Notes

Nick describes Gatsby as possessing a certain kind of innocence, a goodness that granted Gatsby a "heightened sensitivity to the promises of life." Despite all the times life had been unfair to Gatsby, he had faith he could get all the things that he wanted—riches, Daisy, happiness—and he never seemed to lose a sincere and genuine hope that he could have it all. This kind of optimism is what sets Jay Gatsby apart from everyone else in the novel. Jordan is a pessimist and liar, and although Nick is attracted to her, he recognizes her fundamental elitism and dishonesty. Tom and Daisy Buchanan are, ultimately, "careless people" who can basically do whatever terrible things they want and get away with them because they can always disappear into their status and riches. Gatsby is a far better person than they (despite his illegal business activities). He seems to be exempt from Nick's negative judgment because of his fundamental goodness, something most of the other ...

(a) When you perform the t-test in excel you should get the following: t=-0.2006236844 p=.8416030944 df=66.72581946 `bar(x_1)=448.7179487 ` `bar(x_2)=451.7 ` SX1=71.8375172 SX2=51.5592394 n1=39 n2=30 (b) Do not reject the null hypothesis as p>.05 (c) If the means of the two samples are really equal, p gives the probability that random samples from the two populations could look like the samples we obtained. Here the probability is quite high. If the probability was low enough (here less that 0.05) we would reject the null hypothesis and say that the populations probably have differing means.

`sin ((2n-1) pi/2)` is a function that alternates from 1 to -1, and is in fact equivalent to `(-1)^(n+1)`. Thus this series is 1-1+1-1+1-1... Because `lim_(n->oo) (-1)^(n+1) != 0` since the terms alternate between -1 and 1, then by the n'th term Test, the series diverges.

At the start of his trial, Socrates compares his speech to the speech of his accusers. Socrates is responding to the charges brought forward by Meletus and Anytus. Socrates claims that unlike his accusers, who "have hardly spoken a word of truth," he will speak the truth. He also claims that he is not eloquent and will speak plainly, unlike his accusers, who have dressed up their lies with "oration duly ornamented with words and phrases." Socrates has also not carefully planned out his speech. Instead, he claims to speak "the words and arguments which occur to [him] at the moment." One could argue that this is a dangerous thing to do since his accusers want him to receive the death penalty, and most people would carefully plan out their argument before the trial so that it would be most convincing. Thus Socrates claims to be speaking truthfully, plainly, and extemporaneously. Before going into the current charges for which he is on trial, Socrates then dis...

Looking at the story, it is difficult to argue that the husband and wife were not at least partially responsible for the death of their son. Their fear of "people of another color" leads them to put up outlandish and ineffective security measures; unaware of the lethal nature of some of the measures after a childhood surrounded by them, the son decides to play a game within the vicious teeth of the wire coil. And yet it is obviously not by design that the son dies, and so the question still remains: is it their fault? To decide whether the husband and wife caused their own downfall, let's take a look at the foreshadowing in the story to see where the author intended for the blame to be placed. The first element of foreshadowing is present on the sign that the homeowners association provides for the gate: YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. The reader is meant to see these words and recognize that the family has begun to walk an unwise path. It is a rather odd phrase to put on a sign, a...

When the South seceded from the Union, President Lincoln had to decide what he would do with the United States forts that were in the South. One of these forts was Fort Sumter. When the commander of Fort Sumter reported that he was running low on supplies, President Lincoln decided he would attempt to send unarmed ships to resupply the fort. President Lincoln announced the decision and this forced Jefferson Davis to decide if he would attack the fort, which would lead to the start of the war. President Lincoln knew that Jefferson Davis couldn’t allow the unarmed Union ships to arrive at Fort Sumter. That would be an acknowledgement that the South really wasn’t an independent country. Thus, Jefferson Davis decided to attack Fort Sumter. Before attacking the fort, Southern generals demanded that the Union surrender the fort. When the Union commander refused, the South attacked the fort the next day. The Civil War began with this attack.

The speaker is successful in immortalizing his beloved. Part of this success is showing how his beloved is more "lovely" than a summer's day. Summer is too erratic, whereas his beloved is more temperate. Summer has "rough winds," is "too hot," or it's "lease hath all too short a date." Here, "temperate" means mild. And in the context of being eternal, temperate also means unchanging. Summer only lasts three months, while his beloved's "eternal summer shall not fade." So, how can his beloved's beauty and/or essence be immortal? Since his beloved cannot literally survive death, nor can he be young and beautiful forever, the speaker intends to find another way to immortalize him. This immortalization has more to do with the overall effect of the poem itself than it does with the metaphors and comparisons between the summer and his beloved. The poem itself is what the speaker intends to immortalize. As an immortal ...

