Why does Eddie run from Angel? Does he need to run?

Eddie runs away from Angel for two very good reasons. For one, he simply doesn't trust him. Ever since they were kids together Angel has proven to be a bully and a thief. He even stole the crucifix which hangs around his neck. His name is meant to be ironic. Eddie also suspects that Angel was involved in the theft of Mr. Stiles's truck. Secondly, Angel wants Eddie to help him kill the guy who...

Eddie runs away from Angel for two very good reasons. For one, he simply doesn't trust him. Ever since they were kids together Angel has proven to be a bully and a thief. He even stole the crucifix which hangs around his neck. His name is meant to be ironic. Eddie also suspects that Angel was involved in the theft of Mr. Stiles's truck. Secondly, Angel wants Eddie to help him kill the guy who stabbed and killed Jesús, Eddie's cousin and Angel's blood brother. Angel has a gun he received from Eddie's aunt, who also wants revenge. When Eddie refuses to help, Angel calls him a "sissy."

Later Eddie learns from Norma that it was actually Angel who killed Jesús over a bad deal involving a stolen car. From then on Eddie attempts to avoid Angel. When he sees Belinda in the street one day he imagines she is trying to set him up for Angel to kill. He runs away, hopping fences, avoiding both Angel and another young "cholo", Samuel, who Eddie believes is in league with Angel. Much of the evidence against Angel, however, is suspect. Most of it is just "chisme" or gossip. Nevertheless, Eddie's fears are very real and eventually he takes the fight to Angel, jumping him on the porch of Angel's house. They fight twice without a true victor, symbolic of the idea that no one ever really wins in the streets of the Mexican-American neighborhood of southeast Fresno.

I am having difficulty understanding the theory of social facilitation, specifically, how can it be called a theory of psychology if there seems to...

Social facilitation refers to phenomenon by which people's performance improves when they are watched by others. Experiments in this field measure the extent to which people's performance improves when they are acting alongside others (co-action effects) or by having others present (audience effects).

Research in this area goes back to studies by Triplett (1898), who found that cyclists' speeds increased when they were racing against other cyclists. He replicated these effects in laboratory studies using children with fishing reels, and he found that the children worked faster to wind the reels when they were with other children. These studies were related to the co-action effect--that is, people work faster when alongside other people doing the same task. 

Studies have also found that the audience effect--just having others present--can improve people's performance of tasks. For example, Travis (1925) studied subjects who performed psychomotor tasks better in front of an audience. However, Pessin (1933) found that subjects were better at learning nonsense words when they were not in front of an audience than when they were. Cottrell (1968) hypothesized that people's anxiety about being evaluated by other people is responsible for social facilitation to occur. 

In 2002, Rafaeli conducted a meta-analysis of social facilitation and found that the presence of others only affects the physiological arousal of the performer if it's a complex task. This study found that others' presence affects the performance of simple tasks but not complex tasks. In other words, this study suggested that the nature of the task affects whether social facilitation occurs or not.

Sources:

Cottrell, N. B., Wack, D. L., Sekerak, G. J., & Rittle, R. H. (1968). Social facilitation of dominant responses by the presence of an audience and the mere presence of others. Journal of personality and social psychology, 9(3), 245.

Pessin, J. (1933). The comparative effects of social and mechanical stimulation on memorizing. The American Journal of Psychology, 45(2), 263-270.

Rafaeli, S.; Noy, A.; Correspondence (September 2002). European Journal of Information Systems, Volume 11, Number 3: 196-207.

Why is there so much corruption in politics? What is the primary reason people break the law?

To ask, “Why there is so much corruption in politics now?” implies there is more corruption today than in the past. First, definitions must be agreed upon before the discussion can be properly engaged. For example, what is political corruption? Some folks would argue that simply being a member of a rival political party makes one corrupt. For the purposes of this discussion, let us assume corruption equates with the compromising of one’s ethics and...

To ask, “Why there is so much corruption in politics now?” implies there is more corruption today than in the past. First, definitions must be agreed upon before the discussion can be properly engaged. For example, what is political corruption? Some folks would argue that simply being a member of a rival political party makes one corrupt. For the purposes of this discussion, let us assume corruption equates with the compromising of one’s ethics and using one’s positions for personal gain.

Once this definition is agreed upon, one has to determine if there is more political corruption now than in the past. Some politicians have been guilty of corruption ever since this classification of people came into existence. If there is an increase, it is likely one of perception and population increase. Unlike in the past, with twenty-four-hour news cycles one hears about issues such as political corruption the instant they come to light. In the past such information came in a trickle; today one is deluged with information about corrupt politicians daily. Furthermore, there are simply more people in the country than in the past. So, while the percentages of corrupt politicians may remain consistent, the actual number of corrupt politicians and acts will have grown with population increases.  

As for the main reason people break laws, it is to circumvent civil society’s legal conventions to gain a perceived benefit. People commit crimes, big and small, to obtain an advantage. At the lower end, if a driver runs a stop sign, the benefit is to arrive at one’s destination sooner or to proceed ahead of another driver. In more serious cases, people steal and commit fraud for monetary gain. Rapists commit their crimes to satiate a perverse desire for pleasure and dominance. Murderers commit their crimes out of a desire to quench the need for vengeance, to gain financially, or to eliminate a rival. In virtually all cases, criminals commit crimes mainly to gain something they desire.

What are some examples of how Stockton uses euphemisms to tell readers that the king is semi-barbaric in "The Lady or the Tiger?"

The word "semi-barbaric" means uncivilized; therefore, the king in "The Lady or the Tiger?" is prone to resort to uncivilized methods of justice. One description of the king is as follows:

". . . for nothing pleased him so much as to make the crooked straight, and crush down uneven places."

Since a euphemism is a nice, mild, or polite word or phrase substituted for a more common, blunt, or offensive one, the above passage...

The word "semi-barbaric" means uncivilized; therefore, the king in "The Lady or the Tiger?" is prone to resort to uncivilized methods of justice. One description of the king is as follows:

". . . for nothing pleased him so much as to make the crooked straight, and crush down uneven places."

Since a euphemism is a nice, mild, or polite word or phrase substituted for a more common, blunt, or offensive one, the above passage is politely saying that the king is a control-freak who wants everything to go his way.

Another turn of phrase that makes the king seem nicer than reality is the following:

"The king allowed no such subordinate arrangements to interfere with his great scheme of retribution and reward."

This means that no other negotiations could take place for the "criminal" who must face the arena; and, the punishment is never equal to the crime, but either life or death. The king is swift to send someone to the arena and satisfied for the person to be pitted against chance in order to pay for his crime.

Finally, one last example of euphemism is the description of the king when he discovers that his daughter has been dating a man of low class:

"He did not hesitate nor waver in regard to his duty in the premises. The youth was immediately cast into prison, and a day was appointed for his trial in the king's arena."

The king is not a patient man. He doesn't negotiate, as mentioned above, but he also does not listen to those beneath him. Without patience, a person would react in a barbaric way. It's the use of reason, communication, and mercy that sets rational humans apart from the barbaric ones.

Back into the cave! Characterize and explain Montag’s reaction to the televisions shows that Mildred and her friends are watching in the...

Montag is disgusted by the violent shows that Mildred and her friends are watching. He describes what the women are watching on TV:

"Three White Cartoons chopped off each other's limbs to the accompaniment of immense incoming laughter. Two minutes more and the room whipped out of town to the jet cars wildly circling an arena, bashing and backing up and bashing each other again. Montag saw a number of bodies fly in the air" (page 94 in the Del Ray edition, 1991).

Montag feels disgusted by the women's hysterical reactions to the shows and their delight in the constant displays of violence. The women react loudly and without thought. Earlier in the chapter, Montag describes them as "a monstrous crystal chandelier tinkling in a thousand chimes" (page 93). This description implies that the women are as hard as crystals and make noise without meaning.

Montag has already started to read books at this point in the book, and he feels increasingly distanced from his wife and her friends, who spend their days watching TV and delighting in wanton violence. Later in this chapter, he "stood looking at the women's faces as he had once looked at the faces of saints in a strange church he had entered when he was a child" (page 95). In other words, the women are as strange and foreign to him as religion, as he has never practiced religion. His distance from his wife and most of society will only continue to grow as the novel goes on.

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." How accurate is this statement?

The phrase “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” has been attributed to Martin Luther King's famous civil rights document “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” King was writing to a group of Birmingham clergymen who had published a letter in a newspaper criticizing his decision to defy the law and hold a civil rights demonstration in Birmingham.

King's intent was to draw attention to the fact that if the government is permitted to discriminate,...

The phrase “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” has been attributed to Martin Luther King's famous civil rights document “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” King was writing to a group of Birmingham clergymen who had published a letter in a newspaper criticizing his decision to defy the law and hold a civil rights demonstration in Birmingham.

King's intent was to draw attention to the fact that if the government is permitted to discriminate, particularly through segregation, in one place, they are likely to be permitted to do it in others. If African-Americans were to simply accept segregation as it was forced upon them, no change for the better would be possible. Therefore, nonviolent protest, even in defiance of established law, was necessary to fight injustice.

In this sense, the phrase is correct. Allowing segregation, or any other injustice, to stand in one place establishes a precedent that can be repeated anywhere else. Precedent, aside from existing as a legal justification, is also frequently used to justify acts by other governmental entities (cities, counties, states) and even private parties (such as business owners).

By protesting segregation in Birmingham, King and his demonstrators helped set a new precedent that fought injustice. This precedent was part of chain of events that helped change American ideas about race-related values. As we have seen from recent events, this process is still not perfect.  

