How much heat is required to melt an ice cube of mass 2.0 g that is at a temperature of -4.0°C? (Specific heat capacity of ice =...

The total heat required is the sum of the heat needed to raise the ice to its freezing point, 0ºC, and the heat needed to melt it. It's calculated as follows:

Heat needed to warm ice to 0ºC:

q1 = mc `Delta` T (c = specific heat capacity)

q1 = (2.0g)(2.0x10^3J/kg-ºC)(1 kg/1000 g)(4ºC) = 16 J

Heat needed to melt ice:

q2 = (m)(heat of fusion)

q2 = (2.0g)(3.34x10^4 J/kg)(1 kg/1000g) = 668 J

q(total)...

The total heat required is the sum of the heat needed to raise the ice to its freezing point, 0ºC, and the heat needed to melt it. It's calculated as follows:

Heat needed to warm ice to 0ºC:

q1 = mc `Delta` T (c = specific heat capacity)

q1 = (2.0g)(2.0x10^3J/kg-ºC)(1 kg/1000 g)(4ºC) = 16 J

Heat needed to melt ice:

q2 = (m)(heat of fusion)

q2 = (2.0g)(3.34x10^4 J/kg)(1 kg/1000g) = 668 J

q(total) = q1 + q2 = 16 J + 668 J = 684 J

Since the two constants are stated per kilogram and the mass of ice is in grams, the additional term (1 kg/1000 g) was used to convert to consistent units.

The specific heat capacity of ice was stated in terms of Kelvin temperature, but is consistent with a  `Delta` T in ºC. The size of the Celsius degree and Kelvin are the same so the  `Delta` T is the same in both units.

What is the key idea in The Outsiders in Chapters 1-3?

Chapters 1-3 introduces the idea that life isn't fair and that sometimes, this is true no matter which side of town one lives in. Additionally, most teenagers value the same things in life no matter which strata of society they belong to.

For example, in Chapter 1, Pony relates how he must live with his two older brothers after his parents' deaths. Darry, the oldest, is only twenty but looks much older. Because of extenuating...

Chapters 1-3 introduces the idea that life isn't fair and that sometimes, this is true no matter which side of town one lives in. Additionally, most teenagers value the same things in life no matter which strata of society they belong to.

For example, in Chapter 1, Pony relates how he must live with his two older brothers after his parents' deaths. Darry, the oldest, is only twenty but looks much older. Because of extenuating circumstances, he must work two jobs while trying to maintain the structural integrity of their little family. Sodapop, the second oldest, is movie-star handsome but must work at a DX gas station in order to help Darry put Pony through school. Pony, the youngest, definitely feels that he relates to the character of Pip in the Dickensian novel, Great Expectations: like Pip, he has to endure the social stigma of being ostracized because he is not a gentleman. He resents the fact that Socs are always trying to beat up Greasers; Pony thinks that being poor shouldn't be a reason to get beat up on.

In Chapter 2, Pony meets Cherry and Marcia, two friendly Socs girls who engage in conversation with him and Johnny. In this chapter, Johnny finds himself at odds with Dally, a tough fellow Greaser, who tries to take advantage of Cherry. Yet, despite his fear of the bigger boy, Johnny orders Dally to leave Cherry alone. By all indications, Johnny's brave action saves Cherry embarrassment but succeeds in alienating him from a fellow Greaser. This incident highlights the conflict between Greasers and Socs and between individuals in both groups who don't wish to conform to societal expectations of gang behavior. In this chapter, Pony also describes how badly Johnny was beaten up by four Socs. His narrative and Cherry's later assertion that 'things are rough all over' reinforces the idea that life is difficult no matter where one lives.

In Chapter 3, Cherry maintains that it isn't money which separates the Greasers from the Socs but rather, honesty. She argues that Socs socialize at a very superficial level, while Greasers are more emotionally open with one another.

"That's why we're separated," I said. "It's not money, it's feeling---you don't feel anything and we feel too violently."

Even though Cherry asserts that Pony has no idea what sort of challenges Socs kids endure on a daily basis, Pony definitely feels that Greasers have it far worse. However, in this chapter, Johnny expresses similar views that is later expressed by Randy, a Soc, in Chapter Seven: many Socs and Greasers are tired of all the conflict that exists between the two groups. Most Socs and Greasers just want to live happier lives and to know that they matter to their families and their communities.

In Much Ado About Nothing, what are some examples of gullible characters that make bad decisions or take rash actions?

As is frequent in Shakespeare's work, many of the characters are easily fooled in this play. Deception is neither good nor bad in every case; sometimes it is destructive, while sometimes it is wonderful.

Beatrice and Benedick are tricked into following in love with one another when Don Pedro and his friends hatch their plot to bring the couple together. The two falling in love may be rash, but it ends up being great for...

As is frequent in Shakespeare's work, many of the characters are easily fooled in this play. Deception is neither good nor bad in every case; sometimes it is destructive, while sometimes it is wonderful.

Beatrice and Benedick are tricked into following in love with one another when Don Pedro and his friends hatch their plot to bring the couple together. The two falling in love may be rash, but it ends up being great for the couple. Hero's gullibility is also good at times. Don Pedro convinces her that he is Claudio, which allows him to bring the two young lovers together. Both of these gullible characters are tricked into doing something that makes their lives happier.

Trickery has a dark side in the play too, however. Don John tricks Claudio into believing that Don Pedro wants Hero for himself, and later even convinces him that his fiancee has been unfaithful. This causes him to condemn Hero on her wedding day, which causes a rift between the characters in the play. Hero loses Claudio and Beatrice demands that Benedick kill Claudio. The damage is only undone by yet another case of deception later in the play.

Deception is a key theme in Much Ado about Nothing and in Shakespeare's work overall. 

How do the Friar's motives differ from the couple's motives in Romeo and Juliet?

In William Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet, Friar Laurence is a good friend and supplementary father figure to Romeo. The young man is distant from his own father (as most noble children of the Renaissance were) and he instead seeks guidance and praise from Friar Laurence. When Romeo comes to the Friar and tells him that he is in love with Juliet and wishes to marry her, Friar Laurence is a little suspicious. He accuses Romeo of being quick to fall in love, but accepts Romeo's assertion that what he has with Juliet is true. He agrees to marry them, if Romeo can find a way to sneak Juliet to the Friar's cell. In Act II, Scene IV, Friar Laurence acknowledges that it is a bit of a risk to marry the young lovers, but he hopes that their union will put an end to the fighting between their houses.

It could be said that Friar Laurence has the greater good at heart in agreeing to marry Romeo and Juliet. Even though they can only be married in secret, without the consent or participation of their families, the Friar hopes that these small sins will be outweighed by putting an end to the Montague-Capulet feud. Imagine the lives that will be saved, the peace restored in Verona, if only these two families would call it off! 

Romeo and Juliet do not have such long-term or big picture aspirations for their marriage, they just want to be together. Their desire for physical intimacy with one another, made apparent by their rush to share a first kiss, is a big factor in their motivation to be married. Renaissance Verona was a very religious society, and it would have been sinful for the two to be intimate outside of marriage. Though Romeo and Juliet do not really know very much about one another, they are infatuated. It might be better to say that they are in love with the idea of being in love, and becoming married would allow them to legitimately fulfill that dream. I think that Romeo and Juliet have both put a lot of pressure on themselves with regards to relationships, and marriage seems like the obvious choice for both of them to "succeed" at being in a relationship.

How could readers react to the way family units are formed in Jonas's community?

Family units are specifically structured to ensure complete obedience to the rules and laws of the community. Since everyone takes pills to suppress the Stirrings, husbands and wives are not married to procreate, but to effectively teach their children how to be obedient and contributing future citizens. Couples are selected specifically for effectiveness; and when they want children, they must apply for them. Children are placed with couples within the year that they are born...

Family units are specifically structured to ensure complete obedience to the rules and laws of the community. Since everyone takes pills to suppress the Stirrings, husbands and wives are not married to procreate, but to effectively teach their children how to be obedient and contributing future citizens. Couples are selected specifically for effectiveness; and when they want children, they must apply for them. Children are placed with couples within the year that they are born and only when they can sleep through the night and meet weight requirements. When children grow up and obtain their own dwellings, they never see their parents again. Jonas explains what will happen next for his parents:

"As long as they're still working and contributing to the community, they'll go and live with the other Childless Adults. And they won't be a part of my life anymore" (124).

Therefore, family units only exist as long as the children need adult supervision.There are no true feelings of love because of the fact that families are not created for that purpose. When Jonas receives a memory about grandparents, for instance, he discovers the loving bonds that can exist between family members. Jonas tries to explain the feeling that he felt with the memory of grandparents as follows:

"'The family in the memory seemed a little more--He faltered, not able to find the word he wanted.

'A little more complete,' The Giver suggested.

Jonas nodded. 'I liked the feeling of love'" (126).

Unfortunately, family units in Jonas's community are only formed for practical reasons, not for love. Family relationships do not continue after rearing children and then adults live as singles again. This does not seem like a satisfying lifestyle. Most people marry for love and have children because they want to create families formed from that love. Only in families can we experience love and respect for different generations, as seen between grandparents and grandchildren. But in Jonas's community, everyone misses out on this experience, which is sad. 

In The Outsiders, what are some major events for Darry?

One major event in Darry's life happens prior to the opening of the story when his parents are killed in a car crash. Ponyboy tells the reader that Darry was very close to them, particularly to his father, and that after his death his life changed dramatically. Although he didn't show a great deal of emotion, it is clear that he immediately felt the weight of his responsibility to keep the family together. So he...