As we see in Act 1, Vladimir, or Didi, is commentating on the human condition. When he states, "There's man all over for you, blaming on his boots the faults of his feet," what he's saying (between the lines) is that man finds it easy to pass the blame instead of taking responsibility for his actions. Rather than blaming his own ineptitude or inabilities, man is likely to blame his surroundings or particular circumstances. In this case, man is more likely to blame his boots for when he trips or cannot walk straight when the real failure may simply be himself. This line is important to the play in that Didi is providing critical commentary on humanity and the human condition in a way that is both profound and succinct, though he appears to be absurd, especially when in the company of Estragon, or Gogo.

During World War II, many women left the home and went to work in numbers that were unprecedented. Whereas about twelve million women were in the workforce before the attack upon Pearl Harbor, after the United States entered war, six million more women left the home to work in place of the men who were drafted. Many of the women who had jobs simply retained them at a higher rate of pay because their employers wanted to keep them. But other women were enlisted in the work force as they went to work at manufacturing plants, becoming active in the war effort. Also, during previous wars, the role of women in the military was limited to nursing; however, with World War II, there were many women who enlisted and performed various roles. In 1948 the Women's Armed Services Integration Act recognized women as a permanent part of the armed forces. This Act led to more equality for women in the military. Not all was positive, however. There were African-Americans who became involved with the ...

Family planning is considered a mandatory benefit under Medicaid, which implies that all programs must cover family planning. Individuals of child-bearing, age including sexually active minors desiring such services, would be eligible. Most states provide prescription contraceptives as part of their Medicaid programs and over time, the concept of family planning expanded to include related services such as testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, promotion of health education and fertility preservation. However, certain cultural factors influence the ability of some women to derive full benefits from family planning services provided under the Medicaid program. These factors include religious influences, gender role inequality, the belief that contraceptive use implies promiscuity, difficulties in engaging in open discussions on sexual health, beliefs that women must bear children, and a host of other preconceived notions. These culture-based health beliefs about family...

Hamartia means, of course, "tragic flaw," the problem or character trait that causes the tragic part of a tragedy.  Every tragic main character in Shakespeare, or in traditional tragedy, has this flaw.  The effectiveness of tragedy comes from pushing a common or frequent flaw to the point that it becomes malignant or life-changing.  Ambition isn't always unequivocally bad, though I think in Shakespeare's time, it was more negatively perceived than it is now.    The question seems to be asking, "What's wrong with MacBeth's ambition, insofar as it causes his actions?  How does it make him go too far, and cause his downfall?" MacBeth's ambition pushes him too far when he starts to question his place as a subject.  The witches plant the seed of doubt, and the added power of his early rewards (when Duncan makes him Thane of Cawdor to replace the traitorous nobleman he executes) seems to whet his appetite and push him toward the edge.  His wife also se...

The four qualities a Receiver (or Giver) must have are intelligence, integrity, courage, and wisdom. When the Chief Elder announces Jonas' selection as the next Receiver of Memory, she mentions the four qualities a Receiver is supposed to have. First, he must be intelligent; Jonas fits the bill because he has been a good student during his school days. Second, the Giver must have integrity. The Chief Elder mentions that she's very proud of Jonas for being honest about transgressions and presenting himself promptly for chastisement when they happen. Third, a Giver must be courageous, and the Chief Elder tells Jonas that he's inspired her to believe in his courage. She informs him that he will have to experience extreme pain during his training, but reassures him that she trusts in his courage to endure. Fourth, a Giver must be wise. The Chief Elder asserts that Jonas has not yet acquired the wisdom he will need for his position. However, she is confident that he has the capa...

An internal conflict is a conflict that occurs within a character.  The character may struggle to make a decision, to choose between right or wrong, or to recover from some sort of tragedy.  In Roald Dahl's The BFG , the BFG himself struggles with a very difficult internal conflict.  The BFG has lived for a very long time with a community of giants who do terrible things.  He has always wished that he could stop them, but has never believed that he has the strength to stand up to them.  He says to Sophie, "For years and years I is sitting here on this very rock every night after night when they is galloping away, and I is feeling so sad for all the human beans they is going to gobble up.  But I has had to get used to it.  There is nothing I can do."  However, when Sophie insists that "we can't just sit here and do nothing!  We've got to go after those brutes!", the BFG finally convinces himself to try to stop them. Another character that experiences inte...

Mark Antony was devoted to Julius Caesar. He loved him as if he were his own father. He disguises his feelings when he is meeting with the conspirators after the assassination, but when he is alone with Caesar's body he expresses his feelings eloquently. This is the first time the audience realizes that Antony feels so strongly about Caesar, as well as the first time the audience realizes that Antony is capable of such eloquence. O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth, That I am meek and gentle with these butchers! Thou art the ruins of the noblest man That ever lived in the tide of times. Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood! Over thy wounds now do I prophesy Which like dumb mouths do ope their ruby lips To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue, A curse shall light upon the limbs of men; Domestic fury and fierce civil strife Shall cumber all the parts of Italy; Blood and destruction shall be so in use, And dreadful objects so familiar, That mothers shall but smile wh...

