Why does the policeman not tell Bob that he is the real Jimmy Wells in the story "After Twenty Years?"

The policeman on the beat does not reveal his true identity to Bob because he recognizes his old friend as a wanted man.

Since the two friends parted twenty years ago, their lives have certainly taken different directions: whereas Jimmy Wells has become a policeman Bob a/k/a "Silky Bob" is a criminal. So, when Jimmy recognizes his old friend as a man on a wanted poster, he cannot professionally reveal himself to Bob because this...

The policeman on the beat does not reveal his true identity to Bob because he recognizes his old friend as a wanted man.

Since the two friends parted twenty years ago, their lives have certainly taken different directions: whereas Jimmy Wells has become a policeman Bob a/k/a "Silky Bob" is a criminal. So, when Jimmy recognizes his old friend as a man on a wanted poster, he cannot professionally reveal himself to Bob because this wanted man might flee or overtake him. (At the turn of the century, the setting of this story, beat policemen did not carry guns; they had a whistle and a baton only.) On a personal level Jimmy Wells does not wish to identify himself to Bob and cause him the embarrassment of being arrested by an old friend.

Having ascertained that Bob will wait in the doorway, Officer Wells returns to the precinct and asks a plains clothes officer to arrest Silky Bob. In addition, his note to Bob that mentions "Somehow I couldn't do it myself" indicates that Jimmy just did not have the "heart" to arrest his old friend and humiliate him in this manner.

What is the meaning of Hamlet's soliloquy where he says "it is not nor it cannot come to good"?

In this soliloquy, we learn the depths of Hamlet's despair at his father's murder and especially his mother's quick remarriage to Claudius, the elder Hamlet's brother. (Remember that at this point in the play Hamlet has no idea that Claudius murdered his father.) Hamlet has just been informed, after frankly admitting that he is still grief-stricken, that he will not be allowed to return to school at Wittenberg. He promises to abide by the King's...

In this soliloquy, we learn the depths of Hamlet's despair at his father's murder and especially his mother's quick remarriage to Claudius, the elder Hamlet's brother. (Remember that at this point in the play Hamlet has no idea that Claudius murdered his father.) Hamlet has just been informed, after frankly admitting that he is still grief-stricken, that he will not be allowed to return to school at Wittenberg. He promises to abide by the King's wishes, and those of his mother. But we see in the soliloquy, his first in the play, that he is not just upset at the passing of his father, but the marriage of his mother "a little month" after his death. Hamlet regards this as "rank and gross in nature" and clearly has little use for Claudius, who is a shadow of what his father was. None of these developments, he says, can "come to good," but he resolves to keep his anger and hurt, which borders on suicidal, to himself. So this soliloquy reveals Hamlet's state of mind before encountering the ghost, which urges him to gain revenge on his wicked uncle.

Early in Night by Elie Wiesel, some of the young men want to revolt. Why don't they?

When the Jews of Sighet reach Birkenau, there is a moment where several of the young men talk of revolting. A few of them had knives.

"We've got to do something. We can't let ourselves be killed. We can't go like beasts to the slaughter. We've got to revolt." (Wiesel 29)

These men tried to get the other men to join them and rise up against the Nazis. They thought by doing this, that the...

When the Jews of Sighet reach Birkenau, there is a moment where several of the young men talk of revolting. A few of them had knives.

"We've got to do something. We can't let ourselves be killed. We can't go like beasts to the slaughter. We've got to revolt." (Wiesel 29)

These men tried to get the other men to join them and rise up against the Nazis. They thought by doing this, that the rest of the world would know about them and even if they died, their deaths would not be in vain. 

However, the parents and older Jews among them pleaded with them not to revolt. They were very religious and believed that God would protect them. They also still had some hope that everything would turn out alright if they did as they were told. If the young men revolted, there would be no turning back, and they would all be killed. The Nazis had guns. The Jews' knives might injure a few or even kill some Nazis, but the chances of the Jewish prisoners getting out alive were practically non-existent. So, the young men listened to their elders, and the revolt ended before it started. 

What is sustainable development? Discuss its importance with special reference to renewable and nonrenewable resources.

Sustainable development, in simple terms, means development in a sustainable manner. That is, the development is carried out in such a manner that the current needs are satisfied and the needs of the future generations are not compromised. We can also say that sustainable development keeps the interests of both the current and future generations in mind. If our current development puts the interests of future generations at risk, it cannot be termed sustainable. For...

Sustainable development, in simple terms, means development in a sustainable manner. That is, the development is carried out in such a manner that the current needs are satisfied and the needs of the future generations are not compromised. We can also say that sustainable development keeps the interests of both the current and future generations in mind. If our current development puts the interests of future generations at risk, it cannot be termed sustainable. For example, if we are consuming non-renewable resources, such as fossil fuels (for example, coal, gasoline, diesel, etc.) for satisfying our requirements, without worrying about the availability of these resources for future generations, we are not developing sustainably. This is because non-renewable resources have a fixed amount and cannot be replenished (in a short time). If the current generation uses them up, future generations will not have access to them. Renewable resources, such as renewable energy (from sources such as solar power, wind energy, tidal power, etc.) is something that we can use as well as our future generations. 

Thus, renewable resources are very important for sustainable development and we have to be mindful of our consumption rate of non-renewable resources, if we are to leave any of them for our future generations. After all, we have received a large amount of resources from our ancestors and it is our ethical and moral responsibility to leave the same or a similar amount for future generations as well.

Hope this helps. 

In the play, Othello, who is Brabantio and why do Iago and Roderigo awaken him in the middle of the night ?

Brabantio is a Venetian senator and Desdemona's father. He is quite protective of her and has kept her from many suitors including Roderigo, who he has forbidden to ever visit his home again. Desdemona has fallen in love with Othello and has eloped with him.

Iago and Roderigo come to rouse Brabantio in the dead of night to inform him that Othello has abducted his daughter against her will and is abusing her at the very moment that they are talking to him. Their purpose is to demonize Othello so that Brabantio may use his authority to have Othello dismissed from his post as general and have him incarcerated. 

The reason for this vindictive and pernicious lie is that firstly, Iago is jealous of Othello's position since he has been appointed general of the Venetian army even though he is a foreigner and a Moor. Secondly, Iago has been loyal to Othello and has applied to be his lieutenant but Othello chose to appoint a Florentine, Michael Cassio, in the position. Iago resents this appointment since he believes that Michael has only book knowledge and lacks experience in battle, whilst he, Iago, possesses the right qualities for the post. 

In his attempts to obtain the position, Iago had also acquired the recommendations of three senators but these were ignored by Othello. Iago had promised that he would continue feigning loyalty to the general so that he may serve his turn upon him.  

Roderigo, who is besotted with Desdemona, is assisting Iago in his devious scheme in the hope of obtaining some advantage in his desire to woo her. Iago has promised that he would ensure Roderigo's success in this endeavor. The gullible Roderigo has now become putty in Iago's manipulative paws and pleases the malevolent schemer's every whim.

On their way to Brabantio's home, Iago instructs Roderigo:

Call up her father,
Rouse him: make after him, poison his delight,
Proclaim him in the streets; incense her kinsmen,
And, though he in a fertile climate dwell,
Plague him with flies: though that his joy be joy,
Yet throw such changes of vexation on't,
As it may lose some colour.

He obviously wishes to spoil both Brabantio's sleep and mar Othello's joy. He uses Roderigo to do his despicable work. Once Brabantio has been awoken, they will give him the frightful news about his daughter's kidnap. After Brabantio has heard their truly gross account of Othello's so-called crime, he is extremely upset, and passionately cries out:

Strike on the tinder, ho!

Give me a taper! call up all my people!
This accident is not unlike my dream:
Belief of it oppresses me already.
Light, I say! light!

As soon as Iago knows that Brabantio is convinced and has taken action, he takes his leave, unashamedly telling Roderigo that he should be seen as being in support of Othello in this matter so that suspicion does not fall upon him. Furthermore, he would be able to gain Othello's trust, thus giving him the opportunity to manipulate the unsuspecting general even more. Roderigo remains behind to provide Brabantio with more detail about Othello's supposed crime and where he can be found.

The two plotters are successful in their attempt to raise Brabantio's ire but fail to have the Moor punished since Desdemona later stands up for him and he is absolved of all guilt. Othello is then requested to leave for Cyprus where he has to fight off a possible invasion by the Turks.

How does the Wife of Bath's Tale (prologue included) uphold AND destroy the typical mysogynistic view of women during this time? What are...

Chaucer's Wife of Bath is an amazing character, especially considering the time period in which Chaucer created her. Her bold frankness is surprising for a woman—this attitude by itself defies the misogynistic tendencies of the Medieval era. As she relates her views in her prologue, we also see how she is the victim of unfair treatment from her husbands. Her movements are restricted, she is expected to behave according to the strictly defined rules of...

Chaucer's Wife of Bath is an amazing character, especially considering the time period in which Chaucer created her. Her bold frankness is surprising for a woman—this attitude by itself defies the misogynistic tendencies of the Medieval era. As she relates her views in her prologue, we also see how she is the victim of unfair treatment from her husbands. Her movements are restricted, she is expected to behave according to the strictly defined rules of “proper behavior,” and she is even physically abused. The Wife is not submissive, however, and in every case she fights back with guile, learning how to fool and manipulate her husbands through sex and misdirection.

In her tale, a young woman is raped by a knight, something that the knight probably expected to get away with—another unfortunate form of misogyny, and one that continues today. This time, the man gets his comeuppance when he is forced to marry an old woman and acquiesce all marital authority to her.

We see the women in this part of Canterbury Tales are both victims and perpetrators. We can only wonder how this part of the poem would have been received if it had been penned by a woman instead of a man, but alas, women were rarely given the opportunity to express themselves artistically at that time—yet another example of gender inequality that has only recently begun to fade.

In "Sweat," why does Sykes consider Delia a hypocrite for washing the clothes of white people? Do you agree with him?

Delia's husband, Sykes, considers her to be a hypocrite because she is working on Sunday.