One major event in Darry's life happens prior to the opening of the story when his parents are killed in a car crash. Ponyboy tells the reader that Darry was very close to them, particularly to his father, and that after his death his life changed dramatically. Although he didn't show a great deal of emotion, it is clear that he immediately felt the weight of his responsibility to keep the family together. So he holds down two jobs and fights to make sure the two younger boys don't get sent to a group home.

Another major event in the story was when Darry hits Ponyboy. He is frustrated and Pony thinks he is just being mean but he loses his cool and slaps him. This of course is the night that Pony runs away and finds Johnny and they end up getting attacked and Johnny kills Bob.

One more major event could be the day that he and Ponyboy are reunited at the hospital. Darry has been worried sick and no one would tell him where Johnny and Pony were hiding out but he is overcome with relief when he sees that Ponyboy is going to be ok.

How does socialization impact our culture?

Socialization impacts our culture the same way it impacts every other culture in the world.  That is, socialization perpetuates our culture.  Without socialization, our culture would not be handed down from generation to generation.

Culture is not an innate part of our nature.  It may be that we are innately social and we want to be around other people.  However, there is nothing in our genes that points us toward certain cultural practices.  Americans are...

Socialization impacts our culture the same way it impacts every other culture in the world.  That is, socialization perpetuates our culture.  Without socialization, our culture would not be handed down from generation to generation.

Culture is not an innate part of our nature.  It may be that we are innately social and we want to be around other people.  However, there is nothing in our genes that points us toward certain cultural practices.  Americans are not genetically predisposed to like hot dogs and baseball while people in Saudi Arabia are not born believing that women should not be allowed to drive cars.  Instead, we gain these cultural beliefs and practices through socialization.

All cultures are passed down through socialization.  This means that people in different countries socialize their children in different ways.  Where I grew up, I was socialized to not look older people or superiors in the eye because that was offensive.  Here in America, children are taught that it is respectful to do so.

However, socialization does not affect the content of our culture.  Socialization is simply a means for passing our culture to the next generation.  Therefore, socialization impacts our culture by passing it down and making sure that it continues to exist.

Compare and contrast the political philosophies of Rousseau and Aristotle.

To analyze each philosopher's view of politics, you must first examine his ideas on man's place in society.  Aristotle proposed in Poetics that mankind is only a part of a whole; he claimed that the state came first, and that the family and then the individual evolved from the state.  He theorized that if a physical body ceases to be, you can not be left with an independent hand or a foot, because a part...

To analyze each philosopher's view of politics, you must first examine his ideas on man's place in society.  Aristotle proposed in Poetics that mankind is only a part of a whole; he claimed that the state came first, and that the family and then the individual evolved from the state.  He theorized that if a physical body ceases to be, you can not be left with an independent hand or a foot, because a part can not exist separated from its whole.  The same, Aristotle says, is true for individuals apart from society:

"Man is by nature a social animal; an individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human. Society is something that precedes the individual. Anyone who either cannot lead the common life or is so self-sufficient as not to need to, and therefore does not partake of society, is either a beast or a god."

This society is what makes mankind morally upright, and our morality is what makes us better than the animals.  Rousseau, on the other hand, believed that society actually corrupted mankind, and that our moral evolution worked backward from what Aristotle described.  Rousseau describes the "noble savage," the man that, if left to nature, would be uncorrupted in his natural state.  Rousseau theorized that society only works because we (somewhat subconsciously) enter into what he called a "social contract" that allows us all to band together so that our common needs are met.  He felt that this mutual agreement had many political drawbacks, as it caused the development of pride over natural self-love, and pride caused vanity:

“The first person who, having enclosed a plot of land, took it into his head to say this is mine and found people simple enough to believe him was the true founder of civil society. What crimes, wars, murders, what miseries and horrors would the human race have been spared, had some one pulled up the stakes or filled in the ditch and cried out to his fellow men: "Do not listen to this imposter. You are lost if you forget that the fruits of the earth belong to all and the earth to no one!” 

So while Aristotle believed mankind thrived on society and was born a political being, Rousseau believed mankind was forced to become political out of a mutual benefit that outweighed remaining independent.

What main points make Shylock from the Merchant of Venice a villain?

Based on the text and historical context, it is clear that Shakespeare intended Shylock to be a villain. He does create some sympathy for the character, but it is widely later readings of the text from a modern perspective that paint Shylock as a victim. Here are a few examples of how Shylock is portrayed as the villain of the story.

He is a moneylender

The very fact the Shylock makes a living as a...

Based on the text and historical context, it is clear that Shakespeare intended Shylock to be a villain. He does create some sympathy for the character, but it is widely later readings of the text from a modern perspective that paint Shylock as a victim. Here are a few examples of how Shylock is portrayed as the villain of the story.

He is a moneylender

The very fact the Shylock makes a living as a moneylender would be considered criminal in Shakespeare's day. Christians of this time viewed lending with interest as a sin. Members of the Jewish community were forced into this profession by necessity, but Shakespeare's audiences would likely have seen this as cruel and greedy behavior.

He demands a pound of flesh

If Antonio is unable to repay his debt he is obligated to provide Shylock with a pound of his own flesh. This would of course kill him. As demonstrated in Portia's final speech, this may be considered a demand devoid of mercy. Some consider this an exploration of the idealogical differences between the so-called Old and New Testaments of the Christian faith. From a mostly Christian Elizabethan perspective, this could be seen as an act of cruelty.

Jewish villains were common in the day

Many plays by Shakespeare's contemporaries portray Jewish characters as the villains. The mere appearance of a Jewish character in a play would often indicate villainy. It was a common archetype of the day. Modern readings, with less prejudice, have of course rejected this reading.

Why do you think Roger decides that he does not want to be mistrusted in "Thank You, Ma'am?"

Roger decides that he does not want to be mistrusted by Mrs. Jones as he comes to respect her for her kindness and trust in him. Because he respects her, Roger, in turn, wants her to think better of him than she has during her first impressions.

After Roger tries to steal Mrs. Jones's purse, she grabs him and shakes him,

“If I turn you loose, will you run?” asked the woman. “Yes’m,” said the...

Roger decides that he does not want to be mistrusted by Mrs. Jones as he comes to respect her for her kindness and trust in him. Because he respects her, Roger, in turn, wants her to think better of him than she has during her first impressions.

After Roger tries to steal Mrs. Jones's purse, she grabs him and shakes him,

“If I turn you loose, will you run?” asked the woman.
“Yes’m,” said the boy.
“Then I won’t turn you loose,” said the woman. She did not release him.

Mrs. Jones drags Roger all the way to her living quarters. Once there, she tells him to wash his face and hands while she prepares a meal for them. Roger thinks of running, but he does not. Clearly, he is moved by the kindness of Mrs. Jones and the trust that she now puts in him not to steal her purse because she leaves it where he could easily grab it. And, since he now respects her, Roger, in turn, wants her to think better of him. So, he remains and sits where she can easily see him so she will know that he has no intention of going into her purse. For, Roger appreciates the second chance too much.

What do Triphen and Mistress Cutler think of Lyddie when she arrives in Lyddie?

Lyddie does not look like she belongs in the tavern because she is scrawny and ragged.

Lyddie is impressed by the elegant ladies and gentleman on the stagecoach as she arrives at the tavern.  Her own appearance is quite a contrast.  Mistress Cutler notices.

She came over to the wall and whispered hoarsely across it to her. "What are you doing here?" She was looking Lyddie up and down as she asked, as though Lyddie were a stray dog who had wandered too close to her house. (Ch. 3)

Lyddie looks very ragged, and Mistress Cutler tells her “this is a respectable tavern, not the township poor farm.”  Lyddie is embarrassed and introduces herself, saying she has a letter from her mother.  This finally convinces the tavern mistress that she does belong.  After that, she sends Lyddie into the kitchen and pretty much ignores her.

Triphena comments on Lyddie’s looks too.

 "Lucky you're so plain.  Guests couldn't leave the last girl be." She was ladling stew into a large serving basin. "Won't have no trouble with you, will we?" (Ch. 3)

At first, Lyddie just feels in the way in the tavern’s big kitchen.  However, Triphena takes a shine to Lyddie and shows her the ropes.  They actually become friends, despite Lyddie’s first impression.  Lyddie is determined to prove herself worthy, considering herself a “fierce worker.”  She wants to make them realize that she has value.

When Mistress Cutler gives Lyddie a storebought calico and boots, she feels even less comfortable than in her “rough brown homespun,” again considering the mistress ashamed of her.

Things do not really get better with Mistress Cutler, and her rough personality is a contrast to Triphena’s friendliness and help.  Lyddie finds herself growing more independent, and the tavern allows her to see interesting people like the factory girls.  Eventually she quits due to Mistress Cutler’s intractability, but she finds a job at the factory satisfying.

What quote supports the idea that Boo Radley and Tom Robinson are mockingbirds?

At the end of the novel, in chapter 30, Scout learns that the person responsible for saving both her and Jem from the clutches of an angry Bob Ewell is none other than their mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley. She now comes to view him not as a scary phantom monster but as a kind and courageous protector and friend. She also learns from Atticus that to expose the shy and reclusive Boo as a hero...

At the end of the novel, in chapter 30, Scout learns that the person responsible for saving both her and Jem from the clutches of an angry Bob Ewell is none other than their mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley. She now comes to view him not as a scary phantom monster but as a kind and courageous protector and friend. She also learns from Atticus that to expose the shy and reclusive Boo as a hero to the general public would mean bringing him unwanted acclaim and attention and this would not be the right way to treat him after all that he did for them. Scout also remembers what she had been told before about never killing a mockingbird, since all that they ever do is bring goodness and light into our lives with their innocent yet beautiful singing. She now sees that Boo Radley is like the mockingbird because he had been the one to always leave little gifts for the children and although they taunted him, in the end he protected them from danger. Therefore, she now understands that he should not be harmed in any way. That is why she says,

"Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?"