After Macbeth murders Duncan, he experiences a great deal of guilt, and he worries quite a bit about the consequences of his action. Once he has become king, however, he realizes that he is still not happy because he doesn't feel secure in his position: the Weird Sisters promised that Banquo's issue would be kings. Macbeth says, "To be thus is nothing / But to be safely thus" (3.1.52-53). In order to be "safely thus," he orders the murders of Banquo and his son Fleance. This is more horrific than Duncan's murder (which takes place off-stage) because it involves the attempted murder of a child and because it happens on stage, in full view of the audience. To watch a murder on stage is far more horrifying than it is to only hear about a character committing a murder. Furthermore, when Macbeth learns that Macduff has fled Scotland and is out of his reach, he determines to kill his family: Macduff's wife, children, and even his servants. These are the m...

There are two Walter Cunninghams in To Kill a Mockingbird . Walter Cunningham, Sr. is a member of the Cunningham Clan. They are from Old Sarum. The Cunninghams are "an enormous and confusing tribe domiciled in the northern part of the county" (Chapter 1). Mr. Cunningham is a farmer. He has trouble with his entailment, and he goes to Atticus for help. He does not have the money to pay Atticus for his legal services, so he pays Atticus back in various goods: One morning Jem and I found a load of stovewood in the back yard. Later, a sack of hickory nuts appeared on the back steps. With Christmas came a crate of smilax and holly. That spring when we found a crokersack full of turnip greens, Atticus said Mr. Cunningham had more than paid him (Chapter 2). Walter Cunningham, Jr. is a boy in Scout's class. He is Walter Cunningham, Sr.'s son. He is intelligent, but he has to miss school to help out with farm work. This causes him to repeat the same grade over and over. He does...

For over two hundred years, Rome was ruled by a powerful monarchy.  This period of government was called the Roman Kingdom.  The monarch held the power over the citizens of Rome during this time.  The kings who ruled Rome during this time were elected, though their reign lasted for as long as they were alive.  Other officials were appointed by the ruling monarch. After this period, the form of government changed to a republic.  This period, called the Roman Republic, lasted for nearly five hundred years.  Elections were held to decide on leaders of the Roman Republic.  Two consuls were elected by the people once per year.  Among the people, there were disputes between the classes.  The patricians were the elites, while the plebeians were considered commoners.  Over time, the class divide lessened. 

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird , Mayella Ewell was never assaulted or raped by Tom Robinson. However, Mayella claims Tom beat and raped her on the evening of November 21, 1934. Mayella and her father present conflicting testimonies and accuse Tom Robinson of committing the crime. Tom denies their fabricated stories and says Mayella attempted to seduce him and was caught by her father. Tom says he understood the precarious situation he was in and ran away as fast as he could. Atticus reveals the likely possibility that Bob Ewell beat his daughter after witnessing her kiss Tom Robinson. Mayella's accusation that Tom assaulted and raped her was done essentially to "save face" in the community. Atticus's case accurately depicted the series of events that took place on November 21st, but failed to convince the prejudiced jury that Tom was innocent. Unfortunately, Tom is found guilty of a crime he did not commit and becomes a victim of racial injustice.

Scout and Jem are vulnerable because they are young, innocent children thrust into an adult world. Because their father takes a case to defend a black man's word against that of a white man's, the whole town gets involved in verbal warfare against the Finches and there's nothing the children can do about it. As a result, Scout and Jem are vulnerable to social, political, and physical attacks. First, the children are vulnerable socially as neighbors and schoolmates verbally attack their father in public. Cecil Jacobs starts it in chapter 9 when he declares on the playground that Scout's father "defends ni****s" (75). Then, her second-cousin, Francis, tells her that her father is a "ni****-lover" soon thereafter (83). Mrs. Dubose, a neighbor, does the absolute worst by calling Atticus and the children disgraces to the Finch name. Plus, she adds the N-word in almost everything she says about Atticus, too. Atticus simply tells his children to ignore peop...

Selflessness is when someone places another's needs above his or her own. In Lowry's  The Giver , children are required to volunteer their time in the services of others. Jonas's friend Fiona regularly chooses to help the elderly people in the House of the Old. Because of her generous nature, Fiona is called to work there on a permanent basis during the Ceremony of Twelve. In chapter 4, Jonas goes to the House of the Old for volunteer hours and finds both Fiona and Asher working in the bathing room. All three of these youth could have volunteered in other areas of the community that are not as uncomfortable as bathing elderly adults. Fiona, Asher, and Jonas all show selflessness by respectfully giving their time to working with the elderly who need help bathing themselves. Below is a description of what these three do in the bathing room: He helped the woman from the chair, led her to the tub, removed her robe, and steadied her with his hand on her arm as she stepped in and...