Sykes reveals his attitude about Delia's "hypocrisy" in the story's exposition. After she reorganizes the clothes that he has disturbed, Delia goes back to washing them.  Sykes initiates an argument with Delia. She responds that she does not want to verbally spar with him because she has just come from "taking sacrament at the church house."  In response, Sykes rebukes...

Delia's husband, Sykes, considers her to be a hypocrite because she is working on Sunday.

Sykes reveals his attitude about Delia's "hypocrisy" in the story's exposition. After she reorganizes the clothes that he has disturbed, Delia goes back to washing them.  Sykes initiates an argument with Delia. She responds that she does not want to verbally spar with him because she has just come from "taking sacrament at the church house."  In response, Sykes rebukes Delia. He contends that while she has "comes from de church house on a Sunday night," Delia is "nothing but a hypocrite" because she worships at church all day and then "come home and wash white folks clothes on the Sabbath." Sykes believes that Delia is disingenuous in her faith because she works on the day where no work is to be done, and considers her a hypocrite.

I am not inclined to believe any of Sykes's critiques of Delia.  His cruelty and savage behavior towards her makes him a odd source from whom to take spiritual critique.  I think that another reason that Sykes cannot be taken very seriously is because he benefits from her toil.  Delia directly affirms her position as a significant contributor to the family's financial well- bring:  "Mah tub of suds is filled yo' belly with vittles more times than yo' hands is filled it. Mah sweat is done paid for this house and Ah reckon Ah kin keep on sweatin' in it."  Delia has to work on the Sabbath in order for Sykes to enjoy the life that he does. Sykes has not given her much of an option in terms of being an equal and contributing member of the household. Therefore, it is difficult to agree with his claim that Delia is a hypocrite.

What does it mean that Macbeth killed the sleep itself in Macbeth?

Macbeth murdered Duncan and the guards as they slept, and now he feels bad about it.

Macbeth is already a bit delusional at this point.  He was nervous about committing the murders, and once he did so he felt guilty.  Macbeth is having delusions because he feels as if the people he murdered are haunting him.

Macbeth thought he heard the men he murdered praying, and he was unable to pray in return.  This makes...

Macbeth murdered Duncan and the guards as they slept, and now he feels bad about it.

Macbeth is already a bit delusional at this point.  He was nervous about committing the murders, and once he did so he felt guilty.  Macbeth is having delusions because he feels as if the people he murdered are haunting him.

Macbeth thought he heard the men he murdered praying, and he was unable to pray in return.  This makes him think he is damned or cursed.  He also imagined one of the men accusing him.

Methought I heard a voice cry 'Sleep no more!
Macbeth does murder sleep', the innocent sleep,
Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care,
The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath,
Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,
Chief nourisher in life's feast,-- (Act 2, Scene 2)

Macbeth will not be sleeping peacefully any time soon.

This is the first time that Macbeth begins to show signs of remorse and paranoia.  His wife tries to comfort him and tell him that it’s nothing, but he is all out of sorts.  She talked him into it, he did it, and now he is really horrified.

Macbeth’s slide into insanity is quick from here.  With each murder he commits he gets worse.  After killing Banquo, Macbeth is convinced that he sees Banquo’s ghost at dinner.  He also wants the witches to tell him what is going to happen and reassure him.  He finds their new prophecies less than satisfying though, because they are contradictory and incomplete.

Macbeth fears that he will be found out.  This is why he kills Banquo, and tries to kill Macduff.  However, his irrational behavior and his killing spree also lead to his wife’s death.  Macbeth is a harbinger of destruction.  He finds that he has to keep going until he destroys himself, or is destroyed.

In Tuck Everlasting, why does the man in the yellow suit go to the Foster's house?

Twenty years prior to the events of Tuck Everlasting occurring, the man in the yellow suit was told about a mysterious family.  The family that he was told about supposedly never got any older.  

". . . my grandmother told me stories. They were wild, unbelievable stories, but I believed them. They involved a dear friend of my grandmother's who married into a very odd family. . . This friend of my grandmother's, she lived with her husband for twenty years, and strange to say, he never got any older. She did, but he didn't. And neither did his mother or his father or his brother."

In addition to the strange details about a family that didn't age, the stranger's grandmother included a detail about a music box that the family had.  His grandmother clearly remember the tune that the music box played, and she taught the tune to the man in the yellow suit. 

"My mother was able to remember the melody, finally. She taught it to me."

That was twenty years earlier.  By the stranger's own admission, he tried to forget all about the stories of the strange immortal family.  He tried in vain though, because the man in the yellow suit said the story and the music tune haunted his dreams.  After twenty years, he decided to try and back trace the route that the family likely would have taken.

So a few months ago I left my home and I started out to look for them, following the route they were said to have taken when they left their farm. No one I asked along the way knew anything. No one had heard of them, no one recognized their name.

The above quote makes is clear that the man in the yellow suit is stumbling along an unknown trail in order to find clues.  He asks everybody along the route about the family.  The Foster family happens to be along the route, so he approaches the house in order to seek out more clues about the immortal family and the music box.  The Fosters seem like a good family to pick, because they have lived in Treegap many years.   

The man lifted his eyebrows. "Oh," he said, "I'm looking for someone. A family. . . This young lady tells me you've lived here for a long time, so I thought you would probably know everyone who comes and goes."

That is the first time that the man comes to the Foster home.  The next time that he comes is because he wants to trade his knowledge of where Winnie is for the ownership of the woods.  

What is the plot diagram of the story of Edgar Allan Poe "The Black Cat?"

In the exposition of "The Black Cat," the unreliable narrator lays down some things he feels readers should know about the story and himself as a person. He says that he has been known since childhood for the "docility and humanity of [his] disposition" and has in fact been teased by peers for how tender-hearted he is. He also loves animals and he and his wife have had many, but none that he loved more than his black cat Pluto.

Now the events of the rising action start to unfold. The narrator begins drinking too much, causing him to inflict violence on his wife and pets. Eventually he even hurts his beloved Pluto. At one point the narrator grabs Pluto, thinking the cat has been avoiding him, and Pluto bites his hand in fear. The narrator takes a penknife and cuts out one of Pluto's eyes, then hangs him in the neighbor's garden.

This is where the story is harder to plot, as it could be said to have two climaxes. In climax one, there is a fire in the narrator's house the night after he kills Pluto. He loses everything, and the only wall left standing has the image of a hanged cat on it. More rising action events happen: the narrator and his wife get a new cat, who is missing an eye and has markings that look like a gallows on its breast. The cat is very affectionate, which the narrator comes to despise, feeling that the cat has some sort of revenge plot.

In climax two, the narrator nearly trips on the cat one day and tries to kill it with an ax. His wife prevents him, so he kills her instead.

During the events of the falling action, the narrator buries his wife in the cellar walls. The cat has vanished, which pleases the narrator. Eventually the police come and search the house.

At the resolution of the story, the man's crimes are reveal. Leading the police through their search of the house, he raps on the wall where his wife is buried with his cane (through guilt? or hubris?). Immediately there is a scream and, when they tear down the wall, the police discover the wife's body and the black cat, alive. The narrator is hauled off to jail, where he writes this story, the night before he is set to be executed.

Explain about hydronium ion. |

Hydronium ions (H30+) can form in a reversible chemical reaction involving water molecules.

Water (H20) is a polar molecule because the oxygen side of the molecule is negative and each hydrogen atom is positive. Because of the polar covalent bonds in water, the shared electrons spend more time near the oxygen atom compared to the hydrogen atoms which makes the v-shaped molecule polar.

This property causes molecules of water to be attracted to other molecules...

Hydronium ions (H30+) can form in a reversible chemical reaction involving water molecules.

Water (H20) is a polar molecule because the oxygen side of the molecule is negative and each hydrogen atom is positive. Because of the polar covalent bonds in water, the shared electrons spend more time near the oxygen atom compared to the hydrogen atoms which makes the v-shaped molecule polar.

This property causes molecules of water to be attracted to other molecules of water. The slightly negative oxygen in one water molecule is attracted to the slightly positive hydrogen of a different water molecule. Hydrogen bonds between molecules form and break between different water molecules and reform again.

Sometimes, a hydrogen atom in a hydrogen bond between two molecules of water shifts from one molecule and moves toward the other. When the hydrogen atom shifts, it leaves an electron behind which causes it to become a hydrogen ion  (H+) which has a positive charge. The water molecule that lost its proton becomes slightly negative and is called a hydroxide ion (OH-), while the water molecule which gains the proton becomes slightly positive and is now known as a hydronium ion (H30+).  This reaction is reversible because water molecules can disassociate as well as reform.

I have provided a link which shows the reversible chemical reaction I have described in the answer above.

How is Macbeth, set in Scotland, linked to the Gunpowder Plot?

Some scholars detect direct references to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 in the text of the play itself, which is believed to have been completed the year after Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up Parliament. For example, one observer has pointed to Lady Macbeth's line that her husband should look like the "innocent flower,but be the serpent under it." This, some have argued, is an allusion to a medal that James I had struck to...

Some scholars detect direct references to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 in the text of the play itself, which is believed to have been completed the year after Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up Parliament. For example, one observer has pointed to Lady Macbeth's line that her husband should look like the "innocent flower,but be the serpent under it." This, some have argued, is an allusion to a medal that James I had struck to commemorate the plot after the execution of the conspirators.  The Guy Fawkes conspirators had also planned to assassinate King James, and this would have been fresh in the mind of all who witnessed the play, adding gravitas to what is already a very tense play. More than that, though, some have argued that Shakespeare meant to flatter James with the play. James was Scottish, (James VI of Scotland) and became king as a descendant of Henry VIII. As a Scottish king, he traced his lineage back to Banquo, who is portrayed as a decent, honest man in the play. Again, Shakespeare's audiences (which included the King himself) would have been more than aware of this context. Some have even argued that Shakespeare, who had some indirect ties to some of the conspirators, may have (rather prudently) attempted to flatter James, most visibly with his portrayal, conjured by the witches, of the descendants of Banquo who would be kings. In general, Macbeth is a warning against upsetting the natural or divinely ordained order by killing the man that, people believed at the time, God had chosen to be king.

Who got out of the cart in Anna Sewell's Black Beauty?

