How did the visit to Boston change Helen's views regarding books?

Helen Keller spent a great deal of time in Boston throughout her life.  It was Helen's first visit, however, that introduced her to the joys of reading.  Helen visited the Perkins Institution in Boston, which had a vast library.  This library was full of an assortment of unique books. The Perkins Institution was a school for the blind.  The books in the library there were printed in Braille or with raised letters.  During her visit,...

Helen Keller spent a great deal of time in Boston throughout her life.  It was Helen's first visit, however, that introduced her to the joys of reading.  Helen visited the Perkins Institution in Boston, which had a vast library.  This library was full of an assortment of unique books. The Perkins Institution was a school for the blind.  The books in the library there were printed in Braille or with raised letters.  During her visit, Helen was allowed "to spend a part of each day in the Institution library, and to wander from bookcase to bookcase."  This filled her with fascination and excitement.  She enjoyed selecting various books and reading parts of them.  

At this time in Helen's life, she had only been able to communicate with words for a short amount of time.  When Helen read excerpts from the books in the library, she was unable to fully comprehend them.  It was a little later in her life that she was fully able to understand what she read, and it was then that she became an avid reader.

What is science? How does science work?

Science, in simplest terms, is a systematic study of processes and events around us. Anything and everything that happens around us, and in the universe, has some underlying mechanism and science helps us understand why it happens. Science enables us to not only understand a particular event, but also to predict similar events. Thus, we garner knowledge and information about our surrounding and universe. 

Science uses observation and experimentation to develop hypotheses and test them....

Science, in simplest terms, is a systematic study of processes and events around us. Anything and everything that happens around us, and in the universe, has some underlying mechanism and science helps us understand why it happens. Science enables us to not only understand a particular event, but also to predict similar events. Thus, we garner knowledge and information about our surrounding and universe. 

Science uses observation and experimentation to develop hypotheses and test them. In general, scientists observe an event or process and come up with a reasonable and testable hypothesis. That hypothesis is then tested through experimentation (whether in the laboratory or out there in the field, etc.). Based on the experimentation results, scientists accept modify or reject a hypothesis. This process goes on and on, till enough supporting evidence is collected to form a scientific theory. 

Hope this helps. 

How do the men react to Granny asking them to stop filming in Toni Cade Bambara's "Blues Ain't No Mockin Bird"?

In Toni Cade Bambara's short story "Blues Ain't No Mockin Bird," the two men react towards Granny's command to stop filming her house and family by treating her disrespectfully and behaving as if they were her superiors.

The first way in which the men treat her disrespectfully is by calling her aunty. After she coldly greets the camera man, he says, "Nice place you got here, aunty." While this sentence may look like a compliment, it has hidden meaning. The term aunty, when not used to speak of a relative, is actually a derogatory term in the South, dating back to the mid-20th century, used to speak of elderly black women; it is synonymous with the term prostitute and used to speak of black women being in positions of subordination, ready for exploitation ("Aunt," Green, J., 2005, Cassell's Dictionary of Slang). The term Aunt Jemima, trademark of the popular maple syrup brand, was used, starting in the 1920s, to speak of black women in subservient positions ("Aunt Jemima," Green). Hence, in calling Granny Cain aunty, the camera man is trying to put Granny Cain in a place of subservience and exploitation, which is exactly why Granny soon replies by saying, "Your mama and I are not related."

When his partner, who the narrator calls smilin man, joins camera man to defend their desires to film, smilin man continues to show disrespect by pointing out her vegetable garden and saying that if all people in Granny's social class kept vegetable gardens, there would be no need for the county to provide Granny's people with food stamps. The entire purpose of the men's filming mission is to try to prove to the county that the impoverished people of the county, especially African Americans, are getting by just fine on what they have; therefore, there is no need for the county to spend money on food stamps. Hence, not only are they being disrespectful, they are being blind, ignorant, and unempathetic. They continue to be disrespectful by refusing to leave. They only leave once they are unexpectedly attacked by a hawk and driven off by Granddaddy Cain, who destroys their camera film.

Why is Baroka portrayed as being smarter than Lakunle throughout the play The Lion and the Jewel?

There are many reasons as to why Baroka is portrayed as being smarter than Lakunle. Although Lakunle is the village school teacher who is a proponent of modernization, he comes across as clumsy and shallow throughout the play. Lakunle tries to sound smart by using "big words," but is viewed throughout the village as a confused madman. Lakunle chooses to criticize the entire culture of Ilujinle, rather than make minor suggestions and speak about the...

There are many reasons as to why Baroka is portrayed as being smarter than Lakunle. Although Lakunle is the village school teacher who is a proponent of modernization, he comes across as clumsy and shallow throughout the play. Lakunle tries to sound smart by using "big words," but is viewed throughout the village as a confused madman. Lakunle chooses to criticize the entire culture of Ilujinle, rather than make minor suggestions and speak about the traditional customs in a positive manner without offending everyone. Lakunle also fails at wooing Sidi, and foolishly believes that she is about to marry him at the end of the play. In comparison, Baroka is the wise Bale of the village who is esteemed throughout Ilujinle. He is much older than Lakunle, and his life experience is one reason he is portrayed as being smarter. Baroka successfully saves his village by bribing the surveyor and also brings recognition to Ilujinle by openly accepting the foreign photographer. Baroka also exercises his wit in his elaborate plan to sleep with Sidi. His plan works to perfection, unlike Lakunle's stubborn petition to marry her. While Baroka is speaking to Sidi in his palace, he mentions that he does not oppose progress, but realizes its negative effects on the traditional culture and enviorment. Baroka also alludes to Christian doctrine and speaks in metaphors which display his intelligence. His entire character and the way he uses his intellect to get what he wants throughout life is the reason why Baroka is viewed as more intelligent than Lakunle.

What is the effect of the run-on lines in stanza three of Roy Campbell's poem "Autumn"?

As you read Roy Campbell’s poem “Autumn,” the first two stanzas describe the slow, rhythmic fluctuations of the seasons. Campbell speaks of the changes that autumn makes in nature as it slips into winter. The author describes the appearance of the trees as they become bare and bleak as the trunk and branches are exposed. To him these are works of art.  It is a slow plodding change.

In the third stanza, Campbell has one...

As you read Roy Campbell’s poem “Autumn,” the first two stanzas describe the slow, rhythmic fluctuations of the seasons. Campbell speaks of the changes that autumn makes in nature as it slips into winter. The author describes the appearance of the trees as they become bare and bleak as the trunk and branches are exposed. To him these are works of art.  It is a slow plodding change.

In the third stanza, Campbell has one line run into the next as the process and transformation speeds up; it creates urgency and exposes the cyclical nature of seasonal change. The writing makes the reader move from line to line more quickly without stopping. The olive branches are bare and lightened of their load while the “vats” of olive oil fill-up. The olives are transformed into oil which the poet explains is the vestige of the summer. He uses this writing technique to demonstrate the non-stop change of the seasons through the metaphor of the transformation of the olives into oil that lasts throughout the winter while reminding one of summer.

In the last stanza, he again slows the pace. autumn turns to winter when wine is enjoyed with a warm fire in the hearth.

What is a short summary of Pride and Prejudice?

In brief, Pride and Prejudice is all about love. The title refers to the main characters, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. The proud Mr. Darcy insults the lively Elizabeth at a ball, saying she's "tolerable" but not attractive enough to tempt him to dance with her.  In return, she develops a prejudice against him and treats him badly. Because she refuses to be nice to him, he falls in love with her. The novel follows the windings and turnings of their relationship, and in the process becomes an examination of different kinds of love.

Elizabeth's kind and beautiful older sister Jane falls in love with Mr. Bingley, Darcy's friend, and Bingley falls in love with Jane, but Bingley, to everyone's surprise, fails to propose to her before leaving for London.

Elizabeth falls for the handsome but unreliable Wickham as Darcy is falling for her. Meanwhile, Elizabeth's fumbling and socially inept cousin, Mr. Collins, proposes to her. She rejects him and is stunned when her best friend, Charlotte Lucas, accepts him. Charlotte, in her own words, is not "romantic," and settles for a comfortable home. When she visits Charlotte, Elizabeth learns that a wise woman can manage admirably with an imperfect husband.

While she's visiting Charlotte, Mr. Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, but manages to wholly insult her by telling her family is horrible and that he split up Jane and Bingley because of it. Elizabeth lets him have it and tells him, essentially, that he's the last person in the universe she would ever marry. Darcy, being proud, had simply assumed she would say yes, so he is stunned.

Elizabeth takes a vacation with her aunt and uncle, the Gardiners, and the three of them stop and visit Pemberley, Mr. Darcy's estate. There, Elizabeth begins to regret giving up being mistress of such a grand place--and to her great embarrassment, runs into Darcy! (She had been told he was out of the area.) He seems to be still very much in love with her. But then bad news comes: Elizabeth's wild younger sister, Lydia, has run off with Wickham without marrying him, a terrible disgrace in that time period. Elizabeth fears the whole family is now ruined, but Mr. Darcy gets the twosome married and saves the day.

In the end, Darcy marries Elizabeth, and Bingley marries Jane. Elizabeth has learned not trust first impressions (the original title of the novel) and the reader learns the importance of marrying based not on a wild passion but on the basis of mutual love and respect.

What was the main problem that Europeans encountered when sailing in the 1400's? Thanks in advance

During the 1400s, explorers went out into the unchartered waters, despite the numerous harsh conditions they experienced. In the 1400s, many countries wanted to find a faster and more convenient way to trade with India; thus, they sent out explorers to see if they could find a way from the West. These explorers overcame many barriers, including insufficient knowledge about the ocean, inadequate food supplies, and disease.