How did Hop Frog come to be in the court in the first place?

According to the narrator, Hop-Frog was kidnapped and brought to the king's court. He came "from some barbarous region," and  he and another girl named Trippetta, described as "dwarvish," were:

forcibly carried off from their respective homes in adjoining provinces, and sent as presents to the king, by one of his ever-victorious generals.

Of course, they were intended to amuse the king, which they did. But they live what must be described as a miserable...

According to the narrator, Hop-Frog was kidnapped and brought to the king's court. He came "from some barbarous region," and  he and another girl named Trippetta, described as "dwarvish," were:

forcibly carried off from their respective homes in adjoining provinces, and sent as presents to the king, by one of his ever-victorious generals.

Of course, they were intended to amuse the king, which they did. But they live what must be described as a miserable existence, having no other purpose than to amuse the king, who laughs at their infirmities. When the King insults Trippetta by pushing her and throwing a goblet of wine in her face, Hop-Frog determines to get revenge, which he achieves by persuading the King and his courtiers to dress up as "ourang-outans", chained like beasts, before setting them on fire. Hop-Frog, kidnapped from his family and subjected to constant indignity and ridicule to amuse the king, gains his revenge in the end. 

Does this story contain elements that you associate with Gothic traditions in horror or mystery stories? What makes "A Rose for Emily" an example...

"A Rose for Emily" is an example of Southern Gothic literature. Here are some of the characteristics of Southern Gothic that this story contains:

• An exploration of the behavior and social order of the South

In the exposition of the narrative, Emily is described as a "tradition" and "a duty" and a "sort of hereditary obligation upon the town." She grows up in the Old South, a patriarchal society in which her father has paid no taxes because Colonel Sartoris had invented a tale in which Mr. Grierson had donated money to the town years before. Emily believes this tale and after her father dies, she insists that she owes no taxes when the aldermen pay her a visit.

• Damaged and delusional characters who try to make sense of the world around them

Later, Miss Emily makes an exhibition of herself when she rides around the town with Homer Barron, a common laboring man from the North. Many of the townspeople are concerned about Miss Emily as she has lost "noblesse oblige." Her relatives from Alabama are called upon to visit Miss Emily in order to discuss her behavior, and to urge her to act more appropriately. Instead, she purchases arsenic, and she stops going out, leading the townspeople to think Emily will commit suicide. But Emily acts even more strangely.

• Death and madness/Grotesque themes

Emily insists that her father is not dead when he has been dead for three days. Then, when the ladies of town pay her a visit, Miss Emily greets them as follows.

. . . She met them at the door, dressed as usual and with no trace of grief on her face. She told them that her father was not dead. She did that for three days, with the ministers calling on her...trying to persuade her to let them dispose of the body. Just as they were about to resort to law and force, she broke down, and they buried her father quickly.

At the end of the narrative, after Miss Emily's funeral, it is discovered that she has slept with a cadaver for years. For, when Homer attempted to leave her, Emily poisoned him and kept him in a bedroom.

The townspeople know that "with nothing left, she would have to cling to that which had robbed her, as people will." (Her father ran off beaus when Emily was a young woman.) 

When Homer Barron supposedly leaves town, it is Miss Emily who is shamed by his departure. She decides to keep him and purchases arsenic. So, it is not in marriage, but in death that she holds the Yankee in her home. In the most bizarre turn of the story, after Emily's death, Homer's skeleton is discovered on a bed where the other pillow has an indentation with one long strand of iron-grey hair.

What are some 5 topics for speaking in public for 5 minutes?

I don't know what kind of a speech you have to make, but here are some ideas. 

1. Pros and cons of graduation speeches.  If you reference Mark Twain's "Advice to Youth" you will get some great ideas and you will be able to make your speech funny. See the reference below. 

2. Whether it is better to go to the Superbowl and sit in the nosebleed section or watch the game on TV. 

3....

I don't know what kind of a speech you have to make, but here are some ideas. 

1. Pros and cons of graduation speeches.  If you reference Mark Twain's "Advice to Youth" you will get some great ideas and you will be able to make your speech funny. See the reference below. 

2. Whether it is better to go to the Superbowl and sit in the nosebleed section or watch the game on TV. 

3. Would you travel into outer space in a vehicle that has been built by a private company? 

4. Should the death penalty be abolished? 

5. Is the fast-food industry responsible for childhood obesity? 

6. Is texting affecting the social and writing skills of young people today? 

7. Are there any places where phones should be banned? 

8. The importance of organ donation or maybe blood donation. 

9. Choose a word of wisdom from the "brainyquote" site below and state why you believe it is true or false. 

10. Should we keep the death penalty? 

I have given you more than the five you needed. Hope this helps you zero in on your topic.  

1. What is market efficiency? 2. Identify and distinguish between the different types of market structures; compare and contrast the similarities...

There are a few different standards that can be used to define efficiency in an economic sense, but the most commonly used is what we call Pareto efficiency.

If a market is Pareto-efficient, it is impossible to redistribute goods in such a way that we could make one person better off without making anyone worse off.

I think this is worth explaining a bit further; at first glance, many people often infer that Pareto efficiency is very easy to obtain. "Obviously, if I take something from you and give it to someone else, you are worse off. Therefore it is Pareto-efficient." This is incorrect. A market is only Pareto-efficient if every good is being used by the person who values it most.

An example might help: Suppose you have 400 bushels of corn, and I have 300 bushels of wheat. Suppose, furthermore, that you like wheat better than corn and I like corn better than wheat. This setup is not Pareto-efficient, because if I give you all my wheat in exchange for a bunch of your corn, we are both better off, because you like wheat better and I like corn better.

In practical terms, we generally infer that a market is Pareto-efficient if total surplus is maximized; this is composed of two components: consumer surplus, which is the difference between how much consumers value the goods they have and how much they had to pay for them, and producer surplus, which is the difference between how much was paid for goods and how much it cost to produce them. Adding these up, the price paid for the goods becomes basically irrelevant; all that changing the price does is redistribute surplus from consumers to producers or vice-versa.

Where prices do matter is by influencing the actual number of goods produced and sold. If the price is either too high or too low, markets will not clear; either supply will exceed demand, or demand will exceed supply.

The basic market structures to be concerned about are perfect competition, monopoly, monopsony, oligopoly, and monopolistic competition. Oligopoly and monopolistic competition are the most common systems in the real world, but they are basically complex hybrids of the other three basic types.

Under perfect competition, there are many buyers and many sellers, and no one person has the power to significantly influence the price. In perfect competition, the price will naturally seek its market-clearing level, and total surplus will be maximized. Thus, perfect competition is efficient. The market for wheat is close to perfect competition.

Under monopoly, there are many buyers, but only one seller. That seller has the power to set the price they want. If they can set different prices for different people, they can use price discrimination, which allows them to produce goods for everyone who wants them (more strictly, everyone who wants them enough to pay more than the marginal cost of making them); this maximizes total surplus and is therefore efficient; however, the monopoly seller gets all the surplus. If they must set the same price for everyone, they instead produce less than they could, in order to charge a higher price. This is not efficient, because the resulting total surplus is less than it would be under perfect competition. The market for any new drug, still under patent, is effectively a monopoly.

A monopsony is the inverse of a monopoly; there are many sellers, but only one buyer. Again, if the monopsony buyer can use price discrimination, the market will be efficient but the monopsony will capture all the surplus. If not, the monopsony will purchase less than they could, in order to buy at a lower price. This is not efficient, as it results in less total surplus than perfect competition. The market for military contracts from the government is a monopsony.

An oligopoly has a small number of sellers, but more than one; it can behave like a monopoly, or like perfect competition, or somewhere in between, depending on the complex interactions between different companies. To really understand oligopoly you need game theory. Many real-world markets are oligopolies, such as soft drinks (Coke and Pepsi), computer operating systems (Apple and Microsoft) and commercial airliners (Boeing and Airbus).

Monopolistic competition is a system in which there are many sellers, but they are each different from each other, so that in a sense, there is really only one seller of each precise type of good. Thus, they can act somewhat like a monopoly on that good--but not too much like a monopoly, because if they set their price too high then people will start buying different goods instead. Monopolistic competition is usually not efficient, but it typically becomes more efficient over time as more companies enter the market and it thereby gets closer to perfect competition. Most real-world markets are under monopolistic competition, from t-shirts to cheesecakes and pencils to sunglasses.

What was the importance of the battle of Britain?

The importance of the Battle of Britain was that Great Britain was able to hold out against a relentless aerial bombardment and inflict heavy losses on the German air force, thus denying Germany an opportunity to launch an invasion that probably would have knocked the British out of the war before the United States entered. Had this occurred, the war could have developed far differently, and the Germans would have been very difficult to dislodge...

The importance of the Battle of Britain was that Great Britain was able to hold out against a relentless aerial bombardment and inflict heavy losses on the German air force, thus denying Germany an opportunity to launch an invasion that probably would have knocked the British out of the war before the United States entered. Had this occurred, the war could have developed far differently, and the Germans would have been very difficult to dislodge from Western Europe, if indeed the United States and Germany went to war at all. The battle also pointed to the direction that World War II would take. Unlike World War I, strategic air strength would be the most important aspect of the war, and the side that could gain air superiority would have a huge advantage. Massive bombing campaigns against urban areas like the London Blitz of September would become a feature of the wars in Europe and Japan. The Battle of Britain also drew the United States closer to the war by forcing its hand, as it were. Fears that Great Britain would be unable to hold out against the Nazi war machine contributed to the passage of the Lend-Lease Act, which provided loans, military equipment, and other necessities to the British after it was approved in 1941. So the Battle of Britain was, along with Stalingrad, D-Day, and the Battle of the Bulge, one of the most significant turning points in the European theater of war. 