There are several moments in Anna Sewell's Black Beauty when someone jumps out of a cart, especially a dog-cart, which is an open one-horse drawn vehicle that only sits one driver and one passenger; it also rolls on only two high wheels. One of the best moments occurs early on in the book when Black Beauty is still under the care of Squire Gordon.In Chapter 12, Part 1, Black Beauty, called Beauty for...

There are several moments in Anna Sewell's Black Beauty when someone jumps out of a cart, especially a dog-cart, which is an open one-horse drawn vehicle that only sits one driver and one passenger; it also rolls on only two high wheels. One of the best moments occurs early on in the book when Black Beauty is still under the care of Squire Gordon.

In Chapter 12, Part 1, Black Beauty, called Beauty for short, narrates a moment in late fall when he had been driving Squire Gordon and John, the coachman, in the dog-cart on a long business trip. While traveling, a storm struck, bringing heavy rainfall, strong winds, and flooding. Arriving safely in town, they did not leave until later that afternoon when the storm was even worse. While traveling along the woods, Squire Gordon remarked that he wished they were away from the woods, and John commented, "Yes, sir, ... it would be rather awkward if one of these branches came down upon us." John's remark was prophetic for, soon enough, a branch groaned, cracked, splintered, and "fell right across the road just before us." Beauty informs his readers that he was terrified but "did not turn round or run away" because of his strong upbringing.

He further informs us that John instantly "jumped out" of the dog-cart and went to Black Beauty to make sure he was alright.

Beauty further informs us that John and Squire Gordon decided to backtrack and go across the bridge, but when they reached the bridge, Beauty refused to cross because he "knew the bridge was not safe." John rightly trusted Beauty rather than foolishly urging him further, and soon enough, they learned from a man at the toll-gate that the bridge was broken. Beauty was praised for saving everyone's lives.

Help needed for a PEE (Point, Evidence, Explanation) paragraph about the racism faced by the character Crooks in Of Mice and Men related to the...

Point, evidence, explanation (PEE-an unfortunate acronym if you ask me) is a common structure for students learning to write essays. The point is an argument about some specific topic. It must have a definite point of view. The evidence can include examples, statistics, narratives or quotations. The explanation synthesizes the point with the evidence and provides interpretation and explanation of the significance of the evidence. 

In Of Mice and Men, Crooks is the black stable...

Point, evidence, explanation (PEE-an unfortunate acronym if you ask me) is a common structure for students learning to write essays. The point is an argument about some specific topic. It must have a definite point of view. The evidence can include examples, statistics, narratives or quotations. The explanation synthesizes the point with the evidence and provides interpretation and explanation of the significance of the evidence. 

In Of Mice and Men, Crooks is the black stable buck who experiences racism and segregation on a ranch run by whites in depression era California. When Lennie enters his room in chapter four Crooks is hesitant to let him in because of how he is treated by the other men. He says,

“’Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me.” 

Here's a potential PEE paragraph:

Like many places in 1930's America, racism and segregation are part of the fabric of society on the ranch in John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men. When asked by the simple minded Lennie why he isn't wanted in the bunkhouse, the black stable buck Crooks replies, "They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black." Because of his skin color Crooks is isolated from the other men on the ranch in a time when being black assured second class citizen status.

Did the people around Polonius tend to give weight to his opinions? Were these people significant?

Two significant people, Claudius and Gertrude, come to Polonius for advice and give weight to his opinions. After all, Polonius is the consummate courtier, which means he is a man who knows how to appeal to people in power, solve their problems and do what he needs to do to get ahead in the world. Since we come into the play in the middle of the action, after Hamlet's father has been killed and Claudius...

Two significant people, Claudius and Gertrude, come to Polonius for advice and give weight to his opinions. After all, Polonius is the consummate courtier, which means he is a man who knows how to appeal to people in power, solve their problems and do what he needs to do to get ahead in the world. Since we come into the play in the middle of the action, after Hamlet's father has been killed and Claudius established on the throne, we don't know how or why Polonius rose to the status of king's counsellor. But we know he is an important figure at the court,  and such status would lead people to take his opinions seriously.

Claudius and Gertrude seek out Polonius after Hamlet's erratic behavior begins to worry them, so they clearly value his opinions. After all, a son with possible mental problems, especially when he is a prince, presents a sensitive situation, one they would want handled quietly. They would approach someone they trusted. When they do come to him, Polonius presents himself  to them as the man with the answers, insisting that Hamlet is acting oddly because he is love with his daughter Ophelia. Polonius concocts a plan to spy on Ophelia and Hamlet when they are alone together as way to test his theory, and the king and queen approve his scheme. These two listen to him because he has established himself a go-to person for solving problems.

Polonius and Claudius share similarities, the similarities of wily, experienced players who know how to survive in a corrupt court. For example, they both hire spies to watch their respective sons. (In Claudius' case, of course, Hamlet is his stepson.) It seems no wonder that Claudius would value the opinions of a man who reminded him of himself and conducted business in similar ways. 

I'll add that when Polonius comes to king and queen with his news about Ophelia and Hamlet, he asks Claudius his opinion of him (ie, of himself, Polonius) and Claudius replies, "As of a man faithful and honorable." (Act II, ii) I don't want to ignore that Polonius is a pompous windbag, but do want to emphasize that important people listen to his advice, even if it's wrong. He is very much an insider.

Brainstorm how processes, standard operating procedures and best practices are stored for a company. Discuss how Knowledge Management has helped or...

Business processes, standard operating procedures and best practices are stored within a company in explicit, implicit and tacit manners. The first two--explicit and implicit--allow companies to externalize and to transition knowledge from one generation to the next while the latter--tacit--poses a difficult quandary for businesses: How to externalize and pass along insight, experience and intuition? Knowledge management comprises several innovative methods of capturing the information businesses need to pass on in order to survive and grow in competitive markets.

The first step to understanding how knowledge management has effected the operation of business is to define the three elements at the core of a company. Processes are the step-by-step instructions on how to achieve a particular goal. Think of a process as the directions for generating a product or service. Standard operating procedures (SOP) are the manner in which the directions are performed. The SOP instructs the employee on the subset of tasks needed to complete the larger one. Best practices can be explicit or implicit ways of achieving business processes or standard operating procedures.

The best way to clarify these concepts is by developing a hypothetical example and follow a company toward their goal of creating a product. ABC Corporation is in the business of manufacturing widgets. The business process for manufacturing and selling widgets is a simple one. Steel is received from suppliers, melted down and molded into widgets. Once the widgets are manufactured they are shipped to awaiting customers. The standard operating procedure (SOP) for receiving steel is to check the quality of it before accepting the shipment. Another SOP is to have the furnaces at an exact operating temperature. Business processes and SOPs are written documents to ensure standardization and are easily verified.

Best practice for checking steel is to do it before the shipping company unloads it. The best practice for achieving the proper operating temperature in the furnace is to gradually increase the temperature. Best practices can be expected to adhere across an industry, so they can be expected to be written in some form of document. Some company specific best practices applying, for example, to the manufacture of widgets, may not be written rules but ways of operating learned over time (tacit knowledge).

Explicit knowledge is information that is written down in a documented form, such as documents for business processes or SOPs. Explicit knowledge is information easily passed throughout the organization. Implicit knowledge is more complex to understand. Implicit knowledge:

may be present in ... explicit and tacit knowledge but needs people to extract it. (David J. Skyrme, "Tacit and Explicit Knowledge")

Implicit knowledge is information that is implied by explicit (what is documented) or tacit (what is known) knowledge and that can be known if discovered through insight or analysis. It is therefore knowledge that is not written, but could be written and documented. For example, within a given company, it may be that company-specific best practices have been passed orally but could better be documented in writing.

The third component is tacit knowledge, which is information "embedded in the human mind through experience and jobs" (Tallinn University, Estonia, "Tacit and Explicit Knowledge") and not easily transferred from one generation to the next. This can be "Personal wisdom and experience, context-specific, ... insights, intuitions" (Tallinn). It can be difficult to capture and record such knowledge because it is very particular to the experience and interpretation of the individual.

Knowledge management is an understanding in administrative leadership that there exists information within a company vital to its survival that must be passed generationally. Knowledge management has created an atmosphere of innovation where such information can be better shared. The technology revolution in business has spurred ways to capture, document and share information. Companies can create online articles or collaborative storehouses of information that can be accessed from anywhere. This cloud-based knowledge sharing allows people to share information in a variety of ways, such as blogs or video uploads. Additionally, companies can initiate mentor programs designed to pass along information directly from one person to the other. Similarly, cross-training employees in different aspects of the company can produce benefits by applying different knowledge standards to problems. Although the latter are more traditional in nature, they can be very effective as well.

The social environment of the company will help determine what methods work best for the employees. In larger companies, one method may not work for every department involved. Knowledge management is designed to promulgate sharing of information and it must remain a fluid concept to be a useful tool. By recognizing the explicit, implicit and tacit knowledge within a company, knowledge management can focus on allowing the “owners” of information to find the best use for and disbursement of it.

Desribe the industries of America's industrial revolution

During the American Industrial Revolution, numerous new industries and technological advances were created at an incredible speed. Some of the advancements included the invention of textiles, the telegraph, and even the telephone. Although these industries provided new opportunities for the American people, some were harmed during this expedient transformation.

As the new advances were invented, the demand for them grew and caused many lower class workers to get jobs in factories. As a result of...

During the American Industrial Revolution, numerous new industries and technological advances were created at an incredible speed. Some of the advancements included the invention of textiles, the telegraph, and even the telephone. Although these industries provided new opportunities for the American people, some were harmed during this expedient transformation.

As the new advances were invented, the demand for them grew and caused many lower class workers to get jobs in factories. As a result of the numerous workers and factories, people were able to recreate the new inventions quickly and affordably. For many individuals, this opportunity brought an opportunity for work.

However, some did not profit as much from this exciting time. Children often worked in factories and were exposed to many harsh conditions. For example, many children received little pay, long hours, and even were exposed to coal dust (which often got into their lungs).

Thus, the American Industrial Revolution was a monumental time in United States’ history. Unfortunately, with all benefits, the repercussions must also be assessed. Fortunately, child labor laws were soon created and better working conditions were instilled. Also, these technological advancements continued and have even been modified and advanced to items used today!

