Notes

There are very few disadvantages to liquidity per se, but in practice (and in a competitive financial market) there are downsides that more liquid assets (such as money) have over less liquid assets (such as factories). The most important one is return, or lack thereof; more liquid assets usually don't pay very much interest, and are usually not the sort of thing that directly earns revenue by itself. If you keep your wealth in cash instead of investing it, you bear the opportunity cost of the return you could have made on those investments. There are also often differences in how different assets are taxed; often more liquid assets are taxed higher than less liquid assets in an effort to incentivize investment. In businesses specifically, excess liquidity is generally a sign that the company is being too risk-averse, and failing to invest in new ventures such as research that carry risk but can also yield great rewards. Cash is a safe asset (not perfectly safe, since there is infl...

Second-Class Citizen is a book about Adah Ofili and her struggle both in Lagos (where she was born in the 1940s) and the United Kingdom (where she wants to achieve her dreams). Adah Ofili has a typical upbringing in Lagos until her father dies and she goes to live in the home of her uncle. More than anything else, Adah Ofili wants to be educated, so she sneaks away to a Methodist school (even though her mother gets in trouble for this act). Later, she is allowed to continue her education only because it will "fetch a higher bride price." Adah Ofili wins a scholarship to a prominent secondary school. Soon after, she marries a poor student named Franics Obi so she can continue school. Instead, she begins working at a library and has children. Eventually, the two move to the United Kingdom in pursuit of Adah Ofili's dream, but Francis Obi has a pessimistic attitude, insisting they are all second-class citizens in London. Even though housing conditions lend truth to Francis...

Given the curve equations ,they are `y_1 = 3(x^3 - x) ` -----(1) `y_2 = 0` -----(2) to get the boundaries or the intersecting points of the functions we have to equate the functions . `y_1=y_2` => `3(x^3 - x)= 0` => `(x^3 - x)=0` => `x(x^2-1)=0` => `x=0 or x=+-1` so, so, the Area =`int_-1^0 3(x^3)-x) -0 dx + int_0 ^1 0-(3x^3-x) dx ` =` int_(-1) ^0 (3x^3-3x) -0 dx +int_(0) ^1 0-(3x^3-3x) dx` = `[(3x^4)/4 -3/2 x^2]_(-1) ^0 +[-(3x^4)/4 +3/2 x^2]_(0) ^1` `=[0]-[3/4 - 3/2] +[-3/4+3/2]-[0]` =`-3/4 +3/2-3/4+3/2` = `-3/2 +3` =`3/2 = 1.5` is the area of the region between the curves

Jem and Scout are close because they have no mother, and their small family consists of just the two children and their father.  However, there is also a large age gap between them.  Because of this, they do not always understand each other.  Also, since Jem is a boy and Scout is a girl, there is sometimes conflict.  For example, while Scout is thrilled to begin school now that she is in first grade, Jem does not necessarily want to be seen with her.  They play together all summer, but she is just his annoying little sister while they are at school.  Jem condescended to take me to school the first day, a job usually done by one’s parents, but Atticus had said Jem would be delighted to show me where my room was. I think some money changed hands in this transaction, for as we trotted around the corner past the Radley Place I heard an unfamiliar jingle in Jem’s pockets. (Ch. 2)  Jem tells Scout not to talk to him at school, because she is in first grade and he is in fifth grade.  She is s...

The primary idea that O'Brien presents is the notion and the nature of shame, guilt, and responsibility. In 1968, the main character in this story, Tim O'Brien, (intentionally the same as the author, although it's not autobiographical), has been drafted into the Army, and he struggles to decide whether he should serve in Vietnam or flee to Canada.  In the chapter, O'Brien describes himself as "politically naive," yet he knows a great deal more about the history and background of Vietnam than the ignorant and jingoistic "polyestered Kiwanis boys... and the fine upstanding gentry out at the country club" do.  O'Brien feels the guilt that would accompany his desertion, envisioning "[his] father's eyes" if he told him he was running, yet he justifiably sees himself as being "too good for this war." O'Brien does run for a while. Holed up at Elroy Berdahl's fishing camp on the Rainy River that divides the U.S. and Canad...

According to an article from the San Francisco Classical Voice , there are over 200 operatic adaptations of Shakespeare's plays. Some of the best were written by the famous Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi. He used Shakespeare plots in  Falstaff , Otello and Macbeth . Otello , based on the tragedy Othello, is widely considered one of Verdi's finest achievements. Falstaff is also considered a masterpiece and is one of only two comedic operas written by Verdi. The Classical Voice lists Falstaff and Otello as the best of the many operas adapted from Shakespeare. Other famous composers who have tackled Shakespeare include Benjamin Britten, Hector Berlioz, Leonard Bernstein (he composed West Side Story which is not actually an opera, but is a popular musical version of Romeo and Juliet ) and Gioachino Rossini. Operas such as Falstaff and Beatrice et Benedict are based on Shakespeare but are often changed or an amalgam of the Bard's works. In the case of Falstaff , the libr...

When Desiree's husband discovers that his child is half African American, he tells Desiree to leave.  She walks off the plantation, not using the road but seeming to head in the direction of her parents' place.  However, Chopin writes, "She disappeared among the reeds and willows that grew thick along the banks of the deep, sluggish bayou; and she did not come back again."  This line indicates that Desiree and her baby end up drowning in the bayou, which is a marshy lake common to Louisiana.   That is not where the story ends.  Chopin takes the reader back to L'Abri, Armand's plantation, where he is burning all of Desiree and the baby's belongings.  In that inferno, Armand has also put a letter from his mother to his father, which indicates that she was of African-American heritage, and his father knew this and married her anyway.  