In chapter 5 of Andrew Clements' Frindle, Nick's first big idea is to question who decides the meanings of words. This idea gives him inspiration for his next big idea in chapter 6 and serves as the basis of the book. In questioning who decides what words mean, Nick shows his ability to question authority, think creatively, and make major changes in the world, which are all abilities Mrs. Granger sees in Nick and approves of.   Nick questions who determines the meanings of words when he asks Mrs. Granger, "[W]ho says d-o-g means the thing that goes woof and wags its tail?." To his surprise, Mrs. Granger replies that Nick himself and all of society around him determine the meanings of words because they "all agree" that a specific word means something specific. Nick's question shows that he is able to think creatively; he's not willing to accept that something is correct just because society says it's correct. This is the sort of creative thinking...

Margot's strength is in her sensitivity and her ability to be true to herself. She remembers  a better world on earth, where the sun often shone, and is strong in her dislike of Venus, where the sun only comes out once every seven years. She shows integrity in her loyalty to earth. She reveals her artistic sensitivity when she writes a poem about the sun: "I think the sun is a flower, / That blooms for just one hour." One of the boys in the class protests that she couldn't have written that.  Because she is true to herself, she tries to communicate her memories of the sun to the other children, comparing it to a fire in the stove and a penny. Because she is nonconformist, she won't join the other children in their games. She doesn't pretend to like things she doesn't like. As with most people, her strengths are also her weaknesses. Her integrity--being true to herself--includes a lack of social skills: she doesn't seem to realize how much she is aliena...

Atticus brings Scout a book home in his briefcase in part 1 of To Kill a Mockingbird .  When he arrives home from work, Jem takes his briefcase and Scout asks her father if he has brought a book for her: Jem, forgetting his dignity, ran with me to meet him.  Jem seized his briefcase and bag, I jumped into his arms, felt his vague dry kiss and said, "'d you bring me a book?'" (Chapter 13) Scout enjoys reading with her father.  Together, they read a variety of texts.  They read informational books, law, the Bible, and newspapers.  When Miss Caroline tells Scout that she can no longer read with her father, she realizes how special their time together is. On two separate occasions later in the novel, it is revealed that Atticus carries papers in his briefcase.  These papers have to do with the legal matters he is working on, such as the trial of Tom Robinson.  The following is a quote from the one of the courtroom scenes in Tom's trial: [Atticus] had evidently pulled ...

In Chapter 4, Ponyboy and Johnny are relaxing in a nearby park when a blue Mustang begins to circle the park slowly. Ponyboy begins to worry, and Johnny says the Socs were probably upset at them for picking up their girls. Five Socs then exit the vehicle and begin to walk towards Johnny and Pony. Ponyboy says the Socs were staggering, and he figured they were "reeling pickled." Reeling is defined as losing one's balance, and "pickled" is slang for extremely intoxicated. Ponyboy recognizes the Socs are drunk, which is why they stagger towards them. Ponyboy and Johnny are outnumbered by a gang of drunk Socs who are looking for trouble. Unfortunately, the Socs attempt to drown Ponyboy in the park's fountain, but Johnny saves his life by stabbing Bob Sheldon.

I always connect "The Lottery" with Ursula Le Guin's "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas."   These stories are both based on the idea that if we sacrifice one person, everyone else can have a good life.  In Le Guin's story, no one is stoned to death, but the poor creature that is captive might as well have been stoned to death, since this child leads such a miserable life.  In both stories, there is no one arguing that this "tradition" must cease. In "The Lottery" the only opposition that surfaces is from the victim, understandably, and in "Omelas," those who find this tradition distasteful do not speak out against it.  They merely walk away, so they can avoid the moral dilemma.  Also, both stories have settings that could be anywhere, deliberately vague, so the reader understands that these horrors could happen any time and any place. 

Many of the decisions in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet are made out of passion or in fits of rage: servants of the Montagues and Capulets brawl in the street over insulting gestures; Romeo and Juliet impetuously fall madly in love despite knowing their families are mortal enemies; Mercutio challenges Tybalt to a fight when Romeo backs down; Lord Capulet viciously berates his daughter when she asks him to postpone her marriage to Paris; Romeo vows suicide after a message from his servant and goes out of control, killing first Paris and then himself. Rational decisions are few and far between, but three instances of clear thinking are evident. First, in Act I, Lord Capulet's suggestion that Paris win Juliet's heart before approving their marriage is prudent. He rightly considers his daughter's feelings in the matter and insists that she be happy before he promises her to Paris, even though the match would make social and political sense. Second, it could be argued that ...

The two components of federalism consist of individualized constructions of power and overarching, centralized power. Federalism is an essential principle to the United States Constitution.  The framers of the American Constitution understood the need for balance between federal and state power in the new government.  They recognized that if states had too much authority, as they did in the Articles of Confederation, nothing could be done for the benefit of the entire nation. Each state would be its own tiny nation, and national unity would be impossible.  At the same time, the framers were keenly aware of what happened when central authority exerted too much power.  The entire American Revolution was fought to be free from tyrannical authority in the form of England and King George.  A balance between federal and state power was sought. In the American constitutional principle of federalism, power is shared between the federal government and state governments.  Specific duties are all...