Although this quote refers to Boo Radley at this point in the novel, it can also be said of Tom Robinson because he, too, was a character who was always good and kind, especially to Mayella Ewell when she asked for his help. He didn't deserve to be killed.

The metaphor of a mockingbird is used to represent both Tom Robinson and Boo Radley and this quote from Scout shows that she has come to understand why we must strive to protect the rights of those who are worthy and yet unable to protect themselves from the bad elements in our society. In saying those words, Scout has come of age and although she has lost her innocence, she has gained empathy and compassion for others.

Describe character types in "The Ransom of Red Chief."

Part of the delicious irony of O. Henry's story is that the character types are reversed. Normally the kidnappers would be the "bad guys" or antagonists, and the kidnapped child would be the protagonist or hero. In this story, however, Red Chief is the "bad guy" even though he is only a young boy and should be easily overcome by two older men. The boy is as obnoxious, cruel, and dangerous as any outlaw. The...

Part of the delicious irony of O. Henry's story is that the character types are reversed. Normally the kidnappers would be the "bad guys" or antagonists, and the kidnapped child would be the protagonist or hero. In this story, however, Red Chief is the "bad guy" even though he is only a young boy and should be easily overcome by two older men. The boy is as obnoxious, cruel, and dangerous as any outlaw. The kidnappers, Bill and Sam, on the other hand, are eminently likable. Bill is the side-kick who carries out the orders of the "boss." The fact that Bill keeps trying to humor the boy and "play" with him even after he gets injured several times makes readers feel sympathetic toward Bill. Sam is the "mastermind" criminal, but is also, along with Bill, the protagonist. Sam uses his head, trying to pull off a crime, but he bears so little animosity toward anyone and shows so much forbearance toward Red Chief that readers like him, too. Ebenezer Dorset, Johnny's father, who should be a protagonist, is another antagonist in this story. He is also the quintessential skinflint; he is aptly named, reminding readers of Ebenezer Scrooge. Although Sam is supposed to be the mastermind, Ebenezer outwits Sam easily, and the law-abiding citizen becomes the extortionist in this humorous and ironic tale.

How does Mr. Hooper's veil benefit him in his role as a clergyman? How do these details suggest the theme of the story?

One way in which Mr. Hooper benefits from the veil is that he can now affect his parishioners to a much greater extent than he ever did before he put it on.  The narrator tells us that, on the day he first wears the veil, his sermon was "marked by the same characteristics of style and manner" as his sermons always were, and yet

there was something, either in the sentiment of the discourse itself, or in the imagination of the auditors, which made it greatly the most powerful effort that they had ever heard from their pastor's lips.

Despite the fact that Mr. Hooper speaks as mildly as usual, this sermon is somehow more persuasive, more poignant than any he has delivered before.  In fact, every listener "felt as if the preacher had crept upon them, behind his awful veil, and discovered their hoarded iniquity of deed or thought."  They feel more understood by him than they ever have; it's as though he somehow knows them more fully, and this feeling makes them extremely uncomfortable because there is something they wish to hide.  Moreover, when he goes to pray over the body of a recently deceased girl,

The people trembled, though they but darkly understood him when he prayed that they, and himself, and all of mortal race, might be ready, as he trusted this young maiden had been, for the dreadful hour that should snatch the veil from their faces.

We begin, now, to understand what this veil represents.  That his audience feels that he, with his veil, has "discovered their hoarded iniquity of deed or thought" and that it is death, alone, that will "snatch the veil" away, helps us to see that the veil must have to with our secret sinful thoughts or actions.  Our pretense -- portraying ourselves to the world as sinless -- separates us from one another, preventing us from truly knowing each other, and will only be lifted when we die.  If the thing we fear most is the revelation of our sinfulness to another person, then we can never realize that we are all sinners (a popular Hawthorne theme), and it is our unnecessary deception that ultimately -- and unnecessarily -- alienates each of us.

Furthermore, if Mr. Hooper were to just come out and accuse each of them of being a secret sinner who purposefully hides their true, sinful, natures, his message would seem a lot less palatable to his listeners. Wearing the veil, however, not only engages them in some critical thinking about why he would wear it and what it represents but also precisely conveys the point that we all do this.  Even the minister hides his true nature, recognizes the universality of the pretense, and STILL doesn't have the nerve to tell them what the veil means.  Therefore, this need to present ourselves as sinless creatures seems to be a real deep-seated human impulse.  Not even the minister can escape it.

How can I write an essay, including thesis statement and body paragraphs, on the topic of the causes and effects of racism in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Racism is one of the major themes in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. In writing your essay about the causes and effects of racism, you will want to focus on the character of Tom Robinson, a black man who is falsely accused of rape and defended by Atticus Finch.

To organize your essay, you might want to state a general thesis about how the novel views the causes, effects, and nature of racism in...

Racism is one of the major themes in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. In writing your essay about the causes and effects of racism, you will want to focus on the character of Tom Robinson, a black man who is falsely accused of rape and defended by Atticus Finch.

To organize your essay, you might want to state a general thesis about how the novel views the causes, effects, and nature of racism in your introduction, and then devote each body paragraph or main section of your essay to discussing the causes and effects of racism on individual characters. 

For your thesis, you might argue that the major cause of racism in the novel is fear, especially on the part of white people, and introduce the concept of "white privilege." You could support this with the following quote, in which Atticus Finch explains to Scout:

... nigger-lover is just one of those terms ... ignorant, trashy people use ... when they think somebody's favoring Negroes over and above themselves. 

The first body paragraph should discuss Robinson and his attitudes towards race. In this paragraph, you should emphasize how kind he has been to Mayella Ewell. As Robinson is tried and lynched primarily because he is black, you can talk about him as an example of the effects of racial prejudice on black people.

Your next paragraphs should discuss Robert and Mayella Ewell and why they might resent a black man who better exemplified the virtues of a gentleman than Robert and why Robert, himself a violent and shiftless alcoholic, might see Robertson as a threat to his white privilege. 

Next, you might look individually at the jury in Robinson's trial and Braxton Bragg Underwood and try to understand why they might feel threatened by blacks in general. 

How does race play a part in The Great Gatsby? How do you read Nick, finally? How sympathetic do you think he is toward Tom? Does Nick share or...

From the early pages of the novel, Tom's racism provides a backdrop to the action. When Nick visits him for the first time after moving to Long Island, Tom says he believes the "Nordic" races, to whom he attributes the development of civilization, are in danger of being overrun by nonwhites. 

This is important because Gatsby, originally named Gatz, may well have a Jewish or Semitic background, meaning he would not be Nordic. We learn...

From the early pages of the novel, Tom's racism provides a backdrop to the action. When Nick visits him for the first time after moving to Long Island, Tom says he believes the "Nordic" races, to whom he attributes the development of civilization, are in danger of being overrun by nonwhites. 

This is important because Gatsby, originally named Gatz, may well have a Jewish or Semitic background, meaning he would not be Nordic. We learn early in the novel that Tom has a narrow idea of who qualifies as "Nordic" when he hesitates for a moment even before including Daisy, his own wife, in that group. 

In this passage at the Plaza, Tom insinuates that Gatsby is not Nordic. At this point, he understands that Daisy and Gatsby have been having an affair. He says he won't "sit back and let Mr. Nobody from Nowhere [Gatsby] make love" to Daisy. Immediately after this, he makes his remark about racial intermarriage, which he thinks is a terrible idea. To Tom, breaking up Daisy and Gatsby is about more than saving his own marriage: it is saving society from racial destruction. 

Nick and the novel both reject Tom's racism. This is clear because the person Nick, and the novel, most romanticize is Gatsby, the man Tom overflows with contempt for to the extent he can hardly stand to be near him. For Nick, however, Gatsby is the heroic, if flawed and tragic, emblem of the American Dream, a figure he admires in spite of himself. He says of Gatsby, "there was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life."

Nick, on the other hand, dislikes Tom intensely. He continually casts him as brutal, unintelligent, hypocritical, snobbish, entitled and racist, and early in the book dismisses him with one the classical disses in American literature: "one of those men who reach such an acute limited excellence at 21 that everything afterward savors of anti-climax." Nick continually portrays Tom as the quintessential buzzkill: to be around Tom is to be in misery. From the start, Nick describes his old college friend as having "arrogant eyes" and "effeminate swank ... a cruel body." 

In the end, Nick is an unreliable narrator who lacks the self-awareness to understand that his "cardinal virtue" is not his "honesty." We can't know for certain whether or not he is too hard on Tom, but Tom's own actions tend to bear out Nick's subjective feelings that Tom is a repugnant human being.  

In The Way to Rainy Mountain, what age did Momaday's grandmother live to be?

Although we are never given an exact age, we know that Momaday's grandmother lived to be very old. The reader knows this by the following quotation:

Now that I can have her only in memory, I see my grandmother in the several postures that were peculiar to her: standing at the wood stove on a winter morning . . . sitting at the south window, bent above her beadwork . . . going out upon...

Although we are never given an exact age, we know that Momaday's grandmother lived to be very old. The reader knows this by the following quotation:

Now that I can have her only in memory, I see my grandmother in the several postures that were peculiar to her: standing at the wood stove on a winter morning . . . sitting at the south window, bent above her beadwork . . . going out upon a cane, very slowly as she did when the weight of age came upon her; praying. I remember her most often at prayer.