The cytoskeleton of a cell is made up of three types of fibers. These are the microtubules, microfilaments and intermediate filaments. Microtubules (actin filaments) are the thickest of all of these fibers while microfilaments are the thinnest. One function of microtubules involves cell motility or movement as seen in the flagella and cilia in various cell types . Microtubules may extend from some cell types as a flagella which looks like a long tail or cilia which are smaller hairs that extend out from the plasma membrane. They differ in their beating patterns to achieve movement. Flagella seem to undulate while cilia have a power stroke and then a recovery stroke. The flagellum in a single sperm cell undulates and propels the sperm forward. The many tiny cilia surrounding a Paramecium beat in rhythm and cause the organism to move through its watery environment. Both cilia and flagella have a core consisting of microtubules surrounded by the plasma membrane. To serve as an anchor, th...

Taylor series is an example of infinite series derived from the expansion of f(x) about a single point. It is represented by infinite sum of` f^n(x)` centered at `x=c.` The general formula for Taylor series is: `f(x) = sum_(n=0)^oo (f^n(c))/(n!) (x-c)^n` or `f(x) =f(c)+f'(c)(x-c) +(f^2(c))/(2!)(x-c)^2 +(f^3(c))/(3!)(x-c)^3 +(f^4(c))/(4!)(x-c)^4 +...` To determine the Taylor polynomial of degree `n=3 ` from the given function `f(x)=2/x ` centered at `x=1` , we may apply the definition of Taylor series. To determine the list `f^n(x)` up to `n=3` , we may apply Law of Exponent: `1/x^n = x^-n`  and  Power rule for derivative: `d/(dx) x^n= n *x^(n-1)` . `f(x) = 2/x or 2x^(-1)` `f'(x) = d/(dx) 2/x`             `= d/(dx) 2x^(-1)`            `= 2*d/(dx) x^(-1)`            `=2*(-1 *x^(-1-1))`            `=-2x^(-2) or -2/x^2` `f^2(x)= d/(dx) -2x^(-2)`             `=-2 *d/(dx) x^(-2)`            `=-2 *(-2x^(-2-1))`            `=4x^(-3) or 4/x^3` `f^3(x)= d/(dx) 4x^(-3)`            `=4 *...

The theme of expectation vs. reality is illustrated through the character of Ravi during the game of hide-and-seek.   Ravi isn't a leader among the other children. It could be because he is younger or smaller than most of them, but readers are presented with the idea that he is a bit of an outsider. When we first meet Ravi, he is attempting to burrow and hide from Raghu because he fears Raghu. Readers also get to read my favorite line from this story. Ravi heard the whistling and picked his nose in a panic, trying to find comfort by burrowing the finger deep — deep into that soft tunnel. . .  Ravi looked about him desperately, swallowing a small ball of snot in his fear. The image of a kid picking his nose and swallowing snot balls doesn't exactly make readers think that Ravi is one of the "cool" kids. Ravi eventually gets himself a great hiding spot, and he begins to envision what it will be like to win the game of hide-and-seek. He imagines the other children will t...

In Edward Bloor's novel  Tangerine,  Luis Cruz is killed by a blow to the head from a blackjack wielded by Erik Fisher's friend, Arthur Bauer.  The head wound doesn't kill Luis right away. Luis had an aneurysm, which is a weakening in the wall of an artery; it causes the artery to stretch out, making it susceptible to bursting spontaneously or in response to an injury. He was hit on a Tuesday, and six days later, he was dead.  Paul Fisher, the narrator and younger brother of Erik Fisher, saw Arthur Bauer assault Luis. Luis had shown up at football practice looking for Erik. He was there to confront him about hitting his relative, Tino, in the face. When he finds Erik and tells him the reason he is there, Erik directs Arthur to take care of Luis. In response, Arthur fishes a "blackjack" out of his gym bag. This is a sock filled with lead. He uses it to hit Luis in the side of the head while Erik keeps moving, saying "Arthur takes care of all of my light work....

Since Shakespeare "invented the human as we know it," as Shakespearean expert Harold Bloom writes, there are themes and motifs in Macbeth such as "vaulting ambition," excessive power, subterfuge, and paranoia, that are truly relevant in modern politics. One of the popular television series this and previous years has been House of Cards,  a realistic program set in Washington, D.C. whose scripts deal primarily with themes from Macbeth that are relevant today: "ruthless pragmatism, manipulation, and power." These themes are also much in line with a note left by Vince Foster, White House aide for the Clinton Administration, whose dead body was found in a park in Washington, D.C. It read, "Here, ruining people is considered sport." Certainly, President Richard M. Nixon, who was given the moniker "King Richard," was a man seized with "vaulting ambition" and a desire for power as well as a paranoia to outmatch that of Macbeth. Hi...