A coming of age story is a story that focuses on how a particular child character matures and the life experiences that make him or her an adult.  Great Expectations is the story of a young boy, Pip, who grows up due to tumultuous experiences he has from a very young age. Pip’s first experience is in the cemetery.  Magwitch finds him there looking at his family’s headstones.  He tells Pip to bring him food and a file to remove his shackles.  Pip does so, and demonstrates that he feels sorry for Magwitch.  More than just bringing him everything because he is scared, Pip shows empathy.  This is something Magwitch remembers, and is the reason why he sends Pip his money. Miss Havisham’s house is another coming of age experience for Pip.  He meets Estella there, and falls in love with her from a young age.  Miss Havisham encourages this.  She wanted Estella to practice on Pip.  Miss Havisham is a very bizarre old woman who never leaves her house and has never changed out of her wedding dre...

Jacob Marley was Scrooge’s business partner in the counting house.  Jacob Marley died seven years before the book began.  Before that, he was the closest thing that Scrooge had to a friend.  The two of them were partners in Scrooge’s current counting house, called Scrooge and Marley.  A counting house is like a bank.  Scrooge and Marley would lend money to people. After Marley died, Scrooge did not change the name of the business.  He did not even change the sign. Scrooge never painted out Old Marley’s name. There it stood, years afterwards, above the warehouse door: Scrooge and Marley. The firm was known as Scrooge and Marley. Sometimes people new to the business called Scrooge Scrooge, and sometimes Marley, but he answered to both names. (Stave 1) Although Scrooge seems entirely unsentimental, leaving Marley’s name up could be a small bit of grief sneaking in.  Scrooge is definitely happy to see Marley’s ghost when he shows up, once he gets over the shock.  Marley wants to help Scroo...

The answer to this question will be different for every reader. In fact, some readers might resent being asked the question in this manner--it assumes that everyone does like something about the story, when in fact it's possible that a reader dislikes the whole thing! What I personally like most about "A Summer's Reading" is that the protagonist is so flawed and human. He's awkward, insecure, and perfectly believable as a person. When I read about how George is so upset and ashamed that he's hiding in his room and the act of breathing feels like "drawing a flame into his lungs," and when I see how relieved he feels that "Mr. Cattanzara hadn't told on him," I really identify with him. Too many characters in short stories are so honorable, talented, and conscientious about everything that I get tired of them, and George is a welcome change from all that. His shame over his own behavior, and his relief at getting away with something, are ...

In The Book Thief,  Liesel Meminger is described as a young girl on the verge of adolescence. Born in 1929, she is around 10 years old at the start of the war in 1939. Her physical appearance is relatively important, as Nazi Germany was a society that rewarded certain types of physical characteristics and punished others.  Her hair is blonde—"a close enough brand of German blonde." In the context of her story, it seems that the author is showing that she doesn't quite fit in, even though her hair is an acceptable color. Another description of her appearance in the book is of her smile. It is described as a "smile that was starving." Considering her situation, and the constant risk her foster family endured while hiding Max, she didn't have much of a reason to smile. But every once in a while, whether it was in conversation with Max in the basement or in other moments, she was able to let her emotions show. 

Her desire to purchase the silk stockings for herself indicates a need in Mrs. Sommers for self-indulgence. When Mrs. Sommers becomes "the unexpected possessor of fifteen dollars," she considers for days what she will buy with the windfall she has received. In her mind she considers what is needed for the children:  The vision of her little brood looking fresh and dainty and new for once in their lives excited her and made her restless and wakeful with anticipation. Clearly, Mrs. Sommers has unselfish intentions, and she possesses the dutiful thinking of a mother as she prepares to take the trolley one day and make her planned purchases. However, on this day she is "a little faint and tired"; in fact, she has forgotten to eat before leaving home. So, after she enters a shop, she sits down at a counter; while resting there, her hand inadvertently brushes against something "very soothing, very pleasant to touch." She notices that her hand rests upon a pile o...

Sort of... eventually? Today, France is one of the world's most prosperous democracies, and it probably wouldn't be if the monarchy had remained in power during that whole period (though it very likely would have become more of a constitutional monarchy like the UK has). In that sense, then, the French Revolution did bring about democracy. Also, immediately after the French Revolution the government, called the First Republic of France, was relatively democratic, but this government was rapidly overthrown. There were a series of coups d'etat , making it so no government remained in place for more than a few years before the next one took over. The first really stable government after the revolution was Napoleon's, and that was assuredly no democracy — it was basically a totalitarian dictatorship. For a decade and a half after Napoleon was overthrown, there was the Bourbon Restoration, which was more of a conventional monarchy. That was then overthrown in the July Revol...