In The Swiss Family Robinson, name three examples of advice that the father gives to his boys.

It is not hard to find instances of the father in The Swiss Family Robinson giving advice to his children.  He does so in almost every chapter.  Usually these bits of advice are short and are offered in response to some crisis or decision that the family faces, or to some misbehavior on the part of his boys.  But in chapter 16, "The First Sunday," the advice is much longer.  For his Sunday "sermon," the father creates a long cautionary parable and then applies it directly to each of his sons.

Here are some examples of bits of brief advice given in the moment.  

In Chapter 1, "Storm at Sea," when the family think they are facing death, the father encourages his boys, "God can save us if he will.  To him nothing is impossible; but if he thinks it good to call us to him [i.e. that we die], let us not murmur [complain]: we shall not be separated [but shall be together in Heaven]."

In Chapter 2, "Marooned," the family has survived the first night on the ship but now face the daunting question of how they can save themselves.  The father reminds them that God "has protected us till now, and will now extend a saving arm to us, if we do not give way to complaint and despair.  Let all hands set to work.  Remember that excellent maxim, 'God helps those who helps themselves.'" 

In Chapter 4, "Safe and Sound," the oldest son, Fritz, becomes very angry with the family's dogs when they eat a wild pig that he has hunted.  He beats them severely with his gun until the family can get him calmed down.  Once his fit of rage has passed, the father "reproach[es] him seriously for his violence.

'Uncontrolled anger,' I said, 'leads to every crime. Remember Cain, who killed his brother in a fit of passion.' 

'Oh, father!' said he, in a voice of terror."

These are just a few of many examples of advice the father gives whenever the occasion arises.  As we can see from the third example, his advice is not an idle hobby but could be a matter of life and death for the family.

Now to the father's sermon in Chapter 16.  The father tells an adventure story, sure to appeal to boys, of a king (who, in context, is obviously God) who sends some colonists to a deserted island equipped with seeds and a command to cultivate the island until he sends for them.  The island is called Earthly Abode.  Colonists are fetched from it by a ship called The Grave, and are brought back either to the Heavenly City or to the salt mines, according to how well they follow the king's instructions while on the island.

This is really brilliant.  A tale of colonists on a deserted island is not only hugely relevant to the family's situation, but it brings out how their situation is like a microcosm of all of life on Earth, according to the father's Christian worldview.  It also helps them re-frame their being marooned on an island as not just an unfortunate struggle for survival, but a sacred task that has been given to them.

But the father is not finished. After telling about the various ways in which the colonists in his parable neglected their duties, he goes on to apply these pointedly to his sons:

'You, Fritz, should take warning from the people who planted wild fruit and wished to make them pass for good fruit.  Such are those who are proud of natural virtues ... such as bodily strength or physical courage, and place these above the qualities which are only attained by labor and patience.

'You Ernest, must remember the subjects who laid out their lands in flowery gardens, like those who seek the pleasures of life, rather than the duties.  And you, my thoughtless Jack, and little Francis, think of the fate of those who left their land untilled, or heedlessly sowed tares for wheat.  These are God's people who neither study nor reflect; who cast to the winds all instruction, and leave room in their minds for evil.'

He then wraps up with a final exhortation, which could serve as his motto in the book:

'Then let us all be, like the good laborers of the parable, constantly cultivating our ground, that when Death comes for us, we may willingly follow him to the feet of the Great King, to hear these blessed words: "Good and faithful servants! enter into the joy of your Lord!"'

How is a short story, such as "Thank You, M'am," different from an informational passage?

If I asked you why Langston Hughes wrote the short story "Thank you M'am," what would you guess? Your question deals with the purpose of texts and the reasons that writers create those texts. When you read the short story, did you pick up a lot of facts, statistics, or other information? Do you think that was Hughes's goal was to provide readers with information?

While it is true that readers can pick up information (like a moral...

If I asked you why Langston Hughes wrote the short story "Thank you M'am," what would you guess? Your question deals with the purpose of texts and the reasons that writers create those texts. When you read the short story, did you pick up a lot of facts, statistics, or other information? Do you think that was Hughes's goal was to provide readers with information?

While it is true that readers can pick up information (like a moral lesson in the case of "Thank You, M'am"), the primary purpose of stories is to entertain readers with a plot. We follow along with a sequence of events in order to find out what happens, and then we think about the significance of those events. So, we can definitely learn a lot from a short story (from thinking about them and discussing them and how they related to our lives and the world), but we don't usually read them to pick out specific facts and information.

By contrast, the purpose of an informational text is to provide specific information. A news article, for example, answers the journalistic questions of Who, What, Why, Where, and When (and sometimes How), so there might be the elements of a story, but the article is not primarily meant to entertain us (like a short story), but instead to give us "just the facts" (as a TV detective used to say).

So, there are two clear and simple differences between "Thank You M'am" and an informational piece. The first is purpose: "Thank You M'am" is written to entertain and provide a lesson through plot while the informational piece is written to provide specific information to readers. The second difference is in organization: the short story is arranged as a narrative plot (a sequence of events), and the informational piece is organized by what the reader needs to know first, second, third, etc. in order to understand the information. Examples of informational passages include news articles, encyclopedia entries, and informational websites.

­How does Shylock face grave injustice at the hands of Antonio and his friends in The Merchant of Venice?

Shylock is a character within Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice, and is one of the most famous characters in all of Shakespeare's canon. Shylock is a Jewish moneylender in Venice and provides unique insight into how Jews were treated in Elizabethan England. Originally, Shylock was created as a villain, but he is now seen as a sympathetic character.

At the end of The Merchant of Venice, Shylock is ordered to surrender half of his wealth...

Shylock is a character within Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice, and is one of the most famous characters in all of Shakespeare's canon. Shylock is a Jewish moneylender in Venice and provides unique insight into how Jews were treated in Elizabethan England. Originally, Shylock was created as a villain, but he is now seen as a sympathetic character.

At the end of The Merchant of Venice, Shylock is ordered to surrender half of his wealth to the state and half of his wealth to Antonio. However, Antonio decides to show Shylock mercy and changes the verdict. By Antonio, Shylock is required to bequeath all his property and immediately convert to Christianity. This latter portion is the grave injustice Shylock suffers, as he is required to give up his faith and commit to the dominant religion. During the period the play was produced, these requirements were seen as comedic, but it is difficult to interpret these terms as anything but tragic when the play is produced in contemporary times. 

Historically, Jewish people were not allowed to legally be a part of society in England. Consequently, many of the representations of Jewish people were derived from stereotypes. The stereotypical representation of a Jew was that he was a moneylender, and Jews were typically represented as miserly.  

Describe glucose and where it is produced.

Glucose is a source of food energy used by most living plants and animals on the planet.  Chemically it is a member of the sugar family with a chemical formula of C6H12O6.  A sugar is defined as a chemical composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, generally in the ratios of 1:2:1 of C:H:O, so glucose is a six carbon member of the sugar family.

In terms of where it originates, green plants produce their own...

Glucose is a source of food energy used by most living plants and animals on the planet.  Chemically it is a member of the sugar family with a chemical formula of C6H12O6.  A sugar is defined as a chemical composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, generally in the ratios of 1:2:1 of C:H:O, so glucose is a six carbon member of the sugar family.

In terms of where it originates, green plants produce their own glucose through a process known as photosynthesis.  With this process, plants can take the carbon from carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen from water (H2O), and oxygen from both to produce glucose and molecular oxygen (O2).  They use energy from sunlight to accomplish this.  Animals cannot produce glucose in this way so they must obtain it by eating plants.  Glucose is a chemical that biological systems can easily use to synthesize ATP, which is used to store chemical energy until needed for later.

In the book, The Bronze Bow, why did Daniel leave his village?

Daniel, the protagonist of The Bronze Bow, is living on a mountain in a camp with some bandits as the book opens. We know he hates the Romans and believes that Rosh, the head of the bandits, is the savior who will deliver the Jews from Roman rule. Later, in a flashback, we find out how Daniel came to live on the mountain and why he hates the Romans; both stem from the same...

Daniel, the protagonist of The Bronze Bow, is living on a mountain in a camp with some bandits as the book opens. We know he hates the Romans and believes that Rosh, the head of the bandits, is the savior who will deliver the Jews from Roman rule. Later, in a flashback, we find out how Daniel came to live on the mountain and why he hates the Romans; both stem from the same events. Five years previous to the action of the book, Daniel's father was crucified by the Romans. Daniel's father was trying to rescue Daniel's uncle, who had been arrested by Romans for not paying taxes. As the uncle is being taken to the quarries by Roman troops, Daniel's father and some friends attempt a rescue, but it fails, and all those involved in the rebellion are crucified. Daniel's mother becomes ill from grief and dies shortly after. Now an orphan, Daniel is cared for only by his grandmother, who, for financial reasons, sells him as a slave for ten years to the village blacksmith. After serving only three years of his term, Daniel cannot stand it any longer--his owner is unkind and Daniel's hatred for Romans for destroying his family is consuming him. He runs away from his master and joins Rosh's band on the mountain, hoping to be part of a movement that will ultimately overcome the Romans so the Jews can at last be free.

Solve this logic number sequence puzzle by the correct digit 8080 = 6 1357 = 0 2022 = 1 1999 = 3 6666 = ?