Jack is never elected chief. At the beginning of the novel, the boys decide to elect Ralph because he is holding the conch. As the novel progresses, Ralph proves to be an ineffective leader and the boys gradually begin to favor Jack. Jack proves to be a fearless hunter and natural leader. Although Jack's initial attempt to usurp power fails, the majority of the boys decide to join his tribe. The boys enjoy Jack's tribe because he takes them hunting, provides them with meat, and allows them to play. Unlike Ralph, Jack appeals to the boys' primitive instincts. Eventually, Jack turns out to be a tyrannical ruler who uses fear and punishment to control his band of savages. Although Jack is never technically elected chief, he ends up gaining power by appealing to the boys' savage nature and claiming that Ralph is an effective leader. 

There is more than one theme in the novel, but one important theme is the importance of belonging. Family, friendship, and belonging are very important to the boys. They are part of gangs, but the gangs are like their family. There are a couple examples in the book when the importance of this bond is exemplified.  Pony describes how important the gang’s friendship is to Johnny. Johnny is abused by his father and ignored by his mother. The gang is the only real family he has. They are the people who really care about him.  He was the gang's pet, everyone's kid brother. . . He would have run away a million times if we hadn't been there. If it hadn't been for the gang, Johnny would never have known what love and affection are (Chapter 1).  When Johnny has to go on the run for killing Bob, he asks Dally if his parents are worried about him. Dally tells him it doesn’t matter because he has the gang. When Johnny is in the hospital after rescuing the kids from the fire, the do...

Donalbain is not with Malcolm’s army.   Donalbain is somewhat of a mystery.  He is not chosen as Duncan’s successor, since he is younger. He flees to Ireland when his brother goes to England to gather an army, and he doesn’t come back to Scotland to fight Macbeth.  He is either a coward or incredibly self-centered.  When their father is killed, Malcolm and Donalbain flee.  For this reason, they are suspected of complicity or of being the ones who killed their father.  This was all part of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s plan, of course.  Donalbain seems to think that they will be better off separating.  DONALBAIN To Ireland, I; our separated fortune Shall keep us both the safer: where we are, There's daggers in men's smiles: the near in blood, The nearer bloody. (Act 2, Scene 3)  It actually makes sense for Malcolm and Donalbain to flee, even though they weren’t involved, because the person who killed their father clearly did not intend for either of them to be king.  Whoever it was...

Given` (x+y)dx - xdy= 0` =>` (x+y) - xdy/dx= 0` =>` x+y-xy'=0` =>` x+y=xy'` => `1+y/x=y'` => `y' -y/x=1` when the first order linear ordinary differential equation has the form of `y'+p(x)y=q(x)` then the general solution is , `y(x)=((int e^(int p(x) dx) *q(x)) dx +c)/e^(int p(x) dx)` so, ` y' -y/x=1--------(1)` `y'+p(x)y=q(x)---------(2)` on comparing both we get, `p(x) = -1/x and q(x)=1` so on solving with the above general solution we get: y(x)=`((int e^(int p(x) dx) *q(x)) dx +c)/e^(int p(x) dx` =`(int e^(int (-1/x) dx) *(1) dx +c)/e^(int (-1/x) dx)` first we shall solve `e^(int (-1/x) dx)=e^(-ln(x))=1/x`      so proceeding further, we get y(x) =`(int e^(int (-1/x) dx) *(1) dx +c)/e^(int -1/x dx)`  =`(int (1/x) *(1) dx +c)/(1/x)` =`(ln(x) +c)/(1/x ) = x(ln(x)+c)` So , `y(x) = x(ln(x)+c)`

Europeans interacted with people from the rest of the world primarily through trade. Trade goods made their way along a complex network of routes that connected Asia (as far away as China) and Africa to Europe. Europeans consumed luxury items such as silk (a commodity so valuable that the phrase "Silk Road" is used to describe these trade routes) and spices as early as the 200s BC. These trade routes seldom brought Europeans into direct contact with faraway peoples, as they involved a series of middle men, but they contributed to a view of China in particular as an exotic and astonishingly wealthy empire. On the other hand, when the Mongols began to threaten the eastern edges of Christendom, the east was understood to be the home of barbarians and savages. Africa was often portrayed as a land full of fearsome creatures and savage peoples, who practiced cannibalism. These views were not based on evidence, as few Europeans had contact with African peoples. So Europeans mytholog...

In “Richard Cory,” the speaker describes the people’s reaction to and admiration of Cory. He is obviously of the upper class, being a “gentleman from sole to crown.” He “flutters hearts” when he speaks, so he is physically attractive. He is wealthy, “richer than a king.” He has social grace and manners. He is obviously above the “common” people, who have to struggle for their daily bread. He appears to have everything one’s heart could wish. Evidently, however, all that is not enough, for one night he goes home and “puts a bullet in his head.” His suicide is in stark contrast with his seemingly charmed life. Happiness was eluding him. The speaker does not mention any one person, a friend or family member, with whom Cory can find comfort, only his reputation among the people he encounters. The speaker's perspective makes it clear that suicide is not necessarily caused by outwardly hard times. There are many things that can be seen as lacking in one’s life. Though to all outward appe...

There is a significant amount of alliteration—repeated initial consonant sounds—in Rudyard Kipling's story "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi," which helps make the story fun to read. First, let's think about the names of the characters. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi has the repeated "t" sound in the last two parts of his name. Nag and Nagaina both have names that start with "n," so whenever their names come near each other, that's alliteration. Chuchundra speaks of his cousin, Chua—both names begin with "ch."  Now, let's think about the sound effects Kipling incorporates into the story. The sound Rikki makes is "rikk-tikk-tikki-tikki-tchk!"  The "t" sound repeats. When Nagaina takes her first strike at Rikki, Kipling writes, "he heard her savage hiss." The repeated "h" sounds make us think of the snake's hissing. When Rikki trades Nagaina a cobra egg for Teddy, he taunts her by saying, "Tricked! Tricked! Tricke...