There are many important words here that lend themselves to the idea of old age. Momaday's grandmother, Aho, is "bent" over her beadwork. This shows that her spine is no longer straight (which often accompanies old age). Next, she always goes "out upon a cane, very slowly." Using a cane and moving "very slowly" are also usual aspects of an elderly person. Finally, Momaday gives the direct description that the "weight of age came upon her." This is a literal way of telling readers that Aho is truly old. 

Further, Aho's age is extremely important in that it is her age that allows her to have experienced some of the most important events in Kiowa culture. Most importantly, Aho experienced the last two Sun Dances of the Kiowa tribe of Native Americans. Aho describes both for her grandson, Momaday, who eventually writes this book. In a sense, it is The Way to Rainy Mountain that immortalizes the Kiowa tribe in regards to myth, history, and personal experience.

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

It could be argued that Victor Frankenstein is the "father" of the monster, since Victor crafts the monster out of scavenged body parts and uses his study of the occult to bring his creation to life. The monster did not ask to "be born" or to live just as children don't ask to be born of their parents. Most parents would likely agree that once a child is born, it is the responsibility of the parents to raise, care for, protect, and guide the child until the child is able to care for oneself and live as a productive adult. You don't have to dig too far into research in the social sciences to encounter many examples of how a child's development is negatively impacted by being abandoned or neglected by either parent, though the effects of a father abandoning/neglecting a son are a special subset both in literature and in psychology/sociology.

If you agree that a father should be both a role model for his children and also be responsible for guiding them towards a moral compass of what constitutes right versus wrong, then consider the significance of Victor's reaction to the creation of his monster. When he sees that his experiment was successful, he grows instantly repulsed and rejects and abandons the monster to the world. When we later meet the monster again (after it has murdered members of Victor's family), we learn that it was not born evil but rather as it attempted to learn the ways of the world and to find friends and community, the monster turned bitter after experiencing rejection, fear, violence, and loneliness. The monster comes to hate Victor for bringing him into the world and not sticking around to help him navigate all the pitfalls of life. The monster was not born a monster, but rather its experiences of abuse and neglect turned it monstrous. Of course, Victor's failures as a "father" come back to haunt him as the monster continues to systematically murder Victor's loved ones.

The second part of this question leads a reader to think that perhaps Mary Shelley felt abandoned or unsupported by her own father, the philosopher William Godwin. Shelley's mother (the feminist Mary Wollstonecraft) died shortly after Shelley's birth, and Shelley reportedly didn't get along with her stepmother. Shelley's adult life was also riddled with tragedy, which may have factored into the "failed father" theme. Her husband, the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, drowned during a sailing trip, leaving their then 3-year old son without a father for the rest of his upbringing.

In Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, please explain Shylock's rhetoric as he uses metaphor and repetition.

Whenever an author, or character, uses literary devices such as metaphors and repetitive language, it is done in an effort to create a mental image in the mind of the audience (or other character) for the sake of deeper understanding, and/or to drive home a point, message, or theme. Shylock does this masterfully because he wants the Christians to know and understand how they continue to make him and his fellow Jews suffer. For example,...

Whenever an author, or character, uses literary devices such as metaphors and repetitive language, it is done in an effort to create a mental image in the mind of the audience (or other character) for the sake of deeper understanding, and/or to drive home a point, message, or theme. Shylock does this masterfully because he wants the Christians to know and understand how they continue to make him and his fellow Jews suffer. For example, before Shylock loans three-thousand ducats to Antonio, he reminds him how he has treated him in public in the past. During Shylock's discourse, he repeats the words you, money, dog, and cur because he doesn't want Antonio to forget the connection he is now making between hurting Shylock and needing to borrow money from him.

"You come to me, and you say

'Shylock, we would have moneys'--you say so,

You, that did void your rheum upon my beard,

And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur

Over your threshold. Moneys is your suit.

What should I say to you? Should I not say

'Hath a dog money? is it possible

A cur can lend three thousand ducats?'" (I.iii.111-118).

Basically, Shylock is telling Antonio that it is ironic that he needs money from someone he has spit upon and called a dog and a cur. He wants Antonio to recognized the irony and wallow in it for all the suffering he has caused Shylock in the past. Shylock uses the metaphor of him being compared to a dog because not only is that what Antonio has called him before, but now the high and mighty Antonio is seeking help from said dog. Shylock, again, then uses the repetition of the above-mentioned words in order to drive home the point of this ironic business transaction.

In Death of a Salesman, what does Willy Loman sell?

This question is not answered in the play. Evidently the author did not consider it important. Or perhaps he considered it important notto specify what it was that Willy Loman was selling, because that way it suggests that Willy is throwing his life away peddling mass-produced, meretricious items that could not be as valuable as a man's life. Whatever it is, it is just some more spurious goods which American factories keep turning out...

This question is not answered in the play. Evidently the author did not consider it important. Or perhaps he considered it important not to specify what it was that Willy Loman was selling, because that way it suggests that Willy is throwing his life away peddling mass-produced, meretricious items that could not be as valuable as a man's life. Whatever it is, it is just some more spurious goods which American factories keep turning out endlessly and which must be endlessly consumed by the American public. Willy is just a cog in the gigantic, complex machinery of American business. He has to sell a certain amount of the product, whatever it is, in order to keep his job and pay his bills, which he is just barely managing to do. No doubt Willy has no affection for whatever it is he is selling. He can't be a very effective salesman any longer if he doesn't care about the product he is handling. He may be sick of looking at it. According to the stage directions:

From the right, Willy Loman, the Salesman, enters, carrying two large sample cases.

These seem like the cross that Willy has to bear. They beautifully and instantaneously characterize Willy Loman as a worn-out traveling salesman. They are obviously heavy. He is not selling lingerie but some kind of heavy merchandise. One might guess that the sample cases (which are bigger than ordinary suitcases) contain metal objects such as candle-holders, fake silver platters, and other such bric-a-brac. They may have been gradually going out of fashion in American homes, so that it is harder to peddle them to retailers. Willy has gotten stuck with a line of old-fashioned merchandise and a huge territory full of tight-fisted Yankee shopkeepers who deal with tight-fisted Yankee customers themselves. 

I'm wondering what influenced the decision to live in Greece since it was so mountainous and it was surrounded by seas.

What influenced the decision to live in Greece is that there was arable land there and people tend to live everywhere where it is possible to make a living.  In other words, people live practically everywhere that they can and Greece is a place where people can live.  Therefore, people decided to settle in Greece.

This question seems to imply that people only live in the most hospitable of locations.  This is simply not the...

What influenced the decision to live in Greece is that there was arable land there and people tend to live everywhere where it is possible to make a living.  In other words, people live practically everywhere that they can and Greece is a place where people can live.  Therefore, people decided to settle in Greece.

This question seems to imply that people only live in the most hospitable of locations.  This is simply not the case and it was not the case even in ancient times when the population of the Earth was so much smaller.  Think about some of the places that have long been populated.  The Arctic has long been populated by the Inuit and others.  Tiny atolls in the Pacific, like those of the Marshall Islands, have been inhabited for millennia.  These are places where it is not easy to scratch out a living and yet people have lived there for a very long time.

What this should tell us is that people will live everywhere where it is possible to live.  Greece is not a place where it is hard to live.  Its climate was good for growing things and, while it was mountainous, there was plenty of land that could be cultivated.  The sea was also a source of food.  Because of these factors, we should not be surprised about the fact that people chose to live in Greece.

What does the behavioral model focus on more than the psychoanalytic and humanistic traditions?

Based on principles of learning and conditioning, the behavioral model has had an important and lasting impact on our understanding of psychopathology. The behavioral model focuses more on PRECISE MEASUREMENT than the psychoanalytic and humanistic approaches. 

The behavioral model emerged through the foundational work of Ivan Pavlov and B.F. Skinner - and posits all behavior to be a response to environmental and social stimulus. Since the emphasis on learning is directed away from internal mental...

Based on principles of learning and conditioning, the behavioral model has had an important and lasting impact on our understanding of psychopathology. The behavioral model focuses more on PRECISE MEASUREMENT than the psychoanalytic and humanistic approaches. 

The behavioral model emerged through the foundational work of Ivan Pavlov and B.F. Skinner - and posits all behavior to be a response to environmental and social stimulus. Since the emphasis on learning is directed away from internal mental processes - it is only observable and measurable (bodily) acts that have analytical significance. Therefore, psychopathologies can be corrected with the two techniques: classical conditioning (where an existing response elicited by one stimulus is transferred to a new stimulus) and operant conditioning (where responses are strengthened or weakened through positive or negative reinforcement). Given the desire to isolate the effects of these particular techniques on learning, behavioralist methods favor laboratory settings which allow for greater control over variables, objectivity, and precision in measurements. 

Offer an overall critique of the book The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson.

Erik Larson's narrative non-fiction book The Devil in the White City tells the history of the Chicago World's Fair of 1893, also known as the Columbian Exposition. He tells this story the way no one has told it before, using primary sources such as newspaper articles from the time, journals, first-person accounts, and other sources to intertwine the story of two very different men--Daniel H. Burnham, the architect who built the fair, and H.H. Holmes, a...

Erik Larson's narrative non-fiction book The Devil in the White City tells the history of the Chicago World's Fair of 1893, also known as the Columbian Exposition. He tells this story the way no one has told it before, using primary sources such as newspaper articles from the time, journals, first-person accounts, and other sources to intertwine the story of two very different men--Daniel H. Burnham, the architect who built the fair, and H.H. Holmes, a con man and murderer who uses the fair and its anonymity to deceive and kill. By any account, the results are masterful, and the book is very compelling. 

