the population within the same species. The developed change may only be in numbers depending on...

Yes, natural selection would take place in a fish tank, especially if the fish are overcrowded, under predatory threat or the resources for their survival are overstretched. Natural selection is an evolutionary mechanism, but it doesn’t have to result in the development of new species.

Natural selection would in some instances lead to a variation of different features of the population within the same species. The developed change may only be in numbers depending on member attributes and not result in the development of a new species with a better adaptation to the environment.

Natural selection should occur when:
•    More members are born than can survive
•    The different members of the species or the fish have variations
•    The variation among the fish is inherited
•    Reproduction of the fish is based on the inherited variation

An experiment on guppies by American zoologist John Endler confirmed that natural selection can occur in an aquarium setting. In his experiment, male guppies existing in a tank together with a predator had fewer spots compared to guppies in a tank with no predator. The spots are a hereditary feature which are important for attracting the female guppies.

In The Story of My Life, why is Latin so interesting to Helen?

Helen Keller is well-known for her ability to overcome the most adverse odds. She was left blind and deaf after an illness as a baby, and The Story of My Lifegives Helen's account of how she overcame every obstacle in her efforts to become college-educated, independent and successful. The arrival of Annie Sullivan changes the lives of the Kellers, and Annie sets to work teaching Helen language so that she can overcome her frustrations...

Helen Keller is well-known for her ability to overcome the most adverse odds. She was left blind and deaf after an illness as a baby, and The Story of My Life gives Helen's account of how she overcame every obstacle in her efforts to become college-educated, independent and successful. The arrival of Annie Sullivan changes the lives of the Kellers, and Annie sets to work teaching Helen language so that she can overcome her frustrations and learn to communicate effectively. With Annie's help, Helen "learns from life itself" and uses every opportunity to expand her knowledge.

Helen is required to learn Latin grammar which, at first, she dislikes intensely and thinks is a complete waste of time. Fortunately, Mr. Irons helps her develop her love of Latin so that she no longer finds it "absurd" (chapter 16). After that, Helen delights in reading passages in Latin which she tries to understand and interpret, and from then onward, she always enjoys this activity. Helen develops a romantic notion of her study of Latin—"a language one is just becoming familiar with." Like everything else Helen does, she takes her study of Latin and transforms it into a positive experience.

How does the theme of failed father figures shapes the story of Frankenstein. Why might this theme be important to Mary Shelley?

The failed father figure can be seen as central to the story of Frankenstein. When Victor Frankenstein abandons his creation, the hideous composite monster, he is essentially a father abandoning his child. Left to his own devices, the monster, just like a child growing up without a father figure, is rejected from society and is unable to learn how to effectively participate within a community. Thus, the monster's rebellion against Frankenstein can be seen as...

The failed father figure can be seen as central to the story of Frankenstein. When Victor Frankenstein abandons his creation, the hideous composite monster, he is essentially a father abandoning his child. Left to his own devices, the monster, just like a child growing up without a father figure, is rejected from society and is unable to learn how to effectively participate within a community. Thus, the monster's rebellion against Frankenstein can be seen as a manifestation of a classic archetype, a son who, seeing fault in his father, seeks to engineer his father's downfall.

There is another interesting component to this question that bears mentioning. Many scholars also see the monster as a manifestation of Lucifer, the Fallen Angel, while Frankenstein parallels God, the Creator. If we are to look at this metaphor from the perspective of the failed father-son relationship, we arrive at an interesting commentary on God. Perhaps, the novel suggests, Lucifer's rebellion and subsequent fall is actually God's fault, and perhaps God is not an entirely benign Creator after all. While there is by no means a definitive statement about this idea in the novel, it is impossible not to see a suggestion of it, and the very suggestion of such an idea, no matter how subtle, is chilling.

What is the effect of impurities on boiling point?

In order to understand the effect of impurities on boiling point, one must first understand what boiling point is. The boiling point of a solution is generally defined as the the temperature at which the vapor pressure of a liquid is equal to the pressure of the gas above it. It is important to note that a "normal boiling point" of a solution is the temperature at which vapor pressure from the liquid will...

In order to understand the effect of impurities on boiling point, one must first understand what boiling point is. The boiling point of a solution is generally defined as the the temperature at which the vapor pressure of a liquid is equal to the pressure of the gas above it. It is important to note that a "normal boiling point" of a solution is the temperature at which vapor pressure from the liquid will equal one atmosphere. It is at this temperature, that the liquid vapor will be released as a gas into the atmosphere. Importantly, the boiling point of a solution remains the same even if more heat is added after it starts to boil. 

Adding impurities to a solution, in most cases, increases the boiling point of the solution. This occurs because the presence of impurities decreases the number of water molecules available to become vaporized during boiling. Once this occurs, it takes a greater amount of heat to cause the same amount of impure solution to vaporize as it would take to cause a pure solution to vaporize, thus raising the solution's overall boiling point. It is important to realize however, that impurities do not always increase boiling point, and, in certain rarer cases, can actually cause boiling point to decrease. With this in mind, it is important to know exactly what impurities are being added to a solution in order to determine the final effect the impurities will have on boiling point. Hope this helps!

How does Ulrich change his attitude toward his rival, and why do you suppose this happens in "The Interlopers"?

After being pinned beneath the huge branches of the beech tree, Ulrich begins to reconsider his enmity toward Georg Znaeym as he is faced with the possibility of death.

On a bitter winter night with a cruel wind blowing, Ulrich von Gradwitz decides to hunt for his enemy, so he gathers his men and ventures out in order to search for the "prowling thieves" he suspects are hunting in the contested strip of forest over which the two families have feuded for generations. Ulrich breaks away from his men, hoping to happen upon his enemy with no one to witness him.

Ulrich comes around a huge beech tree and abruptly faces his enemy. In this moment of sudden recognition, Nature interferes, breaking branches with a violence that sends the branches crashing upon the two men, pinning them beneath the tree's weight.

Imprisoned and bloodied by the branches, the two foes can do nothing to each other. They initially curse and threaten each other with retaliation when their men catch up to them; however, after some time in which they have struggled uselessly, Ulrich is able to pull out his wine flask:

The wine was warming and reviving to the wounded man, and he looked across with something like a throb of pity to where his enemy lay, just keeping the groans of pain and weariness from crossing his lips. 

Apparently, when he finds himself in such a life-or-death situation pinioned with his enemy, Ulrich rethinks the importance of this hatred, and he decides he should live in peace rather than enmity. Feeling pity for Georg, Ulrich offers him some of his wine. Then, as he considers things further, he asks Georg to be his friend.

Realizing that he and Georg are facing a life-and-death situation, Ulrich weighs the importance of life against the significance of a feud, and he finds that their lives and welfare are more important than their families' grudge.