Dr. Watson is no longer sharing rooms with Sherlock Holmes at 221B Baker Street when he writes the story titled "The Adventure of the Speckled Band." However, he sets the story back in an earlier time when he was still living at Baker Street. He does this in order to explain why he is there in bed so early in the morning. It is only a little past seven o'clock when Holmes wakens him from a sound sleep. It was early in April in the year '83 that I woke one morning to find Sherlock Holmes standing, fully dressed, by the side of my bed. He was a late riser, as a rule, and as the clock on the mantelpiece showed me that it was only a quarter-past seven, I blinked up at him in some surprise, and perhaps just a little resentment, for I was myself regular in my habits. Both men are sound sleepers, but Holmes is up and fully dressed. This is due to the unusual fact that a young lady named Helen Stoner has called on Holmes so early. Holmes wants Watson to join him in the interv...

A computer is a device that inputs, manipulates, stores, and outputs digital information based on stored instructions known as programs.  The first main function of a computer is input/ output. This function is what enables the computer to communicate with external devices such as screens, printers, keyboards, the internet, or pointing devices. Without the abilities to communicate its results or stored information or to accept instructions, a computer would be useless. The second main function a computer has is the ability to store data. This can be in either volatile or non-volatile storage using a variety of media, such as DVDs, CD ROMs, flash drives, hard drives, or even cloud storage. Finally, a computer is able to manipulate digital data. Most computers operate on binary data, performing large numbers of very simple operations very quickly in order to perform complex tasks.

a) In the Mbuti Pygmy world, the molimo is both a ritual and a musical instrument. The molimo is performed when there has been a catastrophe, sickness, death, or crisis within the Pygmy community. As a practice, the Mbutis revere the forest that nourishes and protects them; thus, when trouble occurs, the "sleeping" forest has to be awakened to its duty of caring for the people. The molimo trumpets are played for this purpose and must be "given food to eat, water to drink, and fire to keep it warm." As a rule, no woman can participate in the molimo ceremony, so the ritual is strictly a male affair. An elima is a celebration that occurs when a Mbuti girl reaches puberty. The ceremony involves the girl living with her friends in a special hut for a month. As a newly menstruating female, the Mbuti girl is viewed as a danger, for "blood of any kind is a terrible and powerful thing, associated with injury and sickness and death." Thus, the girl is sequestere...

One summer evening, Scout, Jem, and Dill decide to sneak into the Radley yard to spy on Boo.  They hope to catch a glimpse of the infamous figure.  Instead, Mr. Radley comes out and shoots his gun into the air.  The children escape through the fence, but Jem's pants get caught in the barbed wire.  His is unable to get them free, so he leaves them behind.   Jem knows that he needs to get his pants back.  He is sure that he will get in trouble with his father if he does not get them back.  He had told Atticus that he lost his pants to Dill in a game of strip poker.  He decides to sneak back to the Radley's yard to retrieve his pants.   Scout begs Jem not to go.  She is worried that something bad might happen to him.  She is terrified that he will get shot: I began to feel sick. Going back to that place by himself—I remembered Miss Stephanie: Mr. Nathan had the other barrel waiting for the next sound he heard ( To Kill a Mockingbird , Chapter 6). Despite Scout's protests, Jem ...

There are several reasons why Hume used the dialogue form. The first is that it was a standard type of philosophical writing, first pioneered by Plato, and subsequently used by many other philosophers. Hume would have been particularly impressed by the way Socrates engaged in rational inquiry, starting with an open mind rather than a set of dogmatic beliefs. This particular nature of the dialogue form as exploratory was especially important for Humean skepticism. Cicero's dialogue on the gods was also a model for Hume.  Next, in the period during which Hume was writing, blasphemy was illegal. Although it was widely known that Hume was an atheist, by writing this as a dialogue, in which arguments in favor of atheism and arguments that might offend Christians were voiced by characters, rather than being spoken in propria persona , Hume could maintain a fiction that this was simply an exploration of religious issues rather than an anti-religious screed. 

Juliet is an innocent victim of her family’s feud and a patriarchal society.   You could easily say that Juliet would not have died in this play if her family was not feuding with the Montagues.  There seems to be no basis for the feud.  It just has been going on for so long that everyone accepts it.  Even Juliet is upset when she learns Romeo is a Montague because she does not want to betray her family.  JULIET My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me, That I must love a loathed enemy. (Act 1, Scene 5)  Juliet loves Romeo, and he seems to love her, so she goes along with marrying him in secret.  She decides that his name is insignificant to who he is as a person.  Romeo doesn’t care who is a Capulet.  He doesn’t want to fight Tybalt, but Tybalt kills Mercutio, and he has to.  Juliet still might not have died when Romeo was banished if her father hadn’t insisted that she marry Paris.  In the patriarchal soci...