Foremost, the European explorers lacked adequate knowledge about...

During the 1400s, explorers went out into the unchartered waters, despite the numerous harsh conditions they experienced. In the 1400s, many countries wanted to find a faster and more convenient way to trade with India; thus, they sent out explorers to see if they could find a way from the West. These explorers overcame many barriers, including insufficient knowledge about the ocean, inadequate food supplies, and disease.

Foremost, the European explorers lacked adequate knowledge about the ocean. During this time period, many individuals thought that the ocean was actually much smaller than it actually is. For example, they did not know that the Americas existed or even Australia. Furthermore, they did not have any maps of the area and were forced to rely on sailor’s tales about the water or weather.

Subsequently, the explorers lacked sufficient food supplies for the sailors. As a result of the ocean being much larger than they originally believed, the ships lacked ample food to get the sailors all the way around to India. As a result, the sailors were forced to eat whatever they could find (including the rats on the ship).

As a result of the poor food supplies and bad living conditions, much disease and sickness plagued the sailors. Scurvy was a common sickness that afflicted the sailors, which originates from a lack of Vitamin C. Unfortunately, many of the sailors died from the diseases and sicknesses simply because there was inadequate supplies to treat or prevent them.

Consequently, numerous hardships arose for explorers during the 1400s. Although the idea of adventure and exploration excited many, the hardship of travelling in such poor conditions caused many recruits to be the ones desperate enough to make the journey. Fortunately, some explorers were able to overcome these odds and discover the New World (America) and make it back home safely.

Do plants only have to be grown by sunlight, can they be grown with a flashlight?

Plants will grow under artificial light sources, such as the light produced by a flashlight. However, plants grow better under the natural light of the sun.

There are key differences between the light produced by the sun and the light produced by a flashlight that cause plants to grow better under natural light. These differences are identified and explained below.

1.      The sun emits more light than a single flashlight.

2.      The wavelengths emitted from...

Plants will grow under artificial light sources, such as the light produced by a flashlight. However, plants grow better under the natural light of the sun.

There are key differences between the light produced by the sun and the light produced by a flashlight that cause plants to grow better under natural light. These differences are identified and explained below.

1.      The sun emits more light than a single flashlight.

2.      The wavelengths emitted from the flashlight are different than the wavelengths that are emitted from the light of the sun. The sun’s spectrum of light is the spectrum under which plants evolved and, therefore, grow the best under. The sun emits more light within the red and blue spectrum than a flashlight. Julie Day explains that blue wavelengths of light induce plant foliage growth, whereas red wavelengths of light induce flowering and fruiting.

What is the significance of the forest in The Scarlet Letter?

Throughout the several chapters in which Hawthorne narrates Hester's encounter with Dimmesdale in the forest, he emphasizes that the forest is a place beyond the reach of law and the Puritan community that punishes Hester with the scarlet A.  At the beginning of Chapter XVI, "A Forest Walk," the text describes Hester's walk,

The road, after the two wayfarers had crossed from the peninsula to the mainland, was no other than a footpath.  It straggled...

Throughout the several chapters in which Hawthorne narrates Hester's encounter with Dimmesdale in the forest, he emphasizes that the forest is a place beyond the reach of law and the Puritan community that punishes Hester with the scarlet A.  At the beginning of Chapter XVI, "A Forest Walk," the text describes Hester's walk,

The road, after the two wayfarers had crossed from the peninsula to the mainland, was no other than a footpath.  It straggled onward into the mystery of the primeval forest.  This hemmed it in so narrowly, and stood so black and dense on either side, and disclosed such imperfect glimpses of the sky above that, to Hester's mind, it imaged not amiss the moral wilderness in which she had so long been wandering.

By describing the forest as "primeval," Hawthone indicates that its existence transcends history and thus stands apart from any given social organization including the Puritan community against which it stands.  Furthermore, the passage creates a symbolic connection between the "mystery of the primeval forest" with Hester's ambiance of "moral wilderness," making the forest a symbol of both Nature and the moral ambiguity that circulates throughout the book.  

In Chapter XVII, "The Pastor and his Parishioner," the novel underscores the forest's connection with Nature (as opposed to culture) in its description of scene of Hester and Dimmesdale's meeting:

It was no wonder that they thus questioned one another's actual and bodily existence, and even doubted their own.  So strangely did they meet, in the dim wood, that it was like their first encounter, in the world beyond the grave, of two spirits who had been intimately connected in their former life, but now stood coldly shuddering, in mutual dread;

The forest takes both characters beyond their historical "actual and bodily existence," turning them into something approximating "two spirits."  From these passages, we see that Hawthorne makes the forest a place symbolically outside of space and time, a space of lawlessness and moral ambiguity because of its untainted connection to Nature.

In the Miracle Worker why does Annie come to the Kellers home?

Annie Sullivan comes to the Keller home in order to work with Helen and give her mind and soul some "light" into what goes on in the world she cannot see. Annie hopes to be able to teach language to the seven-year-old deaf and blind child.

As Helen becomes increasingly difficult and efforts to find someone who can work with her have failed, Mrs. Keller and Aunt Ev try to persuade Captain Keller to contact...

Annie Sullivan comes to the Keller home in order to work with Helen and give her mind and soul some "light" into what goes on in the world she cannot see. Annie hopes to be able to teach language to the seven-year-old deaf and blind child.

As Helen becomes increasingly difficult and efforts to find someone who can work with her have failed, Mrs. Keller and Aunt Ev try to persuade Captain Keller to contact a doctor in Baltimore, who has accomplished things with other blind children. Finally, with the suggestion of Alexander Graham Bell, the Kellers make contact with the Perkins Institute for the Blind in Boston, and the director sends twenty-year-old Annie, a legally blind student herself, to them as a governess. 
Annie herself is given to battles of the will. But, she has overcome the tragedy of poverty, losing her brother, and the disease trachoma which severely damaged her eyesight. She learned to read braille and sign language and became valedictorian of her class.
When she arrives at the Keller home, she tells Mrs. Keller, who is concerned that she is so young:

Mrs. Keller, don't lose heart just because i'm not on my last legs. I have three big advantages over Dr. Howe that money couldn't buy for you. One is his work behind me, I've read every word he wrote about it....Another is to be young; why, I've got energy to do anything. The third is, I've been blind.

After many struggles with a determined Annie and battles with her family, Helen finally breaks through her darkness. Annie's accomplishments earn her the description by Mark Twain as the "Miracle Worker." 

Number 5: Find words and phrases from the story that give it a dream-like or surreal feeling. List them along with page references. Explain or...

I will answer question number five.  Page numbers will not be possible, because I am going through my version of the story which is contained within an anthology.  

For me, a genre that consistently feels dreamlike and surreal is the fantasy genre.  The reason for that is because it usually has a supernatural element, a creepy forest, strange creatures, and a journey.  "Young Goodman Brown" has each of those fantasy elements.  

The story has a supernatural element, because Goodman Brown is speaking and walking with the Devil.  It doesn't get more supernatural than Satan himself. The reader might suspect for some time that the man is the Devil, but Goodie Cloyse confirms it for Goodman Brown.  

The traveller put forth his staff and touched her withered neck with what seemed the serpent's tail. "The devil!" screamed the pious old lady.

Moments later the supernatural element is elevated when the Devil throws his staff on the ground and it turns into an actual serpent.  

So saying, he threw it down at her feet, where, perhaps, it assumed life, being one of the rods which its owner had formerly lent to the Egyptian magi.

The dreamlike feel of the story is enhanced at this point, because Goodman Brown isn't sure if what he is seeing is really happening or not.  

Of this fact, however, Goodman Brown could not take cognizance. He had cast up his eyes in astonishment, and, looking down again, beheld neither Goody Cloyse nor the serpentine staff, but his fellow-traveller alone, who waited for him as calmly as if nothing had happened.

The story does have a "creepy" dreamlike forest in the story as well.  The forest is described very early on as Goodman Brown leaves his wife that evening and enters the forest.  

He had taken a dreary road, darkened by all the gloomiest trees of the forest, which barely stood aside to let the narrow path creep through, and closed immediately behind. It was all as lonely as could be; and there is this peculiarity in such a solitude, that the traveller knows not who may be concealed by the innumerable trunks and the thick boughs overhead; so that with lonely footsteps he may yet be passing through an unseen multitude.

The description leaves the reader feeling that the forest is enchanted or alive. It's almost like the trees are strange living creatures of thought and action.  The text says that the trees "stood aside" and "closed behind" him.  That paragraph also contains words like "gloomiest," "peculiarity," "dreary," and "darkened."  Everything about the paragraph makes the forest feel like a forest from nightmares.  Not a forest full of happy fairies. 

Before Goodman Brown steps foot in the forest, he recalls his conversation with his wife, and the reader is given a reminder of the dream motif.  

She talks of dreams, too. Methought as she spoke there was trouble in her face, as if a dream had warned her what work is to be done tonight.

 As for my last requirement for a dreamlike, surreal, fantasy world (a journey), Young Goodman Brown is on trip to meet someone.  But an important word for me is the word "journey" itself.  People don't use that word in normal conversation.  Even if I'm going on a road trip, I don't tell my friends that I'm going on a "journey."  "Young Goodman Brown" though, uses that exact word.  

"Dearest heart," whispered she, softly and rather sadly, when her lips were close to his ear, "prithee put off your journey until sunrise and sleep in your own bed to-night.