What affect did geography have on Ancient Greek social, political, and economic development?

The geography of Greece had a very important effect on the history and culture of the Hellenic people in the ancient world. Most of Greece is filled with steep mountains that make travel from one area to another very difficult. As a result, the people of Greece developed culturally and politically independent of one another. The Greeks developed into dozens of city-states that were autonomous. This led to cooperation and trade between the various city-states,...

The geography of Greece had a very important effect on the history and culture of the Hellenic people in the ancient world. Most of Greece is filled with steep mountains that make travel from one area to another very difficult. As a result, the people of Greece developed culturally and politically independent of one another. The Greeks developed into dozens of city-states that were autonomous. This led to cooperation and trade between the various city-states, but also led to rivalry and warfare at times.

The mountains also produced another challenge: finding available land for farming and food production. To solve this problem, the Greeks used another key feature of its geographical situation, the seas. The Greeks developed colonies throughout the Mediterranean Sea and in Ionia to fulfill its agricultural and population pressure issues. In doing so, the Greeks spread their culture and influence throughout Asia Minor and Europe. The Greeks became excellent navigators of the seas and created trade opportunities in far away lands. They also utilized the strength of their naval powers to keep enemies at bay and create wealth, especially with regards to the Persians.

Please find four similes from chapter 1 or 2 in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.

Similes are all about comparisons and they make writing interesting and create visual pictures to enable the reader to have a broader understanding of the meaning or significance of something. Similes use the words "like" or "as" in their descriptions, reinforcing similarities between between people, objects or abstract ideas, emphasizing things that may otherwise go unnoticed and sometimes creating similarities where otherwise there would not necessarily be an association. 

In chapter 2 of The Boy...

Similes are all about comparisons and they make writing interesting and create visual pictures to enable the reader to have a broader understanding of the meaning or significance of something. Similes use the words "like" or "as" in their descriptions, reinforcing similarities between between people, objects or abstract ideas, emphasizing things that may otherwise go unnoticed and sometimes creating similarities where otherwise there would not necessarily be an association. 

In chapter 2 of The Boy in The Striped Pajamas, and having moved away from his beloved Berlin, Bruno is telling Maria (the maid) how much he dislikes the house in this "desolate" place which he mispronounces as "Out-With." When he sees someone come out of his parents' room, he realizes that it is not his father but another man who is not "as tall as" his father. He is comparing (who the reader will later discover is Lieutenant Kotler) with his father. The reader will soon realize that there are not many people who can be compared to Bruno's father.  

A short time later, Bruno, the narrator, notices how Maria stands when a solider passes. She stands "like a person in prayer" and this emphasizes the feeling of fear that pervades the atmosphere when Bruno's father or any military personnel are present. 

A less obvious simile is the comparison between the soldier whom Bruno and Maria have watched coming out of the room and a father. Bruno says that he does not think "that man looks like a father." It is usual to compare a man to being a father but Kotler will be proven to be particularly aggressive and harsh and this statement is preparing the reader by emphasizing Kotler's lack of human qualities. 

Bruno is unable to explain his feelings about the house the family must now live in and so as not to "look like a baby," he tries very hard not to cry when he thinks about having no friends and only his sister Gretel for company. Bruno will later reveal a new level of maturity when he and Shmuel stand together in what is apparently the gas chamber and Bruno senses Shmuel's fear.

What are some tough study questions from the play The Miracle Worker by William Gibson?

The Miracle Worker is a play by William Gibson about the young Helen Keller and the arrival of Annie Sullivan who will deliver this desperate family from its seemingly helpless situation. In order to write questions that may have even the teacher thinking, aim to include questions about the abstract elements of the play. Some possible questions might be:

1. Explain the extended metaphor which exists throughout the play with regard to a war.

Ans:  There are references to the family's struggles with Helen as being compared to a war zone. For example, in act 1, scene 1 Captain Keller says that his wife is not "battle-scarred" (Helen is her first child).In Act 2, Annie talks to James, and during their references to "war," Annie says "a siege is a siege" (talking about how managing Helen is similar to engaging in a war). In the same scene, the Captain's response to Annie taking Helen away is to let her do whatever she wants and he makes "an irate surrender." 

2. Rewrite the doctor's possible response to Captain Keller's question, "Will my girl be alright" based on Helen being born in 2016 and the doctor having access to modern medicine and machines. In the play the doctor answers "Oh, by morning she'll be knocking down Captain Keller's fences again." 

Ans: There are several possible answers but the doctor would be unlikely to dismiss the illness so readily but at the same time he wants to remain hopeful so he would probably say something like "Oh, by morning, we will have a better indication of any problems. Let's not anticipate anything yet. "

3. In Act 2, what is the "miracle" that Captain Keller suggests that Miss Sullivan will not be able to achieve?

Ans: He says that it will be a miracle if "you can get the child to tolerate you." 

4. From Act 1, give a synonym for "swaddled," in terms of the description of Mildred, Helen's baby sister.

Ans: "Swaddled" refers to the way in which the baby is wrapped in blankets so snugly wrapped could be a good choice. 

5. In Act 3, scene 1, Annie is trying to teach Helen to communicate and she tells Helen that there is "only one way out." What is she referring to?

Ans: Annie is trying to make Helen understand that "language" is the only solution to her frustrations.

6. How can Helen make her "fingers talk?"

Ans: Annie is trying to spell all the different names into Helen's hand so that she can make connections between the hand gestures and making others understand her. Helen can learn words (W-A-T-E-R is the word which will help Helen make her breakthrough.) by tapping them out with her hands.

7. In Act 3, James says to Kate "Open my mouth, like that fairy tale, frogs jump out." What fairy tale is he referring to?

Ans: Charles Perrault wrote a fairy tale which (in English) is entitled "The Fairies" and a wicked daughter is cruel to a princess who asks for a drink of water. The princess turns out to be a fairy who is testing the morals of mankind. By way of punishment, whenever the daughter speaks, a toad or snake comes out of her mouth.  

8. Why is the fairy tale significant in terms of James's relationship with his father and step-mother? 

Ans: James and his father have a very strained relationship and sometimes James says inappropriate things, mainly to get his father's attention. James is suggesting that he is always punished for saying inappropriate things, mainly because his father says equally hurtful things to him. 

9. How much will Annie be paid by the Keller's?

Ans: $25 per month. 

10. What is an antonym for "woebegone" which word is used to describe Annie's joke after she receives a ring from Mr Anagnos just before she leaves The Perkins' Institute to go and work for the Keller family. 

Ans: An antonym is a word opposite in meaning. Woebegone means that her joke shows her sadness, desperation and despair more than anything so a good antonym might be funny, cheerful or good-spirited. 

I hope these questions help you and are a good start for your remaining questions. Look at the attachments below which will help you.  

