How do you know Dill is a liar?

Dill Harris is Scout and Jem's imaginative friend from Meridian, who spends his summers at his Aunt Rachel's house in Maycomb County. Dill is notorious for his tall-tales and made up stories throughout the novel.Dill has a rather boring home life and his parents seem to ignore him. Many of the lies that Dill tells are to make his life seem more interesting than it really is and to impress Jem and Scout. There...

Dill Harris is Scout and Jem's imaginative friend from Meridian, who spends his summers at his Aunt Rachel's house in Maycomb County. Dill is notorious for his tall-tales and made up stories throughout the novel. Dill has a rather boring home life and his parents seem to ignore him. Many of the lies that Dill tells are to make his life seem more interesting than it really is and to impress Jem and Scout. There are several scenes throughout the novel that depict Dill telling lies, as well as scenes that show Scout and Jem catching him lying. In Chapter 4, Dill tells Jem and Scout that he met his father who was the president of the L & R Railroad and that he had a long pointed beard. After telling this lie, he walks by the Radley house and claims that he can "smell death," and that Scout was going to die in three days. The children do not believe his stories and in the next chapter while they are discussing what Boo Radley looks like Dill comments that Boo probably has a long beard by now. Scout says, "Like your daddy's?" and Dill forgets that he lied about what his father looked like. Dill says, "He ain't got a beard, he----" and Scout yells "Uh huh, caughtcha" because she has just caught Dill in his own lie. (Lee 63) Scout elaborates on Dill's ability to lie by saying,

"Dill Harris could tell the biggest ones I ever heard. Among other things, he had been up in a mail plane seventeen times, he had been to Nova Scotia, he had seen an elephant, and his granddaddy was Brigadier General Joe Wheeler and left him his sword." (Lee 63)

What are examples of "evil human nature" in Romeo & Juliet?

It is hard to say that any individual character in Romeo and Juliet displays inherent evil, at least not to the extent of other evil Shakespearean characters such as Iago or Richard III. No one plots to destroy anyone's lives. Rather, unfortunate events and misunderstandings lead to the demise of the two young lovers. Even the violence that dominates Act I, Scene 1 is not borne of true evil. It is simply reckless mischief on the part of the Montague and Capulet subordinates.

Some may point to Tybalt as evil, but it is hard to read that much into his character. The fact that he is quite well loved by the family and especially the Nurse tells us that he has redeeming qualities. Some may also say that Capulet displays elements of evil when he is berating Juliet over marrying Paris, but, in reality, we simply find a father who is trying to do the right thing for his daughter.

There are, however, two expressions of evil that can be pointed to in the play. In Mercutio's Queen Mab monologue in Act I, Scene 4, he suggests that Queen Mab puts evil thoughts into people's minds such as a priest who is greedy or a soldier who dreams of killing his enemy:

Tickling a parson’s nose as he lies asleep,

Then he dreams of another benefice.

Sometime she driveth o'er a soldier’s neck,

And then dreams he of cutting foreign throats,

Of breaches, ambuscadoes, Spanish blades

When we first meet Friar Lawrence he is in his garden picking flowers and weeds to make potions and medicines. The scene serves mainly as foreshadowing for later in the play when he gives Juliet a vial of sleeping potion to fake her death. Among these weeds the Friar finds both healing medicines and poisons. He compares this to man's nature. Within the earth there are things that can be of benefit and things that carry great evil, not unlike man's nature. The Friar says,

Within the infant rind of this weak flower
Poison hath residence and medicine power:
For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each
part;
Being tasted, stays all senses with the heart.
Two such opposèd kings encamp them still
In man as well as herbs—grace and rude will;
And where the worser is predominant,
Full soon the canker death eats up that plant.

Shakespeare is making a comment not only on mankind, but also on the feud between the Montagues and Capulets. Even though many good people are involved, the feud itself is essentially evil and leads to several deaths.

What do the three colors symbolize in "Desiree's Baby"?

Since you don't specify the colors you are referring to, I'm going to assume you mean skin colors. Skin colors are referred to as white, black, and yellow. White stands for the ruling class of white people in the Southern plantation society. Black stands for the class of slaves who worked on the plantations, who are powerless in their society. Yellow stands for those who have both black and white ancestry or parentage; having mixed...

Since you don't specify the colors you are referring to, I'm going to assume you mean skin colors. Skin colors are referred to as white, black, and yellow. White stands for the ruling class of white people in the Southern plantation society. Black stands for the class of slaves who worked on the plantations, who are powerless in their society. Yellow stands for those who have both black and white ancestry or parentage; having mixed blood, they were considered tainted whether they were slaves or free. Thus when Armand notices his child has African features, he interprets that to mean that Desiree is "yellow," even though her hands are whiter than his, and he rejects her and the child. In the ironic twist ending, we learn that it is Armand himself who is "yellow" because his mother was of mixed blood. But the reader is left to consider that what taints him is not his genetics, but his cruelty.

There is another passage in the story that brings out three colors. As Desiree leaves Valmonde and walks into the swamp, she is described like this: 

Desiree had not changed the thin white garment nor the slippers which she wore. Her hair was uncovered and the sun’s rays brought a golden gleam from its brown meshes.

This passage foreshadows the ending of the story by emphasizing again how "white" Desiree looked, even having hair that had golden undertones. This should lead the reader to question whether Armand's assumption about her ancestry is correct. The other place where three colors are mentioned is this passage that Desiree speaks to Armand:

"I am white! Look at my hair, it is brown; and my eyes are gray, Armand, you know they are gray."

Again, this emphasizes Desiree's "white" appearance and serves to set up the ending where we find out that it is Armand's side of the family that has African heritage, not Desiree's. 

I need a summary of what the poem "Help Lord" by Francis Bacon.

The poem "Help Lord" by Francis Bacon contains, at least in one defensible interpretation, the author's call for God to intervene in the world where increasing numbers of humans routinely lie and deceive in their own self-interest.

The writer is calling for the Lord's help, and the writer also comments on the Lord's actions going forward. These few lines are case in point:

Now for the bitter sighing of the poor,The lord hath said,...

The poem "Help Lord" by Francis Bacon contains, at least in one defensible interpretation, the author's call for God to intervene in the world where increasing numbers of humans routinely lie and deceive in their own self-interest.

The writer is calling for the Lord's help, and the writer also comments on the Lord's actions going forward. These few lines are case in point:

Now for the bitter sighing of the poor,
The lord hath said, I will no more forbear,
The wicked's kingdom to invade and scour,
And set at large the men restrain'd in fear.

Those lines seem to suggest that the Lord is no longer going to prevent the wretched poor from taking what they need from the wealth (the kingdom) of those who are indifferent and wicked.

One interpretation could then be that the Lord is responding, or will soon be responding, to people's cries for help.

In the next stanza Bacon also refers to "the righteous man" whom hopefully will be protected despite and against the "force and wiles" (wiles meaning the trickery) of the wicked. In the same stanza, Bacon also reiterates that it is time that the Lord "didst draw nigh" -- that is, come near and help -- because the "wicked daily do enlarge their bands," meaning the wicked are growing in numbers and wickedness in gaining strength. Again, the author is entreating or imploring the Lord to help combat this deception and self-aggrandizing perfidy on earth.

Here's a URL with the text of the poem:

http://hellopoetry.com/poem/66611/help-lord/

In a detailed reference, how does Harper Lee give the reader an insight into the black community through the character Reverend Sykes?

Reverend Sykes is definitely a respected leader in the black community, so he would be their go-to-guy with any of their concerns. Also, with him leading church every Sunday, he is the source of information about those who are sick, afflicted, or sinners. During his Sunday sermon which Jem and Scout attend, Reverend Sykes calls the sinners to repentance, but this also gives the reader a look into the types of lives his flock is...

Reverend Sykes is definitely a respected leader in the black community, so he would be their go-to-guy with any of their concerns. Also, with him leading church every Sunday, he is the source of information about those who are sick, afflicted, or sinners. During his Sunday sermon which Jem and Scout attend, Reverend Sykes calls the sinners to repentance, but this also gives the reader a look into the types of lives his flock is living.

"His sermon was a forthright denunciation of sin, . . . he warned his flock against the evils of heady brews, gambling, and strange women. Bootleggers caused enough trouble in the Quarters, but women were worse" (122).

It would seem that the Reverend's concerns around their black community deals with drinking, gambling, and casual relationships with women. He even goes on to call individuals out on their sins as follows:

"Jim Hardy had been absent from church five Sundays and he wasn't sick; Constance Jackson had better watch her ways--she was in grave danger for quarreling with her neighbors; she had erected the only spite fence in the history of the Quarters" (122).

It would almost seem like the Reverend had become a little bit of a gossip, but his warning calls certainly give insight into how the community is interacting with each other and what vices they struggle with. On a more sober note, though, it is interesting that it was so difficult for the Reverend to collect $10.00 for Helen Robinson. Reverend Sykes doesn't dismiss the congregation until they have collected money enough to help Helen. There are a couple of reasons why it is difficult to raise the money: either the community dismisses her because of her husband's trouble and they don't want to help, or the community is just so poor that they can barely sustain themselves let alone help a local family in trouble. The second is more likely the situation due to fact that they are in the middle of The Great Depression. But Calpurnia does answer Scout when the question is asked why Helen can't get work:

"It's because of what folks say Tom's done, . . . Folks aren't anxious to--to have anything to do with any of his family" (123).