For me, the word "journey" and "quest" are essentially the same thing.  Those are words reserved for surreal, fantasy worlds.  

How are Romeo and Juliet infatuated with each other, and how is the infatuation connected to the monologue that begins, "O serpent heart, hid with...

In this monologue, Shakespeare uses numerous oxymora to highlight Juliet's discovery that Romeo is more than just the pretty face she first encountered and that she herself has contradictory feelings about the nature of their relationship.

Juliet has just learned that Romeo killed her cousin Tybalt in a street fight. She is horrified to learn that the boy she has fallen for is capable of such violence and bemoans her discovery. It seems Juliet must wrestle with the fact...

In this monologue, Shakespeare uses numerous oxymora to highlight Juliet's discovery that Romeo is more than just the pretty face she first encountered and that she herself has contradictory feelings about the nature of their relationship.

Juliet has just learned that Romeo killed her cousin Tybalt in a street fight. She is horrified to learn that the boy she has fallen for is capable of such violence and bemoans her discovery. It seems Juliet must wrestle with the fact that Romeo is not simply a sweet young boy. Juliet fell for Romeo quickly, and on such shallow grounds as his appearance, which her monologue suggests she is coming to realize. Juliet obviously feels betrayed by Romeo's act, but she also distances herself from any responsibility by blaming "nature" for clothing "deceit...in such a gorgeous palace." In this way we can see that Juliet, while forced to re-examine her feelings for Romeo, will choose to ignore any misgivings and continue to pursue her infatuation, and in doing so keep both of them moving toward a tragic end.

What quotes from Lord of the Flies show the respect the boys have for the conch at the beginning of the book?

The boys revere the conch and it grants power to whoever holds it.

Early on in their island explorations, Piggy and Ralph find a conch shell.  Piggy tells Ralph that it is valuable and "ever so expensive," and shows him how to blow on it to make noise come out.  It is as a result of this noise that all of the other children who survived come toward Ralph. 

“We can use this to call...

The boys revere the conch and it grants power to whoever holds it.

Early on in their island explorations, Piggy and Ralph find a conch shell.  Piggy tells Ralph that it is valuable and "ever so expensive," and shows him how to blow on it to make noise come out.  It is as a result of this noise that all of the other children who survived come toward Ralph. 

“We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting. They’ll come when they hear us—” (Ch. 1)

Since the conch had the power to bring them together, it develops an almost mystical importance.  The conch begins to symbolize leadership.  It is because Ralph had the conch and used it to draw the boys together that he seems special, and perhaps wise.  The boys elect him leader because he appears to fit the role perfectly.  He is good looking, and he is the one holding the conch.  This is why Ralph is chosen when the one who seems to have the actual leadership skills is Jack.

But there was a stillness about Ralph as he sat that marked him out: there was his size, and attractive appearance; and most obscurely, yet most powerfully, there was the conch. (Ch. 1)

Ralph is described as “set apart” by virtue of having blown the conch.  The boys see it as a special item, so much more than a "toy."  It is for this reason that the conch is chosen to be used during meetings to control who speaks when.  Again, the conch d power.  It grants the one who has it the power to speak, and thus leadership of a sort.

The conch is symbolic not just because it is valuable monetarily.  It is loud, and strong.  It gives the boys a sense of purpose and togetherness when at first they were scattered.  The conch itself is not that special.  It is just a shell.  Yet the boys are grasping at the straws of civilization, and to them it is everything.  When the conch stops begin powerful, their little society has descended into chaos.

What did Senator Pittman believe was the reason for Republican opposition to joining the League?

Key Pittman was a senator from the state of Nevada that served as Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations and president pro tempore. Pittman was a staunch supporter of the League of Nations and Woodrow Wilson. The question you ask is about a Senate speech that Pittman gave in November of 1919. It would be very difficult to answer this question without understanding some background on the political players of the day.

The president, Woodrow Wilson, was a second term democratic president and was not in very good health, having suffered a stroke. The League of Nations was the hallmark of his Fourteen Points and, in fact, the only part of his legacy that was included in the Treaty of Versailles. The Republicans controlled both houses of Congress and were led by Wilson's chief political rival Henry Cabot Lodge. Lodge did not want the United States in the League of Nations because he thought it would compromise America's ability to make decisions unilaterally. Wilson was not at all interested in compromising on any parts of the Treaty and insisted the Congress ratify it unconditionally.

Pittman insinuates in his address to Congress that the Republicans are using the issue for political gain. The implication is that they are being deceitful to the American people and playing on their fear of being involved in further global conflicts. In doing so, they help their own political interest to take the White House in the 1920 election and maintain power in both houses of Congress.

How would a decrease in the number of krill affect the number of crabeater seal?

Crabs eat krill.  Despite its name, crabeater seals don't eat crabs. Crabeater seals actually eat krill as well! Thus, the krill are prey to the crabs and crabeater seals. Likewise, the crabs and crabeater seals are predators to the krill.

When the size of a lower trophic level decreases in a biological community, the population size of all higher trophic levels usually decrease as well.

Therefore, if the number of individuals in the krill decreased, then...

Crabs eat krill.  Despite its name, crabeater seals don't eat crabs. Crabeater seals actually eat krill as well! Thus, the krill are prey to the crabs and crabeater seals. Likewise, the crabs and crabeater seals are predators to the krill.

When the size of a lower trophic level decreases in a biological community, the population size of all higher trophic levels usually decrease as well.

Therefore, if the number of individuals in the krill decreased, then the crab and crabeater seal populations would decrease because there would not be enough food for all of the individuals of their populations to eat.  However, if the population of an alternative food source of the crabs or seals increased, then the seal and crab populations may be sustained. Likewise, if the crabeater seal and crab populations learn how to eat an alternative food source, then the size of their populations may not be affected.

The opposite is also true. If the krill population increased, then more crabs and crabeater seals could be sustained. Thus, the population size of the crabs and crabeater seals would also increase.

Such predator-prey cycles are common in biology.

In "The Moonlight," explain how Abbé Marignan is a dynamic character.

A dynamic character is one who develops and changes over the course of a narrative, so an easy way to answer this question is to ask simply, “How does the Abbé Marignan change from the beginning to the end of this story?”

Guy de Maupassant is very upfront with his description of the Abbé at the start of “In the Moonlight.”  Marignan is a very erect, God-fearing man.  He has a very rigid view of the world that extends even to God, and he believes that he is and moreover should be privy to the machinations of the Divine.  Life, to him, and the world, have been created and subsequently operate within a system of undeniable logic, a belief illustrated by the line, “Dawns existed to make waking up a pleasure, days to ripen the crops, rain to water them; evening to prepare for slumber, and the night was dark for sleeping.” 

He despises women and the lusty thoughts their presence conjures in the minds of men, and Marignan has a private plan to send his niece to a convent once she is old enough, to spare her from this devilish female fate.  He becomes furious when he learns that she has taken a secret lover, and plans to ambush them at night, at the site of their tryst.  Recall the above quote:  “evening [existed] to prepare for slumber, and the night was dark for sleeping.”  It is safe to assume that the Abbé does not get out at night very often.  And on this occasion his violent plans are swept from his mind, because “he was immediately distracted, moved by the glorious and serene beauty of the pale night.”  Here we see his carefully constructed schema of the rules and boundaries of life begin to fall apart – if dark was for sleeping, why is the nighttime so beautiful?  Why is he so transfixed, so emotionally moved by the splendor of the shimmering darkness?  His convictions are being called into question. 

The Abbé has an almost Panglossian line of reasoning – the seasons are made for growing crops, rather than the growing of crops being adapted to the seasons – and he therefore must ask himself, in reference to the night, “For who was it intended, this sublime spectacle, this flood of poetry poured from the sky over the earth?”  And here his dynamism is even more marked, for he spies his niece and her lover, walking together by the river in the moonlight, in the serenity of the still night, and understands that it was made for them.  And he turns around, having forgotten his desperate goal, to leave them in peace.  So he went from a man who loathed love and all the “sin” it carried in its entourage, to a man who understood the beauty of deep attraction, and who finally understood its place in the world.

So, in short, the Abbe became a more tolerant person; he went from a man who viewed love as the ultimate departure from God to a man who understood that love, as well, was a part of the Divine plan for humanity.  And in doing so he allowed his worldview to be changed and expanded.  He became ever so slightly more flexible in his understanding of the world.

I need help composing a speech on the effect of political dynasties on Philippine politics. I've included a draft below with some of my ideas. Can...

Political dynasties have two components, the first having to do with elected offices and the second the power of appointment of relatives to non-elective positions. Thus another aspect of what you describe as political dynasties is "nepotism", the practice of appointing relatives to positions of political or corporate power.

Although it is possible that one family may produce many individuals who have both and aptitude and desire to engage in public service, in general, such...

Political dynasties have two components, the first having to do with elected offices and the second the power of appointment of relatives to non-elective positions. Thus another aspect of what you describe as political dynasties is "nepotism", the practice of appointing relatives to positions of political or corporate power.

Although it is possible that one family may produce many individuals who have both and aptitude and desire to engage in public service, in general, such dynastic systems lead to a far weaker talent pool than more open ones. Even worse, they can often lead to cronyism and oligarchy, with members of prominent families awarding valuable government contracts to relatives and no check on kleptocracy, or stealing from the public purse. Studies have shown that political dynasties typically lead to higher levels of both poverty and corruption than systems not dominated by dynasties.

Politics in the Philippines have been dominated by political dynasties, including those of the Ampatuan, Aquino, Roxas, Estrada, and Marcos families, since independence. Although the Constitution imposes term limits on individual politicians, it does not currently prohibit political dynasties.