Why does Dimmesdale decide to wait until Judgement Day to reveal how he truly feels?

Nathaniel Hawthorne creates a complex, morally ambiguous character in The Scarlet Letter. Arthur Dimmesdale is a man who struggles through the course of the novel to come to terms with his sin.  He grapples with rectifying himself both to himself and his parishioners. In chapter 1, he is met with Hester and Pearl coming home from the deathbed of Governor Winthrop, in the middle of the night and ironically, at the scaffold, the scene...

Nathaniel Hawthorne creates a complex, morally ambiguous character in The Scarlet Letter. Arthur Dimmesdale is a man who struggles through the course of the novel to come to terms with his sin.  He grapples with rectifying himself both to himself and his parishioners. In chapter 1, he is met with Hester and Pearl coming home from the deathbed of Governor Winthrop, in the middle of the night and ironically, at the scaffold, the scene of Hester's public ignominy. Hester is empathetic to Dimmesdale's pain but Pearl is a bit more demanding of his intentions. When asked if he will hold her hand "tomorrow, noontide," he responds with, "Nay, not so my child. I shall, indeed, stand with thy mother and thee, one other day, but not to-morrow."

When pressed by Pearl, he responds that it will not be until Judgement Day that he shall stand with Pearl, and thus reveal his true feelings and his true sins.

Later, in chapter 17, Dimmesdale offers the reader insight to his hesitation to make public his offense. "Else, I should long ago have thrown of these garments of mock holiness, and have shown myself to mankind as they will see me at the judgement-seat." It becomes clear at this point that Dimmesdale has toiled too long under the burden of his offense and he feels he can no longer repent in this world. He has worn his sin too long to feel he could repent and be forgiven by man. It will not be until Judgement Day that he can finally be free as God already knows of his sins. But we now know he will now unburden himself before his fellow man.

Why isn't Romeo supposed to go to the party in Romeo and Juliet?

Romeo isn’t supposed to go to the party because he is a Montague and his family is in a feud with the Capulets.

The feud between the Montagues and the Capulets has been ongoing for years.  Shakespeare never even tells us what started it.  It is clear that it is tearing Verona apart.  Everyone that has an association with either family, from the servants to the heads of household, is drawn up in the feud.

For this reason, the son of a Montague going to a party for the daughter of a Capulet would be normally considered a bad idea.  As far as Romeo’s friends Mercutio and Benvolio are concerned, however, a party is a party!  They convince Romeo to go because he has been pouting since breaking up with his girlfriend, Rosaline (also a Capulet).

So Romeo goes to the party.  Tybalt, a Capulet with a bad temper, is angry to see him there.  He wants to fight Romeo for being a Montague and crashing a Capulet party.

This, by his voice, should be a Montague.
Fetch me my rapier, boy. What dares the slave
Come hither, cover'd with an antic face,
To fleer and scorn at our solemnity?
Now, by the stock and honour of my kin,
To strike him dead, I hold it not a sin. (Act 1, Scene 5)

Lord Capulet, Juliet’s father, refuses to allow it.  He does not want to ruin the party.  He also comments that Romeo seems to have a good reputation.  What could it hurt?  He can stay at the party because he will conduct himself honorably, and everyone will have a good time.

Of course, we all know how the story ends.  Romeo sees Juliet and is enraptured.  When he asks who she is, he is shocked to find out that she is a Capulet. Juliet has the same reaction to finding out Romeo is a Montague.

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

The two fall in love at first sight, in a classic head-over-heels sonnet-sharing case.  They decide they do not care what their families would think, because they are meant to be together.  Romeo vows to give up his family name if it means he can be with Juliet.  Juliet decides that names do not mean much.  They both go through with it and end up secretly married.

In retrospect, Romeo should never have gone to the party.  It would have saved his life, as well as the lives of Mercutio and Juliet.  He seems to be a passionate young man.  He likely would have fallen in love with some other, less dangerous girl if he hadn't gone.  Unfortunately, Shakespeare tells us the two were star-crossed.  Their destiny and their doom was fated.

Describe the long-term consequences of the Bubonic Plague for the Afro-Eurasian world.

The Bubonic Plague, also known as the Black Death, was a devastating epidemic that occurred during the fourteenth century that wiped out large portions of the populations of Northern, Eastern and Western Europe, as well as parts of Asia and northern Africa. Because historical documentation of the disease was much more prevalent in Europe than it was in Asia at the time, it was widely believed that the epidemic must have started in Europe; however evidence points to its origins in China or the central Asian steppes. 

In Hebei province in China, in 1334, the disease wiped out nearly 90% of the population. All told, China was very hard hit by the plague, with the population of this vast country being decimated by more than half; 65 million people out of a total estimated population of 1200 had lost their lives by 1393; and it believed a large portion of these deaths were due to the plague epidemic.

The plague spread quickly in densely-populated urban regions, and those without proper sanitation, because it was carried by the infected fleas found on rats and other rodents. Although it is estimated that roughly half of those people infected could survive the illness, in some regions with harsh weather conditions or low supplies of food, or generally rough living situations (inadequate shelter or water for maintaining hygiene), the mortality rate was much higher.

The social, political and economic implications of the epidemic were enormous. Loss of life meant inability to maintain basic economic structures; loss of people to maintain agricultural practices (farming and animal husbandry, as well as harvesting wild crops such as fruit) meant widespread food shortages. The maintenance of a military presence would have been nearly impossible due to loss of life and destabilization of leadership. Rebuilding the economies of rural villages was slow and difficult, particularly if any of the affected regions were also subject to harsh weather or natural catastrophes such as drought, monsoon or extreme heat or cold. 

The social implications in Europe were tied to religious belief systems; it was thought that the plague was a sign of evil, or a curse brought on by witches; in this way the Black Death sowed the seeds for the witch craze in Europe which continued for hundreds of years, and lasted through the 17th century and beyond. Such beliefs were also common in various other countries, particularly some sections of Africa, where the presence of disease to this day is often linked to accusations of witchcraft and demon worship or possession.

Explain why the reply from Red Chief’s father is an example of irony. From "The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry.

The reply from Red Chief's father to the ransom demand is doubly ironic. First, it is ironic because the two kidnappers were expecting to be paid to release Johnny to his father and instead his father demanded payment of $250 to take the little hellcat back. What is also ironic in this situation is that the father's reply comes after Sam and Bill have had all kinds of trouble dealing with Red Chief and so they are not particularly surprised or indignant when they receive the father's letter. Instead, they both consider the father's counter-proposition pretty reasonable, considering the problems they have been having with his son.

The father's letter is interesting in its formal tone and its understatement.

Gentlemen: I received your letter to-day by post, in regard to the ransom you ask for the return of my son. I think you are a little high in your demands, and I hereby make you a counter-proposition, which I am inclined to believe you will accept. You bring Johnny home and pay me two hundred and fifty dollars in cash, and I agree to take him off your hands. You had better come at night, for the neighbours believe he is lost, and I couldn't be responsible for what they would do to anybody they saw bringing him back.

Very respectfully,
EBENEZER DORSET.

Mr. Dorset does not say anything about his son's typically wild behavior. But he suggests that the neighbors might react with violence against anyone who brought little Johnny back. He does not seem the least bit anxious to have the boy returned. 

The father's letter is ironic, both because of his counter-proposition and because the two kidnappers immediately take it seriously. They regard the polite letter as fair and reasonable. Their own letter demanding $1500 in ransom suddenly seems wildly unreasonable. They return the boy without considering attempting any further negotiation. 

The story is a good example of situational irony, which is defined as an incongruity between what is expected and what actually occurs. As Sam says at the beginning of the story:

It looked like a good thing: but wait till I tell you.

A regular hexagon rotates counterclockwise about its center. It turns through angles greater than 0° and less than or equal to 360°. At how many...

Hello!

When a hexagon maps onto itself, their vertices must map to vertices and sides to sides. Please look at the picture attached: the nearest vertex for the A1 is A2. There are 6 angles between neighbour vertices, they all are equal (because a hexagon is regular) and their sum is 360°. Thus each angle has a measure of 360°/6=60°.

Each subsequent rotation by 60° also maps a hexagon onto itself. There are 5 such rotations:...

Hello!

When a hexagon maps onto itself, their vertices must map to vertices and sides to sides. Please look at the picture attached: the nearest vertex for the A1 is A2. There are 6 angles between neighbour vertices, they all are equal (because a hexagon is regular) and their sum is 360°. Thus each angle has a measure of 360°/6=60°.

Each subsequent rotation by 60° also maps a hexagon onto itself. There are 5 such rotations: by 60°, 120°, 180°, 240° and 300° (the next is 360° which isn't allowed by the conditions). So the answer is 5.

Sources of energy other than fossil fuels are called __________ energy sources?

The word you are searching for to fill in the blank is "alternative."  Alternative energy sources are renewable energy sources that do not have fossil fuels as their origination point.  As the world's supply of fossil fuels dwindles, it is necessary and imperative that we develop alternative energy sources that will continue to supply the energy we need.  The current list of alternative energy sources are hydroelectric, wind, solar, nuclear, geothermal, and biomass.  Each of...

The word you are searching for to fill in the blank is "alternative."  Alternative energy sources are renewable energy sources that do not have fossil fuels as their origination point.  As the world's supply of fossil fuels dwindles, it is necessary and imperative that we develop alternative energy sources that will continue to supply the energy we need.  The current list of alternative energy sources are hydroelectric, wind, solar, nuclear, geothermal, and biomass.  Each of these have their independence of fossil fuels to declare as a strength.  A drawback would be they are dependent on an abundance of the raw material they require to manufacture the energy.  For example, hydroelectric power requires a steady supply of flowing water.  Wind power requires a constant supply of wind to work.  Solar power requires a bright sunny day every day.  Nuclear power produces dangerous radioactive waste.  Biomass doesn't deliver as much thermal energy per unit as does current fossil fuel.  While making progress in relying on alternative energy sources, we still have much to do to produce an effective replacement for fossil fuels in energy production.

What are some symbols and metaphors in "A&P" by John Updike?