The worst case scenario is that the black community would shun one of their own during a time of crisis. The allegations against Tom Robinson are deeply insulting and no one wants to be associated with helping out the family of a possible rapist. Based on the support the community gives Tom on his day in court, though, it's probably more likely that Helen couldn't get work because white people don't want to hire her, not because black people won't. Again, the black community is probably just too poor to be able to donate more than what Reverend Sykes asks for. 

Early in the story, what evidence are we given that the Happylife Home system has not made either of the adults particularly happy? What message...

That the Happylife Home system has not made George and Lydia Hadley particularly happy is evinced in their anxieties about the nursery.

"It's just that the nursery is different now than it was," Mrs. Hadley tells her husband because she is anxious about this room in which the children play. When she and George enter the nursery, a virtual reality exists inside: The ceiling becomes "a deep sky with a hot yellow sun," and an...

That the Happylife Home system has not made George and Lydia Hadley particularly happy is evinced in their anxieties about the nursery.

"It's just that the nursery is different now than it was," Mrs. Hadley tells her husband because she is anxious about this room in which the children play. When she and George enter the nursery, a virtual reality exists inside: The ceiling becomes "a deep sky with a hot yellow sun," and an African veldt appears, complete with odors and sounds. Over their heads a shadow is cast and George notices that it is caused by swooping vultures. Lydia points to lions going to a water hole to drink after they have apparently been eating something. She, then, asks her husband if he has heard a scream.

And here were the lions now, fifteen feet away, so real, so feverishly and startlingly real that you could feel the prickling fur on your hand,...and the yellow of them was in your eyes...the yellows of lions and summer grass, and the sound of the matted lion lungs exhaling on the silent noontide....

Lydia, then, screams, "Watch out!" as the lions charge them. They bolt for the door. Outside Lydia tells her husband, "They almost got us!" But, George patronizes her, saying that the walls are crystal and everything is "all odorophonics and sonics." Still, Lydia is frightened, and she urges George to tell the children not to read any more on Africa. And, she asks that George lock the nursery for a few days.

How was the fall of Iraq's dictator different from the fall of Egypt's dictator in the early 21st century?

The dictator in Egypt that fell at the turn of the 21st century -- thus serving as president from 1981 until 2011-- was Muhammad Hosni Mubarak. Early in 2011, began what is now known as the Egyptian Revolution, where populist protests for democratic governance erupted and sustained themselves for 18 days. Moreover, these protests in Egypt were influenced by protests in Tunisia, and after which further influenced protests, in Libya, Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia,...

The dictator in Egypt that fell at the turn of the 21st century -- thus serving as president from 1981 until 2011-- was Muhammad Hosni Mubarak. Early in 2011, began what is now known as the Egyptian Revolution, where populist protests for democratic governance erupted and sustained themselves for 18 days. Moreover, these protests in Egypt were influenced by protests in Tunisia, and after which further influenced protests, in Libya, Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. Collectively, these protests that embroiled the Middle East from late 2010 throughout the rest of 2011, have been labeled the Arab Spring. Whereas, in many of these countries, the toppling of the power center created a vacuum of fragmented chaos and violence, in Egypt, Mubarak left by resignation and in so doing, transferred authority to the military (Supreme Council of the Armed Forces). By April 2011, the new government charged Mubarak with negligence in the killing of peaceful protesters and sentenced him to life in prison. However, after developing health issues, he has received a retrial. Notable to the fall of Mubarak is also US-Egypt relations. Mubarak and the US were on quite favorable terms, to the tune of $1.3 billion a year in (military) aid. However, during the Egyptian Revolution, and the transition from Mubarak to military rule, the US neither intervened nor halted the flow of aid. 

In regards to Iraq, Saddam Hussein, who ruled the country for 24 years, lost power in 2003 (and his life in 2006). In contrast to domestic/internal or even regional strife, the fall of Hussein was instigated by foreign (e.g. mostly US) influences. The US and Hussein never had close relations, as Hussein ideologically adhered to both (Arab) Nationalism and Socialism. More significantly, this ideology precluded US access to any of Iraq's rich oil fields. By early 2003, the US (and Britain) had formed a coalition to invade Iraq under the pretenses of Hussein possessing weapons of mass destruction. Although later deemed false allegations, the invasion not only led to the capture of Hussein, and the replacement of a coalition-formed Iraqi Interim Government, but also to his trial, conviction, and ultimately hanging. 

In Walk Two Moons, how does Phoebe's story relate to Sal's?

Phoebe and Sal must both deal with the fact that their mothers voluntarily left their families, though for different reasons. Sal’s mother had a miscarriage and a hysterectomy, which meant she would not be able to have any more children, even though she desperately wanted them. She wanted a house full of children. She begins to question who she is, besides a wife and a mother. She decides to go on a bus trip to...

Phoebe and Sal must both deal with the fact that their mothers voluntarily left their families, though for different reasons. Sal’s mother had a miscarriage and a hysterectomy, which meant she would not be able to have any more children, even though she desperately wanted them. She wanted a house full of children. She begins to question who she is, besides a wife and a mother. She decides to go on a bus trip to visit her cousin in Idaho, someone who knew her when she was a girl. Sal has difficulty, first of all, in understanding why her mother wanted more children. Wasn’t Sal enough? Also, she cannot understand why her mother cannot “find herself” at home with her immediate family.

Phoebe’s mother leaves home to process the sudden appearance of the son whom she gave up for adoption before she was married. Like Sal, Phoebe cannot understand why her mother left, so she makes up a story that her mother was kidnapped against her will, rather than chose to leave.

In the end, the reader learns that Phoebe’s mother returns with her son, but Sal’s mother was killed in a bus accident on her way to Idaho. Sal must come to terms with that death, while Phoebe must come to terms with the fact that she has a brother and that her mother had a whole different life before she was married. In the end, both make the adjustment, though uneasily.

In “Self-Reliance,” describe what Emerson compares to these things and events: planting corn, an iron string, a joint-stock company, a shadow...

A discourse on individualism, Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Self-Reliance" extols the creativity of individual thought as well as its importance in society while stressing the need for resistance to conformity.

In his essay, the Transcendentalist Emerson employs metaphors in order to develop his arguments for the value of individual thought that must resist compliance with society: 

• Planting Corn

In the second paragraph, Emerson argues for individualism. He states that there is a time in every man's...

A discourse on individualism, Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Self-Reliance" extols the creativity of individual thought as well as its importance in society while stressing the need for resistance to conformity.

In his essay, the Transcendentalist Emerson employs metaphors in order to develop his arguments for the value of individual thought that must resist compliance with society: 

• Planting Corn

In the second paragraph, Emerson argues for individualism. He states that there is a time in every man's life when he realizes that "imitation is suicide" and he must think for himself. By doing so, he nourishes his mind, developing critical thought, and generating new ideas. 

...no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given him to till.

Every man must think for himself if he would develop his own mind. The "kernel" is an idea.

• Iron String

In the third paragraph, Emerson urges, "Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string." The iron string is a metaphor for the faith which a person places in himself. What is most trustworthy--"the iron string"--is a man's belief in his own convictions. It is this "stirring at their heart" that the Eternal causes; it is "a transcendent destiny" which makes men great. 

• Joint-Stock Company

In the sixth paragraph, Emerson uses the metaphor of a "joint-stock company" to disparage society as he explains that it is in "conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members." (A joint-stock company is a business enterprise whose stock investors surrender potential individual profit to cover liability for company debts.) This "joint-stock company" has members who agree to surrender their individual liberties in order to protect themselves, their positions in society, and their customs through conformity.

• Shadow on a Wall

In the fourteenth paragraph, Emerson states that the conformist has nothing to do because his thoughts are dictated to him. He may as well concern himself "with his shadow on a wall" since he thoughts are reflections of others' thoughts and not his, just as his shadow is not himself.

What is the functional difference between fetal hemoglobin and adult hemoglobin?

In order to understand the functional difference between fetal hemoglobin, and adult hemoglobin, one must first look at the structural differences between the two. 

Structurally, both adult and fetal hemoglobin are tetramers containing four protein subunits. Both types of hemoglobin contain two (out of the possible four) of the same subunits, called the alpha-chains. They differ, however, in the make up of their other two protein subunit structures. In adult hemoglobin, the two other...

In order to understand the functional difference between fetal hemoglobin, and adult hemoglobin, one must first look at the structural differences between the two. 

Structurally, both adult and fetal hemoglobin are tetramers containing four protein subunits. Both types of hemoglobin contain two (out of the possible four) of the same subunits, called the alpha-chains. They differ, however, in the make up of their other two protein subunit structures. In adult hemoglobin, the two other protein subunits of the tetramer are identical beta-chain subunits, while in fetal hemoglobin, the two other subunits are identical gamma subunits. These beta and gamma subunits are very similar, however, differences in the overall subunit conformation leads to an overall different protein structure of fetal hemoglobin when compared to adult hemoglobin.

This change in structure of fetal hemoglobin also leads to a change in function when compared to adult hemoglobin. Experimentally, it has been shown that the structural changes in fetal hemoglobin, caused by the substitution of gamma subunits for beta-chains, allows fetal hemoglobin to have a higher "average affinity" for oxygen. This means that, on average, fetal hemoglobin can bind oxygen more readily than adult hemoglobin. This is important because it ensures a fetus, developing inside the mother and relying on her blood for oxygen, will be able to bind oxygen from her blood stream. This ensures appropriate oxygen levels are present in the fetus through out development. 

Hope this helps!

At what temperature does fat freeze?

This is a great question, but unfortunately one that does not have a solid answer.