Is abuse a cycle where the abused today is the abuser tomorrow?

While it is known that victims and survivors of abuse as children are more likely to abuse in adulthood than those who have never been abused, it is not set in stone. The effects of abuse are far reaching and can influence later behavior towards others.

Some of the effects of abuse include high risk of drug use, alcohol use and mental health problems. While not directly indicative of abusive behavior, these can contribute to...

While it is known that victims and survivors of abuse as children are more likely to abuse in adulthood than those who have never been abused, it is not set in stone. The effects of abuse are far reaching and can influence later behavior towards others.

Some of the effects of abuse include high risk of drug use, alcohol use and mental health problems. While not directly indicative of abusive behavior, these can contribute to abusive behaviors later on in life. Also, people who have been in abusive situations can come to view that behavior as normal. They continue the line of abuse because that is how they believe that relationships function and they have never learned healthy relationship skills.

However, it has also been show that the cycle can be broken. Therapy of various modalities including psychotherapy, psychiatric therapy, art therapy and music therapy have proven to be effective in helping to overcome the negative effects of abuse. Also, developing a strong, positive support system has also proven beneficial.

There are many known factors in the perpetuation of the cycle of abuse and many more yet to be discovered. Knowing and understanding the effects of abuse can aid in reducing the likelihood of the abused becoming the abuser. Sometimes abuse can turn into a cycle, but it does not have to continue indefinitely.

What led to the writing of the Declaration of Independence?

There were many events that led to the writing of the Declaration of Independence. After the French and Indian War ended, the British passed laws that upset the colonists. The Proclamation of 1763 prevented the colonists from moving to the new lands we got from France as a result of French and Indian War. The Quartering Act required the colonists provide housing for the troops that would enforce this law. The colonists didn’t want to have to provide housing for troops to enforce a law they didn’t want or like.

As time passed, the British wanted the colonists to pay for some of the costs of running the colonies. When the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts were passed, the colonists claimed these laws weren’t legal because the colonists didn’t have representatives in Parliament that could speak about and then vote on these proposed taxes. The colonists claimed their rights were being violated.

When events became more aggressive and violent, the relationship between the colonists and Great Britain deteriorated further. Five colonists were killed at the Boston Massacre. When the colonists protested the Tea Act by dumping tea into Boston Harbor, the British responded with the Intolerable Acts. The colonists refused to obey these laws. The colonists also formed their own militias.

When fighting broke out in April 1775 at Lexington and Concord, more people believed independence was going to be a reality. The rejection of the Olive Branch Petition and the publication of Common Sense moved us closer toward declaring independence. Eventually, the Second Continental Congress debated resolutions regarding independence. While this was going on, the Declaration of Independence was being written. It was adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The United States declared its independence from Great Britain with the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

How will opportunities at Purdue University support your interests, both inside and out of the classroom?

Purdue University is a top-ranked university. It is one of the schools in the Big Ten conference. Purdue offers a wide variety of programs to meet a person’s academic and social interests.

Purdue University offers a wide variety of programs in which a student can major. For students who want to major in a given language, Purdue offers programs in French, Russian, Japanese, and Spanish, among others. A student interested in education has several majors...

Purdue University is a top-ranked university. It is one of the schools in the Big Ten conference. Purdue offers a wide variety of programs to meet a person’s academic and social interests.

Purdue University offers a wide variety of programs in which a student can major. For students who want to major in a given language, Purdue offers programs in French, Russian, Japanese, and Spanish, among others. A student interested in education has several majors from which to choose. Purdue also has majors in Acting and Theatre. Various majors are available in different sciences, as well as in Economics, Agriculture, and History. Purdue also offers other programs in which to major.

Outside of the classroom, there are many opportunities in which students may participate. There are approximately 1,000 student organizations from which to choose. There are many sporting events to attend, as Purdue is a member of the Big Ten Conference. There are also various club and intramural activities in which students may participate. Purdue has performances in music and theatre that involve their students.

A student who attends Purdue University has many opportunities to pursue their interests both inside and outside of the classroom.

How is Darry different from the rest of the Greaser gang in the novel The Outsiders?

Unlike the other Greasers, Darry is mature and has the responsibility of taking care of his two younger brothers. Darry is older than most of the boys in the gang, and also works two jobs to support his family. Unlike the majority of the Greasers, Darry excelled in school and athletics. Unfortunately, he was not able to accept an athletic scholarship to play football in college because he had to take care of Ponyboy and...

Unlike the other Greasers, Darry is mature and has the responsibility of taking care of his two younger brothers. Darry is older than most of the boys in the gang, and also works two jobs to support his family. Unlike the majority of the Greasers, Darry excelled in school and athletics. Unfortunately, he was not able to accept an athletic scholarship to play football in college because he had to take care of Ponyboy and Sodapop. Darry also doesn't spend much time hanging around with the gang. He is either working or making sure things are in order around the home. Darry is not a criminal and does not enjoy getting drunk like the other Greasers. He doesn't even look like a Greaser. He has short hair and a toned physique. Before the rumble, Ponyboy mentions that he could tell Darry was actually ashamed to be a Greaser.

How do the littluns characters develop in chapter 3?

In Chapter 2 of Lord of the Flies, the littluns, the little boys who for the most part aren't given individual names by Golding, have been playing contentedly on the island. Some pitched in with gathering some sticks for firewood, but mostly they have been running free, playing on the beach and in the woods. The only child who has expressed fear is a little boy with a mulberry colored birthmark on his cheek...

In Chapter 2 of Lord of the Flies, the littluns, the little boys who for the most part aren't given individual names by Golding, have been playing contentedly on the island. Some pitched in with gathering some sticks for firewood, but mostly they have been running free, playing on the beach and in the woods. The only child who has expressed fear is a little boy with a mulberry colored birthmark on his cheek who relates his fear of the "snake-thing" or "beastie" he has seen. When the older boys discount his fears, the littluns return to their play.

However, in Chapter 3, after the fire the boys built has destroyed part of the island and the boy with the birthmark can't be found, all the littluns become fearful. Ralph points out the change in them to Jack. He explains that the littluns dream at night and that he can hear them, meaning they are having nightmares. They talk and scream and behave "as if it wasn't a good island." This shows that the littluns have developed beyond thinking being alone on the island is a game and have become frightened. Although they focus their fears on "the beastie," it is actually just a way of objectifying the terror that they feel as the novelty of their situation wears off and the reality of it begins to sink in to their young minds.

What is the overall theme of Romeo and Juliet?

One of the main themes of Romeo and Juliet is that actions have unintended consequences.

Whatever the cause initially of the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets, it obviously got out of control.  Much blood was shed for many years, and it is clear that when the play starts no one really remembers the initial conflict.  They are just killing each other with impunity, because the two families hate each other.  Shakespeare clearly tells us in the prologue that this feud is old.