Paul Tillich, a theologian, coined the term "Age of Anxiety" in the mid 20th century to refer to the sense of meaninglessness, particularly in Europe, that developed after World War I. This war, fought between great empires such as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Czarist Russia, and Imperial Germany (among others), saw these empires crumble by the war's end. In addition, the types of destruction unleashed by the war were new, such as the use of poison gas, and these weapons and violence also targeted civilians. After the war, people were faced with the destructive results of the war and with the political aftermath of the war. Germany had to pay large reparations that hobbled its economy and helped pave for the unfortunate rise of Hitler and the Nazis, and Russia embarked on a Bolshevik Revolution and Civil War.  Some of the sense of anxiety in the inter-war period arose from Europe's instability after World War I, when so many old Empires were broken up without stable n...

The climax of "A Summer Tragedy" occurs at the moment that the car plunges down the steep incline into the river where the deep water flows rapidly: The movement was nearly as swift and direct as a fall. The two old black folks, sitting quietly side by side, showed no excitement.  Ironically, the old couple have chosen summer as the season in which to end their lives, the season in which all else is ripe and bountiful. Jeff loves the land that he has worked all the years of his life, and he leaves it before harvest because he is too weak and dispirited to work through this season. Someone else can benefit from his crop because he is too debilitated by his stroke. His aged wife Jennie, who is blind and destroyed by the tragic loss of all her children, joins him in their journey toward death as Jeff drives their old Model-T Ford that sputters and rattles and "chug[s] on monotonously."  Having lost their youth, their children, and their health, Jeff and Jennie feel the...

At first, Jonas accepts the rules and punishments as how things are.  After he begins training, he starts to have his doubts.   Jonas’s community has very strict rules and regulations regarding behavior.  In an attempt to make everyone completely comfortable all the time they institute Sameness, which means that there are proper behaviors and conventions people are supposed to follow for just about every aspect of daily life.   The punishments for breaking rules are strict.  For example, major infractions result in release. Breaking a rule three times results in release as well.  Release is a serious punishment.  It actually means death by lethal injection, but Jonas does not realize that until he starts his training.  Every community member knows that release is a harsh punishment, however, because the person is never seen again.  We are introduced to the concept of release early on, when a pilot accidentally flies a jet over the community.  This is an example of an egregious error.  ...

Harrison Bergeron is the fourteen-year-old son of George and Hazel Bergeron. They are citizens of the United States in 2081, a time when the Constitution has been amended to require equality for all citizens. Despite the society's efforts to make life perfect, however, the government had not been able to change the coming of spring, and April was still cooler than people wanted it to be. Besides being disappointed about the weather, George and Hazel have another reason to dislike April . That was the month that agents from the office of the United States Handicapper General had come to their home to arrest their son, Harrison. Harrison had been plotting to overthrow the government, it was suspected. George and Hazel cope with the loss of their son by not thinking about him much. 

`sum_(n=0)^oo (-1)^n x^n/5^n` To determine the radius of convergence of a series `sum` `a_n` , apply the Root Test. `L = lim_(n->oo) root(n)(|a_n|)` `L=lim_(n->oo) root(n)(|(-1)^nx^n/5^n|)` `L = lim_(n->oo) root (n) (| (-1)*x/5|^n)` `L= lim_(n->oo)|(-1)*x/5|`  `L = |(-1)*x/5|` `L=|-1/5|*|x|` `L=1/5|x|` Take note that in Root Test, the series converges when L < 1. `Llt1` `1/5|x|lt1` `|x|lt5` Therefore, the radius of convergence of the given series is R=5.

In this soliloquy, Macbeth is trying to talk himself into killing the king.  Before, when he heard the witches make the prophecy that he would be king, he was all ready to go.  He was angry when the king’s son Malcolm was named heir to the throne instead.  When Macbeth returned home, he expressed concern about taking action against the king. In a soliloquy, the character talks to him or herself.  The goal is often to talk through some kind of internal conflict.  In this case, Macbeth is trying to rise to his ambition.  His wife says that he does not have the “illness” to attend to it.  In other words, Macbeth does not have what it takes to act on his ambition.  This soliloquy seems to demonstrate that, at the very least, he has to talk himself into it. Macbeth wants to do it.  However, he is concerned that Duncan does not deserve to die.  He has been a good king.  He is also Macbeth’s guest. He's here in double trust; First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, Strong both against ...

The Cold War was a period of competitions and confrontations between the United States and the Soviet Union. It began after World War II ended and lasted until 1991. The Soviet Union and the United States had confrontations over the spread of communism. The Soviet Union had spread communism to Eastern Europe and wanted to spread it to Western Europe and to Asia after World War II ended. We took actions to prevent this. We offered economic aid to countries trying to prevent communism from spreading. We also helped countries militarily. We helped West Berlin stay noncommunist with the Berlin Airlift. We went to the United Nations to help South Korea fight the invasion from North Korea. We strongly confronted the Soviet Union when they built missile sites and put missiles in Cuba. We also competed with the Soviet Union in other areas. One of those areas was in space exploration. Both countries wanted to be the first to launch a satellite and to be the first to get an astronaut in orbit ar...