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago introduced Senate Bill 2649 in 2011 to restrict the power of political dynasties and similar bills were placed before the House of Representatives in 2013. In your speech, you should cover ongoing legislative efforts to restrict the power of dynasties.

As you work on your speech, you should organize it into the following sections:

1. Central claim: whether you support or oppose the movement to limit the power of political dynasties

2. Definition of a political dynasty

3. Evidence that political dynasties have dominated the Philippines

4. General evidence concerning whether such dynasties have positive or negative effects

5. Specific examples of positive or negative effects.

6. Conclusion showing that the evidence supports your position.

`3/(x^3 + x - 2)` Write the partial fraction decomposition of the rational expression. Check your result algebraically.

You need to decompose the fraction into irreducible fractions, such that:

`(3)/(x^3+x-2) = (3)/(x^3+x-1-1) = 3/((x^3-1) + (x-1))`

`3/((x^3-1) + (x-1)) = 3/((x-1)(x^2+x+1) + (x-1))`

`3/((x-1)(x^2+ x + 2)) = A/(x-1) + (Bx+C)/(x^2+ x + 2)`

You need to bring the fractions to a common denominator:

`3 = Ax^2 + Ax + 2A + Bx^2 - Bx + Cx - C`

You need to group the terms having the same power of x:

`3 = x^2(A+B)...

You need to decompose the fraction into irreducible fractions, such that:

`(3)/(x^3+x-2) = (3)/(x^3+x-1-1) = 3/((x^3-1) + (x-1))`

`3/((x^3-1) + (x-1)) = 3/((x-1)(x^2+x+1) + (x-1))`

`3/((x-1)(x^2+ x + 2)) = A/(x-1) + (Bx+C)/(x^2+ x + 2)`

You need to bring the fractions to a common denominator:

`3 = Ax^2 + Ax + 2A + Bx^2 - Bx + Cx - C`

You need to group the terms having the same power of x:

`3 = x^2(A+B) + x(A - B + C) + 2A - C`

Comparing both sides yields:

`A+B =0 => A = -B`

A - B + C = 0 => 2A + C = 0

`2A - C = 3`

Adding the relations yields:

`4A =3 => A = 3/4 => B = -3/4 => C = -6/4`

Hence, the partial fraction decomposition is `3/((x-1)(x^2+ x + 2)) = 3/(4x-4) + (-3x-6)/(4x^2+ 4x + 8).`

In Fahrenheit 451, why was the city bombed?

In Fahrenheit 451, there is some sort of war going on between two factions (Montag’s society and another), and the reader knows very little about why they are fighting.  There are only a few mentions of the war in the novel.  Some examples of where we see the impact of the war is a radio report that war can be declared any day; jets going over the city every day and making the firehouse...

In Fahrenheit 451, there is some sort of war going on between two factions (Montag’s society and another), and the reader knows very little about why they are fighting.  There are only a few mentions of the war in the novel.  Some examples of where we see the impact of the war is a radio report that war can be declared any day; jets going over the city every day and making the firehouse “tremble”; and finally, at the end of the novel when Montag’s city is bombed and Montag sees the jets from the hobo camp he has joined.

Bradbury keeps the reason for the war secret perhaps in an attempt to let us see just how far this society has fallen.  People in this society seem very unconcerned about the war; it appears to be just another thing they put up with and don’t even notice.  In addition, the novel was published in 1953 during the Cold War.  Nuclear war was a real threat to people in the United States, and perhaps Bradbury is proposing that we don’t be complacent in its seriousness. 

I’ve always imagined that the war is being fought between Montag’s dystopian society and those who want to change it back to a society of individuality and freedom.  However, there’s no evidence to this in the novel, but it would have been a great idea for a second book about Montag.

Where is Pencey Prep? |

Early in the first chapter of The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield writes that Pencey Prep is located in Agerstown, Pennsylvania. Both Pencey Prep and Agerstown are fictional. Salinger obviously could not name a real school in the novel, and if he named a real town it could suggest a real school. Pencey Prep must be located on the extreme east side of the state of Pennsylvania because it is only a short...

Early in the first chapter of The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield writes that Pencey Prep is located in Agerstown, Pennsylvania. Both Pencey Prep and Agerstown are fictional. Salinger obviously could not name a real school in the novel, and if he named a real town it could suggest a real school. Pencey Prep must be located on the extreme east side of the state of Pennsylvania because it is only a short distance from "Agerstown" to New York City. Holden had gone to New York by train "that morning" for a fencing tournament, and he had lost all the fencing equipment on the subway. Evidently it only takes a a couple of hours to get from the fictional town in Pennsylvania to Penn Station in Manhattan. The town of "Agerstown" must be located close to the New Jersey border, so it is only a matter of crossing the narrow state of New Jersey to get to Penn Station. He is back at Pencey in time to watch part of a football game with Saxon Hall.

I remember around three o'clock that afternoon I was standing way the hell up on top of Thornton Hill, right next to this crazy cannon that was in the Revolutionary War and all.

It has been thought that Pencey Prep was the name given to Valley Forge Academy in Wayne, Pennsylvania, which J. D. Salinger attended. The distance from Wayne to Manhattan is less than 100 miles.

What are the major personality traits of Beowulf?

Beowulf derives from Scandanavian epic, a form of oral traditional literature. As is true in most oral epic, the characters of the poem are what literary critics refer to as "flat", as opposed to the rounded characters of the modern novel. In other words, Beowulf is more of an idealized figure of a hero than a individual with a great deal of psychological depth. 

The first significant traits he displays are physical prowess and attractiveness....

Beowulf derives from Scandanavian epic, a form of oral traditional literature. As is true in most oral epic, the characters of the poem are what literary critics refer to as "flat", as opposed to the rounded characters of the modern novel. In other words, Beowulf is more of an idealized figure of a hero than a individual with a great deal of psychological depth. 

The first significant traits he displays are physical prowess and attractiveness. In epic, these function as outward indicators of a virtuous and noble character. Next, in the various episodes in which he battles monsters, he shows the virtue of tenacity. He is also loyal and honorable, but appropriately modest. He both inspires loyalty in his men and is loyal to others. 

Even in his youth he displays intelligence and the ability to plan out fights; his success is attributed as much to his intellect as to his great strength and determination. He is a wise and fluent speaker, as we can see in the following lines:

... All-knowing God

Must have sent you such words; nothing so wise

From a warrior so young has ever reached

These ancient ears

What is the person versus self conflict in The Hunger Games?

Katniss’s main internal conflict is how far she will go to try to win the game and survive, such as pretending to love Peeta.

A person versus self conflict is an internal conflict.  It is a struggle a person has with herself.  It often involves decisions that are hard to make, fears, or worries.

Katniss has many internal conflicts in the book, but most of them revolve around what she is willing to do in...

Katniss’s main internal conflict is how far she will go to try to win the game and survive, such as pretending to love Peeta.

A person versus self conflict is an internal conflict.  It is a struggle a person has with herself.  It often involves decisions that are hard to make, fears, or worries.

Katniss has many internal conflicts in the book, but most of them revolve around what she is willing to do in order to participate in the spectacle of the games.  She knows what people want her to do, and realizes that the longer that she plays along the more likely she is to survive.

Although being ready and willing to kill is difficult, Katniss’s main internal conflict regarding the game has to do with Peeta.  Peeta surprises her when he announces to the world that he loves Katniss during his interview with Caesar.

Peeta sighs. "Well, there is this one girl. I’ve had a crush on her ever since I can remember. But I’m pretty sure she didn’t know I was alive until the reaping." (Ch. 9)

Katniss has to decide whether or not she can pretend to love Peeta.  If she does, then she will get valuable public support.  It could mean the difference between living and dying.  This becomes clear to her when she receives help from Haymitch.

Haymitch couldn’t be sending me a clearer message. One kiss equals one pot of broth. I can almost hear his snarl. “You’re supposed to be in love, sweetheart. The boy’s dying. Give me something I can work with!” (Ch. 19)

Katniss knows that Haymitch will be able to get donations from sponsors if it looks like she is in love with Peeta.  She kisses him, and plays along pretending she is in love, in order to help them both survive.

The whole thing went to the next level when it is announced that two winners can come from the same district.  That was when Katniss determined that she could help Peeta without endangering her own life.  As the game went on, she had to decide whether to eat the berries and kill herself to prevent having to kill him.  Again, the star-crossed lovers gimmick worked, and both of them were announced winners.  Despite the political implications, their lives were spared for the moment.

Katniss has complicated feelings for Peeta.  She has a close friend, and possible love interest, at home: Gale.  Gale is nothing like Peeta, and more like Katniss.  Katniss feels like she is betraying Gale by pretending to love Peeta.  At the same time, she does care about Peeta.  This causes Katniss constant inner turmoil.  To survive, she has to do things she never thought she would do—kill other kids, and pretend to love Peeta.

What is the major conflict and setting of The Lord of the Flies novel by William Golding?

With the setting of an island away from civilization and its influences, the main conflict in Golding's Lord of the Flies is between the main characters and the inherent evil that emerges within their hearts when they are involved in scenes of violence that occur in the absence of societal law and order. 

Ralph

• After being chosen leader, Ralph struggles to have the boys maintain the signal fire and build shelters. But, sometimes the power...

With the setting of an island away from civilization and its influences, the main conflict in Golding's Lord of the Flies is between the main characters and the inherent evil that emerges within their hearts when they are involved in scenes of violence that occur in the absence of societal law and order. 