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. (Act 1, Prologue)

Another perhaps inevitable unintended consequence of the feud was Romeo and Juliet falling in love.  You see, when something is forbidden it becomes all the more attractive.  If Juliet had not been a Capulet, Romeo would not have met her at the ball, and he would not have been there in secret. Romeo and Juliet had never met because their families were feuding.  Yet the feud gave neither of them much pause.

My only love sprung from my only hate!
Too early seen unknown, and known too late!
Prodigious birth of love it is to me,
That I must love a loathed enemy. (Act 1, Scene 5)

Romeo and Juliet’s love seems innocent enough, other than the silly fighting between their families.  However, it causes a snowball effect of unintended consequences.  Because Tybalt is angry at seeing Romeo at the ball, he attempts to fight him.  Romeo tries to help his friend Mercutio, who fights Tybalt instead of Romeo, and in doing this Romeo accidentally causes Tybalt to impale Mercutio.

A plague o'
both your houses! 'Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a
cat, to scratch a man to death! a braggart, a
rogue, a villain, that fights by the book of
arithmetic! Why the devil came you between us? I
was hurt under your arm. (Act 3, Scene 1)

Another unintended consequence of Romeo not fighting is that once Tybalt kills Mercutio, Romeo has to fight him.  He kills Tybalt, and gets banished for it.

That leads us to the greatest unintended consequence, Romeo and Juliet’s death.  To try to be with Romeo, Juliet fakes her death.  Romeo thinks that she is dead and kills himself, and then she wakes up to find him dead and kills herself.

Interestingly enough, this leads to our last unintended consequence.

A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents' strife. (Act 1, Prologue)

Of course, the parents would probably prefer that it didn’t take the deaths of their children to end the feud, but at least something good came from so much misery.

The theme of unintended consequences runs like a thread through the play.  Love is messy, Shakespeare is telling us.  We often make a choice, and that forces other choices.  In the end, Romeo and Juliet make bad choices, and their parents make bad choices.  Mercutio, Tybalt, and Friar Laurence make bad choices.  Yet in the end, at least a good choice is made for the two families to bury their hate and live peacefully together.

How I can write an essay about the hesitant officer in "Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell?

Orwell, an officer of the British Colonial government in Burma, finds himself faced with a moral dilemma when he is sent to kill a rogue elephant. (This can be the direction of the essay.)

As he tries to decide whether he should shoot the elephant or not, Orwell feels that he is confronted with the real motives which move despotic governments; namely, the retention of power by exercising power. [thesis statement] As he...

Orwell, an officer of the British Colonial government in Burma, finds himself faced with a moral dilemma when he is sent to kill a rogue elephant. (This can be the direction of the essay.)

As he tries to decide whether he should shoot the elephant or not, Orwell feels that he is confronted with the real motives which move despotic governments; namely, the retention of power by exercising power. [thesis statement] As he stands with his rifle in his hands, Orwell realizes that 

...when the white man turns tyrant, it is his own freedom that he destroys.

The Englishman destroys his own freedom because he must adhere to certain behaviors in order to maintain power. Orwell really does not want to kill the elephant--"It seemed to me that it would be murder to shoot him." On the other hand, Orwell fears being laughed at by the Burmese who watch him. So, in order to maintain his sense of power, he must exercise power by shooting the creature. This action illustrates his moral cowardice because he kills the poor elephant, causing it to die a slow death for purely selfish reasons. This slow death, too, seems symbolic of empire that often crumbles in its own cupidity.

What does Della’s action of cutting her hair to buy Jim a gift reveal about her character and her relationship with Jim? What does it show about...

In O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi,” Della’s action of cutting her hair reveals her self-sacrificing love for her husband Jim.

At the outset of the story, Della is conflicted about how to buy “Her Jim” a worthy Christmas present with only $1.87. After staring out the window, she suddenly looks at herself in the mirror and “let[s her hair] fall to its full length,” musing that if “the queen of Sheba lived” nearby,...

In O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi,” Della’s action of cutting her hair reveals her self-sacrificing love for her husband Jim.

At the outset of the story, Della is conflicted about how to buy “Her Jim” a worthy Christmas present with only $1.87. After staring out the window, she suddenly looks at herself in the mirror and “let[s her hair] fall to its full length,” musing that if “the queen of Sheba lived” nearby, “Della would have let her hair hang out the window […] just to depreciate Her Majesty’s jewels and gifts.” Her hair is her prized possession, but Della only “falter[s] for a minute” before selling her hair for twenty dollars. The author spends no time describing regret, and instead Della is completely focused on finding Jim a present.

Even once Della is home and fixing her hair into “close-lying curls,” she does not mourn the loss of her hair and only prays to God that Jim “think[s she is] still pretty.” Della is entirely motivated by her love for Jim.

Check out the character analysis of Della for more support.

In explaining her plans to Ismene, Antigone says that "this crime is holy." What does she mean?

As Sophocles' tragedy Antigone opens, Antigone is explaining to her sister, Ismene, what she plans to do and asks her to help. Antigone intends to give her fallen brother, Polyneices, a proper burial despite the fact that Creon, her uncle who rules Thebes, has forbidden him to be buried because he has acted as a traitor. Ismene is shocked to hear that Antigone will commit a crime in violating a decree from Creon. 

Antigone argues...

As Sophocles' tragedy Antigone opens, Antigone is explaining to her sister, Ismene, what she plans to do and asks her to help. Antigone intends to give her fallen brother, Polyneices, a proper burial despite the fact that Creon, her uncle who rules Thebes, has forbidden him to be buried because he has acted as a traitor. Ismene is shocked to hear that Antigone will commit a crime in violating a decree from Creon. 

Antigone argues her case by saying that her crime is holy. She explains that she will be sinless because she owes more allegiance to the realm of the dead than to that of the living, since the afterlife will be much longer than her life on earth. She accuses Ismene of violating the law of the gods in order to honor the laws of men. This sets up the philosophical conflict of the play: whether a person should obey the laws of the gods over the laws of men. Ismene is a foil to Antigone, for she chooses the safe path of following her uncle's orders while Antigone is willing to die for obeying what she considers to be higher laws. 

Does the entire party agree to leave with Narracott in the morning in And Then There Were None ?

No, only seven of the ten people invited to the island are on the boat with Fred Narracott.  He observes that they are a mixed and unusual group of people.  The seven on the boat with him are:Mr. Justice Wargrave;  “an old maid” who would be Emily Brent; “an old military gentleman” who would be General Macarthur; a “nice-looking young lady” who would be Vera Claythorne; a “bluff, cheery gent – he really wasn’t a...