This logic is about finding the number of loops or holes (or let's say circles in general) in the given values. Our guide now will be:

1 = no holes; hence 0. Same goes with 2,3,5,7

6 = 1 hole; hence 1. Same goes with 0,9

8 = 2 holes, hence 2.

I'm not sure though if the trick counts 4 as part of the "holed" group. 

Finally

8080 = 6 

1357 =...

This logic is about finding the number of loops or holes (or let's say circles in general) in the given values. Our guide now will be:

1 = no holes; hence 0. Same goes with 2,3,5,7

6 = 1 hole; hence 1. Same goes with 0,9

8 = 2 holes, hence 2.

I'm not sure though if the trick counts 4 as part of the "holed" group. 

Finally

8080 = 6 

1357 = 0

2022 = 1

1999 = 3 

6666 = 4 -> answer 

Who were the real winners of the Glorious Revolution?

The most obvious winners of the Glorious Revolution would be William of Orange and his wife Mary, who came to England to take the throne vacated by James II amid the revolution. The real winners, however, were the men who controlled Parliament--mostly landed gentry, wealthy merchants, and aristocrats. These men imposed serious limitations on the powers of the King in the form of a Bill of Rights that William had to sign as a condition...

The most obvious winners of the Glorious Revolution would be William of Orange and his wife Mary, who came to England to take the throne vacated by James II amid the revolution. The real winners, however, were the men who controlled Parliament--mostly landed gentry, wealthy merchants, and aristocrats. These men imposed serious limitations on the powers of the King in the form of a Bill of Rights that William had to sign as a condition of assuming power. The King was forced to regularly convene Parliament, to pass no taxes without its consent, and to respect other fundamental civil liberties. Parliament duly placed England on a path toward developing a modern commercial economy that benefited many of the promoters of the Revolution. Historian Steve Pincus writes in his book 1688 that the Glorious Revolution "created a new kind of modern state," one which, unlike the French-style kingdom envisioned by James II, "encouraged political participation rather than absolutism", featured "religious tolerance rather than Catholicizing," and "was devoted to promoting English manufactures rather than landed empires" (7). At least this was what the revolutionaries envisioned.

If the people who promoted these things were the "winners," the "losers," along with James II and his followers, were most emphatically British Catholics, who suffered a great deal of discrimination in the aftermath of the Revolution. But most modern historians would argue that the leaders of Parliament were the winners of the Glorious Revolution. 

Explain the conflict man vs. nature in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

While the main conflicts in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet involve man vs. man, man vs. society and man vs. fate, there are two instances of man vs. nature. A conflict involving man vs. nature occurs when the characters battle against something in nature that is not caused by human beings.

In Act III, Scene 5, Juliet struggles against nature when she thinks she hears the nightingale, a symbol for the night, singing outside her window....

While the main conflicts in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet involve man vs. man, man vs. society and man vs. fate, there are two instances of man vs. nature. A conflict involving man vs. nature occurs when the characters battle against something in nature that is not caused by human beings.

In Act III, Scene 5, Juliet struggles against nature when she thinks she hears the nightingale, a symbol for the night, singing outside her window. She very much wants the night to last because she is with Romeo on the eve of his banishment from Verona. After killing Tybalt, Romeo must leave or risk apprehension by the Prince and possible death. When Romeo gets up to leave, Juliet implores him to stay:

Wilt thou be gone? It is not yet near day.
It was the nightingale, and not the lark,
That pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear.
Nightly she sings on yond pomegranate tree.
Believe me, love, it was the nightingale.

Fate has conspired against Romeo and Juliet and now nature hinders the couple from being together. Finally realizing it is actually a lark, "the herald of the morn," Juliet urges Romeo to leave.

The second example of man vs. nature is in Act V, Scene 2 when Friar John, who is carrying Friar Lawrence's message to Romeo, is detained by a plague threat. Friar John never delivers the all important note which explains the Friar's plan for Juliet to fake her death. The plague ravaged Europe for many years and was a problem in Renaissance Italy. John explains the situation to Lawrence:

Going to find a barefoot brother out,
One of our order, to associate me,
Here in this city visiting the sick,
And finding him, the searchers of the town,
Suspecting that we both were in a house
Where the infectious pestilence did reign,
Sealed up the doors and would not let us forth,
So that my speed to Mantua there was stayed.

The letter would have explained to Romeo that Juliet was still alive and he should arrive at Capulet's tomb at the time of her awakening to take the girl away, presumably to live happily ever after. But, as with the deadly feud between the two families, and a malevolent fate, nature goes against the two young lovers.  

What evidence in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird could be used in an essay on the following topic: Does it make sense for Atticus to defend...

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, there are several places in which Atticus points out the logic and moral necessity to defend Tom Robinson.  Early on in the novel, Atticus explains to his brother Jack one of the most substantial reasons for the logic and morality of defending Robinson. In Chapter 9, Jack and Atticus begin discussing the case. Jack asks "how bad" the case will be, and Atticus replies, "It...

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, there are several places in which Atticus points out the logic and moral necessity to defend Tom Robinson.  

Early on in the novel, Atticus explains to his brother Jack one of the most substantial reasons for the logic and morality of defending Robinson. In Chapter 9, Jack and Atticus begin discussing the case. Jack asks "how bad" the case will be, and Atticus replies, "It couldn't be worse" and continues to explain what evidence is being used in the case:

The only thing we've got is a black man's word against the Ewells'. The evidence boils down to you-did--I-didn't. (Ch. 9)

On the one hand, as Atticus further explains, the jury will be very unlikely to acquit Robinson based on that sort of testimonial evidence since it requires the jury to "take Tom Robinson's word against the Ewells'." On the other hand, the usage of only testimonial evidence helps show just how extremely unjust the trial is. A crime cannot be tried simply based on what one person says over another person. There must be concrete evidence proving that a crime was even committed before a crime can legally be tried. As Atticus further points out through his cross-examination of Sheriff Heck Tate during the trial, the court does not even have a doctor's evidence proving that Mayella was taken advantage of that night because a doctor was never called. All of this shows us that Atticus is fully aware that there is not enough evidence in the case to legitimately convict Robinson, yet Atticus also knows Robinson will be convicted regardless, simply due to racial prejudices. Therefore, Atticus knows it is logical and morally correct for him to put his all into defending Robinson.

Another reason why it would make sense for Atticus to defend Robinson is because he knows what Robinson's character is like through things Calpurnia has said about him. As Atticus explains to Scout towards the beginning of Chapter 9, Calpurnia is well-acquainted with the Robinson family since the family is active in Calpurnia's church. According to Atticus, Calpurnia says the Robinsons are "clean-living folks," which is enough for Atticus to be convinced that Robinson is a decent, God-worshiping man who is worthy of being defended.

What is one major misunderstanding that leads to conflict in Things Fall Apart?

One of the most striking misunderstandings that lead to conflict and strife in Chinua Achebe's seminal novel Things Fall Apart is when an indigenous man converts to Christianity and then precedes to kill a snake, which is a serious taboo within the traditional Igbo culture. Snakes are sacred creatures to the Igbo; indeed, they are revered by the Igbo in Things Fall Apart. Therefore, the intentional harm of a snake is deeply disrespectful to...

One of the most striking misunderstandings that lead to conflict and strife in Chinua Achebe's seminal novel Things Fall Apart is when an indigenous man converts to Christianity and then precedes to kill a snake, which is a serious taboo within the traditional Igbo culture. Snakes are sacred creatures to the Igbo; indeed, they are revered by the Igbo in Things Fall Apart. Therefore, the intentional harm of a snake is deeply disrespectful to their culture. The man kills a snake in order to demonstrate his devotion to the Christian God, and this misguided show of religious zealousness creates a scandal in the surrounding community. Interestingly, Achebe consciously presents the Igbo tradition as powerful, because the man who kills the snake dies suddenly later on in the novel.

How is the old woman facing difficulties in life?

Phoenix Jackson is very old and poor. The cane she uses to walk is made from an umbrella. The "worn path" represents the actual path she must take each time she goes into town to get medicine for her grandson. Phoenix is nearly blind and she uses the cane to help her find her way. Given her age and physical limitations, the journey is difficult in and of itself. Phoenix is so old that she...

Phoenix Jackson is very old and poor. The cane she uses to walk is made from an umbrella. The "worn path" represents the actual path she must take each time she goes into town to get medicine for her grandson. Phoenix is nearly blind and she uses the cane to help her find her way. Given her age and physical limitations, the journey is difficult in and of itself. Phoenix is so old that she was too old to attend school at the end of the Civil War. When she confronts the hunter, he says "you must be a hundred years old, and scared of nothing."

Phoenix is poor but resourceful. She manages to steal a fallen nickel from the hunter and solicits another nickel from the nurse. She has no education and therefore she has limited ways of getting money. It must also be noted that Phoenix has to deal with racism in her life. This is not overt in the story but the way the hunter treats her suggests racist motivations. Both he and the nurse call her "Granny" and "Grandma" which are subtle indications of condescension. So, she is an old, poor, black woman living in the South. Despite her limitations, she survives. Welty gives her the name "Phoenix" because she seems to rise again and again in spite of her difficulties.

In "The Cold Equations" by Tom Godwin, what might happen to Marilyn?

In Tom Godwin's short story "The Cold Equation," authorities have created the interstellar regulationdeclaring, "Any stowaway discovered in an EDS shall be jettisoned immediately following discovery." This is because the Emergency Dispatch Ships needed to be small and lightweight in design so that they could speedily and effectively reach the distant colonies needing emergency assistance. Due to the necessary small and lightweight design, EDSs can only carry enough fuel needed to reach their destinations....