Fats can have differing chemical makeups, depending on the types of fatty acids they're composed of and whether any other substances (like water) are a part of the mix. For example, a stick of butter like you might have in your refrigerator will have a little bit of water or whey left from the process of churning milk to separate...

This is a great question, but unfortunately one that does not have a solid answer.

Fats can have differing chemical makeups, depending on the types of fatty acids they're composed of and whether any other substances (like water) are a part of the mix. For example, a stick of butter like you might have in your refrigerator will have a little bit of water or whey left from the process of churning milk to separate butterfat. If you try to freeze a stick of butter, it will work, but in a two-step process. First, any remaining water in the stick of butter will freeze solid at about 32F or 0C. At this point, the butter will not seem entirely frozen solid and can be pierced with a knife, if with some difficulty. At a much colder temperature (which varies depending on the makeup of the fatty acids in the butter), the soft butterfat will freeze solid like ice. This second step involves the structure of the fatty molecules shifting from a looser liquid to a rigid, crystallized state. Freezing and thawing butter can result in a grainy or unpleasant texture because there are both crystals of water (or whey) and fats breaking up in the process.

Some people will refer to the temperature at which fats and oils solidify as the freezing point, but this is really just the first step in freezing. Oils and fats have much slower freezing processes than water because of their molecular makeup. Fat molecules, unlike water molecules, are not polar, so their attraction to each other is much weaker and causes them to move about (and crystallize) more slowly. If you have ever worked with fats or oils that have been in the refrigerator, you may find that they are solid and opaque, but still spreadable. Because the fat is spreadable, it's not quite frozen yet.

In recent years, many people have turned to a process called cryolipolysis or "fat freezing" to remove unwanted fat from the body. The idea behind this is that chilling body fat to a temperature which initiates the freezing process of fat but does not damage skin is ideal for breaking down fatty tissue in the body. The temperature range for such procedures is typically 23F/-5C to -4F/-20C. From this, we can infer that human fat freezes in this temperature range. The range may account for water content in the body and resistance to thermal change in the tissues due to body heat.

What is the most important event that occurs at the Maycomb Halloween Pageant in To Kill a Mockingbird?

In Chapter 28, the community of Maycomb County holds a Halloween festival in the high school auditorium. Mrs. Merriweather decided to compose a pageant entitled Maycomb County Ad Astra Per Aspera where the children would be dressed in costumes that depicted the county's agricultural products. Scout has to wear a cumbersome "ham" costume made out of chicken wire and cloth. When Mrs. Merriweather calls out "Pork!" Scout has to walk out onto the stage. The...

In Chapter 28, the community of Maycomb County holds a Halloween festival in the high school auditorium. Mrs. Merriweather decided to compose a pageant entitled Maycomb County Ad Astra Per Aspera where the children would be dressed in costumes that depicted the county's agricultural products. Scout has to wear a cumbersome "ham" costume made out of chicken wire and cloth. When Mrs. Merriweather calls out "Pork!" Scout has to walk out onto the stage. The most significant moment of the Halloween Pageant happens when the time comes for Scout to walk out onto the stage. Mrs. Merriweather announces "Pork!" and to her displeasure, Scout does not walk out onto the stage. She shouts "Pork!" even louder and Scout never comes out. Scout fell asleep backstage and missed her cue to walk out. During the grand finale when Mrs. Merriweather stands in the center of the stage with the Alabama flag, Scout clumsily walks out onto the stage. The entire crowd cheers and Judge Taylor laughs so hard that his wife needs to give him a glass of water to calm down. Mrs. Merriweather tells Scout backstage that she ruined her pageant.

According to Marxist ideology, exactly how do transgender individuals resist capitalism or consumerism in today's world?

We can certainly suppose that, if Marx were alive today, he might have advice for such resistance. This seems entirely logical considering how capitalism has even firmer roots and dominion than it did in his time. 

Marx thought that economics was the driving force of history and ideology. So, it stands to reason that resisting certain economic trends and practices is a way of practicing social rebellion. 

Marx thought that capitalism would decline by itself....

We can certainly suppose that, if Marx were alive today, he might have advice for such resistance. This seems entirely logical considering how capitalism has even firmer roots and dominion than it did in his time. 

Marx thought that economics was the driving force of history and ideology. So, it stands to reason that resisting certain economic trends and practices is a way of practicing social rebellion. 

Marx thought that capitalism would decline by itself. But, let's consider how to affect social changes within capitalism with a teleology of moving towards including socialist practices. In terms of facilitating change and resistance within the existing system, I think he would suggest that it would be useful to challenge heteronormativity and traditional notions of gender and relationships at the political, economic, and information levels. So, one way would be for a transgender person to get elected and thereby, be in a position to enact laws which, for example, prohibit businesses from discriminating (i. e., not hiring or paying less) against the transgender community. This would be a political and economic strategy. It would be well to enact laws which make pay equal regardless of gender. Again, this is an economic tool that could affect an ideological change in culture. 

It would also be useful for the transgender community to create awareness. This includes but goes beyond demonstrations and protests. Achieving positions in education is a useful way to express and teach progressive views, empathy, and love. Thus, subsequent generations would have exposure to these issues and would be sensitive to them. It would also be useful to utilize social media in boycotting businesses which denigrate or criticize transgender people. It stands to reason that Marx would find social media an extremely useful tool in providing information and in forming an online "class" of people who can support and share progressive ideas. In this age, social media is a great way to expose corrupt business practices but also to humanize marginalized groups. In addition to challenging or boycotting intolerant CEOs and the ignorant powers that be, it is as important to portray transgender people in more common ways, thus erasing the "abnormal" notion of this marginalized community. Consider a commercial during the Superbowl which features a homosexual couple or a transgender group, rather than the traditional nuclear family. 

Pursuing transgender rights does not necessarily need a socialist revolution, but it is a social movement. And, achieving these rights could be helped by having more influence in the world relating to economics: advertisements, entertainment, the university, and business practices. 

Based on paragraph 9 of The Fountainhead, a "crusader" is someone who does what?

I believe that you asking about this line of text:

Your professor of structural engineering acted quite the crusader on your behalf.

It's not paragraph 9, nor is it page 9 of my text, but it is early in the book, which is why I think that you are referring to this line.  

Howard Roark is speaking to the Dean at the architecture school that Roark as just been expelled from.  Roark was expelled...

I believe that you asking about this line of text:

Your professor of structural engineering acted quite the crusader on your behalf.

It's not paragraph 9, nor is it page 9 of my text, but it is early in the book, which is why I think that you are referring to this line.  

Howard Roark is speaking to the Dean at the architecture school that Roark as just been expelled from.  Roark was expelled for making his designs overly modern.  Roark, throughout the novel, designs what he wants to design.  He does not care to follow the conventions of what other architects say is the "right way" to design.  A few of Roark's professor's see Roark's brilliance.  His professor of structural engineering recognizes that while Roark's designs might look unconventional, they are structurally brilliant.  He acts like a "crusader" for Roark, because the decision to expel Roark was decided by a committee.  There were members of the committee that wanted to see Roark gone, and other members that wanted to see Roark stay.  The professor of structural engineering defended Roark's designs and spoke in favor of Roark staying at the school.  That's what "crusader" is referring to here.  A defender.  

33. Given what the General told Rainsford earlier about using dogs, what do you conclude the General has decided? 34. Trapped between his deadly...

Richard Connel's short story "The Most Dangerous Game" is about a deadly duel in an island jungle between two big game hunters. It is an excellent read with plenty of intrigue and suspense.

33. Showing Rainsford his pack of dogs early in the story serves as foreshadowing for later when Zaroff uses the dogs to track Rainsford. Rainsford is successful in killing Zaroff's best dog, Lazarus, as well as the general's servant, Ivan.

34. With...

Richard Connel's short story "The Most Dangerous Game" is about a deadly duel in an island jungle between two big game hunters. It is an excellent read with plenty of intrigue and suspense.

33. Showing Rainsford his pack of dogs early in the story serves as foreshadowing for later when Zaroff uses the dogs to track Rainsford. Rainsford is successful in killing Zaroff's best dog, Lazarus, as well as the general's servant, Ivan.

34. With no other option, as Zaroff and his dogs move in on him, Rainsford jumps from a cliff into the ocean below. Both Zaroff, and the reader, think Rainsford is dead. As he relaxes in his chateau the general looks back on the recent events:

Two slight annoyances kept him from perfect enjoyment. One was the thought that it would be difficult to replace Ivan; the other was that his quarry had escaped him; of course, the American hadn't played the game--so thought the general as he tasted his after- dinner liqueur. 

35. The game has a very profound effect on Rainsford. Earlier in the story he says that he believes that hunted animals have no feelings of fear. Once he becomes the hunted he realizes just what it is like to be "a beast at bay." The reader may assume that Rainsford will never hunt again after his experience with Zaroff.

1. At the beginning of the story there is a mood of foreboding and that something sinister is about to happen. Connel is building suspense for the action to follow. Whitney tells Rainsford that the captain and crew of the yacht they are traveling on are very much on edge as the ship passes a mysterious island, nicknamed "Ship-Trap" island. Whitney says,

"Yes, even that tough-minded old Swede, who'd go up to the devil himself and ask him for a light. Those fishy blue eyes held a look I never saw there before. All I could get out of him was `This place has an evil name among seafaring men, sir.' Then he said to me, very gravely, `Don't you feel anything?'--as if the air about us was actually poisonous. Now, you mustn't laugh when I tell you this--I did feel something like a sudden chill. 