Ralph

• After being chosen leader, Ralph struggles to have the boys maintain the signal fire and build shelters. But, sometimes the power that Ralph holds stirs some atavistic feelings in Ralph: "The knowledge and the awe made him savage."


• Ralph is ready to fight with Jack over his letting the fire go out.


• When Ralph goes on a hunt with Jack he throws his stick at the boar, striking it on the nose.

"I hit him all right....I wounded him"....[Ralph]felt that hunting was good after all.

• Ralph becomes involved in the beating death of Simon and does nothing to stop it. Afterwards, he does feel guilty and talks with Piggy about it.


• When the hunters come after him, Ralph battles with his attackers


• After battling his attackers, Ralph decides to try to reason with Jack, but on the way he runs across the pig's skull and kicks it, taking the spear on which it was impaled.


• Ralph knows that Jack and the hunters intend to kill him. He lies in the darkness, faced with the horrors of death and evil.

Jack

• Jack is immediately defiant and challenges Ralph's leadership


• He denounces the power of the conch and has no respect for order


• He breaks from Ralph and forms his own tribe


• Jack and the hunters steal the fire and Piggy's glasses


• Jack and the hunters perform brutal rituals, pretending that one boy is the pig, striking the boy


• He and the hunters paint their faces, as they "understood only too well the liberation into savagery that the concealing paint brought."


• He and the hunters perform the hunting ritual with Simon, who is beaten to death


• He and the other hunters search for Ralph, inflicting pain on SamnEric and others


• Jack and the others set fire to the entire island in their desire to kill Ralph.

Piggy

• Piggy decries violence, but is ineffective in fighting it.


• He is victimized as Jack steals his glasses


• He rationalizes when Ralph confronts him with their having witnessed Simon's death.


• Piggy later is brutally killed by Roger.

Simon

• Simon recognizes the evil in men, the "beast," but he is unable to articulate this evil.


• He falls into the mouth of the Lord of the Flies


• He is beaten to death by the hunters, falling victim to violence

Roger

• He initially controls his violent desire to hit Henry with rocks because of his conditioning, but this part of civilization soon wears off


• When the boys climb the mountain to find the beast, Roger goes behind Ralph, rapping a stick upon the rocks, threateningly.


• He exhibits sadism, hurling a boulder upon Piggy, laughing.


• Roger champions anarchy and gets carried away in the hunt for Ralph as the island is almost entirely burned.

What material is "a soft, fuzzy fabric that can be used to make a variety of things?"

Fleece is a soft, fuzzy material that is used to make a variety of things. Fleece is a common alterative of wool.  Fleece is often used to make sweaters, jackets, throw blankets, mittens, hats, scarves, and other garments to keep people warm. It is usually used for items that will provide warmth because it is durable, holds in warmth, and whisks away moisture. According to the website How Products Are Made, fleece has also been used...

Fleece is a soft, fuzzy material that is used to make a variety of things. Fleece is a common alterative of wool.  Fleece is often used to make sweaters, jackets, throw blankets, mittens, hats, scarves, and other garments to keep people warm. It is usually used for items that will provide warmth because it is durable, holds in warmth, and whisks away moisture. According to the website How Products Are Made, fleece has also been used in the suits of scuba divers, the underwear of astronauts, and the ear-warmers of calves that are born during the winter.

Fleece is made of polyester. It was first created in the 1980s at Malden Mills, a manufacturer that is located in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Polyester fleece became popular in the 1990s under the trademark names Polartec and Polar Fleece.  

There are three leading economic indicators, Economic Growth rate (%∆ in Real Gross Domestic Product or %∆RGDP), Inflation Rate (%∆CPI), and...

For your convenience, I've added reference links to interactive official Federal Reserve graphs of all three of these indicators.

We may not quite be at full employment, but we are fairly close. Our current unemployment rate is 4.9%, so under the usual assumption that "full employment" means about 4.5% unemployment we're almost there.

We are definitely not in a recession anymore. Smoothing over some unusually strong seasonal variation, our current growth rate in real GDP is about 2.3%, which is a bit slow but definitely positive.

Inflation is also definitely not a problem---actually deflation may be a problem, as our current growth rate in the CPI is only 0.1% and falling. If we do hit another recession soon, it will likely be because this deflation has not been stopped.

Stagnation might be an issue, particularly if this already somewhat slow GDP growth slows down any further. But stagflation isn't, because inflation is too low, not too high.

But the main concern for me at least is not on any of these indicators---it is our interest rates, which remain extremely low, just slightly above zero. If we do suffer deflation, or even if we simply can't get inflation back up closer to 2%, our real interest rates will also be nearly zero, which effectively removes the Federal Reserve's ability to expand the money supply and thereby bring us out of a recession. This is called the zero lower bound.

Monetary policy is basically powerless here; only fiscal policy could solve this problem. Speaking from the consensus position of macroeconomists today (which is more or less Keynesian, generally called the New Neoclassical Synthesis), the best thing to do right now would be to greatly expand the government deficit by spending on worthwhile projects such as education and infrastructure development. This would boost the economy directly and also put upward pressure on interest rates to raise them above the zero lower bound. This would hopefully bring GDP growth back up to target, and it would give monetary policy a lot more room to restore the balance when we do hit another recession (which, if history is our guide, is only a matter of time).

How do I compare Vygotsky and Piaget and their theories on how plays help social development in the early years?

Both Vygotsky and Piaget were interested in normal cognitive and social development. For Vygotsky, imaginative or make-believe play has significant contributions for child development because it depends on (or makes use of) the dual function of language, as both a cultural tool and symbolic system of communication. This suggests language is of utmost importance for Vygotsky -- since it is how we make sense of the world. Play facilitates the transition from external regulation by...

Both Vygotsky and Piaget were interested in normal cognitive and social development. For Vygotsky, imaginative or make-believe play has significant contributions for child development because it depends on (or makes use of) the dual function of language, as both a cultural tool and symbolic system of communication. This suggests language is of utmost importance for Vygotsky -- since it is how we make sense of the world. Play facilitates the transition from external regulation by others to self-regulation of one's cognitive processes and thought through making use of language in role playing. For Piaget, play is not just a process of (social) learning, but first and foremost an indicator of a (biological) developmental stage. Instead of foregrounding a more constitutive relationship between language, socialization, learning, and development, Piaget suggests all children (cognitively) develop into adulthood through the same four stages: sensorimotor (ages 0-2), preoperational (2-7), concrete operational (7-11), formal operational (11-adult). Thus, the first stage concerned with one's own body and its separation (discreetness) from external objects is expressed (and monitored) through modes of play such as peekaboo. The second stage characterized by a search for causality outside the self is marked by make-believe/role-playing modes of play. The next stage, which d the emergence of logical operations, is associated with play governed by strict rules. Lastly, with fully developed reason, plays takes on the form of highly competitive and codified games.

How does the setting support the theme of grief in the novel The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold?

First, you should define "setting," which refers to the time and place of a narrative. The Lovely Bones focuses on Susie's murder, which occurs on December 6, 1973, and its aftermath.

Next, consider that nature's seasonal changes are often used to represent/emphasize the stages of life. If you live in an area with distinctive seasonal changes, this is easier to notice in everyday life because spring, summer, autumn, and winter are marked by obvious variations...

First, you should define "setting," which refers to the time and place of a narrative. The Lovely Bones focuses on Susie's murder, which occurs on December 6, 1973, and its aftermath.

Next, consider that nature's seasonal changes are often used to represent/emphasize the stages of life. If you live in an area with distinctive seasonal changes, this is easier to notice in everyday life because spring, summer, autumn, and winter are marked by obvious variations in temperature, the amount of sunlight (vs. precipitation like rain or snow), and the activities in which people engage (working outdoors with gardens vs. staying inside because the gardens are dead of winter frost).

So, if Susie's murder occurs on December 6th, then it happens during a time of extreme cold, when the trees are bare, and the days are short. The narrative also states specifically that it is snowing and is already dark when Susie encounters Mr. Harvey.

Since the time and place of Susie's murder is distinctly not set during a period of rebirth, hope, or renewal, this is one way in which the time frame supports the novel's themes of grief and mourning.

(You can also extend the seasons metaphor to examine how the narrative discusses the characters' actions and Susie's observations in relation to the time of year.)

What is the reaction between glucose and water?

Glucose does not dissociate when dissolved in water. In comparison, a substance like sodium chloride, dissociates into sodium and chloride ions when mixed with water. And the chemical equation for that is

`NaCl -> Na^+ + Cl^-`

Since glucose does not dissociate, it simply converts from solid to the aqueous form as per the following equation:

`C_6H_12O_6 (s) + H_2O -> C_6H_12O_6 (aq)`

In general, we are more interested in oxidation of glucose in our...

Glucose does not dissociate when dissolved in water. In comparison, a substance like sodium chloride, dissociates into sodium and chloride ions when mixed with water. And the chemical equation for that is

`NaCl -> Na^+ + Cl^-`

Since glucose does not dissociate, it simply converts from solid to the aqueous form as per the following equation:

`C_6H_12O_6 (s) + H_2O -> C_6H_12O_6 (aq)`

In general, we are more interested in oxidation of glucose in our body. When glucose reacts with oxygen, cellular respiration takes place and carbon dioxide, water and energy molecules are released. Here is the relevant equation:

`C_6H_12O_6 + 6O_2 -> 6CO_2 + 6H_2O + ATP`

Here ATP or adenosine triphosphate are the energy molecules. This is the reaction which produces energy in our body and that of animals.

Hope this helps. 

What is the tone of "From Dust Tracks on a Road" by Zora Neale Hurston?