In Tom Godwin's short story "The Cold Equation," authorities have created the interstellar regulation declaring, "Any stowaway discovered in an EDS shall be jettisoned immediately following discovery." This is because the Emergency Dispatch Ships needed to be small and lightweight in design so that they could speedily and effectively reach the distant colonies needing emergency assistance. Due to the necessary small and lightweight design, EDSs can only carry enough fuel needed to reach their destinations. Extra weight created by stowaways would burn up fuel to fast, ensuring the EDS would crash, costing many lives. Therefore, one stowaway must lose his/her life in order to save the lives of many.

Since that's the case, Marilyn will be jettisoned from Barton's EDS. Upon discovering that she was only a young, naive girl, he tried to negotiate a rescue mission with Commander Delhart, but Commander Delhart gave Barton the reply he was expecting, an emergency stop made by the hyperspace cruiser would cost many lives. However, Barton was able to calculate how much time she could safely stay on-board if he reduced his declaration speed and negotiate with the commander to permit her to stay for that long.

Once jettisoned into outer space, since she will not be wearing a space suit, scientists report that, in the vacuum of outer space, her lungs will expand, causing tissue tearing; she will lose vision as the liquid surrounding her eyes boils off in seconds; she will lose consciousness and blood circulation and die of asphyxiation, meaning suffocation. The whole process would take a matter of two minutes.

If an organism has a diploid , or 2n , number of 16 , how many chromosomes do its sperm cells or eggs cells contain?

A diploid cell contains two sets of chromosomes, one from the father and one from mother. In comparison, haploid cells contain only one set of chromosomes, either from father or mother. Thus, haploid cells contain half as many chromosomes as the diploid cells. In other words, if a diploid contains 2n number of chromosomes, a haploid will contain only n number of chromosomes. The sex cells, also known as gametes (sperm cells and egg cells),...

A diploid cell contains two sets of chromosomes, one from the father and one from mother. In comparison, haploid cells contain only one set of chromosomes, either from father or mother. Thus, haploid cells contain half as many chromosomes as the diploid cells. In other words, if a diploid contains 2n number of chromosomes, a haploid will contain only n number of chromosomes. The sex cells, also known as gametes (sperm cells and egg cells), are haploids cells. Since, the given diploid contains 16 chromosomes, each of the sperm or daughter cells will only contain 8 chromosomes.

The gametes, containing only half the chromosomes (as compared to a diploid), interact with each other (sperm cell with a daughter cell) and thereby obtain the full set of chromosomes.

Hope this helps.  

In The Crucible, what does John Proctor do when his wife Elizabeth is arrested?

John Proctor becomes very angry when Cheever arrives to arrest his wife. They have been visited by the Reverend Hale and by Giles Corey prior to Mr. Cheever's appearance with the arrest warrant, and as the Proctors learn of the events at court that day, they grow increasingly concerned about their own position; Elizabeth tells John she thinks Abigail will accuse her because she wants her dead. Cheever arrives as the conversation has become very...

John Proctor becomes very angry when Cheever arrives to arrest his wife. They have been visited by the Reverend Hale and by Giles Corey prior to Mr. Cheever's appearance with the arrest warrant, and as the Proctors learn of the events at court that day, they grow increasingly concerned about their own position; Elizabeth tells John she thinks Abigail will accuse her because she wants her dead. Cheever arrives as the conversation has become very heated, as Corey reveals the arrest of Rebecca Nurse and other pious members of the community.

When Cheever sees the poppet Mary gave to Elizabeth, he is convinced the arrest warrant is justified, because this seems to be evidence of the accusation made by Abigail at court earlier in the day, when she felt a stabbing pain and a needle was found in her stomach. John tries to get Mary Warren to expose the lie, and when Elizabeth learns the extent of Abigail's vicious plan, she exclaims that she must be "ripped out of the world" and thereby causes Cheever to further suspect her desire to harm Abigail. At this, Proctor becomes angry and rips the warrant out of Cheever's hand, ordering him to leave his home. Hale tries to calm Proctor, saying that if she is innocent the court will spare her. But Proctor sees the hypocrisy afoot and speaks strongly: 

"Why do you never wonder if Parris be innocent, or Abigail? Is the accuser always holy now? Were they born this morning as clean as God‘s fingers? I‘ll tell you what‘s walking Salem—vengeance is walking Salem. We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law! This warrant‘s vengeance; I will not give my wife to vengeance!" 

Elizabeth agrees to go with Cheever, believing her innocence and her husband's determination, as well as his good reputation, will help them avoid conviction. Elizabeth is distraught, not wanting to leave her children, but John takes her hands to comfort her. John vows: "I will fall like an ocean on that court! Fear nothing, Elizabeth."

What quote depicts Atticus standing up for Tom Robinson in the courtroom?

There are numerous quotes throughout the courtroom scenes in Chapters 17 through 20 that depict Atticus standing up for Tom Robinson. One of the most memorable, significant scenes throughout the trial takes place in Chapter 20 when Atticus gives his closing remarks. Atticus begins by stating that this case is as simple as black and white. He mentions that the Ewells' testimonies contradict one another, and elaborates on Mayella's motivation to accuse Tom Robinson of...

There are numerous quotes throughout the courtroom scenes in Chapters 17 through 20 that depict Atticus standing up for Tom Robinson. One of the most memorable, significant scenes throughout the trial takes place in Chapter 20 when Atticus gives his closing remarks. Atticus begins by stating that this case is as simple as black and white. He mentions that the Ewells' testimonies contradict one another, and elaborates on Mayella's motivation to accuse Tom Robinson of raping her. Atticus explains the guilt she felt by breaking the unwritten "code" of society, and suggests that Bob Ewell assaulted his own daughter after witnessing her actions. He continues by discussing the inaccuracy and ignorance associated with the "evil assumption" that all black men are immoral beings. He urges the jury members to look beyond their prejudiced views and judge Tom's case based solely on the evidence provided. Atticus says,

"Gentlemen, a court is no better than each man of you sitting before me on this jury. A court is only as sound as its jury, and a jury is only as sound as the men who make it up. I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family. In the name of God, do your duty." (Lee 275)

Atticus is pleading that the jury put aside their racist ideologies and judge Tom Robinson with equality. Atticus has already defended Tom's character, pointed out the Ewells' lies, and is now calling for justice. Unfortunately, the prejudiced jury members wrongly convict Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson becomes yet another victim of racial injustice in Maycomb, Alabama.

What was William Wordsworth's historical significance?

William Wordsworth changed the course of English poetry and became one of the poets most closely connected with English Romantic movement in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Together with Samuel Coleridge, he published a book of poetry called Lyrical Ballads in 1798. In it, he laid out a new theory of poetics that called for poetry to be written in the "real language of men" and to express "the spontaneous overflow of  powerful...

William Wordsworth changed the course of English poetry and became one of the poets most closely connected with English Romantic movement in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Together with Samuel Coleridge, he published a book of poetry called Lyrical Ballads in 1798. In it, he laid out a new theory of poetics that called for poetry to be written in the "real language of men" and to express "the spontaneous overflow of  powerful feelings... recollected in tranquility." His poetry showed a fascination with the common man, primitivism, and nature, as well as placing great value on intuition and the child. Pushing beyond earlier nature poets, he was interested not simply in describing nature externally but in depicting nature (or landscape) as a reflection of the interior state of an individual's psyche or spirit and in its ability to trigger memory.

Wordsworth had a long career, unlike many of the other Romantic poets who died young, and from 1843 until his death in 1850, he was the poet laureate of England. During the course of his life, he moved from a radical embrace of the principles of equality and fraternity expressed by the French Revolution to a much more conservative political stance. 

What does Steinbeck imply about that society's general perception of women and wives of ranch workers?

Overall, Curley's wife is one of the most unfairly treated characters in 20th Century American literature. Certainly she is the loneliest character on the ranch and, despite her abhorrent threat to have Crooks strung up, her actions throughout the novel depict a lonely woman desperate for attention. Instead, because the limited third-person point-of-view only looks at Lennie's and George's perspectives, Curley's wife comes off as a "tart" who leads Lennie to break her neck. Overall,...

Overall, Curley's wife is one of the most unfairly treated characters in 20th Century American literature. Certainly she is the loneliest character on the ranch and, despite her abhorrent threat to have Crooks strung up, her actions throughout the novel depict a lonely woman desperate for attention. Instead, because the limited third-person point-of-view only looks at Lennie's and George's perspectives, Curley's wife comes off as a "tart" who leads Lennie to break her neck. Overall, Curley's wife is symbolic of the way women might have been treated on a ranch in the 1930s.

Starting with her name, or lack of one, it's clear that Curley's wife is just that: a wife. She maintains no purpose on the ranch other than being the boss's son's spouse. In fact, Curley's wife doesn't even receive much respect from her husband, since he goes off with the ranch hands to a whorehouse. At the end of the novel, Curley doesn't seem heartbroken about his wife's death, but instead seems hellbent on lynching Lennie.

This lack of attention from her husband, or lack of any duty for that matter, leads Curley's wife to flirt with the other men on the ranch. Before marrying Curley, she clearly received attention. She explains that a man asked her to make films and she "Coulda been in the movies, an' had nice clothes..." However, she's left wandering around the ranch looking for attention, which none of the other men give her.

This role as wife leaves this woman without opportunities. In a novel about loneliness, she is the loneliest character, which is due directly to her role as a woman on a ranch.

How does Jody’s sense of responsibility help him to deal with the fawn’s interference with his family’s survival?