2. While still on the yacht, Rainsford hears a gunshot. After he falls into the sea and gets to the island he hears another shot and a scream from an animal he can't recognize. He assumes someone has been hunting and, when he finds a small caliber (.22) shell, he is amazed that the hunter used such a light weapon to hunt a large animal. Rainsford says,

"A twenty-two," he remarked. "That's odd. It must have been a fairly large animal too. The hunter had his nerve with him to tackle it with a light gun. It's clear that the brute put up a fight. I suppose the first three shots I heard was when the hunter flushed his quarry and wounded it. The last shot was when he trailed it here and finished it." 

3. Ivan is the deaf, mute servant that lives on the island and caters to the general. Ivan probably feels an almost militaristic duty toward Zaroff. They fought together in the Russian civil war and Ivan is totally loyal to his former commander.

4. Amenities are features that provide comfort, convenience or pleasure. The general has many amenities on the island, including a beautiful chateau, fine food and wine and a large library. It is ironic that the general considers himself and what he is doing on the island as civilized because his hunting of men is a totally savage act and one might consider Zaroff far from civilized.

5. Rainsford had hoped to kill Zaroff with the Ugandan knife trap, but the general survives as the knife kills Ivan. Rainsford's last chance is to jump into the sea and try to swim for the chateau which is across the cove. We know that Rainsford is a strong swimmer from earlier in the story when he swims from the yacht to the island. It is obviously a calculated risk on Rainsford's part to jump, but, as we know, it works out and at the end Rainsford "had never slept in a better bed". 

What does Nagaina do to make matters worse for Nag and herself?

When Rikki- tikki first meets Nag and Nagaina, he bites Nagaina, but releases her tail too early. She survives, although she is injured and very angry. Nagaina then plots to kill the human family.  She feels that if the humans are gone, then the mongoose will leave also. That will leave the garden safe for her, Nag, and their children.  Nag is not too sure that anything will be gained by killing the humans, but...

When Rikki- tikki first meets Nag and Nagaina, he bites Nagaina, but releases her tail too early. She survives, although she is injured and very angry. Nagaina then plots to kill the human family.  She feels that if the humans are gone, then the mongoose will leave also. That will leave the garden safe for her, Nag, and their children.  Nag is not too sure that anything will be gained by killing the humans, but Nagaina convinces him.  Her main concern is for her eggs.  They are on the verge of hatching, and,

“……our children will need room and quiet.”  (pg 5)

Nag had not thought of that, so he enters the house with the goal of killing the humans.

“I will kill the big man and his wife, and the child if I can, and come away quietly. The bungalow will be empty, and Rikki-tikki will go” (pg 5)

However, Rikki-tikki had been warned by Chuchundra, the muskrat.  Chuchundra alerted Rikki-tikki to the sound of Nag  and Nagaina’s scales scrapping against the floor. Rikki-tikki heard  their plans. When Nag enters the bungalow, he hides in the water-jar in the bathroom.  Rikki-tikki waits until Nag falls asleep and then jumps on his back and holds on for dear life.  The noise brings the man of the house, who shoots Nag with a shotgun.  Rikki-tikki didn’t think that was necessary because he had already killed Nag.

Nag’s body is tossed onto the rubbish heap, and Nagaina goes there to mourn the death of her husband. When she does so, she leaves her eggs unprotected.  Rikki-tikki sends Darzee’s wife to pretend she has a broken wing and keep Nagaina busy while he goes and bites the ends off of all but one of her eggs, killing all the cobras inside.  Rikki-tikki saves one egg, and entices Nagaina away from Teddy, the human child, with it.  Nagaina rescues the egg and dives into her cobra hole with Rikki-tikki biting her tail.  She drags him into the hole.  Rikki-tikki emerges, and Nagaina and her egg are dead. So, Nagaina’s decision to attack the family in hopes of getting rid of Rikki-tikki resulted in Nag’s death, her death, and that of her children.

What is Ms. Strangeworth's motivation for writing the letters she does?

Miss Strangeworth is obviously somewhat insane. This makes it hard to understand her motivation. She probably does not understand it herself. There are several plausible reasons why she writes her anonymous letters.

• It makes her feel important to be supervising the people in her town and to be offering suggestions, warnings, and advice. 

  I now perceive an immense omission in my psychology: the deepest principle of human nature is the craving to be appreciated.
  William James

  
  

  To be a human being means to possess a feeling of inferiority, which constantly presses towards its own conquest....The greater the feeling of inferiority that has been experienced, the more powerful is the urge for conquest and the more violent the emotional agitation.
  Alfred Adler

  
  The author Shirley Jackson shows that Miss Strangeworth attaches great importance to her social status. She feels responsible for the morality of the whole community. The problem is that she is really not important at all. She is just a little old lady who is sometimes a busybody and sometimes a nuisance. The way she demands special attention from Mr. Lewis the proprietor of the grocery store shows her need to feel important.


• She enjoys writing these letters. She enjoys picking out the colors of the sheets and envelopes. She enjoys creating just the right words and tones.


• She is envious and jealous because she has never been married, never had a baby, never felt loved. She is a little like Emily Grierson in William Faulkner's short story "A Rose for Emily." The victims of Miss Strangeworth's poison-pen letters always have someone to care about and to care about them. Don and Helen Crane have a six-months-old baby girl they adore. Linda Stewart and Dave Harris are high school kids in love. Mrs. Harper has a husband. Mr. Lewis has a grandson. And so on. Assuming Miss Strangeworth is insane, she must have a split personality. One part of her doesn't understand that her letters are causing troubles all over town, while there must be another part of her that knows why she is writing these letters but doesn't like to acknowledge her motives even to herself. The fact that she has to remain anonymous in her letters suggests that she knows she is doing something evil and has to keep her rancor a secret.

How do Scout and Jem show respect to Boo Radley in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird?

Jem and Scout don't start out being very respectful to Boo Radley, because from what the rumors say, he's described to be more like the neighborhood boogieman than a person. Jem tries to get information from Atticus about the Radleys, but the response he gets is as follows:

"Atticus's only answer was for him to mind his own business and let the Radleys mind theirs" (11).

Jem can't leave the Radleys alone because Dill keeps provoking him to get Boo to come outside. Once Jem loses his pants during an escapade at night, though, and Boo mends and folds them for him, Jem gains a more human perspective of Boo and starts to show more respect. Scout gains more respect for Boo after they discover that he gave her a blanket during the night of Miss Maudie's house fire, too (71).

Through these personal experiences with Boo, the kids learn he is a person and should be treated with respect. So as Atticus advised them, they show that respect by not playing out the Radley family drama in their front yard,  not daring each other to run up and touch the house, and not trying to get Boo to come outside.  

Further, in chapter 7, they start to receive gifts in the Radley tree's knothole. They don't suspect Boo right away, but they show respect by accepting the gifts once they realize they are placed there for them. Jem and Scout also want to write him a thank you letter and leave it in the tree, but Mr. Nathan Radley fills up the hole with cement before they can do it. Had they been able to send the note, that would have been showing respect, too.

In the end, Boo actually saves Jem and Scout's lives when they are attacked by Bob Ewell. Scout eventually recognizes who he is and she shows great respect and hospitality in the following way:

"People have a habit of doing everyday things even under the oddest conditions. I was no exception: 'Come along, Mr. Arthur,' I heard myself saying, 'you don't know the house real well. I'll just take you to the porch, sir.'

He looked down at me and nodded.

I led him through the hall and past the living room" (272).

The final and most respectful thing that the kids can do is to keep it a secret that Boo Radley saved them from Bob Ewell. Sheriff Tate convinces Atticus to keep Boo's privacy in tact by not making him a spectacle for the community to talk about. Atticus struggles with the decision, but he is supported in it when Scout reminds him that it would be like shooting a mockingbird if they brought attention to a man who lives a very private life. Giving Boo Radley the privacy he needs and deserves is therefore the best demonstration of respect.

How does Lombard handle Vera's question about her new employer?

In And Then There Were None, Vera and Lombard initially strike up a conversation when they meet. Vera soon mentions that she has yet to meet her new employer. Supposedly, she is to work for Mrs. Owen as a temporary secretary for the duration of the holidays.

When she asks Lombard to tell her what the Owens are like, he balks. He doesn't know how he is expected to answer. At this point, we deduce...

In And Then There Were None, Vera and Lombard initially strike up a conversation when they meet. Vera soon mentions that she has yet to meet her new employer. Supposedly, she is to work for Mrs. Owen as a temporary secretary for the duration of the holidays.

When she asks Lombard to tell her what the Owens are like, he balks. He doesn't know how he is expected to answer. At this point, we deduce that poor Lombard has never met the Owens either. So, he does what many people do when they find themselves caught in an embarrassing situation: he changes the subject.

He pretends that there is a wasp on Vera's arm and makes a great show of batting it away. In response, Vera thanks Lombard for his gallant gesture. Lombard has managed to distract Vera admirably, and the talk soon turns to a query about the other guests. Soon, the train approaches and their attention is further centered on one General Macarthur, who will be part of their party on Indian Island.

What does the black box in "The Lottery" symbolize?

The black box symbolizes death.

In Shirley Jackson's dark tale of man's blind adherence to tradition, a community gathers mindlessly for their traditional lottery, a drawing of names in order to select the "scapegoat" for that year. Despite most people's having forgotten the original purpose for the lottery, the traditional act of stoning the "scapegoat" is carried out yearly with the prevailing wisdom being, as Old Man Warner says, "There's alwaysbeen a lottery." And,...