One of the strongest symbols in “A & P” is the work apron Sammy wears.  Because the short story is considered a rite of passage or coming of age story, Sammy taking off the apron is a symbol for him growing up and maturing. The apron, which his mother washed the night before, is a symbol of his attachment to authority. By removing the apron, Sammy is figuratively “untying the apron strings” and growing up....

One of the strongest symbols in “A & P” is the work apron Sammy wears.  Because the short story is considered a rite of passage or coming of age story, Sammy taking off the apron is a symbol for him growing up and maturing. The apron, which his mother washed the night before, is a symbol of his attachment to authority. By removing the apron, Sammy is figuratively “untying the apron strings” and growing up. He no longer cares about what people think (although he realizes his parents will be disappointed by his actions), and he decides to take a stand against those who control him like the store manager. 

Other figures of speech in the story involve the way the people in the store are described.  They are compared to sheep, house slaves, and pigs being loaded into a chute.  The girls also symbolically go against the normal “traffic flow” of the supermarket and break the rules of conformity by coming in the grocery story in their swimming suits.

All in all, the young characters in this story set in the 1960’s represent the rebellion against authority that expects them to conform to the rules and values of the older generation. 

What emotions does "In Another Country" probably bring out in most people?

There could be many correct answers, but most likely Hemingway was trying to elicit the emotion of loneliness. The main character feels isolated from most everyone. The townspeople say, "A basso gli ufficiali!" "Down with the officers!" The narrator also suggests that all men who have been to the front have symptoms of PTSD, indicated by the narrator saying, " We were all a little detached." And he personally is separated by the fact that...

There could be many correct answers, but most likely Hemingway was trying to elicit the emotion of loneliness. The main character feels isolated from most everyone. The townspeople say, "A basso gli ufficiali!" "Down with the officers!" The narrator also suggests that all men who have been to the front have symptoms of PTSD, indicated by the narrator saying, " We were all a little detached." And he personally is separated by the fact that he only won his medal because he was American. "I was not a hawk, although I might seem a hawk to those who had never hunted; they, the three, knew better and so we drifted apart."

The language barrier is another source of loneliness. At first the narrator is unaware of his poor grammar, but the major points out his flaws and begins to help him. Ironically, the narrator then becomes afraid to speak, "until I had the grammar straight in my mind." This suggests fear in talking to even a confidant.

Finally, the climax of the story is the revelation that the major's wife has just died. The major instructs the narrator never to marry. "If he is to lose everything, he should not place himself in a position to lose that." The message is that his pain is from his connection, and one is better off remaining alone. The story ends with the image of the major staring out the window by himself, underscoring the concept of loneliness.

How did London change in the period, 1750-1900?

The period, 1750-1900, roughly corresponds with the Industrial Revolution, a time of rapid economic growth in Britain. As the country's capital, London was hugely affected by these changes, in a number of important ways.

Firstly, by far the most striking change in this period was the population. At the beginning of this period, for example, London had a population of 750,000 people. But this increased substantially over the course of the next century: from 3.1...

The period, 1750-1900, roughly corresponds with the Industrial Revolution, a time of rapid economic growth in Britain. As the country's capital, London was hugely affected by these changes, in a number of important ways.

Firstly, by far the most striking change in this period was the population. At the beginning of this period, for example, London had a population of 750,000 people. But this increased substantially over the course of the next century: from 3.1 million people in 1860 to over 6 million by 1900. There are a number of reasons for this population boom, including rising rates of immigration and the rise of urbanisation, as people flocked from the countryside to find jobs in the industrialising cities. You can find out more in the first reference link provided.

Secondly, London transportation underwent significant changes in this period. In the 1700s, for instance, London's roads were in a sorry state of disrepair. They were prone to flooding and journeys out of the capital took a long time. It took over two weeks to get from London to Edinburgh, for instance. But all this changed with the coming of the Industrial Revolution. A great boom in road-building began in the 1780s which made travel far easier than before. By the 1830s, for example, the above journey  to Edinburgh took only two days. The number of stagecoaches (covered wagons) increased too, to ferry people and resources across the capital and beyond. Improved coach architecture continued to improve these coaches, making them bigger, more efficient and able to carry heavier loads. London's first railway opened in 1838, prompting a new era in transportation and connecting London to the rest of the country. The famous London Underground also opened in 1863. Please see the second and third reference links for more information. 

Helen Keller is an inspiration for disabled persons. Explain in terms of her autobiography, "The Story of My Life."

The name Helen Keller is synonymous with persistence, determination and an indomitable spirit. In "The Story of My Life," the reader gets a glimpse of the highs and lows of the first twenty-two years of Helen's difficult life, Helen having being left blind and deaf after an illness as a baby. She is an inspiration to many people, whether disabled or not, because she exhibits a strength of character that ensures that everyone who hears...

The name Helen Keller is synonymous with persistence, determination and an indomitable spirit. In "The Story of My Life," the reader gets a glimpse of the highs and lows of the first twenty-two years of Helen's difficult life, Helen having being left blind and deaf after an illness as a baby. She is an inspiration to many people, whether disabled or not, because she exhibits a strength of character that ensures that everyone who hears or reads about her is moved by the extent of her unwavering belief in potential and the need to "learn from life itself" (chapter 7). The fact that Helen Keller recognizes that she can help others, despite her own immense challenges, is testament to her self-awareness and complete selflessness.  

Disabled people may have more opportunities than they did at the end of the nineteenth and early twentieth century (and Helen Keller contributed to that improved perception of disabled people), but they still struggle for acceptance and for independence. Helen Keller proves that anything is possible and her autobiography also reveals that Helen has disappointments and challenges but her attitude is such that giving up is never an option.

As a child, she has fears and experiences such as the storm, the ocean and The Frost King incident, all of which impact her life. Helen says in chapter 14, "No child ever drank deeper of the cup of bitterness than I did." Yet, Helen maintains that such an experience "may have done me good."

She works hard to get to Radcliffe, and never wains in her appreciation for the dedication of Annie Sullivan in helping Helen achieve her dreams. Helen's "fixed purpose" hopefully inspires disabled people to set goals and then try to achieve them, even if those dreams and ambitions need to be amended along the way. Helen certainly proves, that by being open-minded and having aspirations, anything is possible.

Helen received many awards during her lifetime for her dedication to the upliftment of disabled persons, and using her influence, she tirelessly campaigned for the rights of disabled people, helping to transform the environment into a more engaging and promising one for disabled people.  

How does imagery deepen the meaning and emotional charge of poetry?

Imagery, though often linked to visual image, in poetry refers to words and phrases that connect with any of the five senses. This includes sight, the visual, but also hearing, smell, taste and touch. For example, a poet writes "I see a flower" and the connection to the reader is shallow. No image comes to mind. However, if the poet writes "A firework of pink and orange atop a green spire sent fragrant waves as...

Imagery, though often linked to visual image, in poetry refers to words and phrases that connect with any of the five senses. This includes sight, the visual, but also hearing, smell, taste and touch. For example, a poet writes "I see a flower" and the connection to the reader is shallow. No image comes to mind. However, if the poet writes "A firework of pink and orange atop a green spire sent fragrant waves as sweet as honey bursting into the wind" then the reader connects on an emotional level because of the connection to his five senses. In addition, the author creates meaning with the greater detail this language brings. Authors use many types of figurative language to create imagery in addition to simply using words that appeal to the five senses. Simile, metaphor, hyperbole and personification are some of the types of figurative language an author may use.

In Beowulf, why does Grendel's mother attack the Danes?

In the epic poem Beowulf, Grendel's mother attacks the Danes out of revenge. Beowulf had already defeated Grendel, the monster who had been haunting the Danes. However, Grendel--before dying from his wounds--returned to his lair; it is likely his mother watched him die. Grendel's death enrages his mother. She grows angry at the Danes, and determines to exact revenge on them for killing her son. She sneaks into the mead-hall, retrieves Grendel's claw (which...

In the epic poem Beowulf, Grendel's mother attacks the Danes out of revenge. Beowulf had already defeated Grendel, the monster who had been haunting the Danes. However, Grendel--before dying from his wounds--returned to his lair; it is likely his mother watched him die. Grendel's death enrages his mother. She grows angry at the Danes, and determines to exact revenge on them for killing her son. She sneaks into the mead-hall, retrieves Grendel's claw (which the Danes had kept as a trophy), and abducts one of the Danes to use as bait to lure Beowulf to her lair. The bait works, and Grendel's mother attacks Beowulf on her home turf. Despite this advantage, Beowulf successfully slays Grendel's monster, decapitates the now-dead Grendel, and returns with his head.

What is the meaning behind Stephen Crane's poem "I was in the Darkness"?

“I Was in the Darkness” is a very short poem, only five lines, with the final line set off from the rest. Despite the brevity, however, the poem tells a complete story, and a common one. As the title suggests, the speaker at the beginning of the poem “was in the darkness.” The darkness symbolizes a lack of understanding about the speaker’s self. To quote the entire work,

I was in the darknessI could...

“I Was in the Darkness” is a very short poem, only five lines, with the final line set off from the rest. Despite the brevity, however, the poem tells a complete story, and a common one. As the title suggests, the speaker at the beginning of the poem “was in the darkness.” The darkness symbolizes a lack of understanding about the speaker’s self. To quote the entire work,

I was in the darkness
I could not see my words,
Nor the wishes of my heart.
Then suddenly there was a great light –

“Let me into the darkness again.”

The speaker did not understand who he was, or what he wanted; he did not understand why he said and did the things he said and did. He was blind to himself, until, as referenced in line 4, as if illuminated by a flash of lightening, it all became clear to him. And a vision, once seen, cannot be forgotten.

The final line of the poem is a quotation, an imploration in the present-tense to some unknown entity. The speaker is no longer describing his previous state; he is living his new one, and reacting in real time. He is begging to once again live in ignorance of his situation and his self. This is a commentary on how difficult it can be to acknowledge all the truths of one’s existence. It is much easier to delude oneself about one’s desires and lifestyle. Growth and understanding are painful and frightening, and once one embarks on this journey of discovery sometimes the desire to return to the comfort of where you were before is overwhelming. It is this moment of truth and subsequent fear that is described in the poem.