There is no universally accepted list of "three distinctions that underlie social science" among social scientists. The only place I've seen that specific phrase used is in the context of course materials about criminal justice research (see link below) . There, it is used in the context of discussing the different forms that social science research can take. I'll frame my answer with that in mind, but what I say applies to social science in general. 1. Nomothetic versus idiographic explanation One distinction that underlies different types of research concerns explanation. Some research is aimed at explaining a general category of phenomena. The goal is to make generalizations that apply to a wide range of cases -- to uncover general principles or laws.  This is called nomothetic explanation. An example would be attempting to explain how early childhood stress contributes to the development of poor self-regulation skills. The researcher looks for an explanation that...

Weed is a small town in northern California near the foothills of Mt. Shasta. In chapter one and chapter three, George mentions the incident with the girl in the red dress. When he brings it up in chapter one, Lennie remembers that they were run out of the town. In Weed, George and Lennie were working on a ranch when Lennie saw a girl wearing a red dress. He grabbed the dress and held on, causing the girl to fear for her life and start screaming. Lennie has an obsession with touching and petting soft things, such as mice, rabbits and puppies. The red dress was just another object which played on this temptation. George gives Slim the details of the incident in chapter three: “Well, he seen this girl in a red dress. Dumb bastard like he is, he wants to touch ever’thing he likes. Just wants to feel it. So he reaches out to feel this red dress an’ the girl lets out a squawk, and that gets Lennie all mixed up, and he holds on ‘cause that’s the only thing he can think to do. Well, this girl...

When Nick attends his first party at Gatsby's, he and Jordan go into the library and meet a drunk man wearing round glasses who is inspecting the books.  The man is amazed that the books on the shelves are real, and he refers to Gatsby as "a regular Belasco" (45). David Belasco was a theater producer, director, and playwright who lived from 1853 to 1931; thus, he would have been alive when the text was written and set. In making such a comparison, the owl-eyed man implies that Gatsby is good at building a realistic set or stage; he's adept at creating believable facades. Gatsby later introduces Nick to a gambler named "Mr. [Meyer] Wolfsheim" who takes credit for having fixed the 1919 World's Series (69, 73).  This character was inspired by, and thus alludes to, Arnold Rothstein, a real-life racketeer who did, indeed, help to fix the World's Series in 1919. That Gatsby hangs out with this kind of person should give readers -- and Nick -- some insight ...

Despite the fact that the automated house in Ray Bradbury's short story "There Will Come Soft Rains" has started the day by making announcements and cooking breakfast, there is no sign of humans. In the first paragraph the narrator indicates that "The morning house lay empty" and later that "no doors slammed, no carpets took the soft tread of rubber heels." Instead of describing human characters, the narrator makes the house itself the main character. It is not revealed until well into the story that there has been an atomic blast and that the house is the only one still standing "in a city of rubble and ashes." The humans who inhabited the house, two parents and two children, have been incinerated in the attack, but their silhouettes remain on the charred outside wall on one side of the house, reminiscent of photographs taken in the days after the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.

The concept of Hamlet's descent into madness is a major theme throughout the play, but there is no definitive answer as to whether he was actually mad or simply giving a convincing performance. Prince Hamlet actively attempts to convince others that he is insane for his own purposes, which makes the matter more difficult to assess as a reader. It is possible that Hamlet believes his madness to be a pretense when it is, in fact, a reality. In this sense, madness is both a theme and a plot device. Hamlet's Perspective Throughout the story, Hamlet's ability to distinguish reality from imagination is called into question by himself as well as others. The first significant evidence that Hamlet is mad could also be taken as a supernatural encounter, depending on your perspective. Towards the beginning of the story, Prince Hamlet is visited by the ghost of his father who asks Hamlet to avenge his murder at the hands of his brother, King Claudius. As events in the play unfold, even...

To fully understand this line, one needs to look at the context in which it is used. Firstly, the poet, Jonathan Swift, was an Anglo-Irish satirist during the late 1600s and early 1700s. He is most famous for  Gulliver's Travels , in which he mocked all forms of political and government institutions and conventions. Swift was merciless in his satire and would often use disgusting and shocking images in his writing to make his point. He was often criticized for being revolting, but he believed in saying it as it is and made no apologies for his stance and his style of writing. "The Lady's Dressing Room" follows the style of satire that was Swift's trademark. The poem mocks the idea of beauty, suggesting that it is an illusion, as the unfortunate Strephon discovers when he decides to snoop on his mistress's bedchamber to gain some insight into her private affairs. What Strephon discovers is quite disgusting. Throughout the poem, he makes one revolting discovery ...

In Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings's short story, "A Mother in Mannville," Jerry is hardworking, trustworthy, and imaginative.  Jerry is an orphan who lives at the orphanage where the narrator rents a cabin. He meets the narrator when she puts in a request to have someone come to chop wood for her. Right away, the narrator is impressed with Jerry's work ethic. She didn't think he'd be able to do the job because of his size. In response to the work Jerry did that first day, the narrator says:  "We went together back of the cabin. An astonishing amount of solid wood had been cut. There were cherry logs and heavy roots of rhododendron, and blocks from the waste pine and oak left from the building of the cabin. 'But you've done as much as a man,' I said, 'This is a splendid pile.'" Jerry is also trustworthy. This can be seen in his relationship with the narrator's pointer dog, Pat. Jerry plays with Pat, rests with him, and takes care of ...