Toni Cade Bambara makes several allusions in the short story “Raymond’s Run.” These references bring interest and imagery to the story. The author alludes to Mercury, the Roman god of swiftness and speed, when writing about Squeaky’s running abilities.  “The big kids call me Mercury cause I’m the swiftest thing in the neighborhood.” Another allusion is to Dodge City when Gretchen and her posse are walking toward Squeaky and Raymond on Broadway. Dodge City refers to the name of a town associated with visions of a wild, reckless outpost town in the Wild West. So they are steady coming up Broadway and I see right away that it’s going to be one of those Dodge City scenes cause the street ain’t that big and they’re close to the buildings just as we are. Jack in the Beanstalk is also used as an allusion in the story in Squeaky’s description of Mr. Pearson, the race organizer. This allusion provides the reader with visual imagery and an idea of the persona of Mr. Pearson. Then here comes Mr. ...

These days it seems that bread has become a sort of forbidden food among people concerned about their health. From the popularity of low-carb diets to the proliferation of gluten-free foods, bread is suffering from a real image problem. It is true that simple carbohydrates like starches and sugars are not good for us in large amounts; they raise the blood sugar levels quickly, and white flour products often contain empty calories devoid of the fiber and nutrients of whole grains. The absence of fiber can affect digestion and elimination in negative ways, and a low fiber diet is associated with a host of health problems including colon cancer and diverticulitis. Gluten is harmful to the health of people who have celiac disease, but most people who decide to cut back on bread (and similar products such as pasta and baked goods) experience a greater sense of well being simply because they're not experiencing the blood sugar spikes and sluggish digestion caused by white flour products....

In Robert Frost’s poem, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” the wagon or carriage driver is in the midst of conducting some business, or of running an important errand. But he stops the horse at the woods, just so he can take in and watch the beauty of the snowflakes falling on the trees. His dilemma is that he doesn’t have a lot of time to spend—or waste, depending on how you look at it—to pause here for very long. He can’t turn his full attention to nature and to the weather, to merely enjoy the moment. He has other commitments, other duties, and other responsibilities to attend to. He makes enough time to take care of himself here, spiritually. But then he must continue on, to his additional “promises” and those “miles to go.” His story is an example of the real-life challenge of balancing personal time and paying time, or work.

Brian refers to that shift in his life and attitude as "new time" because the shift is a complete turn in Brian's attitude about his situation. People talk about the idea of "turning over a new leaf." It's usually about some habit change that they want to make; however, Brian literally has a completely new outlook on his life. Before the "new time," Brian's main hope for survival was rescue. As the days ticked by, Brian got hungrier and weaker. Every day he wasn't rescued was another day of lost hope. The new time isn't a time of losing hope. It is a time of Brian having increased hope in his survival. The difference is that Brian knows that his survival is  not  dependent on somebody else rescuing him. His survival depends on his own ability to avoid costly mistakes and secure himself food. But hope in his knowledge. Hope in the fact that he could learn and survive and take care of himself. Tough hope, he thought that night. I am full...

The phone call Tom receives in Chapter I is significant in many ways. For one thing, it suggests that Tom is having an affair and suggests further that this is not his first one. It has reached the point where his current mistress is actually phoning him at his home. Nick senses that there is something wrong between Daisy and her husband, but Jordan Baker confirms it when she tells him, "Tom's got some woman in New York." The blatantly aggressive phone call characterizes the caller and suggests that the woman who is creating trouble by calling Tom at home is probably trying to break up his marriage. Later when we meet Myrtle Wilson we see that she does have hopes that Tom will get a divorce and marry her--which, of course, would mean that she would have to divorce her present husband George. Fitzgerald apparently wanted to suggest that there was some possibility of Gatsby getting Daisy. It would help Gatsby's cause if Daisy and Tom had a fragile marriage. She would ha...

Mark Antony is the pivotal character in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.  His great funeral oration in the third act turns everything around. Up to that point the conspirators are on the offensive. They are just about to take over the governing of Rome, with Brutus and Cassius in the leading positions of power. But, just as recorded in history by Plutarch, Antony displays both remarkable courage and surprising eloquence as he single-handedly arouses the Roman plebeians to mutiny against Julius Caesar's assassins and forces them to flee from the city. At the end of Act III, Scene 2, a Servant tells Antony that Octavius has arrived in Rome and adds: I heard him say, Brutus and Cassius Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome. From that point on Antony is the most powerful man in the empire. Octavius is still quite young. It will take him some time to free himself from dependence upon Antony''s superior sagacity and experience. Lepidus, the third member of their  triumvir...

Spain was hoping to enhance its wealth from the voyage of Christopher Columbus.  The crown wanted to chart a western route to India and the lucrative spice and luxury goods trade.  The Portuguese had already charted a route around the southern part of Africa and held a monopoly in that direction.  Columbus convinced Spain that a western route could be charted.  Queen Isabella agreed to fund an expedition in the hopes that Spain could map out a new path to the eastern markets.  Once the Spanish realized that the lands Columbus sailed to were "unclaimed" territories, they wished to secure colonies that would enrich them with resources and markets.  The Spanish also wished to convert the native peoples to Christianity which would grow the power of the Roman Catholic Church.  