No, only seven of the ten people invited to the island are on the boat with Fred Narracott.  He observes that they are a mixed and unusual group of people.  The seven on the boat with him are:Mr. Justice Wargrave;  “an old maid” who would be Emily Brent; “an old military gentleman” who would be General Macarthur; a “nice-looking young lady” who would be Vera Claythorne; a “bluff, cheery gent – he really wasn’t a gentleman” who would be Mr. Blore; a “lean, hungry looking gentleman with the quick eyes” who would be Captain Philip Lombard; and finally, “the one who had arrived in the car” who would be Tony Marston (all quotes are on page 23).

Two other people brought to the island are Mr. and Mrs. Rogers.  They are the butler and the maid and have already arrived and prepared the home for Mr. and Mrs. Owens and their guests.  They have not met the Owens and have just arrived on the island.

The last person is Dr. Armstrong, who arrived just at sunset.

 “Dr. Armstrong came to Soldier Island just as the sun was sinking into the sea” (pg 29).

He was the final guest.  So, seven came on the boat, two were already on the island, and one came at sunset.

In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, what color was the sky and what did it represent?

The narrator, Death, is an interesting fellow. Many times when he is about to pick up a soul, he describes what the sky looks like at that exact moment in time. Since Death picks up many different souls during the course of the story, he describes many different scenes; therefore, each death scene has a different color or description associated with it. For example, Death's first description of the sky at a scene of a bombing is as follows:

"The last time I saw her was red. The sky was like soup, boiling and stirring. In some places, it was burned. There were black crumbs, and pepper, streaked across the redness" (12).

The above passage mentions the color red, twice. Other words associated with this scene of air-raid bombings are boiling, stirring, burned, pepper, and streaks. These images also make one think of fire, flack, and debris. Other than the redness, there are no other colors mentioned explicitly, but they all mean "death."

Another time the Narrator describes the sky is at Johan Hermann's death, as follows:

"Oh, yes, I definitely remember him. The sky was murky and deep like quicksand. There was a young man parceled up on barbed wire, like a giant crown of thorns. I untangled him and carried him out" (145).

In this passage, there aren't any specific colors mentioned, but the word "quicksand" suggests a particular image that might carry with it a dark, blackish hue--or any color which one associates with it. On cue, though, Death describes the sky again as if it were the victim's last sight he witnessed before he died.

Below is one last example of Death describing the sky as he is collecting Jewish souls:

"Summer came. For the book thief, everything was going nicely. For me, the sky was the color of Jews . . . All of them were light, like the cases of empty walnuts. Smoky sky in those places. The smell like a stove, but still so cold" (349).

This description brings up Death's experience during the first day that Auschwitz (concentration camp) started burning bodies. The color of smoke can be many shades of black and white and gray. This must be what he saw when collecting these souls. The profound contrasting images of a hot stove also being cold drives home the senselessness of these innocent people's deaths--as if he is shocked to witness the coldness behind the Nazis indifference to murder. 

What is the background in the story "Charles"?

"Charles" is a short story by Shirley Jackson. She is best known for the story "The Lottery." The setting for "Charles" is a typical American household in the late 1940's. The family is made up of a mother, father, kindergarten aged son and a baby daughter. 

It is obvious to the reader from the very beginning that the son, Laurie, is a terrible brat. He is obnoxious and talks back to his parents. He makes...

"Charles" is a short story by Shirley Jackson. She is best known for the story "The Lottery." The setting for "Charles" is a typical American household in the late 1940's. The family is made up of a mother, father, kindergarten aged son and a baby daughter. 

It is obvious to the reader from the very beginning that the son, Laurie, is a terrible brat. He is obnoxious and talks back to his parents. He makes up a story about an equally bratty boy at school named Charles. It's really no surprise that at the end the mother finds out that Charles is really her own son. It is, of course, impossible for her to believe she could have raised such a child. 

Most of the action takes place at the family home. Everyday, Laurie brings home stories of the incorrigible Charles. The last scene is set at a "Parent-Teachers meeting" at the school where the mother is told by Laurie's teacher that there is no Charles in the kindergarten. 

The reader may surmise that Laurie has been allowed to get away with things because he is terribly spoiled and is the first son. He was born during World War II or just after and may be considered a "baby boomer." Maybe his parents were under the influence of Dr. Benjamin Spock, whose book Baby and Child Care encouraged parents to treat their children as individuals. Spock, widely popular at the time, was sometimes criticized for being too lenient in his ideas about raising children.

Explain what laws provide for a civilization.

Different people might disagree as to which laws are necessary in order to “provide for a civilization” (to me, this means to make civilization possible). My view is informed by the ideas of Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke.  I would argue that true civilization cannot exist unless there are laws to protect people’s lives, liberty, and property.

In order for civilization to exist, people have to feel that they benefit from living together and being...

Different people might disagree as to which laws are necessary in order to “provide for a civilization” (to me, this means to make civilization possible). My view is informed by the ideas of Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke.  I would argue that true civilization cannot exist unless there are laws to protect people’s lives, liberty, and property.

In order for civilization to exist, people have to feel that they benefit from living together and being governed.  According to Locke and others, we need to have government in order to protect our basic rights.  These thinkers argue that we have the inherent rights to our lives, our liberty, and our property. However, we cannot really protect these things if we do not have government. If we do not have government, we have to protect our lives, liberty, and property with our own strength. We can only keep these things if we are strong enough to defeat those people who try to take them from us. When we create civilizations, we do so in order to protect these rights more effectively than we can do alone.

Following this logic, we need laws that will protect our lives, our liberty, and our property.  We need laws against murder.  We need laws against slavery and against arbitrary imprisonment.  We need laws against theft and against the government simply taking our property because they want it.  If we have laws like these, we can have true civilization.

In The Vendor of Sweets, the relationship between the father and the son seems not to be all right. What could be the reasons for this strained...

In The Vendor of Sweets, the generation gap between father and son strains their relationship.

When Mali speaks reproachfully to his father that “Oh, these are not the days of your ancestors” and when Jagan says that the younger generation “are not the sort to make a home bright," it reflects the gulf that exists between father and son.  Jagan is a follower of Gandhian values, a man who suffered physical abuse for his role in the...

In The Vendor of Sweets, the generation gap between father and son strains their relationship.

When Mali speaks reproachfully to his father that “Oh, these are not the days of your ancestors” and when Jagan says that the younger generation “are not the sort to make a home bright," it reflects the gulf that exists between father and son.  Jagan is a follower of Gandhian values, a man who suffered physical abuse for his role in the Indian Independence Movement.  He struggles with balancing the spiritual with material.  For example, while he sits and reads the Gita, he also secretly counts his money from his sweets business.  His son, Mali, does not experience this struggle.  Mali is driven by materialism.  He steals his father's money to live and study in America and returns to India simply to start his own business.  Mali is modernistic, and has disdain for his father's cultural and spiritual approach to life.