How could Montresor be described as dramatic, and what are some quotes that would help prove that claim?

In Edgar Allan Poe's short story "Cask of Amontillado" Montresor is nothing if not dramatic. His diabolical plot to kill Fortunato is worthy of any Shakespearean villain. 

From the beginning Montresor announces his plan for the man who "insulted" him with definite melodramatic flair. He says he must punish Fortunato without getting caught and he must make it clear to the victim just who his murderer is. Montresor says,

At length I would be avenged;...

In Edgar Allan Poe's short story "Cask of Amontillado" Montresor is nothing if not dramatic. His diabolical plot to kill Fortunato is worthy of any Shakespearean villain. 

From the beginning Montresor announces his plan for the man who "insulted" him with definite melodramatic flair. He says he must punish Fortunato without getting caught and he must make it clear to the victim just who his murderer is. Montresor says,

At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitely, settled-but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.

While we know what Montresor intends to do, we are not sure how he will go about it. Poe creates suspense as Montresor dramatically lures his victim into the catacombs below his estate. Montresor is the consummate dramatic actor as he pretends concern for Fortunato's health:

"Come," I said, with decision, "we will go back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was. You are a man to be missed. For me it is no matter. We will go back; you will be ill, and I cannot be responsible.

Montresor plays on Fotunato's arrogance, much as the Shakespearean villain Iago exploits the same trait in Othello. Montresor tells him that he can always go to another expert to judge the Amontillado. All the while Montresor is using reverse psychology on his victim and acting as though Fortunato's opinion is of the utmost importance in evaluating the vintage spirit.

Montresor shows more of his dramatic side as he actually shows the mason's trowel to Fortunato. The trowel will be the ultimate tool in Fortunato's demise as Montresor entombs him into the walls of the catacomb.

Finally, the devious Montresor leads us to think he has some remorse when he says, "My heart grew sick..." but then extinguishes that emotion as he continues by saying, "it was the dampness of the catacombs that made it so." 

The temperature of the Moon varies between 110 degrees C and - 170 degrees C. What can be the reason for this?

The extreme temperatures on Moon are due to the lack of atmosphere. Moon has an average daytime temperature of about 100 degrees C and a night time temperature, as low as -173 degrees C. The lack of atmosphere means that there are no gases and clouds to hold the heat and spread it to the colder regions. There are also no oceans to hold the heat and loss the heat by evaporation, thus, maintaining the...

The extreme temperatures on Moon are due to the lack of atmosphere. Moon has an average daytime temperature of about 100 degrees C and a night time temperature, as low as -173 degrees C. The lack of atmosphere means that there are no gases and clouds to hold the heat and spread it to the colder regions. There are also no oceans to hold the heat and loss the heat by evaporation, thus, maintaining the surface temperature. Due to all these factors, Moon surface warms up quickly when it faces the Sun and loses all this heat when it is shaded from the Sun.

To compare, Earth is also about the same distance from Sun. Yet, our temperatures are more moderate, since the atmosphere traps some heat and distributes it. Our oceans also help in storing the heat and losing heat by evaporation of water, thus maintaining a more hospitable temperature range, as compared to the Moon.

Hope this helps.  

Did Wiesel succeed in writing Night?

I think that Wiesel succeeded in writing Night.

One reason that it is a success lies in the meaning of his work.  With Night, Wiesel has added a new dimension to the study of the Holocaust.  In 1967, Wiesel asserted that “In the beginning there was the Holocaust. We must therefore start over again.”  Night represents one way to "start over again" because it probes the nature of religious faith.  There are significant...

I think that Wiesel succeeded in writing Night.

One reason that it is a success lies in the meaning of his work.  With Night, Wiesel has added a new dimension to the study of the Holocaust.  In 1967, Wiesel asserted that “In the beginning there was the Holocaust. We must therefore start over again.”  Night represents one way to "start over again" because it probes the nature of religious faith.  There are significant moments in Night where spiritual identity is integral to understanding the Holocaust.  From Moshe the Beadle's belief that true faith means asking questions more than it means receiving answers, especially to the problems of where God is at the moment a child is executed and of Akiba Drumer's insistence that the others recite the Khaddish for him, Wiesel has succeeded in embedding the role of the divine into the study of the Holocaust.

One of the basic questions that guides most examples of Holocaust studies is how human beings could permit such cruelty to exist. Wiesel's Night is successful because it places God in this discussion.  In initiating a way to "start over again," Night has to be seen as successful because it forces the reader to ask questions about the role of the divine in human suffering.

How has technology expanded our knowledge about astronomy?

The previous answer wrote great information about how the telescope is a changing piece of technology that has helped humans better understand astronomy and cosmology. From simple, small light collecting telescopes to the huge multi-mirror telescopes like the Keck, they have all helped humans see further into space and collect more information about the universe at large. As technology improved, so did our understanding of light. We realized that the human eye is only collecting...

The previous answer wrote great information about how the telescope is a changing piece of technology that has helped humans better understand astronomy and cosmology. From simple, small light collecting telescopes to the huge multi-mirror telescopes like the Keck, they have all helped humans see further into space and collect more information about the universe at large. As technology improved, so did our understanding of light. We realized that the human eye is only collecting a very, very small amount of the light frequencies that exist. In response, we invented telescopes that are able to collect wavelengths of light that we can't see. We now have telescopes that can see radio waves, microwaves, infrared, ultraviolet, x-ray, and even gamma radiation.  

Technology has allowed astronomers to do more than just look through telescopes now. We have satellites in space closely monitoring the actions of our sun. The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory and the Solar Dynamics Observatory satellites are the two current leading satellites collecting solar data. They have been launched and placed at a Lagrange point between the Earth and the sun. That means the combined gravitational pull between the Earth the sun keeps the satellite locked in place, so the satellite gets a fully unobstructed view of the sun 24 hours per day. Astronomers have gained incredible amounts of knowledge about how stars work just from closely studying our own sun. Additionally, we now have the capability of monitoring and predicting how and when coronal mass ejections will affect earth.  

My favorite use of astronomy technology is Gravity Probe B. Between 2004 and 2005, NASA monitored the associated satellite in order to determine if massive objects, like Earth, really do warp space-time. What they discovered was that yes, massive objects do bend space and time around them. The experiment allowed astronomers to verify previously untested parts of general relativity.  

In Life on the Mississippi, how does the river change Twain and eliminate his romantic notions of life?

Mark Twain tells this story in Chapter IX, “Continued Perplexities.” Having grown up along the Mississippi River, Twain had always found beauty in it. He remembered a specific sunset that was especially remarkable, with the light reflecting around a log and a variety of ripples in the water. Unfortunately, once he was trained as a steamboat pilot, Twain's view changed. He learned how to read the signs in the water so that he could successfully...

Mark Twain tells this story in Chapter IX, “Continued Perplexities.” Having grown up along the Mississippi River, Twain had always found beauty in it. He remembered a specific sunset that was especially remarkable, with the light reflecting around a log and a variety of ripples in the water. Unfortunately, once he was trained as a steamboat pilot, Twain's view changed. He learned how to read the signs in the water so that he could successfully guide a boat through it, without getting hung up or stuck on any submerged obstacles. Now he could recognize and analyze all of the hazards that lay around that log, beneath those ripples, and along the shoreline. He approached the scene as a scientist or an engineer would, gauging the waterway for navigation and transportation, and not for mere beauty. He says,

I had made a valuable acquisition. But I had lost something, too. I had lost something which could never be restored to me while I lived. All the grace, the beauty, the poetry, had gone out of the majestic river! … All the value any feature of it had for me now was the amount of usefulness it could furnish toward compassing the safe piloting of a steamboat.

What is the setting of "Rip Van Winkle"? What feature of the place seems to be the most memorable? What details suggest when the story takes place?...

At the beginning of Washington Irving's tale "Rip Van Winkle" the narrator offers a description of the story's setting by detailing geographical features

WHOEVER has made a voyage up the Hudson must remember the Kaatskill mountains. They are a dismembered branch of the great Appalachian family, and are seen away to the west of the river, swelling up to a noble height, and lording it over the surrounding country. Every change of season, every change of weather, indeed, every hour of the day, produces some change in the magical hues and shapes of these mountains, and they are regarded by all the good wives, far and near, as perfect barometers.

In this opening sequence of sentences, Irving indicates that the story takes place at least near "the Hudson" river and "Kaatskill mountains."  Furthermore, his emphasis on the "magical hues and shapes of these mountains," creates a background against which the story will take place.  

The narrator continues to "zoom-in" on the scene by describing "a little village of great antiquity, having been founded by some Dutch colonists, in the early times of the province...."  Thus, spatially the story is located in present-day upstate New York in a small, old village.  

As far as the time period is concern, Irving's indication that it takes place (at least in its beginning) "while the country was yet a province of Great Britain."  This political detail definitively places the time of the story before the Revolutionary War and, thus, prior to 1776.  

While determining what the most "memorable" feature of the setting is inherently difficult because it relies on individual readers' reactions, the space that to which Rip escapes from his wife,

a deep mountain glen, wild, lonely, and shagged, the bottom filled with fragments from the impending cliffs, and scarcely lighted by the reflected rays of the setting sun. For some time Rip lay musing on this scene; evening was gradually advancing; the mountains began to throw their long blue shadows over the valleys; he saw that it would be dark long before he could reach the village, and he heaved a heavy sigh when he thought of encountering the terrors of Dame Van Winkle.

This "wild, lonely, and shagged," glen serves as the setting of the story's pivotal scene in which he encounters strange men playing a game, falls asleep, and wakes up after the Revolution.

How does the short story, "The Sniper," relate to other texts?

Liam O'Flaherty's short story "The Sniper" is essentially anti-war. It portrays a sniper alone on a rooftop during the Irish Civil War. Although he is successful in killing his enemies, the horrors of war eventually get to him as demonstrated in this paragraph:

The sniper looked at his enemy falling and he shuddered. The lust of battle died in him. He became bitten by remorse. The sweat stood out in beads on his forehead. Weakened by his wound and the long summer day of fasting and watching on the roof, he revolted from the sight of the shattered mass of his dead enemy. His teeth chattered, he began to gibber to himself, cursing the war, cursing himself, cursing everybody.