Though each reader is entitled to his or her own opinion, most critics and readers agree that The Devil in the White City is a masterful and well-done history. First of all, his use of new types of sources broadens and enriches the story that Larson tells. Second, by combining the stories of Burnham and Holmes, Larson makes the point that the anonymity afforded by new modern cities allows for greatness and evil to co-exist. Third, the story is very suspenseful and readable. While some books of history bog down in unnecessary detail, Larson's use of a strong narrative and his use of vivid details that re-create the time period make this a very compelling book. 

According to Kevin, what is robotics and how is it used?

The first time Kevin visits the "down under," Max's basement bedroom, the two boys have a conversation that begins with Kevin explaining why he calls his mom the "fair Gwen of air."  This, of course, is what Max has misunderstood Kevin as saying, when he is actually calling Gwen "Guinevere."  Kevin begins explaining the legends of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table in order to help Max understand his nickname for his...

The first time Kevin visits the "down under," Max's basement bedroom, the two boys have a conversation that begins with Kevin explaining why he calls his mom the "fair Gwen of air."  This, of course, is what Max has misunderstood Kevin as saying, when he is actually calling Gwen "Guinevere."  Kevin begins explaining the legends of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table in order to help Max understand his nickname for his mom.  Kevin says that knights 

were like the first human version of robots. They wore this metal armor to protect them and make them invincible.

When Max tells Kevin that he thought robots were only in the movies, Kevin says:

I suppose I must make allowances for your ignorance. On the subject of robots you are clearly misinformed. Robots are not just in the movies. Robotics, the science of designing and building functional robots, is a huge industry. There are thousands of robot units presently in use. Millions of them. . . . Many robotic devices are in fact sophisticated assembly units, machines that put together cars and trucks and computers.

Robotics is so important to Kevin because he sees this field as his future.  He believes robotics will be the answer to his physical handicaps and will eventually give him the ability to walk.  His passion for robots and their study is admirable and understandable.

According to myth, what is one reason the Grandmother Spider worries about raising the Sun's child?

In The Way to Rainy Mountain, the story of Grandmother Spider and her adopted child is one of the Kiowa myths retold by Momaday, in the same oral tradition that the Kiowa have always passed down their stories and history.

Grandmother Spider is worried about the Sun's child because she knows how powerful he is, as a diving being, and worries that she will not be able to control any aspect of his behavior. His constant disobedience shows how right she was. For instance, he throws a wheel into the sky after warnings from Grandmother Spider, and this ends with him being cut in two pieces, each of which reforms into a "twin" of the other. Grandmother Spider now has two disobedient children to raise.

Her fears that she cannot keep the twins safe and raise them the way she should continue to be confirmed as they play a game which involves throwing their rings into a giant's cave. However, when they are nearly injured or killed by the giant, they remember their adopted mother's words for once and are able to say an incantation she taught them to save themselves. 

Despite Grandmother Spider's fears, the twins are said to have lived long and happy lives, even after her death. Perhaps she taught them well enough after all.

What was the author's style of writing in "The Sniper"?

In his short story "The Sniper," Liam O'Flaherty uses a third person narrator to build suspense in a story about a soldier on a rooftop in war torn Dublin during the Irish civil war. The narrator is totally detached and the story is mostly without emotion. Even at the end when the sniper discovers he has killed his own brother, the narrator does not comment on the sniper's feelings.

Instead, the style of the story...

In his short story "The Sniper," Liam O'Flaherty uses a third person narrator to build suspense in a story about a soldier on a rooftop in war torn Dublin during the Irish civil war. The narrator is totally detached and the story is mostly without emotion. Even at the end when the sniper discovers he has killed his own brother, the narrator does not comment on the sniper's feelings.

Instead, the style of the story tries to build on the tension surrounding the sniper's struggle to survive with enemies all around him. We learn very little about the sniper other than he is a "fanatic" and is quite willing to kill without remorse. The narrator concentrates on the action rather than any editorial comment about the war or the sniper's mentality. In this example the narrator puts the sniper in a life or death situation:

The turret opened. A man's head and shoulders appeared, looking toward the sniper. The sniper raised his rifle and fired. The head fell heavily on the turret wall. The woman darted toward the side street. The sniper fired again. The woman whirled round and fell with a shriek into the gutter.

The narrator utilizes short, abrupt sentences and action verbs to intensify the suspense of the situation. It is much like the prose created by Ernest Hemingway in his early short stories about World War I. Hemingway eschewed adjectives and you'll notice the narrator here abandons too much description in order to simply present the action.

The narrator is also good at providing memorable imagery of a city under siege, as Dublin was in the 1920's:

Dublin lay enveloped in darkness but for the dim light of the moon that shone through fleecy clouds, casting a pale light as of approaching dawn over the streets and the dark waters of the Liffey. Around the beleaguered Four Courts the heavy guns roared. Here and there through the city, machine guns and rifles broke the silence of the night, spasmodically, like dogs barking on lone farms.

He also paints an interesting picture of the sniper:

On a rooftop near O'Connell Bridge, a Republican sniper lay watching. Beside him lay his rifle and over his shoulders was slung a pair of field glasses. His face was the face of a student, thin and ascetic, but his eyes had the cold gleam of the fanatic. They were deep and thoughtful, the eyes of a man who is used to looking at death.

What is ironic about the ending of "The Interlopers"?

The ending of the story is ironic because Ulrich and Georg call for help and think that their men are coming to help them, but they can’t see clearly. They are relieved at first, but the reader is left with a sense of dread as they realize there are actually wolves running towards them. They have no chance of survival, considering they are stuck under the tree.

The irony is that when the story begins,...

The ending of the story is ironic because Ulrich and Georg call for help and think that their men are coming to help them, but they can’t see clearly. They are relieved at first, but the reader is left with a sense of dread as they realize there are actually wolves running towards them. They have no chance of survival, considering they are stuck under the tree.

The irony is that when the story begins, Ulrich and Georg are the biggest threats to each other, but once they decide to be friends and remove the main conflict, nature takes charge, and there is no controlling nature. First, the tree almost kills them. Then, when they finally resolve their issues with each other, it doesn’t matter because they can’t stand up to the wolves. This irony emphasizes the theme of the story: humans believe they are in control, but nature is, in fact, in control.

To Macbeth, the first and the second two apparitions say contradictory statements. What are the witches' motives for doing this?

The first apparition conjured by the witches in Act 4, scene 1, tells Macbeth to "Beware Macduff."  The second apparition says, "Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn / The power of man, for none of woman born / Shall harm Macbeth."  Therefore, the first spirit warns Macbeth about the Thane of Fife while the second tells him to go ahead and feel confident because no man born of woman will be able to...

The first apparition conjured by the witches in Act 4, scene 1, tells Macbeth to "Beware Macduff."  The second apparition says, "Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn / The power of man, for none of woman born / Shall harm Macbeth."  Therefore, the first spirit warns Macbeth about the Thane of Fife while the second tells him to go ahead and feel confident because no man born of woman will be able to harm him: an apparent contradiction.

This is a trick.  It is true that Macduff will be the one to kill Macbeth; however, the second apparition's statement is so enigmatically worded that it sounds as though Macbeth has nothing to fear because, of course, every man was born of a woman.  However, Macbeth doesn't realize that Macduff was born via Caesarean section, and so he wasn't -- in an extremely literal and technical sense -- "born."  The witches hope to make Macbeth feel secure so that he does not put up his guard.  If he feels safe, then he will actually be more vulnerable and liable to make mistakes.

How does the text "How It Feels to Be Colored Me" say what it does and represent its contents? What are some elements of genre, structure, form,...

"How It Feels to Be Colored Me" by Zora Neale Hurston is a personal essay. This means that it addresses the issue of race not by making generalizations or using statistics but by recounting examples of her personal experience. Thus genre and point of view both invite us to understand blackness through the eyes of the narrator rather than as something impersonal.

The term "ethos" means argument grounded in the character of the speaker. This...

"How It Feels to Be Colored Me" by Zora Neale Hurston is a personal essay. This means that it addresses the issue of race not by making generalizations or using statistics but by recounting examples of her personal experience. Thus genre and point of view both invite us to understand blackness through the eyes of the narrator rather than as something impersonal.

The term "ethos" means argument grounded in the character of the speaker. This is the primary form of argument used in the essay as it relies on self-portraiture to create authority intrinsically. This is particularly important because one of the main themes of the essay is that the issue of being "colored" or that of race in general only arises when a person is placed in a context in which there is racial conflict or discrimination. Hurston points out that growing up in Eatonville, Florida, she didn't really have a sense of her ethnicity as defining her and her relationships to other people. 

One of the main logical devices she uses is comparison. When she compares herself with a white person in a jazz club, she feels superior in the way she can immerse herself in the music. This leads to the sense that although discrimination exists, slavery is far, in the past and in fact many aspects of black culture are superior to that of white culture. 

Her appeal to pathos is mainly a refusal to be "tragically colored," which appeals to the way her audience admires strength of character. The insistence on people being individuals rather than defined by race and the empathy she builds in sharing her personal viewpoint both lead to the final argument that people should not be defined merely by skin color but by all the complex elements of their characters. 

What Is the value of the number 2.25? How can this number be written as a fraction or mixed number

Hello!

This number is written in a decimal form, which is based on the number `10.` The leftmost digit `2` means just `2.` The next digit, `2` also, has `10` times less "weight" and means `2/10.` The next number, `5,` is at the one hundredth's place and means `5/100.`

The number is the sum of these values, i.e.

`2.25=2+2/10+5/100.`

To add `2/10` and `5/100,` express `2/10` as `20/100` (multiply both numerator and denominator by...

Hello!

This number is written in a decimal form, which is based on the number `10.` The leftmost digit `2` means just `2.` The next digit, `2` also, has `10` times less "weight" and means `2/10.` The next number, `5,` is at the one hundredth's place and means `5/100.`

The number is the sum of these values, i.e.