The black box symbolizes death.

In Shirley Jackson's dark tale of man's blind adherence to tradition, a community gathers mindlessly for their traditional lottery, a drawing of names in order to select the "scapegoat" for that year. Despite most people's having forgotten the original purpose for the lottery, the traditional act of stoning the "scapegoat" is carried out yearly with the prevailing wisdom being, as Old Man Warner says, "There's always been a lottery." And, before saying this, he recites a time-worn expression, "Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon."

The director of this lottery is Mr. Summers; he is in charge of the black box that contains slips of paper for each family. When the others learn that Mr. Hutchinson has drawn the one slip that designates a family, then Mr. Graves (symbolic name) picks up the five for each of the Hutchinsons and places them in the black box for Bill Hutchinson to draw. The member of the family whose slip has the black dot on it becomes the scapegoat who is then stoned to death by the others in the community.

Bill Hutchinson went over to his wife and forced the slip of paper out of her hand. It had a black spot on it, the black spot Mr. Summers had made the night before with the heavy pencil in the coal-company office....

"It isn't fair, it isn't right," Mrs. Hutchinson screamed, and then they were upon her.

Mrs. Delacroix picks up the largest stone she can hold, one that can inflict deadly force. Clearly, then, the black box containing slips of paper with a single one marked with a black spot represents death for one person.

In "Bartleby the Scrivener," discuss the story's humor and how it affected your response to Bartleby.

Bartleby is a very funny story, but as is the way with Melville, the humor is very dark. I think the humor comes from Bartleby's complete passivity and the lawyer's inabilty to have any impact on him whatsoever. Sometimes, the humor is very broad, as in the scene where the lawyer asks Turkey's opinion and he instantly jumps to his feet and says he'll "black his eyes for him!" Other times, the humor comes from...

Bartleby is a very funny story, but as is the way with Melville, the humor is very dark. I think the humor comes from Bartleby's complete passivity and the lawyer's inabilty to have any impact on him whatsoever. Sometimes, the humor is very broad, as in the scene where the lawyer asks Turkey's opinion and he instantly jumps to his feet and says he'll "black his eyes for him!" Other times, the humor comes from the lawyer's own comic inability to exert any influence over Bartleby: "Indeed, it was his wonderful mildness chiefly, which not only disarmed me, but unmanned me, as it were," the lawyer says after he is turned away from his own office on a Sunday morning by Bartleby, who is living there. Nothing seems to work: Bartleby won't do any work, won't leave, won't respond to orders of any kind, won't even eat -- he simply prefers not to. Finally, the lawyer decides to change offices, but even then, Bartleby remains haunting the halls of the old building. He eventually is removed by the new tenant, who -- finally -- calls the police. Bartleby dies alone in prison, presumably of hunger.

If we think of the story as funny, then it seems fair to ask what the joke is about. On one level, clearly the lawyer is the object of Melville's satire: all of his scruples, and good wishes towards Bartleby prove to be completely irrelevant. It may also be that Bartleby, in his refusal to participate in life, also is a comic figure: however much he may prefer to not engage with others, he nevertheless is required to exist. Maybe his death is the only real effect the lawyer can have on him, and the only one that can have any meaning for Bartleby. In that case, perhaps the humor of the story points toward the ultimate blankness of existence, as represented by Bartleby staring at the blank wall, and the inability of good-meaning men like the lawyer to do anything about it.

What does Emerson suggest about nature's beauty when he writes: "the influence of the forms and actions in nature is so needful to man, that, in...

In Chapter III of his most well-known work, Nature, Emerson writes that "The influence of the forms and actions in nature, is so needful to man, that, in its lowest functions, it seems to lie on the confines of commodity and beauty."  He means that nature's influence is so necessary to humankind that, at its most basic level, we can appreciate it for what it gives to us and the way its beauty positively...

In Chapter III of his most well-known work, Nature, Emerson writes that "The influence of the forms and actions in nature, is so needful to man, that, in its lowest functions, it seems to lie on the confines of commodity and beauty."  He means that nature's influence is so necessary to humankind that, at its most basic level, we can appreciate it for what it gives to us and the way its beauty positively affects us.  In terms of its commodity value, he says that if one has been "cramped" by work or society, nature acts as a medicine that can restore both mind and body.  Further, when a person of any profession leaves the society of others and retreats, alone, to nature, he is made whole again, that one can and will find oneself in the calmness of nature.  Nature is both invigorating and curative.

Moreover, in terms of beauty, "Nature [often] satisfies by its loveliness, and without any mixture of corporeal benefit."  We need not necessarily gain anything from nature in order to appreciate it; sometimes, we simply appreciate its incredible beauty for what it is and not the effect that it has on us.  Emerson goes on, "How does Nature deify us with a few and cheap elements!  Give me health and a day, and I will make the pomp of emperors ridiculous."  It is as though the beauty of a day in nature -- its creatures, its clouds, its light, its trees, and so forth -- is of greater worth and beauty that even the riches and jewels possessed by an emperor.  

Who is the antagonist in J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye?

The antagonist for a story can also be called the villain, or one who provides the obstacles for the protagonist. Conflicts in literature can be categorized into man vs. man, man vs. self, man vs. nature, and man vs. society, etc. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden has many adventures which pit him against society and other people; but for the most part, Holden antagonizes himself.

One of the first ways Holden antagonizes himself is by getting kicked out of three schools. Mr. Spencer, a teacher, tries to help Holden realize the path he is on by having a heart-to-heart talk with him before he must leave Pencey--his third school.

"'If I'm not mistaken, I believe you also had some difficulty at the Whooton School, and at Elkton Hills.' He didn't say it just sarcastic, but sort of nasty, too.

'I didn't have too much difficulty at Elkton Hills,' I told him. 'I didn't exactly flunk out or anything. I just quit, sort of'" (13).

Here Holden admits that he quit. This only hurts himself in the long run. Holden gets into a pattern of self-destruction on many levels that he just can't break.

Another way Holden gets in his own way is by obsessing over different things. He obsesses over where the fish go in the winter time, for example. The worst is how he obsesses over his roommate going on a date with Jane Gallagher, a girl he's crushing on. When his roomy gets back from the date, he keeps asking him how far he got with her. After pushing Stradlater to his limits, and then not taking his warnings, Stradlater must beat Holden up to get him to stop whining about Jane:

". . . I went over and took a look at my stupid face in the mirror. You never saw such gore in your life. I had blood all over my mouth and chin and even on my pajamas and bathrobe. It partly scared me and it partly fascinated me" (45).

Holden would not have had to go through such a beating if he had just left Stradlater alone. Stradlater had to do something to get Holden off his back about Jane; therefore, Holden is to blame for this fight.

Finally, a third time that Holden gets in his own way, is when he's on a date with Sally and asks her to marry him. Sally is the voice of reason and tries to talk him back to reality. He gets so mad at her that tells her that she's a pain in the ass. If he had just not said that one thing, she probably would have forgiven him for the rest of the crazy things he was saying. But the following happened:

"Boy, did she hit the ceiling when I said that. I know I shouldn't've said it, and I probably wouldn't've ordinarily, but she was depressing the hell out of me. Usually I never say crude things like that to girls. Boy did she hit the ceiling. I apologized like a madman, but she wouldn't accept my apology. She was even crying" (134).

Holden does not have much self-control and therefore can't maintain relationships or keep himself on track. It's sad, really. After reading passages like the ones above, one might even argue that the real antagonist is his mental illness because without it, Holden would be a smart, intelligent boy going to school and leading a productive life. Luckily, he is admitted into a hospital in California that should be able to help him with his true nemesis.

Explain two impacts that Columbus' voyage had on the new world.

Columbus' role in opening the Americas to European colonization is well known. The social and political consequences of his activities continue to be felt to to this day. Two important material exchanges that occurred due to Columbus' voyages are: the importing of horses to the America, and the exporting of tobacco from the New World to Europe. 

By bringing horses to the New World, Columbus changed the landscape of transportation and commerce. People traveling by...

Columbus' role in opening the Americas to European colonization is well known. The social and political consequences of his activities continue to be felt to to this day. Two important material exchanges that occurred due to Columbus' voyages are: the importing of horses to the America, and the exporting of tobacco from the New World to Europe. 

By bringing horses to the New World, Columbus changed the landscape of transportation and commerce. People traveling by horse traversed much greater land than those travelling by foot. Horses were important features in the warfare that erupted both between Native American and settler communities, as well as in tribal conflict amongst Native American communities themselves. 

Exporting tobacco became one of the dominant economic activities of the Americas. Tobacco, like cotton, was a lucrative crop grown in a plantation style of agriculture. This plantation style agriculture depended on the enslavement of large groups of people, including African people and Native Americans. The high demand for economic exports fueled a slave-based economy that would last until the American Civil War. 

In The Merchant of Venice, what is Shylock's attitude towards Antonio?

Shylock despises Antonio with a passion. He says as much throughout the play. When he observes him at the beginning, he says the following in an aside:

How like a fawning publican he looks!
I hate him for he is a Christian,
But more for that in low simplicity
He lends out money gratis and brings down
The rate of usance here with us in Venice.
If I can catch him once upon the hip,
I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.
He hates our sacred nation, and he rails,
Even there where merchants most do congregate,
On me, my bargains and my well-won thrift,
Which he calls interest. Cursed be my tribe,
If I forgive him!