Black Beauty's only real negative trait in Anna Sewell's story is his naivete. His naivete makes it difficult for him to accept what becomes of him as the story progresses. But, regardless, throughout all his tribulations, he remains the well-bred horse his mother taught him to be. Prior to being sold for the first time, his mother warns him that there are all kinds of men in the world: [T]here are good thoughtful men like our master, that any horse may be proud to serve; and there are bad, cruel men, who never ought to have a horse or dog to call their own. (Ch. 3, Pt. 1) She further warns him that the more he works his hardest and is well-behaved, the more likely he will be treated well. Having been raised and broken in by gentle Farmer Grey, the news of bad men is a bit difficult for young, naive Black Beauty to get his head around . Yet, as the story progresses, he learns more about the nature of men as he is passed on from master to master, some good and caring, othe...

Being the boss's son, Curley does have power. He can essentially do whatever he wants without the fear of being fired. However, this power is indirect. It is actually his father's power. But Curley uses it nonetheless.  Curley is a small man and he is insecure. He tries to be intimidating in order to compensate for his insecurities. His insecurity is his weakness. In other words, he tries to appear more powerful than he really is. The swamper describes Curley's behavior and strategy:  S’pose Curley jumps a big guy an’ licks him. Ever’body says what a game guy Curley is. And s’pose he does the same thing and gets licked. Then ever’body says the big guy oughtta pick somebody his own size, and maybe they gang up on the big guy. Never did seem right to me. Seems like Curley ain’t givin’ nobody a chance.  Curley's insecurity, his feelings of powerlessness, lead him to act out in this way. So, he picks fights with people in a pathetic attempt to prove himself.  Curley also ha...

The Kennedy-Nixon debates were very significant. Up until this time, there had never been a presidential debate on live television. For the first time, people were able to see the faces, reactions, appearances, and mannerisms of the candidates, as well as hearing their answers to the questions that they were asked. In the first debate, when people saw John F. Kennedy, they saw a young, energetic man who was dressed very well. When they saw Richard Nixon, they saw a man who appeared to need a shave and who looked tired. His pale suit faded into the background. John Kennedy looked directly into the camera when answering questions, giving the public the belief that he was talking directly to them. Richard Nixon looked away from the camera as if he was talking directly to John Kennedy. The public felt he wasn’t speaking to them. This first debate influenced some voters to support John Kennedy. While Nixon did better in the other debates, some people made up their mind based on the first de...

In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird , Atticus Finch is a courageous figure in many respects. For example, he defends Tom Robinson at the cost of his reputation. As a father, Atticus also shows courage in a variety of ways. The first act of courage extends throughout the entire novel. Atticus is a widower trying to raise his children by himself. Though Calpurnia cooks meals for the family and cleans the house, Atticus devotes himself to properly raising his children, rather than finding a new wife to do it for him. No matter the difficultly or long hours associated with his job as a lawyer, he takes time to listen to Scout and Jem’s troubles. For example, when Scout is adamant about never going to school again after a terrible first day, Atticus treats her opinions with respect. In this way he guides Scout to make better decisions for herself. Another act of courageous parenting exhibited by Atticus is that though he is protective of Jem and Scout, he does not try to hide the world fr...

The narrator of The Devil's Arithmetic often focuses on eye color, probably to help us imagine more clearly what the characters look like, but also as a way of establishing connections among characters. However, to answer your question, only Aaron and Shmuel are the blue-eyed people mentioned anywhere within the first six chapters. Hannah focuses on this connection, realizing that Shmuel feels familiar to her because his blue eyes are so much like her own brother's. Let's consider each of the first six chapters and what they have to say about eye color. Chapter 1 doesn't mention anyone's eye color, but we're told in Chapter 2 that Aunt Eva has "deep-set coffee-colored eyes." No eye color is discussed in Chapter 3, but in Chapter 4 when Hannah enters the past, seeming to have stepped into the role of another young girl in a different family, she recalls her own family: "She remembered her mother and her father and her brother Aaron with his big bl...

A paradox is an apparent contradiction that is nonetheless true.  A situation can be paradoxical, as can a statement.  Further, an oxymoron is basically a compact paradox, the combination of incongruous or opposing words.  In the first scene, Romeo gives voice to a great many paradoxes and oxymorons in an attempt to capture his warring feelings about love.  He says, in part, Why then, O brawling love, O loving hate, O anything of nothing first created! O heavy lightness, serious vanity, Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms! Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health, Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is! (1.1.166-171) For him, love seems to be composed of so many pairs of opposites; it seems good and bad at the same time, and this is likely caused by the fact that he feels an unrequited love for Rosaline.  You could take your pick of many of these contradictions, but the idea that love is a "Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms," or beautiful things combine...

George speaks for Lennie when they are dealing with employers or potential employers because Lennie's limited intelligence would be revealed by his limited vocabulary, his monotone voice, and his general slowness in comprehending and formulating sentences. George knows that many potential employers would balk at hiring Lennie for fear that he could not understand instructions or might cause problems in other ways. Lennie is a good worker when he is told what to do. He has plenty of strength and stamina. But he can't express himself very well, and in any stressful situation he becomes hopelessly confused, as we see in several scenes in Of Mice and Men . George has been getting jobs for Lennie for as long as they have been together on the road.  In the opening chapter, George warns Lennie not to say anything when they sign up for work at the ranch. "Now. look--I'll give you the work tickets, but you ain't gonna say a word. You jus' stand there and don't say n...