`2.25=2+2/10+5/100.`

To add `2/10` and `5/100,` express `2/10` as `20/100` (multiply both numerator and denominator by `10`).

So `2/10+5/100=20/100+5/100=25/100.` This fraction may be reduced by `25` and is equal to `1/4.` And we got that the number `2.25` is the same as `2` and `1/4.`

It may also be written as an (improper) fraction. Because `2 =8/4,` `2+1/4=9/4.`

In what time period is Romeo and Juliet set?

William Shakespeare's most famous play, Romeo and Juliet, is set in Renaissance Italy. Shakespeare was writing during the Elizabethan (or Tudor) period, which is contemporary to the Italian Renaissance. English culture of the time did bear some influence from the intellectual and artistic shifts of the mainland, and Shakespeare had likely read about Italian life or possibly even visited. Shakespeare does not mention a particular year for the setting of his play, but based on...

William Shakespeare's most famous play, Romeo and Juliet, is set in Renaissance Italy. Shakespeare was writing during the Elizabethan (or Tudor) period, which is contemporary to the Italian Renaissance. English culture of the time did bear some influence from the intellectual and artistic shifts of the mainland, and Shakespeare had likely read about Italian life or possibly even visited. Shakespeare does not mention a particular year for the setting of his play, but based on context clues, we can assume it to have been set around the time of his writing. For example, noble families played a large part in the development of the Renaissance. These families were wealthy enough that they could sway government and commission buildings or works of art to further their social standing. Of course, rivalries sprung up and often lasted for many generations. The feud between the Montagues and Capulets fits perfectly into the culture of Renaissance Italy.

In A Christmas Carol, why did the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come not speak ?

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is described as a phantom, and instead of speaking, he points throughout his time with Scrooge. Scrooge asks the ghost countless questions, but perhaps the most important is “ 'Answer me one question. Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of things that May be, only?' " (Stave Four, 10). Because the Ghost is mute, Scrooge doesn't receive an answer to...

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is described as a phantom, and instead of speaking, he points throughout his time with Scrooge. Scrooge asks the ghost countless questions, but perhaps the most important is “ 'Answer me one question. Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of things that May be, only?' " (Stave Four, 10). Because the Ghost is mute, Scrooge doesn't receive an answer to his question. The ghost continues to point to Scrooge's untended grave as an answer. Scrooge finally looks at the grave in horror.

So, why doesn't the Ghost speak? Perhaps this last Ghost is silent to show Scrooge that he really does have free will to change the future. By not giving Scrooge definite answers to his questions, the future appears changeable if Scrooge changes his present course of action. The Past has already been written, the Present is occurring, but the Future is unknown. The theme of man controlling his own destiny is emphasized by this last ghostly visit. In fact, at the end of the tale, Scrooge does change the future the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come showed him, and "he became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world..." (Stave Five, 5).

What are the theme and plot of Hamlet by William Shakespeare?

Shakespeare's Hamlet is a play so deeply embedded with a myriad of thematic ideas that perhaps it is best to begin with the plot. To shorten five acts down to a few paragraphs does not give full justice to the nuanced nature of this tragedy but here is the general gist:

A youngish Hamlet is home grieving the untimely death of his father when he is visited one late night by his father's ghost. The ghost, dressed for battle, intimates he was murdered by his brother, Claudius, who has subsequently taken the throne. The ghost goes on to express his frustration that his widow, Gertrude, has quickly cast aside his memory and married the murderous brother. With this knowledge and at the ghost's urging, Hamlet vows to take revenge on his uncle.

Grappling with the weight of what he must do, Hamlet proceeds through the next four acts struggling to follow through with his promise. He appears to decide that feigning madness will allow him to get close to Claudius, but first he must sort out his relationship with Ophelia. Because Hamlet seems repulsed by his mother's incestuous relationship, he pushes back against Ophelia's mild advances. Hamlet seems to understand, too, that Ophelia is being used as a pawn by her father Polonius and the King, as they strive to determine the nature of Hamlet's madness.

By Act IV, the nature of the tragedy comes to light. Hamlet kills Polonius, who was hiding behind a curtain, eavesdropping on Hamlet's conversation with his mother. Ophelia, deeply grieving over the loss of her father and Hamlet's affections, drowns in a river. Whether it was suicide or an accident we will never be certain, though dialogue from the grave diggers suggests the former. Hamlet has been sent to England by the king, who has instructed the English to kill his nephew-son. Hamlet concocts an elaborate ruse to avoid death and his former schoolmates, Rosencrantz and Gildenstern, are killed instead.

Laertes, Ophelia's brother, returns from France upon hearing the news of his father's and sister's deaths and comes prepared to take vengeance. He challenges Hamlet to a duel and aided by the king, attempts to kill Hamlet with a poison-tipped sword. King Claudius also has a poisoned cup of wine to use if necessary, but Queen Gertrude drinks from it accidentally and quickly dies. Hamlet, in a struggle with Laertes, switches swords with him and then strikes a blow, one that quickly turns lethal.

With nothing to stop him, and also mortally wounded from a blow from Laertes, Hamlet is able finally exact his revenge on Claudius, forcing the poisoned wine down his throat. At the play's conclusion, Hamlet begs his faithful friend Horatio to tell his story and he dies as Fortinbras, who was slowly storming the castle, enters ready to take the throne.

Thematically, we have madness and the nature of madness, gender roles, revenge, and mortality. 

What classic film is sometimes called "the American Christmas Carol"?

Clearly, you have your answer. It's a Wonderful Life is very much the American Christmas Carol. Now you should ask a different question: What qualities do the two stories have in common?

Great stories have great themes. A theme is a controlling idea that everything in the story supports; it is the author's main message to you. Every story worth telling has at least one. (An obvious example is the first Spider-Man movie. Its theme is "With great power comes great responsibility." Everything that happens to Peter Parker supports this theme, and everything bad that happens to him--his uncle gets shot, his aunt goes broke--happens because he forgets this lesson.)

What is the theme of A Christmas Carol? Actually, the great thing about this story is that it has a whole bunch of good possible themes: Christmas is one time of year when you really need to lighten up. Money is no good if everybody hates you. Death makes things a lot more important. There is still time to change your ways. Don't choose money over love. Maybe a dozen more really good themes work with this particular story.

It's a Wonderful Life also has many great themes. The obvious one is that one good man makes a huge difference, maybe a bigger one than he knows. But it has lots of other themes as well. It even has a few of the same themes as A Christmas Carol.

Instead of giving a long plot summary of one of the movies, pick a couple of themes that both have in common and give examples of story elements that support them. One has a bunch of ghosts, the other has an angel. Magical elements! Lots of movies don't have that, but both of these do. Why?

And while both movies are set in the era when they were written or made, both are lasting classics, in part, because they occur when their respective countries are at the peak of their power and influence. Victorian England was when the British had their greatest influence on the rest of the world. America in 1946 was in a pretty comparable position.

Ebenezer Scrooge and George Baily are both in the finance industry. When you think of Christmas, you think of toy stores and Christmas trees and sleigh rides in the snow, but both of these stories are about guys who are trying to balance the credit and debit columns in their ledgers. Is the true spirit of Christmas to be found in a bank office? It's kind of a weird place for a Christmas epiphany. Maybe there's something there!

I think that if you focus more on theme, less on plot points, and give both stories equal weight, you'll find this paper to be a lot easier to write well.

In a hydraulic system an initial force of 16 newtons is applied to a piston with a surface area of 2m^2 . Calculate the force on the opposite side,...

The operation of a hydraulic machine is based on the principle of Pascal. This principle states that the pressure exerted on a fluid is transmitted with the same magnitude in all directions.This principle is used in hydraulic presses.

If our system is formed by two pistons, then, when is exerted pressure on one of them, the other piston receives an equal pressure; so we can consider the following equality:

P1 = P2

P, is the pressure,...

The operation of a hydraulic machine is based on the principle of Pascal. This principle states that the pressure exerted on a fluid is transmitted with the same magnitude in all directions.This principle is used in hydraulic presses.

If our system is formed by two pistons, then, when is exerted pressure on one of them, the other piston receives an equal pressure; so we can consider the following equality:

P1 = P2

P, is the pressure, defined as the force exerted per unit of surface, i.e.:

P = F/S

Rewriting the above equation we have:

F1/S1 = F2/S2

Then, for the force F2 we have:

F2 = (F1*S2)/S1 = (16*3.2)/2

F2 = 25.6 N

So the force on the opposite side is 25.6 N.

What is the author's message in Cummings' poem "next to god of course america i"? ...

This poem is an excellent example of Cummings’ irony. As the last line indicates, the “speaker” is actually a political speaker, jamming together many empty clichés (“land of the pilgrims”, “dawn’s early,” etc.) to “sell” his/her political loyalty and pro-war stance. The way Cummings uses a convoluted syntax and grammar and missing punctuation (“the dawn’s early,” “they did not stop to think they died instead,” etc.) makes his point so clearly—these empty speeches are void...

This poem is an excellent example of Cummings’ irony. As the last line indicates, the “speaker” is actually a political speaker, jamming together many empty clichés (“land of the pilgrims”, “dawn’s early,” etc.) to “sell” his/her political loyalty and pro-war stance. The way Cummings uses a convoluted syntax and grammar and missing punctuation (“the dawn’s early,” “they did not stop to think they died instead,” etc.) makes his point so clearly—these empty speeches are void of real meaning, void of honesty, empty of actual content. Linguists refer to this language as “utterances without speech act,” meaning that words can be put together without content, without a “message-receiver” intent. The poem descends to anti-war, anti-heroism rhetoric (“these happy heroic dead”). The whole poem must be understood as an ironic statement about the rhetoric that disguises war and patriotism as some heroic moment in a soldier’s life. You might enjoy also Cummings’ novel “The Enormous Room,” which continues this theme.