Ever since there have been wars writers have condemned them. In ancient Greece the playwright Aristophanes wrote Lysistrata, a comedy about women who try to end war. Modern warfare has had no shortage of critical writers. Some of Ernest Hemingway's greatest works deal with war and the toll it takes on soldiers. As in "The Sniper," Hemingway describes the grim elements of war in his short sketches between short stories in his book In Our Time. In chapter six he paints a picture of a wounded man:

Nick sat against the wall of the church where they had dragged him to be clear of machine-gun fire in the street. Both legs stuck out awkwardly. He had been hit in the spine. His fact was sweaty and dirty.

Like O'Flaherty, Hemingway uses an objective, newspaper account style when he writes about war. He uses short, direct sentences and intense realism. His best accounts of war are probably in his novels A Farewell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Another anti-war book written around the same time is Erich Maria Remarque's masterpiece All Quiet on the Western Front. The book goes into great detail to portray the mental and physical toll a war can take on men. It is about German soldiers in World War I and the harsh conditions they endured during the interminable war in the European trenches. 

How is Iago presented in Shakespeare's Othello?

Iago is in many ways a metaphor for the Christian concept of the devil. He does not commit crimes himself. He tempts others, abuses their moral weaknesses, and persuades them indirectly to commit horrible crimes. While he claims to do this out of fear that Othello has slept with his wife, he presents very little evidence of this; it seems more likely that Iago enjoys hurting others for its own sake. This makes his character...

Iago is in many ways a metaphor for the Christian concept of the devil. He does not commit crimes himself. He tempts others, abuses their moral weaknesses, and persuades them indirectly to commit horrible crimes. While he claims to do this out of fear that Othello has slept with his wife, he presents very little evidence of this; it seems more likely that Iago enjoys hurting others for its own sake. This makes his character even more sinister, since he stands to gain very little from his horrible actions.

The name Iago itself means the planter. This is fitting, as he plants negative notions in the minds of others and allows them to take a tragic course. He does this by playing on Cassio's weakness for wine and on Othello's leanings towards jealousy. This method of indirect temptation for no reason other than a love of causing harm is the very essence of evil.

What is the relationship between body size and heat loss in organisms?

In general, the larger the body size (in terms of surface area to volume ratio) of an organism, the higher will be the heat loss from the body. This is simply due to large surface area which is exposed to the environment and which facilitates the heat loss. A direct effect of this relationship is the habitat of animals. Animals that have smaller surface area to volume ratio, such as polar bears, generally live in...

In general, the larger the body size (in terms of surface area to volume ratio) of an organism, the higher will be the heat loss from the body. This is simply due to large surface area which is exposed to the environment and which facilitates the heat loss. A direct effect of this relationship is the habitat of animals. Animals that have smaller surface area to volume ratio, such as polar bears, generally live in colder climate. Under such conditions, the heat generated from metabolism need to be conserved and the small surface area to volume ratio allows that. In comparison, thin, slender organisms that have large surface area to volume ratio generally live in much warmer weather (say equatorial regions). Under warm climatic conditions, it is necessary for an organism to be able to dissipate as much heat as possible to survive. Larger surface area to volume ratio allows that.

Hence, a direct relationship exists between surface area (to volume ratio) and heat loss.

Hope this helps. 

What is the prince's ultimatum in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet?

The prince’s ultimatum is that anyone who fights in the streets will be put to death. 

An ultimatum is an order that forces someone to do something.  After the huge brawl started by Sampson and Abraham in the beginning of the play, Prince Escalus decides that he is sick of fighting in the streets.  He tells Lords Capulet and Montague that enough is enough.  Their feud has shed enough blood. 

Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word,
By thee, old Capulet, and Montague,
Have thrice disturb'd the quiet of our streets,
And made Verona's ancient citizens
Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments,
To wield old partisans, in hands as old,
Canker'd with peace, to part your canker'd hate:
If ever you disturb our streets again,
Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace. (Act 1, Scene 1) 

When he says that the lives of anyone who is fighting will pay the forfeit of the peace, he is basically saying that if anyone is caught fighting and lives, he will be put to death.  He hopes that this sentence will cause the feuding family members to think twice before picking up swords against each other. 

It doesn’t work.  Tybalt still tries to fight Romeo, and Mercutio doesn’t care about the ban either when he fights in his place.  Romeo didn’t want to fight, but when Tybalt killed Mercutio, he stepped in.  Romeo wasn’t put to death because of his fight, but he was banished.  Romeo was not pleased with the leniency. 

ROMEO

What less than dooms-day is the prince's doom?

FRIAR LAURENCE

A gentler judgment vanish'd from his lips,
Not body's death, but body's banishment.

ROMEO

Ha, banishment! be merciful, say 'death;'
For exile hath more terror in his look,
Much more than death: do not say 'banishment.' (Act 3, Scene 3)

For Romeo, any time away from his new bride Juliet was too long.  He was very upset by the banishment even though the prince was trying to be “gentle.”  In fact, Romeo did probably deserve a lesser sentence due to the extenuating circumstances of the duel, since he was forced into fighting in self-defense, but he was still very upset about being banished.

The Cask of Amontillado: In what ways was Montresor either right or wrong to kill Fortunato?

In Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Cask of Amontillado" the narrator, Montresor, is clearly a sociopath. He is a cold-blooded killer whose only reason for murdering Fortunato is because of an "insult." He has absolutely no hesitation or remorse in carrying out the diabolical deed of walling up a man in the catacombs below his house.

In the first paragraph, he reveals his deranged thinking. He says that he must commit this crime so...

In Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Cask of Amontillado" the narrator, Montresor, is clearly a sociopath. He is a cold-blooded killer whose only reason for murdering Fortunato is because of an "insult." He has absolutely no hesitation or remorse in carrying out the diabolical deed of walling up a man in the catacombs below his house.

In the first paragraph, he reveals his deranged thinking. He says that he must commit this crime so that no one figures it out but that the victim should know exactly who murdered him. Montresor says,

At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitely, settled --but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.

Indeed, the crime is never discovered. It is perfect in its sinister nature and could only be carried out by a man who felt no empathy for his fellow man. Even at the end when Montresor says for a split second that his "heart grew sick" we quickly learn it is not out of guilt but because he is cold. 

What is the Declaration of Independence?

The Declaration of Independence was a very well written and eloquent document. It was important, not just for the messages it gave, but for its long-lasting impact. This document, written by Thomas Jefferson, was a masterpiece.

The Declaration of Independence stated to the world that the British colonies were no longer under the control of Great Britain. It stated these colonies were now independent. It went on to state that if a group of people...

The Declaration of Independence was a very well written and eloquent document. It was important, not just for the messages it gave, but for its long-lasting impact. This document, written by Thomas Jefferson, was a masterpiece.

The Declaration of Independence stated to the world that the British colonies were no longer under the control of Great Britain. It stated these colonies were now independent. It went on to state that if a group of people declared their freedom from another group of people, they needed to tell the world why the did that.

The Declaration of Independence claimed that the role of government is to protect our rights. It claimed that all people have certain rights, called inalienable rights, that can’t be taken away. These include the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It went on to say that when the government violates, abuses, or takes away the rights of the people, the people have no choice but to remove that government from power and replace it with a new government.

The Declaration of Independence went on to say that we needed to let the world know what Great Britain did to us that led to our decision to declare our freedom from British rule. This portion of the document is the longest portion. It lists all of the complaints against the King of England and the British government. For example, it stated that the King abused and violated the rights of the people by taxing them without the colonists having representatives in Parliament that could speak about and vote for the taxes.

The last parts of the Declaration of Independence were the parts that said we were free from British rule. It also listed the signatures of each man who signed the document. These people literally put their lives on the line because if the colonists lost the ensuing war, these men could have been killed.

The beauty of the Declaration of Independence is how it has served as a model for the independence movements in other countries. For example, the French Revolution used some ideas in the Declaration of Independence. Independence movements in India and Vietnam also used the Declaration of Independence as a model.

The Declaration of Independence was one of the most moving and significant documents throughout history.

What does Miss Strangeworth secretly do in The Possibility of Evil?

Miss Strangeworth has a dark secret. For the past year she has been writing anonymous letters to people in her town hinting that something bad may be happening in their lives which they are not aware of. She thinks that she is performing a public service and that, as the town's senior resident, it is her duty to issue these warnings. Instead, she is creating suspicion, anxiety, hostility, and other troubles.

On the day during...

Miss Strangeworth has a dark secret. For the past year she has been writing anonymous letters to people in her town hinting that something bad may be happening in their lives which they are not aware of. She thinks that she is performing a public service and that, as the town's senior resident, it is her duty to issue these warnings. Instead, she is creating suspicion, anxiety, hostility, and other troubles.

On the day during which the story takes place, she writes three of her poison-pen letters. Her letter to Mrs. Harper suggests that the woman's husband is having an affair with another woman and that everybody knows about it but his wife. Her letter to Mrs. Foster suggests that the old woman's nephew might have bribed her surgeon to cause her to die on the table when she has her forthcoming operation. And her letter to Don Crane suggests that his six-months old baby girl is mentally retarded. The short note reads:

DIDN'T YOU EVER SEE AN IDIOT CHILD BEFORE? SOME PEOPLE JUST SHOULDN'T HAVE CHILDREN SHOULD THEY?

Miss Strangeworth prints all these letters and their envelopes in big block capital letters so that she cannot be identified by her normal handwriting. Quite by accident, Don Crane finds out that the letter he received had been written by this apparently sweet little old lady. He takes revenge by chopping up all her prized rose bushes and sending her his own anonymous letter in which he writes:

LOOK OUT AT WHAT USED TO BE YOUR ROSES

This is probably an evil thing for him to do, and it seems to prove Miss Strangeworth's belief that there are innumerable possibilities of evil in the citizens of her town. The story is somewhat reminiscent of Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown," in which the protagonist finds out that all his apparently god-fearing neighbors are secretly devil-worshippers, including his own wife. In Shirley Jackson's better-known short story "The Lottery" it turns out that everybody in the town has a vicious streak and enjoys stoning one of their neighbors to death, as long as they have escaped drawing the black spot themselves. Miss Strangeworth is effective in putting people on their guards, because there really is a "possibility of evil" in everybody. It is obvious in "The Lottery" that everybody in the crowd is enjoying the thrill of stoning poor Tessie Hutchinson to death, especially Old Man Warner, who takes the lead saying, "Come on, come on, everyone." Sweet little old Miss Strangeworth thinks she is the only one in the whole town who is incapable of doing anything evil, and yet her greatest pleasure is in her evil hobby of writing poison-pen letters. The evil she senses in other people is really a projection of the evil inside herself.