In this extract, his loathing is pertinent. He hates Antonio because he is a Christian. He also hates him since he lends out money without charging interest, compromising Shylock's own money-lending practice, for he charges interest. By lending without interest, Antonio brings down the interest rate which Shylock charges for loans, thus affecting his income. Shylock swears that if he should get Antonio at a disadvantage, he will use it to carry through an age old grudge that he holds against him. Shylock is resentful of the fact that Antonio hates Jews and that he consistently criticizes his money-lending practice. He feels that his people would be cursed if he should ever forgive Antonio for his persistent censure.

It is clear later that Shylock wants to use sly means to draw Antonio into a compromising situation. In a prayer, uttered in the presence of Antonio and Bassanio, he asks what advantage he would gain from the forfeit of a pound of Antonio's flesh if he should not meet the terms of a loan he was going to extend. A pound of flesh is useless to him. He, however, wants to gain Antonio's favor and therefore extends him a kindness in the form of the loan he requests. It is Antonio's choice to accept or reject the bond.  

Later in the play, after Antonio is arrested and imprisoned for failing to repay the loan on the agreed date. Antonio wishes to consult with him, But Shylock is not prepared to reason, and instructs Antonio's jailer:

Gaoler, look to him: tell not me of mercy;
This is the fool that lent out money gratis:
Gaoler, look to him.

Shylock is adamant on punishing Antonio and refuses to negotiate. He has now gained an advantage and wishes to hurt Antonio. He tells the desperate merchant:

I'll have my bond; I will not hear thee speak:
I'll have my bond; and therefore speak no more.
I'll not be made a soft and dull-eyed fool,
To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield
To Christian intercessors. Follow not;
I'll have no speaking: I will have my bond.

During the trial later, Shylock addresses the court and, on a question by the duke as to why he wishes to continue with his action against Antonio even though an offer has been made to repay the bond at thrice its value, Shylock responds: 

As to offend, himself being offended;
So can I give no reason, nor I will not,
More than a lodged hate and a certain loathing
I bear Antonio, that I follow thus
A losing suit against him.

Shylock's unrelenting attitude, bred from his deep contempt for Antonio, is what eventually ensnares him. He becomes a victim of his own malice and almost loses his life. In the end he has to relinquish his religion and become a Christian. He has to give up half of his estate and will the remainder to his Christian son-in-law upon his death.

In "The Californian's Tale," what are some reasons the narrator feels he must leave the cottage for his own peace of mind?

In the beginning of “The Californian’s Tale,” the narrator is searching for gold in California.  He is in the Stanislau hills that have long been deserted by previous gold seekers. 

The narrator meets a man standing in front of a beautiful little house.  Since he had been living the life of a gold seeker, he hadn’t seen the comforts of a nice home in a long time.: 

"Here in this little house, my spirit seemed...

In the beginning of “The Californian’s Tale,” the narrator is searching for gold in California.  He is in the Stanislau hills that have long been deserted by previous gold seekers. 

The narrator meets a man standing in front of a beautiful little house.  Since he had been living the life of a gold seeker, he hadn’t seen the comforts of a nice home in a long time.: 

"Here in this little house, my spirit seemed to come to life again." (pg 1)

Although he was entranced by the beauty of the house and by the beauty of the housekeeper, he knew he needed to move on and continue on his quest to find gold.  The man talked him into staying until Saturday, four days hence.  He said that day, his beautiful wife would be returning. The narrator wanted to meet her. 

At the end of the story, the man’s friends explain to the narrator that the lady was captured by Indians nineteen years before, and that the man went mad with grief upon losing her.  The reader can only imagine that the narrator will want to leave as soon as possible to maintain his own peace of mind for he had developed a curious fascination with the woman. 

My copy of the story came from the internet so the page numbers may not coincide with your copy, but it should be close. 

Which statement best describes how Americans felt about the Korean War?

I assume there was supposed to be a list of statements from which to choose. Since there are no statements given, I will share with you the American reaction to the Korean War.

The American people supported our involvement in Korean War at varying levels depending on what was happening in the Korean War. The support at the beginning of the conflict was quite high. The American people had fears about the spread of communism....

I assume there was supposed to be a list of statements from which to choose. Since there are no statements given, I will share with you the American reaction to the Korean War.

The American people supported our involvement in Korean War at varying levels depending on what was happening in the Korean War. The support at the beginning of the conflict was quite high. The American people had fears about the spread of communism. There were rumors that Americans had helped the Soviet Union develop an atomic bomb in 1949. There were charges that there were communists in our government. Americans remembered how the Soviet Union tried to force the Allies out of West Berlin. This resulted in the Berlin Airlift to defeat the Berlin Blockade. Our people saw communism expanding China when China became a communist nation in 1949. We also knew the communists were trying to spread their influence in Europe. Thus, when North Korea, supported by the Soviet Union, without provocation, invaded South Korea in 1950, the American people supported our involvement in the Korean conflict.

However, as the war dragged on, support for our involvement in the Korean War dropped. Americans didn’t expect to be in Korea for a long time. When the war appeared to have no end in sight, Americans became concerned that our involvement was a mistake. The length of the war was hurting Truman’s popularity. It was one reason why he didn’t run for reelection in 1952. Americans had a varying degree of support for the Korean War based mainly on what events were occurring at the time.

What is Uncle Oscar's role in "The Rocking-Horse Winner?"

Uncle Oscar is first used for purposes of exposition through dramatic dialogue. He finds out that Paul is winning money on the horses and that he is in partnership with the family gardener whose last name is Bassett. Both Paul and Bassett explain to Uncle Oscar, in extensive dialogue involving many questions and answers, that Paul picks the winning horses, and they tell him to his amazement how much money they have won so far. Paul does not need Uncle Oscar to handle the betting or to keep the money, but he wants to give his mother five thousand pounds out of his winnings without having her know where the money came from. Uncle Oscar can handle this, whereas neither Paul nor Bassett would know how to do it.

They managed it very easily. Paul, at the other's suggestion, handed over five thousand pounds to his uncle, who deposited it with the family lawyer, who was then to inform Paul's mother that a relative had put five thousand pounds into his hands, which sum was to be paid out a thousand pounds at a time, on the mother's birthday, for the next five years. 

Uncle Oscar handles other such matters for Paul, but his main functions as a character are fulfilled when he has been told all about Paul's and Bassett's winnings and has shown that he knows how to transfer money from Paul to his mother without her knowing the source of her sudden bounty. Uncle Oscar is a suitable character because he is a horse player himself and because he is thoroughly trustworthy with the money and with Paul's secrets. Uncle Oscar is also allowed to take Paul to some of the races--a fantastic experience for a boy so captivated by horses and horse-racing. 

One thing Paul keeps secret from everybody is that he is getting the names of the horses destined to win the important races by riding his rocking horse. If he rides long enough and hard enough, the name of the horse will come to him intuitively. Many horse players develop superstitions about picking winners. There is just enough plausibility to Paul's unique "system" to make the reader believe in the whole story. Uncle Oscar has the last word after Paul dies of what might be a brain hemorrhage brought on by his frantic efforts to pick the winning horse in the forthcoming Derby. 

"I never told you, mother, that if I can ride my horse, and get there, then I'm absolutely sure - oh, absolutely! Mother, did I ever tell you? I am lucky!" 

"No, you never did," said his mother. 

But the boy died in the night. 

And even as he lay dead, his mother heard her brother's voice saying to her, "My God, Hester, you're eighty-odd thousand to the good, and a poor devil of a son to the bad. But, poor devil, poor devil, he's best gone out of a life where he rides his rocking-horse to find a winner." 

Think about how Browning uses language. What kinds of meter and other poetic forms does he use? Why is his language so often rough and...

"Rough" and "un-poetic" are good terms to apply to "My Last Duchess." Robert Browning's dramatic monologues are intended to characterize the speaker as well as to present a dramatic narrative. In this dramatic monologue the meter is a rather graceless and intermittent iambic pentameter, and the lines are simplistic and frequently awkward rhymed open couplets. The effect is to characterize the speaker as a coarse and vulgar man in spite of his pretensions to be an art lover. He himself admits that he lacks skill in expressing himself.

Who'd stoop to blame
This sort of trifling? Even had you skill
In speech — (which I have not) — to make your will
Quite clear to such an one, and say, "Just this
Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss,
Or there exceed the mark"

The couplets are the most glaring signs of the Duke's ignorance, insensitivity and stupidity. Here are some examples of ending rhymes:

Paint
faint

stuff
enough

excuse
choose

Art does not have to be beautiful. The function of art is to communicate feelings, and a work of art can communicate unpleasant feelings as well as pleasant ones. Pablo Picasso proved this with many of his paintings. "My Last Duchess" communicates the same feeling about the egomaniacal Duke that is obviously experienced by his visitor, who can't stand any more and hurries down the stairs without a word of apology or explanation in order to advise the Count to find any excuse to break off his daughter's engagement to this aristocratic monster, who has had his "last duchess" murdered because she was too happy and smiled too much.

Robert Browning's language in "My Last Duchess" is intentionally "rough" and "un-poetic" because it characterizes the speaker as vulgar and insensitive in spite of his "nine-hundred-years-old name." Instead of appreciating the poem for its gracefulness and subtlety, as we would with one of Shakespeare's sonnets, we appreciate "My Last Duchess" for the craftsmanship that went into creating its many bad features. We are not told what the speaker looks like, but we cannot help visualizing him as an exceptionally ill-favored man dressed in elegant clothing.

How do Portia's and Calpurnia's attitudes compare with those of their husbands?