Jody begins feeding Flag with his own rations, willing to sacrifice and deal with some hunger in order to feed the helpless creature he has taken in. The first real incident where Jody has to make a decision about what to do with Flag comes when Flag has eaten most of the seedlings of their corn crop.

Jody knows that corn is the most important crop on the farm but to placate Ma Baxter (who...

Jody begins feeding Flag with his own rations, willing to sacrifice and deal with some hunger in order to feed the helpless creature he has taken in. The first real incident where Jody has to make a decision about what to do with Flag comes when Flag has eaten most of the seedlings of their corn crop.

Jody knows that corn is the most important crop on the farm but to placate Ma Baxter (who wants to kill Flag at once) he works extremely hard to build a high fence around the corn crop and keep Flag out. He is demonstrating that he understands the responsibility he bears and willing to work to mitigate the damage.

But when Flag leaps the fence with ease and destroys another round of corn plantings, Ma Baxter has had enough and shoots the fawn. Unfortunately she only wounds the poor creature and Jody has to bear the responsibility of finding and killing his closest companion. This is when Jody begins to truly bear the responsibility of his love of nature and natural things versus the reality of providing for his family.

How does Rip's "meekness of spirit" gain him popularity?

Rip's "meekness of spirit" means that he is most definitely not a leader, alpha male.  His character type is hardly ever seen in modern media examples.  Hyper-masculinity is the name of the game in many of today's movies, TV shows, and video games.  Rip Van Winkle is the antithesis of that character archetype.  In fact, Dame Van Winkle is that archetype.  Rip is described as having a meek spirit, which is then expanded upon.  He...

Rip's "meekness of spirit" means that he is most definitely not a leader, alpha male.  His character type is hardly ever seen in modern media examples.  Hyper-masculinity is the name of the game in many of today's movies, TV shows, and video games.  Rip Van Winkle is the antithesis of that character archetype.  In fact, Dame Van Winkle is that archetype.  Rip is described as having a meek spirit, which is then expanded upon.  He is said to be kind, patient, helpful, and honest.  About the only negative that the narrator mentions about Rip is that he avoids doing his own work at all costs.    

In a word, Rip was ready to attend to anybody’s business but his own; but as to doing family duty, and keeping his farm in order, he found it impossible.

The characteristics above grant Rip a great deal of popularity, because those are all characteristics of a good friend.  People like to be around Rip, because he's not pushy and overbearing.  His wife is, and the people know this.  That knowledge grants Rip a bit of extra sympathy from people as well.  

Certain it is, that he was a great favorite among all the good wives of the village, who, as usual with the amiable sex, took his part in all family squabbles; and never failed, whenever they talked those matters over in their evening gossipings, to lay all the blame on Dame Van Winkle.

Simply put, Rip is popular because he is so pliable and easy going.  He's the friend that does whatever you want to do.  He won't ever push his own will and desires on a situation.  I've had friends like this.  I never considered them weak or stupid, and I always loved hanging out with them, because they always just went with the flow.  

In Lois Lowry's The Giver, how do family units get a second new child ?

Each family unit is made up of a mother and father who do not repopulate together. Young women are assigned to be birth mothers and they are allowed to have three children each. They are fed well and taken care of, but after having a child, the mothers go into hard labor, such as working in the agricultural fields. Meanwhile, the new children go to stay in a building together for their first year as...

Each family unit is made up of a mother and father who do not repopulate together. Young women are assigned to be birth mothers and they are allowed to have three children each. They are fed well and taken care of, but after having a child, the mothers go into hard labor, such as working in the agricultural fields. Meanwhile, the new children go to stay in a building together for their first year as they are weighed and monitored by Nurturers like Jonas's father. Parental units must apply for new children before they receive one. Jonas mentions that his friend's parents waited a long time before they applied for a second child because Asher was such a handful when he was young.

"Asher poked Jonas's arm. 'Remember when we got Phillipa?' he asked in a loud whisper. Jonas nodded. It had only been last year. Asher's parents had waited quite a long time before applying for a second child. Maybe Jonas suspected, they had been so exhausted by Asher's lively foolishness that they had needed a little time" (43).

Family units do not apply to have more than two children, though. Everything is standardized, measured, and strictly regulated in the society. As a result, families are kept small in order to keep each other in check and following the rules of the community.

If the Earth's rotation slowed down until there were only 180 days in a year, how would I compare the length of a sidereal and solar day in this...

The solar day is the one we usually think of as a "day"; it's the time it takes for the apparent position of the Sun in the sky to complete one cycle and return to its original position.

The sidereal day, on the other hand, is the time it takes for the apparent position of the stars to complete one cycle.

Why are these different? Because the Earth is moving around the Sun. The stars are so far away that their position can be effectively taken as fixed; but the Earth's position is definitely not fixed.

As a result, there is always exactly one more sidereal day per year than there are solar days. Relative to the stars, we rotate slightly faster because our total rotation is the sum of our rotation and our orbit around the Sun.

Thus, we have 365 (plus some decimals) solar days in a year, but 366 sidereal days in a year. A solar day is 24 hours, but a sidereal day is 23 hours and 56 minutes.

This might be easiest to see with the very extreme example of tidal locking, in which a planet's rotation is so slow that it aligns perfectly with the planet's orbit, and one side of the planet always faces the Sun. In this situation, the sidereal day is equal to one year---and the solar day is infinite. The Sun never moves from its current position in the sky. A tidally locked planet has 1 sidereal day per year, and 0 solar days per year.

If our rotation were slowed so that we only had 180 days in a year instead of 365, this would mean that our solar day is a bit more than twice as long. It would mean that our sidereal day is also a bit more than twice as long, but it will increase by a smaller ratio because the part of the rotation that is due to our orbital motion is unchanged. We would have 180 solar days in a year, each 48 hours and 40 minutes long. We would have 181 sidereal days in a year, each 48 hours and 24 minutes long. While the solar day expanded by 102.78%, the sidereal day only expanded by 102.23%. A small difference, to be sure, but it adds up.

What are three historical interpretations of who started the cold war?

Tensions between the U.S., Britain, and the Soviet Union began as early as 1943 when their three leaders met in Tehran to coordinate strategy over the ruling of Poland. They continued to escalate and came to a head when FDR died and Truman took over, taking a hard stance against Stalin.

During the Cold War itself, most historians and politicians agreed that it was caused by the Soviets and their evil dictator Stalin attempting to...

Tensions between the U.S., Britain, and the Soviet Union began as early as 1943 when their three leaders met in Tehran to coordinate strategy over the ruling of Poland. They continued to escalate and came to a head when FDR died and Truman took over, taking a hard stance against Stalin.

During the Cold War itself, most historians and politicians agreed that it was caused by the Soviets and their evil dictator Stalin attempting to dominate the world with his Communist ideology. America reluctantly joined to save the world from a totalitarian regime.

After the Vietnam war in the 1960s, disillusionment was high and historical revisionists began to claim that although Stalin was a tyrant, he wasn't interested in world domination but merely in preserving the Soviet Union. He wanted to use Poland for security purposes and America misinterpreted that as a desire for conquest. Americans were to blame for the start of the Cold War as they aggressively tried to contain the Soviet influence, intimidate them, and actively pursue American economic interests in other parts of the globe.

A third and more recent interpretation, a "post-revisionist synthesis," incorporates the idea that America played a part with its aggressive and intimidating behaviors, but that Stalin was also a powerful and malevolent dictator who was partly responsible.

What are the differences between the Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire?

The Byzantine Empire was, in a sense, the continuation of the Roman Empire. It is even sometimes called the eastern Roman Empire, it included the Greek speaking eastern part of the Mediterranean. The Byzantine Empire was a Christian one and it was known for warring with the Muslims. It was a flourishing empire during the reign of the Macedonian emperors and its demise resulted as a consequence of attacks from Crusaders and Turks. Byzantium was...

The Byzantine Empire was, in a sense, the continuation of the Roman Empire. It is even sometimes called the eastern Roman Empire, it included the Greek speaking eastern part of the Mediterranean. The Byzantine Empire was a Christian one and it was known for warring with the Muslims. It was a flourishing empire during the reign of the Macedonian emperors and its demise resulted as a consequence of attacks from Crusaders and Turks. Byzantium was a small but important town, it acted as a frontier between the Persian and Greek world. Both would become a part of Alexander the Great’s hellenistic universe during the fourth century BCE. The approach of the third century CE saw the Roman Empire with thousands of miles of borders to defend. It was the Emperor Constantine that realized that the problems of empire could not be managed from great distances. The Emperor Constantine renamed Byzantium after himself, Constantinople, and in 330 CE he moved there making it his new permanent restaurant. Constantinople was halfway between the Euphrates and the Balkan, and was not very far from the wealth of Asia Minor which at the time was a major part of the empire. After Constantine died the Roman empire divided into eastern and western sections. The Western Roman Empire ended by 476 CE when the last ruler got dethroned and a military leader took power. The Roman Empire during the fourth century became increasingly Christian, and the Byzantine Empire was definitely Christian. It was the first empire that was not just founded on worldly power, but on the authority of the Christian Church. During the first few centuries of the Byzantine Empire polytheistic religions stuck around as an important source of inspiration. Once Christianity got organized the Church had five leading patriarchs who lived in Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople, Jerusalem, and Rome. In 451 CE the patriarch of Constantinople was named the second authority in ecclesiastical hierarchy, only the Pope in Rome was superior. The Great Schism of 1054 CE resulted in the eastern or Orthodox church(Byzantine) separating form the western church (Roman Catholic). Some basic comparisons between the two empires were the reasons for the end of the empires. The Byzantine Empire ended due to conquest where the Roman Empire ended because it was incorporated into a New Entity. Both of the Empires has the same form of government, Authoritarian, also both were ruled by hereditary rulers. The empires had differing main languages, in the Roman Empire they mainly spoke latin and in the Byzantine Empire the most common language was Greek. In the Roman Empire, until the reign of Constantine I, the main religion was polytheistic where they worshiped the various renamed Greek gods. Emperor Constantine I’s reign was when Christianity became the main religion of the empire. The Byzantine Empire was a Christian one from the start. The Roman Empire, before its division, covered a larger geographical area that the Byzantine Empire ever did.