(Note: I'm assuming this question pertains to the excerpt from Dust Tracks on a Road in the Prentice Hall American literature book, which covers the second half of Chapter 4, "The Inside Search," from Hurston's autobiography.)

In this chapter, Hurston explains a part in her life and describes an incident with two teachers from the North. As in most of the book, Hurston writes in a light, conversational, wistful tone that even approaches awe on...

(Note: I'm assuming this question pertains to the excerpt from Dust Tracks on a Road in the Prentice Hall American literature book, which covers the second half of Chapter 4, "The Inside Search," from Hurston's autobiography.)

In this chapter, Hurston explains a part in her life and describes an incident with two teachers from the North. As in most of the book, Hurston writes in a light, conversational, wistful tone that even approaches awe on certain occasions and allows her to discuss racial issues in a way that reflects her refusal to be defined by her race (see Hurston's essay "How it Feels to Be Colored Me").

The best way to see the tone is to look at the language Hurston uses. She begins this excerpt with, "I used to take a seat on the gate post and watch the world go by." She goes on to describe how she would ride with white people who passed her farm and they would be amazed by her "self-assurance" and "brazenness."

Throughout the book, including this passage, Hurston speaks in a Southern black dialect, including words that reveal where she's from. She uses phrases like "whipping before company" and "switched my dress tail at them."

When the white teachers (charitably? condescendingly?) ask Hurston to their hotel room because she reads well, she seems to admire them. She describes a scene in which the women ask her to read a passage from Scribner's Magazine and tell her after a few paragraphs "with smiles, that that would do." Perhaps it's Hurston's lack of reaction to these clearly condescending requests that add to her tone. She says nothing about these women in the rest of the book.

Most of the autobiography is written in this way. Hurston excuses or ignores seemingly racist or condescending actions. This is what makes the book so interesting and makes it stand out from other autobiographies written by African-Americans in this era.

In what ways was the missionary message of Christianity shaped by the cultures of Asian and American peoples?

History shows that Christianity started in the Asian continent given that Jesus lived in Palestine. During its early development, Christianity had its strongest presence in Asia Minor or modern day Turkey. In the 1260s, the great Kublai Khan requested 100 religious teachers to be sent to his territory by the Pope in Rome. The message was delivered through the Marco Polo's family. However, only two friars were sent. Due to their fear of war, they...

History shows that Christianity started in the Asian continent given that Jesus lived in Palestine. During its early development, Christianity had its strongest presence in Asia Minor or modern day Turkey. In the 1260s, the great Kublai Khan requested 100 religious teachers to be sent to his territory by the Pope in Rome. The message was delivered through the Marco Polo's family. However, only two friars were sent. Due to their fear of war, they failed to reach their destination. It was only much later that Christianity attempted again to make inroads in China. However, this was difficult and the Christian missionaries were forced to adapt their messages to be in line with Confucianism, which was the dominant religion.

Thomas the Apostle introduced Christianity in India. The people were much more accepting mostly, because of the similarities between the religion and their existing cultures. The message of love, peace and tolerance was well accepted by the people in India, especially in Malabar. It is important to note that one of the greatest challenges to Christianity in India was the caste system, which made it difficult for the religion to appeal to the different social groups.

Spanish colonization of the Americas and the entry of the Europeans in North America led to the spread of Christianity in America. The indigenous communities in the Americas were composed of warring communities. Missionaries tailored their message to include offers of protection for the different communities they approached. They also offered gifts to the community leaders as a means of endearing themselves to the communities.

The Christian missionary message was thus, shaped by the different experiences the early missionaries had during their expedition in different territories and continents. The different types of missionaries employed a blend of native culture to teach Christianity while others employed persuasion to spread their religion.

How did the Articles of Confederation affect relations with other nations?

The Articles of Confederation affected relations with other countries. Once we became independent from British rule, we developed a plan of government called the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation gave Congress the power to deal with other countries.

However, the Articles of Confederation created a very weak federal government. Thus, while Congress could deal with other nations, Congress couldn’t force people to join the military. When we had a border dispute with the...

The Articles of Confederation affected relations with other countries. Once we became independent from British rule, we developed a plan of government called the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation gave Congress the power to deal with other countries.

However, the Articles of Confederation created a very weak federal government. Thus, while Congress could deal with other nations, Congress couldn’t force people to join the military. When we had a border dispute with the Spanish over where the border of Spanish Florida and the United States really was, there was little we could do about the dispute since our military was too weak to fight the Spanish. The same was true when Britain wouldn’t leave the western forts. Additionally, when Spain and Great Britain interfered with our trade, there was very little we could do about it because we didn’t have much of a military. The military also was poorly equipped.

As a result of the weak federal government that was created by the plan of government called the Articles of Confederation, our relations were strained with other nations because they were taking advantage of our weak, understaffed military. These countries knew the government couldn’t do much about these actions because our government didn’t have the power to require soldiers to serve in the army. Our government also didn’t have the power to create a strong financial system that would have helped provide supplies for the military. Additionally, our government couldn’t negotiate trade treaties with other countries. The weaknesses of the government created by the Articles of Confederation negatively impacted our relations with other countries.

What was Stephen Hawking's nickname in Black Holes and Baby Universes?

The brilliant astrophysicist writes in his opening chapter "Childhood" that what some saw as his early academic shortcomings, especially his deficient handwriting ability that exacerbated his teachers, could not conceal thet promise that this young student possessed: " . . . my classmates gave the nickname Einstein, so presumably they saw signs of something better." 

Hawking was born in 1942, the Second World War already well-underway in Great Britain and across Europe and Asia. His...

The brilliant astrophysicist writes in his opening chapter "Childhood" that what some saw as his early academic shortcomings, especially his deficient handwriting ability that exacerbated his teachers, could not conceal thet promise that this young student possessed: " . . . my classmates gave the nickname Einstein, so presumably they saw signs of something better." 

Hawking was born in 1942, the Second World War already well-underway in Great Britain and across Europe and Asia. His earliest memories, therefore, include the horrors inflicted on England's population by Germany, including the destruction wrought on London by Hitler's V-2 rockets. Not all of Hawkings earliest memories, however, are bad. He also relates his first train set and intense desire for an electric train, and his teenage love of building model airplanes and boats.

That Hawking would be given the nickname "Einstein" by classmates in elementary school is certainly propitious and prescient, as he would grow up to be among his generation's preeminent experts in the kind of physics studied by Albert Einstein, including in the formulation of scientific theories to explain the most fundamental developments in the history of the known universe.

In Calvino's "Invisible Cities," there are eleven categories which include different cities. What are the reasons for the names of the categories?

Italo Calvino's works are generally fabulist. Fabulism, broadly speaking, is a form of magical realism in which fantastical elements are placed in an everyday setting.

That being said, Invisible Cities is less a catalogue of cities than a reimagining of cities, or a conjuring of places which reflect and/or contort certain concepts. Marco Polo is not really giving Kublai Khan a detailed account of his own empire, and the great Emperor is quite aware of...

Italo Calvino's works are generally fabulist. Fabulism, broadly speaking, is a form of magical realism in which fantastical elements are placed in an everyday setting.

That being said, Invisible Cities is less a catalogue of cities than a reimagining of cities, or a conjuring of places which reflect and/or contort certain concepts. Marco Polo is not really giving Kublai Khan a detailed account of his own empire, and the great Emperor is quite aware of this ("'Your cities do not exist'" [pg. 59]). Rather, the two men are discussing ideas and possibilities; they are creating an imagined empire, and trying to formulate a rudimentary logic of cities and places ("'I have also thought of a model city...'" [pg. 69]). The dream-like quality of the conversations only adds to a general sense of confusion, reflection, and story-telling.

It follows, then, that the category names aren't explicitly tied to the stories and their subject matter. Rather, they are up for interpretation; depending on how you see it, they can contradict, enhance, or question the stories. They can also provide a framework by which to group stories. For example, the story of Baucis ("Cities & Eyes") tells the tale of a city whose inhabits live high up on "stilts" and look down on the world "with spyglasses and telescopes" (77). 

Does the story of Baucis speak, in some way, to human vision? Are the inhabitants of Baucis purposefully myopic? How come? It is also interesting to note that the city of Phyllis, which also occurs under "Cities & Eyes," is a place where "Millions of eyes loop up at windows, bridges, capers, and they might be scanning a blank page" (91). Are the stories of Baucis and Phyillis in agreement over their treatment of sight? Or are they in conflict? The possibilities are endless. 

I hope this helped!

From The Gift of the Jews by Thomas Cahill, explain the agreement ("Covenant") between Avraham (Abraham) and God (El) and its conditions.

According to Cahill, on Abraham's side of the covenant he will have a new name, changing from Avram to Avraham, which means Father of many nations. Sarai, his wife, will also receive a new name: Sara, which means Princess. Abraham will also receive a much more important gift: a child in a year's time. This is particularly important to the wheeling-dealing Abraham, because both he and Sara are very old, past the childbearing years, so...

According to Cahill, on Abraham's side of the covenant he will have a new name, changing from Avram to Avraham, which means Father of many nations. Sarai, his wife, will also receive a new name: Sara, which means Princess. Abraham will also receive a much more important gift: a child in a year's time. This is particularly important to the wheeling-dealing Abraham, because both he and Sara are very old, past the childbearing years, so both must rely on a supernatural intrusion to have any hope of conceiving.