Yes. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, prejudice is a feeling of like or dislike for someone or something, especially when it is not reasonable or logical. At the beginning of the novel, Jem believes the false rumors and terrifying stories about the Finches' reclusive neighbor Boo Radley. Jem's irrational feelings of fear toward Boo Radley would be classified as being prejudiced. Jem believes Miss Stephanie's gossip and views Boo Radley as a "malevolent phantom." Jem is scared to walk past the Radley home and describes Boo Radley as a grotesque, monstrous human being who eats squirrels and chews on furniture. As a child, Jem is not aware that Boo Radley is simply a shy individual who is a rather magnanimous person. As Jem gets older, he gains perspective and realizes Boo is a harmless, kind neighbor. His childhood belief that Boo Radley was a sinister, atrocious monster depicts his prejudiced feelings towards Boo early on in the novel. 

In Chapter 8, Miss Maudie's house catches on fire in the middle of the night, and Atticus tells Jem and Scout to stand in the Radleys' yard while he and the other neighbors attempt to save Maudie's furniture. While they are standing in the yard, Boo Radley silently approaches Scout and puts his blanket over her shoulder without her knowing. The next morning, Atticus asks Scout who gave her the blanket. Both Scout and Jem are perplexed. Atticus then tells them that Boo Radley was the person who covered Scout with his blanket. Scout says she almost threw up out of fear, and Jem promises his father that he won't attempt to bother Boo anymore. After learning that Boo tried comforting Scout, Jem realizes that Boo Radley is not a threat. Jem finally understands that Boo is not the "malevolent phantom," and believes Boo was responsible for sewing his pants the night of the raid.

Right now, race and race relations are common topics in the news. But, it is not as dramatic and turbulent as it was during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. That being said, there are some common developments. The "Black Lives Matter" movement is in step with those previous civil rights groups. And that includes a growing need for some kind of solidarity among African-Americans. This is what Dee was attempting to convey to her mother and sister. The problem is that she went about it in a superficial way. She flaunted her new passion for African culture in a way that made it seem like something trendy (or trending). And she looked down upon her mother's and sister's way of living. If this confrontation between Dee and her family occurred today, I think the conflict would be much the same. Although Dee is trying to empower and modernize her mother and sister, she is condescending in doing so. And she mocks her family heritage with her intent to display the quilts...

If x is a variable, then an infinite series of the form `sum_(n=0)^ooa_n(x-c)^n=a_0+a_1(x-c)+a_2(x-c)^2+......+a_n(x-c)^n+.....` is a power series centered at x=c, where c is a constant. Given `g(x)=5/(2x-3) , c=-3` Let's write g(x) in the form `a/(1-r)` `g(x)=5/(2x-3)` `=(5/2)/(x-3/2)` `=(5/2)/(x+3-3/2-3)` `=(5/2)/(x+3-9/2)` `=(5/2)/(-9/2(1-2/9(x+3)))` `=((5/2)(-2/9))/(1-2/9(x+3))` `=(-5/9)/(1-2/9(x+3))` So a=`-5/9` and r=`2/9(x+3)` So, the power series for g(x) is `sum_(n=0)^ooar^n` `=sum_(n=0)^oo(-5/9)(2/9(x+3))^n` `=-5sum_(n=0)^oo(2^n(x+3)^n)/9^(n+1)` This power series is a geometric series and it converges if `|r|<1` `|2/9(x+3)|<1` `-1<2/9(x+3)<1` `-9<(2x+6)<9` `-9-6<2x<9-6` `-15<2x<3` `-15/2<x<3/2` Interval of convergence is `(-15/2,3/2)`

One example of foreshadowing in Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees shows itself within the first few pages. Lily is fascinated by bees that mysteriously appear in her bedroom. She first sees them buzzing around and landing on her wall map, and she decides to catch several of them in a mason jar. When she later opens the lid, the bees simply fly out; this helps Lily realize that she has the power to leave the abuse of T-Ray if she chooses. These early bee interactions foreshadow that these tiny creatures will become an important part of her future. This comes to pass as a result of her living with the Boatwrights and helping out on the farm with honey harvesting. A second point of foreshadowing occurs when August explains the sad situation surrounding the suicide of May’s twin, April. August explains that May never fully recovered from April’s self-drowning when they were children; this enlightens readers about the trauma behind May’s mental instability and bipolar tendencies. Rea...

A periodic motion is any motion which repeats itself over time. It can occur in regular paths such as in ellipses or circles, and it may occur in irregular paths that may be less well defined. Oscillation is the repetitive variation of some measure about a central value or between two states over time. When the internal energy of the motion remains constant, the oscillation is said to be un-damped, but when the internal energy of the motion decreases over time, the oscillation is said to be damped. When an external force is applied in a periodic variation to a pendulum, the motion is said to be a forced oscillation. In regard to their relationship, an oscillatory motion is a type of periodic motion. When an oscillatory motion is damped, that is the amplitude decreases over time until the motion stops, the oscillation is said to be non-periodic; but when an oscillatory motion is un-damped, that is the internal energy of the motion remains constant, the oscillatory motion is said to be p...