What plot do Jem and Dill hatch before Dill returns to Meridian?

The summer is coming to a close, and Dill is going to be heading back to Meridian soon. All summer, the children have been both curious and terrified by Boo Radley. Dill dares Jem to enter the Radleys' yard:

Our first raid came to pass only because Dill bet Jem The Gray Ghostagainst two Tom Swifts that Jem wouldn't get any farther than the Radley gate. In all his life, Jem had never declined...

The summer is coming to a close, and Dill is going to be heading back to Meridian soon. All summer, the children have been both curious and terrified by Boo Radley. Dill dares Jem to enter the Radleys' yard:

Our first raid came to pass only because Dill bet Jem The Gray Ghost against two Tom Swifts that Jem wouldn't get any farther than the Radley gate. In all his life, Jem had never declined a dare (Chapter 1).

Despite accepting the dare, Jem is hesitant and thoughtful. Dill taunts Jem, accusing him of being afraid. Jem denies this, but he is still hesitant. Finally, Dill says something that convinces Jem to abandon his hesitations:

But Dill got him the third day, when he told Jem that folks in Meridian certainly weren't as afraid as the folks in Maycomb, that he'd never seen such scary folks as the ones in Maycomb.

After this, Jem firmly accepts the challenge and starts brainstorming. He expresses his concern for Scout and Dill. Jem considers how to get Boo Radley to come out of his house. Finally, Dill tells Jem that he only needs to touch the Radley house. Jem accepts this. As fast as he can, Jem runs into the Radley yard and touches the house before speeding back to safety.

Is the poem "If" by Rudyard Kipling good advice about how people should behave?

It is perhaps not completely realistic to expect four stanzas of poetry to serve as a complete guide to behavior for all people everywhere in the world. This poem was written in 1895, in part in response to the actions of Leander Starr Jameson, a doctor who played an important role in the British colonial leadership in South Africa. He was a charismatic figure who was extremely popular, but his leadership of the Jameson Raid was...

It is perhaps not completely realistic to expect four stanzas of poetry to serve as a complete guide to behavior for all people everywhere in the world. This poem was written in 1895, in part in response to the actions of Leander Starr Jameson, a doctor who played an important role in the British colonial leadership in South Africa. He was a charismatic figure who was extremely popular, but his leadership of the Jameson Raid was not entirely legal, and he was in fact put on trial for it and found guilty. Thus the sort of stoic individualism and hypermasculinity the poem recommends is somewhat problematic.

For example, the poem says:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings 

    And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, ...

The idea of gambling all your savings on some high-risk project might make an appealing popular movie, but in reality, investing in a diversified portfolio and focusing on building up savings is actually a much more sensible way to live.

While being patient and not listening to "knaves" or "fools" might make sense, there is a good chance that "when all men doubt you," it might be time to reassess your actions.

While willpower, grace under pressure, and persistence are virtues in moderation, there are times when one should recognize that some actions or causes are futile and move on to something more productive.

How are love and marriage treated in The Importance of Being Earnest?

As the complete title of the play specifies, The Importance of Being Earnest is "A trivia comedy for serious people." This means that those themes which are universally considered, or treated, in a "serious" way, namely, love and marriage, will also be treated trivially, or with little importance, throughout the play. 

While the ultimate goal of the play is for Jack (Ernest) Worthing to marry Gwendolen, and for Algernon to marry Cecily, the motivations and...

As the complete title of the play specifies, The Importance of Being Earnest is "A trivia comedy for serious people." This means that those themes which are universally considered, or treated, in a "serious" way, namely, love and marriage, will also be treated trivially, or with little importance, throughout the play. 

While the ultimate goal of the play is for Jack (Ernest) Worthing to marry Gwendolen, and for Algernon to marry Cecily, the motivations and means by which these goals are attempted are as ridiculous as they are comical. 

Jack says that he loves Gwendolen. His passion is supposedly reciprocated, but the relationship cannot be possible unless Jack shows Gwendolen's mother what sort of family he comes from and who are his relatives. Lady Bracknell, an arrogant aristocrat, just cannot tolerate Jack's life story that he was found in a handbag at a cloakroom in Victoria station, "the Brighton line." Hence, in order for a marriage to be possible, Jack needs to "produce" a father and a mother (a family name) in short notice. 

What this shows is the shallowness of the entire thing. Marriage is seen as a transaction of family names and fortune, and not as a love connection. Gwendolen is all too familiar with this, as even she says that 

...although (Lady Bracknell) may prevent us from becoming man and wife, and I may marry some one else, and marry often, nothing that she can possibly do can alter my eternal devotion to you

Love and devotion, as well as marriage and loyalty, are flimsy and ephemeral in the eyes of  Gwendolen and her mother. Algernon, who is Lady Bracknell's nephew and Gwendolen's cousin, has a similar opinion on the matter.

Algernon: I really don't see anything romantic in proposing. It is very romantic to be in love. But there is nothing romantic about a definite proposal. Why, one may be accepted. One usually is, I believe. Then the excitement is all over. The very essence of romance is uncertainty. 

Add to this that the primary motivator of the devotion of the two female leads, Gwendolen and Cecily, is the simple fact that their object of affection goes by the name of "Ernest." Gwendolen says that there is something in the name gives her vibrations. This is primarily why Jack adopts the name and goes by it. Cecily says that the name inspires confidence- which is why Algernon pretends to be the bad, fake brother Ernest (a character invented by Jack to leave the country side with an excuse) and introduces himself like that to Cecily. The name is a lie that will later become an ironic, partial truth when Jack discovers that this father's name was,and hence his namesake would be, Ernest.

The motivations behind the affections of the characters are shallow. The process of the marriage proposal is transactional and matter-of-fact. There is very little space for true love, commitment, and passion. In true Wilde fashion, these facts will be further twisted as a way to take digs at the prudish and hypocritical Victorian society that harbored these types of dynamics. This is also the primary reason why Wilde will choose those very two topics as sources of comical triviality.

What is the central meaning of Shelley's "Stanzas Written in Dejection"?

The central meaning of "Stanzas Written in Dejection, near Naples" by Percy Bysshe Shelley seems to be a contrast between his own "despair" (ln. 28) and the relative comfort he finds in nature. To find solace in nature is typical of Romantic poetry, as is the expression of heightened emotions. Both of these elements figure strongly in Shelley's poem.

The poem begins with a detailed description of a pleasant natural scene. Shelley describes a beautiful day, probably on the Gulf of Naples, as the poet references "waves" (3), and "the winds, the birds, the ocean floods" (8). While Shelley's imagery indicates that the scene is aesthetically pleasant, he also imbues the natural setting with his own emotions when he says "The City's voice itself, is soft like Solitude's" (9). This solitude that he feels in the surrounding environment is referenced in the title ("Dejection") and later in the poem ("despair" in line 28). In the second stanza, Shelley continues to use sensory detail to describe the nature scene, but midway through the stanza, he explicitly places himself in the scene by saying, "I sit upon the sands alone --" (14). He does,  however, hear in the sounds of the ocean, something that "share[s] in [his] emotion" (18).

From this point, Shelley transitions to a more detailed explanation of his emotional state. He feels as though he has nothing, according to lines 19-24, and judges that "Others [he  sees]" have more than he (25). He observes those other people as "Smiling" and experiencing "pleasure" (26), while "To me that cup has been dealt in another measure" (27). Shelley contrasts his own feelings of emptiness with what he see as the fullness of others' lives. The fourth stanza opens with Shelley returning to some of the ideas of stanzas one and two, though, as he writes, "Yet now despair itself is mild,/ Even as the winds and waters are" (28-29). While he is dejected, his feelings are tempered by the nature around him. He feels that he could weep and even die here in this setting. Shelley closes the poem by saying that he may be lamented after his death, but he feels that he will not be missed that much, "for I am one/ Whom men love not," (41-42). People will "regret" (42) that he is gone, but the memory of nature, of the day that surrounds him, will only bring pleasure: "this day ... / Will linger, though enjoyed, like joy in memory yet" (43-45). Again, Shelley prioritizes the beauty of the natural setting and its ability to yield positive emotions. Those emotions range from "joy" at the end of the poem to the relative comfort referenced in stanza four. 

So the central meaning of the poem seems to hinge on the relationship between the beauty and comfort of nature (and its ability to confer pleasant, long-lasting memories) and the speaker's dejected emotional state. This emotional state appears to be allayed by the nature surrounding him, while the causes for his dejection are related to society (especially from comparing himself to other people). 

What is a quote that deals with good vs. evil in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird?

In Chapter 10, Atticus gives his children their air rifles and says,

"I’d rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you’ll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird" (Lee 57).

Atticus' directive to shoot all the bluejays they want as long as they do not kill any mockingbirds is a metaphor...

In Chapter 10, Atticus gives his children their air rifles and says,

"I’d rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you’ll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird" (Lee 57).