An ac generator supplies an rms voltage of 5.00 V to an RC circuit. At the frequency of 20.0 kHz, the rms current in the circuit is 38.0 mA;...

The relationship between the voltage and current in AC circuit can be written in the form analogous to Ohm's Law:

`V=IZ`

, where I and V are effective, or rms, values of the current and voltage, and Z is the impedance. For the RC circuit, the impedance is

`Z=sqrt(R^2 + X_C^2)`

, where `X_C=1/(omegaC)` .

Since we don't know the values of R and C (and therefore ` ` ), we have to use the...

The relationship between the voltage and current in AC circuit can be written in the form analogous to Ohm's Law:

`V=IZ`

, where I and V are effective, or rms, values of the current and voltage, and Z is the impedance. For the RC circuit, the impedance is

`Z=sqrt(R^2 + X_C^2)`

, where `X_C=1/(omegaC)` .

Since we don't know the values of R and C (and therefore ` ` ), we have to use the known values of V, I and ` ` and write the system of two equations with two variables. It is easier to use the Ohm's Law with the both sides squared:

`V^2=I^2(R^2 + X_c^2)`

For the frequency f = 20 kHz, the angular frequency is

`w=2pif = 126*10^3 (rad)/s`

and the current is `I = 38*10^(-3) A` .So the equation becomes

`5^2 = (38*10^(-3))^2(R^2 + 1/((126*10^3)^2*C^2))` 

Divide by the coefficient on the right side in order to isolate the parenthesis:

`0.017*10^6 = R^2 + 1/(15,876*10^6*C^2)`

Similarly, for the frequency f = 28 kHz, the angular frequency is

`w = 2pif = 176*10^3 (rad)/s` and the equation becomes, after plugging in the current of 50 mA:

`5^2 = (50*10^(-3))^2(R^2 + 1/((176*10^3)^2*C^2))`

This becomes, after dividing by the coefficient in front of the parenthesis

`0.01*10^6 = R^2 + 1/(30,976*10^6*C^2)` 

So we have two equations with two unknown variables, R and C. We can solve it by eliminating R. Subtract the second equation from the first one. `R^2` will cancel out and we will get

`0.007*10^6 = 1/C^2(1/15876-1/30976)*10^(-6)`

`7*10^3 = 1/C^2*3.07*10^(-5)*10^(-6)`

Finally, from here `C^2 = (3.07*10^(-11))/(7*10^3)`

and `C=0.66*10^(-7) = 6.6*10^(-8)` Farad.

The resistance then can be found from one of the equations. Using the second equation,

`R^2 = 0.01*10^6-1/(30,976*10^6*C^2)`

Plugging in C results in

`R^2=0.01*10^6-7.4*10^3 = 10*10^3-7.4*10^3=2.6*10^3``<br data-mce-bogus="1">`

`R=51` Ohm

So the values of R and C are 51 Ohm and 6.6*10^(-8) Farad, respectively.

What are the significance and implications of the argument between Big Daddy and Brick in Act 2 of Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof? Also,...

In a 1975 interview with a reporter for The New York Times, playwright Tennessee Williams addressed, as he was want to do, his sexual orientation:

"Sexuality is a basic part of my nature," he said. "I never considered my homosexuality as anything to be disguised. Neither did I consider it a matter to be over-emphasized. I consider it an accident of nature.

"My life was a series of little adventures unconsummated before I was 28. It was after I went to New Orleans that I selected homosexuality as a way of sexual life. Lucky for me, I made the decision." Then he edited his words: "The decision was made for me."

These quotes from that interview are included here for a reason. Sexuality, and homosexuality, are powerful elements of Williams’ work, and acknowledging and understanding the role sexuality and homosexuality play in his writings is a key to understanding the confrontation between Big Daddy and Brick in the second act of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The play’s most sympathetic figure is Brick, a former professional football player—a sport long-considered synonymous with male virility—turned-broadcaster who has descended into a life of drink and self-pity, all the while denying his beautiful, vivacious wife, Margaret, or Maggie, the pleasure of his company in bed. The theme of homosexuality is prominent in Williams’ script (a theme that is certainly present but far more sublimated in the otherwise fine 1958 film adaptation of Cat), and it hangs like a noose over the character of Brick. Brick has become sullen and alcoholic because of his guilt over the suicide of his closest friend and one-time football teammate, Skipper. Skipper is, the play strongly suggests a homosexual, and the nature of the relationship between Skipper and Brick is fraught with speculation regarding the two men’s’ sexual orientations. Much of Act I, in fact, introduces the audience to this element of the play, especially when the sexually-deprived Maggie repeatedly goads Brick into reacting to her less-than-subtle suggestions that the men were more than just platonic friends. Note, for instance, Maggie’s comments to Brick in the opening act:

“What were you thinking of when I caught you looking at me like that? Were you thinking of Skipper?”

. . .

“Why I remember when we double-dated at college, Gladys Fitzgerald and I and you and Skipper, it was more like a date between you and Skipper. Gladys and I were just sort of tagging along as if it was necessary to chaperone you!--to make a good public impression—“

The theme of homosexuality so central to Tennessee Williams’ life provides the basis for the drama that permeates Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, which brings us to the dialogue between Big Daddy and Brick that dominates Act II. Big Daddy is a self-made millionaire, having dropped out of school at the tender age of 10 to work on the plantation that would become his own kingdom. A large, virile man, described in Williams’ stage instructions as “a tall man with a fierce, anxious look,” Big Daddy is presented by Williams as virtually obsessed with sex as though he, Big Daddy, needs to constantly reaffirm his own heterosexuality and continued ability to enjoy women despite his advancing age and health problems, the full nature of which comprises another of the play’s recurring themes. Big Daddy is introduced in Act II, and this obsession with sex and sexuality serves not only to reinforce his own continued virility but to help him deny to himself the possibility that his favorite son may be a homosexual. Brick is on crutches, having broken his ankle while drunkenly attempting to jump hurdles at a track. Unwilling, or unable, to accept that Brick may be gay, Big Daddy repeatedly teases his emotionally-weakened son with the suggestion that Brick’s injury was caused by hypothetical sexual escapades:

"Was it jumping or humping that you were doing out there? What were you doing out there at three a.m., layin' a woman on that cinder track?"

. . .

"I ast you, Brick, if you was cuttin' you'self a piece o' poon-tang last night on that cinder track? I thought maybe you were chasin' poon-tang on that track an' tripped over something in the heat of the chase--'s that it?"

While Big Daddy believes the lie that his medical prognosis is positive, he has, nevertheless, been forced to confront the reality of his mortality. In the exchange between father and son, and in the context of Brick’s failure to father a child, Big Daddy feels compelled to educate Brick on the vital importance of climbing out of the latter’s protracted, drunken stupor and living life with a purpose:

Y'know how much I'm worth? Guess, Brick! Guess how much I'm worth! Close on ten million in cash an' blue chip stocks, outside, mind you, of twenty-eight thousand acres of the richest land this side of the valley Nile! But a man can't buy his life with it, he can't buy back his life with it when his life has been spent, that's one thing not offered in the Europe fire-sale or in the American markets or any markets on earth, a man can't buy his life with it, he can't buy back his life when his life is finished.... That's a sobering thought, a very sobering thought, and that's a thought that I was turning over in my head, over and over and over--until today.... I'm wiser and sadder, Brick, for this experience which I just gone through."

Big Daddy’s reference to “this experience,” the fear that he was dying of cancer, provides another subtext to the play and to the nature of the human relationships in Williams’ play. During that Act II dialogue, Brick expresses his disdain for the “mendacity” he sees all around. “Mendacity,” of course, is defined as lies and deception. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is replete with instances of mendacity. Hypocrisy and deceit are everywhere: Brick’s marriage to Maggie; Gooper and Mae’s constant obsequiousness around Big Daddy; Big Daddy’s loathing of Big Mama, and so on. Every heterosexual relationship in this play is an example of mendacity. That, perhaps, is why Brick’s relationship to Skipper is such an important element of the play. “Skipper and me had a clean, true thing between us!--had a clean friendship, practically all our lives, till Maggie got the idea you're talking about,” Brick complains to Big Daddy. The only pure relationship in the play is that between Brick and Skipper, and it is soured by the shadow of homosexuality hanging over it.

The significance of Big Daddy’s story about the elephant fits neatly into the themes of sexuality, virility, and homosexuality. Back in Act II, Big Daddy is regaling Brick with his fantasies regarding sex, emphasizing that, despite his advancing age, he is not finished with respect to sexual relationships:

“They say you got just so many and each one is numbered. Well, I got a few left in me, a few, and I'm going to pick me a good one to spend 'em on! I'm going to pick me a choice one, I don't care how much she costs, I'll smother her in--minks! Ha ha! I'll strip her naked and smother her in minks and choke her with diamonds! Ha ha! I'll strip her naked and choke her with diamonds and smother her with minks and hump her from hell to breakfast.”

This quote is prelude to Big Daddy’s metaphorical joke about elephants in Act III. Note the following comment following the story about the male elephant that senses the female elephant and struggles to copulate:

“So this ole bull elephant still had a couple of fornications left in him. He reared back his trunk an' got a whiff of that elephant lady next door!”

Big Daddy is the elephant. “Big Daddy”: the name suggests a patriarchal figure who looms above the rest of humanity—at least within the confines of his own little world. And, in addressing, once again, his own continued virility, Big Daddy is reminding Brick that a man’s life is synonymous with carnal knowledge of the opposite sex.