On his side, God insists this covenant be sealed with blood through the circumcising of every male Israelite, whether the person is a slave or born an Israelite, from that time until eternity. As Cahill notes, this mark on the body of every male binds the Israelites very closely to God. Cahill writes:

"It is impossible for any man to forget his penis ... the children of Avram will be virtually unable to forget the god who never forgets them."

This personal, daily relationship turns El from the more distant "guardian angel aspect of the Sumerian patronal gods" to, quite simply, "God" with a capital G. 

THE EMBRYO DEVELOPS INTO A FETUS Once it has begun to divide the fertilized egg is called a ZYGOTE. As the zygote divides, it moves along the...

I will complete the blanks in order as stated in your paragraph. The answers will be in bold print. I believe your question is based on the film, "The Miracle of Life" by the program Nova.

As the zygote divides it moves along to the uterus or womb, as it sometimes referred to. This is where an embryo will develop in a human female.

Leg buds appear, and the embryo is less than 1/2 inch...

I will complete the blanks in order as stated in your paragraph. The answers will be in bold print. I believe your question is based on the film, "The Miracle of Life" by the program Nova.

As the zygote divides it moves along to the uterus or womb, as it sometimes referred to. This is where an embryo will develop in a human female.

Leg buds appear, and the embryo is less than 1/2 inch long.  It floats inside the fluid -filled amniotic sac and its spine is clearly visible. These events occur at around 6 weeks.

At seven weeks, the embryo is 3/4 inches long and can move its hands with defined fingers that are visible. It internal organs are visible. One can see the internal organs because the skin is see-through at this stage.

The toe joints of the feet are seen. This stage can be observed at 8 weeks after fertilization.

The umbilical cord is the fetus' link to its lifeline which is its mother's placenta. The placenta is a specialized organ which supplies the fetus with food, oxygen and antibodies and removes excretory wastes.

For the last blank, another 8 weeks are necessary for the fetus to be able to survive outside its mother's womb. The last part of the pregnancy is the time for the organs to continue growing and developing so that survival in the fetus will become more possible.

I have to write an essay on how poor information for the public can lead to poor choices. I approached it using the accountability model, saying...

It looks like you are well on your way to a great essay! In structuring your essay, here are some basic pointers:

• Your essay should start with an introductory paragraph that familiarizes your readers with your topic and the basic questions you are dealing with—in your case, whether more information available to voters leads to better governance, and what the accountability model is. The last sentence of your introductory paragraph, with very few exceptions, should be a thesis statement—a clear and concise sentence that summarizes what you are arguing. It might be something along the lines of “I will argue that more information for voters leads to better government for reasons x, y, and z.”
  


• In the body of your essay, let’s say the next 3-7 paragraphs, you will want to unpack the evidence of why your position is correct. Why should readers believe you and not someone arguing the opposite point of view? A good way to thinking about organizing this portion might be to devote 1-2 pararaphs on each of the reasons why your argument is correct that you listed in your thesis statement.


• End with a paragraph of conclusion that both clearly restates your argument, and explains the broader significance of what you are saying. This paragraph is a great place to answer the question ”So what?” or why your readers should care about anything you just wrote!
  

Good luck!

What human rights did Stalin violate?

Stalin violated many human rights.  He needlessly executed top generals out of fear that they would become more powerful and more beloved than him.  He occupied Eastern Europe after WWII and cracked down on anyone professing a religion.  He signed a non-aggression pact with Hitler in 1939 and divided Poland.  Perhaps the greatest human rights violation in the history of Europe was the Holodomor, an artificially created famine in Ukraine and the Northern Caucasus so...

Stalin violated many human rights.  He needlessly executed top generals out of fear that they would become more powerful and more beloved than him.  He occupied Eastern Europe after WWII and cracked down on anyone professing a religion.  He signed a non-aggression pact with Hitler in 1939 and divided Poland.  Perhaps the greatest human rights violation in the history of Europe was the Holodomor, an artificially created famine in Ukraine and the Northern Caucasus so that Stalin could export food to the rest of the world while his own people starved.  Stalin collectivized farms in Ukraine and when the farmers resisted (it reminded them too much of serfdom), Stalin ordered the leading farmers, intelligentsia, and religious leaders rounded up, tried before sham trials, and shot.  Stalin ordered government officials to confiscate food to send to the Russian state even if it meant taking away Ukrainians' draft animals and seed stock.  Stalin exported much of this food around the world so that he could boast the success of the Communist state.  Over two million people were known to have died in the Holodomor.  

What is the definition of the principal axis of a spherical mirror?

The principal axis of a spherical mirror is a line going through the center of the mirror that is exactly perpendicular (sometimes said "normal") to the surface of the mirror. By definition, a spherical mirror is rotationally symmetrical around its principal axis. Why is this useful? Well, for one thing, light rays coming into the concave side of a spherical mirror that are parallel to the principal axis will be reflected into a focal point...

The principal axis of a spherical mirror is a line going through the center of the mirror that is exactly perpendicular (sometimes said "normal") to the surface of the mirror. By definition, a spherical mirror is rotationally symmetrical around its principal axis.

Why is this useful? Well, for one thing, light rays coming into the concave side of a spherical mirror that are parallel to the principal axis will be reflected into a focal point that itself lies on the principal axis. The further the light rays are from the principal axis, the closer to the mirror that focus will lie---so not all light from a spherical mirror is focused in the same place, which is called spherical aberration.

What started World War One and why?

There were many factors that led to the start of World War I. One of them was nationalism.  A wave of nationalism was sweeping through Europe in the early 1900s. Countries began to believe they were better than any other country. They believed they could do whatever they wanted, and they could beat any country in a war if that country tried to stop them from achieving their goals.

Another cause was imperialism. Germany got...

There were many factors that led to the start of World War I. One of them was nationalism.  A wave of nationalism was sweeping through Europe in the early 1900s. Countries began to believe they were better than any other country. They believed they could do whatever they wanted, and they could beat any country in a war if that country tried to stop them from achieving their goals.

Another cause was imperialism. Germany got into the colonizing mode very late. By the time Germany was unified, almost all lands available for colonization were already gone. The only way Germany could get colonies was to attack countries that had them.

A third reason why World War I began was militarism. Countries began to build up their military strength. Usually when a country increases their military, they usually have plans to use it. As Germany built up its military, so did the other Allied countries.

Entangling alliances were another cause of the war. When countries formed these alliances, it created the possibility that a war between two countries could quickly escalate into a multi-nation war. When Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, it led to a chain reaction where members of the Triple Alliance and members of the Triple Entente declared war on each other.

The event that sparked the start of World War I was the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. Franz Ferdinand was supposed to be the next King of Austria-Hungary. When a group of Serbian nationals assassinated Franz Ferdinand, Austria-Hungary made a series of demands on Serbia. When Serbia couldn’t meet all of these demands, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. Russia then declared war on Austria-Hungary. This started the chain reaction of alliance members joining the war as one member of the Triple Alliance and one member of the Triple Entente declared war on each other.

Many factors led to the start of World War I. Most causes had been simmering for years while one cause was the spark that ignited the war.

What are the differences between a satire and a mock epic work?

A mock-epic can be considered as a form of satire, except that it specifically critiques classical stereotypes of heroes or heroic literature. For example, a foolish character may in fact be the hero. Or the protagonist’s heroic qualities are greatly exaggerated, oftentimes to the point of absurdity. Usually the mock-epic takes the form of a poem and addresses trivial subjects. Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock is an example of a mock-epic as he...

A mock-epic can be considered as a form of satire, except that it specifically critiques classical stereotypes of heroes or heroic literature. For example, a foolish character may in fact be the hero. Or the protagonist’s heroic qualities are greatly exaggerated, oftentimes to the point of absurdity. Usually the mock-epic takes the form of a poem and addresses trivial subjects. Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock is an example of a mock-epic as he treats the theft of a lock of hair as comparable to the events that started the Trojan War.

A satire employs irony, exaggeration, and humor to critique society as a whole. A classic example is Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Satire in this form generally seeks to expose the shortcomings of society, individuals, or humanity as a whole in an attempt to encourage improvement or reform. “Saturday Night Live” is an example of satire as used on television. Politicians or well-known figures are often parodied or criticized for their shortcomings. A contemporary American author, Kurt Vonnegut, heavily relies on satire in Breakfast for Champions and Slaughterhouse-Five.

Why does Sarah Good lie about practicing witchcraft in The Crucible?

Readers learn that Sarah Good has confessed to practicing witchcraft and being in league with the Devil when Mary Warren returns home from the courts on the first day of the trials, and she is questioned by her employers, John and Elizabeth Proctor, about the proceedings.  Mary says that she did not intend to accuse Sarah Good because

she sleep[s] in ditches, and [is] so very old and poor.  But then -- she sit there,...

Readers learn that Sarah Good has confessed to practicing witchcraft and being in league with the Devil when Mary Warren returns home from the courts on the first day of the trials, and she is questioned by her employers, John and Elizabeth Proctor, about the proceedings.  Mary says that she did not intend to accuse Sarah Good because

she sleep[s] in ditches, and [is] so very old and poor.  But then -- she sit there, denying and denying, and I feel a misty coldness climbin' up my back, and the skin on my skull begin to creep, and I feel a clamp around my neck and I cannot breathe air; and then -- entranced -- I hear a voice, a screamin' voice, and it were my voice -- and all at once I remembered everything she done to me!

Mary does actually believe that Sarah Good has tried to kill her, but it is more difficult to definitively account for how she came to feel these physical sensations in the court.  Next, Mary told the judges a story about how Sarah Good would come to their door to beg for food, and when Mary turned her away, she would mumble.  Once, Mary became very ill for the next two days.  The judges ask Sarah Good what she was mumbling, and she says she was repeating the Commandments to herself.  When the judges ask her to say the Commandments, she is unable to remember even one.  Once they see that she is lying, the judges call this "hard proof" of her guilt, "hard as rock." 