Julian in Hellman's play Toys in the Attic and Mitch in Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire are similar in that they are both devoted to female members of their families. Julian's two sisters, Anna and Carrie, dote on him and sacrifice for him, and Mitch is oddly connected to his elderly mother. Mitch explains during a poker game, "I gotta sick mother. She don't go to sleep until I come in at night" (Scene 3). He doesn't enjoy going out at night because he worries about his mother, and, similarly, Julian's ties to his sisters bring him home after his marriage to Lily. Both characters seem superficially sensitive to the women in their lives. However, neither man is truly sympathetic. Julian is careless with the money his sisters give him. To tell them about how he's lost the shoe factory he invested their money in, he says, "Oh, that shoe factory. It's gone" (page 22). While he is off investing in a failed shoe factory, his sisters ...

Recall binomial series  that is convergent when `|x|lt1` follows:  `(1+x)^k=sum_(n=0)^oo _(k(k-1)(k-2)...(k-n+1))/(n!)` or`(1+x)^k= 1 + kx + (k(k-1))/(2!) x^2 + (k(k-1)(k-2))/(3!)x^3 +(k(k-1)(k-2)(k-3))/(4!)x^4-` ...  For the given function `f(x) =1/(1+x)^4` , we may  apply Law of Exponents: `1/x^n = x^(-n)` to rewrite it as: `f(x) = (1+x)^(-4)` This now resembles `(1+x)^k` for binomial series.   By comparing "`(1+x)^k` " with "`(1+x)^(-4)` ", we have the corresponding values: `x=x` and `k = -4` .  Plug-in the values  on the formula for binomial series, we get: `(1+x)^(-4)=sum_(n=0)^oo ((-4)(-4-1)(-4-2)...(-4-n+1))/(n!)x^n`                `= 1 + (-4)x + ((-4)(-4-1))/(2!) x^2 + ((-4)(-4-1)(-4-2))/(3!)x^3 +((-4)(-4-1)(-4-2)(-4-3))/(4!) x^4-` ... ` = 1 + (-4)x + ((-4)(-5))/(2!) x^2 + ((-4)(-5)(-6))/(3!)x^3 +((-4)(-5)(-6)(-7))/(4!) x^4-` ... ` = 1 -4x + 20/(2!) x^2 -120/(3!)x^3 +840/(4!)x^4-` ... ` = 1- 4x +10x^2 -20x^3 +35x^4-` ... Therefore, the Maclaurin series  for ...

One important clue which Sherlock Holmes immediately picks up on while listening to Jabez Wilson's story is that Wilson's new clerk got hired because he was willing to come for half wages. According to the pawnbroker: "I used to be able to keep two assistants, but now I only keep one; and I would have a job to pay him but that he is willing to come for half wages so as to learn the business.” Holmes immediately suspects that the new assistant must have some ulterior reason for wanting to work in that particular shop. Another important clue is that the assistant is supposedly an amateur photographer. “Oh, he has his faults, too,” said Mr. Wilson. “Never was such a fellow for photography. Snapping away with a camera when he ought to be improving his mind, and then diving down into the cellar like a rabbit into its hole to develop his pictures. That is his main fault, but on the whole he's a good worker. There's no vice in him.” The facts that Jabez Wilson had spent y...

The first time Tom arrives at Wilson's garage, when he has Nick along with him, Myrtle is quite happy to see Tom, and she does whatever he tells her.  She "walk[s] through her husband as if he were a ghost," going right up to Tom, licking her lips and looking right into his eyes.  She seems very sexually suggestive in all her lush vitality and boldness.  Tom tells her to "get on the next train," and she acquiesces immediately.  She acts as though she is his to command. The second time we see Tom arrive at Wilson's, he's in the car with Nick and Jordan Baker (Gatsby and Daisy are in another car).  Tom pulls up to get some gas, and Nick sees Myrtle watching them from an upstairs window.  Her "eyes were wide with jealous terror" and fixed on Jordan; Nick realizes that Myrtle believes that Jordan is Tom's wife, and she is burning with envy of her.

An essay needs to be researched and present a thesis which is defended throughout the body of the work.  The internet provides a wealth of information concerning the tragedy which occurred in 1989.  Many of the news articles from the time period are available online.  Libraries often have older publications on microfilm or microfiche as well.  The research portion of the work (tracking down reputable sources) often takes the longest.  Sources such as Wikipedia or blogs should not be used as direct references, but can point towards additional leads of interest. The Ecole Polytechnique Massacre, also known as the Montreal Massacre, occurred in December 1989.  Marc Lepine entered the engineering school and began killing women.  Lepine killed fourteen young women at the school because they dared to attend the school.  He ended the spree by killing himself. The essay should introduce the incident and present the thesis of the work.  There are several arguments surrounding the event which m...

While Bernard Pomerance’s play The Elephant Man , Carson McCullers’ novella The Ballad of the Sad Café , and Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon may all initially seem like wildly different works that address disparate characters, settings, and themes, there is one thread that ties these seemingly different texts together: Pomerance, McCullers, and Morrison all use grotesque elements to emphasize the troubling relationships contained within their works. These three authors use grotesque characters to foreground the uncanny and horrific qualities of their stories. Indeed, Pomerance centers his play on John Merrick, the famously deformed sideshow performer better known as the Elephant Man. Not only does Pomerance use the grotesque figure of Merrick, but he also incorporates “pinheads” in an effort to make his play even more surreal. The pinheads are meant to be unnerving figures and grotesque caricatures. Their unsettling qualities are wholly on display as the pinheads tuck Merrick into bed...