The relationship between father and son is frayed because neither is able to understand the other.  Mali has little care for what his father believes.  For his part, Jagan's emphasis is on resolving the battle between material and spiritual.  He seeks to move closer towards a spiritual way of life.  As the novel ends, Jagan is able to surrender the bonds of this life and is preparing for his next phase, one for which his son has little care or regard. There is little emotional connection between both men because they believe in different generational ideas, with no chance of reconciliation.

Why might people understand the 1996 version of Romeo + Juliet better than the 1968 version?

The 1968 film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet does an excellent job of translating William Shakespeare's most famous play to the silver screen. Aside from not taking place on a stage, it is quite traditional in treatment of the story. This adaptation is set in Renaissance Verona and deals with the love  between the teenage children of feuding noble families. Though this particular film stays quite true to the tradition of Romeo and Juliet as it has appeared on stage, most people today are so far removed from the original context (not to mention the language) that the play does not have as much impact as it might have at its premier.

In contrast, the 1996 Romeo + Juliet takes the essential plot and dialogue of the classic play and places this into the context of modern gang violence. Audiences of this modernized adaptation are more likely to have an understanding of the kind of turf wars and gang violence which have developed in the United States over the past century. There are implications in the film that the two warring families are of Italian descent and therefore may have connections to the Mafia or other forms of organized crime. The most significant difference between the 1968 and 1996 versions is in the relationship between dialogue and scene. Much of the context of Renaissance Italian culture is lost on a modern viewer, but in the 1996 adaptation, the scene is translated into a modern context to allow for better understanding of the dialogue.

Let's compare a few scenes from both films. First, the party where Romeo and Juliet first meet. In the 1968 film, the Capulet party is portrayed quite traditionally. To us, it may seem a somber gathering of people listening to a small group of musicians- but this is how Italian nobles liked to impress one another! The 1996 portrayal of a bustling party with music, costumes, and alcohol makes much more sense to a modern viewer, who is likely to associate a party with these things. Let us also consider the opening battle scene between young men from both the Capulet and Montague families. In the 1968 film, it is difficult to detect the anger and taunting intended by the thumb-biting and banter. Especially as swords are out of fashion as a personal weapon, the conflict in this opening scene hardly seems more than a scuffle to our modern eyes. In contrast, we understand from the 1996 version that the young men are taunting one another and instigating conflict based on their sense of familial honor. The director's choice to mark the guns with names like "Sword" is a clever tie to the original text, but we modern viewers understand the seriousness of gun violence and can relate it to the context of gang activity or turf wars.

In short, audiences today are more likely to understand what's going on in the 1996 film than the 1968 because it has been intentionally transformed to fit the original dialogue into a modern setting.

I need help converting into today's language what Benjamin Franklin meant in this quote: "Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men...

To be content means to be “in a state of peaceful happiness, or in a state of satisfaction.”  Happiness and contentment aren’t necessarily connected to wealth. One can find contentment in things like family, friends, love, or a beautiful landscape.  Even a poor person can be content if they are happy with what they have and are thankful for it.  People can be rich in other ways than what money can provide; it depends on...

To be content means to be “in a state of peaceful happiness, or in a state of satisfaction.”  Happiness and contentment aren’t necessarily connected to wealth. One can find contentment in things like family, friends, love, or a beautiful landscape.  Even a poor person can be content if they are happy with what they have and are thankful for it.  People can be rich in other ways than what money can provide; it depends on your attitude and outlook on life.  However, if a rich man is discontent and unhappy with his life, he will live a poor quality of life.  He will be “poor” in his contentment and happiness.  He will have lost everything even if he has all the money in the world.  The old saying that, “Money can’t buy you happiness” rings true in Ben Franklin’s quote. Sometimes the poorest are the most content because they live a simpler life lacking in responsibility and commitments.  It’s all a matter of attitude.  If you are thankful and satisfied with what you have, you will be rich in many ways. If you are discontent and unsatisfied, you will be “poor” or lacking in things that make you rich.

So, substitute some words from the definition into the quote and put it in your own words.  Ex.  Peaceful happiness can make those who have very little satisfied with life; however, if one’s happiness and satisfaction in life is missing, life can be considered poor in quality. 

Who is Peter Pan? Does he exist in real life?

Peter Pan is a character in a play and novel written by J. M. Barrie. The first appearance of Peter Pan was in a novel called The Little White Bird, published in 1902. In 1904 Peter Pan was brought to life on stage in the play Peter Pan or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up. Later, in 1911, Barrie turned the play into a novel titled Peter and Wendy.

Peter Pan is...

Peter Pan is a character in a play and novel written by J. M. Barrie. The first appearance of Peter Pan was in a novel called The Little White Bird, published in 1902. In 1904 Peter Pan was brought to life on stage in the play Peter Pan or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up. Later, in 1911, Barrie turned the play into a novel titled Peter and Wendy.

Peter Pan is a kind of magical boy. He ran away from home on the day of his birth and went to live with the fairies because he overheard his parents planning out his whole life for him. The fairies taught him to fly. He lives in Neverland, a magical land, where his friends are the Lost Boys, boys who fell out of their carriages when they were infants and have no mothers or fathers now. Peter Pan meets Wendy because he lurks outside her nursery window so he can hear her telling stories to her brothers. He offers to teach Wendy and her brothers to fly; he does so, and they all journey to Neverland where they have a series of adventures. Eventually Wendy wants to return home, and she does, with the Lost Boys, who are adopted by Wendy's parents. Peter, however, still does not want to grow up. He comes back to see Wendy and take her to Neverland for a visit once per year, but he himself remains the boy who wouldn't grow up.

How were Gilgamesh and Enkidu different from one another?

While Gilgamesh and Enkidu have many common characteristics, such as their extreme physical prowess, Enkidu in many ways serves as the antithesis of the great King Gilgamesh. Both their similarities and differences are by design, as Enkidu was created specifically to arrest the great arrogance of King Gilgamesh.

Gilgamesh is a man of noble bearing, a warrior king who was born and raised in a great urban center of the ancient world. He is cultured...

While Gilgamesh and Enkidu have many common characteristics, such as their extreme physical prowess, Enkidu in many ways serves as the antithesis of the great King Gilgamesh. Both their similarities and differences are by design, as Enkidu was created specifically to arrest the great arrogance of King Gilgamesh.

Gilgamesh is a man of noble bearing, a warrior king who was born and raised in a great urban center of the ancient world. He is cultured and educated and possesses authority derived from the traditions of a political system. Enkidu on the other hand is a wild man, formed of earth and saliva, raised by animals, or at first completely unaware of the ways of human society. He lacks the education and cultural knowledge of Gilgamesh, and his authority is entirely the product of his own strength.