In seeing that she was about to be convicted of witchcraft, and knowing that a conviction meant certain death, Sarah Good likely decided to save her own life and confess.  As a beggar, she really has nothing to lose by confessing.  So, she invents a story about making "a compact with Lucifer," saying that she "wrote her name in his black book -- with her blood -- and bound herself to torment Christians till God's thrown down -- and we all must worship Hell forevermore."  She tells them what they expect to her, they believe the confession to be authentic, and she maintains her life.  

In "The Most Dangerous Game," how does the author create suspense and inspire fear in the reader?

Suspense and fear are built into the fabric of the story from the beginning.  As the story starts, Rainsford asks about the mysterious island off to the distance.  Whitney says that even the most experienced sailors have a curious dread of the place.  This immediately sets an ominous tone and there is even a feeling that Rainsford will wind up there. 

As the story progresses, so does the dread of the island. Whitney comments that...

Suspense and fear are built into the fabric of the story from the beginning.  As the story starts, Rainsford asks about the mysterious island off to the distance.  Whitney says that even the most experienced sailors have a curious dread of the place.  This immediately sets an ominous tone and there is even a feeling that Rainsford will wind up there. 

As the story progresses, so does the dread of the island. Whitney comments that not even cannibals would live in such a forsaken place.  Here is the quote:

Even cannibals wouldn't live in such a God-forsaken place. But it's gotten into sailor lore, somehow. Didn't you notice that the crew's nerves seemed a bit jumpy today?"

Eventually, Rainsford falls off the boat and ends up on the island.  When this happens, he meets General Zaroff, who is an uneasy combination of sophistication and eeriness. This odd combination creates suspense and fear, as it is implied that there is much more than meets the eye when it comes to Zaroff.  

He was finding the general a most thoughtful and affable host, a true cosmopolite. But there was one small trait of .the general's that made Rainsford uncomfortable. Whenever he looked up from his plate he found the general studying him, appraising him narrowly.

When Zaroff's true colors emerge, the reader can clearly see that Zaroff is insane. As the contest begins between Zaroff and Rainsford, there is suspense. Who will win?  Zaroff has the clear advantage, and Rainsford is on the run. This point also creates fear. This fear persists until the end, where it is resolved in Rainsford's defeat of Zaroff. 

How did religion impact the culture of Colonial America?

Generally speaking, Colonial America would not have existed if not for religion. It was to escape religious persecution that the Puritans left England for the New World. They decided to settle in North America in what would eventually become the eastern United States. The Puritans were a sect of Christianity that sought to split from the Anglican church. In the American colonies, there was a general expectation that citizens would follow strict religious observances. But,...

Generally speaking, Colonial America would not have existed if not for religion. It was to escape religious persecution that the Puritans left England for the New World. They decided to settle in North America in what would eventually become the eastern United States. The Puritans were a sect of Christianity that sought to split from the Anglican church. In the American colonies, there was a general expectation that citizens would follow strict religious observances. But, as with the differences that caused tension in England, newcomers to the colonies sometimes sought to establish or follow religious paths that differed from the prevalent denominations. In some cases such dissenters faced the same sort of persecution in the colonies they had sought to escape by leaving England. 

The difficult living conditions (harsh climate, inability to maintain livelihoods at the level they did in England) in the colonies were exacerbated by these religious tensions. In some communities, resentment toward clergy was strong (since citizens were required to pay part of their taxes to support clerical salaries, even if the citizens did not follow those particular church's teachings). In Salem Village near Boston, these tensions were also affected by deep superstitions about witchcraft and magic, and eventually led to the accusations, imprisonment and execution of eighteen citizens for the crime of witchcraft.

There was also a relative shortage of clergymen, and some rural communities were so spread out that any kind of regular church attendance or solidity of a religious community was difficult to establish. But expectations of "moral" behavior were widespread, and activities such as drinking, gambling and infidelity were frowned upon as being sinful, especially on the Sabbath day, and many communities passed laws to reflect this belief. Some of these so-called "blue laws" stayed on the books in Massachusetts well into the 20th century.

What concerns Macbeth? |

Macbeth’s main concern is gaining and keeping the throne of Scotland. He desires power, and when he has it, he wants to make sure no one else gets it.

That one overarching concern fuels several other worries. In the beginning of the play, he worries about killing Duncan, but his ambition gets him past his fear. He frames the guards and Duncan’s sons, so Macbeth does not have to worry about being blamed for the...

Macbeth’s main concern is gaining and keeping the throne of Scotland. He desires power, and when he has it, he wants to make sure no one else gets it.

That one overarching concern fuels several other worries. In the beginning of the play, he worries about killing Duncan, but his ambition gets him past his fear. He frames the guards and Duncan’s sons, so Macbeth does not have to worry about being blamed for the execution.

But once he is king, he worries about maintaining his power:

“To be thus is nothing;
But to be safely thus.”

He also focuses on the fact that the witches said Banquo’s descendants would be future kings of Scotland, not Macbeth’s. He begins to wonder why he bothered to kill Duncan if he would not have his own line succeed him on the throne. So he plans the deaths of Banquo and Fleance.

Still he is not at ease. Macbeth consults the evil witches once more, who use more misleading predictions to cleverly convince him that he is invincible, including the fact that no one ‘born of woman’ could harm Macbeth, and he couldn’t be vanquished until Birnham Wood marched to Dunsinane hill. Macbeth feels this is confirmation that he will retain his great power, since isn’t everyone born of woman? And trees can’t walk. His desire for power has ensnared him even more deeply with evil.

When Macduff, the Thane of Fife, doesn’t come to the banquet at the castle, Macbeth suspects Macduff is disloyal. When it is confirmed that Macduff has gone to England to raise an army against Macbeth, Macbeth orders the murder of Macduff’s wife and their small children:

“The castle of Macduff I will surprise;
Seize upon Fife; give to the edge o' the sword
His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls
That trace him in his line.”

Macbeth murdered to gain power and kept killing to keep it. His ambition turned him into a complete tyrant.

What are the dynamics of language and family from the book Hunger of Memory?

The initial chapters of Richard Rodriguez's memoire, The Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez, focus heavily on the issues of identity, language, and family. Rodriguez explores the tension that arose in his family, and with his own identity, as he and his siblings began speaking English instead of Spanish at home.

At the start of his memoires, Rodriguez describes the situation where he and his siblings spoke English at school and Spanish...

The initial chapters of Richard Rodriguez's memoire, The Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez, focus heavily on the issues of identity, language, and family. Rodriguez explores the tension that arose in his family, and with his own identity, as he and his siblings began speaking English instead of Spanish at home.

At the start of his memoires, Rodriguez describes the situation where he and his siblings spoke English at school and Spanish at home. At that time, the use of Spanish in his home was a refuge for the young Rodriguez. He felt that it gave his family a secret that they could share against the English speaking world at large. In this way, his notions of language and family were inextricably linked at an early age.

When the nuns from the school the sibling attended came to his home and told his parents that Rodriguez and his siblings were not learning English well enough and that they needed to speak it at home, his parents compliance changed the dynamic of their family, and Rodriguez's role within it. Rodriguez's formerly gregarious parents became uncertain when speaking with their children. His father even began to withdraw from family activities that required him to speak English.

Soon, Rodriguez realized that these traits in his parents carried over to when they spoke English with anyone. In this way, the introduction of English into the family dynamic led the young Rodriguez to reevaluate his family and his place in it.

In the remainder of the book, the tension between language and family, and Rodriguez's identity within his family, play out through the course of his education.  

What are some conflicts in The Outsiders in chapters 1 to 4?

The main conflict is between the greasers and the Socs.

The main conflict is between the two rival gangs.  This conflict results in them constantly fighting each other.  It is a self-perpetuating thing.  The gangs fight because they come from different socioeconomic backgrounds, but they also fight to defend their members or to avenge grievances. 

Pony, Johnny, and Dally are at the movies when Dally behaves coarsely to a Soc girl, Cherry.  Despite this conflict,...

The main conflict is between the greasers and the Socs.

The main conflict is between the two rival gangs.  This conflict results in them constantly fighting each other.  It is a self-perpetuating thing.  The gangs fight because they come from different socioeconomic backgrounds, but they also fight to defend their members or to avenge grievances. 

Pony, Johnny, and Dally are at the movies when Dally behaves coarsely to a Soc girl, Cherry.  Despite this conflict, which of course is partly just Dally’s personality and partly due to the conflict between the greasers and Socs, Cherry comes to like Pony and Johnny.  She shows them that she is not against greasers, she just doesn’t like Dally because he is rude.

Pony also has trouble with his older brother Darry. There seems to be a perpetual conflict between the two of them.  Darry is the only father figure Pony has, because both of his parents died in a car crash.  This means Darry worries a lot, and Pony resents him.

It was my house as much as Darry's, and if he wanted to pretend I wasn't alive, that was just fine with me. He couldn't stop me from living in my own house. (Ch. 3)

Darry hits Pony because he does not know where he has been.  He obviously was worried.  However, the incident upsets Pony.  Pony and Darry are constantly fighting, and Pony feels like Darry does not understand him at all.

Things come to a boil when Johnny and Pony are attacked in the park.  A group of Socs finds them there and Johnny accidentally kills one of them in the fight.  Johnny and Pony have to go on the run then, and end up hiding out in an abandoned church.