Portia is in total sympathy with her husband Brutus. Her only complaint is that he doesn't take her into his confidence. She is troubled by seeing all the furtive men visiting him at his home at all hours. She keeps insisting on knowing what is going on until he finally tells her, in Act II, Scene 1:

Hark, hark, one knocks. Portia, go in awhile,
And by and by thy bosom shall partake
The secrets of my heart.
All my engagements I will construe to thee,
All the charactery of my sad brows.
Leave me with haste.

We do not hear what Brutus tells her later on. Shakespeare evidently felt that would be redundant, since his audience would already knows it all. But in Act II, Scene 4, Portia knows everything about the conspiracy and has in effect become a co-conspirator. She is tormented because, as a woman, she is confined to her home and cannot go to see what is happening at the Capitol. But she is obviously hoping that her husband's plans will be successful. Towards the end of this scene she says to herself:

The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise!

Calpurnia, on the other hand, opposes her husband Caesar when he prepares to go to the Capitol where he expects to be crowned king. In Act II, Scene 2, she says:

What mean you, Caesar? Think you to go forth?
You shall not stir out of your house today.

Calpurnia feels sure that something dreadful will happen if her husband goes to the Senate House. She obviously senses intuitively that the men who have come to escort Caesar to the Capitol are not as well disposed towards him as they seem. Caesar should have listened to her, but he is driven by ambition and pride. He wants that crown. The wily Decius tells him:

...the Senate have concluded
To give this day a crown to mighty Caesar.
If you shall send them word you will not come,
Their minds may change. Besides, it were a mock
Apt to be rendered for someone to say
"Break up the Senate till another time,
When Caesar's wife shall meet with better dreams."

Calpurnia is overruled because she is a woman. Caesar cannot let it be known that he was staying at home because of a woman's dreams and a woman's fears. Caesar is a powerful man, but he is blinded by his ambition. After Decius finishes speaking, Caesar tells Calpurnia:

How foolish do your fears seem now, Calpurnia!
I am ashamed I did yield to them.
Bring me my robe, for I will go.

This is the end of the conflict between Calpurnia and Caesar, but Scene 2 does not end immediately. Shakespeare prolongs it with some incidental dialogue, but evidently the playwright's main purpose is to show a servant bringing Caesar his robe and helping him to put it on. That robe is of great importance in the play. In Act III, Scene 2, Mark Antony will be showing the mob what appears to be the same robe covered with bloodstains and shredded with what appear to be the sword and dagger strokes of the assassins. This duplicate robe will serve to represent Caesar's mutilated body, which is never shown to the mob but only described.

In "Shooting an Elephant," how does Orwell convince the reader to trust him? What does Orwell do that convinces the reader that he is honest?

I'm not sure Orwell does, or that it matters. You can read this story as a brutal kind of entertainment, and not consider the issue of trust at all. So, that is one option.

If you really want to examine what Orwell does to gain the reader's trust, start with the opening line, where Orwell says he was hated by a lot of people. That might not gain your trust, but it should tug at...

I'm not sure Orwell does, or that it matters. You can read this story as a brutal kind of entertainment, and not consider the issue of trust at all. So, that is one option.

If you really want to examine what Orwell does to gain the reader's trust, start with the opening line, where Orwell says he was hated by a lot of people. That might not gain your trust, but it should tug at your sympathy, which contributes to trust. Orwell continues this practice throughout the first paragraph, isolating his narrator (himself), and documenting his suffering.

He then follows that in the second paragraph through the perspectives he admits. When he says "imperialism is an evil thing" and shares his plans to quit his job, he's sharing confidences with the reader. If someone shares something with you he has reason to keep quiet, you're more likely to trust him.

Another way Orwell gains reader trust is through the many specific details included. From the "betel juice" locals would spit on a European woman's dress to the fact that he knows a lot about elephants, Orwell sounds like an authority, almost a local guide. Readers have good reason to trust him.

What was the effect of Greek colonization in the Mediterranean?

The most practical benefit or effect of Greek colonies throughout the Mediterranean Sea was the supply of food and other material to the city-states of the Greek mainland. Mainland Greece is not well suited for farming because of the rocky geography, so Greeks set out to the seas to find arable land. Obviously, the colonies supplied goods to Greece that would not have otherwise been available.

Despite the practical purpose of the colonies for food...

The most practical benefit or effect of Greek colonies throughout the Mediterranean Sea was the supply of food and other material to the city-states of the Greek mainland. Mainland Greece is not well suited for farming because of the rocky geography, so Greeks set out to the seas to find arable land. Obviously, the colonies supplied goods to Greece that would not have otherwise been available.

Despite the practical purpose of the colonies for food production, the colonies had the effect of spreading Greek culture and ideas throughout the Mediterranean Sea. In this way, Greek commerce, art, language, and political innovation was spread to Spain, France, Italy and North Africa.

The most successful of the colonies, primarily due to its central location in the Mediterranean, were those on the Italian peninsula. Greeks in Italy were very successful and came into contact with people from the north on a regular basis. In this way, the Greeks influenced the development of Rome.  The Hellenic influence on the future Roman empire cannot be overstated.

In the beginning of Monster, what would be 2 good characteristics for O'Brien?

Two characteristics to define O'Brien at the beginning of Monster could be "focused" and "unemotional."

As the novel opens, O'Brien is incredibly focused.  She wants to make sure that she does the best job she can. Her focused nature can be seen in how she is very direct with Stevie about what she wants from him.  She talks to Steve in a very direct manner ("Let me make sure you understand what's going on.")  She...

Two characteristics to define O'Brien at the beginning of Monster could be "focused" and "unemotional."

As the novel opens, O'Brien is incredibly focused.  She wants to make sure that she does the best job she can. Her focused nature can be seen in how she is very direct with Stevie about what she wants from him.  She talks to Steve in a very direct manner ("Let me make sure you understand what's going on.")  She instructs him that he "better take this trial very, very seriously."  When O'Brien insists that he just "sit there and pay attention," it is as if she does not want him to get in the way of her goal.  When he asks her in a very human way if she thinks they are going to "win," she gives a terse answer about what defines a "win," and leaves.  O'Brien is concerned with "her job" which is about "the law."  While she wants to make him a "human being" in the eyes of the jury, it is only to feed her purpose. 

O'Brien views Steve with a lack of emotion.  O'Brien does not seek to forge any real connection with Steve as a human being although she wants the jury to forge a bond with Steve.  When Steve tells her that he is "writing this whole thing down as a movie," she dismisses him with "Whatever."  Steve is a kid, but O'Brien has no concern about his emotional condition.  For her, the case is about the job at hand, the trial in front of her, and the evidence she will use to accomplish her purpose.

In the novel, 1984, identify at least two arguments Orwell is making about people and society in Part 1, Chapters 2-4.

In Part 1 of 1984, Orwell makes a number of important points about the nature of people and society. 

First of all, Orwell suggests that children are extremely susceptible to propaganda. This view is supported by the Parsons' children who Winston meets in Chapter 2 when he fixes the family's sink. The children call Winston a "Eurasian spy" and a "thoughtcriminal" and pretend to shoot him with a toy pistol (page 25). The children's zealous...

In Part 1 of 1984, Orwell makes a number of important points about the nature of people and society. 

First of all, Orwell suggests that children are extremely susceptible to propaganda. This view is supported by the Parsons' children who Winston meets in Chapter 2 when he fixes the family's sink. The children call Winston a "Eurasian spy" and a "thoughtcriminal" and pretend to shoot him with a toy pistol (page 25). The children's zealous behaviour makes their mother and Winston extremely nervous and this is exacerbated by their desire to attend the hanging of some Eurasian prisoners (page 25-26). In fact, the narrator notes that children were always the most enthusiastic about hangings: "Children always clamoured to be taken to see it" (page 26).  

In Orwell's mind, then, children make the most zelaous supporters of the party because they are the easiest to manipulate and control. Unaware of the implications of public executions and thoughtcrime, the children enable the party's survival and persecution of the citizens of Oceania. This is, perhaps, Orwell's way of highlighting the importance of protecting children from negative images, from dangerous governments and encouraging the reader to nurture their vulnerability and think carefully about the messages they are exposed to. 

A second message in this section of the book is that memories can never be erased, no matter how hard the government tries. We see this in practice on page 34-35 when Winston's mind begins to wander during his mandatory exercise. He remembers very clearly that maps of the world looked different before the rise of the party and that the country had not always been at war. These memories linger in Winston's subconscious and cannot be erased, though the party have rewritten the official history. If he vocalised these memories, he would be accused of thoughtcrime, but that is not the important point. Winston's memories remain, despite the constant bombardment of party propaganda and the fear of being vaporised. Memories are, therefore, much stronger than any form of government. 

Analyze the effects the independence of the Thirteen Colonies had on the religious groups founded in North America. Specifically, include how the...

The American Revolution led to certain denominational schisms within the Christian population of the North American Colonies. For example, the Anglican Church experienced a split which later led to the development of the Quaker movement (also called the Religious Society of Friends). The reason for the schism was that the Anglican Church, being historically tied to the Church of England, supported the British Crown and was thus not supportive of the colonists' insurrection. Indeed, many...

The American Revolution led to certain denominational schisms within the Christian population of the North American Colonies. For example, the Anglican Church experienced a split which later led to the development of the Quaker movement (also called the Religious Society of Friends). The reason for the schism was that the Anglican Church, being historically tied to the Church of England, supported the British Crown and was thus not supportive of the colonists' insurrection. Indeed, many leaders within the Anglican Church took up arms against fellow colonists in an attempt to preserve the Crown's authority. The pacifist schism of the Anglican Church chose not to take up arms. This difference of opinion on religion, politics, warfare, and the use of force eventually led to the splintering off of numerous denominations in America. 