Discuss the relationship between the words "law" and "justice" in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice.

The word "law" refers to the rules and regulations stipulated by a governing body and followed by a community. The word "justice" means the carrying out, or administration, of those rules on an equitable basis. Sometimes people tend to use the words interchangeably. In The Merchant of Venice, specifically Act IV, Shylock adds another word, "bond," that can mean "contract," but he also seems to use it as if meaning "law" and "justice," depending...

The word "law" refers to the rules and regulations stipulated by a governing body and followed by a community. The word "justice" means the carrying out, or administration, of those rules on an equitable basis. Sometimes people tend to use the words interchangeably. In The Merchant of Venice, specifically Act IV, Shylock adds another word, "bond," that can mean "contract," but he also seems to use it as if meaning "law" and "justice," depending on the written context. These words are thus best examined in context as well. 

First, Shylock continually says, "I would have my bond" (IV.i.86). He is explicitly saying that he wants the contract between Antonio and him to be acknowledged by the court as well as executed. In a way he is saying, "I want justice." Justice is satisfied when supported by the law and upheld by the judgment of the court. Therefore, "law" and "justice" have an interdependent relationship--without one, the other cannot exist. Shylock points this out by saying the following to the Duke:

"To have the due and forfeit of my bond.

If you deny it, let the danger light

Upon your charter and your city's freedom" (IV.1.36-38).

Here he is saying that if they don't uphold the law, their city's integrity is threatened. 

Then, when Portia (disguised as a lawyer) gets involved, she and Shylock toss "law" and "justice" around more frequently. Shylock refuses to negotiate the stipulation of the contract mercifully and demands justice by the letter of the law being carried out; which is to say, he wants the law to be supported by a judgment of the court. Portia then says the following:

"Thyself shalt see the act;

For as thou urgest justice, be assured

Thou shalt have justice more than thou desir'st" (IV.i.310-312).

She warns him that justice can be satisfied in more ways than one. Once judgment is passed, the law is locked in and justice is satisfied. The end. There's no going back after this point, so Portia gives Shylock every chance to show mercy beforehand. Fortunately for Antonio, Portia has other laws that must be administered in order to satisfy justice if another law is broken--the one saying that anyone who seeks the life of a citizen of Venice shall have his estate seized. And the consequences of Shylock's demand for justice topple over him like dominoes after that.

In Homer's Iliad, what is the narrator's point of view?

The narration of the Iliad takes place in the third-person omniscient, which means the narrator is not within the story but is looking at it as an objective outsider. Some have speculated that the narrator is supposed to be a stand-in for Homer himself, which is probably correct, as throughout the Iliadreaders are given small glimpses into the knowledge given to the narrator by the muse. Instead of focusing on the inner thoughts of...

The narration of the Iliad takes place in the third-person omniscient, which means the narrator is not within the story but is looking at it as an objective outsider. Some have speculated that the narrator is supposed to be a stand-in for Homer himself, which is probably correct, as throughout the Iliad readers are given small glimpses into the knowledge given to the narrator by the muse. Instead of focusing on the inner thoughts of specific characters, the narrator darts between the actions of each character, mortal or divine, and tells the reader of what is going on with both the Trojans and the Achaeans. So, the narrator is not a character within the events described in the narrative, but someone who has come into knowledge of the events and the characters involved after they occurred. 

Explain how Steinbeck uses language to describe the setting in Chapter Six of the novel, Of Mice and Men?

Steinbeck opens each of the six chapters of his novel, Of Mice and Men, with a description of the setting. Chapter Six is set near "the deep green pool of the Salinas River", which is also the setting of Chapter One. Lennie has returned to this spot on George's orders. For George and Lennie, this is a safe place, free of other people or the potential for Lennie to do "another bad thing". Lennie...

Steinbeck opens each of the six chapters of his novel, Of Mice and Men, with a description of the setting. Chapter Six is set near "the deep green pool of the Salinas River", which is also the setting of Chapter One. Lennie has returned to this spot on George's orders. For George and Lennie, this is a safe place, free of other people or the potential for Lennie to do "another bad thing". Lennie returns to the spot after accidentally killing Curley's wife, and it is where he will meet his end as George mercifully kills the big man at the close of the chapter.

In order to understand Of Mice and Men, the reader must understand literary naturalism. In novels which employ naturalism the characters are viewed from a totally objective and scientific stance. Often the harsh realities of life, as in nature, are the focus.

In the opening of the chapter, Steinbeck initially describes a tranquil scene:

The deep green pool of the Salinas River was still in the late afternoon. Already the sun had left the valley to go climbing up the slopes of the Gabilan Mountains, and the hilltops were rosy in the sun. But by the pool among the mottled sycamores, a pleasant shade had fallen.

Like the ranch, the river looks calm, but when examined closer it has an underpinning of violence as a heron, a bird common to this part of California, kills and eats a small snake. This matches the atmosphere at the ranch, which is idyllic on the surface, but which contains the belligerence of Curley and the discontent of Curley's wife, as well as alienation and racism.

These settings are a microcosm for the rest of the world which is a tough place to survive. In the final analysis Steinbeck's world is difficult and depressing where "the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray".

Describe the setting. |

When Mr. White loses yet another game of chess to his son Herbert, he vents his frustration by complaining about the bad weather and the isolated setting.

"That's the worst of living so far out," bawled Mr. White, with sudden and unlooked-for violence; "of all the beastly, slushy, out-of-the-way places to live in, this is the worst. Pathway's a bog, and the road's a torrent. I don't know what people are thinking about. I suppose because only two houses in the road are let, they think it doesn't matter."

The author's main reason for describing the setting as "slushy" and "out-of-the-way" is to make it seem very likely that the person who comes knocking at the door will be the White's son Herbert returned from the grave, horribly mangled and decayed, and now soaked and covered with mud. The little house is so isolated that it would be extremely unlikely that anyone else would be out there in the dead of night. Still, it is not entirely impossible that some stranger might be lost and seeking directions. The author wants to leave the possibility open that the knocking could be the result of sheer coincidence. Early in Part II, W. W. Jacobs again uses Mr. White's dialogue to cast some doubt on the magical powers of the monkey's paw.

"Morris said the things happened so naturally," said his father, "that you might if you so wished attribute it to coincidence."

The reader will be left wondering. Was it only a coincidence that Maw and Meggins paid the Whites two hundred pounds compensation for their son's accident, the exact amount that Mr. White had wished for the night before? Did the monkey's paw cause Herbert to get caught in the machinery, or was he groggy and hung over after staying up later than usual talking to their interesting visitor and drinking too much whiskey with him? Was that really Herbert knocking at the door, or was it just a coincidence that some stranger was lost in that dark, isolated setting and was only trying to get directions back to the main road? 