The main event that takes place in Chapter 2 is when Ana discovers Kim's beans that she buried in the lot on Gibb Street. At the beginning of the chapter, Ana, an older woman, looks out of her window to see a dark-haired girl hiding something behind an old refrigerator in the lot on Gibb Street. Ana becomes suspicious and initially believes the girl is burying drugs, a gun, or money. Instead of calling the police, Ana decides to solve the mystery herself. One day, Ana travels down to the lot on Gibb Street and begins to dig up the soil in the same location that the girl seemed to be burying something. Instead of finding something illicit, Ana ends up digging up two beans which had sprouted roots. She feels terrible about digging up the girl's beans and covers them with soil again.

Jack is a jealous , violent individual who craves power and eventually usurps it from Ralph throughout the novel. He is also a skilled hunter who voices his displeasure about maintaining a signal fire, building shelters, and following rules. He is a selfish individual who continually argues with Piggy and neglects the littluns. Jack values barbarism over civilization and quits Ralph's group in order to start his own tribe at the other end of the island. Jack is also a tyrannical leader who encourages violence and savagery. As leader of this tribe, Jack manipulates the boys' fear by promulgating the belief in the beast and promoting violence. Jack leads his group of savages on several hunting expeditions, neglects the need for a signal fire, and punishes individuals who do not follow his commands. The threat of violence deters any dissenters and Jack eventually commands his hunters to kill Ralph. 

History is very significant to modern life.  For example, it teaches one to read critically and to use media sources in a discerning manner.  Also, history teaches lessons about contemporary social and political life.  People look at the American presidential election of 2016 and compare it to the election of 1912 when the Republican party split.  There are also lessons to be learned from America's growing divide between rich and poor and the social changes and revolutions that took place throughout history because of this divide.  History also provides inspiration in looking at the lives of great people, such as Harriet Tubman and George Washington.  History gives one a sense of perspective.  In the media, people often throw out the word "unprecedented" a great deal but a careful study of history shows that many of these events do have some precedent.  History may not always repeat, but it certainly rhymes.  

To solve the indefinite integral, we follow `int f(x) dx = F(x) +C` where: `f(x)` as the integrand function `F(x)` as the antiderivative of f(x) `C` as the constant of integration. For the given integral problem: int x sin^2(x) dx, we may apply integration by parts: `int u *dv = uv - int v *du` . We may let: `u = x`  then `du =1 dx` or `dx` `dv= sin^2(x) dx` then `v = x/2 - sin(2x)/4` Note: From the table of integrals, we have `int sin^2(ax) dx = x/2 - sin(2ax)/(4a)` . We apply this on `v =int dv =intsin^2(x) dx `  where `a =1` . Applying the formula for integration by parts, we have: `int x sin^2(x) dx= x*(x/2 - sin(2x)/4 ) - int (x/2 - sin(2x)/4 ) dx`                               `=x^2/2 - (xsin(2x))/4 - int (x/2 - sin(2x)/4 ) dx` For the integral:  `int (x/2 - sin(2x)/4 ) dx` , we may apply the basic integration property: : `int (u-v) dx = int (u) dx - int (v) dx` . `int (x/2 - sin(2x)/4 ) dx =int (x/2) dx -int sin(2x)/4 ) dx`                                     ` = 1/2 int x dx - ...

The rats could reasonably be called Van Dusen's helpers. Van Dusen bet Dr. Ransome and Mr. Fielding that he could escape from any prison. They arranged for Van Dusen to be held at Chisholm Prison. Van Dusen promised that he would escape from the prison in a week's time and that they would meet for dinner at his place after his escape. Van Dusen was escorted to the prison by Dr. Ransome and Mr. Fielding. They met the warden, who was earlier informed of the experiment. The terms of the experiment were explained and Van Dusen took the opportunity to request some items. He was then ushered into cell 13, which was considered very secure. While in his cell, Van Dusen stumbled upon a hole in the wall that was connected to the prison’s old drainage system. His discovery was made possible by rats who visited his cell from outside the prison walls through the drainage system. He later used one of the rats to deliver a message to Mr. Hatch, who worked for a media company and also served a...

In Chapter 1, Cassie and her brothers are greatly disturbed to hear that men of their congregation have been set on fire. This incident creates anxiety in itself, but when their father issues them an order not to go to the Wallace store for any reason, the children are, indeed, worried about what changes are occurring in their environment. Of course, this incident foreshadows the main conflict in the narrative; for, later in Chapter 3 when Mr. Avery comes to the Logan home, this same problem is discussed. When he first arrives, Mr. Avery asks Mrs. Logan if her husband is home because he wants to inform him of a growing problem: "It's...it's them again. They's ridin' t'night." When Mrs. Logan asks why they are "riding," Mr. Avery replies that he does not really know, but as they are aware, "Anytime they thinks we steppin' outa our place they feels like they gotta stop us. You know what some of 'em done to the Berrys...." The pret...