What does Lyddie feel after Charlie leaves in Lyddie?

Lyddie feels sad when Charlie leaves, because she will miss him and Rachel.

Since their mother left, Lyddie has been alone most of the time.  When Charles tells her that he has a new family and offers to take Rachel, Lyddie feels lonely.  Her hope had always been to get the family back together again.  Now the farm was gone, her mother was in an asylum, and Agnes was dead.

When Charlie comes to see...

Lyddie feels sad when Charlie leaves, because she will miss him and Rachel.

Since their mother left, Lyddie has been alone most of the time.  When Charles tells her that he has a new family and offers to take Rachel, Lyddie feels lonely.  Her hope had always been to get the family back together again.  Now the farm was gone, her mother was in an asylum, and Agnes was dead.

When Charlie comes to see her, Lyddie barely recognizes him.  Two years have passed since they saw each other last. He looks good, but he looks and sounds different from the brother she remembers.  Even though he is only thirteen, he seems more like a man than a boy.  He also appears shy around her. 

"I got good news, Lyddie," he said, a little of the boy she knew creeping into his voice. Her heart rose.

"The Phinneys have taken me on as full apprentice."

"Ey?"

"More than that, truly. They treat me like their own. They don't have no child but me."

"You got a family," she said faintly. (Ch. 18)

Charles tells Lyddie that Mrs. Phinney wants to have Rachel come, because she wants a daughter. He reminds her that Rachel has “never had a proper Ma.”  She can go to school and fatten up.

He leaves, with Lyddie feeling like there is nothing left to say.  For Lyddie, it seems as if she has been replaced.  Her brother has a new family, and is taking her little sister.  She is sad because she misses her brother, and because he seems to have moved on.  To Lyddie, it is a failure.  She was not able to give him the life that she wanted.  She had tried, but never got there.

When Lyddie reads the letter that Charlie brought from Luke Stevens, proposing marriage, she is horrified.  She can’t believe Charlie would bring her such a letter.  She will not go back that way.  She has to go on with her life without them.

From time to time, she wondered why she was working so hard, now that the farm was sold and Rachel and Charlie lost to her. (Ch. 19)

Lyddie works hard because it is all she knows how to do.  She misses her family, and feels like everything is her fault because she could not keep them together.

The visit from Charles is a big blow to Lyddie.  Her dream of having a family is quashed, and she feels all alone.  Her brother is just doing what is best for Rachel, and she understands that.  In her heart, she knows Rachel will have a better life with him and her new family.  The proposal from Luke Stevens horrifies her.  Charles is young, and he just sees it as an attempt to keep the family close.  Lyddie sees it as an attempt to buy her.

Where does Lady Macbeth wait for Macbeth after the murder of Duncan in Macbeth?

Lady Macbeth waits for Macbeth outside Duncan's chambers after he kills Duncan because she wants to make sure that Macbeth does it right.

Macbeth was not really committed to killing King Duncan.  Even though he was excited about the possibility of being king when he heard the witches’ prophecies, and was angry when he learned that he was not Duncan’s heir, he lost his nerve when he returned home. 

Lady Macbeth seems to predict this.  When she gets his letter, she knows that he will never follow through.

Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be
What thou art promised: yet do I fear thy nature;
It is too full o' the milk of human kindness
To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great;
Art not without ambition, but without
The illness should attend it … (Act 1, Scene 5)

Basically, Lady Macbeth is saying that Macbeth does not have it in him to kill.  He is too nice, and while he has ambition, it is not enough to stay his moral reservations about killing.  Basically, he is not ambitious enough.

It turns out she is right.  Macbeth falters and makes arguments with himself about why he should not kill Duncan.

He's here in double trust;
First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
Who should against his murderer shut the door,
Not bear the knife myself. (Act 1, Scene 7)

Macbeth has talked himself out of the murder. He feels bad, because Duncan is his guest, and his relative.  He cannot bring himself to kill him when he has done nothing wrong.  He is a good king, and a good friend.

For this reason, Lady Macbeth takes charge.  She plans the murder carefully, and admonishes Macbeth for not being manly enough when he objects.  He follows her orders for the most part, but she gets upset with him when he does not leave the knife behind.  It is part of her plan to frame Duncan’s guards.  This is why Lady Macbeth has to watch her husband carefully and wait for him. She is sure that he will either chicken out or mess up.  She is close enough to hear what happens.

He is about it.

The doors are open, and the surfeited grooms

Do mock their charge with snores. (Act 2, Scene 2)

Although Macbeth is ambitious, he is also weak-willed.  Until Lady Macbeth pushes him and forces him to kill Duncan, he waffles.  If not for her intervention, he never would have acted.  Once he kills Duncan, however, he has set off on a path he cannot come back from.  He is so desperate to maintain his throne that begins a murderous spree against perceived enemies.  Eventually his paranoia results in him losing his fighting spirit and letting Macduff kill him.

From Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, how does Scout's perception of Boo Radley begin to change?

At the first of the book, Scout explains how she first learned about Boo Radley from her big brother Jem. This is only second-hand hearsay, though, because Jem got his information from the town gossip, Miss Stephanie Crawford. As tales are passed along in this manner, they tend to take on a type of urban legend status; and to a six year old, Boo sounds more like a ghost or the boogie-man. She's curious about him,...

At the first of the book, Scout explains how she first learned about Boo Radley from her big brother Jem. This is only second-hand hearsay, though, because Jem got his information from the town gossip, Miss Stephanie Crawford. As tales are passed along in this manner, they tend to take on a type of urban legend status; and to a six year old, Boo sounds more like a ghost or the boogie-man. She's curious about him, but also a little nervous that someone like this lives in her neighborhood. It's a good thing, however, that Scout is inquisitive and seeks after more information on the subject from more than one source. As Scout asks Miss Maudie about Boo Radley, she gets better and more accurate information.

"'Do you think they're true, all those things they say about B--Mr. Arthur?'

'What things?'

I told her.

'That is three-fourths colored folks and one-fourth Stephanie Crawford. . . No, child,' she said, 'that is a sad house. I remember Arthur Radley when he was a boy. He always spoke nicely to me, no matter what folks said he did. Spoke as nicely as he knew how'" (45-46).

This conversation is the beginning of Scout's change in perception. She still witnesses Jem and Dill doing things to flush the poor man out, but at least she has a reasonable background of information from which to view Boo as a human and not a ghost.

The next event that helps to change Scout's perception of Boo Radley is when she and Jem find gum and other little treasures in the knothole of the tree. This shows her that someone in the Radley house is kind and not a boogie man. If it weren't for Mr. Nathan Radley filling up the hole with cement, she probably would have been able to communicate back and forth with Boo via tree knot hole.

Because of these helpful events that shatter the neighborhood legends and gossip, Scout is not afraid to welcome Boo into her home the night that he saves the kids from Bob Ewell.

What are the similarities between the jobs of lawmaker and representative?

A lawmaker and a representative are basically the same things under most government formats that have democratic values. Lawmakers are responsible for making laws. The people elect them for a specific period of time under most government formats that involve freedom and democracy. If the government is a pure democracy the lawmaker could be any citizen of the government and might not be elected.

In our system of government, we have what is known as...

A lawmaker and a representative are basically the same things under most government formats that have democratic values. Lawmakers are responsible for making laws. The people elect them for a specific period of time under most government formats that involve freedom and democracy. If the government is a pure democracy the lawmaker could be any citizen of the government and might not be elected.

In our system of government, we have what is known as a democratic republic. We elect people to represent us in government. These people are called representatives because they are supposed to represent the will of the majority of people that elected these people to office. They aren’t supposed to do what they, personally, think should be done. They are to do what the majority of their constituents wants them to do. Our representatives are also involved in the process of making laws. Based on the wishes of the people they represent, they should vote for or against a bill. They may also propose a law based on what their constituents are asking them to do. Having a government system where people elect representatives to represent them makes it much easier to do things instead of having to involve all of the citizens of the country in making decisions about laws and other issues.

What obstacles does Romeo face during the course of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet?

Romeo has a varying degree of success in overcoming the obstacles he faces in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The ultimate obstacle is to be with Juliet despite the bitter feud. Unless you believe the two are together in heaven, Romeo fails in clearing this hurdle.

The first obstacle is his unrequited love for Rosaline. He becomes depressed because Rosaline avoids his affections and decides to stay celibate. Romeo says, in Act I, Scene 1:

...

Romeo has a varying degree of success in overcoming the obstacles he faces in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The ultimate obstacle is to be with Juliet despite the bitter feud. Unless you believe the two are together in heaven, Romeo fails in clearing this hurdle.

The first obstacle is his unrequited love for Rosaline. He becomes depressed because Rosaline avoids his affections and decides to stay celibate. Romeo says, in Act I, Scene 1:

She’ll not be hit
With Cupid’s arrow. She hath Dian’s wit,
And, in strong proof of chastity well armed,
From love’s weak childish bow she lives uncharmed.
She will not stay the siege of loving terms,
Nor bide th’ encounter of assailing eyes,
Nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold.
O, she is rich in beauty, only poor
That, when she dies, with beauty dies her store.

Romeo is much more successful in his love for Juliet. The girl is swept off her feet and they kiss within a few minutes of meeting each other. They part ways at the end of Capulet's party but Romeo is not satisfied. He pursues Juliet into the orchard and overcomes both the wall and his fear of being discovered by one of the Capulet men, who have no love for him or his name. He strengthens his love for Juliet by asking her to marry him. She agrees.