Atticus' directive to shoot all the bluejays they want as long as they do not kill any mockingbirds is a metaphor regarding "good vs. evil." Bluejays symbolically represent "evil." Bluejays are territorial birds which are considered a nuisance and are known to attack songbirds. The notorious Bob Ewell is symbolically represented as a bluejay throughout the novel. In contrast, mockingbirds are innocent beings who spread joy through their beautiful music. They symbolically represent "good" in Atticus' metaphor. Atticus encourages his children to respect innocent individuals and protect them from harm. The characters of Tom Robinson and Boo Radley symbolically represent mockingbirds. Atticus courageously defends Tom Robinson in front of a prejudiced jury, and Sheriff Tate refuses to force Boo Radley into the limelight following Boo's heroic actions. Jem and Scout learn the importance of distinguishing between good and evil, and how to respond to each by following Atticus' directive to shoot the bluejays, but not the mockingbirds.

I need to compare and contrast narrative and description in novels. Can you give examples of descriptive passages and narrative passages in...

To be effective, descriptive passages usually incorporate the five senses in imagery: taste (gustatory), smell (olfactory), hearing (auditory), touch (cutaneous or tactile), and sight (visual). Also, other senses include kinesthetic (movement), vestibular (balance and eye coordination), and organic/subjective (sensations such as fear, joy, anger, etc).

Narrative passages, on the other hand, tell a story of some sort. The story may be told from the vantage point of personal experience, or an author may present...

To be effective, descriptive passages usually incorporate the five senses in imagery: taste (gustatory), smell (olfactory), hearing (auditory), touch (cutaneous or tactile), and sight (visual). Also, other senses include kinesthetic (movement), vestibular (balance and eye coordination), and organic/subjective (sensations such as fear, joy, anger, etc).

Narrative passages, on the other hand, tell a story of some sort. The story may be told from the vantage point of personal experience, or an author may present the private thoughts of a character to his/her readers. Either way, these literary aids help move the plot forward or allows us to learn something significant about the character in question.

On to Germinal:

Descriptive passages: Bolded words in the two passages below are mine.

The distant hammer struck (auditory) regular blows in the pit, and the wind passed by with its moan, like a cry of hunger and weariness (auditory) coming out of the depths of the night.

Etienne, who forgot himself before the stove, warming his poor, bleeding hands (visual) looked round, and he could see each part of the pit: the shed tarred with siftings,, the pit frame, the vast chamber of the winding machine, the square turret of the exhaustion pump. This pit, piled up in the bottom of a hollow, with its squat brick buildings, raising its chimney like a threatening horn, seemed to him to have the evil air of a gluttonous beast crouching there to devour the earth. (auditory, visual, kinesthetic, subjective/organic). 

Narrative passage:

M. Hennebeau, who was at this hour returning home mounted on his mare, listened to these vague sounds. He had met couples, long rows of strollers, on this beautiful winter night. More lovers, who were going to take their pleasure, mouth to mouth, behind the walls. Was it not what he always met, girls tumbled over the bottom of every ditch, beggars who crammed themselves with the only joy that cost nothing? And these fools complained of life, when they could take their supreme fill of the happiness of love? Willingly would he have starved as they did if he could begin life again with a woman who would give herself to him on a heap of stones, with all her strength and all her heart. His misfortune was without consolation, and he envied these wretches.

In the story, M. Hennebeau is a part owner of the Le Voreux mining operation. The mine is the setting for the strike; throughout the novel, the mine is characterized as a place of misery, degradation, and oppression. However, the passage above gives us an insight into M. Hennebeau's character, his personal trials, and his desires. The thoughts above show a man, vulnerable in his private moments, far from being only the inexorable manager who refuses to allow any concessions to his workers. Narratives like the above tend to humanize an unlikable character.

Hope this helps! There are more such passages in the novel. With the above as a guide, you should be able to recognize many more on your own.

The following question refers to “A Christmas Memory” by Truman Capote. Toward the end of the story, Buddy is separated from his friend....

In Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory” Buddy is separated from his friend when the adults decide it would be best for him to attend military school. The unidentified adults, under the guise of doing what is best for Buddy, send him off to both military school and summer camps.

Life separates us. Those who Know Best decide that I belong in a military school. And so follows a miserable succession of bugle-blowing prisons, grim reveille-ridden...

In Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory” Buddy is separated from his friend when the adults decide it would be best for him to attend military school. The unidentified adults, under the guise of doing what is best for Buddy, send him off to both military school and summer camps.

Life separates us. Those who Know Best decide that I belong in a military school. And so follows a miserable succession of bugle-blowing prisons, grim reveille-ridden summer camps. I have a new home too. But it doesn't count. Home is where my friend is, and there I never go.

In essence, Buddy and his friend are separated physically, but remain connected emotionally because they frequently exchange letters with each other. Buddy’s friend shares stories of home and of Queenie, the dog. As his friend ages she confuses Buddy with her old friend who passed away years before their friendship began. Her old friend was also called Buddy, and her written thoughts become muddled between the two friends. One day at military school Buddy receives word of her death and that is when he realizes the two are apart forever. 

What is Rousseau's contribution to our government? What did he believe?

One of Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s most influential works on government was his piece on the Social Contract. In his work, Rousseau described the methodology towards the establishment of a stable political community. His work inspired political reforms and revolutions in Europe, America and other parts of the world.

He publicly disputed the monarchies divine authority to lead the masses. He asserted that the administration should only govern with the consent of the governed. He also stated...

One of Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s most influential works on government was his piece on the Social Contract. In his work, Rousseau described the methodology towards the establishment of a stable political community. His work inspired political reforms and revolutions in Europe, America and other parts of the world.

He publicly disputed the monarchies divine authority to lead the masses. He asserted that the administration should only govern with the consent of the governed. He also stated that the laws are subject to decisions and opinions of the masses. Thus, people should be free to choose the laws that bind them. The idea behind this assertion was that the masses forfeit a certain amount of rights to ensure that their collective rights and freedoms are guaranteed. This would be achieved because not only would the administration be required to protect these collective freedoms, but the masses would be responsible for the mutual protection of their freedoms.

His work offered impetus to the Founding Fathers to challenge the crown’s authority, leading up to the Declaration of Independence.

"Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains. One man thinks himself the master of others, but remains more of a slave than they"-- (Social Contract)

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,-- (Declaration of Independence)

Of whose death is Frankenstein informed upon returning from his trip?

This question is a little vague as it could be referring to Victor returning home from the University of Ingolstadt in Germany, or it could mean when he returns to Ireland after spending time working in a laboratory on the Orkney Islands. 

If you are referring to the first instance, when Victor leaves school, he actually learns about the death of his brother William beforehe arrives home. It is the letter containing news of...

This question is a little vague as it could be referring to Victor returning home from the University of Ingolstadt in Germany, or it could mean when he returns to Ireland after spending time working in a laboratory on the Orkney Islands. 

If you are referring to the first instance, when Victor leaves school, he actually learns about the death of his brother William before he arrives home. It is the letter containing news of William's death that acts as the catalyst for making Victor return. The reader learns later that William was strangled by the creature Victor created; however, the murder is instead blamed on William's nanny, who is in turn sentenced to death.

If you are talking about Victor's return to Ireland, then it is Henry Clerval who is discovered dead. Henry was Victor's close friend and traveling companion, but they had separated while in Scotland so Victor could resume his work secretly. Like William, Henry was also murdered by the creature, but this time, the creature made sure that Victor would be blamed for the death. The court finds him innocent and he returns home to Geneva with his father. 

What three reasons does Horatio list for why the ghost of King Hamlet may have returned from the grave?

This question is in reference to lines 130 and 139 in Act I, Scene 1, when Horatio, on watch with Marcellus and Barnardo, implores the ghost of King Hamlet to tell its business in the realm of man:

“If there be any good thing to be doneThat may to thee do ease and grace to me,Speak to me.If thou art privy to thy country’s fate,Which happily foreknowing may avoid,O, speak!...

This question is in reference to lines 130 and 139 in Act I, Scene 1, when Horatio, on watch with Marcellus and Barnardo, implores the ghost of King Hamlet to tell its business in the realm of man:

“If there be any good thing to be done
That may to thee do ease and grace to me,
Speak to me.
If thou art privy to thy country’s fate,
Which happily foreknowing may avoid,
O, speak!
Or if thou hast uphoarded in thy life
Extorted treasure in the womb of earth,
For which, they say, you spirits oft walk in death,
Speak of it.  Stay and speak.”

Here Horatio outlines three possibilities (none of which turn out to be quite correct) as to the ghost’s appearance, and begs the late king to give answer.  First, he asks if the ghost has any unfinished business, any “good thing to be done” to put his spirit at rest.  Second, he wonders if perhaps the ghost has information about the fate of Denmark, which, by imparting it to the watchmen, may prevent some tragedy.  Finally, Horatio asks if the late King Hamlet has some ill-gotten treasure buried somewhere, which was a common reason for spirits to walk the earth in the folklore of the day.

These speculations are all in keeping with traditional ghost lore.  There is, however, some additional context that should be mentioned in reference to Horatio’s second suggestion, outlined in lines 79-107 in his explanation for why the men are keeping watch in the first place – King Hamlet had won lands in a duel with Fortinbras, ruler of Norway, and now the son of the slain Norwegian king is raiding, and otherwise causing trouble, along their borders with Denmark to win back the claims.  So we know that Denmark is on the verge of armed conflict.  In this prior speech Horatio also makes mention of the omens foreshadowing the fall of Julius Caesar in Rome, speaking of “tenantless” graves and a moon “sick almost to doomsday with eclipse.”  Therefore he thinks that perhaps this ghost of the king could be a similar harbinger of disaster in this time of unrest.