Mr. White describes the exterior setting in his tirade after losing the chess game. The interior of the little house is described succinctly in the first paragraph of the story.

Without, the night was cold and wet, but in the small parlour of Laburnam Villa the blinds were drawn and the fire burned brightly. Father and son were at chess, the former, who possessed ideas about the game involving radical changes, putting his king into such sharp and unnecessary perils that it even provoked comment from the white-haired old lady knitting placidly by the fire.

The house is obviously small and cozy. It has a nice fireplace which all the family members enjoy. Evidently Mr. White only paid about two hundred pounds for the house and lot in a new real estate development. There is only one other house in the tract that has been "let." The word "let" suggest that the houses are sold on rent-to-buy plans. The monthly rents are applied to the purchase price, and the lessee can take title when he has paid the full purchase price in the form of rental fees. The fact that there is only one other house occupied will make it all the more likely that the person knocking at the door is not the dead Herbert but some lost stranger who has tried at the other house and now is desperately pounding at the Whites' front door as his last resort. The hypothetical stranger would know there is someone at home because he would have seen a light. After Mrs. White forces her husband to wish for Herbert to return, she stands at their bedroom window looking out, hoping to see her son.

He sat until he was chilled with the cold, glancing occasionally at the figure of the old woman peering through the window. The candle-end, which had burned below the rim of the china candlestick, was throwing pulsating shadows on the ceiling and walls, until, with a flicker larger than the rest, it expired. 

In that dark setting, the light would have been visible all over the isolated little housing development. That could explain why the knocking became more and more insistent. The reader will never know whether the monkey's paw brought the Whites their fortune and misfortune, or whether it was sheer coincidence. Many of our worst fears are purely imaginary.

Is the narrator in some way responsible for Doodle's death in The Scarlet Ibis? Is his emotion at very end sorrow, guilt, or something else?

The narrator of "The Scarlet Ibis" is telling the story from many years after the events took place. The retelling then is colored by years of consideration, and guilt is definitely apparent as the narrator gives the details of his life with Doodle. At one point early in the story the narrator says,

There is within me (and with sadness I have watched it in others) a knot of cruelty borne by the stream of...

The narrator of "The Scarlet Ibis" is telling the story from many years after the events took place. The retelling then is colored by years of consideration, and guilt is definitely apparent as the narrator gives the details of his life with Doodle. At one point early in the story the narrator says,

There is within me (and with sadness I have watched it in others) a knot of cruelty borne by the stream of love, much as our blood sometimes bears the seed of our destruction, and at times I was mean to Doodle. 

He admits to sometimes being cruel in his treatment of his younger brother. He was often embarrassed by having a crippled brother. The reader, however, cannot help but see that the narrator also loves his brother. Unfortunately, he lets his expectations of having a normal brother get the best of him. After teaching Doodle to walk the narrator admits he did it for himself:

They did not know that I did it for myself, that pride, whose slave I was, spoke to me louder than all their voices, and that Doodle walked only because I was ashamed of having a crippled brother. 

After Doodle walks, the narrator becomes emboldened and sets out on even more rigorous training for his brother. When that training doesn't work out, because Doodle is simply not strong enough, the narrator loses his temper and runs away, leaving his Doodle in a rainstorm. As Doodle tries to catch up his body breaks down, and when the narrator finds him he has been bleeding from internal injuries. The narrator says,

I began to weep, and the tear-blurred vision in red before me looked very familiar. "Doodle!" I screamed above the pounding storm and threw my body to the earth above his. For a long time, it seemed forever, I lay there crying, sheltering my fallen scarlet ibis from the heresy of rain.

While the brother is partly responsible for his brother's death (Doodle's disability also played a role), the final lines of the story reveal that he is feeling great sorrow over the death. Thus, guilt and sorrow are definitely emotions which could be attributed to the narrator at the end of the story. 

What kind of equation do I use to find the standard meridian of Vladivostok?

Standard meridians are located at intervals of 15 degrees of longitude on either side of the prime meridian. Time zones are roughly centered on the standard meridians. 

Thus, to find the standard meridian of a location, you should determine how many time zones away from UCT (coordinated universal time) the location is, and then multiply by 15 degrees. This is because the standard meridian of the UTC tome zone is 0 degrees (the prime meridian).

...

Standard meridians are located at intervals of 15 degrees of longitude on either side of the prime meridian. Time zones are roughly centered on the standard meridians. 

Thus, to find the standard meridian of a location, you should determine how many time zones away from UCT (coordinated universal time) the location is, and then multiply by 15 degrees. This is because the standard meridian of the UTC tome zone is 0 degrees (the prime meridian).

For example, Vladivostok is UTC+10. Thus the standard meridian of Vladivostok is `` degrees.

So an equation would look like this:

Standard meridian = number of time zones X 15 degrees.

However, take a bit of care to not lose track of the negative sign when the time zones are east of the prime meridian. 

The average weight of an American male was 166 pounds. By 2002, the average weight of an American male increased to 191 pounds. Using...

Newtown's Second Law of Motion describes the relationship between the amount of force on an object, the objects mass and acceleration. The equation for this is `F=MA` . This means that the amount of force on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by the acceleration. An increase in acceleration or mass means an increase in force.

Using this knowledge, we can see how the increase of the average weight of...

Newtown's Second Law of Motion describes the relationship between the amount of force on an object, the objects mass and acceleration. The equation for this is `F=MA` . This means that the amount of force on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by the acceleration. An increase in acceleration or mass means an increase in force.

Using this knowledge, we can see how the increase of the average weight of American males can greatly impact roller coaster safety. The main method of propulsion for a roller coaster car is gravity. The acceleration from gravity stays relatively constant at about 9.8 meters per second squared (`m/sec^2` ). While the actual acceleration of the first drop of the roller coaster will be considerably less because it is not a straight drop, we will use this number for the example of what happens as passenger mass increases.

Force for the initial American male weight (converted to kg):

`F=MA`

`F=(75.3kg)(9.8m/sec^2)`

`F=737.94N`

Force for the 2002 average American male weight (converted into kg):

`F=MA`

`F=(86.6kg)(9.8m/sec^2)`

`F=848.68N`

There is a 110.74 N difference in force for one person. When considering roller coaster safety, also consider also that a roller coaster car has many people in it, increasing the overall mass of the car by several times that amount. The increase in force can have negative impacts on the passengers and will make more advanced deceleration systems during the coasting phase of the roller coaster necessary. The cars themselves will have to be structurally capable of withstanding the additional force. Also, tracks will have to be monitored for signs of early wear due to the additional force, especially around curves where it will be more pronounced due to the change in direction.