Romeo's next obstacle is convincing Friar Lawrence to marry him to the daughter of Capulet. The Friar is skeptical because just the previous day Romeo had professed his love for Rosaline. The Friar comments in Act II, Scene 3:  

Young men’s love then lies
Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.

The Friar, however, agrees to Romeo's request and decides to perform the wedding ceremony because he believes it may be the best way to finally end the feud between the Montagues and Capulets. The Frair says,

In one respect I’ll thy assistant be,
For this alliance may so happy prove
To turn your households’ rancor to pure love.

Because Tybalt had seen Romeo at the party he chooses to challenge Romeo. In an example of dramatic irony Romeo tries to avoid fighting Tybalt by telling him that he really loves him, but Tybalt does not understand the situation. Romeo says, in Act III, Scene 1:

Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee
Doth much excuse the appertaining rage
To such a greeting. Villain am I none.
Therefore farewell. I see thou knowest me not.

Unfortunately, Romeo is not able to handle this obstacle and winds up fighting and killing Tybalt after the death of Mercutio. Romeo cannot help but give in to the urge for revenge after his best friend is killed. The killing of Tybalt, of course, is the beginning of the end for Romeo.

He faces three more obstacles. One is summoning enough courage to actually leave Verona and Juliet after consummating the marriage in Juliet's bedroom in Act III, Scene 5. Juliet suggests he should stay because she hears the nightingale singing outside her window signifying it is still night. Romeo wants to stay but eventually gets away and assures Juliet they will be together again one day despite her fears:

I doubt it not; and all these woes shall serve
For sweet discourses in our times to come.

After hearing the news from Balthasar that Juliet is dead Romeo quickly decides his only recourse is to commit suicide. He is able to procure poison even though it is against the law to sell. He finds a poor apothecary and bribes him into selling a dram of poison:

Come hither, man. I see that thou art poor.
[He offers money.]
Hold, there is forty ducats. Let me have
A dram of poison, such soon-speeding gear
As will disperse itself through all the veins,
That the life-weary taker may fall dead...

His final obstacle is to actually take the poison and extinguish his own life. But, after seeing his beloved dead in the Capulet's tomb he shows his resolution and drinks the deadly mixture. He succeeds conquering this last obstacle even though the reader wishes otherwise.

What route was Luke going to take to the sports family's house?

Having read Haddix' "Among the Hidden" and other titles in her series of books, I immediately recognized your question as referring to one of the climax moments of the novel. In the novel, for reasons not immediately revealed, no one is allowed to have a third child. Luke is an illegal third child whose family hides his existence. Luke has a difficult time accepting he can no longer go outside when homes are built near...

Having read Haddix' "Among the Hidden" and other titles in her series of books, I immediately recognized your question as referring to one of the climax moments of the novel. In the novel, for reasons not immediately revealed, no one is allowed to have a third child. Luke is an illegal third child whose family hides his existence. Luke has a difficult time accepting he can no longer go outside when homes are built near his own. He begins to plan his escape to where he believes maybe another third child lives. Once everyone has left his house and the "Sports Family" home, he begins to run across the yard to her home. His route has been planned for days since he has little else to do and had to plan so carefully. As he starts out, heading for the Sports Family's back door, he crouches down low and runs/crawls the length of his house, he low crawls next to the hedges and out to the barn. After hurrying past the barn he is exposed briefly as he races to the Sports Family's back door. Once he reaches his destination, he finds the door he planned to bolt into, locked. He stands frozen.

What is the “sign” that comes “down from the world of grownups”? What are its literal and figurative meanings?

At the end of Chapter 5, Ralph and Piggy lament about their situation and comment that they wish "grownups" were around because grownups "know things." Ralph says, "If only they could send us something grownup...a sign or something." (Golding 94) At the beginning of Chapter 6, an air battle takes place over the island while the boys are sleeping. During the battle, a paratrooper gets shot out of the sky and lifelessly floats...

At the end of Chapter 5, Ralph and Piggy lament about their situation and comment that they wish "grownups" were around because grownups "know things." Ralph says, "If only they could send us something grownup...a sign or something." (Golding 94) At the beginning of Chapter 6, an air battle takes place over the island while the boys are sleeping. During the battle, a paratrooper gets shot out of the sky and lifelessly floats to earth. The trooper's parachute cords get tangled in the canopy of the forest, and his dead body moves with the wind on top of the mountain. Golding utilizes dramatic irony by answering Ralph's request for a sign from the grownups with the corpse of a paratrooper. The paratroopers descend from the sky symbolizes Lucifer's fall from heaven. Later on in the novel, the dead paratrooper is mistaken for the "beast." The "beast" represents the inherent evil present in every human which correlates with Lucifer's nature. Literally, the "sign" from the grownups is the dead paratrooper, and figuratively the paratrooper symbolizes the existence of evil on the island and alludes to Lucifer's fall from heaven. 

What is the symbolism of the playground ("the slide would not hold him")? in Ender's Game Ch. 7 Salamander

Ender and the other students in battle school are only children. At the very start of the chapter Graff and another commander discuss how the training is impacting the children. Ender's inability to participate in the playground represents his loss of childhood innocence due to the hardships he has been forced to endure for the sake of his training. The children view him with hostility, since those above him have always forced him to be...

Ender and the other students in battle school are only children. At the very start of the chapter Graff and another commander discuss how the training is impacting the children. Ender's inability to participate in the playground represents his loss of childhood innocence due to the hardships he has been forced to endure for the sake of his training. The children view him with hostility, since those above him have always forced him to be at odds with other kids. Like any other child, Ender craves affection and fun with other children. He is constantly looking for a sense of peace, perhaps for a simpler life after the war is over, but this scene suggests that the changes he has faced through the process might make it impossible for him to ever be a child again. He has been pushed into a violent adulthood. 

What is the summary of chapters 21-23 in The Giver by Lois Lowry?

Chapters 21-23 are the last three chapters in The Giver where the climax and resolution are found. The Giver and Jonas had come up with a plan for Jonas to escape and the Giver would help the community deal with all of the memories that would consequently overwhelm them. The plan had just been devised before chapter 21, so they were going to think about it more and come up with the details later. Surprisingly, however, Jonas finds out at dinner that Gabe is scheduled to be "released" the next morning; so he takes Gabe that night and forces the plan into action early. The rest of chapter 21 is about Jonas feeding and giving comforting memories to Gabe while avoiding planes that are searching for them overhead.

Chapter 22 shows Jonas and Gabe still on the road but the geography is slowly changing, as shown below:

"All of it was new to him. After a life of Sameness and predictability, he was awed by the surprises that lay beyond each curve of the road. He slowed the bike again and again to look with wonder at wildflowers, to enjoy the throaty warble of a new bird nearby, or merely to watch the way wind shifted the leaves in the trees" (172).

Jonas and Gabe start to experience starvation due to unanticipated length of the journey. Jonas tries to give Gabe memories of eating food to satisfy him, but it doesn't work for long. Both Jonas and Gabe cry because of starvation and exhaustion.

By chapter 23 the boys are cold and freezing. Snow is falling and there seems to be no hope left, even if Jonas feels like the end is near. They are dirty and starving and don't know where to go. Jonas gives Gabe memories of warmth to sustain him as they trudge through the snow, but those don't last long--nor do they help to remedy the reality of the situation.

Jonas's mind goes over his own experiences with Asher and Fiona. He thinks over his life and finds a little bit of renewed hope to keep moving. Eventually Jonas finds a sled and they slide down the hill. He thinks that he hears people singing as he slides down the hill.

The book ends there. There is no textual evidence, explicit or implicit, that shows Jonas and Gabe actually make it to anywhere safe. The text does say that they go in and out of consciousness. Jonas is down to his last memory, which happens to be the first one of the sled. This suggests that after this memory, there's nothing left to help the boys unless they do find someone to help them. But the book ends with this:

"Behind him, across vast distances of space and time, from the place he had left, he thought he heard music too. But perhaps it was only an echo" (180).

The question of whether or not Jonas and Gabe survive is left to the reader to determine.

Is the Early Expansion the same as the Western Expansion?

Although Early Expansion can refer to a host of different times and spaces, such as the early expansion of Christianity or Islam, of the Human Species, of the Ottoman Empire, of the Universe, etc. -- given the likelihood of the referent being America, then we are speaking of the same thing when say the Early Expansion of America and the Western Expansion of America. Furthermore, this specific phenomenon is most widely labeled as the Westward...

Although Early Expansion can refer to a host of different times and spaces, such as the early expansion of Christianity or Islam, of the Human Species, of the Ottoman Empire, of the Universe, etc. -- given the likelihood of the referent being America, then we are speaking of the same thing when say the Early Expansion of America and the Western Expansion of America. Furthermore, this specific phenomenon is most widely labeled as the Westward Expansion of America. 

This period is conventionally considered to commence in 1803, when Thomas Jefferson purchased the territory of Louisiana from the French. However, in contrast to the size of the state of Louisiana today, the territory purchased included around 14 states, and nearly doubled the total existing area of the United States. By 1912, Arizona, the last of the 48 contiguous United States, joined the union, and marked the close of the official period known as Westward expansion. Between 1803-1912,  the realization of America's manifest destiny also included the Lewis & Clark Expedition (1803-1806), War of 1812, Monroe Doctrine (1823), Battle of the Alamo (1826), Indian Removal Act (1830), Mexican American War (1846), Gold Rush (1848), Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), The Oregon Territory (1859), Transcontinental Railroad (1863-1869), Homestead Act (1862), and The Sand Creek Massacre (1864), amongst other events.