This turbulent background is the context in which the Baptist movement in America developed. There are three main reasons why the Baptist movement could have only been successful in an independent America and couldn't have thrived under British authority. First, the Baptist Church supported a separation of church and state. This secular political outlook was at odds with the British religious doctrine of unity between God and the Crown. Second, the Baptist denomination was unique for its practice of baptizing adults. Most denominations at the time baptized infants. However, for baptists, baptism represented a conscious, dedicated choice to become a member of the church. By not baptizing infants, the Baptist church was disrupting an important and long-held social tradition. Finally, the Baptist church took a long time to grow. Though founded in the 1600's, membership did not reach significant numbers until well into the 1800's. It is in part due to the secular nature of American politics that the Baptist movement was given the time and freedom it needed to develop a stable base and strong foundation. 

In Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, what are the internal conflicts that Guy Montag struggles with and how does he deal with them?

Guy Montag didn't know he had any internal conflicts until a young 16-year-old girl asked him to think about the world differently. The question that really sets off his internal conflict, though, is when Clarisse asks him if he is truly happy. This gets him analyzing his life compared to her own and he realizes that his life is void of true beauty, laughter and a deep connection with another person. In an effort to discover exactly what his life is missing, he questions if the answers to life's questions lie in the books that he destroys on a daily basis.

Montag goes to his wife Mildred to discuss these questions, but he finds her without empathy. All Mildred says to him is to leave her alone about the subject. He responds as follows:

"Let you alone! That's all very well, but how can I leave myself alone? We need not to be let alone. We need to be really bothered once in awhile. How long is it since you were really bothered? About something important, about something real?" (52).

The passage above shows Montag struggling with what he questions inside compared to what society allows him to think or feel. He soon discovers that his wife is the epitome of what their society wants people to be--numb.

Another example of Montag's internal struggle is discussed when he speaks to the old man Faber. Faber says that "Nobody listens any more" because people are either watching TV or listening to music all of the time. People are so distracted with entertainment that they do not pay attention to others in their lives or to the deeper ideas that fuel good human existence. Montag elaborates as follows:

"I don't know. We have everything we need to be happy, but we aren't happy. Something's missing. I looked around. The only thing I positively knew was gone was the books I'd burned in ten or twelve years. So I thought books might help" (82).

This passage shows Montag using his deductive reasoning skills to figure out what might be the key to solving what he feels that he lacks in life. While still on the path to solving his inner conflict, Montag loses it when he watches his wife and her friends mindlessly talk and watch TV one evening. It's as if he sees everything wrong with his society in those three superficial women. Finally, after reading them some poetry and the women rejecting it, Montag yells at them to go home; but, while he's yelling, he spells out everything that is wrong with one of them because of society:

"Go home and think of your first husband divorced and your second husband killed in a jet and your third husband blowing his brains out, go home and think of a dozen abortions you've had, go home and think of that and your damn Caesarian sections, too, and your children who hate your guts! Go home and think how it all happened and what did you ever do to stop it? Go home, go home!" (101).

It's as if Montag can't hold in everything he's struggling with anymore and he spills it all out on these women. He sees that the people in his world are missing the mark in life. He sees that they are made up of no more than selfish desire. No one lives for the love of life, for the love of others, or the love of fulfilling their potential. Everything in this world of his is without substance and that is the basis for his internal struggle.

What scientific principles are involved in biogas production?

Biogas is a clean burning fuel which pollutes far less than many other fuels, including coal.

Usually, biogas is a mixture of gases produced by the action of anaerobic bacteria when they break down organic matter by the process of digestion.

Biomass is needed so that it can be converted to biogas. Biomass includes materials such as plant matter, which has undigested fibers that can be digested by bacteria to yield the biogas. Examples of...

Biogas is a clean burning fuel which pollutes far less than many other fuels, including coal.

Usually, biogas is a mixture of gases produced by the action of anaerobic bacteria when they break down organic matter by the process of digestion.

Biomass is needed so that it can be converted to biogas. Biomass includes materials such as plant matter, which has undigested fibers that can be digested by bacteria to yield the biogas. Examples of biomass are wood chips, animal wastes, and crop wastes which all contain stored chemical energy, which was initially solar energy captured by plants via photosynthesis. This biomass can be used to produce biogas.

Biogas contains mainly methane and other gases in a mixture. The biomass is digested by anaerobic bacteria and the gas is collected, stored and transported to where it is needed. 

In places like India, family-sized biogas digesters can break down organic household wastes to produce biogas the family can use for cooking, heating and other purposes. Inside these digesters, once the gas has been produced, the remains can be repurposed as fertilizer.

One scientific principle behind the production of biogas is the process of hydrolysis. In this reaction, water molecules interact with the large organic compounds in biomass to cause it to break down in the presence of enzymes supplied by anaerobic bacteria. They form smaller molecules including sugar. Eventually, the sugar is fermented and yields the lactic acid which becomes further reduced by bacterial action to produce hydrogen sulfide gas. Later, due to more bacterial action, methane gas is produced which is the main gas found in biogas. The steps described above are: hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis and finally methanogenesis.

The main idea behind biogas production is that if anaerobic bacteria are supplied with large organic macromolecules (like those found in plant and animal wastes), through a series of enzyme-controlled steps, biogas can be one of the end products of this anaerobic chemical reaction. 

How did the narrator fulfill the expectations of the people in "Shooting an Elephant"?

The narrator fulfilled the expectations of the natives by shooting the elephant. Because it had caused so much damage and, most importantly, killed a man, the crowd demanded that it be killed even though it had quickly calmed down and appeared to be no further threat. The narrator clearly does not want to kill the animal, but he is determined to avoid, as he says, "looking a fool" in front of the crowd. The fact...

The narrator fulfilled the expectations of the natives by shooting the elephant. Because it had caused so much damage and, most importantly, killed a man, the crowd demanded that it be killed even though it had quickly calmed down and appeared to be no further threat. The narrator clearly does not want to kill the animal, but he is determined to avoid, as he says, "looking a fool" in front of the crowd. The fact that the narrator, who is a British colonial police officer in Burma (as was Orwell himself for a time) feels the need to meet the natives' expectations, even when doing so is contrary to his own wishes, is one of the central ironies of the story.

In this story, Orwell is suggesting that imperialism corrupts everyone associated with it, and indeed that the colonialists are, in a way, not any more truly "free" than the colonized. They must act within the perverse, sometimes violent logic of a fundamentally immoral system. The narrator claims, at the moment he was forced to shoot the elephant, he "perceived...that when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys."

In "A Good Man is Hard to Find," how important is the southern setting for understanding the characters and their motivations? How much are the...

The Southern setting is very important to the story for a few reasons. First off, the "good man" the grandmother keeps talking about seems to be the sort of person from the past, and not necessarily what we would consider a good man. There are a few suggestions in the story that the grandmother grew up on a plantation and came from a family of slave owners. This creates her subtle racism throughout the story,...

The Southern setting is very important to the story for a few reasons. First off, the "good man" the grandmother keeps talking about seems to be the sort of person from the past, and not necessarily what we would consider a good man. There are a few suggestions in the story that the grandmother grew up on a plantation and came from a family of slave owners. This creates her subtle racism throughout the story, such as with the boy they pass on the side of the road and the watermelon story she tells. Her idea of a good man is a bit off compared to what the everyday person today thinks of as good.

As for how her ties to the past are keys to the action, first you have to realize how manipulative she is. She wants to visit a plantation she remembers, but knows her son won't go. So she manipulates the children into helping her by mentioning the secret room full of valuables. Once she has the kids on her side, they complain until her son finally agrees. They drive on this dirt road for a while, when the grandmother realizes she has it all wrong; the plantation she remembers is nowhere near there. Rather than admit she made a mistake, she lets him keep going, leading them to the crash and then the run-in with The Misfit.

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What parts of the story demonstrate the theme of appearance versus reality?

An appearance versus reality theme is one of the more common themes in literature. It challenges the reader to consider the characteristics of the text just as a good versus evil theme would. The appearance versus reality theme in Charlesmanifests in the character of Laurie, a kindergarten student and his parent's perception of him. In the story, Laurie bounds off to kindergarten in a very confident manner the very first day. His mother muses...

An appearance versus reality theme is one of the more common themes in literature. It challenges the reader to consider the characteristics of the text just as a good versus evil theme would. The appearance versus reality theme in Charles manifests in the character of Laurie, a kindergarten student and his parent's perception of him. In the story, Laurie bounds off to kindergarten in a very confident manner the very first day. His mother muses that her little toddler son is gone forever and marvels at this confident character he has become. He returns home day after day with stories of "Charles", a disruptive, rude student in class. Laurie's parents grow concerned about the influence Charles may have over Laurie, continuing to believe that Charles is a real child and that Laurie might be influenced to be ill behaved because of him until the day that they go to a parent meeting, speak to the teacher and realize that there is no Charles in all of kindergarten. For Laurie's mother and father, the apparent disruptive force at school was Charles until that moment when the teacher revealed that in reality, there was no Charles. The reader is left to assume that Laurie is in fact Charles.

It might also be said that the theme can be seen in Laurie's creation of the character Charles. A reader might believe that as a kindergarten age child, Laurie might not be able to separate reality from fiction and wonder if he truly believes that the character Charles is separate from him.